The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[grim_tales]

Mr. Peabody and Sherman (2014): 1.5/5

Overall probably one of the worst animations I've ever seen from Dreamworks. I thought at first it was like watching one of those horrible attempts to make education "entertaining" (or the other way round), and it turns out it was - as its based on 'Peabody's Improbable History', a TV series from the 50's/60's (they appeared as sketches in the same show as Rocky and Bullwinkle I think?), but not only that, it doesnt even answer its own questions and inconsistencies

[Show spoiler](if Peabody is a dog and he just 'found' an abandonded boy, where did Sherman come from, and did he have parents?) Any question is just answered with 'I applied X to save myself from dying, and this happened' and doesnt really explain why, it just IS.

This is probably my fault for not knowing much about the characters.
I know its a kid's film, but darker themes could have been explored

[Show spoiler]About the effects of parental bonds and time travel

I did smile a few times though at the extra scenes at the end.

[Al_The_Strange]

Rocky

There are those with a lot of brains and those with a lot of brawn; both paths offer their share of opportunities and temptations. For those with more muscle than smarts, the world of professional boxing may offer a viable true calling, but a shot at the title is a rare privilege. Rocky is the story of a man who's given that rare privilege, and rises to the challenge to prove that he's more than just a bum off the streets.

If nothing else, Rocky Balboa is one of the most iconic characters in cinema, and his training scenes are among some of the most iconic scenes in film history. The film's biggest action occurs at the beginning and end, with the dramatic and intense boxing matches; in between, the film focuses less on boxing and more on the drama surrounding the character. It is a compelling drama, filled with violent outbursts and pathological struggles that really help define the characters and make the story relevant. However, the film does lose its momentum in the middle, and the plot becomes a bit random before Rocky shapes up and finally fights Apollo Creed.

Despite some drag, the film does have a compelling story. Most of the film's power resides in the main character, who is a perfectly lovable good guy with a good heart, but is constantly forced to hurt people to make ends meet; when he isn't in the ring, he uses his brawn on the street. However, much of the film is about Rocky rising out of the gutter and becoming something more than what he is; on a fundamental level, the film embodies an inspirational power and thematic depth that could apply to anybody in the world. It ultimately amounts to a full manifestation of the American dream: the story of a man who defies all odds and all adversities to rise out of the lower class and fight on the same level as a heavyweight champion. It doesn't even matter if Rocky wins or loses; he proves definitively that there's more than one way to win in life.

This film is as rough and gritty as they come. The photography is solid and steady, but with some very drab and grainy color schemes. Sylvester Stallone has never had much elegance in his roles, but as Rocky, he works within his limitations and takes full advantage to give his character decent depth and nuance. I always found Burt Young's character totally unlikable, but Talia Shire is cute. Carl Weathers is not bad as Apollo Creed, and Burgess Meredith is awesome. Writing is pretty good overall. This production uses some very real-looking sets, props, and costumes. The locales are especially interesting, because they look so scuzzy most of the time, it paints a pretty grim world around Rocky, which help give his struggles more weight. Bill Conti's music score is quite iconic and uplifting.

The history of the film is pretty interesting as well, given that Stallone's own life mirrors Rocky's to a point. Much like the boxer he portrays, Stallone started off poor and obscure, but took a chance on a script that seemed like it'd be a long shot. That script turned into this movie; this movie turned into a franchise, and Stallone is still successful to this day.

Although there are parts of this film I find a bit slow, it is a compelling story that's well worth watching. It has a depth and spirit that anybody can draw inspiration from; if you have a dream that seems impossible, you can achieve it if you exercise your talents and go the distance.

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

Recommendation: Yep.

Just got this as part of the brand-new Heavyweight Collection box set, which I grabbed for $20 on sale on Fox Connect. The first film in the set has been remastered from 4K elements; it will always be a gray and grainy-looking film, but much like the recently-re-released RoboCop, Rocky looks really sharp and clear most of the time. Grain is fine and rarely overbearing; details are really fine most of the time, and if there are any soft-looking shots, they are likely source limitations. Sound quality is a bit of a disappointment though, since most dialogue sounds a bit muddled, and it was tinny in one scene. Music doesn't sound too bad though.

PQ: 4.5/5, AQ: 3/5

[Spirit Zero]

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Solid title, lets hope it really is dark...yeah right. Its only been two years and we have another Thor adventure. The first film wasn't too bad considering the source material is a tough cookie to film, so I went into this sequel with a relatively positive outlook. So far Marvel has done us proud so why worry.

Oh dear, now I would mention the plot outline briefly, as normal, but put simply...I can't. The reason being I genuinely don't really understand what I just saw. I haven't been this confused in a film since I don't know. The bad guys in this film are called Dark Elves which sounds pretty sweet admittedly...and kinda Warhammer-ish. They all look quite cool with their creepy gaunt expression-less masks on and their leader 'Malekith' also looks really good and evil...and kinda 'Hellboy 2-ish'. You could also say they all feel a tad like Stormtroopers especially with all the lasers being fired everywhere, was that laser fire? looked like it.

The Star Wars similarities became even worse when the elves started attacking Asgard in rather familiar looking spacecraft. Asgard itself also looking suspiciously like the capital city of Naboo, Theed. So even though these Dark Elves look quite cool they simply end up as masses of faceless hammer fodder for Thor and his buddies. There is also an uber Dark Elf monster thing that Malekith created with some of the Aether? again visually great with a nice body suit but why didn't Malekith just do this with all his elves or as many as possible?. Oh and one minute he's with Malekith after being changed/infected, and the next scene he's captured and in Asgard?! wut?!.

The script is a complete mess, the film jumps around just like the characters do in the final half of the film. What exactly do the Dark Elves want?? they just wanna errr...destroy the universe? shroud it in darkness?...why exactly?. At the start when Portman is sucked into another dimension or something I had no clue what was going on or why she was sucked in. Then there's this Aether stuff...what the hell is that suppose to be? is it a living being? what's its purpose? where does it come from? did anyone make it?. Damn unlucky how Portman's character got zapped straight to where this lethal universe destroying stuff was though huh, wow what are the odds!.

The action is generic and boring throughout, sorry but it is. The escape from Asgard is typically absurd as Thor manages to pilot a craft he's never stepped foot in before. OK that aspect is joked on by Loki but he still manages to pilot it skillfully evading lots of laser fire and treacherous tight spaces. None of the elves pose any threat to Thor or his mates whatsoever, including a big stone creature. This could quite easily be a lightweight 'Lord of the Rings' spin off frankly, replace elves with orcs, they're both useless against good guys. Most of the fights are pointless as Thor's mates are all invincible yet at the same time Asgardian soldiers seem to be just as useless as the bad guys.

You can tell things weren't going as well as hoped because they have stuck 'Loki' back into the fray to try and boost the film. Easily the best character for sure but Jesus Christ you can't rely on this guy every time, I'm amazed the characters are still dumb enough to even trust him sheesh!. They actually closed the book with Loki really well in this film but nooooo....couldn't leave it at that, had to have that last twist to spoil it. Continuity wise the film is great no doubt, everyone is back and the story follows on well from the first film. I hope this is the last we see of Portman though as I simply cannot stand her, she has a small range of facial expressions and she uses them over and over. Plus she looked really bored here. Bad guy Eccleston (Hollywood loves a Brit bad guy don't they) had nothing to do and very little to say, great makeup but wasted badly.

Sure the film looks delicious with lovely CGI but did you expect it not to?. Well I say that but everything falls apart in the London finale, yep the end of the world happens in...Greenwich. The last long long action sequence is the biggest flapping muddle ever, there are characters jumping and falling through portals like no ones business. Weapons and debris flying all over the place and popping up here there and everywhere, the elves look like tacky extras from Doctor Who as they run around the London streets, its all ridiculous.

The entire plot is utterly preposterous, it makes no sense half the time and the other half is virtually unexplained. It all hinges on this Aether stuff and the alignment of the nine worlds...annnnd as I type this I'm boring myself. This whole film just feels like filler until the next Avengers outing, nothing more. The action is tepid and bland, half the characters didn't even need to be here as they have little screen time, the Earth based human characters were annoying, the plot is something else and the end of credits scene with Del Toro looked absolutely awful!!. Sorely disappointed with this generic effort.

4/10

[Al_The_Strange]

RoboCop 2014

Chances are that you know RoboCop, even if you've never seen the original films. The cyborg, with his distinctive metal suit and silver helmet, has been one of the most iconic cinema heroes for the past 27 years. The first film, directed with serious energy and edge by Paul Verhoeven, is still lauded as a phenomenally entertaining classic. Just as it is with 2012's Total Recall (also a remake of a Verhoeven film), the new RoboCop offers a flashy update with modern effects and production designs, but to remake a classic would seem like sacrilege.

While many fans have been upset over this remake, I personally expected worse. There are a few things I found likable about the new film. Even though the film doesn't divulge in satire as much as the original did, it does spit out a few bits of faux media that underscores issues concerning drone warfare, foreign policy, corporate greed, manipulation of the media, and technology - all of which are pretty relevant to modern times. The transformation of Alex Murphy into a machine is a pretty harrowing sight, but once it is complete, RoboCop exhibits some interesting new abilities (including access to CCTV, wireless networks, and the complete police department database, all at a whim). The film maintains a steady focus on the character and his family (drama that was never really explored in the original films), and Alex's internal conflict of man and machine factors into the film's most interesting scenes.

Of course, there is also plenty of action to be had. RoboCop busts through with all guns blazing in several scenes. At one point, he even takes on several ED-209 drones all at once. The shootouts are loud and the chase scenes are fast. However, the filming of these scenes tend to be erratic, and the scenes themselves don't leave much of an impact.

The story covers some interesting ground, given the focus on Alex's constant struggle to maintain human emotion within his mechanical shell, and the focus on his wife and son. However, the plot twists can be seen coming from miles away (especially for those already familiar with the tale). The actual conspiracy involved only makes sense to a point, but it never feels as tight or relevant as it did in the original film. The actual plot structure seems jerky and loose, before reaching a rather flat climax. Given the serious tone of the film, all characters are pretty lacking in personality, and it only accentuates how flat and one-dimensional they are.

Some of the most grievous complaints about this film, however, stem from the sheer lack of edge. This film pushes on the boundaries of its PG-13 rating, dishing out only as much curse words and violence as it's allowed to. While a film certainly doesn't have to be hardcore-R-rated to be good, this rendition of RoboCop glosses over the violence and candy-coats things to a more unrealistic degree. Paul Verhoeven made it a point to show violence on-screen, with extreme gore and pain, because he felt it was dangerous to shy away from those things and give audiences an unrealistic interpretation of violence. 2014's RoboCop might as well be living proof of his notion; a child is murdered in the opening scenes, but you don't see it, because of the way the film is edited and shot. Thus, the film loses its impact, and the scene just breezes by without invoking much of a response. The movie doesn't just gloss over the blood and guts though; it's also stripped of most of the satire that populated the original film, and I also found it odd that very little crime and crime-fighting is shown. I mean, this is Detroit, right? Why does it look so shiny and modern? You'd never guess there was a crime problem in the film, if it wasn't for the characters talking about it.

This film is made with some pretty shaky photography. Editing is okay, but it felt like some scenes were chopped off a little too short. Acting won't really knock anybody's socks off; Gary Oldman easily provides the best performance of the lot. I wasn't sure about Joel Kinnaman at first, but as he went on as RoboCop, I felt he handled the emotional and robotic sides of the character pretty well. Michael Keaton is fine and dandy playing a slimeball character, Abbie Cornish is okay as Mrs. Murphy, didn't care for Jackie Earle Haley's character, and Samuel L. Jackson pops in on occasion to yell some stuff at us. I really didn't care for anybody else's performance in the film, but it is notably disappointing to see that nobody has any lasting stature, especially when compared to the original film. Writing is not that great; it's able to get things moving along, but without really filling anything with good meaning. Occasional references and lines from the original film do little to mask the shortcomings. This production has some slick-looking sets, props, costumes and locales. Some of the choices (like the black RoboCop outfit, or the revamped ED-209) will not sit well with everybody. Some of the music choices seemed really odd to me; I didn't mind the actual music score, but it seemed pretty random.

There are things I enjoyed about the RoboCop remake, but the film is not without its issues. The most glaring of which is that it's rather watered-down. Paul Verhoeven originally showed us a gritty world of corruption and crime where people really bled and died in the name of justice; José Padilha shows a slick-looking dramatization with a few neat ideas, but it doesn't have nearly as much weight. It's pretty much on-par with the Total Recall remake, which also had its share of neat ideas, but was not nearly as memorable. The best that can be said is that this version of RoboCop might be the closest thing we have to a Metal Gear Solid film.

I'd only recommend this as a rental to interested sci-fi fans.

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

Recommendation: Rental. Or, watch the original instead. Or, watch Dredd instead.

[Diesel]

Watched Robocop yesterday.

I can say that I agree with your overall ranking of the film to an extent Al. I'd probably go 3.5 or 3.75 myself.

I don't see myself making it a purchase most likely, but I had a good time watching it with a couple buddies

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Watched Robocop yesterday.

I can say that I agree with your overall ranking of the film to an extent Al. I'd probably go 3.5 or 3.75 myself.

I don't see myself making it a purchase most likely, but I had a good time watching it with a couple buddies

My first impression was a 3.5/5 or so, but it kinda went down the more I thought about it. I'm still not sure if I'll add it to my collection...maybe if it's cheap.

As long as you have fun, it's all good. The film was enjoyable, but it's hard to outclass the original.

[Abdrewes]

Within the first few minutes, it's evident that this latest incarnation of About Last Night has taken the basic structure and the most effective dialogue amendments in the 1986 Edward Zwick-directed film and carried on in an even more crowd-pleasing path. The generational loss from the play it is inspired by, David Mamet's Sexual Perversity in Chicago, is significant. Both the “original” About Last Night... and this updated all-black remake fundamentally misinterpret its core themes. Either that or they couldn't find a way to get to the punch without alienating an audience.

Steve Pink's latest film has even less interest than the earlier one in illustrating Mamet's ideas on the way masculine relationships and the female-objectifying speech they use with one another obstruct genuine heterosexual love. It opts for the the traditional rom-com path, so the raunch is mined for comedy and not depth. The brilliantly cynical final scene of the original play where the two male friends fully embrace the notion of loveless sex as they coldly analyze, quantify, and sort each derriere and set of breasts that walk their way on the beach will not be found here. Instead, this film wants us to care about these (mostly) economically stable, and very good looking Los Angelenos as they jump numerous hurdles to be with the one they love.

What makes the bastardization of Mamet's original play tolerable is that the constituents of the story are ready-made to work given the right cast, and this has a great one. You have Danny, the smooth talking but sensitive stud (Michael Ealy taking the Rob Lowe role); Debbie (Joy Bryant), a beauty who works in advertising; Bernie (Kevin Hart), the fast talking, perpetually-horny goon and de facto best friend to Danny; and Joan (Regina Hall), Debbie's roommate and Bernie's favorite sexpot. From the second Bernie and Joan introduce Danny and Debbie to one another over dinner, there's a connection. They dispense with the “take it slow” manifesto and jump each other's bones with impassioned lust that very night. The rest of the film charts the conflicts that arise from taking a relationship way too fast.

Considering the fact that this is the second time three of these actors work together (Think Like a Man being the first), their chemistry is a hot commodity, and it is only accentuated by the binary narrative set up. It allows each couple to serve as a palate cleanser for the other. When Danny and Debby move in, they invariably face a number of well-trod commitment challenges such as adhering to the apartment ground rules (using coasters and the whole jazz), the temptation of sleeping with exes while their partner is out of town, the emasculating effects Debby's bigger paycheck has on Danny, and the threat of heavy responsibility (oh no! She wants a puppy, what will this lead to?); so it is crucial to have Bernie and Joan's combustible, sex-crazed, and borderline-insane antics thrown in the mix to prevent dramatic stagnation. Sure, the material Hart is given is largely the same as his stand up act – his jet-powered libido, the crazy lovers he brings home, and self-deprecating jabs aimed at his stature – but his timing has never been sharper and small doses of his act simply works better on the big screen.

About Last Night is a pretty messy ride and it ends up feeling longer than its 100 minute runtime. There are an abundance of subplots that lead to dead ends and the cut-crazy visual construction can be headache inducing. Rapid cutting between lines of dialogue doesn't make a scene more interesting or infused with energy, it just lends adds an unnecessary assembly-line glossiness to what is supposed to be a frank examination of modern urban love. It gets some of the notes right, but it doesn't come close to matching the wit and subversion of David Mamet's original vision. They may get it right when it's remade in a couple decades, but, for now, this will do fine as easily digestible, late-winter fun.

[Al_The_Strange]

Next greatest rental: Godzilla vs the Sea Monster

Godzilla's back, and he's hungry for some lobster meat! Taking place on a remote island with secret underground military lairs and a bunch of natives, the sea monster Ebirah is just one unique entity in this colorfully fantastic addition to Godzilla's saga.

The actual monster combat is pretty limited in this film, and what you see is ultimately short and silly. When Godzilla and Ebirah clash, they initially throw rocks back and forth at each other, like some kind of monster-sized volleyball match. When they clash again, they have a more prolonged struggle, but the cheesy rubber-suit acting often makes it more funny than exciting. And then Mothra shows up, just for fun. And, for whatever reason, a giant bird appears to claw at Godzilla's head. When all the monsters aren't doing battle, the film still maintains a very light, colorful, and campy tone as the characters explore an island that almost seems to be a mix between Skull Island and Dr. No's island. The film overall is silly, but the camp strikes a perfect level that's not too overbearing, and keeps the film evenly entertaining throughout.

The story's pretty wild; it tracks a group of energetic dudes who sail to an island and wind up facing a military nuclear weapons base, headed by an overzealous commander with a wicked eyepatch. They hook up with a hot native girl, and Godzilla just happens to be sleeping nearby; the guys come up with the brilliant idea to wake him up, so that all hell can break loose. Definitely not a great story, but it's full of endearing characters, and the plot is laid-back enough that it's easy to digest. The classic themes of nuclear warfare are touched upon, but it's hard to tell what this film is trying to say about it (if anything, really).

This film uses good, colorful, and steady photography and editing. Acting is pretty silly and over-the-top. Writing gets the job done. This production uses some cheap-looking sets, props, and costumes. Some of the special effects hold up, and others don't. The music is okay, matching the film's lightheartedness.

There's a lot to laugh at in this film, but with its campy tone and colorful scenes, it's clearly doesn't take itself seriously either. And it is pretty fun that way.

3.5/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Average | Film: Average)

Recommendation: Probably more for fans and family audiences.

[Spirit Zero]

Bad Santa (2003)

No this isn't a National Lampoon movie although you could easily be fooled into thinking that with this title. As you might have expected this is a Christmas set film and its about a naughty Santa character. Again you could easily be fooled into thinking this is a silly kids movie with lots of fart gags...but no, its actually a black comedy and most definitely for the grown ups.

The whole point of this film is the ever so slight redemption of the main character played by Thornton. This guy is a low down permanently drunk criminal who drags his way through life whilst robbing department stores with his dwarf partner. The dubious duo take yearly jobs as a department store Santa and his elf worker, this way they get to know the ins and outs of the store so they can easily rob it. Things change for Thornton's character 'Stokes' when he meets a tubby little boy who he kinda befriends and takes a shine to...eventually.

This film is kinda unique in the sense that the main character has many flaws and issues which you tend to think he will sort out at some point by the end of the film. The twist and funny part is he doesn't really change at all, he does a little bit with the help of his little fat young friend, but not too much really, he still ends up as the same bum. The amusing things about the film are the constant little moments where Thornton's character gets angry or frustrated with the fat kid and swears at him. The little fat kid (eerily played by Kelly) seems to be a bit slow and just takes the abuse, in one ear and out the other. At times it can be very funny to watch these outbursts yet at other times you do feel sorry for the kid or Stokes because you know he sometimes doesn't mean it.

The heist aspect of the film is quite good and offers some reasonably tense moments, especially near the end. The various Santa sequences are probably the films highlights as we see Thornton getting sneezed and coughed on by lots of pant wetting scroats. Of course his reactions and the way he treats the kids are the best bits, he basically sneers growls and scowls at them, finally nudging them off his knee and virtually kicking them to the curb. Watching the reactions of the parents is great, as a man pushing 40 and with no kids I love it, if I was a parent I might feel differently I guess who knows.

The darkest sequence must be when a severely pissed Stokes crawls up the escalator towards his Santa grotto. His beard and clothes now filthy stained and damaged, he looks like shit, can hardly walk and promptly falls into a reindeer display. This whole sequence starts out funny but descends into a more cringeworthy incident as he freaks out and starts to smash up the Xmas display in front of everyone in the store, its still amusing but also poignant and depressing...much like the plot as a whole really.

The finale was a tad of a let down for me, it does seem like you're gonna get the predictable ending where Stokes will die trying to achieve a small slice of decency in his life, the right ending. A bit like the finale in 'The Wrestler' where Rourke's character goes out doing what he loves but also reclaiming a small part of his dignity right at the end. Even though this ending is predictable as I said, I think it would have been stronger for obvious reasons. Instead Stokes lives on and we get some mumbo jumbo about how he survived and what he plans to do after he heals up. This simply feels like an open ending so they can roll out a sequel which this film really doesn't need in my opinion, if it happens that is. I think it should have wrapped up there and then.

All in all I like how this is basically an anti-Christmas flick which sticks two fingers up at the sweet yuletide greetings side of it and embraces the Scrooge side with extreme profanity. Its not exactly original in idea, the drunk rude Santa schtick has been done before but you can't deny its amusing. Crude rude edgy and drenched in cynicism...but there is a soft warm heart buried deep in there and it just about manages to shine through in the end.

7/10

[bluearth]

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Must we always overrate certain foreign language films becuse you know, they're foreign language? Its like how critics and the audience alike are willing to overlook huge flaws in so called "classics" from long ago just because they're old, but then turn around and are so willing to pick apart with a fine toothed comb modern films.

Pan's Labyrinth has a cute lullaby, but thats about all this film has going for it. It tosses about between two totally different plots that rarely intertwine. One is a generic war story with an absurd cartoon villain and the other is a poorly written by mildly entertaining fantasy.

The War Story villain is just another black and white evil bad guy who only does bad all the time with no remorse. Hes not three dimensional, not even two dimensional, not even one dimensional. Hes a zero dimensional cardboard cut out thats made out to be scary through cartoonish acts of violence. Very early in the film it got to a certain point where his acts of terror ceased to be scary and started to be annoying as it slipped over into overkill. A single line or action of him doing anything that wasn't violent or motivated by selfish desires would have done wonders in humanizing the villain, but theres nothing to be found here. Hes a cartoon villain.

The Fantasy story ends up disappointing. While some parts are interesting to look at, the ending fails to make it all worth your while. The faun's dialogue and behavior is totally illogical. If the heroine really is who it says she is, then very little it does or says makes sense. The first two items it makes her get end up being pointless - why couldnt he just use something else? There was nothing special about the items he made her retrieve. In fact, the items werent even needed to accomplish the 3rd task! So lousy. At one point the faun leaves because, you know, in every film there has to be a falling out between the heroes so they can reunite again at the end. What crap.

Overall a very disappointing film considering its high rating from fans and critics. Too much pointless gore, pointless tasks achieved by the heroine. Its obvious this film is highly rated because its foreign language and admittedly 'different', but that can only take a movie so far.

2/5

[kevp777]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Watched Robocop yesterday.

I can say that I agree with your overall ranking of the film to an extent Al. I'd probably go 3.5 or 3.75 myself.

I don't see myself making it a purchase most likely, but I had a good time watching it with a couple buddies

I also watched Robocop yesterday and agree with your ratings. I enjoyed it just enough ... it made me want to go back and rewatch the original.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by bluearth

It tosses about between two totally different plots that rarely intertwine. One is a generic war story with an absurd cartoon villain and the other is a poorly written by mildly entertaining fantasy.

Of course they intertwine - this film is about how, the more horrific the real/tangible world is, the more we are drawn to the imaginary world, and in-turn the more "tangible" the imaginary world becomes. It wouldn't matter whether this film was set in the Franco war era or some other "horrific" era when humans suffiered - each one is a vehicle to propel the characters from the horrific real world to the (now tangible) imaginary world.

The War Story villain is just another black and white evil bad guy who only does bad all the time with no remorse.

as said above, the identity/arc of the villian isn't important - it is his EFFECT on Ofelia which matters.

would have done wonders in humanizing the villain, but theres nothing to be found here. Hes a cartoon villain.

as he must be. if he was "humanized", then the whole point of the film falls apart.

If the heroine really is who it says she is, then very little it does or says makes sense. The first two items it makes her get end up being pointless - why couldnt he just use something else? There was nothing special about the items he made her retrieve.

again, I'd disagree. the faun doesn't know that she is

[Show spoiler]the heroine yet

. its a test. and like all tests, the entire "point" of them is whether the subject passes them.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by bluearth

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Must we always overrate certain foreign language films becuse you know, they're foreign language? Its like how critics and the audience alike are willing to overlook huge flaws in so called "classics" from long ago just because they're old, but then turn around and are so willing to pick apart with a fine toothed comb modern films.

Pan's Labyrinth has a cute lullaby, but thats about all this film has going for it. It tosses about between two totally different plots that rarely intertwine. One is a generic war story with an absurd cartoon villain and the other is a poorly written by mildly entertaining fantasy.

The War Story villain is just another black and white evil bad guy who only does bad all the time with no remorse. Hes not three dimensional, not even two dimensional, not even one dimensional. Hes a zero dimensional cardboard cut out thats made out to be scary through cartoonish acts of violence. Very early in the film it got to a certain point where his acts of terror ceased to be scary and started to be annoying as it slipped over into overkill. A single line or action of him doing anything that wasn't violent or motivated by selfish desires would have done wonders in humanizing the villain, but theres nothing to be found here. Hes a cartoon villain.

The Fantasy story ends up disappointing. While some parts are interesting to look at, the ending fails to make it all worth your while. The faun's dialogue and behavior is totally illogical. If the heroine really is who it says she is, then very little it does or says makes sense. The first two items it makes her get end up being pointless - why couldnt he just use something else? There was nothing special about the items he made her retrieve. In fact, the items werent even needed to accomplish the 3rd task! So lousy. At one point the faun leaves because, you know, in every film there has to be a falling out between the heroes so they can reunite again at the end. What crap.

Overall a very disappointing film considering its high rating from fans and critics. Too much pointless gore, pointless tasks achieved by the heroine. Its obvious this film is highly rated because its foreign language and admittedly 'different', but that can only take a movie so far.

2/5

The story is told from the childs perspective. Hence, the villain is always, and only, evil, because that's how she perceives him. The fantasy creatures are not real and only exist in her imagination, modeled by her as a coping mechanism for the harsh reality she lives in, hence their illogical behavior. Her Mother and Father are portrayed as pefect and angelic because that is how she perceives and remembers them. That is also why the ending is perfect, because that is haw she imagines

[Show spoiler]her death and reuniting with her parents in heaven.

Percpective is everything. Pan's was a dark fantastical nightmare story told through the eyes and imagination of a child.

[James125]

Ender's Game Target Exclusive Steelbook Unboxing and Review - YouTube

[Spirit Zero]

Billy Elliot (2000)

The film that started it all...well for this particular franchise/story that is. One of many films that has become a great success and followed on with even greater success as a musical theatrical production. I think this film may have been one of the first to kick start that trend as it were, can't quite remember.

The tale of a humble miners son whose aspirations to become a male ballet dancer are frowned upon by his blue collar father and similar blue collar brother. Set in north eastern England around 1984-85 during the miners strikes against a powerful Thatcher led Conservative regime...errr I mean government. Billy is destined to become a miner like his older brother and father and is pretty much forced to take part in boxing at school by his father. His dad obviously wants more for his boy with the possibility of boxing but he knows the pit beckons.

On the other hand Billy discovers his love for dancing in ballet and wants to follow that path. Naturally this disgusts his strong proud father and gets him into trouble for disobeying. The whole plot could be the tale of many many northern born men within England at any point in time really. I have lived up north in the UK and it can indeed be a bit bleak with little job prospects for youngsters (no offence to the north).

The whole film is one big stereotype really, but a very real and truthful stereotype. Billy's tough working father is a typical northern bloke who likes beer boxing and a good plate of drippin' sandwiches. The area they live in is of course very working class with small terrace housing along steep hills and flatcaps everywhere and the general attitude of all the men is somewhat old fashioned. Boys partake in football rugby and boxing, girls do ballet and sewing, there is no middle ground...dare I say homophobia is lightly touched upon too.

I am exaggerating yes? well not really, as I said I've lived up north for many years and in some areas this is exactly what its like to this day. Thinking back to 1984-85 it would have been ten times worse!.

The main crux of the story is Billy's struggle against 'the norm' and his fathers rules. He wants to be a ballet dancer, his school dance teacher thinks he's good enough but the money isn't there to fund it any further and his father hates the fact his boy might be a sissy. I think many people will be able to relate to this story as I said, but not just with dancing, with many areas. The scenes where Billy fights against his dad are naturally emotionally strong and really hooked me. There are many scenes where Billy gets into trouble by playing with his homosexual friend whom he doesn't understand is homosexual, not going to boxing lessons, going to ballet lessons and the intense strike sequences which are all terrifically acted out and really sucked me into the moment.

The moments of spontaneous dance from Billy are really cool to watch, I really found myself wanting to dance too, yeah maybe I can do what Billy does!. Every character is wonderfully portrayed, Bell is a little bit too full of himself at times, a bit too eager to please by over acting perhaps but he's certainly fun to watch. The only character I thought was maybe a bit off was Billy's dad played by Gary Lewis. I really thought this character needed to be much harsher, stricter, he was tough but I didn't really fear him or his rule. I'm not saying there should have been nasty beatings but he just didn't sell the gruff northerner aspect to me despite the fact he's Scottish. I think the fact he is actually Scottish (and in the film it seems) means he doesn't have the real English northerner spirit inside him, unlike a real Geordie, Yorkshireman, Mackem etc...

The build up to the finale is quite moving and did pull on my heart strings I can't deny. Its all very cliche but it damn well works...damn it!. The whole notion of anyone trying to simply make their father/mother proud by their good actions or dedication to something is a warm path to tread and guaranteed hanky dampener at the movies. Again many will be able to relate to the lovely final curtain sequence as Billy finally shows his family what he has achieved, it does put a lump in your throat and made me wish I could do the same with my own father.

I think you will get more out of this film being British and knowing of the north south divide and stereotypical views within the UK. I think if you live up north then you will certainly know the vibe this film gives off and will be able to relate and hopefully enjoy. It can be a feel good film but at the same time it can also be a slightly depressing film on various aspects...the miners strikes, being on the breadline, the grim north and being a youngster trying to break out of a situation. In the end the film is a joy to watch and should leave you upbeat. I hope I have not upset any of my northern countrymen, my dad is a Yorkshireman born n bred so I have experience ^_^

9/10

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by bluearth

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Must we always overrate certain foreign language films becuse you know, they're foreign language?

I dunno, must you only post in this thread to call films overrated?

[Spirit Zero]

Knights of Badassdom (2013)

SPOILER WARNING!

Well well what have we here? a horror comedy in the same league as the cult Evil Dead franchise or American Werewolf in London?. In all honesty I had no clue this was a horror comedy, I thought it was a silly frat pack type comedy about D&D role playing which would include tits n ass.

The plot is totally wafer thin. A group of dudes who play Dungeons & Dragons-esque real time scenarios with lots of other similar fanboys accidentally conjure up a real demon from hell whilst in the woods. This demon then goes on the rampage killing everyone in gory fashion. Its up to the small band of role playing dweebs to actually use their fantasy skills for real to take down the beast...kinda.

The film is kinda in three acts if you ask me. Firstly it does start off as expected with the main three guys acting like fools, talking shit to each other in stereotypical fashion and eventually dragging one of the trio along to this D&D style real time role play in the woods. The second act is out in the open with all these people playing out their various D&D roles clad in full costumes. This was probably the best part of the film as its quite funny watching these grown adults act and dress like children (to a degree) and literately playing cowboys n indians with plastic weapons. The dialog is witty and sharp and its amusing when the characters break from their role playing to discuss real things, then snap back into their fantasy characters. Jimmi Simpson as the weedy slightly snivelling gamemaster was the most amusing character for me.

The film respects the niche they are messing around with but they do of course mock it at the same time. Its kinda like the fantasy role playing sequences in Role Models. The real twist is the third act when the demon pops up and it does turn into an actual blood fest. At first I didn't really like this turn of events because the film lost its funny adult fantasy role play direction and it turned into a cheesy monster slasher splatter flick.

Its the finale that turned it around for me, the main characters decide to be brave and face the demon. They have been playing fantasy role play games all their lives and now its time to actually do it for real. There is a lot of cool gore flying around and the demon (that gets transformed from human form to something more exciting) is a really nice large man in a rubber suit affair which wouldn't look outta place in a Hellboy flick.

Much of the plot isn't really explained too well though, not overly sure why the demon came to Earth in the form of the main characters girlfriend. The mysterious book that conjures the demon up is a bit haphazard, the explanation is again weak plus the idea is clearly copied from the Evil Dead franchise. Again not too sure how they manage to beat the demon with the musical chants and what that magical gemstone has got to do with anything but...And Dinklage's character comes back from the dead at the end as a spirit? is that what that was?.

The more I thought about it the more I quite liked this quirky horror. Its not as brilliant as the films title suggests but it certainly is a curious little gem, most definitely destined to become a cult methinks.

6.5/10

[thecardman23]

My Top 10 Fav films of 2013

Top 10 Best Movies of 2013 - YouTube

[James125]

Enjoy guys. Thanks for watching and giving your opinions!

Taxi Driver special edition Digipack - YouTube

[KilloWertz]

I blind bought Pan's Labyrinth about a week ago when Amazon matched Walmart's $8.96 price, so hopefully I agree with the masses. I've been wanting to see it for a long time.