The Movie Review and Discussion Thread

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Pressed for time since its late (I'm going out and get a haircut before going to look for a job in the morning ), so I'll make this short:

I watched The Ring tonight.


It was

Not scary in the slightest; I honestly didn't care if the characters did/didn't die; rather for this sort of movie. I don't need explosions to hold my attention but it needs to be interesting in some way, shape or form for me to really enjoy a movie. This one was only interesting enough to keep me from switching to something else.


Rating - 2.5/5



I see I missed 2.5 pages of stuff today, I'll catch up when I return home tomorrow

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Gotta disagree. While certainly not one of the top 5 best horror films, The Ring is still very effective. Verbinski's direction is artful and masterfully creates the mood. I enjoyed the mythology and thought the acting was good pretty good. I also thought the score was excellent. Would love to have this on blu. I know surf, wherever he is, agrees with all I just typed!

Originally Posted by Darth Anakin

The Ring is one of the most iconic remakes of all-time and since I adore Naomi Watts so much, I doubt I'd like Ringu as much. They should update it for blu-ray by having the movie inside the movie be on a blu instead of on VHS.

Originally Posted by Al_The_Strange

Agreed.



"Ringu" is about 60% the same, and a heck of a lot slower in pace. A little creepier perhaps, but I prefer the remake for its visuals and a deeper mystery plot.

Originally Posted by CZAR

Yea I think for me was I mostly experienced the snow as a kid so I loved it. Got Em!!



Wow Diesel whats goin on man?? U have been hammering some very good films lately haha. The Ring is excellent!!! I love everything about it. The story was great, the acting was on point and it was very creepy in my book. I dont think I know to many people who dont like this one. I am surprised man.

Let me ask u if u watch these type of films during the day? Its funny that some people watch horror films during the day? To me that takes away an effectiveness the film may have. These films are for pitch dark and quiet setting. Got Em!!



Oh I agree with u fully man. Not I wouldnt say top 5 of all time either but still very high on the list. I know Squid loves this film also. Its funny u mentioned the blu for this. It recentlly played on cable in HD and I recorded it just to have in case they dont release it on blu. Got Em!!

Czar says it best. What is going on Man? The Ring is meh???????

There is no way I would feel safe making a recommendation to you lately. Its like I have no clue whats going to work for you.

Are you watching these films in broad daylight while vacuuming, dusting and folding laundry?

[Hep]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Black Swan

I cant find words to match Riffs, so I'll just describe it as Requiem for a Nightmare.

[Show spoiler]Yes, it was that intense, and an even more disturbing journey. To my surprise, I was fightened more frequently and more deeply than during the best horror films. I had my knees to my chest and covered myself with my coat like a child protects himself in bed when he is afraid. I felt like I was in danger. Aronofsky yo-yos between scenes of intensity and scenes where a viewer can recover and breath. As the story advances, the (needed) restful gaps between the intense scenes become briefer and less frequent. All culminating to a point where I almost couldnt handle the constant barage, the uninterupted onslaught of insanity being shoveled onto my emotional well being. I felt fragile and damaged by the end. I cried, yet I felt a sense of freedom and release. If only to have made my escape.

Technically, I noticed dozens of small and subtle things effectively employed simply to keep me disturbed.

The score was unreal. Imagine wading ankle deep in a river swollen to capacity by rains and melting snow. It's raging and violent. It's a living thing, a beast. Now wade in to your knees. Take a few more steps...and it takes you. It owns you. It engulfs you and makes you a part of it. You can paddle and kick all you want, but its futile. You are at the mercy of its rage, and it WILL abuse you. It will drag you and heave like a ragdoll. It will bring you to near death, and then allow you another moment of hope. Yes, that is what the score did to me. It is Ballet afterall.

Portman? During the final 15 minutes something happened. Something foriegn occupied Portmans body. Not the character, but Portman herself. When the character "Let go", Portman simultaneously became something beyond an actress in a role. She went beyond an actress portraying and actress. She became something so haunting that I cant even put my finger on it. She wasnt Natalie any longer.

I missed my off-ramp on the drive home. At the next off-ramp I turned the wrong way. I felt disoriented. I still do.

I shed a few more tears when I got home too. It makes me so happy that there are still people like Aronofsky who CARE so much about their final product. You just cant make a film like this without being monumentally passionate, and it shows.

5/5

Maybe, maybe not; you're certainly giving Riff a run for his money. In any case, it's so obvious that you were both writing while still under the movie's spell. Excellent visceral reaction!

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Steve46

So you liked it then

I'm glad it justified the 90-mile drive.

I'm anxious to see it too.

Yeah, it was OK.

Right after I got home a storm hit. It hasnt stopped snowing for about 10 hours. I got lucky.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by Hep

Maybe, maybe not; you're certainly giving Riff a run for his money. In any case, it's so obvious that you were both writing while still under the movie's spell. Excellent visceral reaction!

When a movie can do this, it's the purest of all successes.

Total escapism. I was gone. Didnt even know I was in a theater.

[CZAR]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Black Swan

[Show spoiler]I cant find words to match Riffs, so I'll just describe it as Requiem for a Nightmare. Yes, it was that intense, and an even more disturbing journey. To my surprise, I was fightened more frequently and more deeply than during the best horror films. I had my knees to my chest and covered myself with my coat like a child protects himself in bed when he is afraid. I felt like I was in danger. Aronofsky yo-yos between scenes of intensity and scenes where a viewer can recover and breath. As the story advances, the (needed) restful gaps between the intense scenes become briefer and less frequent. All culminating to a point where I almost couldnt handle the constant barage, the uninterupted onslaught of insanity being shoveled onto my emotional well being. I felt fragile and damaged by the end. I cried, yet I felt a sense of freedom and release. If only to have made my escape.

Technically, I noticed dozens of small and subtle things effectively employed simply to keep me disturbed.

The score was unreal. Imagine wading ankle deep in a river swollen to capacity by rains and melting snow. It's raging and violent. It's a living thing, a beast. Now wade in to your knees. Take a few more steps...and it takes you. It owns you. It engulfs you and makes you a part of it. You can paddle and kick all you want, but its futile. You are at the mercy of its rage, and it WILL abuse you. It will drag you and heave like a ragdoll. It will bring you to near death, and then allow you another moment of hope. Yes, that is what the score did to me. It is Ballet afterall.

Portman? During the final 15 minutes something happened. Something foriegn occupied Portmans body. Not the character, but Portman herself. When the character "Let go", Portman simultaneously became something beyond an actress in a role. She went beyond an actress portraying and actress. She became something so haunting that I cant even put my finger on it. She wasnt Natalie any longer.

I missed my off-ramp on the drive home. At the next off-ramp I turned the wrong way. I felt disoriented. I still do.

I shed a few more tears when I got home too. It makes me so happy that there are still people like Aronofsky who CARE so much about their final product. You just cant make a film like this without being monumentally passionate, and it shows.

5/5

Glad it paid off. I am starting to get more interested in seeing this film myself. Got Em!!

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Czar says it best. What is going on Man? The Ring is meh???????

There is no way I would feel safe making a recommendation to you lately. Its like I have no clue whats going to work for you.

Are you watching these films in broad daylight while vacuuming, dusting and folding laundry?

Got Em!!

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Black Swan

I cant find words to match Riffs, so I'll just describe it as Requiem for a Nightmare. Yes, it was that intense, and an even more disturbing journey. To my surprise, I was fightened more frequently and more deeply than during the best horror films. I had my knees to my chest and covered myself with my coat like a child protects himself in bed when he is afraid. I felt like I was in danger. Aronofsky yo-yos between scenes of intensity and scenes where a viewer can recover and breath. As the story advances, the (needed) restful gaps between the intense scenes become briefer and less frequent. All culminating to a point where I almost couldnt handle the constant barage, the uninterupted onslaught of insanity being shoveled onto my emotional well being. I felt fragile and damaged by the end. I cried, yet I felt a sense of freedom and release. If only to have made my escape.

Technically, I noticed dozens of small and subtle things effectively employed simply to keep me disturbed.

The score was unreal. Imagine wading ankle deep in a river swollen to capacity by rains and melting snow. It's raging and violent. It's a living thing, a beast. Now wade in to your knees. Take a few more steps...and it takes you. It owns you. It engulfs you and makes you a part of it. You can paddle and kick all you want, but its futile. You are at the mercy of its rage, and it WILL abuse you. It will drag you and heave like a ragdoll. It will bring you to near death, and then allow you another moment of hope. Yes, that is what the score did to me. It is Ballet afterall.

Portman? During the final 15 minutes something happened. Something foriegn occupied Portmans body. Not the character, but Portman herself. When the character "Let go", Portman simultaneously became something beyond an actress in a role. She went beyond an actress portraying and actress. She became something so haunting that I cant even put my finger on it. She wasnt Natalie any longer.

I missed my off-ramp on the drive home. At the next off-ramp I turned the wrong way. I felt disoriented. I still do.

I shed a few more tears when I got home too. It makes me so happy that there are still people like Aronofsky who CARE so much about their final product. You just cant make a film like this without being monumentally passionate, and it shows.

5/5

It really moved you! You made a very good point. Aronofsky reached an intricate balance between feeling constrained and psychotic by incorporating surreal scenes intermittently up until her release. It's in that way he effectively blurred reality with delusion.

In a way, your trip there and back must have felt just as suffocated. (with the weather conditions and all)

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Are you watching these films in broad daylight while vacuuming, dusting and folding laundry?

What's with the jokes lately? You've had me laughing hysterically at some of your comments from the past few days. Let me find the one that cracked me up yesterday.

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

I have no interest in The Social Network because I hate Facebook. It's dumb.

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

What's with the jokes lately? You've had me laughing hysterically at some of your comments from the past few days. Let me find the one that cracked me up yesterday.

Just trying to contribute.

My question to Diesel is half serious though. How can The Ring be meh? Thats one really good, scary movie.

[Batman1980]

Finished the Batman Anthology
Batman 5/5
Batman Returns 5/5
Batman Forever 3/5
Batman & Robin 3/5
Now watching Batman Begins, which I think is better than TDK, even if it lacks two stand-out villain performances from Eckhart and Ledger. Murphy and Neeson are more than adequate and turn in pretty good performances themselves, not to mention Katie Holmes is much better than the waif Maggie Gyllenhaal.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Just trying to contribute.

My question to Diesel is half serious though. How can The Ring be meh? Thats one really good, scary movie.

Completely agree. Maybe he doesn't find scary little kids frightening. I know I do.

The Ring
The Exorcist
The Orphanage
The Shining
Poltergeist

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Completely agree. Maybe he doesn't find scary little kids frightening. I know I do.

The Ring
The Exorcist
The Orphanage
The Shining
Poltergeist

You have forgotten the Omen, a bad example of a horror movie with little kids would be the American re-make of the Grudge.

[AKORIS]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Completely agree. Maybe he doesn't find scary little kids frightening. I know I do.

The Ring
The Exorcist
The Orphanage
The Shining
Poltergeist

+1 those are all great movies

[SquidPuppet]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Completely agree. Maybe he doesn't find scary little kids frightening. I know I do.

The Ring
The Exorcist
The Orphanage
The Shining
Poltergeist

Yep.

Add The Innocents. The movie was just OK for me, but the little boy was freaking me out. Same for The Grudge.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by Darth Anakin

You have forgotten the Omen, a bad example of a horror movie with little kids would be the American re-make of the Grudge.

I didn't forget, I've never seen it.

I'd say Let the Right One In could scooch into that list though. I love hit girl but the girl in the original was so !!

[SquidPuppet]

When I saw Black Swan last night there was a trailer for Sucker Punch. I have no idea if the film will be any good, but the trailer was. And the visuals were off the chart trippy looking. In a good way.

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

When I saw Black Swan last night there was a trailer for Sucker Punch. I have no idea if the film will be any good, but the trailer was. And the visuals were off the chart trippy looking. In a good way.

Indeed. It looks like a cool popcorn flick. I would probably like it much more if I was 10 though

No disrespect to Snyder though. I'm sure it will be great. 300 is one of my favorites.

[Diesel]

-walks in from haircut-

Originally Posted by iam1bearcat

[SIZE="7"]Diesel:[/SIZE seriously, after reading this, are you gonna tell me you still have no interest in seeing Black Swan? i understand it may not interest you, but can a "review" such as what Riff wrote here pique your interest in it, or does it still do nothing for you, you cold heartless b@st@rd?!

I'd say his and Squid's reviews moved it from NO interest to "if its on a movie channel I have in a few months...I'd watch it." But I wouldn't pay to rent it still though.

If one of you guys feel the need to e-mail me an Amazon giftcard to watch it on-demand when it comes out I'll gladly watch it

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

I would almost guarantee that Diesel would like it. It's power can't be denied. Plus there's all that "hot" lezzie stuff. Yeah, i wanna talk to all the "brah's" that go to this movie for the girls and punch 'em in the crotch. They get what they deserve on that front.
I'm really surprised that JHiggy wasn't flipping his lid over it, but he's got like what, a Ph.D in movieology or something?

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

No explosions, no robots, no car chases, no Vinney means he wont bother.

Originally Posted by killowertz

Probably not. My opinion is all you will likely get. I plan on watching it tomorrow.

Thought so

Let me know how it goes for you.

Nothing wrong with that. I'm a fan of Kristen Stewart of course, but when I saw pictures of Ashley Greene out of character...

indeed

I read most of the paragraph from Riff and I still don't want to see it either. I like both Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis and they can't even get me interested enough to watch it. Sorry to disappoint you and be added to the list along with Diesel.

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

I'm not so sure. He like "No Country." I'm sure we were all a little surprised by that. Although, there was some action in that movie. I dunno, i think everyone here should see it and then not really talk about it because we don't know what to say.

[Show spoiler]

Originally Posted by jhiggy23

Gotta disagree. While certainly not one of the top 5 best horror films, The Ring is still very effective. Verbinski's direction is artful and masterfully creates the mood.

Bearcat's favorite thing in the world is what I didn't feel from this movie...atmosphere.

I just never got that feeling from the film in general...though there was one thing that was creepy as hell.

But the movie as a whole just didn't jive for me as a horror movie.

I enjoyed the mythology and thought the acting was good pretty good. I also thought the score was excellent. Would love to have this on blu. I know surf, wherever he is, agrees with all I just typed!

The backstory was sort of interesting and the acting was good, I can agree with you on that part.

I don't remember the score honestly, so no comment.

This one is a case like I had for Psycho, it isn't a BAD movie, I just wasn't feeling it.

Originally Posted by CZAR

Wow Diesel whats goin on man?? U have been hammering some very good films lately haha. The Ring is excellent!!! I love everything about it. The story was great, the acting was on point and it was very creepy in my book. I dont think I know to many people who dont like this one. I am surprised man.

What else besides Psycho have I given a low score that's considered really good?

The ONLY thing that was creepy was that little dude. He was creepy as hell!
But nothing scary...unless you want to count a few of the LOUD NOISE moments they try and get you with. I don't count that as scary, that may make me jump (none did in this movie), scary is me sitting there going

Let me ask u if u watch these type of films during the day? Its funny that some people watch horror films during the day? To me that takes away an effectiveness the film may have. These films are for pitch dark and quiet setting. Got Em!!

It was nighttime and dark in the house I watched it in. I hate watching "scary" movies during the day personally; it just...cheapens...it for me.

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Czar says it best. What is going on Man? The Ring is meh???????

See above

There is no way I would feel safe making a recommendation to you lately. Its like I have no clue whats going to work for you.

You suggested The Assassination of Jesse James and I'll be looking into that at some point in the next month or two

Are you watching these films in broad daylight while vacuuming, dusting and folding laundry?

No, of course not. Why would I be dusting?

[Show spoiler]

Originally Posted by DjMethod

Completely agree. Maybe he doesn't find scary little kids frightening. I know I do.

The Ring
The Exorcist
The Orphanage
The Shining
Poltergeist

I didn't think he was frightening...just creepy.

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Add The Innocents. The movie was just OK for me, but the little boy was freaking me out. Same for The Grudge.

Now THOSE kids were scary!

...and so was the movie


-walks out again-


Edit: Oh and the

[Show spoiler]dead guy and girl's faces

in The Ring...the other people that were watching it with me were, "Whoa!" I was, "hahaha! "

[AKORIS]

Originally Posted by SquidPuppet

Yep.

Add The Innocents. The movie was just OK for me, but the little boy was freaking me out. Same for The Grudge.

wow, shocked that you didn't like it better but to each his own I guess-- I think this is a true ghost story classic and still holds it's own today...

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by Diesel

I didn't think he was frightening...just creepy.

Oh him?

[Show spoiler]

[Lepidopterous]

Originally Posted by AKORIS

wow, shocked that you didn't like it better but to each his own I guess-- I think this is a true ghost story classic and still holds it's own today...

Hmm... I've heard of it but am going to watch it now.