The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

You haven't yet?

I keep putting off, thinking it will be too.... eh.... not sure really.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by jvince

You're not that excited for the sequel? I'm really looking forward to it, especially if they manage to get Carrey.

I wouldn't say not looking forward to it, just not as pumped. Just premises of the first one got me pumped, I'm just not feeling this one yet I sure hope it's as amazing as the first one, but I've just been so bogged down by the idea that the sequel is dead for so long that now all of a sudden it's sprang into life, I just don't really believe it's coming, it also seems to rather fast tracked for a quick buck over genuine care. But I do feel that come next June, I'll get the sequel I've been waiting for for so long

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

I dunno about Diesel. I think it might be too good for him.

It's too adult for Diesel, his parents haven't given him consent to watch it yet

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I keep putting off, thinking it will be too.... eh.... not sure really.

Personally, I don't think you'll like it, but I could be quite wrong

Next week I'm being forced to go to the cinema because the family want to go. Main film that they want to watch is this...

Keith Lemon The Film - Full HD Trailer! - YouTube

...so obviously I'm trying to sway them to watch something, I could go watch Batman again, The Watch or Total Recall, what's peoples judgement?

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I keep putting off, thinking it will be too.... eh.... not sure really.

It's actually not that bad. When I first saw some of the pics for it and saw Cage in his wanna be Batman costume I sort of went...right!!!!

The idea behind the movie is actually fun and I was surprise by how fun the movie actually was. If you get a chance to rent it go for it you might enjoy it.

[Romulus]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

my choice:

[Show spoiler]The Lives of Others

Certainly hard to argue that! I'm going to watch Umberto D. and Ikiru sometime over the next week and decide for myself then.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Romulus

So I'm going to be graduating this December with a film degree. This final semester I have to do a capstone project which consists of screening a film and doing a follow up presentation that supposed to last for an hour or so. I'm not too nervous about it, as there's only 10 people in the class or so. I certainly know I can do the work load too.

What I do not know is what film I'm going to do it over. He gave us a list of films and told us to pick three to bring to class next Tuesday, then we'll decide who does what film.

So the three I have chosen are: Umberto D., Ikiru, and The Lives of Others.

I have not seen either Umberto D. or Ikiru. He encouraged us to pick a film that we had not seen before, but that it wasn't absolutely necessary.

Our professor is EXTREMELY intelligent. He offers film analysis like I haven't seen before, so this is an incredible opportunity.

I just wanted to ask what you guys think I should choose.

We all know I consider The Lives of Others one of the best films ever made.

I think I'm uniquely qualified to answer your question regarding Umberto D and Ikiru considering I've actually watched both in the past month. I've said before that de Sica's The Bicycle Thieves is one of the greatest and most moving films of all-time, so it goes without saying that I was very excited to see Umberto D. The film was very solid, even if it did not live up to my expectations. I wasn't as moved as I was with The Bicycle Thieves, but it is still intensely sad and the relationship between Umberto and his dog is quite moving. I also find the finale to be very memorable. Ikiru, on the other hand, exceeded my high expectations. It's easily one of the most moving films I've ever seen. What connects the two is the memorable main character and how they deal with impending doom, being either eviction or death. I think a comparison piece between Umberto D and Ikiru would a fascinating topic with much to write about. The Lives of Others could also be connected, since all three films are essentially chacter studies. The only issue with comparing The Lives of Others with the other two is that the main character in that film is in a very different situation than those in Umberto D and Ikiru. What could connect them, however, is that each of the three films criticizes the respective society in which the main character lives: post-war Italy, 1950s Japan, and Germany before the Wall collapsed. That alone could tie all three films together in interesting ways.

If I had to pick only one of the three films to write about, I'd probably pick Ikiru. The themes and criticisms in The Lives of Others and Umberto D are a bit more obvious and direct.

[jhiggy23]

Limitless:

Film: 2 out of 4


A pretty poor film. The directing was distracting and annoying, which was disappointing considering he directed The Illusionist with great subtelty.


________________________________________________

21 Jump Street:

3 out of 4


Entertaining enough, although it didn't warrant the overwhelmingly positive reviews it got.

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Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol


3 out of 4

Also entertaining, although I didn't like it as much as the third film. Action scenes were good though.


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Water for Elephants

3 out of 4

Better than I thought it would be, considering I'm not a fan of anyone in the movie. The biggest issue with the film, however, is that there's absolutely zero chemistry between Witherspoon and Pattinson.

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Primar Fear

3 1/2 out of 4

Great acting and an entertaining story. The twist is one I never saw coming. Norton deserved his Oscar nom.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Limitless:

Film: 2 out of 4


A pretty poor film. The directing was distracting and annoying, which was disappointing considering he directed The Illusionist with great subtelty.


________________________________________________

21 Jump Street:

3 out of 4


Entertaining enough, although it didn't warrant the overwhelmingly positive reviews it got.

__________________________________________________ _

I love the direction in Limitless, but I can see how it would annoy. But you're pretty spot on with 21 Jump Street, it's funny, but it's not that funny.

[Foggy]

Casablanca

I usually don't like to write much on films that I feel I can't much to. The film's great, featuring sacrifices, double crosses, politics, war, piano playing and the romance at the core at it. The characters are well developed in and the lines are as cheesy as they are cinematically significant.

The odd little pieces of humour still work significantly well (with that impending doom of that Kieth Lemon Movie looming over my head, it shows how humour is in timing, character and context over "let's put everything crass we can think of into 90 mins), the acting is pretty typical from a film fron the 40's and sometimes feels like the weakest link of the film, although you can easily over look it within the whole piece and the time period it was made in.

Cinematography was stellar again for a film from the 40's. Oddly enough though, the thing that shocked me was the rushed feeling of the ending

The ending in concept is great, and I know it's hailed as one of the greatest endings of all time, but when it happens, nothing is given time to develop and play out naturally, nothing is allowed to breath so it never causes an impact. I was left a tad bewildered with how underwhelming the films was as it crossed the finishing line.

Putting that aside however, I still sense why the film is held in such high regard

8/10

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by Foggy

I love the direction in Limitless, but I can see how it would annoy. But you're pretty spot on with 21 Jump Street, it's funny, but it's not that funny.

Disagree with both of you on 21 Jump Street since I think it deserved the reviews, but that's ok.

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by KilloWertz

Disagree with both of you on 21 Jump Street since I think it deserved the reviews, but that's ok.

I agree with you, Killowertz. I absolutely love 21 Jump Street, it's my favorite comedy so far this year. Absolutely hilarious, has a good heart, and everyone in it is great. I think it definitely deserved the praise.

[BladeRunner2007]

Army of Darkness 5/5

Hail to the King, baby!

[jvince]

Norma Rae (1979)
An inspirational portrait of working class America. Sally Field delivers a stellar performance well-deserving of her Oscar win; she adds tons of personality and charm to her titular role that you end up forgetting she's only acting. Ron Leibman is also great in a supporting role as the union organizer who inspires her. Best part is the famous scene where she stands on the table; it is quite a moving one. While an all-around good film, it's not really something you'd see on somebody's list of favorites. A very solid one-time watch.

[HorrorFan71]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Sleep Away Camp. I read a bunch of recommendations that said it was good cheesey horror fun.

Six minutes in I wanted to kill the actors because the were so bad. Maybe the .... no.... THE worst acting I have erver seen.

Turned it off at about the eight minute mark.

Part 2 is the best one..Definately a cheesy "B" horror flick, but great campy fun!!

[Al_The_Strange]

"District B13"

Produced by Luc Besson (one of the coolest directors of all time), directed by Piere Morell (who went on to make "From Paris With Love"), and starring David Belle (the guy who founded the urban sport of parkour, or free-running, and has since endeavored to insert it into various films), "District B13" is all about style and action, and it's pretty damn cool that way. Action is quite frequent in this film; it showcases some really impressive fights and some really spectacular foot-chases. It comes close to besting "Ong Bak" in terms of quality choreography and jaw-dropping stunts. Oh yeah, it's that good. With tight pacing, a trim runtime, and some really stylish photography and special effects, this film definitely entertains.

The story for this is serviceable; nothing really deep, inspiring, or even original (it actually bears one or two things in common with "Escape From New York"). However, it does have a few fine and dandy twists, and it's pretty easy to follow and relate to the characters; I actually grew to like the cast by the time the credits rolled.

With quality, stylish photography and editing effects, the film looks really cool, especially in the way it captures the action and the seedy ghetto settings. Acting and writing are generally not bad; they get the job done, and nothing more. This production has some really trashy-looking settings and locales, which is appropriate, but it also boasts some nice-looking cars and it does okay with the costumes and props. Special effects are used sparingly, and aren't too bad either. Music is really cool.

As you may surmise, this is not a great film, but it has great action and spectacle. I was plenty happy with the story, even if it isn't the greatest, and I was pleased with the film's style and quality, even if it isn't groundbreaking in any specific way. It's probably one of the coolest flicks that I've seen, French or otherwise, and chances are that if you enjoy action, impressive stuntwork, and stylish cinema like I do, then this film should be right up your alley (and its sequel has some coolness too).

4/5 (Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Average | Film: Pretty Good)

Recommendation: A definite yes to anybody who likes cool action and stuntwork. A rental for casual viewers.

This Blu-Ray looks pretty decent, sounds okay. English dubbing is horrid.

PQ: 4/5, AQ: 3.5/5

[Al_The_Strange]

Speaking of cheese and camp...

"Spawn"

I remember back in the late 90s, "Spawn" was one of those films that just looked really cool, in the same vein as "Blade" or "The Matrix" (or maybe it's because they all had similar-looking DVD releases). Films like these capitalized greatly on then-impressive special effects, slick cinematic style, frequent action, a dark and gothic subject matter, and really awesome soundtracks. As cool as "Spawn" seems, however, it's nowhere near as cool as other films in this same vein (or other films that have come since, for that matter). Truth be told, "Spawn" is so cheesy and over-the-top that it contrasts too much with any sense of coolness; the most critical of viewers may find it lame, whereas others may consider it something of a guilty pleasure. Of course, some folks probably will accept it on its own merits, forgiving all the cheese in favor of the fact that it's a comic book hero. The problem is, this is not supposed to be cheesy or campy.

The coolness of "Spawn" is that it has a lot of action. It doesn't really drag all that much. It has a cool concept behind its antihero character and the overall story; one that offers potential for some epic special effects and some interesting plot twists. And, it has one of the coolest soundtracks on the market.

The lameness of "Spawn" is that the dialogue is often very corny, the villains are standard megalomaniacs, the special effects are horrid (even by 1997 standards), a few parts are way too cartoony for its own good (especially regarding the clown character), and the style of editing can be pretty erratic and weird.

The thing I find most disconcerting is the execution of the story. The original story for "Spawn" is a pretty dark and compelling drama, on a level similar to "The Crow." It was handled with just the perfect level of respect and quality with the HBO animation (which came out after this film). This film takes the material, keeps the core story, but skims over a huge amount of the plot in a short runtime. As such, parts of it are rushed and choppy.

Regardless, it does handle a few aspects appropriately. It is inherently compelling to watch the main character suffering betrayal and loss, before being forced to choose between vengeance and morality. It is a story with promise, it's just a little goofy in this film adaptation.

For what it's worth, the photography is not bad. The film is edited with some really weird and fancy editing effects, which can be erratic at times and stylish in others. With the iffy special effects, the film sometimes comes off as appearing rather gaudy. Still, the actors do their best: Michael Jai White brings the Spawn character to life with just the right amount of emotional punch and machismo, while Martin Sheen and John Leguizamo both put on very hammy performances (for better or for worse). Despite the gaudy CGI, this production has fine and dandy sets, props, and costumes. Music is really awesome.

I personally recommend the HBO cartoon version of "Spawn" first and foremost, for it is an excellent and earnest attempt at adapting the original comic. This film may have seemed right at its time, but after all this time it's apparent that it's mostly wrong. It does entertain, but interested parties would do better to rent it first and make up their own minds.

3/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Average | Film: Marginal)

Recommendation: As a rental, if interested. The cartoon version is recommended to all.

On Blu-Ray, this picture looks so ridiculously clean and sharp, it's crazy. It actually does make the film way more bearable to watch, poor SFX and all. Sound quality is good and loud.

PQ: 4.5/5, AQ: 4/5

--------------------

This was one of those movies I didn't think I'd ever want, but the cheap price and the Blu-Ray reviews attracted me. I gotta say, seeing it in such clear quality made me like it a little more than on the first time around. It shall stand proudly next to other such guilty pleasure films as "Johnny Mnemonic," "Priest," the Joel Schumacher "Batman" films, and God knows what else I own.

[P@t_Mtl]

The Private Life Of Don Juan (1934)

Overall I enjoyed this movie a lot more then I figured I would. Douglas Fairbanks play's a aging Don Juan returning to Seville after many years away. Still up to his old tricks he finaly learn a lesson about life and love by the end of the movie. The movie is pretyt good but the one thing that sort of did not work for me was Fairbanks. He did not seem to fit the role very well. He was also up to his usually stunts of climbing walls and such and he no longer had it in him to do it. The best example I can offer is like watching the direct to video movies of a fat and out of shape Steven Seagall now a days trying to be the guy he was back in the early 90's. It's pretty painfull to see The movie is well made and fun to watch even with this. The DVD is alright nothing amazing but it's clear and very easy to watch.

[lDlisturb3d]

Just got through watching

The Hunger Games

I feel no need to write a full review of the movie. Was it entertaining yes kinda, the beginning of the movie is stupid. I just cant grasp the ideal of this is happening. No one is stepping in the correct this inhuman thing??? It would of been more realistic if the whole country was in chaos and these districts fought each other for survival purposes not "tributes" dumb im just saying. Where's the UN lol. Anyway besides that the movie was entertaining at best, i assume the the later release will explain what the hell is really going on and why no other nations are stoping this non sense. Maybe i just have an American way of thinking. I mean the US military would of been stopped that!! Besides me bashing that part the movie is kinda good. I just dont get the emotional aspect. Some of the "emotional" scenes are very empty and i dont feel anything. I can say this movie is WAYYYYY better than Battle Royale but at least the reason behind Battle Royale makes more sense.

Well that is the PQ and AQ are very good. 5/5 for both.

3.5/5 Give it a try you might like it. I did for the most part.

[P@t_Mtl]

Underworld Awakening (2012)

Selene is back and that's a good thing. I did not dislike Rise Of The Lycans but I really like the character of Selene and I had miss her in the previous movie. I think this new movie got destroyed by pretty much everyone but I enjoyed it. Sure there isn't much of a story but for me the action made up for it. Two things I did find not to be good, first the CGI. I think the budget on this one was way down compared to the previous three movies, the lycans at time look like they belong in a ScyFy movie of the week. Second it was too short. I mean the credit started almost 10 minutes before reaching the 90 minutes time frame. That felt like I was watching a Disney channel movie. Beside all that, fun movie, enjoyed it, did what I was expecting of an Underworld franchise movie.

[KilloWertz]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Underworld Awakening (2012)

Selene is back and that's a good thing. I did not dislike Rise Of The Lycans but I really like the character of Selene and I had miss her in the previous movie. I think this new movie got destroyed by pretty much everyone but I enjoyed it. Sure there isn't much of a story but for me the action made up for it. Two things I did find not to be good, first the CGI. I think the budget on this one was way down compared to the previous three movies, the lycans at time look like they belong in a ScyFy movie of the week. Second it was too short. I mean the credit started almost 10 minutes before reaching the 90 minutes time frame. That felt like I was watching a Disney channel movie. Beside all that, fun movie, enjoyed it, did what I was expecting of an Underworld franchise movie.

I need to watch my copy at some point soon since I haven't watched this since I saw it in the theater.

Yes, I know, you would think I would have watched this at least 5 times already.

[Diesel]

Pretty spot on review there Pat

I enjoyed it, but not enough to buy. The first is still by far my favorite of the 4, followed by Lycans.