The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Foggy]

Well I'd understand people laughing at the violence if it's a comically bad film, but cheering at death is a little -inducing.

[Abdrewes]

The Internship (2013)

Ostensibly a story about forging human connection, it's ironic that The Internship manages to feel as cold and lifeless as a Terminator robot. Leaden by a script three rewrites away from pedestrian and Shawn Levy's stamp of Hollywood hackwork, I longed for the warmly conventional blanket that was last Monty's Peeples, which thankfully wasn't smothered in Google product placement—the only hint of subtlety is found in the multiplicity of ways found to not only incorporate the Google logo, but the same hues of red, blue, green and yellow that compose it, into each and every dull frame. A Google advertisement that happens to come in the 2.39:1 aspect ratio.

The first few scenes establish the type of middle-of-the-road PG-13 humor the audience will be subjected to for the remainder of the bloated 119 minute runtime. Watch salesmen Billy McMahon (Vince Vaughn) and Nick Campbell (Owen Wilson) sing along to Alanis Morissette's 1990's pop hit "Ironic" while getting into character to peddle off the latest "Chrono Shock" model. Their former client informs them that their business model is out of date and that few people buy watches anymore. The next morning at the closing warehouse, we get confirmation of this when their boss singles out that even their septuagenarian secretary checks the time on her smart phone.

Billy then springs the idea that they should apply for the Google internship program. In a stroke of fate, they are accepted and soon find themselves on the San Francisco campus. They are fish out of water in a sea of twenty-somethings who can code as fluently as they can write longhand. As per course, numerous jokes will be levied at their age and incompetence in front of a computer. Before the inevitable character turns, even their team mates join in on the foray.

Weighed down by Billy and Nick, the group—a charming multiracial mix of a white scrawny gangster imitator (Josh Brener), a smart aleck (Dylan O'Brien), a once homeschooled Filipino whom was breast fed well into his school years (Tobit Raphael), and an Indian American girl putting up a floozy, street smart front (Tiya Sircar, in a very like-able turn)—must accrue enough points from challenges, both sport and tech related, to secure a spot in the internship program which will most likely lead to a full time position.

The competition naturally gives way to an endless stream of pop culture references and broad physical comedy (seriously, a kick in the groin is not funny anymore). The culmination of which are two set pieces that arrive in the second act: a mock quidditch match coupled with Inception and Pirates of the Carribean clone music (again, the uniforms colored the same hue as the letters of the Google logo). Flaccid montages give way to phony uplift too thinly sketched to be effective. In tune with the two dimensional character arcs and barefaced product placement, every impersonal frame might as well have been orchestrated by beings who process information in zeroes and ones.

Shawn Levy's woefully inept multi camera shooting style provides a TV sitcom level visual flatness. Not one frame seems considered. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that on the final day of shooting, Levy and company dumped the digital files (footage) on the desk of an anonymous editor before placating their chagrin at the nearest pub.

½

[jvince]

Men in Black 3 (2012)
dir. Barry Sonnenfeld

The Good: Josh Brolin does a damn fine impression of Tommy Lee Jones. Griffin the Arcanian -- a character who has the ability to see every possible timeline at once -- is such a fascinating addition and a big reason why this movie works (How is Michael Stuhlbarg always so awesome in everything he's in?). Nice symmetrical photography. Elaborate set designs. Love the score by Danny Elfman. Pie.

The Bad: Most of the jokes fall flat. Plot is a bit contrived (How does one let a dangerous criminal escape prison so easily?). CGI effects look cheap and dated compared to the original, which predates this installment by 15 years.

The Bottom Line: It's a whole lot better than the second one, that's for sure, but MIB 3 is not as good as the original. It's a tough task to top a film with Vincent D'Onofrio hamming it up as a giant alien cockroach in a hillbilly's body.

[Steve46]

Philadelphia (1993)
Drama, 125 minutes
Directed by Jonathan Demme
Starring Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Jason Robards, Mary Steenburgen and Antonio Banderas

There are all kinds of reasons why I might watch a certain movie. It may be the director, the actors, the subject matter, or because of a review or recommendation. What first made me want to see Philadelphia was the casting of Tom Hanks. But now, after broadening my film knowledge in recent years, I wanted to pay closer attention to Denzel Washington's performance, and Jonathan Demme's directorial choices.

Demme has been responsible for one of the best thrillers ever made (The Silence of the Lambs), one of the best concert films (Stop Making Sense), as well as quirky comedies like Something Wild. Philadelphia isn't like any of those movies in terms of feel or genre; it's a serious drama, with an important message.

The story begins with lawyers Andrew Beckett (Hanks) and Joe Miller (Washington) battling each other in court. Beckett wins the case, and is promoted by his firm. He is entrusted with the task of representing one of the firm's most important clients. He's young, successful, and appears set to excel in his field. Miller is exposed as a TV celebrity and opportunist, who is more concerned with winning money for his clients than being ethical.

Beckett is homosexual and contracts AIDS. He develops lesions all over his body, and some of them are visible. One of the firm's partners notices and fears that Beckett may have AIDS. Soon after, Beckett is fired.

Do you remember when you first heard about AIDS? I remember it as a time of great panic. Nobody was immune from the disease, and we learned that it could be passed on by having a blood transfusion or unprotected sex. Imagine being a nurse and having a needle accidentally break your skin, and wondering if you would contract the disease. But, despite the fact that everyone was at risk, AIDS was primarily considered a disease which affected the gay community.

Should someone be fired for having a life-threatening disease? Does it matter whether their current performance is exceptional, even though it will almost certainly deteriorate in the future? This story is about Beckett's fight to sue his former firm for wrongful dismissal. After trying to enlist the help of nine other lawyers, he eventual turns to Miller. We discover that Miller is severely homophobic, and his ignorance of AIDS makes him fear Beckett's very presence. The story educates both the audience and Miller during it's two-hour journey. Although we know much more about AIDS now, it was important to hear stories like this when the disease was relatively new on the scene.

Miller's initial instinct was to get as far away from Beckett as he could. In fact, some people will never see Philadelphia for similar reasons. Homophobia is not as common as it used to be, but it still exists. Another reason that the film won't have a large audience is the debilitating nature of the disease. It's uncomfortable to see somebody become ill, knowing that they might well die. I understand the decision to avoid that kind of subject matter, but entertainment comes in many forms. The reason I enjoy Philadelphia is the strength of the central performances from Hanks and Washington.

The second half of the film focuses on the courtroom battle between Miller, representing Beckett, and the firm which ultimately fired Beckett. If you enjoy courtroom dramas, Philadelphia does well with that aspect of the story. Demme makes some interesting choices, occasionally making the actors speak directly into the camera. It has the effect of placing us in the position of the judge or the witness giving evidence, and grabs our attention.

Hanks was at his peak in the 90s and early 2000s, and this Oscar-winning performance is one of his best. Washington has been great for 20 years, and his performance should not be missed either.

Philadelphia also won an Oscar for best song (Bruce Springsteen), and closes with another nominee (Neil Young). The music fits the mood perfectly.

If you enjoy good acting, serious drama, or stories that really matter, Philadelphia is worth your time. Some say that it is dated and overly-manipulative, but sometimes it's good to manipulate the audience when the message is important enough to warrant it. This is one of those times.

The North American Blu-ray release is from Twilight Time, and is limited to 3,000 copies. The picture quality is pleasing and the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also does the job. It's available from Amazon, or directly from Screen Archives Entertainment, and comes with a small booklet.

Overall score 4.5/5

[Abdrewes]

Steve46, have you seen Beloved? It's my favorite Demme film

[Steve46]

Originally Posted by Abdrewes

Steve46, have you seen Beloved? It's my favorite Demme film

Nope. never seen it.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I have experienced this too. People were celebrating events that were meant to be moments of tragedy. I was uncomfortable being surrounded by it. Very troubling indeed.

Originally Posted by Foggy

Well I'd understand people laughing at the violence if it's a comically bad film, but cheering at death is a little -inducing.

I can understand laughing and cheering over something funny like Dead Alive, something ridiculously pulpy and over-the-top like RoboCop, something badass like The Raid, and something all-around terrible like Troll 2. But for everything else that demands to be taken seriously, like The Purge, I agree that it's troubling.

Stupid teenagers.

[KilloWertz]

KilloWertz makes his return to reviews with his most epic review yet...

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by jvince

It's a tough task to top a film with Vincent D'Onofrio hamming it up as a giant alien cockroach in a hillbilly's body.

One of the greatest sentences ever formed.

[jvince]

Stoker (2013)
dir. Park Chan-wook

The Good: Beautiful photography by Park's longtime collaborator Chung Chung-hoon. Another solid performance from Mia Wasikowska. Some effectively suspenseful build-ups. "Sometimes you need to do something bad to stop you from doing something worse." Kidman's amazing monologue near the end.

The Bad: Clunky dialogue by Wentworth Miller (Yes, that Wentworth Miller). Stilted delivery. Some weird editing.

The Bottom Line: Stylish, sensual, atmospheric, and fairly engaging, but ultimately hollow and somewhat conventional once you strip it of its flair. Park Chan-wook's visual panache is still ever-present and is on full display in Stoker. However, it lacks the punch and the twisted, poetic beauty of his previous works, such as Thirst, and the Vengeance trilogy. A rather tame and disappointing American debut for Park. Well, at least it isn't as indistinguishably Hollywoodized as Kim Jee-woon's The Last Stand.

[jvince]

Originally Posted by Diesel

One of the greatest sentences ever formed.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Awesome.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by jvince

Looks like I won't be seeing Man of Steel as early as I had hoped

Won't be able to catch it until Thursday morning

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Looks like I won't be seeing Man of Steel as early as I had hoped

Won't be able to catch it until Thursday morning

Earlier than most

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Looks like I won't be seeing Man of Steel as early as I had hoped

Won't be able to catch it until Thursday morning

I'm gunning for Friday myself (will have to go down there to pick up The Last Of Us from the Game Stop anyway, so it'll be a great Friday). So you'll at least see it before I do.

Will probably have my own little Superman marathon shortly.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I'm gunning for Friday myself (will have to go down there to pick up The Last Of Us from the Game Stop anyway, so it'll be a great Friday). So you'll at least see it before I do.

Will probably have my own little Superman marathon shortly.

Same plan for me (except we don't have Game Stops)

[legendarymatt92]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

I'm gunning for Friday myself (will have to go down there to pick up The Last Of Us from the Game Stop anyway, so it'll be a great Friday). So you'll at least see it before I do.

Will probably have my own little Superman marathon shortly.

Me too -- planning on watching the whole series thus far just to get me in the mood for what I'm hoping will be the big one.

Plus, on a side note, The Last of Us looks amazing.

[jvince]

Drive (2011)
dir. Nicolas Winding Refn

The Good: An iconic performance from Ryan Gosling as the nameless driver, a charming and sensitive anti-hero with a dark side. A captivating turn from Albert Brooks as a not-so-typical big baddie. Outstanding supporting cast, namely Carey Mulligan, Ron Perlman, Bryan Cranston, and Oscar Isaac. Masterful direction by Nicolas Winding Refn, who takes a simple story and elevates the material into something better than it should be (and might be in less capable hands). Killer soundtrack -- the opening credits song 'Nightcall' by Kavinsky, 'A Real Hero' by College, 'Oh My Love' by Riz Ortolani, and Cliff Martinez's ethereal electronic score. Gorgeous cinematography by Newton Thomas Sigel (The Usual Suspects); composition and lighting are pitch-perfect. Superb editing and sound mixing. A shit ton of awesome sequences such as the opening getaway, the motel shootout, the strip club scene, and of course, the notorious elevator scene -- basically the entire film. The glorious bursts of hyper-violence. Expertly suspenseful. Utter badassery. Great replay value; this is one of those films that gets better upon repeat viewings.

The Bad: Nothing major.

The Bottom Line: A scintillating, dream-like minimalist soaked in bright red blood and neon lights. Refn's Drive is one mesmerizing masterpiece; its brilliance -- hidden within its simplicity and style -- revealed only if you allow it. I could stare at this all day. Highly recommended.

[Al_The_Strange]

Superman: The Movie

Of all the superhero films ever made, Superman: The Movie was, and still is, one of the most epic experiences made. Even its opening credits sequence, with big blue 3D letters streaking at the audience across deep space, is an epic and awesome sight. From then on, as the film chronicles the origins of Superman and his first confrontation with Lex Luthor, the film sets out to deliver as much as it can; among the film's smorgasbord of spectacle, there are the otherworldly scenes on planet Krypton, Superman discovering his powers for the first time, numerous feats in which Superman saves lives and fights crime, and a thrilling climax where the Man of Steel's abilities are put to the test as he struggles to thwart mass destruction on a global scale. With so many action scenes and visually-inspiring sequences, the film covers a lot of ground, and it does decent justice to the classic comic-book hero.

This experience is marred only by the age of the film. Despite its sheer ambition and scale, the film's special effects have not aged well, the styles appear outdated and gaudy, acting has its cheesy parts, and campy comedy clashes frequently with the sentimental drama. There is also a lot of absurdity involved. It's still a fun and enchanting experience, even if it is the product of its time.

The story for this film is a long affair; half of it is devoted to Superman's origins, showcasing the fate of planet Krypton and Kal-El's upbringing in Smallville. In the last half, the film switches to Superman's life in Metropolis, and the subsequent struggles that ensue. A lot of the funner scenes occur in the last half, but the film overall builds up the title character really well, and explores some strong themes regarding fate and destiny. My only real complaint about this story is that it's rather uneven, and the climax feels somewhat weak.

Regardless, this film is made competently, with quality photography and editing. Acting from Christopher Reeve is effectively perfect; Margot Kidder is endearing (even if her character is rather daft), Gene Hackman plays a seriously hammy villain, and Marlon Brando chews the scenery in his brief scenes (in a role that cost a whopping $3.7 million). Writing is not particularly deep, but it strikes the right tone and it is pretty good in general. Despite my complaints about the film's age and styles, it does use some very expensive sets, props, costumes, and special effects. The filmmakers and producers didn't exactly get along during this film's shooting, so the end product is especially admirable. John Williams' score for this film is classic!

The theatrical cut of this film is decent, but on DVD and Blu-Ray, there is an extended cut available with something like 20 minutes of new footage. The film doesn't really need these scenes, but they are pretty cool, and a few of them do add a little more to the story and characters.

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

Recommendation: Yeah.

The Superman Anthology box set includes both the theatrical and extended cuts of the film. On Blu-Ray, these cuts appear a bit soft and hazy at times, with a moderate amount of sharpness and detail, and quite a bit of film grain and noise. Color and contrast are not bad. Sound quality is awesome.

PQ: 3.5/5, AQ: 4.5/5

[Al_The_Strange]

Superman II

Originally, the 1978 film Superman was designed to be shot and released back-to-back with its immediate sequel. With the rivalry between the producer and director, things didn't work out that way, but Superman II still saw the light of day. The vast majority of it is still Richard Donner's work, but since the man was fired before he could finish it, Richard Lester stepped in to fill in the gaps.

As a result, Superman II continues in the same general tone and quality as the first film, but with more of everything. With General Zod and his henchmen as superpowered villains wreaking havoc across the US, the spectacle is pretty darn cool; some of the most thrilling scenes include an epic battle across Metropolis, in which all the superpowered characters duel and cause mass destruction. Plenty of other interesting scenes, including fun sequences in Paris and Niagara Falls, keep the film evenly-entertaining.

However, the film also has a lot of campy comedy, which can come off as being really silly (I blame a lot of it on Richard Lester's additions to the film). Once again, the film hasn't aged all that gracefully, so the special effects and production looks rather cheap and gaudy. Compared to the first film, this sequel doesn't quite have the same emotional punch or epic-scale ambition either.

The story, however, covers some interesting ground. Characters remain charming as ever, but it gets really interesting when Superman faces the challenge of maintaining his secret identity, and makes the drastic decision to abandon his powers to experience human mortality and pain. The story is even more solid with Richard Donner's cut, which connects more thematically with the first film.

This film has solid photography and editing. Christopher Reeve is still great as Superman, while Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, and other major players return to provide more of the same as before. Terrence Stamp, Sarah Douglas, and Jack O'Halloran are wickedly fun as the villains. Writing is okay. This production uses okay-looking sets, props, costumes, and special effects. The film uses a few exotic locales to give the film a slightly bigger scope. The music score employs most of the same themes that were composed in the first film.

The film's theatrical cut is generally enjoyable as it is, but Richard Donner's cut has been assembled for DVD and Blu-Ray, and it is a totally different experience. Using a combination of existing footage, screen tests, and original special effects, this version of the film cuts out a lot of the silly comedy, re-arranges the plot, and adds in so much more to the story and characters. I personally prefer and recommend that version of the movie, for it is a stronger storytelling experience (even if it is slapped together with raw materials).

Either version comes recommended for anybody wanting more of Superman.

4/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Good | Film: Good)

Recommendation: As a follow-up on the first film.

I watched the theatrical cut this time around. On Blu-Ray, it looks alright, but is marred slightly with some softness and haze. Sharpness is good in some scenes and not-so-good in others. Colors and contrast are alright. Sound quality is good.

PQ: 3.5/5, AQ: 4/5