The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Walts Ghost]

Ninja Assassin:

I knew very little about this movie going in. A few people kept telling me how cool it was, how great it looked on blu ray, and how badass this movie was so I decided I'd check it out. I'm glad I did. This movie was a lot of fun. It has a pretty thin plot, but thats ok. I'm not watching a movie called Ninja Assassin for that. I'm purely in it for the action. And plent of action there was! I think for a movie that runs 99 minutes, at least 45 or 50 minutes of it was just insane martial arts fights.

The acting is fairly decent, Rain, a Korean singer, is the lead here. He's actually pretty good, but really all he does is kick a lot of ass. The few emotional scenes with him were pulled off fairly well though. The only person I knew in the movie was Naomie Harris, who was in Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3 as Tia Dalma and the movie Street Kings. She is good as the law enforcement agent trying to shed light on Razio's gang of Ninjas. She gets stuck in a situation that no one wants to be put in, and she plays it well.

The picture was really, really good as some of my friends pointed. The blood flows incredible, the action is crisp, and some of the scenery is really breath taking on blu ray. I'd say for the fight scenes alone this movie is at least worth a look. Overall I found it an enjoyable movie and I look forward to watching it again.

8/10

[Starman22]

The Gate (1987) rated: 5/5

ok I seen this movie I was a kid on TV in early 1990's and I dont remember rest of the movie since in 20 years ago. Finally it about time to saw it today. So anyway that is awesome horror movie of the 1980's. Stephen Dorff is the film debut before he the biggest star. so AWESOME!

[CZAR]

The Stepfather (1987) - Just purchased this film on blu today and wanted to see it as its been several years since my last viewing. Terry O'Quinn was just as good as I remember. He was perfectly casted for this role and it was very believable. I had a crush back when this film was released on Jill Schoelen. She was a cutiepie. As for the film, it held up really well and it is a very good suspenseful thriller. Again Terry carries the film and his split personality is creepy. I like the remake to this film but the big difference between the two films are Dylan Walsh & Terry O'Quinn. Dylan I thought did a decent job but it doesnt compare to Terry's performance.

Film Rating - 3 1/2 stars (out of 5)

PQ - 3 1/2 stars (out of 5)

AQ - 2 stars (out of 5)

Got Em!!

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by CZAR

The Stepfather (1987) - Just purchased this film on blu today and wanted to see it as its been several years since my last viewing. Terry O'Quinn was just as good as I remember. He was perfectly casted for this role and it was very believable. I had a crush back when this film was released on Jill Schoelen. She was a cutiepie. As for the film, it held up really well and it is a very good suspenseful thriller. Again Terry carries the film and his split personality is creepy. I like the remake to this film but the big difference between the two films are Dylan Walsh & Terry O'Quinn. Dylan I thought did a decent job but it doesnt compare to Terry's performance.

Film Rating - 3 1/2 stars (out of 5)

PQ - 3 1/2 stars (out of 5)

AQ - 2 stars (out of 5)

Got Em!!

Did Blu-ray Forum ever offered you a job at reviewing movies? I think you'd be good at it.

That I just said!!

[tbizzle]

Mystic River - 5/5

Hadn't seen this since it came out, and I thought it was just ok back then. Wow, what an excellent film. Everyone was great, especially Tim. Man that guy played his role so convincingly, it was almost scary. And after not seeing any Sean Penn movies in a long time, it was fun seeing him in I am Sam just a few days ago and then in this, as almost the exact opposite. Can't wait for Tree of Life

Since I've really found my passion for film these last few years, I've really been impressed with Clint Eastwood's films. Although I caught about 30 minutes of Blood Work at a friends house a while ago, and wasn't really impressed with it. I was shocked when I found out that he directed it, so maybe I need to give that a rent someday. I can't wait to see Hereafter. After reading the plot, and knowing that he's directing, I think it could be great.

[LordCrumb]

Hot Tub Time Machine 3.5/5

Started out quite bad, but it got better and was pretty enjoyable. The ending was really cool

[Show spoiler]how everyone ended up loaded.... lougle....motley lue etc lol

.

Little down side was of all the classic 80s music they could have used, there weren't any real hits imo.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by CZAR

The Stepfather (1987) - Just purchased this film on blu today and wanted to see it as its been several years since my last viewing. Terry O'Quinn was just as good as I remember. He was perfectly casted for this role and it was very believable. I had a crush back when this film was released on Jill Schoelen. She was a cutiepie. As for the film, it held up really well and it is a very good suspenseful thriller. Again Terry carries the film and his split personality is creepy. I like the remake to this film but the big difference between the two films are Dylan Walsh & Terry O'Quinn. Dylan I thought did a decent job but it doesnt compare to Terry's performance.

Film Rating - 3 1/2 stars (out of 5)

PQ - 3 1/2 stars (out of 5)

AQ - 2 stars (out of 5)

Got Em!!

Terry O' Quinn is the only understated bald badass. No one takes any notice of him.

[Al_The_Strange]

Watched the following last night (thank goodness for half-days! )

“Contact.”

A long epic of a sci-fi movie, brimming with strong emotions. I used to consider it sappy (Jodie Foster’s crying scenes are quite tear-jerking ), but if anything these scenes are only indicators of strong quality performances, and perhaps an indication of the fragile state of humanity (a theme that becomes apparent throughout; it can get a little preachy, but it’s still pretty deep).

The graphics definitely entice me still. The scenes in space (though there’s only a few) are very beautiful, and most special effects hold up to this day. I do wish more sci-fi movies had graphics like this; most only focus on fancy spaceships or something, with plain blank starfields, but in “Contact” we get fantastic glimpses of colorful nebulae, planets, and galaxies that could rival the images captured from Hubble. (guess I can’t blame Jodie Foster for crying so much during these scenes).

As far as the movie as a whole goes, I probably appreciate it better this time around than any other time. The story is superb; it’s grand and dramatic without being bloated or excessive. If anything, it’s more believable as it is, with a strong focus on telecommunications and astronomy to reinforce the more outlandish elements of the plot. Above all though, the characters do shine with great performances and a decent amount of depth and introspect.

Going hand-in-hand with the story are some important themes that I don’t think really get touched upon often in sci-fi films. The biggest thing is the conflict (or perhaps interplay?!) between science and religion; both are expressed through the characters’ dialogue and actions and take on varying degrees of fanaticism, but the final conclusion (that both disciplines are fundamentally searching for truth) really defines the whole point of the film, if not people in general. The film ultimately portrays humanity in its fullest, before taking a step back and providing an outsider’s point-of-view. As one of the characters says, we are a race “capable of such beautiful dreams…and such horrible nightmares.” Not to mention, the human race itself is pretty small and insignificant on a cosmic scale.

Oh yeah, the movie also makes some interesting points about human technology.

My only complaints about the film: it’s still pretty long and somewhat slow-going.........and somewhat sappy .

4/5 (entertainment: 3.5/5, story: 5/5, film: 4/5, i/e: 3.5/5)

The Blu-Ray for this is a good deal. The PQ is a little soft at parts, but is still significantly sharp and detailed. Colors and contrast are mostly good. It blows the original DVD out of the water. AQ sounded decent; a little low in volume perhaps, but sound effects were pretty decent on a good set of speakers.

Watched a couple of other movies too…but I’ll write about them later.

[Chaotic]

The Book of Eli 4/5

I just love the look of this film.

Mary & Max 5/5

One of the most hilarious and devasting films ive seen in awhile. Hoffman had a terrific NY accent. Didnt sound like him at all.

[surfdude12]

Rudy (via. Netflix Instant)

Film: 4.5/5
-first act is a tad weak, only reason I deducted 0.5
-one of the best (along with Seabiscuit) underdog films ever
-Dutton's supporting performance was incredible...am I the only one who noticed that? The guy wasn't even acting. I read his bio. Unbelievable story. The guy can invoke emotion without even talking. Why don't I see him in more films? I'd even go so far to say that he would have rivaled Freeman in Shawshank (the guy has done hard time). Maybe I've gone cuckoo in this assessment, but you guys will set me right I'm sure if so.

[Freekman]

American Gangster
Film - 9/10
PQ - 6/10
AQ - 8/10

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRings

Did Blu-ray Forum ever offered you a job at reviewing movies? I think you'd be good at it.

That I just said!!

Haha naw man but thanks for the compliment. I just try to give real insight to the films I view in case people really want to know if the film is worth a look. Got Em!!

Originally Posted by Foggy

Terry O' Quinn is the only understated bald badass. No one takes any notice of him.

Yea I cant lie, outside of this and now that I am watching Lost I hadnt seen him in anything else but he is superb in both mentioned. Got Em!!

[TokyoLee]

Sin City

Movie 5/5
PQ 5/5
AQ 5/5

[Al_The_Strange]

“Monsters Inc.”

A decent Pixar film at the least; the animation quality and design is as top-notch as all their other films. Above all, the story is of top quality too. It’s an imaginative and clever premise, filled with lots of hilarious moments and populated by unique characters. The story is pretty short and simple, but it breathes well and is loaded with brilliant comedy, touching cuteness, and an intriguing mystery.

4/5 (entertainment: 4.5/5, story: 3.5/5, film: 4.5/5)

Blu-Ray PQ shows some aliasing, but it can be easily ignored. The film overall looks really darn sharp and clear. I even noticed some fine details I never noticed before. Sound quality is absolutely smashing.



“Dumbo”

Short, sweet, and simple. And yet, they managed to jam pack a lot of great music, brilliant visuals, and a halfway-decent story into it. The story is actually pretty simple, but it effectively portrays the title character in a strong light. Looking at it now, it strikes me as an allegory to showbiz people in general; I could easily see Dumbo’s hardships being thrust upon an actor. Perhaps it’s applicable to anybody who was born in misfortune or to anybody who’s ever been harassed. At the core, it’s a film about talents, and when one uses his unique talents he unlocks incredible potential.

Yep, it’s a classic.

4.5/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 4/5, film: 5/5)

I am a proud owner of the region-B BD from the UK. It looks and sounds perfect; it’s every bit as good of a restoration and transfer as the other Disney classics. The eventual US release should be equally awesome.



Now I got zany monsters and Dumbo music stuck in my head!!!

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

Rudy (via. Netflix Instant)

Film: 4.5/5
-first act is a tad weak, only reason I deducted 0.5
-one of the best (along with Seabiscuit) underdog films ever
-Dutton's supporting performance was incredible...am I the only one who noticed that? The guy wasn't even acting. I read his bio. Unbelievable story. The guy can invoke emotion without even talking. Why don't I see him in more films? I'd even go so far to say that he would have rivaled Freeman in Shawshank (the guy has done hard time). Maybe I've gone cuckoo in this assessment, but you guys will set me right I'm sure if so.

One of the best sports movies, that gets me everytime. Dutton was certainly great, no doubt. He's not on the level of Freeman but it would've been interesting to see someone who was in jail for manslaughter act in a prison film.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Watched the following last night (thank goodness for half-days! )

“Contact.”

A long epic of a sci-fi movie, brimming with strong emotions. I used to consider it sappy (Jodie Foster’s crying scenes are quite tear-jerking ), but if anything these scenes are only indicators of strong quality performances, and perhaps an indication of the fragile state of humanity (a theme that becomes apparent throughout; it can get a little preachy, but it’s still pretty deep).

The graphics definitely entice me still. The scenes in space (though there’s only a few) are very beautiful, and most special effects hold up to this day. I do wish more sci-fi movies had graphics like this; most only focus on fancy spaceships or something, with plain blank starfields, but in “Contact” we get fantastic glimpses of colorful nebulae, planets, and galaxies that could rival the images captured from Hubble. (guess I can’t blame Jodie Foster for crying so much during these scenes).

As far as the movie as a whole goes, I probably appreciate it better this time around than any other time. The story is superb; it’s grand and dramatic without being bloated or excessive. If anything, it’s more believable as it is, with a strong focus on telecommunications and astronomy to reinforce the more outlandish elements of the plot. Above all though, the characters do shine with great performances and a decent amount of depth and introspect.

Going hand-in-hand with the story are some important themes that I don’t think really get touched upon often in sci-fi films. The biggest thing is the conflict (or perhaps interplay?!) between science and religion; both are expressed through the characters’ dialogue and actions and take on varying degrees of fanaticism, but the final conclusion (that both disciplines are fundamentally searching for truth) really defines the whole point of the film, if not people in general. The film ultimately portrays humanity in its fullest, before taking a step back and providing an outsider’s point-of-view. As one of the characters says, we are a race “capable of such beautiful dreams…and such horrible nightmares.” Not to mention, the human race itself is pretty small and insignificant on a cosmic scale.

Oh yeah, the movie also makes some interesting points about human technology.

My only complaints about the film: it’s still pretty long and somewhat slow-going.........and somewhat sappy .

4/5 (entertainment: 3.5/5, story: 5/5, film: 4/5, i/e: 3.5/5)

The Blu-Ray for this is a good deal. The PQ is a little soft at parts, but is still significantly sharp and detailed. Colors and contrast are mostly good. It blows the original DVD out of the water. AQ sounded decent; a little low in volume perhaps, but sound effects were pretty decent on a good set of speakers.

Watched a couple of other movies too…but I’ll write about them later.

Good review and I agree with almost everything (haven't seen the blu). I think it's a thought provoking film and an interesting take on the genre with some important themes and questions. My complaints are the same as yours: the film feels long (I rarely complain about length) and is a bit sappy at parts.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by rkolinski

I just received it today from Amazon UK; couldn't wait to watch it and it was the first thing I played when I got home. I mean, even ahead of watching The Book of Eli. I think you will be pleasantly surprised since I know you LOVE classic films. BTW, I'm now waiting for (Dances with Wolves - extended version, Tora! Tora! Tora!, El Cid and Fall of the Roman Empire all from Amazon de and Henry V (Sir Laurence Olivier) and The Deer Hunter from Amazon UK). It is of course wonderful to now own a Region Free Code Free BD player because now I don't have to wait for the films I like to be just Region A.

Thanks. Talk to me ASAP after watching Deerhunter please.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by tbizzle

Mystic River - 5/5

Hadn't seen this since it came out, and I thought it was just ok back then. Wow, what an excellent film. Everyone was great, especially Tim. Man that guy played his role so convincingly, it was almost scary. And after not seeing any Sean Penn movies in a long time, it was fun seeing him in I am Sam just a few days ago and then in this, as almost the exact opposite. Can't wait for Tree of Life

Since I've really found my passion for film these last few years, I've really been impressed with Clint Eastwood's films. Although I caught about 30 minutes of Blood Work at a friends house a while ago, and wasn't really impressed with it. I was shocked when I found out that he directed it, so maybe I need to give that a rent someday. I can't wait to see Hereafter. After reading the plot, and knowing that he's directing, I think it could be great.

For whatever reason, Mystic River and Sean Penn get a bad wrap on this site. I can understand ppl not liking Penn because of political beliefs and personality, but it's absolutely undeniable that he's one of the best actors working today, and remarkably consistent. I cannot understand complaints about Mystic River, however. I also do not understand one poster, can't remember who, who continually argued with me regarding Tim Robbins' performance. Imo, it's without a doubt one of the very best supporting actor performances of the 2000s and one of the best in a very long time. He fully deserved the win.

It's funny, I'm not an Eastwood fan as an actor, but I am as a director. I appreciate how iconic his acting performances are, but I just don't care for his films. Directing is different, as I feel that Changeling and Mystic River are incredible films, and Iwo Jima and Flags are fantastic directing performances, although not quite great movies.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

One of the best sports movies, that gets me everytime. Dutton was certainly great, no doubt. He's not on the level of Freeman but it would've been interesting to see someone who was in jail for manslaughter act in a prison film.

Yeah, definitely nowhere near Freeman's caliber in general, but just for that role (kind of like a Rourke in Wrestler). In Rudy, he played a similar character who had gone through big highs and lows, and you could tell his personal experience was coming through.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Thanks. Talk to me ASAP after watching Deerhunter please.

Me too--one of my fav films and I'm a fan of the packaging.