The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

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It doesnt get much funnier than that. :hatsoff:

[AKORIS]

jonah hex

being a big fan of the comic book when I was a kid I had to watch this one but since everybody ripped it when it came out, I decided to NETFLIX it as opposed to blind-buying...

dang it, it was bad.... at 75 minutes long before credits, the movie was a mess, poorly paced even at a short running time, sloppily directed, crappy music score....

Josh Brolin was good but the movie was a "in-name only" movie version of the comic-- it never comes close to the "coolness" of the comic-- the only thing in the movie that was semi-interesting was Hex communicating the dead....
even John Malkovich seemed bored...

2.0 out of 5.0

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

It's all basically just a tougher, gamier version of a chicken thigh anyways. We always fried that stuff, so it eventually all just tasted like the crust, or breading we were using. I've later learned that the best way to cook game is by using a smoker. Tender and flavorful, but no one wants to fire up their smoker for a couple puny rabbits, but smoked venison is quite common after deer season. That's really tasty stuff.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

It's all basically just a tougher, gamier version of a chicken thigh anyways. We always fried that stuff, so it eventually all just tasted like the crust, or breading we were using. I've later learned that the best way to cook game is by using a smoker. Tender and flavorful, but no one wants to fire up their smoker for a couple puny rabbits, but smoked venison is quite common after deer season. That's really tasty stuff.

Venison I have had. My Grandma used to use it when making Rouladen.

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Venison I have had. My Grandma used to use it when making Rouladen.

What's that? I could google it, but you know..........

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

What's that? I could google it, but you know..........

Oh sorry, I just assume that everyones parents a German immigrants.

[Show spoiler]Stuffed with Bacon and onions and broiled..

My Grandma deleted the pickles though. Served it with Spätzle... Doughy, noodley mini dumpling thingys.

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Oh sorry, I just assume that everyones parents a German immigrants.

[Show spoiler]Stuffed with Bacon and onions and broiled..

My Grandma deleted the pickles though. Served it with Spätzle... Doughy, noodley mini dumpling thingys.

Well, that just looks delicious doesn't it?

[Batman1980]

Blue Harvest 4.5/5
PQ/AQ 5/5
Funny little movie, I know I've seen it before but it feels like I'm seeing it for the first time. Really wish they'd make spoofs of 1-3 also, so much there to make fun of.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

Well, that just looks delicious doesn't it?

Yeah, she would pound it really thin before rolling it up. And the au jus/gravy that came from the drippings was DARK and tastey.

[CZAR]

Got Em!!

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

No. It makes you TMOAWTHASOOWOTO.

I'll let you work on that for a few.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Zodiac

[Show spoiler]

• 2007 | R | 157 Minutes
  
  
• Director: David Fincher
  
  
• Staring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey, Jr.
  
  
• Crime | Drama | History

I've been wanting to see this one for a while now but never got around to it...and I am quite glad I finally did tonight.

Bearcat mentioned that the movie was long earlier, and I really had no idea that it was over 2.5 hours long. It definitely felt that long...but in a good way; I wasn't ready for it to end I was enjoying it so much.

I don't know much about the Zodiac killings, I read a bit about them once but that was a few years ago and I don't really remember anything that I read besides that they never positively identified someone as the killer. So I don't know how much of the movie was changed from actual facts and how much was accurate, but it doesn't really matter because what I got worked fantastically. The story kept me interested at every turn, the major characters were all worth paying attention to, and several times the movie actually got me in with its tension (

[Show spoiler]the scene in the basement with the floorboards squeaking overheard particularly

). It takes one heck of a movie to keep you interested for the ENTIRE runtime without a single moment of even the slightest disinterest in a particular portion of the film for over two and a half hours; and for me Zodiac accomplished that.


Jake G was definitely my favorite actor in the film. Right from the beginning I knew I was going to like his character for some reason; I don't know what it was, there was just something. And it proved to be correct; I liked him more and more as the film went on and

[Show spoiler]his obsession with the case grew and grew until he was putting himself in danger because of his need to know the truth and even alienated his wife (who took his kids away for a while) because of his pursuit of answers. All along the way Jake does a great job with the role. When he was in that guys basement he looked like he was actually scared out of his mind, and when he was rummaging through papers, running to police, screaming in the middle of the night about the case

he was always spot on I thought. Great performance.

RDJ comes in as my #2 for the movie. He has a smaller role than Gyllenhaal and Ruffalo but his time on screen was just as well acted.

Ruffalo, who the only time I've seen him before that I can think of is in 13 Going on 30 (yep), also turns in a very good performance. He wasn't as good as Jake G or RDJ I thought but he was no slouch. My favorite scene in the movie was when he and Jake G were

[Show spoiler]breaking everything down in that cafe towards the end

. I also liked anytime they were on screen together; thought they worked pretty well together.


I have to say, this movie surpassed my expectations. And I was expecting to enjoy it. I thought it was well written, well directed and well acted.

I'm not positive, but off hand I can't think of another movie released in 2007 that I enjoyed more. I'm going to have to look into everything else that I saw from that year before I can say for sure, but without doing that I can say this one is one of the contenders for my favorite of 2007. The only other movie I can think of that got the same score from that year that I'm giving to Zodiac is Gone Baby Gone from yesterday.

Rating - 4.75/5

awesome review Diesel!
i figured you would enjoy it, but hell, didn't think it had a possibility to shoot to the top of your 2007 films list!

i too love the tension and creepiness of the

[Show spoiler]basement scene

and even before then when

[Show spoiler]they're having coffee and Jake's character says "the handwriting matches, it has to be him", and the guy goes, "that's my handwriting. i wrote all the posters"...

the best part is that the movie isn't built around creepiness, but that scene i mentioned and a few others are creepier and scarier than almost every single horror movie i have ever seen! that's a damn impressive feat in my eyes for a drama / almost bio-pic like film to do.

my favorite line(s) / very short scene:

[Show spoiler]Graysmith (Jake): "doesn't it bother you that people call you Shorty?"
Shorty: "Doesn't it bother you that people call you retard?"
Graysmith: "Nobody calls me that"
Shorty: "Right."

Jake's face is priceless in this scene

[Diesel]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

awesome review Diesel!
i figured you would enjoy it, but hell, didn't think it had a possibility to shoot to the top of your 2007 films list!

i too love the tension and creepiness of the

[Show spoiler]basement scene

and even before then when

[Show spoiler]they're having coffee and Jake's character says "the handwriting matches, it has to be him", and the guy goes, "that's my handwriting. i wrote all the posters"...

the best part is that the movie isn't built around creepiness, but that scene i mentioned and a few others are creepier and scarier than almost every single horror movie i have ever seen! that's a damn impressive feat in my eyes for a drama / almost bio-pic like film to do.

my favorite line(s) / very short scene:

[Show spoiler]Graysmith (Jake): "doesn't it bother you that people call you Shorty?"
Shorty: "Doesn't it bother you that people call you retard?"
Graysmith: "Nobody calls me that"
Shorty: "Right."

Jake's face is priceless in this scene

I was a surprised as well that I enjoyed it that much.

When that part you mentioned happened before the scene I mentioned I said, "Oh crap..."

And for your last part - It was even better when he

[Show spoiler]asked RDJ if they called him names and he was like "retard? No"

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

awesome review Diesel!
i figured you would enjoy it, but hell, didn't think it had a possibility to shoot to the top of your 2007 films list!

i too love the tension and creepiness of the

[Show spoiler]basement scene

and even before then when

[Show spoiler]they're having coffee and Jake's character says "the handwriting matches, it has to be him", and the guy goes, "that's my handwriting. i wrote all the posters"...

the best part is that the movie isn't built around creepiness, but that scene i mentioned and a few others are creepier and scarier than almost every single horror movie i have ever seen! that's a damn impressive feat in my eyes for a drama / almost bio-pic like film to do.

my favorite line(s) / very short scene:

[Show spoiler]Graysmith (Jake): "doesn't it bother you that people call you Shorty?"
Shorty: "Doesn't it bother you that people call you retard?"
Graysmith: "Nobody calls me that"
Shorty: "Right."

Jake's face is priceless in this scene

The stabbing scene is just............ I mean really, really horrible. It hits harder than any slasher/horror kill that i've ever scene. I mean, that's probably what it's like to be stabbed "to death" by some crazy loon.
Love this movie, just waiting to snag a reasonably priced used copy at Hastings.

[iam1bearcat]

Originally Posted by Diesel

And for your last part - It was even better when he

[Show spoiler]asked RDJ if they called him names and he was like "retard? No"

almost forgot that part. RDJ's timing and expression there was perfect

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

The stabbing scene is just............ I mean really, really horrible. It hits harder than any slasher/horror kill that i've ever scene. I mean, that's probably what it's like to be stabbed "to death" by some crazy loon.
Love this movie, just waiting to snag a reasonably priced used copy at Hastings.

yes! i ever expected Zodiac to cover such ranges: creepy, terrible violence - but with limited blood and no gore, great dark humor, great story, plethora of tension... but yeah, that scene, every time i watch the movie i have to look away, i just and the scream is perfect for the scene, and when they

[Show spoiler]show the guys face as he lowers his head feeling (probably) guilty for letting this happen - even though it isn't his fault - that's EXACTLY how i felt: terrible, shocked, and incredibly

[Marcus Wright]

My Planet Of Apes Marathon Results.

#1) Planet Of The Apes - 5/5
Indeed, a very timeless classic, best of the series. A real sci-fi classic.

#2) Battle For The Planet Of The Apes - 4.25/5
This was my second favorite of the series. This is a very good ending to the franchise, very good. Many unanswered queestion throughout the series get an answer in this last movie of the franchise.
I may go as far as to say this is almost equal to the original. The ending was really touching but alarming at the same time.

#3) Conquest For The planet Of the Apes - 3.75/5
Still, very good movie. I liked it well enough, although some elements where over the top. This movie goes deep into Politics, a classical example of revolutions, which I liked a lot.

#4) Underneath The planet Of The Apes - 3.5/5
While it was good at introducning us further into Planet Of The Apes, many themes where recycled in this entry, plus the ending was kind of absurd.

#5) Escape From The Planet Of The Apes - 3.25/5
I certainly dont hate this movie, but its the weakes of the franchise by far. The script was garbage, it was hard to beleive to anything that happened on the screen. Overall, the movie was too unrealistic. But Some serious themes as well as good humour saved this movie for me.

Overall - 4/5
Certanily a very good franchise. Recommended for all sci-fi fans.
Watching all movies rather than only the first is recommended, because while none of them reach the heights of the first one, they are nevertheless goo extensions of the Apes universe and solid stand alone movies themselves.

[Al_The_Strange]

Next greatest random selection:

“Hard Boiled.”

This is a classic essential piece of action filmmaking. It’s also one of the best (if not THE best) film John Woo has made. And it’s probably an essential piece of Hong Kong cinema. Why? Because at the very least, this film totally rocks.

The action scenes are freaking awesome and wicked! The gunfights are nonstop, the stunts are wild, the explosions are huge, and the body count is through-the roof! At times, it can be so insane and over-the-top that it might come off as cheesy. But one thing is for sure: the action is frequent and very entertaining. And with John Woo’s use of slow-motion and motifs, the visuals are stunning.

As far as the story goes, it generally works. The first half features the more dynamic investigation-plot while the second half is mostly a non-stop shoot-out. Characters have their moments throughout. But altogether, it’s a loosely-connected story. It feels like the audience is plopped in the middle of everything, and you just go with the flow.

The film has good photography throughout. Acting is good; Chow Yun Fat is practically iconic as Tequila, and the rest of the cast is brilliant too. Writing is okay. Production value seems pretty decent. Music seems pretty dated to me, but it is groovy.

4.5/5 (entertainment: 5/5, story: 3.5/5, film: 4.5/5)

Recommendation: For most folks, yep. For action junkies, hell yeah!!!

This film has never fared well on home video, and from what I understand it hasn’t been kept in great condition. And coming from Vivendi/Dragon Dynasty, the company that put out “The Killer” in rather substandard quality, “Hard Boiled” might not seem like a good investment for Blu-Ray.

But rest assured, the film is not that bad. It does show an awful lot of noise and grain, quite a few scratches and specks, and some rather hazy scenes. But it looks adequately clean, colors are pretty good, and sharpness is pleasing. It could certainly benefit from some cleaning up, but I was pleased for the most part. This video looks a bit cropped, as it is on other home video releases. Sound quality seems okay; the sound effects and music seem dated, but the dialogue is mostly clear.

PQ: 3.5/5, AQ: 3.5/5

[Riff Magnum]

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

almost forgot that part. RDJ's timing and expression there was perfect



yes! i ever expected Zodiac to cover such ranges: creepy, terrible violence - but with limited blood and no gore, great dark humor, great story, plethora of tension... but yeah, that scene, every time i watch the movie i have to look away, i just and the scream is perfect for the scene, and when they

[Show spoiler]show the guys face as he lowers his head feeling (probably) guilty for letting this happen - even though it isn't his fault - that's EXACTLY how i felt: terrible, shocked, and incredibly

It's hard to watch. It's almost serene and peaceful. Ya know, like "ho-hum guess i'll go over there and kill those people. Got nothing else to do, but it'd be a pity to waste such a beautiful day." True horror.

[Batman1980]

Something Something Something Darkside 4.5/5
PQ/AQ 5/5
Love this movie, think it fits ESB well, hoping It's a Trap lives up to the first two.

[Hep]

Defiance

The plight of the Jews in 1941 Belarus is brought to life in this historical piece. I say historical piece, because I feel this is where its strengths lay. It contains great acting, directing, cinematography, score, and story. Of all the strong elements in this film, the decision to tell the story as it happened, warts and all, while not to succumbing to Hollywood cliché rises above all else. The Bielski brothers lead a group of defiant Jews into the Belarus wilderness to survive. Their survival necessitates defence, and that combined with vengeance inevitably leads to malevolence. Col Kurtz noted in Apocalypse Now that if he had an army of men unbound by morality, the war would be over very quickly. Being bound by societal norms and laws of civilized warfare can thwart victory when fighting an aggressor who is not likewise bound. The tendency toward this heart of darkness is exactly what the Bielski brothers (and fellow survivors) struggled with while balancing the absolute need to survive against the desire to maintain their humanity.

It would have been so easy for Zwick to go down the road of portraying the Bielski brothers as typical Hollywood action movie heroes, and I for one am so glad he did not. Tuvia is the eldest brother and becomes the defacto leader of the partisan resistance movement. He and his brother (Zus) have a complicated competitive relationship that is well handled and nicely acted. They’re portrayed as conflicted men, living by their wits and struggling to come to terms with their new responsibilities and performing base acts. This of course inevitably leads to cognitive dissidence in today’s passive movie audience. The brothers are initially portrayed as morally astray and often cold, making an emotional connection somewhat difficult. In my mind, sticking to the realism of the characters, rather than making them into a preconceived notion of what a hero ought to be, is the true strength of this movie. As the story unfolds at its modest pace, the need to maintain a sense of community and humanity bleed back into the group, at a time when circumstance is trying to force it the other way. Even at the very end, Tuvia refused the notion that he was a holy protector, but rather knew he was simply a normal man rising to the task under extraordinary circumstances.

The video and audio quality is reference, or near reference, so no problems there. The other thing I will praise this film for is the setting. It was filmed very near the actual forests of Belarus where the struggle took place. The cinematography is often stunning with beautiful use of natural lighting. Details of the clothing and encampments were perfect.

I tend to love films that don’t shy away from showing humans for what we really are: self aware animals caught in the midst of the conflict resulting from our evolutionary transition to bigger craniums. As much as I appreciated the character arcs, and understand the importance of hearing this real world story, overall it just didn’t punctuate the lessons as much as other films like Apocalypse Now. On that note, I’ll recommend this film especially for anyone interested in history or exploring the human condition.

4/5