The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

this was something people did during episodes of LOST on lostpedia, they would be on a chat / message board and be like "oh my god did you see that!" "i hate commercials!" and then "oh i think i missed something!" uh, yeah, probably because you're typing and not paying attention dumb @ss!

and i forgot to tell you guys, speaking of not paying attention... when i rented The Fountain a few weeks ago, the next day when i rented some more movies the guy was like, "so how was The Fountain" and i told him it was great and all but needed repeat viewings. and he's says - i kid you not - "yeah, i couldn't really follow it. but then again i was playing videogames at the same time so i probably missed some stuff"

...







really Captain Obvious? you might miss details while watching a movie AND playing videogames?! i was like, "seriously? you were playing games while watching a movie you'd never seen before? why even bother watching it?" and then he just stood there all dumbfounded that i questioned and attacked him about it but seriously, what an idiotic move.

Not sure how the Lost thing works but when I saw Pinnochio (which was probably the only time I've used a BD Live feature) the chat was on the same screen (I think). Maybe they could even come up with a live PiP video chat so we're all in the "same room". That would be interesting (at least for small groups).

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

My favorite Scalia quote?

.

great quote!! and yes, from what i remember, that test is absolutely insane

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

House (DVD)

[Show spoiler]Film: 4/5
-one of the most bizarre films I've ever seen
-I never thought I'd see as bizarre as Antichrist again, but this film makes Antichrist look very straightforward
-a girl is upset with her dad for re-marrying (her mom has been dead a few years), so decides to go on a trip with some friends to get away from her dad and soon-to-be stepmom. I won't say why or how they go where they go, but they end up at a house that is pretty wild!
-the film felt like a combo of: haunted house + Rocky Horror Picture show slapstick humor (just the mood/atmosphere, not the sex themes) + Quentin Tarantino Kung fu , all rolled into one. the house feels like the mansion in Edward Scissorhands.
-you'll never see another movie again like this, so its in the Playtime category in that regard = highly recommend from that standpoint!
-but beware: this movie is BIZARRRRREE, so adjust your expectations and dont go into it expecting routine or straightforward plots and direction

EDIT: great director interview on the DVD. He talks about how in '77, he was hired to make a film to surpass Spielberg's Jaws ('75). At the time, he was making 1-2 minute movies, and was also doing commercials. Since he was an expert on doing short films and commercials, it shows during this film: you will see zoom out shots and in the middle of a scene you might see the background suddenly go purple, the camera zoom in on one character and the character look at teh camera and give off a line --> very "commercial'ly", but for some reason it works!! i can't explain it!! check it out!! worth a rental!!

Which House are u referring to? What year was it released? Got Em!!

[surfdude12]

Originally Posted by CZAR

Which House are u referring to? What year was it released? Got Em!!

released in '77. this one:

[Show spoiler]

check out the review:
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/House.../13609/#Review

check it out Czar! I"d like to read your take!

[Foggy]

Die Hard 4.0

I was with it all the way intill he was

[Show spoiler]riding the jet plane

It's a fun action film, but it was lacking something, I don't know what it is, it just wasn't there

7/10

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Winters Bone

Synopsis from Netflix:

In this noir drama set deep in Ozark territory, resilient teenager Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) goes on the trail of her missing drug-dealing father when his absence jeopardizes the safety of their family. The deadbeat dad has put the family home up as bond and has a critical court date pending, and Ree is determined that he make it -- despite the objections of the insular Dolly clan.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this film, but it just didnt knock my socks off like I hoped it would.

Acting is quite good. Casting was perfect. Pacing was fine. Directing was competent, as was the camera work and editing. The location, sets and "Look" of the film are spot on. Even the season of the year (the cusp of Winter, not Winter proper) helped.

The story is good and I cared about the characters, but it didnt feel bleek enough. It didnt feel as dark, depressing and hopeless as I think it was intended to.

I have no specific complaints because I just cant put my finger on any flaws.

Film 3.5/5
PQ 4/5 darn good
AQ 4/5 clean dialog

Oh, actually, there was one HUGE flaw in the very first scene. It didnt affect my opinion of the film, its just an accidentally hilarious continuity error. I'll spoiler tag it just in case, but it really has absolutely nothing to do with the story, plot or outcome.

[Show spoiler]The film opens with Ree in the yard hanging laundry on a rope clothesline to dry. But a light breeze is blowing and you can clearly see that every garment she pulls from the basket is already bone dry. She even "whips" a shirt to straighten it out and you can hear that dry "snap"

Thanks for the review. I've been waiting for some member feedback. It seemed like a one and done movie from the trailer, though I've been looking forward to seeing it. lol to the spoiler

Check out my last two recently added blu-rays btw

[Show spoiler](My plan was whichever 2009 foreign film won in my eyes would earn the purchase, but it obviously backfired )

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

that's a great way of rationalizing and doing it. i think i might actually do that. what i was first doing was having categories:

"loved it / know it's a favorite" / "enjoyed it" / "meh" / and then "hated it, abysmal, a terrible film" and then once i had all the films in one of those categories, then figure out the order of each and then connect once it was done, but it's been difficult. but i think i'm gonna try your process. i'm pretty positive there hasn't even been 250 films that i feel would make the list to be honest when i was younger i watched a lot of (what i feel now) are crappy movies that i know i'll never watch again, so we'll see what i comes up with. but i can guarantee you i could go through the list (in alphabetical order) and pick out what would be on it. that's easy. it's the "what do i like more / less than this?" that will take time.

Yea try my approach. I really think it's much easier to make a top list of movies then a bottom end list of movies (where only the most awful movies make the cut). I don't think average movies are meant to be ranked. That's why they're called average. Just so meh.

i'll move it down in the queue so it doesn't mush together with other recent films that might relate (visually, story, or anything else wise) to it and i'll make sure that's a film that gets a day to itself.

i usually try to watch as much as possible because i feel i have so much catching up to do with all the films out there that i usually try to pack in as many as possible i have the ability to kind of of have a "clean slate" after one film and then starting another and then going back later and thinking about it. but for City of God that'll get it's own day, i promise

Good man.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

Elite Squad just became super-urgent to watch in that case!!

I've been debating buying the City of God canadian blu forever, but I guess i'll wait. The transfer looks B-grade.

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

yep, it was Elite Squad i'm sure what Method said above (that i underlined) will certain make your eyes pop

I didn't mean to over-hype the film. It does have resemblance to City of God in that they both depict brutality in the same setting (with flawless execution), and both are incredibly moving and tense scene by scene (hence the Pulp Fiction mention as well), but beyond that, they're very different films. That's why I was saying bearcat could be compelled to compare them due to their broad similarities. City of God is still on a league of its own imo.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

In the screenshots we can see "clips" of dogfights. Are the fights shown in the film?

Yes, pretty mercilessly. Come to think of it, bearcat stay away from this one. Very far away. Too raw for you buddy.

The movie demonstrates how good intentions can be punished. How love can be punished. And each of the three stories has a lot to offer on so many levels. One of the main characters is a dog lover, so despite the animal violence, it still reaches out to those with a soft spot to animals. Very disturbing though from what I remember. No different than war violence to humans in my eyes though, besides the shock factor (since you do not see animal violence as much) and because it is so taboo (rightfully so).

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

We are in need of a great quote here -- on the profound level of Ebert's NSE.

Justice Scalia - 60 minutes, regarding a legal issue: "Well, that's my view...and it happens to be correct." (arrogant grin) INTERVIEWER=OWNED


Time to start using that quote on our posts!! NSE is great, but this is sick!!

Here's a simple example of why subjectivity is king. I'll use a

[Show spoiler]puppy

example, since i got teased on that last week.

Person A: thinks

[Show spoiler]dogs

are great because he's grown up with them since he was a kid and has had great relationships with them. A very rationale opinion, from person A's perspective.

Person B: thinks

[Show spoiler]dogs

are bad because as an age 8 kid, he suffered a horrific

[Show spoiler]attack from a dog

and hence has an immense fear of all

[Show spoiler]dogs

. Again, a very rationale opinion, from person B's perspective.

So who is "correct"? Are

[Show spoiler]dogs

good or bad? (yes, a trick question)

Person B is bad AND wrong.

[Show spoiler]The dog had a special sense and could tell that the kid was evil, so the dog tried to kill it.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

oh god i hope not i was planning on getting this soon so i hope there isn't. and there's two screenshots with dogs in them that worries me a lot. unless the movie just has a lot to do with dogs being around in scenes...?

It circles in on three people, each of which owns a dog. One of the stories directly involves dogfighting.

[Show spoiler]He pits his savage pup against all the towns bidders to raise cash for his brother's (abused) wife.

The movie in general is gritty and very hard to watch.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

dude!!! can't wait to read your post. All natural lighting throughout! (candle, sun). YOu'll love the landscape shots! I grew up in rural Ireland so its especially awesome from that standpoint, but anyone will find it gorgeous!

just remember that awesome comment by CorporateCoffee to this filM: "god this film was more epic than losing my virginity"

i'm about to watch Darjeelling LImited and House (nutty horror film I've heard a lot about)

He must have been doing it wrong. Or she was too.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by two40

Winter's Bone (2010)

[Show spoiler]When I was 17 my primary concern was getting laid and ditching school. My ignorant sheltered view of the world did not extend too far beyond some basic needs. Either I didn’t know the hardships of people around the world, or I didn’t care. I could just as easily pick one, or both. Through film, you could say, I’ve been enlightened.

Sure I read books and follow the news. But the news can only tell me 4 have died in a car accident 15 km from my house. It can’t tell me the aftermath. The life long suffering of the remaining child and her struggle to make sense of this world. Books come close and many succeed. They do lack a visual impact though. I can read all I like about Normandy but watching the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan has an impact that few forget. For these reasons and more, films enlighten me and let me experience this wacky and wonderful world around us.

Last night I was properly put in my place by Winter’s Bone. At 17, Ree has the responsibilities of caring for her 2 younger siblings and her mentally exhausted and non-responsive mother. Already living in poverty, her world just got desperate when her drug dealing father disappears after placing the house as a bond. Ree carries the burden of keeping her family intact while hunting down her father. Met with desperate and violent resistance from family members who have something to hide, she’s determined to either succeed or pay the ultimate price.

This isn’t a film you watch for fun. It’s not a time filler and it’s certainly not one I would recommend to just anyone. If you give it the time, you will find a gritty and honest experience that’s free of any need to impress and one that will affect you.

4/5

Even more interested now...

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Cool.

Pics

[Show spoiler]

I can't believe I've seen this movie three times. It was hard enough to make it through once. Truly depressing and tugs on your heart strings.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by Diesel

You are right...I mean...I agree...Um....



As I've said before,
I love that we can completely disagree in this thread and keep it as a discussion instead of an argument or bickering

+1. And how we can share our appreciation of film in so many different ways

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

The Darjeeling Limited (DVD)

Film: 1.5/5
-never connected to the characters on any meaningful level: Wilson's character was too annoying and the other 2 were too painful to watch put up with Wilson
-still have no idea what the character arc was for the 3 characters through the film: what was the film trying to show?

[Show spoiler]that 3 brothers get together, are at each others throats, and then after they get in touch with their mom, they stop going at each others throats?

-Wes Anderson just doesn't seem up my alley: the main complaint here is that although Anderson uses clever directing, it can't compensate for a stale script. In the same way that Transformers/Avatar/etc relies on action over substance, Anderson relies on directing over substance. Oftentimes, the only thing that would save a scene would be Anderson's lateral moving of the camera from one part of the room to another -- otherwise I would have lost interest. Sadly, his moving of the camera was the only thing keeping me alert at times. Anderson seems like a modern day Godard. In fact, after a while I started asking myself: who is the main character here? And then it hit me: Anderson is! THe camera is the main character! THe shifting and moving around of the camera is unbelievable. Its the only reason I didn't give the film a 0/5. But again, camera technique alone can't save a doomed script
-this is only my second Wes Anderson film, but I already see major rehashings between this and Bottle Rocket: 3 guys in "juvenile" mode, traveling around, with 1 of them falling for a hospitality girl Sure, there are differences, but the similarities make it feel recycled and ultimately, unoriginal.

Bottle Rocket is the only Anderson film that I survived. The rest are TOO quirky for me. The quirk factor is so deep and everpresent that it becomes annoying to me. Now, that is only my opinion, but its still 100% accurate and correct, at all times, under all conditions, period.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by surfdude12

The Darjeeling Limited (DVD)

Film: 1.5/5

[Show spoiler]-never connected to the characters on any meaningful level: Wilson's character was too annoying and the other 2 were too painful to watch put up with Wilson
-still have no idea what the character arc was for the 3 characters through the film: what was the film trying to show?

[Show spoiler]that 3 brothers get together, are at each others throats, and then after they get in touch with their mom, they stop going at each others throats?

-Wes Anderson just doesn't seem up my alley: the main complaint here is that although Anderson uses clever directing, it can't compensate for a stale script. In the same way that Transformers/Avatar/etc relies on action over substance, Anderson relies on directing over substance. Oftentimes, the only thing that would save a scene would be Anderson's lateral moving of the camera from one part of the room to another -- otherwise I would have lost interest. Sadly, his moving of the camera was the only thing keeping me alert at times. Anderson seems like a modern day Godard. In fact, after a while I started asking myself: who is the main character here? And then it hit me: Anderson is! THe camera is the main character! THe shifting and moving around of the camera is unbelievable. Its the only reason I didn't give the film a 0/5. But again, camera technique alone can't save a doomed script
-this is only my second Wes Anderson film, but I already see major rehashings between this and Bottle Rocket: 3 guys in "juvenile" mode, traveling around, with 1 of them falling for a hospitality girl Sure, there are differences, but the similarities make it feel recycled and ultimately, unoriginal.

Wow I got a very similar impression. The characters didn't bug me as much but their eccentricities were so uneven among one another. The camera work is definitely the best part of the movie for me. I also liked the hue and colors. I gave it a 3/5 though your 0/5 comment made me lol enough in agreement to want to lower my score. I give The Royal Tenenbaums a 0.5/5 though I haven't seen it in years.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Diesel

I was about to say





Fast & Furious is my favorite of his (I mean, a part in it DID inspire me to have the screen name Diesel here ). Some fans of the original didn't like it, didn't think it lived up, but I enjoyed it a little more after taking like a year to decide between the two
One of the complaints was that it wasn't as much about the racing this time....I must be strange, because I didn't watch the original because of the racing, I actually watched it and enjoy it because of the characters in the movie And this time around its focused more on Diesel's character, and also Walker's character some too, than the racing or the stealing DVD players plot (wow...DVD players...).

But Pitch Black is a great movie, I agree

All this talk about Pitch Black has made me feel nostalgic. Such a great Sci-fi flick. So fresh, so scary.

[Show spoiler]

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

i'm feeling a bit foolish right now. i spent the better part of 5 hours today trying to get my "Favorite Movies" list in order. i tried about 6 different ways of figuring out how to get a list of over 580+ movies in order. of course i didn't organize all of them, so it was easy to hack off about 350+ films, and while i was finally able to make a solid list of 1-50, because there are so many great films (and other films i believe i will enjoy) i've yet to see, making the list seems a bit futile and foolish. i knew it wasn't gonna be set in stone, but it was still extremely difficult to get this list down in an order i could sleep on tonight. so while i'm sure there will be new additions, which means some will be knocked down and out of the top 50, this is what my top 50 Favorite Films list looks like, for those who want to take a peek:

[Show spoiler]Fight Club*
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind*
The Lives of Others+
There Will Be Blood
2001: A Space Odyssey
Apocalypse Now
Magnolia
Elite Squad+
Solaris (2002)+
The Blair Witch Project*
(500) Days of Summer*
The Wrestler+
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Punch Drunk Love*
Revanche
Moon
Donnie Darko*
The Rules of Attraction*
Boogie Nights
Michael Clayton
Vanilla Sky+
Adventureland+
Mulholland Dr.+
Garden State*
The Fountain+
Requiem for a Dream+
Hard Eight+
Blow*
The Last Kiss*
Zodiac*
Away We Go+
Closer
Taxi Driver+
Sin Nombre+
American Beauty*
Reign Over Me*
Into the Wild*
Triangle
I Heart Huckabees
Joy Ride*
The Butterfly Effect*
A Beautiful Mind
The Mist
Collateral
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Babel+
Brazil+
11:14+
The Last Samurai
The Crow*

+ = a film i have only seen once or twice and have seen within the last month or so, so it could easily move up the list with more viewings (and a better understanding of it, a la Mulholland Dr.) or move down and maybe i'm just giddy on it now because it's still so fresh in my mind.

* = it's on the list for a number of reasons, but most of the ones with the asterisk hold some sentimental value for me, or are just a personal favorite and have been for a long time so i hold them in high regard. i think most wouldn't be considered great films, but they're great to me for a variety of reasons and will always be a high favorite, no matter how many films i see.

what happened to trying my method?

[Show spoiler]jk great list

Originally Posted by Steve46

Your Top 50 fits my taste pretty well, although only two made my Top 10 and I haven't seen half the things on your list.

Amélie moves up my list every time I see it...now at #15 after I watched it again last night.

Your and bearcat's lists tend to agree with me too. Amelie already cracked my top 10.

[Show spoiler]In both my favorite and best lists

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

as weird as it may sound (as i should probably be put on medication for it ) but if i don't have some sort of list i feel like then there's no difference between a great film like Revanche and an abomination like pauly Shore Is Dead. and just stopping after 10-15 means the rest are all just swimming in a pool together when they shouldn't be anywhere near each other (like a class system for films ).

so if, you're thinking, "what the fudge is he talking about?" yes, i think of my list like the movies being at a pool party:

top 25-50: these are the hot shots who run the pool area and have the best lounge seats in the best spots to get sun

51-100: they get the best spots in the pool - mainly against the wall in the deep end

101-200: the deep end where all the fun and the diving board is

201-250: middle of the pool, kind of mingling with the top of the line films but also realizing they aren't that great because they're still close to the mediocre and awful films

259-350: the shallow end

351-549: the really shallow end with the stupid stairs that when you sit on the water just constantly hits you in the crotch when there's a wave or a splash

555-???: outside of the fenced in pool party area desperately wishing they were inside with everyone else

yes. that is how i see it "visually" in my head. and if i didn't have some sort of list, then everyone would be jumbled together. and you can't have Fight Club trying to do a cannonball when shipwrecks like Rest Stop (or Iron Man 2, but IM2 brings the ladies so that has friends who are higher ups ) are bothering them!

so it's like, "who do you want mingling with who?" hmm... maybe i should use that train of thought to make my list...

insanity? i'm quite sure they'll say "yes" one day

You are the most ridiculous and intriguing person on this thread.

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Person B is bad AND wrong.

[Show spoiler]The dog had a special sense and could tell that the kid was evil, so the dog tried to kill it.

Precisely my conclusion. How could anyone else come to something different?

Originally Posted by DjMethod

+1. And how we can share our appreciation of film in so many different ways

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

All this talk about Pitch Black has made me feel nostalgic. Such a great Sci-fi flick. So fresh, so scary.

[Show spoiler]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

i'm surprised i can type this on my keyboard after giggling chocolate milk all over it you owe me a new keyboard Diesel! no seriously, you do

[Show spoiler]seriously

[Show spoiler]

I think I've ruined several people's keyboards/monitors in my time here

as weird as it may sound (as i should probably be put on medication for it ) but if i don't have some sort of list i feel like then there's no difference between a great film like Revanche and an abomination like pauly Shore Is Dead. and just stopping after 10-15 means the rest are all just swimming in a pool together when they shouldn't be anywhere near each other (like a class system for films ).

so if, you're thinking, "what the fudge is he talking about?" yes, i think of my list like the movies being at a pool party:

top 25-50: these are the hot shots who run the pool area and have the best lounge seats in the best spots to get sun

51-100: they get the best spots in the pool - mainly against the wall in the deep end

101-200: the deep end where all the fun and the diving board is

201-250: middle of the pool, kind of mingling with the top of the line films but also realizing they aren't that great because they're still close to the mediocre and awful films

259-350: the shallow end

351-549: the really shallow end with the stupid stairs that when you sit on the water just constantly hits you in the crotch when there's a wave or a splash

555-???: outside of the fenced in pool party area desperately wishing they were inside with everyone else

yes. that is how i see it "visually" in my head. and if i didn't have some sort of list, then everyone would be jumbled together. and you can't have Fight Club trying to do a cannonball when shipwrecks like Rest Stop (or Iron Man 2, but IM2 brings the ladies so that has friends who are higher ups ) are bothering them!

so it's like, "who do you want mingling with who?" hmm... maybe i should use that train of thought to make my list...

insanity? i'm quite sure they'll say "yes" one day

All I can think for that is

at the IM2 part.

You should be a statistician or something with your love of numbers and lists and such