The Movie Review and Discussion Thread - Page 830 - Blu-ray Forum

Al_The_Strange · 12-21-2010, 07:43 PM

“Battle Royale.” Theatrical Cut.

Nation’s collapsed, damn kids running wild, won’t go to school anymore and torments the teachers. So what does the Japanese government do? They gather up all the kids and make them fight to the death on an uninhabited island!

Sweet!

Such is the totally f***ed-up premise for “Battle Royale.” It spends the first half-hour or so laying down the ground rules, as a busload of students are whisked away to some island and bustled around by armed guards. They are made to watch a hilariously giddy poppy over-the-top video, where a hot J-pop star goes over the rules of the game. And in the midst of it all, the kids get rowdy, the teachers murder a couple of ‘em, and blood sprays everywhere… These scenes in themselves are worth seeing, because it becomes clear from here on that this movie is pretty darn wicked!

And for the rest of the film, there’s bloody murder, fighting, resistance, and conflict aplenty! It gets maybe a little repetitive and long, and there’s a generous helping of sappy melodrama to balance out with the violent killings. At times the film brings up some relevant issues regarding human nature. It is described at the beginning that “life is a game,” and the island suddenly becomes a microcosm for the world, in which we’re all forced to fight for our own survival. Some of the kids become pacifists, some become bloodthirsty killers, and the main heroes are stuck in the middle trying to figure out a peaceful solution. That is not to say that this film is 100% deep or anything, but between this thin veil of a theme and all the emotional turmoil, I think this is a little better than the average slash-a-thon.

If there’s anything else to complain about, it’s the realism. A girl walks around with an arrow in her throat, and can still talk. A guy has an axe in his head and is still alive for a minute or two (during which one character asks him “are you okay?”). Dramatic perhaps, but…um…yeah, this can’t happen in real life…

The film is pretty well-made with solid photography and an interesting production value. Acting is really decent all around; Beat Takeshi is the only big star I’m aware of here, and he’s pretty decent as the callous laid-back instructor. All of the kids take precedence here, and they are pretty lively, emotional, and strong. Music is pretty interesting throughout the film (has a Kubrick vibe at times).

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

Recommendation: Highly recommended to fans of violent and disturbing cinema who can tolerate subtitles. Would go well with “A Clockwork Orange,” “Children of Men,” “Gamer,” “The Running Man,” “Death Race,” etc. Anime fans might dig it too, even though this is live-action.

This UK Limited Edition Blu-Ray is to kill for! The picture quality could be better, that is true: the film is decently sharp most of the time, but there is a certain soft veneer over most of the image (I’m guessing it’s DNR? Probably the same level as “Zulu” or the original “Gladiator” release). This film has always had an iffy color scheme, so a lot of it appears dark or hazy; contrast levels could be better in quite a few scenes. But, the image is extremely clean, and I didn’t notice any troublesome scratches, dirt, markings, etc. Sound quality is pretty good.

PQ: 3.5/5, AQ: 4/5

This Blu-Ray set is a super-thick box with shedloads of extras!

Extras: 5/5

The first two discs are region-free!

two40 · 12-21-2010, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve46

Closer

[Show spoiler]Directed by Mike Nicholls
Starring Clive Owen, Natalie Portman, Jude Law and Julia Roberts
104 minutes

I used to confuse this film with Control (a Joy Division biopic), because Closer is also the name of Joy Division's last studio album.

Mike Nichols (The Graduate) was in his 70s when he directed Closer and times have changed a lot since the days of The Graduate (1967). Both are excellent films though, despite the change.

What elevates Closer from the pack is the writing. Patrick Marber wrote the play and also adapted the screenplay. If you have ever seen a TV series starring Steve Coogan, Marber probably wrote it. He has a talent for writing comedy and it's the type of comedy I like. That said, Closer is not a comedy; it's a drama with plenty of humor in it.

Good actors can't really succeed without good writing, but this has both. All four do good work here. It has the feel of a Woody Allen film in some ways and also reminds me of Glengarry Glen Ross as both were adapted from plays. The dialogue comes at you at a fast pace and the actors play off one another well. Some conversations are a joy to experience.

Both men sleep with both women (not at the same time) and the story deals with the relationships in an amusing way. The main point of the film is to show how much people lie to one another. Even when they think they are speaking absolute truth, it often turns out to be a lie. Are they saying these things to convince themselves of their good intentions? Are lies preferable to truth in some instances?

The 104 minutes seem to pass very quickly. I was caught up in the story and the lives of these four people. It's more a romantic drama than a romantic comedy, despite the witty lines that appear throughout the story.

I'm not sure which character I liked the most. They all have redeeming qualities. It's just a fun thing to experience and the writing is smart. I think the actors enjoyed delivering this wonderful dialogue. Owen and Portman received Oscar nominations for their performances.

4.5/5

I picked up a copy about a month ago and sadly it has been neglected thus far. I specifically got it because someone told me it is much like a Woody Allen film so I'm happy to hear you say it as well. I'm sure I'll get to it very soon.

cheers

Steve46 · 12-21-2010, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by two40

I picked up a copy about a month ago and sadly it has been neglected thus far. I specifically got it because someone told me it is much like a Woody Allen film so I'm happy to hear you say it as well. I'm sure I'll get to it very soon.

cheers

It's smart, witty, fast-paced and the acting is very good. I'm sure you will like it.

two40 · 12-21-2010, 08:31 PM

I'm a big fan of strong writing. I find it more engaging than say a Transformers type deal but even that is enjoyable in moderation.

Have you seen Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? A Mike Nichols classic which I would put above Graduate any day of the week.

iam1bearcat · 12-21-2010, 08:32 PM

SALT

Film #5

Year: 2010
Director: Philip Noyce
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Live Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Genre: Action & Thriller

What Made Me Want to See This? Angelina Jolie, jumping onto roofs of vehicles on highway!

THEATRICAL VERSION (92 minutes)
Who is Evelyn Salt? A Russian spy? Or someone who has been set up?

That’s the basic premise, and the film tells an extravagant tale of deception, deceit, cover ups, suspense and questions as we try to unravel the mystery just as fast as the CIA and FBI. The scary part, is that Salt works for the CIA, so was she somehow able to infiltrate a high level of government while being a spy? Or is she being set up by someone for something else?

Maybe I’m dumb or not a good judge of character, but I had no idea which way the story was going to go. I think the script and the way Jolie handles the character was handled perfectly as there was no big tell-tale signs that gave it away. Sure, there are scenes that come and go where I said, “oh, that’s a dead give away, it’s gotta be this” but then something equally alarming would happen that would make me go back on my thoughts. Great stuff all around.

Sure, some over the top stunts, one of which near the end of the movie is baffling and laughable at best, but who cares? I don’t. Salt is a fun ride to take and was well worth the $1.50 to rent it. Add in the incredible PQ and absolutely stellar AQ

and this is a beast of a blu-ray. Seriously, all I have is a puny sound bar and with my volume on 12 (it can go up to at least 35) my floor was shaking. From a sound bar! On the second shelf of my entertainment stand! So I can only imagine how glorious this will be for those of you with a HT set up. Right now, I’m extremely jealous.

Jolie was great, Schreiber was also great. I’ve enjoyed him in films ever since Scream and he does a great job here. Of course, Jolie is the stand out, but everyone in the film does a great job and the film is definitely not built on characters, it’s built on action and suspense and the film exceeds greatly there.

Will I own it someday? Yes. I will wait until it hit’s the $10-$12 range, but this will be a great addition to my collection. I kind of wish now I would have just bought this when I bought Easy A because then it would have been only $15 for each, but oh well. Great fun to be had. Fast, furious (no Paul Walker), exciting, some jaw dropping stunts and action sequences and a story that had me fooled until the give away.

And really, my only complaint is the give away. This isn’t a film that leaves that particular story line open to interpretation, the film, very blatantly, but in kind of an underachieving scene that could have been better, gives away the guessing game. But I was glad to see the story not stop dead in its tracks since it continued to a great third act.

Looking forward to watching the Director’s Cut and the Unrated Edition later tonight with friends.

All around an incredible blu-ray

Recommendation: Very High, especially for action / thriller junkies.

PQ: 5/5
AQ: 5/5

Technical Score: 4/5
Enjoyment Level Score: 4.5/5 “loved it”

Will be adding to the collection when it hits $12 or less

Final Verdict: 4.25/5

Steve46 · 12-21-2010, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by two40

I'm a big fan of strong writing. I find it more engaging than say a Transformers type deal but even that is enjoyable in moderation.

Have you seen Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? A Mike Nichols classic which I would put above Graduate any day of the week.

Nope.

Blu-Benny · 12-21-2010, 09:09 PM

Diesel inspired me to finallly put together a top 10 list of my favorite movies of all time.

so over the last couple of days while @ work, i came up w/the following.

what else was i supposed to do....work??

so here it is, i did a top 15.....and yes, i stole diesel's format.

!!!

#15

[Show spoiler]

#14

[Show spoiler]

#13

[Show spoiler]

#12

[Show spoiler]

#11

[Show spoiler]

#10

[Show spoiler]

#9

[Show spoiler]

#8

[Show spoiler]

#7

[Show spoiler]

#6

[Show spoiler]

#5

[Show spoiler]

#4

[Show spoiler]

#3

[Show spoiler]

#2

[Show spoiler]

#1

[Show spoiler]

Lepidopterous · 12-21-2010, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbizzle

Man, life's been crazy lately. I'll post a few reviews tomorrow when I have time, but I'll respond to a few posts here in a bit

Good to have you back. Your absence was louder than your presence!

[Show spoiler]

You need to see Black Swan pronto. It was a terrible film.

[Show spoiler]

iam1bearcat · 12-21-2010, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

Diesel inspired me to finallly put together a top 10 list of my favorite movies of all time.

so over the last couple of days while @ work, i came up w/the following.

what else was i supposed to do....work??

so here it is, i did a top 15.....and yes, i stole diesel's format.

!!!

[Show spoiler]

now that's a list with a lot of variety Blu-Benny!

even though around 4-5 (at least) of your choices wouldn't even be in my personal top 200, it's always fun to see lists and see what other people enjoy

and can't say i've ever seen a list contain Tombstone, Super Troopers and Star Wars all in a list this close to each other!

Blu-Benny · 12-21-2010, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

now that's a list with a lot of variety Blu-Benny!

even though around 4-5 (at least) of your choices wouldn't even be in my personal top 200, it's always fun to see lists and see what other people enjoy

and can't say i've ever seen a list contain Tombstone, Super Troopers and Star Wars all in a list this close to each other!

I like what I like, what can I say??

I’d have to say action Is my genre of choice and as long as I’m entertained, I’m happy.

And I don’t think I could even rank 50 movies, let alone 200.

menaceuk · 12-21-2010, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

Diesel inspired me to finallly put together a top 10 list of my favorite movies of all time.

so over the last couple of days while @ work, i came up w/the following.

what else was i supposed to do....work??

so here it is, i did a top 15.....and yes, i stole diesel's format.

!!!

#15

[Show spoiler]

Interesting List.

# 9 was awesome.

# 2 though i would change from that scene to the Neo v Morpheus Fight.Love that scene.

Great list though.Full of some really good scenes and great variety .

iam1bearcat · 12-21-2010, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by menaceuk

Interesting List.

# 9 was awesome.

# 3 though i would change from that scene to the Neo v Morpheus Fight.Love that scene.

Great list though.Full of some really good scenes and great variety .

i think you mean #2

Blu-Benny · 12-21-2010, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by menaceuk

Interesting List.

# 9 was awesome.

# 3 though i would change from that scene to the Neo v Morpheus Fight.Love that scene.

Great list though.Full of some really good scenes and great variety .

The lobby scene is one of my all time fav’s from any movie……I can’t even tell you how blown away I was when I saw The Matrix for the 1st time.

It’s one of the few movie going experiences I can remember vividly.

I honestly had never heard of it before that night, me & a bunch of friends wanted to go to the movies but couldn’t decide on what to see. A couple went w/some girls we went with to some chick flick. Me & another guy went to Matrix, and 2 more went to something else.

And i love clerks.....I'll watch it almost every weekend.

menaceuk · 12-21-2010, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

i think you mean #2

Yes I did.Good catch

two40 · 12-21-2010, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve46

Nope.

Adopted from a play, it's very wordy, theatrical, dramatic and completely engaging. It takes place over one drunken night after a party and there are only 4 actors throughout the whole film. Check it out, I think you'll enjoy it.

menaceuk · 12-21-2010, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

The lobby scene is one of my all time fav’s from any movie……I can’t even tell you how blown away I was when I saw The Matrix for the 1st time.

It’s one of the few movie going experiences I can remember vividly.

I honestly had never heard of it before that night, me & a bunch of friends wanted to go to the movies but couldn’t decide on what to see. A couple went w/some girls we went with to some chick flick. Me & another guy went to Matrix, and 2 more went to something else.

And i love clerks.....I'll watch it almost every weekend.

I agree it is a fantastic scene and when ever i get new Equipment like speakers or a TV i always give it the Matrix test with those 2 scenes

Lepidopterous · 12-21-2010, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blu-Benny

so here it is, i did a top 15.....and yes, i stole diesel's format.

!!!

[Show spoiler]

Nice list. 300 is also one of my favorite films. I've lost count how many times I've seen it. And it's the one movie I've seen the most times in theaters. 4x and one was in IMAX. Still can't get enough of it. (I know that makes me sound 10 years old but how many times can you say that about a movie?)

Also, I love this format. I'm going to copyright it from Diesel.

© DjMethod

[Show spoiler]

Blu-Benny · 12-21-2010, 09:38 PM

A top 10/15/20 list is nice, but to give things you like about the movie makes it better in my opinion.

It at least gives readers something they can relate to or disagree with.

I should note, I liked several movies from this year like inception but haven’t watched them enough to figure out where they would fall in this list.

I may have to make it an annual thing around x-mas each year.

Batman1980 · 12-21-2010, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Nice list. 300 is also one of my favorite films. I've lost count how many times I've seen it. And it's the one movie I've seen the most times in theaters. 4x and one was in IMAX. Still can't get enough of it. (I know that makes me sound 10 years old but how many times can you say that about a movie?)

Also, I love this format. I'm going to copyright it from Diesel.

© DjMethod

[Show spoiler]

Click 4.5/5
PQ and AQ 4/5
Love this movie, one of the best Sandler movies I've ever seen, Katie Cassidy, Kate Beckinsale and Jana Kramer are all incredible in it. One of the UMDs I used to own, can't believe I waited this long to upgrade to blu-ray.

iam1bearcat · 12-21-2010, 09:44 PM

12-21-2010, 07:43 PM	#16581
Al_The_Strange Blu-ray Prince Top contributor Member since:Apr 2009 Location:Out there...past them trees... Home Theater Gallery:126 4K collection:1143 Blu-ray collection:4960 DVD collection:530 Digital collection:1013 Blu-ray reviews: 132 Trading Score:32	“Battle Royale.” Theatrical Cut. Nation’s collapsed, damn kids running wild, won’t go to school anymore and torments the teachers. So what does the Japanese government do? They gather up all the kids and make them fight to the death on an uninhabited island! Sweet! Such is the totally f*ed-up premise for “Battle Royale.” It spends the first half-hour or so laying down the ground rules, as a busload of students are whisked away to some island and bustled around by armed guards. They are made to watch a hilariously giddy poppy over-the-top video, where a hot J-pop star goes over the rules of the game. And in the midst of it all, the kids get rowdy, the teachers murder a couple of ‘em, and blood sprays everywhere… These scenes in themselves are worth seeing, because it becomes clear from here on that this movie is pretty darn wicked! And for the rest of the film, there’s bloody murder, fighting, resistance, and conflict aplenty! It gets maybe a little repetitive and long, and there’s a generous helping of sappy melodrama to balance out with the violent killings. At times the film brings up some relevant issues regarding human nature. It is described at the beginning that “life is a game,” and the island suddenly becomes a microcosm for the world, in which we’re all forced to fight for our own survival. Some of the kids become pacifists, some become bloodthirsty killers, and the main heroes are stuck in the middle trying to figure out a peaceful solution. That is not to say that this film is 100% deep or anything, but between this thin veil of a theme and all the emotional turmoil, I think this is a little better than the average slash-a-thon. If there’s anything else to complain about, it’s the realism. A girl walks around with an arrow in her throat, and can still talk. A guy has an axe in his head and is still alive for a minute or two (during which one character asks him “are you okay?”). Dramatic perhaps, but…um…yeah, this can’t happen in real life… The film is pretty well-made with solid photography and an interesting production value. Acting is really decent all around; Beat Takeshi is the only big star I’m aware of here, and he’s pretty decent as the callous laid-back instructor. All of the kids take precedence here, and they are pretty lively, emotional, and strong. Music is pretty interesting throughout the film (has a Kubrick vibe at times). 4/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 4.5/5, film: 4/5) Recommendation: Highly recommended to fans of violent and disturbing cinema who can tolerate subtitles. Would go well with “A Clockwork Orange,” “Children of Men,” “Gamer,” “The Running Man,” “Death Race,” etc. Anime fans might dig it too, even though this is live-action. This UK Limited Edition Blu-Ray is to kill for! The picture quality could be better, that is true: the film is decently sharp most of the time, but there is a certain soft veneer over most of the image (I’m guessing it’s DNR? Probably the same level as “Zulu” or the original “Gladiator” release). This film has always had an iffy color scheme, so a lot of it appears dark or hazy; contrast levels could be better in quite a few scenes. But, the image is extremely clean, and I didn’t notice any troublesome scratches, dirt, markings, etc. Sound quality is pretty good. PQ: 3.5/5, AQ: 4/5 This Blu-Ray set is a super-thick box with shedloads of extras! Extras: 5/5** The first two discs are region-free! Last edited by Al_The_Strange; 12-21-2010 at 10:35 PM.

12-21-2010, 08:32 PM	#16585
iam1bearcat Blu-ray Knight Member since:Nov 2009 Location:Club Loop Home Theater Gallery:7 Blu-ray collection:54 DVD collection:28 Trading Score:29	SALT Film #5 Year: 2010 Director: Philip Noyce Starring: Angelina Jolie, Live Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor Genre: Action & Thriller What Made Me Want to See This? Angelina Jolie, jumping onto roofs of vehicles on highway! THEATRICAL VERSION (92 minutes) Who is Evelyn Salt? A Russian spy? Or someone who has been set up? That’s the basic premise, and the film tells an extravagant tale of deception, deceit, cover ups, suspense and questions as we try to unravel the mystery just as fast as the CIA and FBI. The scary part, is that Salt works for the CIA, so was she somehow able to infiltrate a high level of government while being a spy? Or is she being set up by someone for something else? Maybe I’m dumb or not a good judge of character, but I had no idea which way the story was going to go. I think the script and the way Jolie handles the character was handled perfectly as there was no big tell-tale signs that gave it away. Sure, there are scenes that come and go where I said, “oh, that’s a dead give away, it’s gotta be this” but then something equally alarming would happen that would make me go back on my thoughts. Great stuff all around. Sure, some over the top stunts, one of which near the end of the movie is baffling and laughable at best, but who cares? I don’t. Salt is a fun ride to take and was well worth the $1.50 to rent it. Add in the incredible PQ and absolutely stellar AQ and this is a beast of a blu-ray. Seriously, all I have is a puny sound bar and with my volume on 12 (it can go up to at least 35) my floor was shaking. From a sound bar! On the second shelf of my entertainment stand! So I can only imagine how glorious this will be for those of you with a HT set up. Right now, I’m extremely jealous. Jolie was great, Schreiber was also great. I’ve enjoyed him in films ever since Scream and he does a great job here. Of course, Jolie is the stand out, but everyone in the film does a great job and the film is definitely not built on characters, it’s built on action and suspense and the film exceeds greatly there. Will I own it someday? Yes. I will wait until it hit’s the $10-$12 range, but this will be a great addition to my collection. I kind of wish now I would have just bought this when I bought Easy A because then it would have been only $15 for each, but oh well. Great fun to be had. Fast, furious (no Paul Walker), exciting, some jaw dropping stunts and action sequences and a story that had me fooled until the give away. And really, my only complaint is the give away. This isn’t a film that leaves that particular story line open to interpretation, the film, very blatantly, but in kind of an underachieving scene that could have been better, gives away the guessing game. But I was glad to see the story not stop dead in its tracks since it continued to a great third act. Looking forward to watching the Director’s Cut and the Unrated Edition later tonight with friends. All around an incredible blu-ray Recommendation: Very High, especially for action / thriller junkies. PQ: 5/5 AQ: 5/5 Technical Score: 4/5 Enjoyment Level Score: 4.5/5 “loved it” Will be adding to the collection when it hits $12 or less Final Verdict: 4.25/5 Last edited by iam1bearcat; 12-21-2010 at 08:42 PM.

Similar Threads
thread	Forum	Thread Starter	Replies	Last Post
What movie have you watched the most ???	Movies	BLUE MYSTIC RAIN	822	02-04-2023 01:21 PM
The Most Boring Movie You Ever Watched	Movies	Blu Man	3990	10-11-2022 10:18 AM
What Blu-ray Are You Watching Or Just Watched? Give a Mini Review	Blu-ray Movies - North America	slick1ru2	30	01-24-2010 07:09 PM
Official Rate The Last Movie You've Seen Thread	Movies	_Bolt_	10	11-29-2008 03:28 AM
User Review Rate Down Trolls	Feedback Forum	Grant Matrix	1	10-30-2008 04:34 PM

12-21-2010, 08:31 PM	#16584
two40 Active Member Member since:Sep 2010 Location:Sydney Home Theater Gallery:25 Blu-ray collection:4 Blu-ray reviews:2	I'm a big fan of strong writing. I find it more engaging than say a Transformers type deal but even that is enjoyable in moderation. Have you seen Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? A Mike Nichols classic which I would put above Graduate any day of the week.

12-21-2010, 09:38 PM	#16598
Blu-Benny Michael Bay's #1 Fan Top contributor Member since:Aug 2008 Location:Wisconsin Home Theater Gallery:39 Blu-ray collection:552 DVD collection:108 Trading Score:138	A top 10/15/20 list is nice, but to give things you like about the movie makes it better in my opinion. It at least gives readers something they can relate to or disagree with. I should note, I liked several movies from this year like inception but haven’t watched them enough to figure out where they would fall in this list. I may have to make it an annual thing around x-mas each year.

12-21-2010, 09:44 PM	#16600
iam1bearcat Blu-ray Knight Member since:Nov 2009 Location:Club Loop Home Theater Gallery:7 Blu-ray collection:54 DVD collection:28 Trading Score:29

Best Blu-ray Movie Deals