The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by Dark Moses

I guess I need to rewatch 1000 BC I don't remember liking it that much.

I think he's joking -- at least I hope he is.

[Denoku]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

I think he's joking -- at least I hope he is.

I'm wondering because I saw a couple say it was good. I remember being bored to death but I was distracted while watching it.

[Diesel]

Of course he isn't, 10,000 B.C. is the pinnacle of cinematic perfection

[Show spoiler]It's an in-joke

[Denoku]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Of course he isn't, 10,000 B.C. is the pinnacle of cinematic perfection

[Show spoiler]It's an in-joke

[Show spoiler]

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by Dark Moses

I'm wondering because I saw a couple say it was good. I remember being bored to death but I was distracted while watching it.

I actually liked it - 3/5 stars, but overall it was very poorly received.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by Dark Moses

I'm wondering because I saw a couple say it was good. I remember being bored to death but I was distracted while watching it.

It's a running joke on the thread, it's truly god awful.

I've decided, I'm watching Fargo tonight, the problem is I won't be able to report back intill Wednesday!

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by lDlisturb3d

Squid you are crazy lol. DC does have quality nudity but I hated how they changed some of the sequence of events! Especailly when Achilles took the beach! I loved untie theatrical cut when te men were cheering for him as he owned but in the DC they cheered afterwards! I hated it!!!!!!!!

Odd. I find the DC to flow in a much more cohesive manner.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

Here's my rankings:

KOH-DC: 5/5
Braveheart: 4.75/5
The Last Samurai 4.5/5
Gladiator 4.25/5
Troy 3/5

Braveheart and Gladiator are similar since both involve

[Show spoiler]a guy avenging his family's murder by a dictator

but Braveheart is superior because

[Show spoiler]Braveheart involves more than just the character's personal revenge, but his country's citizens freedom. Gladiator has some of that, but not to same extent

Gladiator and Last Samurai are also similar since both involve

[Show spoiler]a guy leading an army, then having a traumatic event that make them jump sides and fight the nation he led

, but Last Samurai is superior because

[Show spoiler]the event which has the guy jump sides involves forgiveness/redemption and learning a new culture, not just the worn-out typical family murder, which is too easy and obvious IMO

However, KOH-DC is my favorite of all because

[Show spoiler](1) the King's character is my favorite in any of the films -- his dialogue is fascinating, (2) the characters/dialogue/themes support the action, not the other way around and (3) Israel and the Crusades is just more personally fascinating to me

Troy: 2 words -- Brad Pitt. Sorry, but I never was convinced of his performance from the first scene. I love Pitt --Babel is one of my all-time favs, but not in this role.

This all wrong. All of it.

1. Troy = Diane Kruger naked.

All the rest in any order...it doesnt matter.

[Show spoiler]1. Gladiator
2. Troy
3. Last Samurai
4. KoH
5. Braveheart

[Diesel]

Iron Man

One of the best of "those" movies that Surf refuses to rate highly


The first thing that obviously has to be mentioned is Robert Downey, Jr.'s performance as Tony Stark, which he absolutely NAILED and its just such fun to watch him in this movie. He without a doubt carries the movie on his shoulders.

I remember reading some people complaining about his dialog sometimes being spoken over others while they were talking, but I like that, it makes it seem more real to me. People don't always just wait for someone to stop to respond, we're not all as polite as a movie script

The movie is also much better constructed and executed than others of this genre (Daredevil...which I do like..., Fantastic Four movies for example). Favs (Favreau) did a really good job with the movie, the writers did a good job with the story, the special effects are mostly strong and it isn't a action movie with story thrown in. There's very little action at all in fact, and I like it that way for this movie, it definitely works....mostly. See my complaints section

Besides RDJ there really isn't any stand out performances, but the small supporting cast is passable - solid.

Bridges is solid in the role but his character isn't very interesting at all. I do love when he

[Show spoiler]blows up on the scientist guy, "TONY STARK BUILT THIS IN A CAVE!....WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS!!!:

Terrence Howard is definitely the weakest link in the chain imo. He's passable, but the role could have been handled much better...as evidenced by the now released Iron Man 2 where Don Cheadle did a MUCH better job. Maybe in 20 years George Lucas can use his magic to put Don Cheadle in the first movie

A lot of people were let down by the

[Show spoiler]showdown at the end of the movie. I am one of those. It's not bad, its just rather anti-climactic and just sort of, "Ok.."

I don't knock the movie that much for it, but it is definitely the weakest segment of the film (the first act is , the second is , third is ).

Overall though, minor complaints like a supporting actor, a non-interesting villain, and an

[Show spoiler]anticlimactic final battle

, the movie still boasts a stand up performance by Robert Downey Jr., a good story, a great foundation for The Avengers building, and some great humor as well.

This is my 5th favorite comic book film (behind The Dark Knight, Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2 and Batman Begins)


Rating - 4.5/5

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

This all wrong. All of it.

1. Troy = Diane Kruger naked.

All the rest in any order...it doesnt matter.

[Show spoiler]1. Gladiator
2. Troy
3. Last Samurai
4. KoH
5. Braveheart

Bolded something.

They're going to kill you

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Here's why both Last Samurai and Braveheart are vastly superior to me: they both have meaning beyond one person's attempt at vengeance and they both demand emotional involvement. Gladiator, as good as it is, lacks depth in that it isn't about more than the individual and isn't about one's culture.

!

I think thats why I like Gladiator the best. Because it focuses on a single man, it feels more personal to me. I connect with the character better. I cant taste his pain and hate.

[JLant19]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I think thats why I like Gladiator the best. Because it focuses on a single man, it feels more personal to me. I connect with the character better. I cant taste his pain and hate.

See thats the way I feel about Braveheart. I think this is why the two are compared so much.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Everybody else is ranking these movies so I will too:

Braveheart: 5/5
Gladiator: 4.5/5
Kingdom of Heaven: 4/5 (4.5/5 at the highest, especially the DC)
The Last Samurai: 4/5
Troy: 3.5/5 (might be 4/5 at the highest)
Year One: 10/5
10000 BC: 10/5

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

This all wrong. All of it.

1. Troy = Diane Kruger naked.

All the rest in any order...it doesnt matter.

[Show spoiler]1. Gladiator
2. Troy
3. Last Samurai
4. KoH
5. Braveheart

I reserve my carnal lust preferences for other genres, my dear friend. I'm sorry you don't have my forebearance

[Show spoiler]DUDE ARE YOU EFFIN SERIOUS??? OMG!! I MUST HAVE MISSED THIS...THIS IS GOING IN THE PS3 TONITE!!!!!!!!!!!

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by DavePS3

I watched a few over the weekend but the most interesting of these is a title I don't think has been touched on yet; White Ribbon. Black and white tale in German with English subtitles. Very unique and held my interest all the way through. Don't want to spoil it for anyone who's interested but it's a newer film that surrounds a small village in Austria, just before war is declared. It revolves around the people and most importantly, the children and how the parents views, rules and ideals affect them. Not for everyone and NOT a kids movie. Hard to watch in a couple of spots but very well done, well shot, good sound and PQ is top notch for a B&W film. This is strictly a drama.

Didnt it bother you that there was

[Show spoiler]no ending? I loved it until the end, which ruined it for me. It just stopped. We have no idea what happened to any of the many stories that were playing out. I was furious.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Foggy

10,000BC is a timeless CLASSIC EPIC masterpiece!

Fixed.

[kpkelley]

My rankings.

1) Braveheart - 5/5
2) Gladiator 4/5
3) The Last Samurai - 4/5
4) KOH - 3.5/5(DC) - 3/5(TC)
5) Troy - 3/5


Braveheart is one of my all-time favorite films. I love the cinematography, the music, the melodrama, and the action. But, IMO what sets it above the rest is the humor. Gladiator is second because of Richard Harris, he's simply better than anyone in The Last Samurai. KOH should have been much higher on my list, but I consider it to be a seriously flawed film which is slightly better in the director's cut. Balian to me is the least interesting lead character of an epic film, perhaps ever.

Troy is just a misfire, IMO. There is nothing to suggest the length of the siege and a lot of the heroes are not given their proper importance. There is a recent film which is very similar to how Troy should have been, Red Cliff. By separating the story into two films they were able to focus upon the heroes in the first film and the siege in the second. That is how Troy should have been, IMO.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Bolded something.

They're going to kill you

Bring it

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by JLant19

See thats the way I feel about Braveheart. I think this is why the two are compared so much.

And the fact that they both wear skirts, yet kick violent ass.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

I reserve my carnal lust preferences for other genres, my dear friend. I'm sorry you don't have my forebearance

[Show spoiler]DUDE ARE YOU EFFIN SERIOUS??? OMG!! I MUST HAVE MISSED THIS...THIS IS GOING IN THE PS3 TONITE!!!!!!!!!!!

Only the directors cut has it, and she is fine. She is Helen damnit. A freakin war was fought over her.

Rose Byrne looked good in her birthday suit as well. (Tents on the beach scene)

The nudity is similar to ROME's nudity. It was so much a part of the cultures behavioral norm that it fits in to the film realistically.

I think the fighting scenes in Troy were excellent too. The bonus features show in detail the great lengths they went to to train and practice for them.