The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

Yojimbo

Do you like Samurais or Cowboys? Better yet do you like Originals or Remakes?

First off i would like to say what an amazing movie this was. I dont know why i was so ignorant to not watch black and white films. This Criterion Release was treated amazingly good, I could never imagine a black and white film with no grain and hardly and distortion.

About the film, Perfectly acted and a good story but its sad how so many people love "Fistful of Dollars" and haven't viewed the original. With that said "Fistful of Dollars" either a complete rip off of Yojimbo or its just honoring its Originality

[Show spoiler]either case it kinda killed me how so many parts where performed and re-scripted verbatim

Once again the Criterion Release is superb, Classic action filled with the same suspense you see in modern film making but i little bit better. A film like this is a Highly Recommended film and im proud i purchased it.

4.5/5

Highly influential, but I thought it was a mediocre film.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by Diesel

The Matrix Revolutions


I enjoyed this one on the rewatch just like Reloaded.

It didn't suffer from the things I mentioned for Reloaded...as there was hardly any traditional fight sequences in this one.

This one definitely felt farther away from the original movie than Reloaded did, but I think I liked this one more than Reloaded because it wasn't complex just to be complex. This one was pretty devoid of the philosophical nature of the first. But I still enjoyed it as a simple action movie.


Rating - 4/5



Though I enjoyed watching the sequels this time around, I still like the ending of the first film as the much better ending for the story.

I think I'm one of the few ppl who truly loves each film. I can def understand the ppl who don't like the 2nd and 3rd, as they are undoubtedly very complex, but I enjoy them.

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by CZAR

PQ - 3 stars (out of 5)

AQ - 3 stars (out of 5)

dude, you can count each one of Garland's freckles and most of the film looks like it was filmed in the last 10-20 years. I think its one of the best PQ transfers. there is that one issue with some line across the screen towards the end, but i never saw it.

[surfdude12]

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Film: 5/5
-gets better with each viewing - true sign of a "masterpiece" (for purposes of this reivew, i am my own lexicographer )
-I love the filming/directing techniques such as

[Show spoiler] Joel walking out of Barnes and Noble while talking to Clemintine and into his friends living room, while the B&N goes dark in the background

or

[Show spoiler]Joel and Clementine in his sink as a kid while his mom was bathing him...realy just drives home the memory aspect of the film

-Not sure if this is an explicit theme, but the way that Joel and Clementine

[Show spoiler]instinctively know to go back to the beach after their memories are erased and how Clementine starts to feel ikky around Patrick when they're laying down on the ice...I presume its some kind of a human spirit (i.e., beyond memories) theme. Otherwise, where is the instinct for those actions coming from?

PQ: 4/5 (last time I gave it 3.5, but the soft scenes are during the memory sequences, which I presume is intentional)

AQ: 3.5/5 (a little too front heavy)

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Rope (dvd)

Film: 3 1/2 stars (out of 4)


Excellent and influential film. Squid recommended it about 6 months ago but I finally got around to seeing it and I'm glad I did. I still can't stand Farley--he's a terrible actor. That being said, this is a very well-directed and structured film, clocking in at only 80 minutes. Hitchcock has an ability to get fantastic, memorable performances out of one actor (at least) in almost every single film (i.e. Ray Millard in Dial M..., Perkins in Psycho, Robert Walker in Strangers...) and this film is no exception. John Dall is fantastic as the highly intelligent and cocky lead. In terms of direction, it's Hitchcock so you know his angles and camera movement are top-notch. Highly recommend this film and a special thank you to squid.

On a concluding note, I think this film (unlike most Hitchcock films) has very strong themes and being a 1948 film, the themes are definitely at least partially about the Holocaust (i.e. superior vs inferior people).

Btw, Ebert does not like this film at all. He gave it 2 stars in 2008.

great review. I didn't pick up on the holocaust themes. For some reason, the film didn't move me as much as I thought it would. I think I gave it 3.5/5 but I probably set the expectations too high (anticipation build-up was huge ). It probably deserves a second viewing (at least for me) to fully appreciate.

[tommyboy81]

Originally Posted by Foggy

[Show spoiler]I feel as if they felt, "we've really got make this big, lets have it when they punch each other rain flies everywhere so they have big bubbles of rain explode" it comes off more silly than epic, and Trinity's death is more of a flaw with the 2nd one than the 3rd but affects them both, you bring her back from the dead in number 2, and then she gets a lame death in number 3.

Think they were making that battle more like any battle in Dragonball Z. I liked it.

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by Mahatma

[Show spoiler]And what about that guy who single handedly took out an entire army in the snowy sequence?The bad guys must have yanked the guage on their guns beyond miraculous-miss setting I hope that was intentinally meant,although I can't for the life of me see the reason behind THAT

[Show spoiler]I was thinking the same thing. It reminded me of when in the first Star Wars Obi-Wan says, "These blast points are far too accurate to be sand people. It was Storm Troopers." Then for the next two hours we see how Storm Troopers couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.

Originally Posted by Mahatma

Was beginning to feel alone in my views of the movies,so good to know there are others.I have yet to see a single reviewer here in norway give it less than 5/6.I'm baffled by that.

Yes, it's nice to know when you aren't the only one with an unpopular opinion.

[tommyboy81]

Originally Posted by jawsfan1975

I just watched BATMAN FOREVER, easily the best of the first 4 Batman movies. Good sound, excellent picture quality, just let down by not being letterboxed. 7.5/10.

Originally Posted by tbizzle

Haha, never heard that one before. Imo, first is by far the best (and the only one I want to own), second was significantly worse, but still a cool Batman film, third was ok and fourth was bad, but fun.

Here's how I rate the Tim B. and Joel S. films

Batman
Batman Forever
Batman Returns
Batman and Robin

[tommyboy81]

Originally Posted by repete66211

[Show spoiler]I was thinking the same thing. It reminded me of when in the first Star Wars Obi-Wan says, "These blast points are far too accurate to be sand people. It was Storm Troopers." Then for the next two hours we see how Storm Troopers couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.

Yes, it's nice to know when you aren't the only one with an unpopular opinion.

You guys mean it's just like any other action movie when the bad guys always miss the good guys.

[repete66211]

Originally Posted by tommyboy81

You guys mean it's just like any other action movie when the bad guys always miss the good guys.

[Show spoiler]Yes Tommy, the good guys are almost always a better shot than the bad guys, but there are times when a director takes advantage of this disparity and pushes the limits of credulity.

[tommyboy81]

Originally Posted by repete66211

[Show spoiler]Yes Tommy, the good guys are almost always a better shot than the bad guys, but there are times when a director takes advantage of this disparity and pushes the limits of credulity.

lol. Whenever I think of this I think of Shoot Em Up.

[Beta Man]

Watched "Gamer" last night..... Rock-em' -Sock'em - Adrenaline.........

0.5/5


T E R R I B L E

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by tommyboy81

Think they were making that battle more like any battle in Dragonball Z. I liked it.

Ah I think Dragonball Z it's pretty stupid so that may explain why.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

Inception was that bad huh? I'm finally seeing it next week sometime.

It's not that it's BAD, it just didnt have the wow factor. I'll be very curious to here what you, Higgmeister, Surfsmurf, Q and other Team Triangle members have to say.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Q!

I'm a Nolan fanboy and I expect Nolangasm

So am I, and so did I. The best way I can describe how it missed (for me anyway) is that when considering the subject matter, I expected it to be deep, and feel heavy. It felt too light too me. Not dark or dangerous enough.

I am happy for those people who had their sock knocked off and got what they waited so long for.

[surfdude12]

Across the Universe is at an all-time low - $11

I highly recommend if you haven't seen it. At least give it a rental. Well worth it. A visual orgy of a flick. Plus 5/5 PQ-AQ. Beatles musical.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

Well you knw there are many definitions to the word EPIC, and its how comprehend it.

-very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale); "an epic voyage"; "of heroic proportions"; "heroic sculpture"
-epic poem: a long narrative poem telling of a hero's deeds

or how about

An epic (from the Ancient Greek adjective (epikos), from (epos) "word, story, poem") is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. ...

If 300 doesn't fall into all 3 definitions then im extremely retarded!

You made a great point but these other definitions clearly put 300 in the category of EPIC

Thats why 300 isnt epic. Its story takes place over the course of a few days. Its not a Lengthy story. It doesnt travel any great distance geographically. It involves only two groups of adversaries. Its under 2 hours long. Simply put, its too small to be epic.

The most important criteria (absolute requirement) of all the definitions above is Length, Size and Scale.

Lord of the Rings. 9 hours. Travels the GLOBE and then some. Takes place over a LONG period of time. Involves MANY battle. The battles are of GRAND proportion (epic scale) involving gazillions of warriors.

The Battle of Thermopylae is miniature in size and time when compared to LotR.

I love 300. Its a small, efficient, compact, tight little movie.

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Film: 5/5
-gets better with each viewing - true sign of a "masterpiece" (for purposes of this reivew, i am my own lexicographer )
-I love the filming/directing techniques such as

[Show spoiler] Joel walking out of Barnes and Noble while talking to Clemintine and into his friends living room, while the B&N goes dark in the background

or

[Show spoiler]Joel and Clementine in his sink as a kid while his mom was bathing him...realy just drives home the memory aspect of the film

-Not sure if this is an explicit theme, but the way that Joel and Clementine

[Show spoiler]instinctively know to go back to the beach after their memories are erased and how Clementine starts to feel ikky around Patrick when they're laying down on the ice...I presume its some kind of a human spirit (i.e., beyond memories) theme. Otherwise, where is the instinct for those actions coming from?

PQ: 4/5 (last time I gave it 3.5, but the soft scenes are during the memory sequences, which I presume is intentional)

AQ: 3.5/5 (a little too front heavy)

Good read. I haven't seen the film in a few years even though I like it quite a bit, so I should get to it!

[ajvdbg]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Film: 5/5
-gets better with each viewing - true sign of a "masterpiece" (for purposes of this reivew, i am my own lexicographer )
-I love the filming/directing techniques such as

[Show spoiler] Joel walking out of Barnes and Noble while talking to Clemintine and into his friends living room, while the B&N goes dark in the background

or

[Show spoiler]Joel and Clementine in his sink as a kid while his mom was bathing him...realy just drives home the memory aspect of the film

-Not sure if this is an explicit theme, but the way that Joel and Clementine

[Show spoiler]instinctively know to go back to the beach after their memories are erased and how Clementine starts to feel ikky around Patrick when they're laying down on the ice...I presume its some kind of a human spirit (i.e., beyond memories) theme. Otherwise, where is the instinct for those actions coming from?

PQ: 4/5 (last time I gave it 3.5, but the soft scenes are during the memory sequences, which I presume is intentional)

AQ: 3.5/5 (a little too front heavy)

Wholeheartedly agree! One of the best films ever...the screenplay is a masterpiece!

[jhiggy23]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

great review. I didn't pick up on the holocaust themes. For some reason, the film didn't move me as much as I thought it would. I think I gave it 3.5/5 but I probably set the expectations too high (anticipation build-up was huge ). It probably deserves a second viewing (at least for me) to fully appreciate.

Well, Hitchcock, Ebert, and other critics all panned the film and despite being considered an undervalued Hitchcock film, it's still considered a conceptual failure. To be honest, I'm really not sure why. Does it approach Rear Window, Psycho, Dial M etc? No, but I think it's better than such a perceived classic as The Birds.

As for the Holocaust theme, that very easily could be me looking too much into it and too much into the fact that it's a 1948 film. However, I do think the superior/inferior theme is intriguing.