Tonight the Mrs. & I caught Safe House starring Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds. Formulaic, as they say:
- postcard scenes of the host city/country: check
- jerky camera work making action bouncy & nauseating: check >:(
- heart of gold, idealistic new guy: check
- wise, grizzled, misunderstood veteran assumed to be crooked: check
- real crooked bad guys have positions of power hiding amoungst the good guys: check
- chase-action sequences where new guy learns that veteran isn't the bad guy and ends-up running from the real bad guys (his superiors) to try to kill him: check
- :o (SPOILER ALERT) :o new guy gets wise fast and wins over bad guys: check
Really, it writes itself. Denzel does a great job, as always. But this is a "been there, done that" movie. Save your time, the Bourne series is better.
28 out of 40
Ryan Reynolds is not believable, in my opinion, as anything other than the dude he played in Van Wilder or the (basically same) dude he played in Waiting.
And I just heard the other day that the new Bourne movie will coming soon, with one caveat, Bourne won't be in it.
There are a certain group of guys that just seem to kill movies -
1) Nic Cage - he acts exactly the same in every movie
2) Tom Cruise in the Last Samurai - just murdered what could have been a great movie
Give me time and I'll think of some more ::)
That's a pretty good list of the worst offenders.
I liked the most recent instalment of Mission Impossible. Cruise didn't kill it. Why he even made Tropic Thunder a better movie.
Quote from: Centurion40 on February 15, 2012, 10:23:34 AM
Why he even made Tropic Thunder a better movie.
Marginally........
This weekend it was This Means War. I gotta say that I had pretty low expectations; they were even lower when I realized that part of the movie was shot in Canada (ain't no "Donairtown" restaurants in Los Angeles!)... and then when I recognized one of the actresses as a girl that I went to high school with- forget about it.
But actually it wasn't all that bad, so long as you think of it as a chick flick.
26 out of 40
Saw the new Ghost Rider last night - not bad.....7/10
Good to know. How would you compare it to the 1st one?
I think I liked the first one a bit better - I didn't find the story quite as engaging in this one. Some great actions sequences and some prime footage of the Ghost Rider being scary. Cage just doesn't do it for me as Johnny Blaze, but overall not bad. Zach liked it....he's a big Marvel/Ghost Rider fan !
Quote from: MIGMaster on February 21, 2012, 06:33:38 AM
Zach liked it....he's a big Marvel/Ghost Rider fan !
... when he's not building Blood Pits for Khorne! ;)
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This weekend it was Wanderlust, another Paul Rudd dud. I wanted to see 'Goon' but the Mrs wanted Wanderlust and she won. Neither one of us really liked it; and neither one of us thought that it was funny. I even found it to be moderately painful in parts.
19 out of 40
However, it is still important for you to remember that your choice would have been wrong ;)
Last night the Mrs and I saw Goon. I fricken LOVED this movie; best hockey movie since "Slap Shot".
"Goon" is based on the real-life story of Doug "The Hammer" Smith, with Sean William Scott playing Doug "The Thug" Glatt, a bar bouncer from Orangeville, Mass who is a deep disappointment to his family. His natural fighting talents get him noticed by the coach of the local minor league team, who recruits him as an enforcer (and teaches Doug how to skate). Doug is about one standard deviation less retarded than the Hanson brothers, but his fighting talents eventually get him brought-up a level where he plays for the fictional "Halifax Highlanders" for the remainder of the film. He finds love from a Halifax slut, and gains bloody respect from the fans and other players.
Now this is a Canadian film, so ya gotta understand that, from the get-go, it can only be so good. This is no Academy Award contender. Even though the majority of the film takes place in Halifax, the film was shot in Winnipeg. Winnipeg looks NOTHING like Halifax, but that would mean nothing to someone who has never been to either city. Living in Halifax, this really bothered me.
Overall, I loved the film and would see it again.
30 out of 40
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the icing on the cake, Tig (SAMCRO) played the coach of the Halifax Highlanders. Sweet!
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Sweet ! I'm surprised there isn't some sort of revolution in Cape Breton as they appear to think they are only Highlander culture in the world. Oh...wait, do they get movies in Cape Breton ;D
The Capers and Anti-go-nowhere/New Glasgow crowd already have a long-standing "We're THE highlanders, no WE'RE the highlanders" feud.
There is one movie theatre on Cape Breton Island, and it's a multi-plex!!!
We gotta nuke that Causeway - it's the only way to be sure !
Quote from: MIGMaster on February 15, 2012, 09:23:24 AM
There are a certain group of guys that just seem to kill movies -
1) Nic Cage - he acts exactly the same in every movie
2) Tom Cruise in the Last Samurai - just murdered what could have been a great movie
Give me time and I'll think of some more ::)
Tom Cruise gets a lot of flak but he's actually a good actor. I think the flak comes from the fact that he did some brain dead movies like Days of Thunder/Cocktail and also because he's miscast in roles like Last Samurai. He's brilliant in other roles like Tropic Thunder.
I dunno, Tom Cruise looks to me like a pretty boy who has been coached to do everything.
I have *never* been able to see him anything other than as Tom-Cruise-Dressed-in-a-Costume. Sorry.
Funny thing is, I went to school with Brad Pitt. You'd think I'd see him as a middle school or high school kid. I don't. I see a movie he's in and the suspension of disbelief kicks in and I forget I ever knew him.
With Cruise I just never get that. Ever.
Quote from: Centurion40 on March 04, 2012, 02:00:03 PM
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the icing on the cake, Tig (SAMCRO) played the coach of the Halifax Highlanders. Sweet!
That's reason enough to see it! Twice, even!!
Took the GF to see John Carter on Saturday. Not having read the story previously, I had no idea what to expect. As a story, it was pretty simple, but as a movie, it played VERY well. There was humor, romance and action. And it was visually appealing, too. The CGI was good and the settings were believeable. No reason not to take your signifigant others out to see it.
40's rating system: 34 out of 40
Good new on John Carter!
Last night, the Mrs & I went to see Friends with Kids. There is a reason that this movie is in limited release; it's not funny- despite the "Bridesmaids" supporting cast. Critics dig it as it is full of angst and real-life grit. But I go to movies in order to AVOID angst and real-life grit! This movie was well-made, but I don't a royal rat's sphincter about that if I'm not entertained and I was not entertained. I was "pained"!
15 out of 40
Quote from: MetalDog on March 11, 2012, 09:11:20 PM
Took the GF to see John Carter on Saturday. Not having read the story previously, I had no idea what to expect. As a story, it was pretty simple, but as a movie, it played VERY well. There was humor, romance and action. And it was visually appealing, too. The CGI was good and the settings were believeable. No reason not to take your signifigant others out to see it.
40's rating system: 34 out of 40
Cool. Glad to hear it.
This weekend we rented a Redbox of three movies. The first was Footloose, which I avoided upon pain of pain.
The second was Shark Night. My 11 year old had been begging to see it for weeks. It was formulaic and dumb. I had to fast forward through a few scenes that threatened to be too grown up for the kids. At the end we both agreed it wasn't worth even a dollar to rent. 2 out of 40, though if I were to rate it for the hard bodies in bikinis, it would probably go up by 10.
The third show was the gem. It was the 25th anniversary of Phantom of the Opera on stage in London, and it was brilliant. This shouldn't be confused with the Phantom movie which was released a few years ago, and was decent. the 25th anniversary was filmed on stage. If you've never seen a theatrical performance of it, you're missing out. But you can at least rent this and get an excellent experience. 40 out of 40.
Quote from: Centurion40 on February 15, 2012, 10:23:34 AM
I liked the most recent instalment of Mission Impossible. Cruise didn't kill it. Why he even made Tropic Thunder a better movie.
absolutely agree with you 40Cent
Finally got around to seeing 50/50 a few nights ago. I quite liked it...the awkwardness between characters was often tangible, and it made sense considering the circumstances. 35/40.
On Thursday, 22nd, me and the missus will celebrate our 37th wedding wozzname by going to see John Carter of Mars in glorious 3D :)
Quote from: bob48 on March 14, 2012, 02:05:38 PM
On Thursday, 22nd, me and the missus will celebrate our 37th wedding wozzname by going to see John Carter of Mars in glorious 3D :)
Well, that's a win!
Quote from: bob48 on March 14, 2012, 02:05:38 PM
On Thursday, 22nd, me and the missus will celebrate our 37th wedding wozzname by going to see John Carter of Mars in glorious 3D :)
It's very date worthy! And happy anniversary!!
I rented Drive and watched it on Blu-ray last night. I remember Groggy Grog (over at WG) raving about it, so I gave it a whirl. After about an hour, I would only think "WTF is wrong with that dude (Groggy), apart from the obvious. This movie is slow, plodding... deadly dull. BORING!" Then, like a shotgun blast, it hits you HARD. Too bad it took an hour to get there.
Quote from: MetalDog on March 11, 2012, 09:11:20 PM
Took the GF to see John Carter on Saturday. Not having read the story previously, I had no idea what to expect. As a story, it was pretty simple, but as a movie, it played VERY well. There was humor, romance and action. And it was visually appealing, too. The CGI was good and the settings were believeable. No reason not to take your signifigant others out to see it.
40's rating system: 34 out of 40
How would it play for a 9-yo? Bayonet Jr wants to see it
Quote from: bayonetbrant on March 15, 2012, 09:09:17 AM
Quote from: MetalDog on March 11, 2012, 09:11:20 PM
Took the GF to see John Carter on Saturday. Not having read the story previously, I had no idea what to expect. As a story, it was pretty simple, but as a movie, it played VERY well. There was humor, romance and action. And it was visually appealing, too. The CGI was good and the settings were believeable. No reason not to take your signifigant others out to see it.
40's rating system: 34 out of 40
How would it play for a 9-yo? Bayonet Jr wants to see it
I think he would really enjoy it. The love story angle is not mushy, the landscape is sufficiently "alien" (it's Utah) to be Mars and the aliens and special effects are good enough to keep him interested. Plus there's action galore. The only thing you might have to explain is the "bad guy" of the picture (the power behind the throne, not the Jedaak trying to absorb Haven).
Finished watching J Edgar Hoover this evening....not bad, but I could take it or leave it. I liked Anthony Hopkins and Nixon much better.
I just finished watching Hot Tub Time Machine for the 8th time. Man I love that movie. Highly under-rated comedy, IMHO.
The Mrs and I went to see (against my best judgement) 21 Jump Street last night. I have to say, it wasn't bad; and was probably one of the most funny movies released so far this year. Even Channing Tatum was not a dud.
30 out of 40
We watched In Time last night starring the improbable Justin Timberlake.
First: Timberlake was good. Much better than I had anticipated.
Second: his costar was wooden, though in fairness her character (in fact almost everyone else) lacked depth.
Third: Despite what is to follow, it was entertaining.
Fourth: Timberlake got duped. I doubt he realized how much of a Socialist message the film had. It was masked with Time substituting for Money. Bottom line is that people fight for their lives - their physical bodies are stuck at 25 years old, but they must earn time to live. Society is segregated by wealth, with the poorest having to fight from day to day for life.
Meanwhile at the upper ends there is more than enough time for everyone, with some of the richest having enough time to live for literally a thousand years.
So Timberlake goes about playing the role of Robin Hood - stealing time from the rich and giving it to the poor because "there's more than enough for everyone."
Sound familiar?
Other than the poorly disguised message (which is both wrong and offensive to those of us who know better) it is entertaining and probably worth a dollar at Redbox.
Viewed as a straight up action film: 32/40.
Seen and the thinly veiled socialist dribble it is: 5/40. Unless you like those kinds of messages, then add five to the score above.
Saw Jack & Jill (comedy) last night via Redbox.
Adam Sandler is cute and always entertaining, but crossdressing as a fraternal twin didn't come across as a win. When the family's only solid chuckles came from potty humor, it is safe to say this was barely amusing. Amusing, yes, but only just.
Harmless enough to show to most anyone, but I'm sure there are probably better entertainment options out there. I'd recommend passing on this unless there is really not much else to do.
17/40
Watched Flowers of War today. It's a film about an opportunistic Yank (Christian Bale) scamming his way through China in 1937 when the Japanese attack. he holes up in a Cathloic church where he winds up with a Chinese hooker who's trying to protect a group of schoolgirls from the attentions of the Japanese. The director tries to invoke emotions with his visuals and score, but it just feels overdone and hackneyed. Lots of slow motion shots of bullets flying through stained glass Jesuses while boys' choirs sing in the background. I think the director wanted to channel the spirit of Rick from Casablanca into Bale's character, but in the end it just felt contrived. 20/40
I watched Putin's Kiss yesterday. (I'm on antibiotics and can't do much else right now, so it's a movie weekend.) It's a documentary about a young woman in a Putin supporter's youth group called a Nashii. It documents her rise to power within the group. She's a very proud, nationalistic Russian but starts having doubts as teh film goes on. She meets and starts dating a dissident journalist and, when he gets beaten to a pulp, she starts to question what's going on in her organization and her country.
It's a very interesting look at what's going on in Russia today and one can easily draw parallels between it and the rise of nationalistic movements going on in the rest on the world today as well as see how people in similar circumstances could have been drawn into similar groups in the past. Where the movie falls apart is in the director's attempt to link everything bad (especially the attack on the journalist) back to Putin when there's no clear evidence to do so. Interesting film but could have done without the director's heavy handed political opining overlaid on top.
30/40
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on March 18, 2012, 03:21:48 PM
Watched Flowers of War today. It's a film about an opportunistic Yank (Christian Bale) scamming his way through China in 1937 when the Japanese attack. he holes up in a Cathloic church where he winds up with a Chinese hooker who's trying to protect a group of schoolgirls from the attentions of the Japanese. The director tries to invoke emotions with his visuals and score, but it just feels overdone and hackneyed. Lots of slow motion shots of bullets flying through stained glass Jesuses while boys' choirs sing in the background. I think the director wanted to channel the spirit of Rick from Casablanca into Bale's character, but in the end it just felt contrived. 20/40
I watched Putin's Kiss yesterday. (I'm on antibiotics and can't do much else right now, so it's a movie weekend.) It's a documentary about a young woman in a Putin supporter's youth group called a Nashii. It documents her rise to power within the group. She's a very proud, nationalistic Russian but starts having doubts as teh film goes on. She meets and starts dating a dissident journalist and, when he gets beaten to a pulp, she starts to question what's going on in her organization and her country.
It's a very interesting look at what's going on in Russia today and one can easily draw parallels between it and the rise of nationalistic movements going on in the rest on the world today as well as see how people in similar circumstances could have been drawn into similar groups in the past. Where the movie falls apart is in the director's attempt to link everything bad (especially the attack on the journalist) back to Putin when there's no clear evidence to do so. Interesting film but could have done without the director's heavy handed political opining overlaid on top.
30/40
Thanks, SDR. Putin's Kiss sounds interesting.
Rest up SDR. So just what kind of infection did you get whilst on vacation, eh?
Heh. You sound like my doc and pretty much everyone else at work. Despite my protestations, my doc pretty much demanded I go get tested for the clap and other reminders of debauchery. Naturally enough, the two lab techs just had to be hot chicks. "so yeah....I'm here to get tested for chlamydia....so... how you ladies doin?" Test results all came back negative, so nyah! Also got tests for Hep A, B, & C, typhoid, yellow, and dengue fever and yesterday, I got to crap in a bucket to test for schistosomiasis. I'll get those results on Thursday.
I am scared to ask where you went SDR, but that is always a good clue as to what you may have. If you think you brought something home with you and its a tricky diagnosis then suspect parasites. I took veterinary and human health entomology as part of my entomology science minor in University (I shit you not), insects are vectors for all sorts of nasty stuff. Malaria tests were done too I asume?
Diving trip to Thailand.
But apparently not Muff Diving. :P SDR, I hope that it turns out to be nothing more than a short-live souvenir of your trip.
Quote from: Centurion40 on March 21, 2012, 05:49:55 AM
But apparently not Muff Diving. :P SDR, I hope that it turns out to be nothing more than a short-live souvenir of your trip.
Heh. You beat me to it. I was going to put the word diving in quotes. ;)
Get well soon SDR.
Heh! It's only when I behave myself that I seem to get sick. Probably a moral in there somewhere...
Got the lab results back for the latest tests. All negative. Guess its back to the saw bones to have him throw another dart at the guess-the-ailment board.
My money is on the dreaded Lurgi.
Lurgi? thought he was one of the marx bros.........
No that's Zeppo. A common mistake! ;)
Tut - silly 'ol me
I'm more old fashioned. I'm hoping for something like consumption or the vaopurs.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on March 21, 2012, 03:25:57 PM
the vaopurs.
I believe you're on to something. It's affecting your spelling.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on March 21, 2012, 03:25:57 PM
I'm more old fashioned. I'm hoping for something like consumption or the vaopurs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEmJ-VWPDM4
And, yes, the song title
is a euphemism...
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on March 21, 2012, 03:25:57 PM
I'm more old fashioned. I'm hoping for something like consumption or the vaopurs.
The consumption meds suck and turn your piss orange. :(
40: I know you're into the ghost and ghouls business as I am.
I just got done watching Grave Encounters on Netflix. Despite some, camp, predictability and cheese, I still thought it rocked. It had me screaming and laughing out loud at the same time, and I watched it alone. If you like those paranormal shows like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures, definitely check it out. You will laugh your ass off for the first 45 minutes. Then shit gets serious.
Also, watched The Grey last night with Liam Neeson. The Wife ran screaming from the room within 10 minutes...in my book, the hallmark of a great film.
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LOL.
Nice image, Gus.
^The first time I saw that image I couldn't stop laughing for 15 minutes. Spewed beer everywhere.
.
The Mrs. took me to see Mirror, Mirror last night. It's the one where Horseface plays the evil queen. I hate to admit it, but it really is quite good overall. It was funny and scary (but not too scary) and a pretty interesting slant on the classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs story.
31 out of 40
^ Thanks for the mini-review. I'm hoping to go see it with a friend tonight.
Quote from: Centurion40 on March 31, 2012, 08:13:26 AM
The Mrs. took me to see Mirror, Mirror last night. It's the one where Horseface plays the evil queen.
I thought that was Sarah Jessica Parker, not Julia Roberts...?
I call SJP "Horseface Jr.". Really she's more of a pony compared to Julia Roberts.
I hope that you enjoy it. It's better to have low expectations though.
She really is a "horseface." I could never understand why people find her attractive........
Quote from: MIGMaster on March 31, 2012, 08:58:17 PM
She really is a "horseface." I could never understand why people find her attractive........
Her body double in Pretty Woman was hot.
Quote from: MIGMaster on March 31, 2012, 08:58:17 PM
She really is a "horseface." I could never understand why people find her attractive........
And I don't understand why so many find her to be ugly. Not that I think she's beautiful, but neither do I find her painful to look at.
I'm guessing it perhaps has something to do her mouth? I know people have commented on it in the past.
She's only "ugly" in comparison to other Hollywood actresses.
Compared to the soccer moms on my street, she's average.
Quote from: Martok on April 02, 2012, 12:49:59 AM
Quote from: MIGMaster on March 31, 2012, 08:58:17 PM
She really is a "horseface." I could never understand why people find her attractive........
And I don't understand why so many find her to be ugly. Not that I think she's beautiful, but neither do I find her painful to look at.
I think that's part of her allure. In the right light she can look very attractive.
Besides, it's not always what you've got, it's how you use it that counts.
Last the Mrs dragged me to see American Reunion, the latest in the 'American Pie' series of flicks. This was the 1st one that I've seen in the theatre and the 1st one that I've seen start-to-finish.
Let me begin with the positive. There are lots of hot chicks in this movie.
That is all.
21 out of 40
I watched The Red Baron (2010 starring Matthias Schweighofer et al).
Loved it.
A historical biography of the man himself. Has a bit of a love story woven into it but mostly focuses on his time during the war. I've not read any biographies of him so I cannot speak to the authenticity, but it appeared to have been peppered with believable fact.
It's worth watching just to see the air combat - probably the best movie to have dozens of WWI aircraft zooming across the screen - all historically rendered.
If you're a WWI buff (Gus, I'm looking at you) this is a must-see.
40/40
^Now we're talking! I think I have that version of Red Baron queued in Netflix...hmmm...ther version I have queued says 2008...but does star that Mathias character, that must be it.
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Quote from: Gusington on April 12, 2012, 12:20:22 PM
^Now we're talking! I think I have that version of Red Baron queued in Netflix...hmmm...ther version I have queued says 2008...but does star that Mathias character, that must be it.
I have it in my netflix queue as well. IIRC it was released in Germany first and then distributed in the USA later. Maybe that screwed up the release year credits.
Quote from: Staggerwing on April 12, 2012, 05:05:49 PM
Quote from: Gusington on April 12, 2012, 12:20:22 PM
^Now we're talking! I think I have that version of Red Baron queued in Netflix...hmmm...ther version I have queued says 2008...but does star that Mathias character, that must be it.
I have it in my netflix queue as well. IIRC it was released in Germany first and then distributed in the USA later. Maybe that screwed up the release year credits.
Could be. Time to stop putting it off. I really liked it.
Just watched the first hour, will finish it after dinner and kids put to bed. Really like it...there are a few tinny performances and some cars that shouldn't be in a movie about the Red Baron, but it's hard not to fall in love with the planes.
And also...LB failed to mention this...but Lena Headey is the romantic lead! WOWSERS.
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Quote from: Gusington on April 12, 2012, 05:47:55 PM
Just watched the first hour, will finish it after dinner and kids put to bed. Really like it...there are a few tinny performances and some cars that shouldn't be in a movie about the Red Baron, but it's hard not to fall in love with the planes.
And also...LB failed to mention this...but Lena Headey is the romantic lead! WOWSERS.
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I didn't know who she was but she def caught my eye. Wait until she starts lounging around in her PJs. You can thank me later.
^Ironically I paused it right at that moment to get dinner. About to start it up again after The Wife vacuums my study. And that's not a euphemism.
Quote from: Gusington on April 12, 2012, 07:37:07 PM
^Ironically I paused it right at that moment to get dinner. About to start it up again after The Wife vacuums my study. And that's not a euphemism.
It is, however, my new sig I think...
^Dude you picked that up quicker than the Electrolux picked up the dog hair from my rug! Nice.
Quote from: Gusington on April 12, 2012, 07:52:01 PM
^Dude you picked that up quicker than the Electrolux picked up the dog hair from my rug! Nice.
You're on fire.
I have my moments. Just finished Red Baron. The 2nd half is stronger than the first half. All in all a solid antiwar movie. Good recommendation LB, thank you.
Quote from: Gusington on April 12, 2012, 08:48:42 PM
Just finished Red Baron. The 2nd half is stronger than the first half. All in all a solid antiwar movie. Good recommendation LB, thank you.
You're welcome. Just one of the many services we provide.
May I help the next customer?
Hi LB. It's been awhile since I kissed a girl. What do you recommend for a movie?
Quote from: mirth on April 12, 2012, 09:00:10 PM
Hi LB. It's been awhile since I kissed a girl. What do you recommend for a movie?
Casablanca.
Unless you mean you haven't got the prospect of kissing another girl. In which case I suspect there are other members who can better suggest those titles.
Thanks. I would like to kiss Ingrid Bergman, even if she has been dead for 20 years. She seemed nice.
Quote from: mirth on April 12, 2012, 09:10:53 PM
Thanks. I would like to kiss Ingrid Bergman, even if she has been dead for 20 years. She seemed nice.
Hope she puckers up, elsewise you'll be kissin' all teeth...
Better than the teeth kissing me. If you catch my drift.
Quote from: mirth on April 12, 2012, 09:16:07 PM
Better than the teeth kissing me. If you catch my drift.
Ah, now we're back on track.
Zombies. Yay!
ok. so, she's a dog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjLFKmRk16E (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjLFKmRk16E)
Wow you guys really break out the freaky-deaky after 10pm EST. Time for beddy-bye!
nighty-night Gus.
Who's ready for another drink?
Sorry. I cashed out.
Quote from: mirth on April 12, 2012, 09:00:10 PM
Hi LB. It's been awhile since I kissed a girl. What do you recommend for a movie?
I'd recommend any porn movies, based solely on that confession! ;)
Quote from: Gusington on April 12, 2012, 09:32:17 PM
Wow you guys really break out the freaky-deaky after 10pm EST. Time for beddy-bye!
Nothing sucks
like Electrolux.
It is a damn fine vacuum.
I like my Dyson, but all I can think of is that it rhymes with Bison, and I'm not really interested in going there.
I want a Dyson in the worst way but our 1929 Electrolux Dreamliner just refuses to die.
Quote from: Gusington on April 13, 2012, 10:26:37 AM
I want a Dyson in the worst way but our 1929 Electrolux Dreamliner just refuses to die.
We bought the Dyson years ago and I believe it works better for one reason: I use it.
Good at women's work, are ya??!! ;)
I enjoy cleaning the house and do a better job than my wife does. But there is something regal about being on this forum with you all while The Wife vacuums around me. If only I had a beer at that moment too. ManNirvana!
In topical news, for all you Nyukcleheads, I'm planning to go and see The Three Stooges tonight. I am mildly optimistic.
Katie Upton is in it wearing her Nunkini.... almost makes me want to go see it....
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Quote from: Centurion40 on April 13, 2012, 01:28:14 PM
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That's the one.......................................... 8)
So last night, the Mrs. and I saw The Three Stooges. It was ok. The actors did a great job in pulling off the mannerisms, speech patterns and physical comedy of the original Three Stooges. It was like they were channeling Larry, Moe and Curly. In the movie, Moe joins the cast of the Jersey Shore and it was as if "Moe" really time traveled to the present and went on the Jersey Shore!! That aspect of the movie was perfect. The story was just ok, and it just never really took off. The movie was broken-down into chapters, like a series of real Three Stooges episodes- which was a nice touch.
Honestly, I think that the Farrelly brothers made it for their kids (or grandkids). Unlike most of the Farrelly's offerings, The Three Stooges is "G" rated. I wonder if it would have been better if they made it with some raunchy humour. There were a couple of good "Stooge" laughs for me; my favorite was when Moe lit a water-proof match off the tip of Curly's nose.
Take your kids, seriously- it's a great movie for kids, and you'll get to appreciate the homage.
25 out of 40
40 have you seen Hunger Games?
Quote from: Gusington on April 16, 2012, 09:57:40 AM
40 have you seen Hunger Games?
Nope and I have no plans to see it. Over-hyped movies about teenagers killing teenagers
and teenage vampire movies leave me cold.
.
Quote from: eyebiter on April 16, 2012, 01:05:00 PM
What is the verdict on The Three Stooges? Worth seeing or skip it?
Depends. I'd say go on cheap night. Not the most entertaining of G-rated movies, but the homage is brilliant.
Went and saw Cabin in the Woods tonight. Absolutely loved it. It's a horror movie meets a horror send up meets...well, let's just say there's a much bigger picture going on here. ;D
Whereas I got to see Five Year Engagement. I painful cliche to watch. There are a couple of mild chuckles, but that's about. As the trajectory of the movie follows that of most rom-coms, one could care less about the trials and tribulations of the characters, as we all know exactly what is going to happen.
This is a chick flick supreme.
19 out of 40
Watched J. Edgar last night. Long movie. Only really interesting if you know a little about the man to start with. My wife was bored by the end. I did learn something though... who knew he was a daffodil.... :o
Fairly common theory.
Saw The Raven last night - wasn't too bad. I like Cusack's acting to start with, but his portrayal of Poe was rather mild. He didn't come across as a drugged out writer.
Quote from: Barthheart on April 28, 2012, 06:56:03 AM
Watched J. Edgar last night. Long movie. Only really interesting if you know a little about the man to start with. My wife was bored by the end. I did learn something though... who knew he was a daffodil.... :o
I've learned from two independent sources (both credible) that he had intel that Pearl was going to be attacked and ignored it due to an OD of paranoia. Did that by chance come out in the movie?
I have an (in)credible source that says that J.Edgar had intel on Roswell and knew that the US military had ETs and ET hardware on ice. That FBI agents discovered the cover-up whilst tailing CIA operatives who were, in turn, tailing Army Intel operatives who were holding the ET gear.
Quote from: Centurion40 on April 28, 2012, 11:38:31 AM
I have an (in)credible source that says that J.Edgar had intel on Roswell and knew that the US military had ETs and ET hardware on ice. That FBI agents discovered the cover-up whilst tailing CIA operatives who were, in turn, tailing Army Intel operatives who were holding the ET gear.
I find reports of ET to be interesting but I'm not ready to toss in with the believers as yet.
However, there is documentation of a UK double agent who had connected the dots he picked up on the German side and went to Hoover warning him about an impending attack at Pearl. Hoover, being the paranoid nut he was, rejected the claim because he didn't trust the agent after a face-to-face meeting.
The rest is history.
No - they didn't mention that in the movie. I suspect a lot of good stuff was pushed aside to develop the "love story" - ick.
Got my tix... The Avengers in 3D tonight!!
Okay, so there are 2 things that y'all need to know about The Avengers:
1. Gweneth Paltrow has really big feet.
2. This movie is all-that & a bag of chips, a big fecking bag of chips.
Oh sure I groaned and rolled my eyes big time when Cap gave Loki a lesson on freedom, but frame-for-frame this is the BEST SUPERHERO MOVIE EVER MADE!!
I'm trying to avoid spoilers, but holy farking snit whatta ride, and a long ride too. Sure, every single minute of the film was not riveting, but that last hour... wowee!
There were even some genuine, gut-busting laughs (deliberate) thanks to The Hulk.
What else can I say? I know, there are 2 extra scenes among the rolling of the credits, I'll put them at the end of this post, spoiler alert style as the next villain is revealed and if it is who I think it is, then I CANNOT WAIT!!
37 out of 40.
** SPOILER ALERT**
The first of the two extra scenes during the credits reveals a deep space-based Apocalypse as the next villain.
The final scene, shown at the end of the credits shows all of The Avengers, battered after the big battle, sitting in silence, in a New York shwarma restaurant, eating sandwiches.
** END SPOILER ALERT**
Can't wait to take Migs Jr. and head out to the theatre !!!!!!!!!
Best Superhero Movie Ever Made? Shirley, you jest. It's better than the Christian Bale Batman movies? Those are some of the best movies ever made, period.
Quote from: Gusington on May 05, 2012, 04:11:44 PM
Best Superhero Movie Ever Made? Shirley, you jest. It's better than the Christian Bale Batman movies? Those are some of the best movies ever made, period.
A fair point. But I must point-out that I am speaking subjectively, purely from a "what entertains me" perspective. I care not-much for the craft of film making, unless it adds to my own entertainment.
I could care less if I ever see the 1st Christian Bale Batman ever again. I really liked the second, but the whole "Twoface" sub plot dragged the movie out, like a sickly Siamese twin... sucking the life out of the vibrant twin.
Just took the kids to see the Avengers. I don't think 40Cent is doing the movie justice, it was great. Best $6 I've spent in a long time!!
BTW, I think it's a toss up on who is the hotter SHIELD Agent;
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm723433216/tt0848228 (http://www.imdb.com/media/rm723433216/tt0848228)
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How about "the Best Marvel Superhero Movie Ever Made." I'm just trying to avoid the DC vs Marvel elephant in the room !
Avengers! Avengers!! AVENGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And that's STILL not enough exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
'nuff said :-)
Quote from: OJsDad on May 05, 2012, 05:06:10 PM
BTW, I think it's a toss up on who is the hotter SHIELD Agent;
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm723433216/tt0848228 (http://www.imdb.com/media/rm723433216/tt0848228)
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Cobie is more of a stick than ScarJo. But I do prefer brunettes.
Rented "Haywire" on the weekend, and I must say that I did not enjoy it as much as the 1st time that I saw it.
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I can't believe the DC/Marvel conflict was brought up in these hollowed virtual halls! Typically I am a Marvel man myself but the recent Batman work has just been stunning. STUNNING! If they make a decent Punisher movie ever I can die happy.
Alas, for t'was me who broke the slumber of the beast....
Quote from: MIGMaster on May 07, 2012, 11:13:03 AM
Alas, for t'was me who broke the slumber of the beast....
Villain!!
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Quote from: Centurion40 on May 07, 2012, 12:43:27 PM
Quote from: MIGMaster on May 07, 2012, 11:13:03 AM
Alas, for t'was me who broke the slumber of the beast....
Villain!!
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puhlease. Captain America would SO kick Batman's ass. And don't get me started on Thor v. Superman!
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I went to see Safe this afternoon. It started out well, with a turf war between the Chinese and Russian mobs in N.Y. The Chinese mob moss is paranoid about paper trails and electronic eavesdropping, so they kidnap a mainland and blackmail a mainland Chinese math genius to be their biological Excel spreadsheet.
Meanwhile, Jason Stayham plays an MMA fighter who attracts the ire of the Russian mob who then proceed to make his life hell. We know Statham and the math wiz will meet up and the buildup to it is very well done. Once they do and more backstory is revealed, things kinda fall apart. The story gets a little too disjointed and there isn't really any chemistry between Statham and the Chinese girl at all.
Decent enough for a rental, but it collapses under its own weight after a while.
I saw Cabin in the Woods last night. It had an amusing take on just why the Friday the 13th/Texas Chainsaw Massacre type slasher flicks always use the same cliches. The betting board and the speaker phone bits were hilarious!
Damned Maintenance department.
OK film, but probably better as a rental.
Saw The Avengers last night with friends.
I won't try and give it a numerical rating, but I will say this much: I'm going to see it again. To compare, the last movie I watched multiple times (in the theater) was The Dark Knight.
^93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Damn.
Anyone going to see Dark Shadows or The Raven? Both have crappy numbers on RT but I can't help be drawn to them.
Dark Shadows tonight.
A friend saw it and said it sucks (no pun intended).
^That's the word on the street, except at the NYTimes. Looking forward to your writeup!
Quote from: Gusington on May 11, 2012, 10:53:33 AM
^93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Damn.
Anyone going to see Dark Shadows or The Raven? Both have crappy numbers on RT but I can't help be drawn to them.
Huge John Cusack fan. Even bigger Poe fan. You couldn't pay me enough money to go see The Raven.
Saw Dark Shadows and it was okay. It wasn't life changing; it didn't suck. The trailer represented the substance of the movie. I kinda hoped that Alice Cooper would have had a bigger role, but he didn't.
It was what it was. I must admit that I was greatly entertained by a dude sitting in front of me who was either really high or he was off his regular meds. Either way, he REALLY enjoyed the show and it's humour. Good for him.
27 out of 40
Quote from: Gusington on May 11, 2012, 10:53:33 AM
Anyone going to see Dark Shadows or The Raven? Both have crappy numbers on RT but I can't help be drawn to them.
I'm hoping to see
Dark Shadows in the next week or two. I'm kind of a sucker for Tim Burton films (note I actually liked
Alice in Wonderland).
Quote from: Martok on May 12, 2012, 06:49:06 AM
Quote from: Gusington on May 11, 2012, 10:53:33 AM
Anyone going to see Dark Shadows or The Raven? Both have crappy numbers on RT but I can't help be drawn to them.
I'm hoping to see Dark Shadows in the next week or two. I'm kind of a sucker for Tim Burton films (note I actually liked Alice in Wonderland).
Alice was actually pretty good...except for the last half hour, when the main character inexplicably transforms from lost girl trying to figure out what she's doing in to Xena : Warrior Princess.
I like Xena in her BSG configuration ;)
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 08, 2012, 12:30:52 PM
I saw Cabin in the Woods last night. It had an amusing take on just why the Friday the 13th/Texas Chainsaw Massacre type slasher flicks always use the same cliches. The betting board and the speaker phone bits were hilarious!
Damned Maintenance department.
OK film, but probably better as a rental.
Ditto, very amusing film and concept. Thought Bradley Whitford had some great lines, reminded me of John Goodman in "Red State" who stole the movie with his deadpan jokes.
oh my god! I couldn't take this thread past someone saying they thought he new ghostrider was actually OK
shit that movied sucked major ass! cage mailed his performance in from east podunk! east podunk, china that is!
for a good cage movie, whats the downer flick where he thinks he's a damn vampire ( hell maybe he is ) and starts wearing dark sunglasses and staying out of the light as much as possible
this aint a quiz I cant think of the name?
and city of angels is pretty good, he had lots of good support around him in that one...
what we got here is the three movies a year I'd actually pay real money to see and they'd better have star in the title like star wars star trek or star titties or somesuch
and then .9% that I will maybe on a good day and in a good mood spend the matinee price, then the other 99% that I will see at the 2 dollar theatre or netflixx!
girl with the dragon tattoo was pretty good but all my artsy fartsy friends had seen the origianls at like 10 bucks a pop at the aperture cinema here, ( translated as artsy fartsy beer wine and popcorn theatre! ) anyway my buds didnt even see the americanized version!
but I did netflixx the originals the day after the james bond one came out!
BTW has anyone seen TUCKER AND DALE vs EVIL?
now thats a damn funny movie
evil dead bloody though!
take a paper sack with you, NOT TO THROW UP, but just in case you hyperventilate!
I loved Star Titties.
I preferred Star Whores.
^Diva.
What can I say? I like what I like.
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Quote from: ken ellis on May 12, 2012, 07:19:43 PM
BTW has anyone seen TUCKER AND DALE vs EVIL?
now thats a damn funny movie
evil dead bloody though!
take a paper sack with you, NOT TO THROW UP, but just in case you hyperventilate!
Agreed! Really, really funny send up of the 'slasher flick in the remote woods' type of movie. If you liked Cabin in the Woods, you really do need to see this.
I just watched Hall Pass and it really has some WTF moments. I wish The Wife was here to watch it with me.
Quote from: Gusington on May 19, 2012, 11:12:53 PM
I just watched Hall Pass and it really has some WTF moments. I wish The Wife was here to watch it with me.
I love that movie because of 3 scenes.
^I am hoping one of them is NOT the hot tub scene.
Quote from: Gusington on May 20, 2012, 12:44:01 PM
^I am hoping one of them is NOT the hot tub scene.
-Alone time in the car
-Golfing
-Hotel bathroom after clubbing
Did anyone see Battleship? Any good?
There is no way that Battleship will be good. We can be certain of this.
40 the weird thing about Hall Pass is that is appears to be this happy-go-lucky comedy at first glance and then out of nowhere there are some totally f'd up scenes. For that I give it points.
Just watched The Mothman Prophecies. Another f'd up movie...better than I thought it would be.
Quote from: OJsDad on May 20, 2012, 07:27:32 PM
Did anyone see Battleship? Any good?
Quote from: Gusington on May 20, 2012, 08:06:16 PM
There is no way that Battleship will be good. We can be certain of this.
Never mind good...is it any
fun?
The Mrs. and I just got back from seeing The Dictator. There was some crude humor here, but nothing close to the Borat bench-mark.
For example, The Dictator finds out that his wife is pregnant, so he asks her "What are you going to have, a boy or an abortion?"
Yep, I can't even recommend this one as a rental.
18 out of 40
Borat was Sacha Cohen's high point, IMHO. If The Wife heard that line she would punch me in the nuts and I would send the medical bill to Cohen.
cohen was great in the bit part in sweeny todd!
and speaking of depp, dark shadows is more than mildly entertaining, but hit girl, really good for 90% of the movie almost screws it up at the end
I watched The Grey, Red Tails, and Chronicle on my week off.
The Grey started out pretty strong but nose dived face first into stupid in the third act. Plus it was filmed just outside of where I work so it was a bit hard to suspend the disbelief when they're telling my it's supposed to be Alaska and I know it's just off a hiking trail in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve.
Red Tails was embarassingily bad. Not as retarded as say, Flyboys or Pearl Harbour, but still full of cliches and good ol' cheddar. Obligatory tacked on romantic subplot to get the wimmins to watch? Check. One dimensional evil, sneering German adversary? Check. Obligatory scene of black pilots feeling the brunt of racism? Check. Scene of redemtion where the racists grudginly show their respect? Check. Lots of really poor acting throughout. The leads seemed lilke they were just going through the motions. The bomber crews were almost as wooden as the Navy SEALS in Act of Valour, and the German ace looked like he was going to fracture his jaw, he was sneering so hard. CGI effects were a mixed bag. The planes looked nice, but a little too clean, but the way they flew looked more like the attack on the second Death Star than WWII.
Chronicle wasn't too bad at all. 3 high school kids (2 cool guys and one nerd) stumble upon some magical McGuffin that gives them superpowers. Being regular teens, they don't really do much with it other than screw around to amuse themselves and mess with people at the mall. The nerd, being a victim of bullying all his life, lets his powers go to his head and starts towards the dark side. Enjoyable enough to watch but nothing really great about it.
Up next, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
I thought The Grey was good...it scared The Wife out of the room within the first ten minutes (always a good sign) and I've never been to Alaska or Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. Plus Liam Neeson could do two hours of lip farts and it would still be better than 85% of the stuff out there.
I was enjoying it up until they got to the river gorge. I thought it went downhill very rapidly from there and jumped into Stinky Fred's Discount Cliché Emporium.
QuoteRed Tails was embarassingily bad. Not as retarded as say, Flyboys or Pearl Harbour
In this day and age that pretty much passes as a positive review :(
Liam Neeson and probably the best movie air crash I've ever seen. Come on SDR!!
I'm interested in seeing Chronicle.
Anyone see Drive? I just watched 40 minutes of it while exercising and I am actually going to re-watch the beginning and the rest with The Wife. It's been a long time since I've seen a movie with such fine acting...seriously.
Quote from: Gusington on May 26, 2012, 12:43:55 PM
Anyone see Drive? I just watched 40 minutes of it while exercising and I am actually going to re-watch the beginning and the rest with The Wife. It's been a long time since I've seen a movie with such fine acting...seriously.
I really liked it. Performances were good (Albert Brooks was ridiculously good), but man...when the violence kicks in it REALLY kicks in. It actually manages to be fairly stunning, because it's pretty bloody when it happens and there is very little warning of it for the most part.
My wife and I enjoyed Drive as well. The main character is....interesting, for certain, and moves along at a good pace. And pretty much any movie with Ron Perlman has my attention.
So it does eventually get violent eh? I will warn The Wife before we sit down. The tension in the movie is palpable...it reminds me a lot of Heat.
Quote from: Gusington on May 26, 2012, 12:43:55 PM
Anyone see Drive? I just watched 40 minutes of it while exercising and I am actually going to re-watch the beginning and the rest with The Wife. It's been a long time since I've seen a movie with such fine acting...seriously.
40 minutes in??!! You are on the cusp of where the movie REALLY takes off!!
Wow did it get violent. I read The Wife the disclaimer beforehand. The tension was driving her nuts.
Awesome movie, thanks for the recommendation all.
Also, just watched my first episode of Supernatural (the pilot). Surprisingly good!
Just saw Men In Black III. I liked it because I like Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as J and K. Everything after that...meh. And James Brolin as the young K is really good. That is as much good as I can say about it. Not because it was bad, but because it was very...neutral. Spend your money on seeing Avengers again. You might have missed something the first time.
20 out of 40
Little behind the curve but I just caught "Safe House" on Amazon. My wife and I are huge Denzel fans and never miss one of his movies. Safe House though......eh. I expected it to be lots better. Denzel kind of walked through the paces in this movie and it was as predictable as every other action movie you've seen in the last dozen years or so.
I can say the same about "The Grey" and Liam Nielsen. A very watchable actor, a very poor movie. And I've lived in Alaska in close proximity to wolves. I'm pretty sure what he had were werewolves or something, everything I've read and experienced says that wolves don't act that way. So the hyper-aggressive super-wolves.....meh. Two blaah movies with two of my favorite actors.
I think I WILL go see the Avengers again.
safe house, good 2 dollar movie!
I haven't kept up with all the posts in here. Anyone want a review of Haywire?
I went to see The Chernobyl Diaries tonight. I know it's getting panned pretty badly and maybe that coloured my perceptions going in because I enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting to.
A young 20-something couple and their recently dumped female friend are on a tour of Europe and they stop in to see the male's older brother who lives in Kiev. The older brother signs them all up for an "extreme adventure" tour of Pripyat, the city just next to the Chernobyl reactors (if you played STALKER or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, you know the place). The four of them plus another couple made up of a Norwegian chick and an Aussie pile into Yuri the Ukranian tour guide's van and drive off into Pripyat and not long after the spooky occurs.
The real star of the film is the abandoned town of Pripyat. It's plenty creepy during the daytime and doubly so once night falls. The first half of the film is better than the second. The director builds up a sense of tension and foreboding and it works really well. He never shows you what's out there, just hints at it with good use of sounds, lighting, and just the occasional quick glimpse of something moving around out there.
Once things hit the fan, the film loses a lot of it's impact and becomes a pretty generic horror flick.
Not a great film, but pretty decent if you're a fan of the STALKER games and/or abandoned places.
Quote from: MetalDog on May 30, 2012, 09:55:27 PM
Just saw Men In Black III. I liked it because I like Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as J and K. Everything after that...meh. And James Brolin as the young K is really good. That is as much good as I can say about it. Not because it was bad, but because it was very...neutral. Spend your money on seeing Avengers again. You might have missed something the first time.
20 out of 40
Agreed. The Mrs and I saw it Wednesday night. I'd give it 25 out of 40, but otherwise totally agree.
Quote from: LongBlade on May 31, 2012, 03:21:23 PM
I haven't kept up with all the posts in here. Anyone want a review of Haywire?
I reviewed it; here or over there. I really enjoyed it in the theatre; but I rented it a couple of weeks ago and it didn't seem to hold-up.
You know I really can't seem to pull myself away from the Resident Evil movies - I know they are mediocre, but for some reason I like them...... Just watched 4 again last night in Blu-Ray - looked really good!
Thanks for posting about the Chernobyl Diaries SDR. I am sure I will like that movie more than most people, despite it's crap reviews.
Also I read on RT that the movie was filmed on sets, not the real Pripyat, which is kind of a let down.
Really? Well they did a hell of a job faking it. They deserve an award for set design. I wonder how they got all the saplings to grow through the concrete and wist around poles and wires like that?
^I'm almost 100% sure, yes. Which is kind of illogical because SyFy shows like Destination Truth were able to actually go and film there. BTW if you have not seen that episode of Destination Truth I HIGHLY recommend it...don't care if it's "real" or not because it kicks some ass and is really entertaining.
I suspect the radiation levels around Pripyat would really limit any timelines when it comes to filiming, etc....
^I'll let you know what happens to the Destination Truth crew :)
Quote from: MIGMaster on June 01, 2012, 12:51:07 PM
I suspect the radiation levels around Pripyat would really limit any timelines when it comes to filiming, etc....
I recall seeing a photo blog by someone who took a motorcycle through the area all the while using a Geiger counter to watch out for hot spots. They were able to slightly stretch their time out by staying on the asphalt roads and avoiding dirt and dust. The city shots were über creepy even in broad daylight.
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 01, 2012, 10:46:37 AM
Quote from: LongBlade on May 31, 2012, 03:21:23 PM
I haven't kept up with all the posts in here. Anyone want a review of Haywire?
I reviewed it; here or over there. I really enjoyed it in the theatre; but I rented it a couple of weeks ago and it didn't seem to hold-up.
We rented it last week (first time) and really liked it. Not sure whether it will be something I'd see again.
Saw MIB3 tonight with the spousal unit and liked it quite a lot. The first is classic, of course, the second....meh. I didn't care much for 2 so I wasn't really anticipating going to see 3. But 3 is much more character driven, with Jones, Smith and Brolin doing first-rate acting jobs. The subtle jokes still fly and the quirky sci-fi tones are still there, but a much smoother, much more satisfying movie than 2. Worth the time and money.
I agree that it was character driven, but, that's not what a summer blockbuster is supposed to be. That was why I gave it the rating I did.
just saw the best exotic marigold hotel
ifn you are a fan of brit sit coms, judi dench or maggie smith, this is a really entertaining movie!
not sure it was worth the grand price of 19fitty for two to go on a sat night, Id rather made it at the 2 dollah theatre but alas, could not bring myself to even pay 2 beans for the latest statham blah blah movie
I do like jason but really? this is no lock stock and two smoking barrels! or hell even a death race!
Saw Avengers on "cheap" ($7.50 +12% HST) tuesday.
It was pretty good. I'm not the biggest superheo fan and, except for the first Iron Man, I haven't really liked any of the prequel movies starring the individual heroes so I guess a lot of the appeal was kinda lost on me.
Hulk was OK, but nothing special.
Same with Captain America.
I hated Thor and turned it off after 20 minutes. Whoever designed the costumes and sets should be slapped repeatedly until they realize that Asgaard should not look like a roller boogy rink circa 1978. Nor should the Gods look like a Benneton ad. Bastards.....
The real Asgard is... impressive. The Lore tells us so. This was a movie about a comic book so I cut 'em some slack. Having said that, the sets were lame. I tried to see the Marvel view of the Norse metaverse as a creative fiction much as the way Roger Zelazney re-imagined Hinduism in his novel 'Lord of Light'. I'm still trying...
Can't do it. The armour they wore looks like it was bought at a K-Mart Hallowe'en costume sale for 99 cents. Any lamer and the helmets would've had nostril holes and a little black rubber string stapled to the sides to hold it in place.
The Mrs. and I took 40Jr. to see Madagascar 3D yesterday. IMHO, it was the best of the franchise. 'Nuff said.
33 out of 40
That's the one with the penguin and the rainbow afro, right?
Yeah. And Mort. Don't forget Mort!
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages5.fanpop.com%2Fimage%2Fphotos%2F26800000%2FMort-3-3-3-penguins-of-madagascar-26849813-512-384.jpg&hash=2656ea095ebde5483ee2ddd9f4f65eaf3a60eabc)
The Mrs and I went to see Snow White and the Huntsman last night. The Snow White with Horseface was a lot better. This one had really good moments and really, really terrible moments. It was like it was made by 2 different people; one competent film-maker and one not.
The pale chick from Twilight really does have no range as an actress.
<sigh> this could have been a great movie, but it was not.
24 out of 40.
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 11, 2012, 04:23:28 PM
<sigh> this could have been a great movie, but it was not.
24 out of 40.
That's pretty much my thoughts on Prometheus too.
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 11, 2012, 04:23:28 PM
The Mrs and I went to see Snow White and the Huntsman last night. The Snow White with Horseface was a lot better. This one had really good moments and really, really terrible moments. It was like it was made by 2 different people; one competent film-maker and one not.
The pale chick from Twilight really does have no range as an actress.
<sigh> this could have been a great movie, but it was not.
24 out of 40.
Charlize Theron was amazing though. She acted her shapely ass off. I liked the dwarves and the Huntsman, but Kristen Stewart? I think she's pretty, but as an actress....well, I hope she was paying close attention to Charlize. Maybe she will learn a little about acting.
I googled some pics of Kristen from Snow White, just to give a sense of her emotional range. I believe that the pics are aptly descriptive:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fthemovieblog.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F06%2Fsnow-white-and-the-huntsman-kristen-stewart-poisoned-apple.jpg&hash=a61821de7be21d483e54f7a7d7173e94ba379976)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.moviefanatic.com%2Fimages%2Fgallery%2Fkristen-stewart-stars-in-snow-white-and-the-huntsman_600x329.jpg&hash=8dc434bc68cd64ca4b3f92edcbe30fc22e65d653)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn02.cdn.justjaredjr.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fheadlines%2F2011%2F12%2Fkristen-stewart-swath-trailer.jpg&hash=c08788d75807ac224ccaeb1e9fd7b4b9333ab2bb)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fphoto.shockya.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F11%2Fkristen-stewart-snow-white-and-the-huntsman.jpg&hash=15a096d24908d3b43505683564966622a3739eb7)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.eonline.com%2Feol_images%2FEntire_Site%2F2012415%2F%2F300.swath.ls.51512.jpg&hash=773d392ca1603556a218176eff4d64dc3065d86c)
FWIW I have no emotional range either.
Then it's best that you stay off the big screen, unless you are flung against it.
Quote from: Gusington on June 12, 2012, 10:17:30 AM
FWIW I have no emotional range either.
*phhhhhh-SLAP!* what about indignant man-rage?
^That's my point. Indignant man rage is all I got. There is no safety valve and no incremental measurement. Just free-flowing IMR.
^Gus, I think that's still more emotional range than Kristen Stewart possesses.
Quote from: mirth on June 12, 2012, 10:47:27 AM
^Gus, I think that's still more emotional range than Kristen Stewart possesses.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eonline.com%2Feol_images%2FEntire_Site%2F2012415%2F%2F300.4swath.ls.51512.jpg&hash=af37d894827400a0174b978a451c506de2db53a3)
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 12, 2012, 10:50:47 AM
Quote from: mirth on June 12, 2012, 10:47:27 AM
^Gus, I think that's still more emotional range than Kristen Stewart possesses.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eonline.com%2Feol_images%2FEntire_Site%2F2012415%2F%2F300.4swath.ls.51512.jpg&hash=af37d894827400a0174b978a451c506de2db53a3)
I see the rage, but not the indignation
I don't require emotion to get jiggy with it.
Quote from: Gusington on June 12, 2012, 10:54:34 AM
I don't require emotion to get jiggy with it.
Of course not, you're a guy.
I mean in the female subject I am getting jiggy with too.
QuoteI see the rage, but not the indignation
the fire in the background helps.
Quote from: Gusington on June 12, 2012, 10:56:51 AM
I mean in the female subject I am getting jiggy with too.
Is a pulse required? (Just sayin')
No.
I think you're getting a little too into the whole vampire thing.
^That's what the undead corpse said!
Hooking it up to a car battery to make it twitch doesn't make it undead.
Or so the stupid judge who says I have to stay 200m away from the mortuary would have me believe.
You knew this had to exist-
http://mingle2.com/zombieharmony/free-dating-sites (http://mingle2.com/zombieharmony/free-dating-sites)
^lol. I can see it now... "...everything was going fine for the first date, until she decided to order brains..."
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmingle2.com%2Fimages%2Fblog%2Fzombieharmony%2Fbadge.jpg&hash=ad9ad2f5df9118122431e8014db7d13c6804beed)
Okay, finally saw Prometheus last night and I must say that I have mixed feelings about the film. For the most part, it was really enjoyable. But there were some aspects of the plot/script that were, IMHO, ridiculous. I'll save those comments for the Prometheus thread and not lay-out any spoilers here. The 'bad' aspects didn't ruin the movie, as a whole, but the movie could have been better. I'd still say that it is worth the price of admission.
31 out of 40
I watched Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Last night. It was great to see a film with subtlety and nuance. Onethat credits you with a bit of intelligence and asks you to do a little thinking in order to follow along. I'm getting kinda bored with the current crop of big budget flicks that are all designed to have the simplest of storylines that are devoid of all cultural references in order to make them easily understood by all audiences worldwide.
Loved the period look of the film and just how run down and depressing they made not only Communist Europe look, but also the UK. I thought Gary Oldman did a great job even though I think he was not the right choice to play George Smiley. I'm a big fan of LeCarre's novels and Oldman just didn't look right.
Anyway, good film.
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 11, 2012, 04:23:28 PM
The Mrs and I went to see Snow White and the Huntsman last night. The Snow White with Horseface was a lot better. This one had really good moments and really, really terrible moments. It was like it was made by 2 different people; one competent film-maker and one not.
The pale chick from Twilight really does have no range as an actress.
<sigh> this could have been a great movie, but it was not.
24 out of 40.
40Cent, you are far more generous than I.
I just saw this last night. If I were feeling charitable, I would perhaps give it an 18 out of 40. However, currently I'm *not* feeling charitable, and so I give it a 12.
Charlize Theron's performance as the evil queen was really the only thing that saved this movie from being a complete wreck. Even Chris Hemsworth's performance as the Huntsman was wooden, which came as an unpleasant surprise. (On the other hand, he *was* performing opposite Stewart, so perhaps he just naturally responded to her utter lack of emotional range and general acting ability...) I actually had a lot more empathy for Theron's character than for Stewart's (which was none).
Well Charlize and the effects were worth a passing grade.
Then there's That's My Boy. Just when I think that Sandler is due for a solid hit (after total stinkers like "Jack 'n Jill") he put's out "That's My Boy". Yikes.
On the upside, it wasn't as bad as "Jack 'n Jill" or "Bucky Larson" (which is almost as bad as the Tom Green, "Freddy Got Fingered" low water mark), but "That's My Boy" is bad. I was stunned to see James Caan and Susan Sarandon in it. After what Sandler did to Al Pacino in "Jack 'n Jill", I figured any old-school, serious actor would steer clear of him. Apparently not.
Apart from some great strip-club footage, this movie is almost a complete waste of time. Save you money for when this inevitably makes it to TV.
18 out of 40.
A double header of movies this weekend and double header of disappointment.
First out of the gate was Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, the apocalyptic romantic comedy. Now this was a good movie, by the measures that critics usually employ: acting, cinematography, etc., but it is a movie about two people accidentally finding each other and falling love just as all human life on earth is extinguished. Call it a romantic comedy all you want, THIS is not a feel-good movie! Want to feel depressed? Yes? Then rush out and see this movie! Otherwise stay away, far away.
23 out of 40
Next comes Rock of Ages. I must point out that we only saw the first movie in this posting, in my vain attempts to avoid seeing "Rock of Ages". But "Seeking a Friend..." was such a total bummer, that I had to pay-back the Mrs and sit through "Rock of Ages". What a turkey. Yes people in the theatre were laughing at it, at times; it was so bad and corny. Now I totally expected torment, so I only verbally expressed disgust on one occasion. But honestly, this was not a good money, not in any way, shape or form. Julianne Hough is nice to look at, but she should stick to country music. Just to make sure that everyone stays away, Alec Baldwin sings, falls in love with Russel Brand's character, and they kiss. Yep.
16 out of 40
Because I trust you guys far more than the usual critics, I was a bit trepidatious about going to see Promethus. Me and the S.O. went yesterday afternoon for the matinee (yes, WE are that cheap) and there were two couples and us in the theater. I would like to say that the three duos had a GREAT experience! I was pleased by all aspects of the movie: the special effects, the story, the acting, all of it! Now, some of you may hold your cinema to a higher standard, but I don't think anyone would be disappointed to lay down your $7.50 to go see this.
35 out of 40
I watched Harry Potter and the Woman in Black.
Nice peroid sets and costumes but not very effective directing. I lost count on the number of times the director would have something pop up suddenly with the accompanying screech of a violin. He also seemed to have a fetish for Victorian era dolls and toys. Felt like half the movie was just him filming dead eyed automaton toys doing their thing.
If any of you have the chance to see the stage production of Woman in Black, go for it. I saw it in London with The Wife about 10 years ago and it was truly scary...I didn't think it was possible!
Forgot to mention that my dad and I finally went and saw Men in Black 3 last Monday. I wasn't expecting much from this film, but sometimes you're pleasantly surprised!
I actually really enjoyed it, and it's probably now my favorite movie in the series. Yes, there are plot holes (mostly related to time-travel) that you could fly the Enterprise through, but I still found it to be a well-told story for all that. The movie very properly focused less on the "scientific" aspects and more on the relationships between/among the characters, most especially (of course) on the one between Agents J and K. And as usual, there was no shortage of funny lines/scenes -- I honestly think I laughed more during this film than either of the previous two.
Acting-wise, Jones & Smith were in their usual fine style. Jemaine Clement did his seemingly level-best to portray the villain as it might be played by an especially ham-tastic (and frightening) Tim Curry -- and I'd say he succeeded -- while Agent O was ably represented by both the always-superb Emma Thompson and the always-lovely Alice Eve (as the agent's younger version). That being said, however, the greatest praise must almost certainly be reserved for Josh Brolin's performance as the younger Agent K; I felt he did a marvelous job of portraying a young Tommy Lee Jones, while still keeping the younger Agent K different enough (he's clearly more relaxed and has better interpersonal skills than his older self) to make it obvious that *something* happened to his character between the present and the events of 30 years ago.
No, it's not perfect -- I found a number of the plot points to be obvious (to the extent that I saw them coming from light-years off), and the inconsistency with the whole time-travel bit will likely drive more conscientious/anal viewers a bit insane! -- but on the whole, I still found it a very enjoyable ride. Not an Oscar-winner, of course, but I'd say it's definitely a fun popcorn flick, one worth seeing.
I rate it 32 out of 40.
Did anyone see 'Ted' this weekend? Would love to know what you thought. I haven't seen it yet, but it looks pretty damn funny and I do like Seth MacFarlane's stuff (Family Guy, etc).
Didn't get to the movies this past weekend... too much other crap going on.
Quote from: Centurion40 on July 02, 2012, 08:44:14 PM
Didn't get to the movies this past weekend... too much other crap going on.
No kidding! Hope you are still improving. :)
Yeah, hope your doing okay '40. Sorry I didn't say so in the other thread.
WTF happened to 40??
^Acid reflux has been giving him a hell of time- http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=2007.0
Quote from: Gusington on July 03, 2012, 10:27:01 AM
WTF happened to 40??
Damn, where you been fool??
http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=2007.0
Quote from: Martok on July 03, 2012, 10:46:37 AM
Quote from: Gusington on July 03, 2012, 10:27:01 AM
WTF happened to 40??
Damn, where you been fool??
http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=2007.0
Head down, ass up, n'hiding from Azz ...
^Actually I was reading your own brand of hippie lunacy. I have already apologized to 40.
The family got to see Brave on Friday night, and we all enjoyed it. 40Jr (he's 8) found it kinda scary in spots, but we all enjoyed the show. The animation was spectacular and the story was good.
33 out of 40
The Mrs. and I snuck out to see Ted the other night, and I must say that I was a bit disappointed. The movie was well done, I just thought that it would have been more crudely funny. Maybe this is something that I will enjoy more over time.
30 out of 40
Quote from: Centurion40 on July 24, 2012, 01:30:38 PM
The Mrs. and I snuck out to see Ted the other night, and I must say that I was a bit disappointed. The movie was well done, I just thought that it would have been more crudely funny. Maybe this is something that I will enjoy more over time.
30 out of 40
I still want to see it. Several of my friends have an they all said it was pretty damn funny. Maybe this weekend...
Went to Ice Age 3 yesterday with the kids. They loved it. I must admit I do like the adventures of that squirrel thing and the acorn most humorous.
Saw Ice Age 3D with the Mrs. and L'il 40. S'alright, same as the other Ice Age movies. Madagascar 3 was a superior flick, in that genre.
28 out of 40
I went to watch the new Bourne movie. I thought it was alright but definitely much slower paced than the 2nd and 3rd Damon ones. Don't expect a lot of shakey-cam martial arts type fight scenes. Renner's character doesn't have the same moral qualms about using firearms so there's a lot less fisticuffs but not really a lot of shooting. Not a great movie but passable provided you've seen the previous Bourne movies. The film pretty much expects this of the audience as the story takes place concurrently with the 3rd Bourne movie and constantly makes reference to the characters and actions in that film. Those unfamiliar with the other films in the series might be a little lost.
I saw The Bourne Legacy this past Wednesday night as well, and I thought it was downright bad.
It felt very cookie-cutter and offered very little in the way of anything original (even compared to the previous films), the premise even more ridiculous than before, most of the cast sadly under-uitilized (including the lovely Rachel Weisz), and the main chase scene lasted way too long (a good 15 minutes or so). In addition, the movie ended without any sort of real conclusion (even allowing that they obviously intended more sequels) -- it's like the writers didn't know what to do after the climactic chase scene ended.
Granted, I generally don't expect much from action movies, but c'mon! Legacy merely recycled the plotlines of the previous films, and added absolutely nothing new to the series. I now officially consider the Bourne movies to be a Franchise Zombie (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FranchiseZombie).
Ironically, the one bright spot was Jeremy Renner himself. While no less lethal than Bourne, his character at least felt a little more human. That may or may not be a selling point for some, but I personally liked it.
I watched The Raid: Redemption last night. Awesome! The main plot is about 20,000 kicks to the face, knees, and face again. Honestly, there in no real story. An Indonesian SWAT team raids a high rise apartment block operated by a criminal kingpin and which is housed by criminals with penchants for kicking and machete swinging. Things go sideways for the cops fairly quickly and they must rely on the two most important aspects of Indonesian police work:
1) knee kicking
2) the kicking of knees
What follows is 90 minutes of knees being kicked, stabbed, kicked again, and occasionally shot.
It's a bit like the old John Woo/Chow Yun Fat Hong Kong movies before Woo moved to America and churned out shit with doves. It's like that but without the stupid subplots about trapped girlfriends that Woo would use. I think they were going to use that subplot but it got mugged and kicked in the knee on the way to the film.
It's also got more than a hint of Jackie Chan film school going on. Lots of high energy fights with zero OSHA regulations. I'm guessing several stuntmen were hurt during the production of this film. Hopefully PETA will complain and then somebody will kick them in the knee.
a legitimate kick to the knee means never having to say you're sorry ..... they'd never hear it over their banshee whales of pain and suffering
like my daughter's first octopus b/f will find out....
I took her to father daughter Tae kwon do.... and she gave me a snap kick..... Sweet Mother of all things starry
Finally got out to see a movie again yesterday, The Campaign. I was not keen to see this flick, but it seemed to be the best of the crop when the Mrs. and I made out to the cinemas yesterday afternoon. I must say that it was better than expected. There was crude humour a plenty. Ferrell's best outing since Talladega Nights.
I'd give it a 31 out of 40.
Took young Migs and headed to newest Resident Evil the other night - not a bad flick. Of course, another one is in the works ;D
Trouble with the Curve was decent.
34 out of 40
The projector malfunctioned so there were no previews or commercials. They fixed it so movie actually started at the time listed in the paper.
Nice to be able to watch the movie on the big screen without 40 minutes of BS ahead of time.
I went to see Dredd today for not-so-cheap Tuesday (seriously, when did $12.50 become the discount price.)
It was kinda lame. Caveat, I don't like watching movies in 3D. I have a very weak left eye thanks to a dog bite when I was a kid so I don't really get the 3D effect unless I really strain, so I find the whole 3D thing to be an annoyance. I've gotta put contacts in instead of wearing my specs and the 3D glasses make everything dark. As most of the film took place inside a mega-apartment block with poor lighting, it was hard to see what was going on most of the time. The story was one we've seen many times before (in fact I just saw it 2 months ago when I watch the far superior The Raid: Redemption). Grizzled veteran (Dredd) and his rookie sidekick (some peroxide blonde chick) get cut off from reinforcements and have to fight their way through a never-ending supply of flunkies.
Honestly, the story was structured more like what you'd find in a video game. Big gunfight with waves of flunkies to show off Judge gadgets. Escort mission with a helpless and annoying but necessary character. Boss fight that uses up Judge gadgets. More waves of flunkies. Another boss fight wherein the hero gets a one-use device to be saved for later. More flunkies, hero gets taken prisoner and loses their remaining toys. Prison escape. Find gear and health pack, final boss fight, get XP, roll credits.
bleh out of 40.
I went to see Seven Psychopaths tonight. It was OK but it was trying way too hard to be quirky and a lot of the jokes and twists came across as desperate and forced. Still some funny lines and bits in it. Man, Walken looks old!
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on October 18, 2012, 01:58:55 AM
I went to see Seven Psychopaths tonight. It was OK but it was trying way too hard to be quirky and a lot of the jokes and twists came across as desperate and forced. Still some funny lines and bits in it. Man, Walken looks old!
I liked it. But yeah, they were trying a bit too hard to be Tarantino-esque. Nice to see some guys from Boardwalk Empire in different roles.
30 out of 40
The Mrs and I took 40Jr. to see Hotel Transylvania on the weekend. It was the best Adam Sandler movie that's been made in years! I really enjoyed the vibe of the flick and even had a couple of laughs. That said, Madagascar 3D still holds the top spot for kids cartoon movies this year.
29 out of 40
Checked out Taken 2 last night - almost straight non-stop action. Not a bad flick would be easy to pick some holes in it if you wanted to, but as just a night out it was fine.
Finally got to see Act of Valor On Demand. The acting was terrible (mostly) but I thought it was a ripping yarn, and the scene where the fast attack boats arrive on scene to provide covering fire gave me wood.
Quote from: Centurion40 on October 22, 2012, 08:37:08 AM
Finally got to see Act of Valor On Demand. The acting was terrible (mostly) but I thought it was a ripping yarn, and the scene where the fast attack boats arrive on scene to provide covering fire gave me wood.
careful... in another thread Starz and LB are talking about dull cutting instruments
Meh, I'm already circumspect. ::)
Quote from: Centurion40 on October 22, 2012, 08:37:08 AM
Finally got to see Act of Valor On Demand. The acting was terrible (mostly) but I thought it was a ripping yarn, and the scene where the fast attack boats arrive on scene to provide covering fire gave me wood.
I think I came to a similar conclusion after watching the movie. :)
Saw Cloud Altas today with my wife at a matinee.
Great flick... but won't be for everyone. If fact to my surpise my wife actually enoyed it and wants to buy it.
Great visually. Acting is par for the talent but nothing Oscar worthy.
The story and the cinematography however are stunning. The visuals are breathtaking.
Well worth seeing. 35/40.
Went to see Argo the other night. It was pretty good, not as good as "The Town', but still pretty good. I could have lived without the deliberate American self-effacement (CIA/State Dept officers confessing, amongst themselves, that Iran is powderkeg because they propped-up the Shah and the SAVAK), but nothing is perfect.
All-in-all, it was a well crafted, well acted movie. An interesting and compelling story. Sure, it was a bit over-the-top and overly dramatic at times (like the scene where the band of fake movie-makers are making their way to the Swissair flight and then that flight's departure from the airport), but I've got to give it a thumb's up.
32 out of 40
Thanks for the mini-review 40Cent. This one's on my list, so it's good to know you like it.
Want to take my girl to go see this, but Alabama/LSU and USC/Oregon are on tomorrow night.
Mike @ the Movies
Yesterday i took the 'Expensive Other' (TM), who likes to impersonate a Bond girl with her wardrobe (and looks;) ) on some occasions, to the movies to see Skyfall.
(...to learn some new dirty tricks for 'mysterious cabal conspiracy groups' ;) ...No!)
I really enjoyed the eve.
The film was so refreshing old school for mature onlookers. (where cuts are 3 to 5 sec long and not that music-video 0.8 sec cuts flashing style synchron to the beats of some underlying (c)rap-music tracks, you have to endure in mediocre action movies nowadays)
The stunts, chases and firefights were good 'Bond style' but not total.out.of.this.world exaggerations.
(magazines run empty, not each and every car explodes, cover vs concealment, jumps are doable, and Lady M buiding WW2-type-IED's when in need, cool ... well, bridge-drop not so much)
I also liked that Bond is vulnerable, showing some ageing and has to fight with his physical condition limits to achieve a victory in a brawl, compared to classical old Bond movies. Good job Mr. Craig!
The villain is brilliant played by the actor, who gave that psycho-hitman in 'No country for old man'. Real creepy insane guy.
Very good entertainment.
I watched the Total Recall remake last night. On the plus side, it has Kate Beckinsale in her undies and she seems to have perfected the high speed crotch first sliding face tackle. Biel also looked good but was far too clothed. The set design for the Colony was pretty cool in a Blade Runner sort of way.
Everything else kinda sucked. You know your film is in trouble when it compares less favourably in terms of a plausible world than an Arnold film with psychic mutants on Mars. In the new version, most of the planet was rendered uninhabitable from chemical weapons. All that's left are Britain and Australia. For some reason, the working class slobs make a daily commute between the two via a high speed train the runs through the centre of the earth. And gravity shuts off at the core for some reason. Doesn't get stronger as you approach the core or anything. It just stays constant all the way to the middle, then shuts off, then reverses.
Also, for some reason, despite the fact that autonomous robots exist and are widespread, new robots are hand welded by working class slobs who commute to and from England and Australia just to do this job.
Action scenes were mostly weak (except for the fight scenes with Beckinsale. Those were quite well done) and the characters were dull and flat. It's pretty sad when the leader of the rebels in the new film has less charisma and fewer lines than a stomach muppet from the original.
4/10
-on a side note
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on November 04, 2012, 06:38:31 PM
And gravity shuts off at the core for some reason. Doesn't get stronger as you approach the core or anything. It just stays constant all the way to the middle, then shuts off, then reverses.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2F6%2F60%2FErdgravitation.png%2F640px-Erdgravitation.png&hash=4ba544e3297c6091d4f11d20fe900887fd39d524)
the blue line is the gravitational acceleration g as a fuction of the radius r (wiki-diagram)
...you only have to deal the the sphere that remains under your position in the shaft, the gravitational pull from the sphere layers above you is compensated by that layers which are symetric on the other side of the core.
at the center its pulling from all sides, so zero is correct.
btw. a jump in the shaft works like a pendulum, if you would jump into the shaft (no air) you would take up speed, reach maximun speed in the middle, and would slowed down on the way out, until you reach a speed of zero again on the other side (a electro-magnet may grap your spacesuit boots, an airlook is shut, you do a half somersault and you could step outside)
I went to see Looper today (cheap-ish Tuesday). Very enjoyable film. I wasn't too sure what to expect and I kind of enjoyed how they avoided all the discussions of paradoxes associated with time travel.
Interesting view of the future (2044 AD) as well. The movie never really explicitly says anything (one character from the further future warns another to change his plans to relocate to France and advises him to choose China instead) , but strongly hints at the fact that the US suffered a major economic collapse. US cities look like a version of present day Detroit. There are glimpses of shiny new high tech, but for the most part, everything's just a beat up, run down version of present day stuff with jury rigged fixes. China, on the other hand, is booming and there everything is clean, new, and vibrant. There were a few missteps in the second act (the firefight between Bruce Willis's character and a bunch of gangsters at their base was pretty cheesy), but overall it was well done.
8/10
I watched Skyfall today. I do not understand the hype. Perhaps I bought into the hype going in and was expecting too much but when I left the theatre, I felt disappointed. The bad guy was uninspired (Sean Bean did a much better job with the same archetype in Goldeneye). The "babes" did nothing for me. The tone of the film was a lament for Britain's former greatness but it felt like false sincerity to me, especially with the "reveal" at the end that anyone with half a brain should see coming from the first 10 minutes of the film.
Still, the set up for the next film has promise. All the pieces are in place (even though I HATE the choice for Moneypenny.)
Worst of the Craig Bonds so far.
5/10
Very sorry to hear that, SDR. I can't say that I really have great expectations for the film, but, it IS the first Bond movie I have wanted to see SINCE Goldeneye.
I thought it was a blast, lots of nods to the classic bond movies and quips about some of the worst moments of recent ones. The end brought the whole genre full circle. I left feeling I got my money's worth.
I thought the references to the older Bond flicks came across as kind of cheap and manipulative. On the one hand, you've got Q going on about how gadgets are passe. This kind of falls in line with the whole "get back to classic Bond" meme that the producers are pushing, but then they turn around and throw the Bond stuff in your face, hoping you'll get all excited. "Wow! Even though you didn't hear him order it, Bond's having a shaken martini! That's so cool because Bond always has a shaken martini!" (except in this wilm when he starts chugging a Heineken. Hooray for product placement.)
"Ooh, Bond's got a Walther PPK! That's so cool because old Bond uses one of those too!" And what the hell was the deal with that thing anyway? What kind of spy agency arranges a drop off on the benches of the National Art Gallery in the middle of the day and hands over a sidearm in plain view? And why the hell does the thing have a row of LEDs just behind the rear sight? To ensure that your sight picture is completely screwed up? And what was that transmitter Q gave Bond? It looked like an accessory for a Cobra Commander GI JOE doll.
The whole Austin Martin thing was just kind of sad. It was almost like a Bond product placement in a Bond movie. Not as blatant as the Heineken, but close.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on November 13, 2012, 11:45:45 PM
I And why the hell does the thing have a row of LEDs just behind the rear sight? To ensure that your sight picture is completely screwed up?
in the fl
uff of the movie the gun had a 'fingerprint trigger' or 'ball of hand'-sensor build in to unlock
(which was later used in the plot.... like all the Bond toys in their according movies)
so i guess the set-designers thought 'red = still locked'
in older movies the transmitter would have been build in a Zippo, but because Bond doesn't smoke ( anymore? did he smoke in old movies? when was the last? i cant remember yet) its was really kind of toyish
Bond girls (mmmh,
i brought my one (sorry, no pictures in public;))
well, there are so many beautifully girls, milfs, ladies, etc in the media allover the place, starting with news weather, adds, series, movies,... IMHO a Bond Girl (like Sévérine) today has to be separate in a more classy way and dangerous in many ways.
...like these 37 old from Tampa staring as a hangaround for Petraeus and Allen
sorry to hear you couldn't enjoy the pop corn movie (not a Oscar masterpiece ... just one of the better Bonds)
I'm kind of with SDR.... I agree with everything he's noted but on the other hand I don't care.... I want 2 hours of switch off entertainment without having to worry about the message, the undertone, what the director wants me to think so I tune out and watch.
The one thing that puzzles me, and it was all over the UK press was the twist at the end..... All through the film I'm waiting for sean bean or a new blofeld to turn up, but nothing, was moneypenny and M really the big surprise?? That's what left me disappointed, unlike the fools on bond sites who are saying M was clearly the mother of bond or the baddy... Take your pick
Apart from liking Bardem's bad guy (I thought that he was duly creepy, yet a different kind of creepy than he was in "No Country for Old Men"), I echo SDR's comments. I found it almost painful to watch, and somewhat predictable, especially the pivotal plot twists. A woman sitting next to me actually fell asleep and was snoring, this movie was so long and dragged out.
I guy I work with told me "this was the best James Bond movie ever!"; he liked the character development of James Bond. I had to agree with him, as far as character development goes, this movie was 'excellent'. But who goes to a James Bond movie to see character development??!! Character development is plodding and dragged-out! For my money, this was one of the worst James Bond movie ever. I'll be fine if I never see it again.
23 out of 40
I guess I go the movies to escape from reality so plot holes and inconsistancies don't bother me that much. I'm also not one for catching small details so I didn't notice the product placement. I appreciated all the old Bond details being in your face so I would actually notice and enjoy them, instead of being tucked away where my dense movie-going intellect would miss them ;)
Maybe I'm stating the obvious here, but I thought M was the Bond girl for this movie?
Hence a portion of my disappoint in this film. It deviates from the canon.
Quote from: Airborne Rifles on November 14, 2012, 10:10:38 AM
Maybe I'm stating the obvious here, but I thought M was the Bond girl for this movie?
Thank God they didn't put her in Ursula's bikini and have her walk out of the ocean then.
Then again, the emo/Goth makeup on the 1/2 Asian chick made her look about as appealing as M in a bikini.
Yeah, this one was really weak on the sexy girl front.
As much as with the cgi and helicopter back packs I think they've dialled down the ladies too.... Reading in the times over here this is the first bond the ladies can dig... All moody, tortured and a six pack and it doesn't strike well with the lady viewers if the sexy women just fall at his feet because he's made some lame ass 70s double entendre and he had a proper love interest in casino royale.
Quote from: Centurion40 on November 14, 2012, 09:18:54 AM
...For my money, this was one of the worst James Bond movie ever. I'll be fine if I never see it again.
23 out of 40
I'd throw it in the lower end of the middle of the pack, but it's not as bad as some of the real stinkers. For me, the worst of the series are:
Die Another Day A View to a KillMoonrakerDiamonds are ForeverTomorrow Never Dies
Eh, my wife and I just saw it and we both enjoyed it quite a bit. It could stand to have about 20 minutes trimmed off, but overall I give it high marks. And it may be heresy, but I love Craig as Bond. He's a guy that looks like he really could mess up someone's day, and the action scenes with Craig are right on the money.
Of course, now that I got to see Skyfall, I'm obligated to take the wife to see Breaking Dawn pt. 2 next week. Pray for me, boys.
Quote from: Steelgrave on November 14, 2012, 08:34:29 PM
Eh, my wife and I just saw it and we both enjoyed it quite a bit. It could stand to have about 20 minutes trimmed off, but overall I give it high marks. And it may be heresy, but I love Craig as Bond. He's a guy that looks like he really could mess up someone's day, and the action scenes with Craig are right on the money.
Of course, now that I got to see Skyfall, I'm obligated to take the wife to see Breaking Dawn pt. 2 next week. Pray for me, boys.
I didn't need to hear that.....
but if it gets you laid, who (whom?) am I to judge such sacrifice
Quote from: Windigo on November 14, 2012, 08:35:52 PM
Quote from: Steelgrave on November 14, 2012, 08:34:29 PM
Eh, my wife and I just saw it and we both enjoyed it quite a bit. It could stand to have about 20 minutes trimmed off, but overall I give it high marks. And it may be heresy, but I love Craig as Bond. He's a guy that looks like he really could mess up someone's day, and the action scenes with Craig are right on the money.
Of course, now that I got to see Skyfall, I'm obligated to take the wife to see Breaking Dawn pt. 2 next week. Pray for me, boys.
I didn't need to hear that.....
but if it gets you laid, who (whom?) am I to judge such sacrifice
There's taking one for the team...and then there is Twilight!
Quote from: Windigo on November 14, 2012, 08:35:52 PM
Quote from: Steelgrave on November 14, 2012, 08:34:29 PM
Eh, my wife and I just saw it and we both enjoyed it quite a bit. It could stand to have about 20 minutes trimmed off, but overall I give it high marks. And it may be heresy, but I love Craig as Bond. He's a guy that looks like he really could mess up someone's day, and the action scenes with Craig are right on the money.
Of course, now that I got to see Skyfall, I'm obligated to take the wife to see Breaking Dawn pt. 2 next week. Pray for me, boys.
I didn't need to hear that.....
but if it gets you laid, who (whom?) am I to judge such sacrifice
Heh heh, nowdays what gets me laid is a
blue pill witty demeanor.
Quote from: Steelgrave on November 14, 2012, 08:50:48 PM
Quote from: Windigo on November 14, 2012, 08:35:52 PM
Quote from: Steelgrave on November 14, 2012, 08:34:29 PM
Eh, my wife and I just saw it and we both enjoyed it quite a bit. It could stand to have about 20 minutes trimmed off, but overall I give it high marks. And it may be heresy, but I love Craig as Bond. He's a guy that looks like he really could mess up someone's day, and the action scenes with Craig are right on the money.
Of course, now that I got to see Skyfall, I'm obligated to take the wife to see Breaking Dawn pt. 2 next week. Pray for me, boys.
I didn't need to hear that.....
but if it gets you laid, who (whom?) am I to judge such sacrifice
Heh heh, nowdays what gets me laid is a blue pill witty demeanor.
you use bob to get you laid?
^bob knows where to find all the girls ;D
I've got to take the twilight hit as well, so far this year man films and sex has cost me magic mike, the vow and something about a visa
Quote from: Steelgrave on November 14, 2012, 08:34:29 PM
Of course, now that I got to see Skyfall, I'm obligated to take the wife to see Breaking Dawn pt. 2 next week. Pray for me, boys.
O-M-G!! :o
I just threw-up a little, in my mouth. Will she let you bring a flask into the theater, maybe a mp3 player too? :-\
Quote from: undercovergeek on November 15, 2012, 02:43:46 AM
I've got to take the twilight hit as well, so far this year man films and sex has cost me magic mike, the vow and something about a visa
Thank Christ that I've never been forced to make such sacrifices! When the subject of Magic Mike came up, my reply was NFW!!
I did get dragged to the 2nd or 3rd Twilight (where I audibly moaned a couple of times and was a millisecond away from telling a group of female young adults to go f-off in response to their exuberance). Now the Mrs knows to NEVER bring that franchise up again, unless in jest.
Goddamit I never even thought of embarassing her so much she wouldn't take me again!
... has anybody had to see Desert Flower ? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert_Flower_(film
I was one of 3 guys in the whole theater :o
Saw Wreck It Ralf today. It was ok. The popcorn with extra butter made it more tolerable.
Quote from: Bison on November 18, 2012, 08:57:45 PM
Saw Wreck It Ralf today. It was ok. The popcorn with extra butter made it more tolerable.
I liked it, for what it was. It was good to see Dr. Eggman and Bowser again.
Took my girlfriend and my son to see Red Dawn yesterday. Having seen the original, I was a bit skeptical that Hollywood would live up to my nostalgia for the original. It turned out I was right.
The movie adheres to the original storyline fairly well, U.S. is invaded, this time by the North Koreans. The Eckert brothers escape with a few of their friends into the woods and start to fight back. There are harrowing adventures, a traitor and a love interest (or two), along with deaths and defections. And I was ok with all of that because that's how I remembered it.
However, there were two things about the movie that put me off liking it as much as the original. The first was that shaky camera crap that started with The Blair Witch Project. I'm not old, although I might be cranky, but I just can't stand when my screen is jumping up and down in a false attempt to impart movement and a sense of being there. The second problem I had was that the movie felt like a bunch of "moments" all pasted together. There wasn't a feeling of flow. There were a lot of explosions and a boatload of, "There's no way they could have done that!"
All in all, I was glad I went, but I would give it 20 out of 40.
Quote from: undercovergeek on November 15, 2012, 07:31:42 AM
Goddamit I never even thought of embarassing her so much she wouldn't take me again!
stick around kid, we're professionals here.
The family saw Rise of the Guardians, in 3D on the weekend. It was pretty good, for a kiddies cartoon. The downside- Santa has a Russian accent and is played by Alec Baldwin. The upside- it's a ripping yarn with great animation.
Demi-spoiler: the elves are dolts and the toys are really made by Yetis. It's true.
IMHO, 2nd best cartoon this year, after Madagascar 3.
32 out of 40.
The original was quite the piece of unadulterated crap
so I guess this Red Dawn is not as good an unadulterated
piece of crap. Does that actually make it a better movie?
the original Red Dawn is awesome!
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on November 26, 2012, 09:01:12 AM
the original Red Dawn is awesome!
I recently rewatched it. It is a lot deeper and darker than I remembered. The character development is a little sparse but it also follows the kids through a descent from survival to combatant to killing prisoners and wounded to killing their own. Haven't seen the new one but I doubt it deals with themes that are quite as dark.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on November 26, 2012, 09:01:12 AM
the original Red Dawn is awesome!
As a drunken watch with buddies movie, sure.
Saw Skyfall with my SLCG.....
meh
1/. Where was all the gadgetry (please no morality about high tech)
2/. This movie screamed low budget!
3/. I don't really give a crap about M.... (think they chintzed out on the screen writers too)
4/. They villan was awesome... best part of the movie.
5/. Who ever has the rights to the James Bond franchise.... you suck!
Score: 2.5 Olives out of 5
The only good thing I can remember about the original Red Dawn
was a drunken buddy acting out the movie in its entirety - right
down to the cute dimple in Lea Thompson's chin as she fired her
Russian machine gun - in under 2 minutes. The part where Jennifer
Grey gets blown up was cute. Wolverines!! OMG.
Any movie that has Jennifer Grey getting blown up is a great movie.
Quote from: Windigo on November 26, 2012, 03:26:20 PM
Saw Skyfall with my SLCG.....
meh
1/. Where was all the gadgetry (please no morality about high tech)
2/. This movie screamed low budget!
3/. I don't really give a crap about M.... (think they chintzed out on the screen writers too)
4/. They villan was awesome... best part of the movie.
5/. Who ever has the rights to the James Bond franchise.... you suck!
Score: 2.5 Olives out of 5
I agree with everything but point number 4. I thought the villain was boring and lazily written. Evil genius computer hacker? Really? That just tells me the writers don't have any really clever ideas so they just throw in whatever plot twist or mcguffin they want and say "he totally hacked the system to make that happen!". Lame.
I was 14 when Red Dawn came out and I TOTALLY wanted that to happen so I could go live in the woods with hot chicks and kill Commies. The new movie is nowhere NEAR as fun :-(
I was considerably older when it came out and had knocked around a bit.
Maybe that is why it did not impress.
I saw it this afternoon. This Red Dawn, objectively, is better than the original (at least production-value wise). At worst, this redux is a decent action flick, in parts. I must confess that I didn't go into the theater this afternoon expecting to see Red Dawn (I was expecting to see a chick flick with the wife). Therefore I had no built-up apprehensions or vain hopes; I saw it cold and I'm shocked to say that it is better than I expected (probably because I was expecting utter crap).
I was 20 when I saw the original; young enough that it still was able to hit the right notes with me to resonate- as far fetched as it was. It still holds a warm place in my heart. This version is not a carbon-copy with a different baddie. There are subtle and overt differences, enough that an admirer of the original should not be totally put-off. And I have to confess that this version was able to hit a few of those same notes 29 years later; my to my total amazement.
This one is no less far fetched; the pacific-northwest is invaded and subjugated by North Korea. Yep starving enough to eat the neighbor's cat North Korea. If you can get past that, then you'll be able to enjoy the movie. Jed (the role originally played by Patrick Swayze) is a battle veteran Marine, home on leave between tours. He trains and leads the rag-tag teens to become the Wolverines. Toni (this time played by a very hot Adrienne Palicki, instead of Jennifer Grey) really captures the screen as does Thor.
SPOILERS (such as they are) AHEAD!
I say again: SPOILERS AHEAD! I'm about to detail some of the story deviations from the original.
The Wolverines, instead of coming across a downed "Free America" fighter-pilot, are found by small "Free America" Special Forces team and are enlisted to assist the team complete a mission vital to the Free American war effort against the Norks. The Mayor's son is not complicit in his betrayal of the group. He ends-up getting tagged with a tracking device, by some Spetnaz (yes, they show-up in this version too) during a scuffle. The Wolverines not only get hunted by Spetnaz, they also get shelled by Nork arty. The movie ends, not with a flash forward to a post-war monument to the Wolverines, but with Jed's brother (the now mature high school quarterback) giving a speech to an all-ages mixed group of new recruits to the Woverine's resistance army.
SPOILERS OFF
The new Red Dawn is no more likely to win awards than the old Red Dawn. But if you've got nothing better to do, this one is not a complete waste of time, unless you're some sort of sophisticate. And if that's the case, WTF are you doing here??!!
27 out of 40
I saw it today.
I dunno, it felt kinda low budget. You didn't get the sense that there was a larger war going on like you did in the first one. There was no real passage of time and it felt like there were just a handful of Koreans hanging out in downtown Spokane (except wherever they filmed it looked nothing like the real Spokane). It also felt kind of cheap that they showed a bunch of T-90 type tanks on transporters at the very beginning, but that was the last you saw of non-US vehicles. After that it was just Koreans in Humvees, LAV-25s and M1 tanks.
Wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but I thought they would've upped the budget over the original, not scaled it back. Remember how cool it was to see Hinds and Shilkas and stuff in the original?
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on November 27, 2012, 06:01:51 PM
I saw it today.
I dunno, it felt kinda low budget. You didn't get the sense that there was a larger war going on like you did in the first one. There was no real passage of time and it felt like there were just a handful of Koreans hanging out in downtown Spokane (except wherever they filmed it looked nothing like the real Spokane). It also felt kind of cheap that they showed a bunch of T-90 type tanks on transporters at the very beginning, but that was the last you saw of non-US vehicles. After that it was just Koreans in Humvees, LAV-25s and M1 tanks.
Wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but I thought they would've upped the budget over the original, not scaled it back. Remember how cool it was to see Hinds and Shilkas and stuff in the original?
(Psst... the Hinds (http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Red_Dawn_(1984)#Fake_Mil_Mi-24_.22Hind.22_Gunship) were not real. Neither were the Shilkas (http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Red_Dawn_(1984)#Fake_Soviet_ZSU-23_Self_Propelled_Anti-Aircraft_Gun) or the T-72s (http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Red_Dawn_(1984)#Fake_Soviet_T-72_Main_Battle_Tank)... sorry :()
I know, but at least they looked the part. In the new version, they didn't even make the effort. i wonder if it's because they went and changed the baddies from Chinese to Norks. The paratroops in the opening scene looked like they were carrying the Type 95 assault rifle, but all subsequent scenes had AKs.
http://screenrant.com/red-dawn-villains-china-north-korea-schrad-106177/ (http://screenrant.com/red-dawn-villains-china-north-korea-schrad-106177/)
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on November 27, 2012, 07:25:34 PM
I know, but at least they looked the part.
I suppose back then anything painted tan with spots and equipped with chunky anhedral wings sporting rocketpods would look like it was Russian. Those mutant Pumas were used in a number of later movies. Nowadays you can buy real custom made Hind-Ds from companies in South Africa, among others.
Next thing you are going to tell us it wasn't real when Jennifer Grey got blown up.
You are like those guys who doubt Hogan's Heroes and Santa and Baby Jesus.
If they blew up Jennifer Grey again I would go and see it.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on November 27, 2012, 06:01:51 PM
I dunno, it felt kinda low budget. You didn't get the sense that there was a larger war going on like you did in the first one. There was no real passage of time and it felt like there were just a handful of Koreans hanging out in downtown Spokane (except wherever they filmed it looked nothing like the real Spokane).
I felt that way, too. Just a bunch of moments, strung together by the same people being in all of them.
Quote from: Longdan on November 27, 2012, 08:34:21 PM
Next thing you are going to tell us it wasn't real when Jennifer Grey got blown up.
You are like those guys who doubt Hogan's Heroes and Santa and Baby Jesus.
If they blew up Jennifer Grey again I would go and see it.
Danman, I saw
every episode of Hogans Heroes and I
swear that neither Santa
or Baby Jesus was in any of them. I did spot L. Ron Hubbard in several though. He was dressed as a guard up in the tower.
Mr and Mrs Smith is on. I frikin love this movie.
There was that female spy with the cone bra in Hogan's. What was her name?
No Santa and baby jesus weren't in Hogan's but they could
have been if they had wanted to. Elrond Hubbard also was in Lord of the Rings
and is going to be in the Hobbit too. He was also agent Smith.
That explains a lot, actually.
Watched The Three Stooges movie last night.. Had some funny parts, better than expected. 28 / 40.
Quote from: Staggerwing on November 27, 2012, 08:45:47 PM
Quote from: Longdan on November 27, 2012, 08:34:21 PM
Next thing you are going to tell us it wasn't real when Jennifer Grey got blown up.
You are like those guys who doubt Hogan's Heroes and Santa and Baby Jesus.
If they blew up Jennifer Grey again I would go and see it.
Danman, I saw every episode of Hogans Heroes and I swear that neither Santa or Baby Jesus was in any of them. I did spot L. Ron Hubbard in several though. He was dressed as a guard up in the tower.
Good eye. Explains a lot. Well, ok, actually it doesn't. But it does sound cool.
Quote from: eyebiter on November 28, 2012, 08:07:42 AM
Watched The Three Stooges movie last night.. Had some funny parts, better than expected. 28 / 40.
Yeah, I'd see it again. I thought that the main cast did a great job recreating Larry, Moe, and Curly.
I saw Rise of the Guardians with the family last night. It was alright. I did like the Jack Frost character and teh Boogieman, but Santa with tattoos? Pah'lease. Lame. Also I don't know why they cannot make shows any more that are more directed for the 3-7 year old crowd during the holidays. That is crap.
I watched Lawless today. It's a true story about the three Bondurat brothers who ran moonshine in prohibition era Virginia. I love prohibition era gangster films so I was looking forward to this one. The movie was well cast and the cinematography and sets were great. The initial set up was very promising with Guy Pierce playing a sleazy, vicious corrupt cop trying to force the brothers into working for him and the county comissioner but then the film kind of meandered throughout the middle and final acts. It wasn't bad, but it was unevenly paced and could've been much more. I think it's another film that suffered from too many fingers in the pie. It felt like some corporate hack demanded that a couple of love interests be thrown in to appeal to the chicks in the audience and these caused the main story to lose focus and cohesion.
Decent, but could have been better.
The Mrs. and I caught Killing Them Softly. I don't know why there is Academy Award buzz for Brad Pitt over this flick. I'd say that everyone else in this movie did a better acting job; especially James Gandolfini. That said, I have no idea why his character was in the flick, other than to fill screen time with a sub-plot to nowhere. Actually, that might not be a fair statement, we had to leave just before the end of the flick to be home in time for 40Jr to arrive off of the school bus, so his sub-plot may have had a climax.
This movie is slow and plodding, with lots of dialogue. You know, shit critics love. But when the violence happens (Ray Liotta got the puke beat out of him, literally- and 3 people get gunned-down), it is tense and visceral. There is great cinematography too, if you're into that kind of thing. Otherwise it's a low-rent Goodfellas on prozac. Actually "Drive" might be a better comparison.
I'm torn, because I recognize that it is a good movie, but I just wasn't all that entertained.
30 out of 40.
Looper was a decent time travel movie, if you could ignore the plot holes. One of those movies where you have to pay attention. 32/40
Red Dawn remake - had some decent AK rifles, lot of explosions, and sports car with a mini gun. Given the choice would rather watch the original 1984 movie instead. 17/40
Quote from: eyebiter on December 14, 2012, 02:05:15 PM
Looper was a decent time travel movie, if you could ignore the plot holes.
Time travel movies and plot holes, like love and marriage.
Going to see Monsters Inc on the big screen this afternoon. I like the movie and am pretty excited to see it in a theater with a big o' tub of popcorn.
We'll probably hit it this weekend too.
Monsters Inc. rocks. This is the type of family movie that the need to make more of these days. Good, clean fun and humor.
Batman: Year One (animated movie) is an excellent version of the graphic novel. 34/40
The Dark Knight Returns - Part 1 is also an excellent adaptation. 35/40.
I'm very behind on my super hero movies. I'm pretty stoked about the upcoming Man of Steel movie though.
Quote from: mirth on December 21, 2012, 07:54:43 PM
The Dark Knight Returns - Part 1 is also an excellent adaptation. 35/40.
Never heard of this one. Is it an animated film?
Quote from: Martok on December 23, 2012, 11:37:32 AM
Quote from: mirth on December 21, 2012, 07:54:43 PM
The Dark Knight Returns - Part 1 is also an excellent adaptation. 35/40.
Never heard of this one. Is it an animated film?
It is an animated film. It's an adaptation of the Frank Miller comic series that was done in the 80s. Part 1 of the film version was released a couple of months ago. Whether or not you ever read the comic version, the movie is well worth watching.
IIRC Batman Year One was a follow-on (prequel) to Dark Knight Returns and also done by Frank Miller. Elements of both Year One and the Dark Knight Returns were adopted for the Christopher Nolan trilogy.
Quote from: mirth on December 23, 2012, 12:12:04 PM
IIRC Batman Year One was a follow-on (prequel) to Dark Knight Returns and also done by Frank Miller. Elements of both Year One and the Dark Knight Returns were adopted for the Christopher Nolan trilogy.
This has crossed into realms of geekdom I didn't know you frequented Mirth.
Quote from: mirth on December 23, 2012, 12:07:35 PM
Quote from: Martok on December 23, 2012, 11:37:32 AM
Quote from: mirth on December 21, 2012, 07:54:43 PM
The Dark Knight Returns - Part 1 is also an excellent adaptation. 35/40.
Never heard of this one. Is it an animated film?
It is an animated film. It's an adaptation of the Frank Miller comic series that was done in the 80s. Part 1 of the film version was released a couple of months ago. Whether or not you ever read the comic version, the movie is well worth watching.
Hmm, may have to check it out. However, one question must be answered first: Is the title character still voiced by Kevin Conroy?
Quote from: Bison on December 24, 2012, 12:34:36 AM
Quote from: mirth on December 23, 2012, 12:12:04 PM
IIRC Batman Year One was a follow-on (prequel) to Dark Knight Returns and also done by Frank Miller. Elements of both Year One and the Dark Knight Returns were adopted for the Christopher Nolan trilogy.
This has crossed into realms of geekdom I didn't know you frequented Mirth.
The man has hidden depths!
Took the wife and kids to see Parental Guidance last night. Story lines were predictable, but a good funny movie. A friend of ours went along, and as she said, it's good to see that Hollywood can still make a good movie with our cursing, nudity or blowing things up. J is 9 and O is 12 and they both liked it. Theater was just about sold out.
Lots of laughs. I'll give it 31 out of 40.
I went to see Jack Reacher last night. I wasn't expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised. Pretty standard alpha make action hero type main character but some of his one liners were pretty damned funny and the story moved along at a decent clip.
7.5/10
If it don't have cursing, nudity or blowing things up I ain't going.
I can live without cursing since I can do it myself but the others
are pretty much essential in a movie. I do think it is wrong to
present nudity as artful or essential to the plot line or to keep
it from kids. Some people just look better naked than others
and I find naked actresses hold my attention better than the ones
with clothes on who are talking and stuff. As for explosions, what
were movies about before they had explosions?
You are right if you said nothing because they never made any
movies before they could make explosions.
Even back in the days of Lord of the Rings they had lots of explosions.
Skyfall was a decent James Bond film. Much improved over Quantum of Solace. Good action sequences, a few interesting locations. Long movie though, could have used some editing in the second act. 34/40
I saw Zero Dark Thirty last night.
On the one hand, I liked the (mostly) detached approach it took to examining the events from 2001 to 2011. There was little in the way of moralizing or rationalizing of the events portrayed in the film. They did stray a bit from this approach when they decided not to recreate or show any of the footage of the 9/11 attacks but opted for 911 call voice recordings played over a black screen but didn't show the same restraint when it came to the 7/7/7 attacks or the Marriott hotel bombing in Islamabad.
On the other hand, I did not like the fact that they felt they had to create a fictional CIA agent to personify the single-minded drive to get OBL. Worse, they chose to make her into a kind of Erin Brockovich feminist wet dream type who's constantly butting heads with stupid men who just won't listen!
It was OK but I think that it'll be another Hurt Locker type film in that a bunch of self-styled experts who don't actually know much about the actual subject matter will loudly proclaim it to be sooooo realistic and it'll become the accepted version of reality.
And that is how Hollywood makes history.
Saw Jack Reacher yesterday. I've never read the book(s) and I never even knew about the Jack Reacher character until the movie trailer came out; so I had no preconceived notions. I didn't even know what to expect. It was an ok crime thriller; some of the stuff you could see coming, others you could not. It was fairly serious except for a deliberately funny scene where 2 overly enthusiastic half-witted goons try to mess-up Reacher (Tom Cruise) with a BB bat and a crowbar.
The Reacher character was played like a Libertarian hero, self reliant, strong and living off of the grid- answering to no one but himself and his own sense of morality and justice. But why Cruise? What would interest him in THAT role?
Peeps have said that Reacher is supposed to be physically intimidating, so my eye was peeled to see if they'd use some movie magic to make Cruise look larger than he is... and they did. There was a scene where Reacher was walking through a crowded tavern, and the way the scene was shot, Cruise appeared to be taller than everyone else in the joint. Accidentally funny.
I'd say that it's an okay rental. Go ahead and pay full price at the theatre if you've got nothing better to do.
24 out of 40.
I saw the latest Die Hard movie today. It's just plain bad. I think Willis was on Rohypnol during the entire filming because he was pretty much just sleep walking through the whole thing.
The plot is nonsensical. It feels like they hired writers from a twitch based video game to come up with set pieces and then tried to build a story around that. A story that was designed by a marketing committee who found a graph of "cool Die Hard" moments and decided to just reinsert every one of those into this film.
Remember the limo driver from the first film? We should totally have like a wacky guy who drives Bruce Willis around and makes wisecracks. Let's make him a Russian cabbie this time! Brilliant!
Remember how Alan Rickman and Willis talked about Americans being cowboys in the first film? We should totally have the bad guy say he hates cowboys! Brilliant!!
Remember how Bruce Willis had his yippie kay yay catchphrase? We should come up with a new catchphrase! I know! He's in Russia. Let's have him keep yelling "But I'm on vacation" every time something nearly kills him! Brilliant!!!
Remember how the bad guy fell off that building in slow motion while looking back up towards the camera? We should totally do that again! Brilliant!!!!
What about an intelligent bad guy having a duel of wits with McLean where they both make mistakes and improvise clever solutions on the fly? Nah, people don't want to see that! Let's just add more explosions, a psychotic hot chick, and a bunch of Euro types as henchmen. That's what people really want to see!
2/10
Yeah, it was pretty weak. they've forgotten that what made John McLane an interesting character was that he WASN'T some sort of indestructible superman out to save the world. I really hope this is the last one.
Also, how in the Hell does that chick MISS THEM with a freaking HELICOPTER?! I mean, she isn't really even all that close!
The title's obvious reference to Star Trek & Klingons aside, I still liked
A Good Day to Die Hard well enough. But then, I rarely expect much from my action films; they're generally a guilty pleasure, nothing more.
That being said, I will admit I was bothered by how weak the bad guys seemed to be in this one (which
SDR also mentions). They really didn't have that solid a plan, they weren't good at improvising solutions on the fly, and McLane and his son rarely feel like they're ever in much real danger. I'll credit the movie with surprising me with the reveal/twist towards the end, but otherwise I do have to agree the villains are easily the lamest in the series thus far.
Quote from: Arctic Blast on February 27, 2013, 02:14:21 AM
I really hope this is the last one.
I wouldn't bet on it...
Everybody has their favourite for different reasons. I thought the stupidest one was the one where
the bad guys were crashing airplanes at xmas or something. Because I worked at Air Traffic Services
that movie had so freakin' many technical plotholes in the premise that I cannot watch it.
Even their attempted band aid explanations are so stupid they are not even wrong.
I suppose when it is an area of expertise it becomes unwatchable.
Went to see the Evil Dead (2013). This is a more serious production, without the quirky humor of the Bruce Campbell films.
However if you want gore, this is the movie for you. Solid remake with a darker tone than the original. Worth the price of admission.
31/40
Saw GI Joe Retaliation. Not great, but cheesy fun. Needed more hot chicks. Still, much better than the first one.
25/40.
Quote from: mirth on April 08, 2013, 09:41:43 AM
Saw GI Joe Retaliation. Not great, but cheesy fun. Needed more hot chicks. Still, much better than the first one.
25/40.
You went to a public showing at a theatre? :oYou better have had kids with you or you risk revokation of your man card. Indulgences like this film should be enjoyed with buds at home, with beer... and a bigscreen.....
;) ;) ;) ;) ;)
Quote from: Windigo on April 08, 2013, 12:44:00 PM
Quote from: mirth on April 08, 2013, 09:41:43 AM
Saw GI Joe Retaliation. Not great, but cheesy fun. Needed more hot chicks. Still, much better than the first one.
25/40.
You went to a public showing at a theatre? :oYou better have had kids with you or you risk revokation of your man card. Indulgences like this film should be enjoyed with buds at home, with beer... and a bigscreen.....
;) ;) ;) ;) ;)
Went with the GF. She enjoyed the beefcake. And I have to admit that The Rock is ruggedly handsome. No Aquaman, but still...
We saw the Croods yesterday. Excellent family film.
Quote from: Bison on April 08, 2013, 02:20:30 PM
We saw the Croods yesterday. Excellent family film.
Agreed. Great, colourful animation to boot!
I went to see Olympus Has Fallen. It's dumb, full of plot holes, and spilling over with jingoistic, flag-waving posturing but if you just turn your brain off and go in expecting a dumb movie where a lot of people get shot in the face, it's not so bad.
6.5/10
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on April 09, 2013, 02:17:57 PM
I went to see Olympus Has Fallen. It's dumb, full of plot holes, and spilling over with jingoistic, flag-waving posturing but if you just turn your brain off and go in expecting a dumb movie where a lot of people get shot in the face, it's not so bad.
6.5/10
You are generous ... I saw it with two women who thought it was great... myself... 2 self-performed lobotomy proceedures outta 5
The women folk love Gerard Butler.
Quote from: Centurion40 on April 11, 2013, 08:34:09 AM
The women folk love Gerard Butler.
I loved him in The Ugly Truth....
I have never loved Gerard Butler. He might be okay to hang out with.
I love Salma Hayek and have had sex with her thousands of times.
Saw the next GI Joe installment. This may not come as a shock, but it pretty much blows. Could be awesome if you're 8 years old and you don't care about a decent storyline or logic! There are lots of 'splosions and action!!
20 out of 40
Iron Man 3, well, I guess that I can sum it up the same way that I described Iron Man 2... it's not as good as the original Iron Man.
It's longer and it's in 3D, so there is that... but... well... it lacks something. That being said, I felt the same after seeing IM2 and that one has really grown on me. Hopefully IM3 will grow on me too.
Lots of plot development in this one (the kind of shit that critics eat-up), lots of story-line, lots of time with a slightly twitchy Tony Stark running around like a sleuth or secret agent with no Iron Man suit... which kinda makes 3D pointless.
Without (hopefully) releasing any spoilers, Tony goes a bit twitchy after battling aliens in the streets of New York (The Avengers). He can't sleep, has panic attacks, and tinkers all the time. Meanwhile a terrorist mastermind called "Mandarin" is challenging the US. Happy gets hurt in one of Mandarin's bomb blasts, Tony snaps and calls the Mandarin out on TV, the Mandarin blows-up his house, almost killing both Tony and Pepper, and then Tony travels the country (with no Iron Man suit) trying to track-down and kill the Mandarin. Big battle at the end. The end. Well, not quite the end, there is the obligatory scene at the end of the credits. Staying for it was a complete waste of time, IMHO.
SPOILER ALERT
Here is the end scene, I'll change the font. Highlight it to read what it says. The scene shows Tony sitting on a psychiatrist's couch, unloading all of his problems and thanking the shrink for helping him carry his burdens. Cut to the shrink, who is asleep. But wait, the shrink is Bruce Banner! He apologizes for sleeping, telling Stark that he's not "that kind of doctor". The end.
END SPOILER ALERT
So what do I give it? I'm giving it a 31 out of 40. I was hoping for a 35-38 out of 40.
I actually liked the second Iron Man film more than the first one (I enjoyed the original as well), so maybe I'll like this one even more?
Give it a shot! I mean, what have you got to lose?
Without Agent Coulson, how good can any of the Marvel movies really be?
Did they actually have a funeral for Agent Coulson? if not, then all bets are off.
Clark Gregg, the actor who plays Coulson, said he's been informed his character will return. (Yay!)
The Mrs and I saw Oblivion this afternoon, and honestly, it wasn't that bad. The trailers let too much of the cat out the bag, IMHO it would have been better if I didn't know that the "Scavs" were humans. But there were still some twists that made the movie ok to watch.
SPOILER ALERT
It's almost the perfect cross between Omega Man, Independence Day, and Moon
SPOILER ALERT ENDS
I'd give it a solid 32 out of 40
^ I still want to see that one as well, despite my father and one of my best friends not caring for it.
That my friend wasn't enthralled with Oblivion doesn't surprise me, as she's just not a big sci-fi buff. (She only went to the movie to hang out with her brother, who *is*. ;) ) I'm a little more concerned about my dad not liking it -- his main issue is that he got confused/bored trying to follow the plot.
Oh yeah, I went and saw Iron Man 3 Sunday evening. I didn't love it, but I certainly liked it well enough -- I'd rate it somewhere in between the first two films (bearing in mind that the second one remains my favorite).
I liked most of the plot development & dialogue, and the action scenes were (as usual) very well done; I loved the final battle! The relationship between Tony and Pepper is fleshed out a good bit, as is his friendship with Colonel Rhodes/War Machine (and even Happy to a lesser degree). Stark's interaction with the boy Harley felt a little rough at first, but eventually found a natural flow & rhythm. Despite being yet another streetwise, smartass kid, I ended up enjoying Harley's character, especialy when he was able to help talk Stark out of some of his panic attacks. I found the stinger after the credits to be pretty damn funny myself, but I suspect that one's really going to be a case of YMMV.
The single biggest complaint I have is regarding the main villain: He's guilty of even more skewed motivations than those in the first two films...not to mention some seriously disproportionate retribution (which was in response to [SPOILER ALERT] Stark pulling a dick move on him 13-14 years prior to the main events of the film) [/SPOILER ALERT]; any sympathy you might have had for him completely disappears by the halfway point. IMHO, it would've been better to have simply made him ax-crazy like The Dark Knight's Joker.
On the other hand, I absolutely loved [SPOILER ALERT] Ben Kingsley's performance as the so-called Mandarin; that was a nice bit of misdirection there. Also, it was fun to see him play a comedic role for once; the image of him playing a perpetually drunk stage actor with a lower-class British accent[/SPOILER ALERT] was friggin' hilarious!
Personally, I'd rate the movie slightly higher -- probably a 33 out of 40 -- but overall I'd say 40Cent's impressions are pretty spot on.
Yeah man, check-out Oblivion. The story-line did have twists, but it was not that hard to follow. However, if you went to piss or zoned-out during Morgan Freeman's last monologue, then you would have missed the story that tied a lot of the plot twists together. The overall story line isn't bad. Sure, bits are poached from other movies- but what is really original these days?
It would be a totally-worthwhile cheap night or rental viewing choice. I kept thinking that, had this movie been made 30 years ago, it would be deemed a "sci-fi classic" and someone would have cashed-in big on the toy merchandising.
Go alone, or with a male friend. My wife got up 3/4s of the way through and went shopping.
I just watched Gladiator for about the 1000th time. I can't get enough of that movie. Everything about it is awesome.
Quote from: Gusington on May 16, 2013, 09:28:30 PM
I just watched Gladiator for about the 1000th time. I can't get enough of that movie. Everything about it is awesome.
(https://i.chzbgr.com/maxW500/3917087744/hBEA4565A/)
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^Ha! Nice response, Gus 8)
If my current avatar wasn't fantastic I would use the above :)
Could be time for a change. It's hard to beat Russell Crowe with a sword.
Jackie Gleason reading So There I Was beats Russell Crowe.
Yeah, ah.....no. But admittedly, I've never been a Jackie Gleason fan, so there is that.
WHAT
True that, sorry. But I see you changed your avatar just for me. I feel like Sally Field accepting her Oscar
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Sally Field is still kinda sorta doable.
Uh, judging from that pic....that may be exactly what's happening :o
Iron Man 3 - Another decent sequel, but second half of the story was overshadowed by the special effects. 34/40
Star Trek Into Darkness - Great F/X, contrived plot. Bonus points for making the engineering deck of the Enterprise an industrial accident just waiting to happen. Worth seeing in the theater if you like Star Trek. 31/40
Star Trek, Iron Man 3, Oblivion....I've got to do some catching up!
I've gotta go with Eyebiter on the Iron Man 3 review. I liked that it kept me glued to the screen, but I gotta admit the 2nd half was overwhelming. My biggest complaint was the quick ending - like they realized that they hadn't thought about what should happen after all the coolness came to an end.
35/40
40Jr. was really ticked off by the ending. He said that the ending almost ruined the whole movie!!
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I watched Gangster Squad on DVD. It wasn't bad but the tone felt a little off, it had too many cliches, and it was a little too earnest and self aware at times. Loved the sets and look of 1940s L.A. though.
Makes me want to fire up L.A. Noire and play through it again.
I just came back from Iron Man 3. Took wife and O&J, they all loved it. I'll agree with Eyebiter.
Star Trek Into Darkness: Solid sequel. Not as good as the last one though. No real surprises. Should have made better use of McCoy, Chekov and Sulu. Especially McCoy, Karl Urban owns that role now.
34/40
OH! They showed previews for the next Thor movie, out in November of this year;
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1981115/?ref_=sr_1
Quote from: mirth on May 18, 2013, 08:56:07 PM
Star Trek Into Darkness: Solid sequel. Not as good as the last one though. No real surprises. Should have made better use of McCoy, Chekov and Sulu. Especially McCoy, Karl Urban owns that role now.
34/40
I agree about Karl Urban. Quinto aces the Spock role, but Urban as McCoy was the most pleasant surprise of the first movie. Overall, brilliant casting choices.
I'm on the Karl Urban bandwagon too! He was great in "Red" as well.
Watched "Mama" last night on Amazon. Pretty damn good if you like actual horror movies and don't confuse good horror with copious amounts of gore substituting for plot. Decent acting and quite a few scares and I didn't quite anticipate the ending I got. Worth watching.
The trailer for Mama looked pretty scary!
Quote from: mirth on May 18, 2013, 08:56:07 PM
Star Trek Into Darkness: Solid sequel. Not as good as the last one though. No real surprises. Should have made better use of McCoy, Chekov and Sulu. Especially McCoy, Karl Urban owns that role now.
34/40
What mirth said, mostly. I liked it, and liked the twist on the old story. I'm looking forward to many years from this franchise.
34/40
One of the better reviews I've read for Star Trek Into Darkness. Captures the strengths and weaknesses well. Very little in the way of spoilers for those who haven't seen it.
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2013/05/star-trek-into-darkness-impressive-but-imperfect/
Saw Epic with the family this evening. It was a decent enough kids action cartoon. It had it's moments, but nothing overly noteworthy or bad.
Saw Hangover III and, IMHO, it's no better than Hangover II.
I loved the first Hangover, I really did. But this new one is as much a waste of time as the 2nd one.
23/40
Saw After Earth last night. Quite possibly the worst movie scifi I've seen ever (I never saw Battlefield Earth). I walked away trying to figure out what the point was. However since it was so bad and I saw it with friends it made for a fun evening.
Saw Man of Steel tonight. Wowee, best Superman EVAH!! The scenes on Krypton made me wish that I'd gone to the IMAX. Truly epic.
Although there was no gore and no swearing beyond "ass", this was an intense film at times. There was widespread death and destruction at the hands of General Zod and his troops. The story strayed at bit from the canon (without too much spoiler, Clark Kent [pre-Daily Planet] spends some time in Canada, and there are some shameless Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale product placements... something that I never thought that I'd see in a Hollywood blockbuster) but it didn't annoy me in the slightest. Instead I was almost totally entertained. Sure there were issues, but overall I would call this one a must see.
35/40
Just watched The African Queen...slightly dated and cheesy but I like Humphrey Bogart.
I just watched Platoon and The Lost Boys. I had forgotten Johnny Depp was in Platoon and that Jami Gertz was in The Lost Boys. Bill S. Preston, Esq., too ;)
Porky's.
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 15, 2013, 08:05:32 PM
Saw Man of Steel tonight. Wowee, best Superman EVAH!! The scenes on Krypton made me wish that I'd gone to the IMAX. Truly epic.
Although there was no gore and no swearing beyond "ass", this was an intense film at times. There was widespread death and destruction at the hands of General Zod and his troops. The story strayed at bit from the canon (without too much spoiler, Clark Kent [pre-Daily Planet] spends some time in Canada, and there are some shameless Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale product placements... something that I never thought that I'd see in a Hollywood blockbuster) but it didn't annoy me in the slightest. Instead I was almost totally entertained. Sure there were issues, but overall I would call this one a must see.
35/40
Thanks for the review, 40. I've heard good things about Man of Steel, but it's nice to have the perspective of a friend. This may be the best of the summer movies. Star Trek was a bit of a let down and I passed on Iron Man 3 on the sense that it was more of the same.
Going in, I had VERY low expectations for this movie- therefore I may have been a bit more easy to seduce.
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 16, 2013, 01:43:24 PM
Going in, I had VERY low expectations for this movie- therefore I may have been a bit more easy to seduce.
I didn't have much in the way of expectations either. It's a long suffering franchise. However the reviews for this one have been mostly positive and it sounds like it stands above the rest of this year's crop of summer flicks.
Better than Superman III with Richard Pryor? And the Lost Boys and Platoon are two of my favorites. I am offended I was not invited.
Quote from: Gusington on June 16, 2013, 04:42:05 PM
Better than Superman III with Richard Pryor?
Don't forget Robert Vaughn.
The best thing about Superman III was Annette O'Toole as Lana Lang and the fact that Annette O'Toole latter played Martha Kent in Smallville. Thus creating a nicely incestuous circle in the Superman universe.
Star Trek Into Darkness was pretty awesome IMHO. I thought the opening was a little lame, but not horrible.
I didn't know there was a best thing about Superman III. Or IV for that matter. There was a IV right?
I still have hopes for WWZ. I know its not the book but whatever. kill zombies and save the world. GTG
hopefully there will be some boobies.
The fact they censored the story to omit the infestation starting in China as to not piss off Chinese censors is lame. I saw the trailer today and it looks alright. It seemed a step above The Lone Ranger and that Pacific Rim crap, but not much. Plus I want to punch Brad Pitt in the face.
I used to hate brad pitt. but fuck... hes really a damn good actor. what I hate is every woman screeching about how good looking he is.
Mr. & Mrs. Smith is one of those movies I always watch when its on. its a perfect love story to me.
I still want to punch him.
if it makes you feel better, I did get to punch marylin manson once in the mouth. it was before he was who he was and he was mouthing off to a lady friend of mine at the time. he was high off of a battle of the bands thing that his group had won and took it a step to far with a girl I knew. I hear hes much better behaved now.
Good job!
as an aside... you never know who you'll meet or know. Ill say this though. the lead singer/songwriter for Gwar is not only a huge wargamer but a damn cool guy to meet and know.
I don't even know what a Gwar is but I do know what a gar is however.
well google gwar and watch some videos.
after that take a step back and think that that guy was one of the few people to give me a run for my money is a Close Combat game.
Huh. I don't think I'll be purchasing any of their songs anytime soon.
understandable.
after all, if its to loud....
Quote from: Gusington on June 16, 2013, 04:42:05 PM
Better than Superman III with Richard Pryor? And the Lost Boys and Platoon are two of my favorites. I am offended I was not invited.
I called and asked the Mrs. if you could come out to play. She said, and I quote, "No f-ing way." So there it is.
That sounds about right. I was listening o Gwar.
Cool story Star, about Manson. I have heard many tales of his dickdom. I saw Marilyn Manson play at a Nothing Records show years ago. He spun his mike stand in the air and hit his drummer in the head, sending him to the hospital.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on June 16, 2013, 08:35:06 PM
as an aside... you never know who you'll meet or know. Ill say this though. the lead singer/songwriter for Gwar is not only a huge wargamer but a damn cool guy to meet and know.
The shit one learns in these forums!!
Quote from: Gusington on June 15, 2013, 10:21:40 PM
Just watched The African Queen...slightly dated and cheesy but I like Humphrey Bogart.
but its classic cheese .... loved it
Bogie died only 5-6 years after starring in The African Queen :(
I watched Borne Ultimatium this afternoon, while it's a decent enough action flick it doesn't compare to Borne Identity in quality.
Caddyshack was on last night. I loves me some Caddyshack!!
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I watched I Love You to Death on Starz last night. It was ok.
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 18, 2013, 08:59:50 AM
Caddyshack was on last night. I loves me some Caddyshack!!
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Caddyshack rules!
With The Wife away I caught up on some movies she would never watch...saw Abe Lincoln Vampire Hunter and fell asleep. I liked the book though. Also watched Dark Shadows which was ok. I am usually a sucker for anything Tim Burton and Johnny Depp do together.
and thats why youre 'normal' where some of us arent.
What's wrong with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp?
nothing. but with no wife at home your choices are lackluster to say the least.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on June 19, 2013, 09:12:43 PM
nothing. but with no wife at home your choices are lackluster to say the least.
Maybe 'Nightshift Nurses in Bondage' was already checked out at the corner video store?
I was actually thinking of a marathon session of the last few seasons of Doctor Who or Top Gear.
knowing what we're dealing with Im just hoping he doesnt overdose on Downton Abby.
I really need to kick this BBC kick Ive been on.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on June 19, 2013, 09:18:07 PM
I was actually thinking of a marathon session of the last few seasons of Doctor Who or Top Gear.
knowing what we're dealing with Im just hoping he doesnt overdose on Downton Abby.
I really need to kick this BBC kick Ive been on.
Downton Abby doesn't click with me. There's no Jules Verne or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle angle, no Steampunk World-Domination Plot, and no schizophrenic Peter O'Toole. I just don't get the fuss... ???
There are some hot broads in Downton Abbey. Like the Grandma.
Don't worry Star I got my share of illicit viewing in too, mostly of Madison Ivy. HAWT!
Im GDS Starfury and I approve of your selection.
Yeah Madison Ivy is a little sumpthin sumpthin.
Saw Monster's Univeristy last night with the kids. Not a bad movie, but it wasn't as good as Monster's Inc. Not even close. Good flick for a family outing however.
Quote from: Bison on June 24, 2013, 12:37:53 PM
Saw Monster's Univeristy last night with the kids. Not a bad movie, but it wasn't as good as Monster's Inc. Not even close. Good flick for a family outing however.
Agreed. Animal House for 8 year-olds.
Just got back from seeing This is the End, and honestly I don't know what to make of it. Hollywood stoners in the Biblical apocalypse; weird. I had a couple of chuckles, but I can't really say that it was all that funny. There was character development & and the Hollywood stoner stars all made fun of themselves, so I guess that's why the critics liked it some much.
The story centers around Jay Baruchel and Seth Rogan, playing themselves. Jay (who lives outside of Los Angeles, and who hates the LA lifestyle) is visiting Seth, and Seth drags him to a housewarming party at James Franco's. During the course of the party, Armageddon breaks out- complete with the Rapture (although no one at the party gets "raptured"... which is one of the jokes). Lots of people die, leaving Franco, Rogan, and Baruchel- along with Jonah Hill, Danny McBride and Craig Robinson all holed-up in Franco's house, trying to figure out what is going on. Only Baruchel seems to get it at first, leading to some additional tension in the home.
I must say that I liked the premise, I just didn't like how it all played out. It wasn't as wacky and madcap as I would have assumed. I mean one of the "funniest" bits was Jonah Hill getting raped by a demon, and then being possessed a la The Exorcist. Weird, yes. Kind of unique (for that crowd of actors), yes. But funny? Not really.
20 out of 40, because I was expecting a more amusing flick.
Oh, and Steelie- Emma Watson looked super cute.
Saw Man of Steel tonight. I wouldn't say it was great, but it was definitely good -- certainly better than Superman Returns (although admittedly that's not necessarily saying much) -- and probably as enjoyable as the first two Christopher Reeves films from the 80's, albeit for not entirely the same reasons.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
Snyder assembled a talented cast for this movie, and generally they work well -- both as individual performances, and together as an ensemble. I thought Kevin Costner was an inspired choice for the role of Jonathan Kent, but it was Russell Crowe who I found to be a(n especially) pleasant surprise in his portrayal of a slightly dour (but still noble) Jor-El. Michael Shannon was very good as the well-intentioned (but still evil) General Zod. And with apologies to Margot Kidder, I think I have to admit Amy Adams is now my favorite Lois Lane; she manages to pull off smart, brave, and sympathetic all at once. A couple of the actors/characters (most notably Jadin Gould as a young Lana Lang and Laurence Fishburne as Daily Planet chief Perry White) felt a little under-utilized, but not criminally so.
Probably the film's single biggest strength is that the title character is much more human this time around -- far more so than any previous Superman title -- and is thus easier to relate to. The movie's main plot of course revolves around Clark's/Kal-El's struggle to fit in with humanity, and more generally to find his place in this world. (Despite the pyrotechnics involved, Zod attacking Earth and battlling Clark is only the secondary storyline.) Credit must be given not only to Cavill as the adult Clark/Superman, but also to Dylan Sprayberry as the teenage Clark, for giving believable performances of a superpowered being badly wanting to deny their heritage/fate, to just "be normal". (For those with a Christian background, parallels & comparisons to Jesus are almost inevitable.) I did find the angst to be a bit much at times, and Cavill in particular gets rather "emo" more often that I cared for, but overall he & Sprayberry did a good job of giving us a Clark Kent we can sympathize with.
Critiques:
IMHO, too much time was spent explaining the "whys" and minutae of Superman's various attributes -- why he has an "S" on his costume (it's actually the Kryptonian symbol for "hope"), why he feels so weak in a Kryptonian-type atmosphere (his body had spent over 30 years acclimating itself to Earth's), etc. Most folks don't *need* to know the explanation (and the science/history) behind these things; we just accept those aspects of Superman and move on. MOS is a fairly long movie (I believe it clocks in just under 2 1/2 hours), and this stuff is about 15 minutes that could easily have been eliminated from it without alienating viewers.
Although speaking of alienating... If your introduction to Superman was via the comic books, odds are you're not gonna like this movie. I'm only a casual fan myself, and so am not bothered by the changes the film makes, but hardcore devotees will likely be dismayed and/or enraged by the various deviations from previously-established canon. Just warning you now.
I also found the military's initial attitude towards Clark (when he first reveals himself to the world) to be both baffling and a little hard to swallow. When he voluntarily gives himself up to the USAF, and makes it clear that literally nothing in the world could've forcibly compelled him to do so, you think they might have shown him a little more respect right off the bat. And when you have gunships bearing down on Superman fighting two of his fellow Kryptonians -- and you *know* the latter two are here to conquer/destroy your world -- are you really going to order your troops to fire on all three of them (especially when your own subordinates note Superman appears to be fighting for the Humans)? I mean, yeah Superman's going to get hit by friendly fire while engaging in close-quarters combat like that, but why on earth would you deliberately target him?? I know it's a minor point overall, and the military does eventually realize Superman is on their side, but it still bugged me.
Another reason I wasn't entirely enthralled with the movie is I'm admittedly not a big fan of all these "gritty" remakes/reboots that have been the rage the last decade or so; it just starts to get old after a while. When it comes to films and video games, "gritty" seems to imply harsh and ugly. Now I'll be the first to admit that yes, there is, in fact, a lot about the world that *is* harsh & ugly. However, isn't that one of the reasons so many of us like to watch movies -- to forget about that part of the world for a while? And to remember that there's also much in this world that's good/beautiful? I don't know; maybe it's just me.
Ultimately, though, these are all fairly minor complaints. In the end, I enjoyed Man of Steel, and don't regret spending the money (or time) to sit down in a theater and watch it. Those who generally like these types of films will like this one too, as will those who prefer their heroes to be more relatable and easier to identify with. Superman may be more than merely human, but this movie makes it clear he's still a lot more like us than not.
33/40
Saw World War Z two nights ago.
*face palm*
Quote from: Windigo on June 28, 2013, 11:18:41 AM
Saw World War Z two nights ago.
*face palm*
That bad? The TV critic said it was OK as a summer action movie.
Quote from: LongBlade on June 28, 2013, 11:35:15 AM
Quote from: Windigo on June 28, 2013, 11:18:41 AM
Saw World War Z two nights ago.
*face palm*
That bad? The TV critic said it was OK as a summer action movie.
only if you never read the book.
Kellie liked it though and never read the book ...
Quote from: Windigo on June 28, 2013, 11:45:57 AM
only if you never read the book.
Kellie liked it though and never read the book ...
Ah.
I've already resolved that I won't pay full price to see it. More likely a dollar at Red Box.
I've also resolved to try and forget as much of the book as I can while I watch it. I know I'll be disappointed in the comparison.
Quote from: LongBlade on June 28, 2013, 11:53:09 AM
Quote from: Windigo on June 28, 2013, 11:45:57 AM
only if you never read the book.
Kellie liked it though and never read the book ...
Ah.
I've already resolved that I won't pay full price to see it. More likely a dollar at Red Box.
I've also resolved to try and forget as much of the book as I can while I watch it. I know I'll be disappointed in the comparison.
SPOILER: How the heck are you going to reconcile zombie camouflage with the book?
My family and I saw WWZ this afternoon and we all liked it. I really don't understand why everyone on this planet is so hypercritical of the movie. I thought it was well done and I, like Russell Crowe in Gladiator, was entertained.
Quote from: W8taminute on June 29, 2013, 03:29:41 PM
My family and I saw WWZ this afternoon and we all liked it. I really don't understand why everyone on this planet is so hypercritical of the movie. I thought it was well done and I, like Russell Crowe in Gladiator, was entertained.
Have you read the book?
The main reservation I have is the huge departure from the book - it is so good. I don't expect the movie to even resemble the book, but it's a letdown just knowing they were supposed to be similar yet aren't.
I understand your point LB. My wife read the book and told me even though the movie strays far away from the book she still enjoyed it's (the movie) entertainment value. She doesn't even like Brad Pitt but thought he did a good job.
I think my opinion is what it is because I didn't read the book. Probably explains why I was not disappointed. After I found out what changed in the movie compared to the book I accepted that certain story elements needed changing in order to tell a good story on the big screen, which is a far different experience from reading a book. If now I could only be that open minded in the event they ever make a movie on the Horus Heresy. I'm sure I'll rage quit the movie if it is nothing like the series. 8)
I was beside myself with excitement when I heard that WWZ was being made into a movie. Now, I doubt that I'll ever see it in a theater.
A friend and co-worker saw it last week. He really enjoyed it and hopes that it will do well enough at the box office so that they will make a sequel. He didn't read the book.
The Mrs and I took 40Jr to see Despicable Me 2 in 3D last night. It was pretty good. Every bit as good as the first one; so if you liked #1, go and see #2. I must say that the animation and colours were spectacular. The Minions, as always, were a constant highlight.
32 out of 40.
Quote from: Centurion40 on July 01, 2013, 08:01:25 AM
A friend and co-worker saw it last week. He really enjoyed it and hopes that it will do well enough at the box office so that they will make a sequel. He didn't read the book.
so if i didn't had read the book. should I see the movie first, or would that spoil the reading?
or should i start with the first book (the guide), then the second book (which was turned into the actual movie WWZ) and watch the movie much later, when its aired on TV in a year or so?
Quote from: MikeGER on July 04, 2013, 09:05:47 AM
Quote from: Centurion40 on July 01, 2013, 08:01:25 AM
A friend and co-worker saw it last week. He really enjoyed it and hopes that it will do well enough at the box office so that they will make a sequel. He didn't read the book.
so if i didn't had read the book. should I see the movie first, or would that spoil the reading?
or should i start with the first book (the guide), then the second book (which was turned into the actual movie WWZ) and watch the movie much later, when its aired on TV in a year or so?
The movie has, basically, nothing to do with the book. So if you approach either with this information, you should be fine.
It's just that fans of the book (like me) are pissed off that the movie has nothing to do with the book! I (and I will only speak for myself here) was
really looking forward to seeing the book translated onto the big screen, and that didn't happen! I knew that a WWZ movie has been in the works since 2007- so I've been looking forward to it's release for years. The discovery that the movie has nothing to do with the book is a huge let-down and big disincentive to me wanting to go and pay $$ to see it!
Took 40Jr to seeThe Lone Ranger last night. It was ok; probably would have been better if they cut out about 20 minutes. There were a couple of good chuckles, but most of the people laughing were men in their 50s... people who would have seen the old Lone Ranger TV show reruns, back when there were only a small handful of channels on TV. 40Jr did not get most of the humour.
Disney clearly has tried to recreate the Pirates of the Caribbean magic in a new genre. There was danger, action, humour, a hint of romance and a touch of the supernatural- but it all didn't blend together in the same magic brew as the first Pirates film. Depp was fine, his deadpan Tonto even got a few genuine laughs. But overall, he couldn't push this film up beyond just being ok.
27 out of 40.
Quote from: MikeGER on July 04, 2013, 09:05:47 AM
Quote from: Centurion40 on July 01, 2013, 08:01:25 AM
A friend and co-worker saw it last week. He really enjoyed it and hopes that it will do well enough at the box office so that they will make a sequel. He didn't read the book.
so if i didn't had read the book. should I see the movie first, or would that spoil the reading?
or should i start with the first book (the guide), then the second book (which was turned into the actual movie WWZ) and watch the movie much later, when its aired on TV in a year or so?
Go see the movie. You'll enjoy it.
Then read the book and you'll find out why fans of the book are disappointed in the movie.
I expect Ill enjoy the movie even though Ive read the book. when I heard they were making the movie I knew they couldnt do the book justice.
My co-worker friend went back and saw WWZ for the 2nd time last night. He said that he enjoyed it more than the 1st time that he saw it.
Best character in the movie was the badass Israeli woman soldier.
40 Jr and I just got back from seeing Pacific Rim in IMAX 3D. Wowee, whatta spectacle! If you can manage to swallow a heaping helping of suspended disbelief, you'll enjoy this flick. It delivers everything promised in the trailers. It's 'real-life' anime. If you enjoy watching giant robots battling giant monsters.. well, this movie is for you.
One thing that I would have changed is having a more dramatic, 1st person reveal of the first arrival of a monster. The movie starts with around 5 minutes of Charlie Hunnam narrating the story of the arrival of the monsters (while video of the monsters and destruction rolls), and humanity's response to the threat- the Jaegers. Which was fine, but I guess that I'm used to more of a dramatic build-up in the initial reveal of a monster in a monster movie.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ft2.gstatic.com%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dtbn%3AANd9GcS9vcixzsVLsE9bIRYgIMaNd6yuRxzmx8ox4yO4qgE5i2T8Ep37YQ&hash=38ba07cc73d119965c9d6241de5e839a223690c9)
The only other thing that I would have changed is the end. It's been done, a couple of times over.
I stayed for the vignette (about 1/3 of the way through the credits); while they're not queuing-up for Pac Rim 2, this movie does not appear to be a part 1, I will say (without spoilers) that I love Ron Perlman's character.
I'm giving this a 35/40. A Godzilla movie just won't be the same again.
Charlie Hunnam AND Ron Perlman? What is this, SAMCRO versus the monsters?!
Quote from: MetalDog on July 16, 2013, 06:01:28 PM
What is this, SAMCRO versus the monsters?!
They couldn't quite do that. Everyone knows that alien monsters from another dimension would never dare take on SAMCRO.
Quote from: mirth on July 16, 2013, 06:41:11 PM
Quote from: MetalDog on July 16, 2013, 06:01:28 PM
What is this, SAMCRO versus the monsters?!
They couldn't quite do that. Everyone knows that alien monsters from another dimension would never dare take on SAMCRO.
As well they shouldn't!
I saw World War Zed today. Meh....
Too much shaky cam and Pitt was pretty much the herald of doom for whatever location he showed up at. Five minutes after he arrives, the place gets overrun no matter how secure it was before. You'd figure by the 4th city, the hapless UN types stationed there would shoot him on sight once they got word he was coming.
LOL
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on July 16, 2013, 06:56:26 PM
I saw World War Zed today. Meh....
Too much shaky cam and Pitt was pretty much the herald of doom for whatever location he showed up at. Five minutes after he arrives, the place gets overrun no matter how secure it was before. You'd figure by the 4th city, the hapless UN types stationed there would shoot him on sight once they got word he was coming.
If Jennifer Aniston was one of the UN types, she'd have pulled the trigger.
Saw Red 2 and it was every bit as good as the first Red.
32 out of 40
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on July 16, 2013, 06:56:26 PM
I saw World War Zed today. Meh....
Too much shaky cam and Pitt was pretty much the herald of doom for whatever location he showed up at. Five minutes after he arrives, the place gets overrun no matter how secure it was before. You'd figure by the 4th city, the hapless UN types stationed there would shoot him on sight once they got word he was coming.
lmao - i always thought this with Jack Bauer - every time it got to XX:59:59 there was a cliff hanger/explosion/murder/plot twist. After series 1 he should have checked his watch everytime he ran to a helicopter, car, fire exit, rendevous and thought 'shit, ill just wait til a few seconds past'
The Mrs. and I went to see Two Guns. Not bad, but not great either. A fine outing for a cheap night at your local cinema.
30 out of 40.
Watched the Lone Ranger... 19/40
WTF were they thinking? Who thought genocide scenes in a kids movie was a good idea?
The script was a mess, too much Dances with Wolves and not enough Pirates of the Caribbean.
Haven't seen a main character this incompetent since Green Lantern or Green Hornet.
Just watched Smurfs 2. Kids liked it. I did not. It was pretty horrible actually.
Pacific Rim... with two of my grandkids...
72% - not bad fight scenes, great special effects, but worn clichéd script..... needed some serious T&A and gratuitous sex
Just saw We're the Millers. Meh, very, very meh.
22 out of 40.
And now a rant. WTF is up with the trailers before this movie??!! Usually, they run trailers for other comedies when one goes to see a comedy. Not this time; this time is was a string of downers that only a critic could love. WTF? Friggen bummed me out. >:( :(
^Really? Even Jen Aniston doing a strip tease didn't raise this above a meh? :o
Aniston will never look hotter than in Horrible Bosses.
Quote from: MetalDog on August 19, 2013, 08:25:56 PM
Aniston will never look hotter than in Horrible Bosses.
QFT!
Horrible Bosses:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg002.lazygirls.info%2Fpeople%2Fjennifer_aniston%2Fjennifer_aniston_horrible_boss_9XrWg4Y.sized.jpg&hash=7c2ba02fa21a17beda82ad27df9ab0c75b16983e)
now We're the Millers:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg2-3.timeinc.net%2Fpeople%2Fi%2F2013%2Fnews%2F130603%2Fjennifer-aniston-1-600.jpg&hash=d858a0238615ec3bb69ce1c7ee3f62a57a98293c)
Got talked into going to Kick-Ass 2. I enjoyed the first one well enough. The second was feces. Nothing good to say about it apart from the fact that the cosplay chick (Night Bitch) had a great body.
2/10
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fscifimonkeys.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F07%2Fwpid-kick-ass-2-summer-movie-previes3.jpg&hash=4f973b1ebf6278bfc8117b5d8f3016acfea6c02d)
Oooo, bad news! I loved the first one and was hoping that #2 would be ok.
Thus far, I've seen almost nothing but scathing reviews for Kick-Ass 2. It's got only a 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
There were some decent ideas that very well could have been fun and interesting, but the script was just too weak.
****MINOR SPOILER****
A good superhero movie needs a good villain and they just did not have it in this film.
McLovin' throws out his Red Mist persona and decides to become the city's first super-villain. He decides to create a team of super-villains and goes about finding likely candidates. One is a spoof of Joe Pesci's character from Goodfellas. So we're treated to a very quick intro scene where a short, pudgy Italian guy with a 1970's porno mustache beats two guys to death with a pool cue. Then other characters refer to him as pube face. And that's pretty much it out of him for the rest of the film.
Another candidate is the black MMA fighter that McLovin' hires to train him to fight. McLovin' hires the guy and christens him "Black Death". Another character says "that's racist!". And that's the gag. Just that. And that's the tone of the whole film. Underwritten characters. Poor, lazy writing and cheap gags.
A sad report! :(
I went to see World's End today. I really liked Shaun of the Dead a lot and thought Hot Fuzz was pretty good so I had high hopes, especially as the film got generally positive reviews. In that light, it was a bit disappointing. There are certainly some funny moments to it but there were a lot of missteps as well. I think the thing that brought it down for me was Simon Pegg's character. He plays a 40-something loser who never outgrew his high-school days and I found him to be too obnoxious to care about when it finally got to the redemption phase.
It's not a bad film, I just think I went in with my expectations set too high. (it does make me want to go to England and go on a pub crawl though.)
went and saw The Wolverine over the weekend and liked it. ninjas, robots, shootouts, sexy oriental girls that kick ass. oh and that Wolverine guy.
fun time.
.
Finally watched Man of Steel. It was good, but frankly I'm tired of these repeated reboots. IMHO it didn't come close to topping the original film with Reeves, Hackman and Kidder. I will credit Henry Cavil and Michael Shannon with very strong performances. The rest of the cast was fine, if in many cases under-utilized (why waste Laurence Fishburne like that?). The most pleasant surprise for me was seeing Harry Lennix as the general charged with dealing with Superman and the other Kryptonians. I've been a fan of his since seeing him in Dollhouse.
33/40
In a futile attempt to stay dry during my vacation (do not go to SE Asia during monsoon season) I went to see Riddick 3: The Riddicking a few days ago. I really liked the style of the first and enjoyed the story well enough in spite of the ridiculous plot contrivance. The second was just awful IMO. I had no idea what to expect from the third and I ended up quite enjoying it.
It's very similar in look and feel to the first movie. Riddick is marooned on a planet and spends time doing his Bear Grylis routine. Then a couple of competing teams of bounty hunters show up to try to bring him in.
There's some wanking material for Starfury because whatsherface from Galactica who played Starbuck is in this film playing Starbuck again, but with a different name. Her career seems to be swirling the toilet faster than Lois Gossett Jr's. Anyway, she shows tit, so there's that...
I've been meaning to mention this, but I keep forgetting...
So a couple weeks ago, I finally sat down and watched Jar-Jar Abrams' Star Trek: Into Darkness with some friends (also big Trek fans) who picked it up on Blue-Ray. I was very wary, since (as most of you know) I utterly despised the first Abrams film.
Well all I can say is: Wow. What a difference four years makes.
I can scarcely believe it, but I actually enjoyed this one. Unlike the 2009 horrible-ness, this one actually *felt* like Star Trek. It had heart; it had soul.
Just as importantly, it had a coherent, plausible (for sci-fi), and well-written storyline...including actual character development. Pretty much all the main characters -- not just Kirk & Spock -- get some much-needed fleshing out (with the possible exception of poor Chekov). As for Khan, I don't know if Cumberbatch's portrayal can quite measure up to Montalban's (although that could just be the "purist" in me talking), but there's no denying he was very, very good.
I heard Abrams received a ton of flak for not having watched any of the shows or films prior to doing the 2009 movie. If so, it's clear he's since rectified that, as a number of scenes were obviously shout-outs to earlier films (especially The Wrath of Khan). I've also heard said shout-out scenes inspired a fair amount of nerd-rage among some Trekkies -- they felt it too obviously aped the original scenes -- but I personally felt they were well done. (Even Zachary Quinto's Spock doing the classic "KHAAAAAAN!!!" scream felt like a respectful homage.)
Ultimately, I have to say Into Darkness may have changed my mind on future Star Trek films. Not that I'm going to go into a movie theater expecting they'll all be good from here on out, but I think I'll be willing to give them a fair shake now. I rate it 33 out of 40.
I took the brood to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 last night. It was mildly entertaining for adults. The kids enjoyed it. I'd say on 40Cent scale a 25/40.
Quote from: Bison on October 05, 2013, 07:36:15 AM
I took the brood to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 last night. It was mildly entertaining for adults. The kids enjoyed it. I'd say on 40Cent scale a 25/40.
We saw it last night too!
Loved the animation. I'd give it a 28/40.
The animation was good, but the creativity of the overall story was just not there. The original was creative and fresh. This one? Not so much. I did love the Tacodile.
Quote from: Martok on October 05, 2013, 04:43:02 AM
I've been meaning to mention this, but I keep forgetting...
So a couple weeks ago, I finally sat down and watched Jar-Jar Abrams' Star Trek: Into Darkness with some friends (also big Trek fans) who picked it up on Blue-Ray. I was very wary, since (as most of you know) I utterly despised the first Abrams film.
Well all I can say is: Wow. What a difference four years makes.
I can scarcely believe it, but I actually enjoyed this one. Unlike the 2009 horrible-ness, this one actually *felt* like Star Trek. It had heart; it had soul.
Just as importantly, it had a coherent, plausible (for sci-fi), and well-written storyline...including actual character development. Pretty much all the main characters -- not just Kirk & Spock -- get some much-needed fleshing out (with the possible exception of poor Chekov). As for Khan, I don't know if Cumberbatch's portrayal can quite measure up to Montalban's (although that could just be the "purist" in me talking), but there's no denying he was very, very good.
I heard Abrams received a ton of flak for not having watched any of the shows or films prior to doing the 2009 movie. If so, it's clear he's since rectified that, as a number of scenes were obviously shout-outs to earlier films (especially The Wrath of Khan). I've also heard said shout-out scenes inspired a fair amount of nerd-rage among some Trekkies -- they felt it too obviously aped the original scenes -- but I personally felt they were well done. (Even Zachary Quinto's Spock doing the classic "KHAAAAAAN!!!" scream felt like a respectful homage.)
Ultimately, I have to say Into Darkness may have changed my mind on future Star Trek films. Not that I'm going to go into a movie theater expecting they'll all be good from here on out, but I think I'll be willing to give them a fair shake now. I rate it 33 out of 40.
I watched the second Star Trek reboot about a week ago. I was hesitant because I'd heard negative press. But I also liked it. The ending was a bit too actiony, but the rest was solid. I enjoyed it.
Anyone see Gravity yet?
The Fox reviewed absolutely gushed over it, and what I thought would be a pass looks like it's a must-see-this-weekend for me and the crew.
This guy compares the movie to the early movies of the 20th Century. Although the plot isn't too great, he believes from a technical achievement it's a stunning leap forward.
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/10/04/gravity-review-theres-just-nothing-else-like-it/
I'm tempted to see Gravity, but I'm not sure I can endure Sandra Bullock. Never been a fan of hers.
Quote from: mirth on October 05, 2013, 10:47:24 AM
I'm tempted to see Gravity, but I'm not sure I can endure Sandra Bullock. Never been a fan of hers.
Ever since Miss Congeniality our family has been huge fans.
She is talented and I know she's done some good work. There's just something about her that I find off-putting.
Quote from: LongBlade on October 05, 2013, 10:42:35 AM
Anyone see Gravity yet?
The Fox reviewed absolutely gushed over it, and what I thought would be a pass looks like it's a must-see-this-weekend for me and the crew.
This guy compares the movie to the early movies of the 20th Century. Although the plot isn't too great, he believes from a technical achievement it's a stunning leap forward.
http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/10/04/gravity-review-theres-just-nothing-else-like-it/
My local paper raved about it it too, but I'm just not enthralled by the premise. Not a fan of the "cut off from civilization and must survive/endure" genre.
Does the furlough of NASA's relief pilots play a part in the movie's plot? :D
Reviewers here have been gushing abot it too.....
Not sure what to think..... at first I was just going pass as I can't see myself buying into the premise as the shuttle program has been long shut down. So this didn't happen, ala Apollo 13, and can't happen now.
But I've heard at least once it may be an Oscar for Sandra Bullock.
I developed claustrophobia, for some reason, since my lung problems brought-on by the H1N1 flu. So there is NFW that I will be seeing Gravity. N-F-W!!!
Wouldn't acrophobia be the one to worry about if the movie is so 'life-like'? Don't look down....
Quote from: Staggerwing on October 06, 2013, 06:47:56 AM
Wouldn't acrophobia be the one to worry about if the movie is so 'life-like'? Don't look down....
Apparently the movie does a good job of inducing claustrophobia when you'd think the opposite would be true.
Quote from: Centurion40 on October 06, 2013, 06:41:06 AM
I developed claustrophobia, for some reason, since my lung problems brought-on by the H1N1 flu. So there is NFW that I will be seeing Gravity. N-F-W!!!
In Space - no one can hear you scream.
Quote from: Windigo on October 07, 2013, 10:55:05 AM
Quote from: Centurion40 on October 06, 2013, 06:41:06 AM
I developed claustrophobia, for some reason, since my lung problems brought-on by the H1N1 flu. So there is NFW that I will be seeing Gravity. N-F-W!!!
In Space - no one can hear you scream.
I've seen Aliens there's all sorts of people screaming. And in Star Wars the lasers make noise sort of like pew-pew-pew only with a cooler electric sound. Are you saying Hollywood doesn't understand facts?
I went to see Prisoners today. I thought about seeing Gravity but I just can't stomach Clooney at times. Anyway, Prisoners was alright. Suitably bleak looking (makes Pennsylvanian suburbs look pretty miserable). The story was OK but played it a little too conventional and too safe. I didn't guess who the real criminal was though which I always consider a bonus in these types of films. (I was very close in my guess but I'm glad I was incorrect because had my guess been right it would have been a pretty cheesy plot contrivance.)
didnt JH post up a post that was extremely positive about it?
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on October 09, 2013, 12:09:37 PM
I went to see Prisoners today. I thought about seeing Gravity but I just can't stomach Clooney at times. Anyway, Prisoners was alright. Suitably bleak looking (makes Pennsylvanian suburbs look pretty miserable). The story was OK but played it a little too conventional and too safe. I didn't guess who the real criminal was though which I always consider a bonus in these types of films. (I was very close in my guess but I'm glad I was incorrect because had my guess been right it would have been a pretty cheesy plot contrivance.)
I guessed it was the cop. I was wrong.
I guessed the missing husband.
I thought it was Mirth's girlfriend.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on October 09, 2013, 11:27:22 PM
I thought it was Mirth's girlfriend.
You could be correct.
Saw Machete Kills with the Mrs yesterday.
It was... ok. Apparently there is going to be another coming out. I don't really know why, unless they are REALLY cheap to make.
21 out of 40
I don't get all of the critical short-stroking over Gravity. It's okay...not good, not bad. I imagine if it were anyone other than Clooney and Bullock in this, I doubt anyone would be saying the word "Oscar." It's basically Open Water in space; these kinds of stories have been done and done to death.
And it's pretty funny that Clooney's mug is on the movie poster and not Bullock's - if you've seen the movie you'll understand.
Saw Captain Phillips. Stars Tom Hanks. He's the Captain of a containership going around the horn of Africa. Somali pirates .... Navy seals ... great acting by Tom Hanks.
A solid 3 Smuck shaves outta 4
Heard a short bit about the veracity of the role Capt. Philips actually played. It falls short of heroic. Having said that, how many of us would actually stand up to these pirates if faced with them?
He knew the crew was safe, locked away below. After that, do what you need to do to survive and screw the ship and the 'stuff' and wait for the choppers.
Quote from: MetalDog on October 16, 2013, 07:22:52 PM
Heard a short bit about the veracity of the role Capt. Philips actually played. It falls short of heroic. Having said that, how many of us would actually stand up to these pirates if faced with them?
He definitely doesn't come across as heroic in the movie, just a regular ol' human being with a job put into unusual circumstances.
The Mrs and I (despite the bad reviews) went to see The Counselor yesterday. It wasn't as bad as the reviews indicated, but it wasn't as great as it should have been (given all the star power in front of, and behind the lens).
It was a great looking movie with some very clever dialogue. But it didn't always do a good job at connecting all of the dots. There were a bunch of quick sub-plots that seemed to go nowhere. I suspect that's because they were cramming something that should have been a HBO miniseries into a 2 hour movie.
I find it difficult having any empathy for Fassbender. He played the titular Counselor, a wealthy lawyer- the protagonist of this disjointed tale. He looks too much like a villain to me, and his actual name is never revealed. So I really didn't give a crap when misfortune befell him. However I did really like Bardem, his character was awesome. Kind of like what I'd imagine Alex Van Halen would be like, if Van Halen (the band) broke-up in 1985 and Alex moved to Phoenix to run a handful of nightclubs. There was a scene between him and Cameron Diaz that was almost worth the price of admission. His reaction was perfect while she put Tawny Kitaen (think Whitesnake video) to shame.
But overall, this flick is lackluster because of the manner in which the story was told. Maybe it was the writing, maybe it was the editing; I really don't know. I do know that the cinematography and acting were just fine- so it's not a total loss.
24 out of 40.
Watched Ender's Game on Sunday. I enjoyed it, but huge parts of the novel were lost. It focused almost entirely on Ender and his time at Battle/Command school and the events were very much compressed as compared to the book. A lot of the sense of Ender developing his skills is lost because so much had to be shoehorned into less than 2 hours of film. I really felt this was one movie that could have benefited from 20-30 minutes of additional running time to truly flesh out the story. The ending in particular was very rushed, felt like "hey we need to wrap this thing up in the next 5 minutes".
The effects were stunning, the battles were epic (if too short). Above all else, the child performances were excellent. I thought Asa Butterfield was perfectly cast as Ender and his presence on the screen is amazing for someone his age (he's sixteen, but he was totally believable as a younger child).
Harrison Ford was fine as Graff. He was gruff and scowled a lot. Ben Kingsley is always great, but I didn't think he was a good fit for Mazer Rackham. The other supporting actors were all quite good, though with limited roles and screen time.
If you're a huge fan of the novel, you'll likely be disappointed by how much was lost in the translation to film. Otherwise this is a solid B effort. Call it 34/40.
As a note, I've read a number of rather negative reviews for Ender's Game and it seems to me that they are a reaction to Card's position on gay marriage, rather than honest reviews of the film on it's merits.
Saw Last Vegas with the Mrs. yesterday. It was fine, but not noteworthy. It was a bit depressing at first, a bunch of old codgers facing their last leg in life. But the story was fine (a somewhat happy ending), the acting was fine... it was fine. The Vegas scenery is always nice to see (in more ways than one). But overall this was a bit better than mediocre effort and gets a bit better than mediocre score.
25 out of 40.
I saw Ender's Game with my kids last weekend before I rushed out to Louisiana yet again. The movie was decent, although I'm only about 60% through the book. My son had already finished it and he said much the same as mirth did. Decent movie, good cast, great special effects. 32/40.
.
Thor: The Dark World
I've already given a review in the Thor movie thread. So I will summarize by saying:
- better than the original Thor
- 94% as epic as The Avengers
- a bit corny at first, but eventually hits its stride
- worth the price of admission
- I really enjoyed it
34/40
off to see Enders Game and the theater has a full bar. 8)
They could have easily added another hour to that.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on November 09, 2013, 05:21:14 PM
They could have easily added another hour to that.
My thought exactly.
Just saw it with Jr. Never read the book(s). Both Jr and I felt that Thor 2 was waaaay more entertaining than Enders Game. Ok, truthfully I just count one "a" in the "waaaay more", Jr counts for the other 3 "a"s. He was almost bored silly- and it was HIS idea to go and see Enders Game!!
Still, a good movie; worth the price of admission. Despite the fact that some things seemed only partially explained. Great effects.
31 out of 40
Interesting to note that the people I saw it with saw a very different movie then I was watching. For me it was easy to fill in the blanks. Here's hoping for a directors cut.
I was able to fill-in some of the blanks for Jr. because I've been told the salient points of the story. Poor little bugger was downright confounded at points. Same with Thor 2.
Went to Free Bird tonight with the family. It was alright. Not great. Not horrible. Maybe not even worth a rental. It certainly isn't going to become a Thanksgiving movie tradition.
Quote from: Bison on November 10, 2013, 09:08:13 PM
Went to Free Bird tonight with the family. It was alright. Not great. Not horrible. Maybe not even worth a rental. It certainly isn't going to become a Thanksgiving movie tradition.
I've never even heard of that one.
Quote from: Staggerwing on November 10, 2013, 09:10:14 PM
Quote from: Bison on November 10, 2013, 09:08:13 PM
Went to Free Bird tonight with the family. It was alright. Not great. Not horrible. Maybe not even worth a rental. It certainly isn't going to become a Thanksgiving movie tradition.
I've never even heard of that one.
It's about turkeys who go back in time to prevent turkeys from being eaten on Thanksgiving. It was decidedly lacking in more than a handful of funny moments.
I also watched The Green Lantern earlier in the day. I know it's been out for awhile, but I'd never seen it. It has to be one of the most mediocre super hero movies ever made.
Quote from: Bison on November 10, 2013, 09:11:50 PM
Quote from: Staggerwing on November 10, 2013, 09:10:14 PM
Quote from: Bison on November 10, 2013, 09:08:13 PM
Went to Free Bird tonight with the family. It was alright. Not great. Not horrible. Maybe not even worth a rental. It certainly isn't going to become a Thanksgiving movie tradition.
I've never even heard of that one.
It's about turkeys who go back in time to prevent turkeys from being eaten on Thanksgiving. It was decidedly lacking in more than a handful of funny moments.
Is it one of those Aardman claymation-style flix like 'Chicken Run' or 'Flushed Away'?
Quote from: Staggerwing on November 10, 2013, 09:17:29 PM
Quote from: Bison on November 10, 2013, 09:11:50 PM
Quote from: Staggerwing on November 10, 2013, 09:10:14 PM
Quote from: Bison on November 10, 2013, 09:08:13 PM
Went to Free Bird tonight with the family. It was alright. Not great. Not horrible. Maybe not even worth a rental. It certainly isn't going to become a Thanksgiving movie tradition.
I've never even heard of that one.
It's about turkeys who go back in time to prevent turkeys from being eaten on Thanksgiving. It was decidedly lacking in more than a handful of funny moments.
Is it one of those Aardman claymation-style flix like 'Chicken Run' or 'Flushed Away'?
No it's a cartoon. I was hoping for something along the lines of Chicken Run, because that is actually a pretty enjoyable movie. My kids liked it, but they didn't love it like the Croods or oddly enough Smurfs 2.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on November 09, 2013, 05:21:14 PM
They could have easily added another hour to that.
And you too are at least as smart as Smucks kids.
Probably the best surprise of the year was Halo4: Forward unto Dawn. On Netflix no less. The acting and writing were well beyond expectations. Like what the hell???
34 pennies out of 40
Quote from: Bison on November 10, 2013, 09:16:14 PM
I also watched The Green Lantern earlier in the day. I know it's been out for awhile, but I'd never seen it. It has to be one of the most mediocre super hero movies ever made.
Ryan Reynolds movies tend to be underwhelming.
The Green Lantern is an excellent example. Another,
R.I.P.D., is just as 'meh.' Just finished watching R.I.P.D. this weekend and with the exception of a couple of amusing Jeff Bridges lines and occasional decent action, it was pretty predictable and mediocre. 17/40.
Quote from: Windigo
Probably the best surprise of the year was Halo4: Forward unto Dawn. On Netflix no less. The acting and writing were well beyond expectations. Like what the hell???
34 pennies out of 40
I watched about half of that and agree, it's a lot better than one would think.
Do the soldiers speak Hungarian like in the game trailer?
Quote from: Staggerwing on November 11, 2013, 07:17:59 PM
Do the soldiers speak Hungarian like in the game trailer?
no.... watch it.... you'll go WTF? this is actually good
re: Ryan Reynolds. There is not, nor will there ever be, a movie he is in that will be worth the celluloid it is filmed on. He reminds me of Dane Cook. But with less talent.
Quote from: MetalDog on November 12, 2013, 08:59:19 PM
re: Ryan Reynolds. There is not, nor will there ever be, a movie he is in that will be worth the celluloid it is filmed on. He reminds me of Dane Cook. But with less talent.
I've gotta take exception to that statement. Ryan Reynolds isn't the best actor/comedian out there by a long-shot, no, but he has done a few movies where his performance was laugh-worthy. He's certainly still leagues ahead of Dane Cook in that department -- but then, just about everyone else is. (Hell, *I'm* funnier than Dane Cook, and I'm practically the quintessential "straight man".)
Who the hell is Ryan Reynolds?
^He was Green Lantern in that there movie.
@ Martok: There isn't a movie I have seen him in that I don't immediately think of his character in Waiting. Unfair? Possibly. He just grates my nerves.
Quote from: Bison on November 10, 2013, 09:16:14 PM
I also watched The Green Lantern earlier in the day. I know it's been out for awhile, but I'd never seen it. It has to be one of the most mediocre super hero movies ever made.
IMHO, calling it mediocre is kind.
Quote from: Windigo on November 11, 2013, 09:51:35 AM
Probably the best surprise of the year was Halo4: Forward unto Dawn. On Netflix no less. The acting and writing were well beyond expectations. Like what the hell???
34 pennies out of 40
Yeah, it was much better than I ever expected. Started off a bit slow, for my liking, but blew my mind once the Covenant showed up!! :) A must see for any Halo fans.
and its on US netflix?
sold
Quote from: MetalDog on November 13, 2013, 07:03:35 AM
@ Martok: There isn't a movie I have seen him in that I don't immediately think of his character in Waiting. Unfair? Possibly. He just grates my nerves.
See now, I actually liked him in
Waiting -- as well as the rest of the film. But then, I know so many people who've worked in that type of restaurant, and have heard so many stories, that I was able to appreciate the movie's humor.
Reynolds' problem is that he only knows how to play the same character. Now in films like Waiting and
Van Wilder, that makes him a good fit. But in others (such as the aforementioned and lamentable
Green Lantern), I'll be the first to admit he does not -- and probably
cannot -- measure up.
He's still orders of magnitude funnier and more talented than Dane Cook, though (not that that's tough to do). ;)
Movie 43 on Netflix. 38/40.
This is probably one of the most offensive and disgusting movies I've ever seen, so of course I loved every minute of it. The fact that there's A-list Hollywood types in this flick makes it even funnier.
This film is done in skit-style, sort of like Kentucky Fried Movie, but it's all tied together by a crazed Dennis Quaid trying to sell a movie (and commericals) to a very uninterested and disgusted Greg Kinnear. What Quaid's character is trying to sell is the scenes/skits in between, and from the first one (Hugh Jackman and Kate Winslet on a first date at a fancy restaurant), I was laughing so hard I was crying and having to pause constantly to catch my breath. But I'm a sick bastard - you'll have to check it out to see it all, in all it's glory.
Don't believe the critics or Rotten Tomatoes - this film has gotten abysmal ratings and reviews, but I thought it was brilliant. The best part about it is seeing those A-listers make fun of themselves and have a sense of humor...especially Jackman, whom I thought had one but NOTHING like what he did in that movie.
As for Ryan Reynolds, I thought he might have made a decent Deadpool, but they kind of screwed all of that up for me. And then I realized just about any community theatre actor with a sense of humor could probably do a better job than he could.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on November 13, 2013, 10:40:49 AM
Movie 43 on Netflix. 38/40.
This is probably one of the most offensive and disgusting movies I've ever seen, so of course I loved every minute of it. The fact that there's A-list Hollywood types in this flick makes it even funnier.
This film is done in skit-style, sort of like Kentucky Fried Movie, but it's all tied together by a crazed Dennis Quaid trying to sell a movie (and commericals) to a very uninterested and disgusted Greg Kinnear. What Quaid's character is trying to sell is the scenes/skits in between, and from the first one (Hugh Jackman and Kate Winslet on a first date at a fancy restaurant), I was laughing so hard I was crying and having to pause constantly to catch my breath. But I'm a sick bastard - you'll have to check it out to see it all, in all it's glory.
Don't believe the critics or Rotten Tomatoes - this film has gotten abysmal ratings and reviews, but I thought it was brilliant. The best part about it is seeing those A-listers make fun of themselves and have a sense of humor...especially Jackman, whom I thought had one but NOTHING like what he did in that movie.
I gave it around 10 minutes, then turned it off. I wasn't amused, and I love puerile humour.
Speaking of puerile humour, the Mrs. and I saw Bad Grandpa yesterday. I liked it, but the Mrs. was appalled. Unlike a regular Jackass movie, this one had a story line that was punctuated by pranks, kind of like a Sasha Baron-Cohen movie.
I had a good 3-4 serious belly laughs... and almost lost control of my bodily functions on two occasions (neither occasion was even hinted at in the trailers). Start to finish, a Baron-Cohen movie is better crafted, but Bad Grandpa still had its charm. I'd say that Bad Grandpa is as not as good as Borat, but much better than Bruno (as points of comparison).
24 out of 40 (with bonus points for some big laughs).
Quote from: Centurion40 on November 13, 2013, 03:06:57 PM
Speaking of puerile humour, the Mrs. and I saw Bad Grandpa yesterday. I liked it, but the Mrs. was appalled. Unlike a regular Jackass movie, this one had a story line that was punctuated by pranks, kind of like a Sasha Baron-Cohen movie.
I had a good 3-4 serious belly laughs... and almost lost control of my bodily functions on two occasions (neither occasion was even hinted at in the trailers). Start to finish, a Baron-Cohen movie is better crafted, but Bad Grandpa still had its charm. I'd say that Bad Grandpa is as not as good as Borat, but much better than Bruno (as points of comparison).
24 out of 40 (with bonus points for some big laughs).
someone else who liked Borat??? Excellent!!!
.
Quote from: Martok on November 13, 2013, 10:20:46 AM
Quote from: MetalDog on November 13, 2013, 07:03:35 AM
@ Martok: There isn't a movie I have seen him in that I don't immediately think of his character in Waiting. Unfair? Possibly. He just grates my nerves.
See now, I actually liked him in Waiting -- as well as the rest of the film. But then, I know so many people who've worked in that type of restaurant, and have heard so many stories, that I was able to appreciate the movie's humor.
Reynolds' problem is that he only knows how to play the same character. Now in films like Waiting and Van Wilder, that makes him a good fit. But in others (such as the aforementioned and lamentable Green Lantern), I'll be the first to admit he does not -- and probably cannot -- measure up.
He's still orders of magnitude funnier and more talented than Dane Cook, though (not that that's tough to do). ;)
You hit the nail on the head, Martok. Reynolds acting ability is great for Waiting and Van Wilder, both I have seen and liked Waiting immensely, but he plays the same guy in every movie. And that's not so good for anything remotely serious.
As for Dane Cook, I actually found someone in his thirties (ok, he's just now thirty) who thinks Dane is pretty funny. I didn't think that person existed. I was wrong.
Hasn't Cook been accused of stealing jokes? I've not caught much of his act but this seems to be a recurring thing with him.
When my kids were teenagers, Cook was big. They thought he was the shizzle! I knew I didn't like him by reputation, but, trying to be fair minded, I sat and watched a comedy special of his. Some observations:
1) That's an hour of my life I will never get back
2) There are comedians who can be funny talking about the most mundane shit, like belly button lint, for instance, and I will laugh and enjoy myself. Dane spent ten minutes torturing a story about how he avoided a friend of his and the party he was throwing.
3) Who do I talk to about getting that hour back?
Needless to say, I let the kids know they were on their own concerning Mr. Cook and I would appreciate never having to be in the same room as anything Cook was doing/responsible for.
Well if this Reynolds guy is the Green Lantern, he lacks talent which I guess isn't really surprising since 3/4 of Hollywood actors lack any real talent.
Quote from: Bison on November 14, 2013, 07:32:55 PM
Well if this Reynolds guy is the Green Lantern, he lacks talent which I guess isn't really surprising since 3/4 of Hollywood actors lack any real talent.
He married Scarlett Johansson and is currently married to Blake Lively, so he's doing something right.
Quote from: mirth on November 14, 2013, 08:12:30 PM
Quote from: Bison on November 14, 2013, 07:32:55 PM
Well if this Reynolds guy is the Green Lantern, he lacks talent which I guess isn't really surprising since 3/4 of Hollywood actors lack any real talent.
He married Scarlett Johansson and is currently married to Blake Lively, so he's doing something right.
Getting divorced?
Quote from: Bison on November 14, 2013, 08:20:08 PM
Quote from: mirth on November 14, 2013, 08:12:30 PM
Quote from: Bison on November 14, 2013, 07:32:55 PM
Well if this Reynolds guy is the Green Lantern, he lacks talent which I guess isn't really surprising since 3/4 of Hollywood actors lack any real talent.
He married Scarlett Johansson and is currently married to Blake Lively, so he's doing something right.
Getting divorced?
If he keeps trading in for a younger hottie, I'd say it's working for him.
I guess that's one way to look at it.
I went and saw Thor: The Dark World last night. I wouldn't go as far as those who've said it's almost as good as The Avengers, but I definitely enjoyed it. I felt the storyline was very "meh", but the dialogue was sharp, the gags funny, and the cast shined as usual (including those in the secondary roles).
Incidentally, I think I have a man-crush on Tom Hiddleston. That guy simply rules.
Quote from: Martok on November 15, 2013, 02:55:42 PM
Incidentally, I think I have a man-crush on Tom Hiddleston.
You and me both, brother.
I saw Ender's Game. I never read the book. The film seemed like an after-school special drawn out over two hours. 3 mehs out of 4.
Quote from: mirth on November 15, 2013, 05:21:53 PM
Quote from: Martok on November 15, 2013, 02:55:42 PM
Incidentally, I think I have a man-crush on Tom Hiddleston.
You and me both, brother.
He's done pretty well, ever since War Horse
Don't forget 'Wallander' (the UK, Kenneth Branagh version, that is) .
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages4.fanpop.com%2Fimage%2Fphotos%2F24000000%2FWallander-tom-hiddleston-24060163-415-278.jpg&hash=86de360064dd9ec4c3409b51496219e611c8954a)
Just saw Big Ass Spider! That's the title, complete with exclamation mark.
This one has Greg Grunburg (of Heroes fame - the cop who could read minds) as the lead character playing an exterminator that gets caught up in...blah blah blah. Basically, alien mutant experiment government (I'm not sure in what order) spider grows to epic proportions and kills things. Lots of things. Greg's character shoots a rocket up its rear and he gets the girl, and the end.
I'd rate this better than your average SyFy crapfest; it's horror comedy, although the comedy depends on your perspective, as the acting can get quite terrible by the unrecognizable and forgettable background types.
Ebert's site gives it two stars (http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/big-ass-spider-2013). I'd give it 24/40. Not bad, had good moments, and I've seen much, much worse.
FWIW I really liked Eight Legged Freaks, so I probably have no taste anyway.
Quote from: endfire79 on November 15, 2013, 09:33:50 PM
Quote from: mirth on November 15, 2013, 05:21:53 PM
Quote from: Martok on November 15, 2013, 02:55:42 PM
Incidentally, I think I have a man-crush on Tom Hiddleston.
You and me both, brother.
He's done pretty well, ever since War Horse
He was in War Horse? Now I need to see it!
Finally watched Skyfall to completion. One of the best Bond films, possibly the best (need to watch it a couple more times to decide). Excellent cast and performances. Good mix of action, drama and wry humor. 37/40
Quote from: Centurion40 on November 08, 2013, 09:14:09 PM
Thor: The Dark World
I've already given a review in the Thor movie thread. So I will summarize by saying:
- better than the original Thor
- 94% as epic as The Avengers
- a bit corny at first, but eventually hits its stride
- worth the price of admission
- I really enjoyed it
34/40
Saw it this weekend. It was better than the first. Tom Hiddleston stole the show. I still don't know why Natalie Portman is in this franchise. She is not a good fit and really drags down both films imho.
Kat Dennings was hilarious and she stole her scenes almost as much as Hiddleston did his.
Agree with 40s score of 34/40.
The Mrs dragged me to Delivery Man yesterday. I was a bit Vince Vaughn-ed out too, after she rented The Internship (the boring Vince Vaughn-Owen Wilson buddy flick where washed-up salesman scam internships at Google) on the weekend. So I was braced for an apathetic meh-fest, possibly with a couple of grins (maybe one chuckle, if I'm lucky) with Delivery Man.
I have to admit that the first hour of the movie was as painful as expected. Vaughn plays the 30-something cliched lovable loser of a family. The family business keeps him employed, even though he is incompetent and unreliable. He also has a hot girlfriend (Agent Hill) who is tiring of his antics. How many times has this kind of character been in film? And Vaughn, as always, basically plays it the same way as he does in every movie... the smarmy, fast-talking smart-ass. I couldn't give a shit about his character, let alone care how the story played out. But somewhere around the last 40 minutes of the film, I did start to give a shit and the film became somewhat poignant... even touching.
The Mrs loved it. I thought that it was still "meh", just a bit less "meh" than I was braced for. There were no laughs, none. But at the end it was, somewhat touching.
21 out of 40
Quote from: mirth on November 25, 2013, 01:27:29 PM
Quote from: Centurion40 on November 08, 2013, 09:14:09 PM
Thor: The Dark World
I've already given a review in the Thor movie thread. So I will summarize by saying:
- better than the original Thor
- 94% as epic as The Avengers
- a bit corny at first, but eventually hits its stride
- worth the price of admission
- I really enjoyed it
34/40
Saw it this weekend. It was better than the first. Tom Hiddleston stole the show. I still don't know why Natalie Portman is in this franchise. She is not a good fit and really drags down both films imho.
Kat Dennings was hilarious and she stole her scenes almost as much as Hiddleston did his.
Agree with 40s score of 34/40.
Yeah, Portman's role could have been played by anyone. I totally agree about Dennings and Hiddleston too!
Quote from: Centurion40 on November 26, 2013, 11:24:24 AM
The Mrs dragged me to Delivery Man yesterday.
21 out of 40
I'll never go out of my way to see Vince Vaughn in anything. He's in the same category as Keanu Reeves and Nick Cage in that he plays the same damn thing in EVERY movie he has ever done. Plus, I've heard that IRL he's something of an asshole, too.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on November 26, 2013, 11:27:50 AM
Quote from: Centurion40 on November 26, 2013, 11:24:24 AM
The Mrs dragged me to Delivery Man yesterday.
21 out of 40
I'll never go out of my way to see Vince Vaughn in anything. He's in the same category as Keanu Reeves and Nick Cage in that he plays the same damn thing in EVERY movie he has ever done. Plus, I've heard that IRL he's something of an asshole, too.
Ha!
When we rented the Internship, a video store clerk was assisting the Mrs. He said that if you've seen Wedding Crashers, you'll probably like the Internship. So I asked him "Have you seen the Internship?" He said "No, I can't stand Vince Vaughn!" ;D
I have to say that I loved Wedding Crashers and I'd even recommend it to Vince Vaughn haters, in the same way that I recommend Talladega Nights to Will Ferrell haters.
I like Will a lot, but it took me a try or two to get into Talladega Nights. Same with, I hate to say it, Anchorman. But once I did, I was glad I did.
I have to say that Owen Wilson is getting into that same category of not-actors. But as long as people spend millions to see these campy, same-plot-as-the-last crap-fests, the studios will keep crankin' them out.
The only movie I really liked Owen Wilson in was Zoolander - I think he was born to play that hippy-model dude.
I couldn't stand Will Ferrell until Talladega Nights, which I loved. That movie allowed me to enjoy Anchorman, which I previous shut-out because of my disdain for Ferrell.
Wilson, I can take or leave. He's a theatrical non-entity to me. Like you said, same character in every movie.
I couldn't sit through Zoolander. I've yet to see it start-to-finish.
Quote from: Centurion40 on November 26, 2013, 11:43:55 AM
I couldn't stand Will Ferrell until Talladega Nights, which I loved. That movie allowed me to enjoy Anchorman, which I previous shut-out because of my disdain for Ferrell.
Wilson, I can take or leave. He's a theatrical non-entity to me. Like you said, same character in every movie.
I couldn't sit through Zoolander. I've yet to see it start-to-finish.
Try Stranger Than Fiction for a very strange yet satisfying Will Ferrell movie.
Zoolander, well, you have to not take it too seriously, but I can see how it wouldn't be appealing. I loved Movie 43, so what do I know. 8)
Saw Stranger Than Fiction. Not bad at all.
Point taken on Movie 43.
Most Will Farrell films I can skip, but I love Stranger Than Fiction. It's actually one of my favorite movies (it's in my top 25 for sure, probably even top 10).
Another Farrell movie that I don't truly "like", but is more of an occasional guilty pleasure, is Night at the Roxbury. It's one of those "so bad, it's good" kinda flicks, rather like Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.
I agree Vaughn and Wilson are extremely "meh". The only Vaughn film I've ever enjoyed is Dodgeball, and the only Owen Wilson film I've ever liked was Shanghai Noon...and that was mostly in spite of his performance, NOT because of it.
Quote from: Martok on November 27, 2013, 04:45:42 AM
It's one of those "so bad, it's good" kinda flicks, rather like Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.
There is nothing good about ST V. It is bad bad.
Quote from: mirth on November 27, 2013, 10:15:27 AM
Quote from: Martok on November 27, 2013, 04:45:42 AM
It's one of those "so bad, it's good" kinda flicks, rather like Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.
There is nothing good about ST V. It is bad bad.
I have to echo this. It was clearly the worst film in the franchise. Two was my favorite, followed by four, six, one, then three. Five's not even on my list, unfortunately.
The Final Frontier is unbelievably cheesy, campy, dumb, etc....but it still has at least a couple scenes that partially redeem it (and make it worth watching for some).
In contrast, The Motion Picture and Nemesis lack any redeeming qualities whatsoever. It's utterly tragic that the first and last Star Trek films were also the worst ones.
I loved TNG, but there was something off about all of their movies. They didn't feel epic as they should have; instead they were basically two-hour TV episodes.
I did somewhat like First Contact, but that's the only TNG movie I've re-watched.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on November 27, 2013, 10:22:43 AM
Quote from: mirth on November 27, 2013, 10:15:27 AM
Quote from: Martok on November 27, 2013, 04:45:42 AM
It's one of those "so bad, it's good" kinda flicks, rather like Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.
There is nothing good about ST V. It is bad bad.
I have to echo this. It was clearly the worst film in the franchise. Two was my favorite, followed by four, six, one, then three. Five's not even on my list, unfortunately.
III was on in the UK last night - Christopher Lloyd as a Klingon :o
Quote from: Martok on November 27, 2013, 12:27:43 PM
The Final Frontier is unbelievably cheesy, campy, dumb, etc....but it still has at least a couple scenes that partially redeem it (and make it worth watching for some).
In contrast, The Motion Picture and Nemesis lack any redeeming qualities whatsoever. It's utterly tragic that the first and last Star Trek films were also the worst ones.
Which scenes redeemed Final Frontier? Kirk free climbing El Capitan? "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" sung round a campfire? Uhura's fan dance in the desert? Kirk arguing with God? :P
Nemesis, I'll grant you, is garbage. The Motion Picture at least gave us the new look Klingons and the remodeled Enterprise.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on November 27, 2013, 12:29:52 PM
I loved TNG, but there was something off about all of their movies. They didn't feel epic as they should have; instead they were basically two-hour TV episodes.
I did somewhat like First Contact, but that's the only TNG movie I've re-watched.
First Contact is and always will be my favorite Trek movie overall (
The Wrath of Khan and
The Undiscovered Country rounding out my top three); however, I agree it's the only TNG film that's actually good.
Insurrection was only okay,
Generations was "meh", and of course the less said about
Nemesis, the better.
Quote from: undercovergeek on November 27, 2013, 12:33:32 PM
III was on in the UK last night - Christopher Lloyd as a Klingon :o
Yep, that's right. I don't remember where I saw/heard this, but to date, he's apparently considered the actor who best mastered the language's pronunciation. As such, he has the most authentic Klingon "accent" that's been heard on-screen.
no way - i couldnt get past The Doc in a Klingon suit!
Quote from: undercovergeek on November 27, 2013, 12:33:32 PM
III was on in the UK last night - Christopher Lloyd as a Klingon :o
And John Larroquette, pre Night Court, as Maltz!
was this the guy that Kirk said 'i lied' to about killing him?
delivered with the best 'get the fk out of here' thumb wave ive ever seen
Quote from: undercovergeek on November 27, 2013, 02:49:34 PM
was this the guy that Kirk said 'i lied' to about killing him?
delivered with the best 'get the fk out of here' thumb wave ive ever seen
yep. That was a great scene.
Christopher Lloyd was burned up about the end of that movie.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on November 27, 2013, 03:33:27 PM
Christopher Lloyd was burned up about the end of that movie.
He definitely lost his cool. He's lucky they didn't give him the boot.
Quote from: Martok on November 27, 2013, 12:27:43 PM
The Final Frontier is unbelievably cheesy, campy, dumb, etc....but it still has at least a couple scenes that partially redeem it (and make it worth watching for some).
In contrast, The Motion Picture and Nemesis lack any redeeming qualities whatsoever. It's utterly tragic that the first and last Star Trek films were also the worst ones.
I think that this was discussed on a recent Big Bang Theory. At the least whole Motion Picture vs. V debate.
Quote from: Centurion40 on November 26, 2013, 11:24:24 AM
The Mrs dragged me to Delivery Man yesterday. I was a bit Vince Vaughn-ed out too, after she rented The Internship (the boring Vince Vaughn-Owen Wilson buddy flick where washed-up salesman scam internships at Google) on the weekend. So I was braced for an apathetic meh-fest, possibly with a couple of grins (maybe one chuckle, if I'm lucky) with Delivery Man.
I have to admit that the first hour of the movie was as painful as expected. Vaughn plays the 30-something cliched lovable loser of a family. The family business keeps him employed, even though he is incompetent and unreliable. He also has a hot girlfriend (Agent Hill) who is tiring of his antics. How many times has this kind of character been in film? And Vaughn, as always, basically plays it the same way as he does in every movie... the smarmy, fast-talking smart-ass. I couldn't give a shit about his character, let alone care how the story played out. But somewhere around the last 40 minutes of the film, I did start to give a shit and the film became somewhat poignant... even touching.
The Mrs loved it. I thought that it was still "meh", just a bit less "meh" than I was braced for. There were no laughs, none. But at the end it was, somewhat touching.
21 out of 40
Interesting fact, Delivery Man is an adaptation of a film from here in Quebec (Starbuck, withe Bad Cop from Bon Cop Bad Cop)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1756750/ (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1756750/)
Yeah, somewhere in the credits it said "based on the novel Starbuck". In the movie, Vaughn's masturbatory cover name at the clinic is "Starbuck".
After a long hiatus, the Mrs. and I made it to the cinemas last night to see Anchorman 2. I enjoyed it, and had around three really good laughs (one of them was a long, hard-to-breathe guffaw). Basically, this move is more of the same; the same formula that worked last time out- although a bit more batshit crazy. If you enjoyed the last one, you'll probably enjoy this one too. There is even another news team rumble, this time in Central Park. I did not expect the number of celebrity cameos! Again Brick was the stand-out in the battle.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com%2Fauburnpub.com%2Fcontent%2Ftncms%2Fassets%2Fv3%2Feditorial%2F3%2F4a%2F34a5c60e-36e4-5f5d-b51b-22d18893ccc9%2F52b1d45ebaeec.preview-620.jpg&hash=3217f6c71ec0276a00ec332ea363e87ce96ce072)
30 out of 40
I wanted to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, thinking, "aww, cool, Hollywood can occasionally come up with an original idea! I...well, let me check online, let's see...dammit, it was a movie back in the 40s. Nice try, Hollywood." >:(
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on December 31, 2013, 11:19:41 AM
I wanted to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, thinking, "aww, cool, Hollywood can occasionally come up with an original idea! I...well, let me check online, let's see...dammit, it was a movie back in the 40s. Nice try, Hollywood." >:(
Before that it was a written work. By one James Thurber no less...
Quote from: Staggerwing on December 31, 2013, 08:14:38 PM
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on December 31, 2013, 11:19:41 AM
I wanted to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, thinking, "aww, cool, Hollywood can occasionally come up with an original idea! I...well, let me check online, let's see...dammit, it was a movie back in the 40s. Nice try, Hollywood." >:(
Before that it was a written work. By one James Thurber no less...
Yep, saw that too...first as a magazine serial then a book. I still want to see this newer version, dammit....but the reviews are pretty meh.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on December 31, 2013, 11:02:44 PM
Quote from: Staggerwing on December 31, 2013, 08:14:38 PM
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on December 31, 2013, 11:19:41 AM
I wanted to see The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, thinking, "aww, cool, Hollywood can occasionally come up with an original idea! I...well, let me check online, let's see...dammit, it was a movie back in the 40s. Nice try, Hollywood." >:(
Before that it was a written work. By one James Thurber no less...
Yep, saw that too...first as a magazine serial then a book. I still want to see this newer version, dammit....but the reviews are pretty meh.
Probably not enough explosions and blood to keep the
teens reviewers interested.
I try to take reviews with a pile of salt, not just a grain. Has anyone seen this yet?
If you're like me, your friends will often offer suggestions for bad movies that you may wish to watch. And you'll do so and usually have some laughs. But then someone will suggest Spring Breakers. And someone else will mention that Southland Tales is confusing and weird. And you'll watch both of them. And now you sorta feel like your mind was raped. And you just want to drink a lot.
Don't be me. If anyone ever suggests either movie, punch them until they no longer have a recognizable face. :-[ Ugh.
you should watch this short film Ive read great reviews about.
2 girls 1 cup.
its supposedly a romantic comedy that your significant other will enjoy as well.
.
Saw The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. It was pretty meh, had some good wholesome moments (almost borderline too wholesome) and as a reviewer said, it's pretty much a giant "Just Do It" commercial for the middle-aged crowd. It was missing something major and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. It had potential to be all kinds of awesome but it was unfortunately predictable.
22/40
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on January 05, 2014, 12:49:48 PM
It was missing something major and I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
guns, explosions, space ships, chicks in leather and latex, robots and that kind of stuff?
Pfft, no, nothing like that. It just felt as if they were missing some really good dialogue and development opportunities.
It just kind of went from scene to scene like a slow, mediocre skateboard ride, sometimes jumping off on other tangents that didn't make much sense. Then again I did space out a couple of times, it lost my attention so badly.
good dialogue with a leather clad hottie with developing his skills as a space fighter pilot?
Oh come on, Star. You know adding that to any movie would make it better.
if youve never seen it check out Sucker Punch. nothing but fun there.
Quote from: eyebiter on January 05, 2014, 07:50:44 AM
Went to see 47 Ronin, the film was better than expected if you can get past Keanu Reeves. Could see the budget in the Samurai armor, weapons, and sets. It has some sword and sorcery elements, think AD&D Oriental Adventures or the FGU Bushido RPG. 32/40
I get the impression that the "getting past Keanu Reeves" bit is what viewers struggle with most.
Quote from: Martok on January 05, 2014, 01:31:42 PM
Quote from: eyebiter on January 05, 2014, 07:50:44 AM
Went to see 47 Ronin, the film was better than expected if you can get past Keanu Reeves. Could see the budget in the Samurai armor, weapons, and sets. It has some sword and sorcery elements, think AD&D Oriental Adventures or the FGU Bushido RPG. 32/40
I get the impression that the "getting past Keanu Reeves" bit is what viewers struggle with most.
Wiki says it'll be a $175 mil loss for the studio if it keeps going the way it is - that is to say, nowhere.
I have zero interest in seeing this, just like I had zero interest in seeing Tom Cruise play white boy samurai, too.
It really would be nice to see a movie about samurai that doesn't star a white dude.
There's got to be a Lone Wolf and cub movie out there.
The Mrs and I just saw American Hustle. I recognized it to be an excellent film, great acting, etc. but I didn't really enjoy it (probably because I wasn't feeling very well).
For those who don't know, it portrays a fictional account (although somewhat based on true stories) of the people on the ground floor of the ABSCAM sting and how lives were ruined by ambition, corruption and greed. It is a good story, well told. But it was far from funny, despite what some advertisements claim.
It's hard for me to score, due to my internal conflict between logic and enjoyment. Logic will prevail.
32 out of 40.
,
40 Jr.'s tenth birthday party was held (yesterday) at the local multiplex, and the kids (along with the Mrs. & yours truly) saw Frozen. It's a chick-flick cartoon with a shitload more singing than I ever expected. We let 40 Jr. pick the movie, it was either Frozen or Walking with Dinosaurs- and he picked Frozen for the one chick in his birthday party. She, Mrs. 40 and Centuriana were the only ones who liked it. The rest of us felt hard-done-by.
24 out of 40
I watched Stolen on Netflix last night...it was a better-than-expected Nic Cage movie. And that's saying something!
Then again, going into a movie and not expecting much helps.
30/40
I strongly disagree 40 about your score for Frozen. My kids have seen it twice now. I saw it the first time with them. I would give it a 33.
Quote from: OJsDad on January 14, 2014, 07:39:54 AM
I strongly disagree 40 about your score for Frozen. My kids have seen it twice now. I saw it the first time with them. I would give it a 33.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association agrees with you. They gave it a Golden Globe.
Went to see Lone Survivor. It was alright. You're not going to get any surprises. Lots of establishing shots of the SEALs talking about wedding plans and kids and whatnot to try to establish a connection. Lots of cheesy, swelling patriotic music and slo-mo shots. And lots and lots and lots of shots of Marky Mark and team tumbling off cliffs and going face first into boulders.
if you read the book the falling on boulder part happened a lot.
Hope nobody texted in the movie like that guy in Florida.
If someone's annoying me by texting a few rows down from me, I'll throw a piece of ice at them and pretend I'm watching the movie. They always turn around but can't ever tell who did it when there's a lot of people in the theater. I've never had to do it more than twice - usually the second time and even the densest idiot will get the point and put it away. No need for bullets.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on January 14, 2014, 08:01:22 PM
Went to see Lone Survivor. It was alright. You're not going to get any surprises. Lots of establishing shots of the SEALs talking about wedding plans and kids and whatnot to try to establish a connection. Lots of cheesy, swelling patriotic music and slo-mo shots. And lots and lots and lots of shots of Marky Mark and team tumbling off cliffs and going face first into boulders.
Ditto.
This movie seems to have been made to pull at heart-strings, but come on "Lone Survivor"???!! Going in you know that only one guy is getting out alive, so you're braced for it. I did appreciate seeing the pics and vids of the real-life SEALs at the end of the film.
26 out of 40
Just finished watching The Numbers Station on Netflix. Not a bad movie at all. John Cusack puts in a good performance and shows he has dramatic range. Although, he's looking old, which hurts a guy that watched his movies as a teenager (e.g. One Crazy Summer, easily a 35/40 movie itself). The Numbers Station didn't get a lot of love but I enjoyed it.
31/40.
while I avoided it for a while I thought Grosse Point was pretty damn fun.
I like John Cusack. Grosse Point Blank was pretty funny. The two best scenes were 1) when his office gal (his sister, Joan) burns the place down and 2) the gun battle with Aykroyd at the end. And One Crazy Summer is quite easily a 35/40.
Grosse Point Blank is one of my all-time favorite movies. The sound track is awesome.
it is and a huge part of it is the Specials, an oft left out element of 80's music.
Your middle name's not 'Rudy', is it Star?
I haven't even seen Grosse Pointe Blank yet. And I have the soundtrack on CD somewhere around here.
Do yourself a favor B_C and make some time this weekend to watch it.
Quote from: MetalDog on January 17, 2014, 07:09:08 AM
Do yourself a favor B_C and make some time this weekend to watch it.
Seconded. It's a good flick.
OK, added to my 'to do' list this weekend. ;D
Quote from: mirth on January 16, 2014, 11:16:45 PM
Grosse Point Blank is one of my all-time favorite movies. The sound track is awesome.
Here here! :)
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.screened.com%2Fuploads%2F1%2F13006%2F549821-grossepointe1.png&hash=ba30577d7a1d4659b38a135899258c592bfde6da)
.
Oh yeah, just finished watching Grosse Pointe Blank.
36/40. Wow. Even rather dated this was a hell of a fun movie to watch.
I would have rated it a bit higher, but the spray-and-pray method of gun battles doesn't really say "pro assassins." But hell, Jeremy Piven and Mitch Ryan cameos? Woot, I say, woot.
Not that huge a Minnie Driver fan either, but what ya gonna do. Great movie.
Oh yeah, and I noticed Goon on the first page of this thread. Loved that movie. 36/40 also.
^Damn you people. I've never seen it either.
Last night I watched Olympus Has Fallen...don't know if its been mentioned before in this thread but it was total crap, even for a mindless action movie. It aspired to being Die Hard and failed.
Quote from: Gusington on January 18, 2014, 12:19:39 PM
^Damn you people. I've never seen it either.
Last night I watched Olympus Has Fallen...don't know if its been mentioned before in this thread but it was total crap, even for a mindless action movie. It aspired to being Die Hard and failed.
LOL
You REALLY don't want to watch White House Down, then. What a shit pile THAT was.
Although I thought Olympus Has Fallen was okay. It had some crap moments in it but the action was decent, if obviously stretching the limits of disbelief. :D
Watch Grosse Pointe Blank, sir. You'll like it.
lol i watched i Olympus on netflix and then recommended it to 2 colleagues at work - for mindless action i thought it was ok
^I can't even look at you.
I wonder if Grosse Pointe is on Netflix...gah, negatory
Redbox? Amazon? iMDB?
http://www.amazon.com/Grosse-Pointe-Blank-John-Cusack/dp/B003QSO11W
kinda surprised you cant find it on demand.
Thanks for that Amazon link Star. Not sure if The Wife has seen it, I should wait for her to get home.
In the meantime I watched a flick called Centurion with Michael Fassbender instead. It's about Rome's missing 9th Legion disappearing in Scotland. It only got a 59% on Rotten Tomatoes but I thought it was really good.
Quote from: Gusington on January 20, 2014, 12:25:23 PM
Thanks for that Amazon link Star. Not sure if The Wife has seen it, I should wait for her to get home.
In the meantime I watched a flick called Centurion with Michael Fassbender instead. It's about Rome's missing 9th Legion disappearing in Scotland. It only got a 59% on Rotten Tomatoes but I thought it was really good.
Centurion was surprisingly good, I thought.
I loved it! My only regret is not watching it sooner. And the female Pict scout was smokin' hot, even without a tongue...how often can I type that?
Quote from: Gusington on January 20, 2014, 12:41:25 PM
And the female Pict scout was smokin' hot, even without a tongue...how often can I type that?
At least every other day, here.
^Buzz kill.
Well, if it's any consolation, Gus, it's the first time I've ever seen someone actually type such a thing.
Quote from: Gusington on January 20, 2014, 12:25:23 PM
Thanks for that Amazon link Star. Not sure if The Wife has seen it, I should wait for her to get home.
In the meantime I watched a flick called Centurion with Michael Fassbender instead. It's about Rome's missing 9th Legion disappearing in Scotland. It only got a 59% on Rotten Tomatoes but I thought it was really good.
Thanks for the impressions,
Gus. I remember thinking Centurion looked interesting, but I never got around to watching it. Adding to my list.
I thought Centurion was great. I bought the Blu-Ray.
I don't ever remember it being released in theaters.
It wasn't. I think it was released on demand in 2010.
Straight to On-Demand the new straight-to-video? That's a shame for Centurion.
IIRC it did Sundance or SXSW or something for a screening or two (probably SXSW as I don't keep up with Sundance anymore), then went right to "video."
One cool thing about the series Chuck - they love to drop references in there to older movies.
The epi I watched last night had Chuck talking to blondie and him saying he wonders sometimes if she's off in Paraguay killing the President with a fork - which is something Cusack's character says he did in Grosse Pointe Blank.
Also, a Mark Rattner reference - the geeky main character from Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
The Mrs. and I saw Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit yesterday. It was ok but nothing more. The Jack and Cathy Ryan characters were rebooted and I must say that I liked Chris Pine's reboot of Kirk better than I liked his reboot of Jack Ryan. I've read all of the main Tom Clancy Jack Ryan stories; I've seen Jack Ryan portrayed by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, and Ben Affleck. This one left me feeling very "meh". I probably would have enjoyed it better if the protagonist's name was not Jack Ryan, as the story wasn't bad- and had very little to do with Clancy's novels. I would have preferred different casting for Cathy, as Keira Knightly, to my eyes, is nothing more than an emaciated bag of bones.
There was good tension (offset for me, by the fact that I know that Jack & Cathy get married and live long enough to have a kid- therefore they'll get out of this bind... but the Mrs got totally sucked-in) and some good action. Branagh played a great villain, so hat's off to him. But Costner's role could have been played by anybody.
When it comes on TV, I'll probably watch it again.
27 out of 40.
They need to leave that franchise alone. First Ben Affleck in Sum of All Fears, now this.
If they're going to do a film based on a Clancy book it should be Red Storm Rising.
the character of Ryan needed a consistent actor from the beginning. at the beginning they should have stuck with Baldwin for at least 3 movies.
Loved reading most of Clancy's stuff. The Sum Of All Fears was particularly good, especially the build up - tracing the bomb from the Arab-Israeli War in the desert to the nuke that [SPOILERS] took out the Super Bowl.
The movie - what a crap-fest. Affleck was totally unconvincing to me as Jack Ryan. Changing the bad guys from Arab extremists to neo-Nazis was fugging dumb. I admit the only good part of that movie was seeing the bomb go off in Baltimore.
that part got super dumbed down due to 9/11.
I know, but it's highly insulting to the intelligence of those that actually read.
i liked harrison ford for Ryan, but my first thoughts on seeing the trailer was that Costner was the new ryan and they were sticking with the age thing - and i didnt think that was too bad
as mentioned, leave Tom and Jack to rest in peace
I agree, they should both be put to rest.
I don't know if you guys heard of Clive Cussler, but he had some amazing novels back in the day. He got a little too prolific with the world-ending threats and his hero, Dirk Pitt, aged steadily through each of the books. Eventually Clive brought Dirk's kids into the stories and they eventually took over. Which might have been cool, but they were a little too perfect, and Cussler went a little nutso and started including himself in each of his novels.
But Dirk Pitt, you gotta love a guy that lived in a hangar off of Washington National (or was it Dulles?) and had it full of classic cars, and even a Me-262. ;)
Quote from: mirth on January 21, 2014, 04:35:26 PM
If they're going to do a film based on a Clancy book it should be Red Storm Rising.
1. It would have to be done as a TV mini-series.
2. I'm guessing the current wave of political correctness in the media corporate offices would never allow it to be made true to the book.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on January 21, 2014, 05:52:21 PM
I agree, they should both be put to rest.
I don't know if you guys heard of Clive Cussler, but he had some amazing novels back in the day. He got a little too prolific with the world-ending threats and his hero, Dirk Pitt, aged steadily through each of the books. Eventually Clive brought Dirk's kids into the stories and they eventually took over. Which might have been cool, but they were a little too perfect, and Cussler went a little nutso and started including himself in each of his novels.
But Dirk Pitt, you gotta love a guy that lived in a hangar off of Washington National (or was it Dulles?) and had it full of classic cars, and even a Me-262. ;)
Cussler has been sneaking himself into his own books for almost a quarter century. I almost stopped reading his stuff after 'Dragon' because of that but decided to stick with his books a while longer. For the most part they are harmless fun and he does have a way of dredging up bits of forgotten history so they can become integral to the plot, often from an oblique angle. Also, you can't beat the gee-wizz factor whenever some neat classic car, plane, or ship gets sprung on the reader and often used in a getaway or for bringing the fight to the Baddies. Ford Tri-Motor, anyone?:D
I didn't read Dragon until later. The first time he did it (for me, anyway) was reading Sahara. I thought it was pretty awful for him to do it, but then realized, hey, I'm the one reading his book. And I kept reading them, too, until the kids took over and other parts of NUMA took on spin-off roles. I wasn't interested in any of that.
My first Cussler book was Raise The Titanic. A friend of mine whom was huge into Cussler let me borrow it. This was 1984, 85 or so, before they even found the wreck. So it seemed legit.
The movie for Raise The Titanic was absolutely terrible, but it was cool when they did the scene with the Titanic being towed into New York harbor.
And Sahara sucked balls, too. The movie, that is. The book was pretty way out there, but he had a way of making totally implausible things realistic. Matthew was about as Dirk Pitt as Fabio is Hitler.
I saw it without realizing who it was supposed to be at first. on that level it was fine. like I said with the Hobbit/LotR books, if ya aint read em you'll enjoy the movie lots more.
I had way too many expectations going into Sahara. Big mistake.
Yeah, Sahara (the Movie) was lame. Though it did have Penelope Cruz... :)
IRRC, Raise the Titanic was not his first Dirk Pitt book. Mediterranean Caper (and possibly and Iceberg) were slightly earlier but either didn't make a splash or were somewhere on a publisher's back burner when RtT went big so they got fast-tracked/reissued quickly.
Gotta love the opening scene to Mediterranean Caper: An Albatross DV is used by the baddies to start their modern day crime operation...
Yeah, I think Mediterranean Caper was his first. Not sure about Iceberg. Once I read Titanic, though, I went through everything - Night Probe, Pacific Vortex, Vixen 03, Deep Six, Cyclops...you name it, I devoured it.
Funny fact: Clive named his son Dirk. Dirk Cussler.
Also, I found this blog earlier...it's pretty funny if you've read Mediterranean Caper:
http://neverfeltbetter.wordpress.com/2010/08/05/dirk-pitt-is-a-dick-the-mediterranean-caper/
LOL @ the Blog! Some interesting entries there...
BTW, Most likely Dirk Pitt was named after Cussler's son, not the other way around.
^ Huh. Yeah, I could see that. His son is around my age if not older. At least he didn't name him Dirk Cussler. ::)
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on January 21, 2014, 05:02:27 PM
the character of Ryan needed a consistent actor from the beginning. at the beginning they should have stuck with Baldwin for at least 3 movies.
Agreed.
Quote from: OJsDad on January 21, 2014, 06:55:14 PM
Quote from: mirth on January 21, 2014, 04:35:26 PM
If they're going to do a film based on a Clancy book it should be Red Storm Rising.
1. It would have to be done as a TV mini-series.
2. I'm guessing the current wave of political correctness in the media corporate offices would never allow it to be made true to the book.
I'd also love to see "Without Remorse" done properly. The John Clark character was, IMHO, always a stand-out in the Clancy novels.
according to the interwebz he thought he would get a bond style run of ryan movies and was in talks, then they rang him and said the studio owed a lot of money to another actor, more famous and more betterer with a better profile and they were going with him
i can only imagine the baldwin rage
True Baldwin rage...
John Clark is from Rainbow Six, right? It's been a while.
John Clark is in a handful of Clancy novels. "Without Remorse" tells the story of how John Clark got into CIA special operations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Clark_(Tom_Clancy_character)
In a lot of ways, Without Remorse is my favorite novel in the Ryan-verse. (Although I genuinely enjoy pretty much all of them, especially through Debt of Honor.) Red Storm Rising is still probably my favorite Clancy novel overall, however.
Quote from: Centurion40 on January 22, 2014, 09:24:21 AM
John Clark is in a handful of Clancy novels. "Without Remorse" tells the story of how John Clark got into CIA special operations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Clark_(Tom_Clancy_character)
That's a great book.
Is Without Remorse the one where he's some sort of Death Wish/Mack Bolan/Punisher amalgam running around being a vigilante? Didn't care for that one at all. Really marked Clancy's slide into mediocrity and worse for me.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on January 22, 2014, 07:15:57 PM
Is Without Remorse the one where he's some sort of Death Wish/Mack Bolan/Punisher amalgam running around being a vigilante? Didn't care for that one at all. Really marked Clancy's slide into mediocrity and worse for me.
it is
and then disappears at then end
Back on track...
One genre I've really gotten into in the last year or so is South Korean films. Most of them are really fun, comedic, action-adventures that are highly entertaining. The best ones don't take themselves too seriously. Here's three that I think are still on Netflix (I watched them all on there, anyway), and I highly recommend each one.
Oldboy is a laugh-a-minute romp of...no, I'm kidding, it's actually very disturbing. It starts with the protagonist, a family man with a wife and young daughter, getting kidnapped and put into a hotel room/prison. No explanation, no info, nothing. He's kept there for 15 years. Meanwhile, he finds out his wife is dead and he's the guy the cops are looking for. After 15 years pass, he's dumped on a rooftop and...well, it's not exactly hilarity that ensues, but it's pretty gripping stuff. I know this flick came out in 2003 so this might be old news for a lot of you, but hey, I'm new to this. 35/40.
Arahan is probably my favorite of the three I list here. This one takes itself absolutely NOT seriously; the protagonist is a clumsy cop that chases a purse snatcher and we're subsequently introduced to a woman that can run across vertical walls and do other feats of Matrix-fu that are highly entertaining. Actually, it's very Matrix-like, as this 'clumsy' cop is kind of 'the one' with a very deep connection to 'Qi,' an energy that permeates the universe. You can tell lots of things are lifted from other movies here, but they do an outstanding job of making it all seamless and turning it into a really fun adventure movie. I laughed out loud many times through this as they don't shy from humor, either. Another old flick (2004), but new to me. 38/40.
Then, there's The Man from Nowhere, a 2010 release with a pretty straightforward vengeance plot. The protagonist is a pawn shop owner who is a pretty quiet guy who keeps to himself; the only person he interacts with is a little girl that lives next door. The girl is the daughter of a druggie mom. The pawn shop guy gets pulled into a drug plot when the mom's habits get her in trouble with the local drug thugs, which in turn affects the little girl. I'm not doing the description justice, let me just say that. It's a very good movie; probably the most serious in tone of these three, but it has its moments of levity. Overall, highly entertaining, lots of action, and the characters are easy to get invested in. 38/40.
Anyone see Captain Phillips? Think I am watching that with the in-laws later.
I heard part of an interview with Hanks about it. He said that the director kept Hanks and the Somali actors away from each other to amp up some of the tension on set. That way they wouldn't get to know each other until some of the key scenes had been shot.
My wife and I saw "Saving Mr. Banks" today. Good movie but sad in parts.
Its about the author of Mary Poppins and Walt Disney & Crew trying to get her to allow them to make a movie about the book. It was an excellent movie, but sad. Very well acted.
its only fun if the strippers crying.
Yesterday, the Mrs and I went to see Saving Mr. Banks, as there was nothing else, upon which we could compromise.
The movie was much more emotional than I expected; as all the hype was about Tom Hanks playing Walt Disney. But Tom was a supporting actor to Emma Thompson, playing P.L. Travers- the author of Mary Poppins. The movie is promoted as the tale of how the whimsical Walt Disney wrangled the movie rights to Mary Poppins from a reluctant and difficult stiff British author.
This is basically true, this is the pivotal plot of the movie. But the movie is really about P.L. Travers wrestling with her inner demons, to overcome her emotional damage (shown through a series of flash-backs), having grown-up in a home where her father was an alcoholic (albeit a fun-loving drunk) who lost his job and died of (what seems to be) consumption while the young P.L. Travers was out buying him some pears. The Mary Poppins figure is actually based P.L. Travers' aunt, who came to live with her family, in rural Australia, after her mother's suicide attempt when her father became bedridden with consumption- in a failed attempt to save the family, and especially to save the father- a recently fired bank manager.
Walt and his upbeat team of composers and script writers try to break through to the hard-nosed and proper British author, who insists on being called "Mrs. Travers" and also insisted upon audio recording all of their discussion (because she didn't trust any of them), only to discover that her real name is Helen Goff, that she is Australian born and raised- not British and that P.L. Travers is her nom de plume, based on her father's name; Travers Goff. Furthermore that the father in the Mary Poppins story is actually based on her own father, Travers Goff.
Clearly Walt succeeds in breaking-down Mrs. Travers, getting the movie rights and making a whimsical musical called "Mary Poppins". The film's climax comes when they are all sitting in Grauman's Chinese Theater, watching the screen debut of Mary Poppins, and P.L. Travers breaks down sobbing when the movie family's father, Mr. Banks melts his heart and plays with the children. The credits role while showing old photographs and playing audio tape of the actual recordings of discussions between the real-life Mrs. Travers and the Disney production crew.
A good movie, but not what I expected.
30 out of 40
I haven't seen the movie, but I thought from the commercials that Tom looked a lot like Walt.
The whole family went toThe Lego Movie in 3D on the weekend. What a spectacular visual experience. It was a good and engaging story too; encouraging creativity and self expression whilst exposing the vapid, clone-like nature of usual day-to-day living.
For 40Jr & I, the only downside to the movie was near to the end, when we are taken out of the Lego Universe, coming back into human reality, complete with human actors being filmed on real-world sets. That shift was a bummer for both 40Jr. and myself. But Mrs. 40 liked it. For her it gave context to the story. For us, it messed-up the whole vibe of the movie- as we have no interest in reality.
Great movie for adults and kids alike.
33 out of 40
Yeah, I've heard some decent praise for that one. If I end up not being able to see it in the theaters, it's definitely going on my list.
The Mrs. and I went to see The Monuments Men last night. It was fine, but it struck as something better suited to HBO than the big screen. At first I thought that we were in for Oceans 11 set in WWII, but that phase passed. I was a bit confused, in that I wasn't sure if the film intended to be a whimsical adventure (like Oceans 11), or a serious tale of war (like Saving Private Ryan). It seemed to bounce back and forth between the two without really hitting a rhythm- and it was never really that whimsical. I kept having to remind myself that it is a movie in order to suspend my disbelief at, what were to me, glaring historical impossibilities. I guess that I expected a Band of Brothers level of historical accuracy. That being said, it wasn't glaring.
Overall, this wasn't a bad film. It was an interesting story covering a topic mostly unknown to me. The acting was good, and it was a good looking movie; it just didn't seem like it should have been intended for theatrical release. If I were you, I'd wait to rent it or watch it on HBO.
29 out of 40
A buddy and I went to see Stalingrad last night, in IMAX 3D. It was visually stunning, but the dialogue and plot was like a Hollywood war movie from 1943.
It starts out in the modern day, with a Russian aid flight going to provide disaster relief after a tsunami in Japan. The Russian rescue workers start to dig-out a group of German teenagers trapped in a collapsed building. What German teenagers are doing in Japan, I don't know. I guess they're trying to show that modern Russians can be benevolent to Germans. One of the Russians speaks German, and talks to one of the German teenagers via a video-link, to keep her calm while Russians try to save them. The Russian tells her the story of his mother, who grew up in Stalingrad, and it was during the Battle of Stalingrad that his mother met his father. The rest of the movie centers around that tale.
The movie shows the Russians as people who have faith in God and the motherland. Fierce fighters, battling relentlessly for Mother Russia. No Commissars or hammers 'n sickles in sight. One scene shows Russians advancing through burning oil, charging the German line, clothes and flesh burning (I mean engulfed in flames) while shooting, stabbing and punching the terrified Germans.
The Germans (all Wehrmacht) are showed as immoral rapists and pagans. There is a scene where a German Colonel picks a Russian woman and her child out of a line-up, because they look Jewish, and has them burned alive. The Colonel explains to a Captain that, as was the way of their ancestors, a human sacrifice before battle is required. The Captain is appalled, so he goes and rapes a pretty Russian woman.
Yep, it was over-the-top 1940's corn propaganda of the most blatant variety. German fascism is bad, but Russian patriotism brings freedom. I guess that in Russian, "freedom" means communist totalitarianism.
But the visual and sound effects were absolutely stunning, really first-rate. Amazing battle scenes. I can't emphasize that enough. The dichotomy between the modern cinematography and the archaic plot and dialogue was really bizarre. It was a really weird experience.
18 out of 40.
Quote from: Centurion40 on March 03, 2014, 08:33:17 PM
Yep, it was over-the-top 1940's corn propaganda of the most blatant variety. German fascism is bad, but Russian patriotism brings freedom. I guess that in Russian, "freedom" means communist totalitarianism.
Rather fortuitous that the Russians allow this movie to be released a few months before their little picnic in the Ukraine.
Reminds me of parts of the plot of
Red Storm Rising.
I've seen some of the movie online (yes, I went looking for it), but the dialogue was truly atrocious, so much so that I couldn't watch but half or so of it; juxtapose that terrible dialogue and characterization, not to mention the transparent "Russians are German friends" crap at the beginning, and mix it with as you say some very stunning battle scenes, makes for a ride like a roller coaster that makes you want to vomit despite the fun you have with it. It reminded me a lot of the terrible movie Enemy at the Gates - I enjoyed EatG only because of the scenes at the beginning with the Russians crossing the Volga and the Stukas diving in on them - great stuff. The rest of the movie, nope.
I'd give this Stalingrad 12/40, and that 12 is only because of some splendid yet completely not rooted in reality special effects. Total horseshit when it comes to flaming men but apparently the Russian movie-going population ate this up like Borscht-flavored vodka.
Quote from: Centurion40 on March 03, 2014, 08:33:17 PM
Yep, it was over-the-top 1940's corn propaganda of the most blatant variety. German fascism is bad, but Russian patriotism brings freedom. I guess that in Russian, "freedom" means communist totalitarianism.
Rather fortuitous that the Russians allow this movie to be released a few months before their little picnic in the Ukraine.
Reminds me of parts of the plot of
Red Storm Rising.
I've seen some of the movie online (yes, I went looking for it as it's playing nowhere near me), but the dialogue was truly atrocious, so much so that I had a difficult time getting through it; juxtapose that terrible dialogue and characterization, not to mention the transparent "Russians are German friends" crap at the beginning, and mix it with as you say some very stunning battle scenes, makes for a ride like a roller coaster that makes you want to vomit despite the fun you have with it. It reminded me a lot of the terrible movie
Enemy at the Gates - I enjoyed EatG only because of the scenes at the beginning with the Russians crossing the Volga and the Stukas diving in on them - great stuff. The rest of the movie, oh hell no.
I'd give this Stalingrad 12/40, and that 12 is only because of some splendid yet completely not rooted in reality special effects. Total horseshit when it comes to flaming men but apparently the Russian movie-going population is about as intelligent as American audiences and ate this up like Borscht-flavored vodka.
Took the family to see Captain America: The Winter Soldier yesterday. It was fine. Lots of dialogue, more so than action. To sum it up, a 9 year-old fell asleep during the movie; that should tell you something. Then again, to be fair, it was over 2 hours long.
I would compare it to Iron Man 3.
Great effects.
31 out of 40
Lots of dialogue? Not surprised since the Captain is a low tier super hero, only above Aquaman on the power curve.
If anyone goes to see it, feel free to skip the 2nd "One Shot" which rolls at the end of the credits (the first one rolls mid-way through the credits). It was, imho, redundant. I shan't give details so as not to spoil anything.
Have all the 'One Shots' been gathered anywhere? Youtube doesn't have them all it seems. :(
Quote from: Windigo on April 07, 2014, 10:12:56 AM
Lots of dialogue? Not surprised since the Captain is a low tier super hero, only above Aquaman on the power curve.
Says the Canadian. He's Captain
America! He upholds the ideals this country was founded on. He is a great patriot and risked his life fighting the Nazi menace in WWII along with a host of baddies from the comic book world. And just because Aquaman and America both start with a capital A, does not give you the right to slander that great American by equating him with the Fish guy. So there :P
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:P is as close as I can get to a raspberry smiley. And here is another for good measure :P
I took the kids to see it last weekend and I just can't buy Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury - totally kills the suspension of disbelief for me. I agree with Cent40 - 31 out of 40 is more than fair.
The Mrs and I saw Draft Day yesterday, and both of us were uninspired. First off, it's billed as a "comedy" but there is nothing funny about it. It tries to appeal to football lovers, but there is not enough football-driven plot (IMHO) to satisfy lovers of the NFL. It is no great version "Moneyball" for the NFL. It also tries to appeal to the Chick Flick crowd with a story of romance and an unexpected pregnancy. But it doesn't really deliver to that crowd either.
It was ok, but more of something that you'd watch to pass the time on a rainy/snowy night when there is nothing else to do or watch. It's not offensive, but it's not intriguing either.
26 out of 40.
Quote from: Centurion40 on April 15, 2014, 09:48:59 AM
The Mrs and I saw Draft Day yesterday, and both of us were uninspired. First off, it's billed as a "comedy" but there is nothing funny about it. It tries to appeal to football lovers, but there is not enough football-driven plot (IMHO) to satisfy lovers of the NFL. It is no great version "Moneyball" for the NFL. It also tries to appeal to the Chick Flick crowd with a story of romance and an unexpected pregnancy. But it doesn't really deliver to that crowd either.
It was ok, but more of something that you'd watch to pass the time on a rainy/snowy night when there is nothing else to do or watch. It's not offensive, but it's not intriguing either.
26 out of 40.
The real question is, will the real life Browns be inspired by it as the Indians were by Major League.
Quote from: OJsDad on April 15, 2014, 11:51:40 AM
Quote from: Centurion40 on April 15, 2014, 09:48:59 AM
The Mrs and I saw Draft Day yesterday, and both of us were uninspired. First off, it's billed as a "comedy" but there is nothing funny about it. It tries to appeal to football lovers, but there is not enough football-driven plot (IMHO) to satisfy lovers of the NFL. It is no great version "Moneyball" for the NFL. It also tries to appeal to the Chick Flick crowd with a story of romance and an unexpected pregnancy. But it doesn't really deliver to that crowd either.
It was ok, but more of something that you'd watch to pass the time on a rainy/snowy night when there is nothing else to do or watch. It's not offensive, but it's not intriguing either.
26 out of 40.
The real question is, will the real life Browns be inspired by it as the Indians were by Major League.
I can't imagine this movie inspiring anyone. Major League had whimsy and triumph. This movie has office politics and a lucky trade.
^Major League had Renee Russo. That was enough.
Quote from: mirth on April 15, 2014, 08:52:37 PM
^Major League had Renee Russo. That was enough.
And Draft Day has Jennifer Garner. Nuff Said
Quote from: OJsDad on April 15, 2014, 10:42:26 PM
Quote from: mirth on April 15, 2014, 08:52:37 PM
^Major League had Renee Russo. That was enough.
And Draft Day has Jennifer Garner. Nuff Said
Jennifer Garner is no Renee Russo... :P
I went to see
The Raid 2. I am a big fan of the original so going to this one was a no-brainer. It starts off immediately after the ending of the original but soon veers off in a new direction. The main character from the original is sent undercover to infiltrate the mob and try to bring them down from the inside. It's got some very well choreographed fight scenes with some excellent martial artists (except the chick with the hammers. She just didn't have the skill of the others and it showed in her fight scenes) but the film is less tightly focused than the first one and it suffers for it. It clocks in at just under 2.5 hours and the story sometimes drags and meanders. I think they were trying to create a Godfather/Departed type film with lots of scheming characters, a convoluted story with a few twists but it didn't come off that well. If you liked the first one, it's worth a look but you might want to wait for cheap Tuesday or stream it when it goes digital in a few months.
7/10
.
Saw the latest Spiderman on the weekend, and was underwhelmed. I felt like they were trying to cram too much drama into it. Electro was impressive, both the story and the effects. Rhino seemed like an afterthought. The Green Goblin has potential, but they spent far too much time on Peter and Gwen's relationship to be able to give the Green Goblin plot much airtime. It would appear as if the Green Goblin will be the primary villain in the next movie.
I like how they portray Spiderman, and I like Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker much more than Toby Maguire. But this movie seems to be trying to please too many people, as if the script was written by a government committee. So, IMHO, it came off as barely interesting.
28 out of 40
I remember watching Pacific Rim last year, and thinking 'man, if they ever make another Godzilla movie, they'll really need to raise the bar."
They did.
35/40
Quote from: Centurion40 on May 16, 2014, 08:30:45 PM
I remember watching Pacific Rim last year, and thinking 'man, if they ever make another Godzilla movie, they'll really need to raise the bar."
They did.
35/40
The Japanese were right, 'Grodzirah' is a chub bola
Takes half the movie before you see the fat guy
The movie should have been called
Shitty Man Drama with a Puny CGI budgetThis is a monster movie and the big fight was a minor sub-plot?
I walked out after the movie feeling very disappointed
You and JP can form a haters club. >:D
I'm not at all a hater. Just distressed over script design problems. And to a much smaller extent the Godzilla design which baffles me at some points, but I can live with it. Godzilla has often been rather chubby, going back to G54, for example -- not a design principle I like, but endemic to the series so I can't say they weren't being faithful there.
Do I wish they had gone a more Allosaur route, like the body for GINO98, but with, you know, an actual Allosaur head? Sure -- but that would have been more threatening. Could they have made that work anyway for a children's monster? Sure -- Marvel did in their 24 issue run (and a slightly pudgy body, too. And legitimate 3-row dorsal fins.) But I understand why they took the visual route they took. And then cheated occasionally with the belly roar which transforms his whole skull into something more appropriate. :))
Quote from: Centurion40 on May 18, 2014, 12:51:33 PM
You and JP can form a haters club. >:D
It started off so well...
IMO the Producers snorted almost all the CGI budget
Quote from: Windigo on May 20, 2014, 11:36:49 AM
Quote from: Centurion40 on May 18, 2014, 12:51:33 PM
You and JP can form a haters club. >:D
It started off so well...
IMO the Producers snorted almost all the CGI budget
Some how, when I think Godzilla, cutting edge CGI doesn't come to mind. Having a little tackiness feels right.
cutting edge... he was mostly a no show
I went to see the new X-Men movie today because I'm in Bangkok and there's a god damned coup going on and what the hell else am I gonna do with the curfew in place right now?
Anyway, it was a pretty good flick. I never read the comics but I did watch the 90s cartoon so I kinda knew the storyline. I was hoping for more Sentinels vs. mutants stuff but even though there wasn't a lot of that, it was still very entertaining. It's got a lot more in common with X-Men First Class than with the original trilogy in terms of style and tone. It's got a lot of characters in it but they did a good job with keeping the story tight. Most of the casting was good except the guy who played Nixon. He just didn't look right. Having Peter Drinklage in it was a bit if a distraction as he seemed to be there solely to cash in on his Game of Thrones popularity. The chick who plays Blink is smoking hot but I suspect she's only in there as a sop to the Chinese market. I gather she's quite the famous actress/model in China.
Bangkok??!! :o Keep your head down, and don't let Bangkok have you!
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Thanks for the mini-review, SDR.
X-Men: Days of Future Past is *the* movie I want to see this summer. The few professional reviews I've read so far have been very positive overall, but it's still reassuring to know that someone who's even more of a casual fan than myself enjoyed it as well.
I saw X-Men: Days of Future Past last night and really enjoyed it. I got over my deep dislike for the look and function of the future Sentinels. I thought it was a ripping yarn, with every actor/ character pulling their weight. Dinklage continues to rock, he's every bit as good in this as Game of Thrones.
37/40
I kinda wondered about the Sentinels and their powers as well. I would have thought they'd need Rogue's DNA instead of Mystique's in order to gain the abilities that they had. Oh well. Minor quibble.
No spoilers!
Saw X-Men: Days of Future Past. I liked it. Still can't get over Wolverine being 6'2" instead of 5'2", and that he's basically unkillable, and immortal. And I wished we had gotten some more character development for Bishop, Colossus, et al. And I REALLY wanted to know when Kitty Pryde got the power to send people back in time. And why Raven/Mystique dropping a gun suddenly makes Sentinels disappear. Or any number of things that I apparently didn't remember from the comics. But that's Hollywood. And in this movie, they do what they do best and tell a quick, action packed story with enough development to keep you interested, even if you know everything is going to turn out alright.
Ehem. Please see above posts.
Quote from: Staggerwing on May 24, 2014, 09:12:23 AM
No spoilers!
I got souvenir 3D glasses, and there is a scene at the end of the credits. Sorry! :P
I always sit through the credits at the end of Marvel films, or any other films with a similar vibe. Pacific Rim had a nice credits-scene.
Quote from: Staggerwing on May 24, 2014, 05:50:04 PM
Ehem. Please see above posts.
Sorry. Kind of a dick move by me. It just never occurs to me that there are people who are not familiar enough with the Marvel Universe to not wonder these same things as well. At least that's my excuse and I am sticking to it.
Quote from: MetalDog on May 24, 2014, 10:09:23 PM
Quote from: Staggerwing on May 24, 2014, 05:50:04 PM
Ehem. Please see above posts.
Sorry. Kind of a dick move by me. It just never occurs to me that there are people who are not familiar enough with the Marvel Universe to not wonder these same things as well. At least that's my excuse and I am sticking to it.
Then tell me WTF I saw at the end of the credits!
^... in a PM ;)
PM sent. And get your butt out to the theater, Stagger! So I can run off at the mouth. LOVE me some Marvel Super Heroes!!!
I may get the chance Tuesday since I took the day off and the kids will be in school. Hopefully there will be a midmorning showing somewhere since I will need the afternoon for other stuff, mundane but necessary, that I must get done.
I don't know if you have Carmike Cinemas up there, but, Tuesday is a great day to go to them. They have a lot of deals that day. unfortunately, the matinee prices are between 4 and 5:30
Just got back.... loved the xmen seems the entire cinema was prepped for the end of the credits.... no one moved.... had to Google what it was about.... psyched now for next film after reading up
Quote from: undercovergeek on May 25, 2014, 02:22:42 PM
Just got back.... loved the xmen seems the entire cinema was prepped for the end of the credits.... no one moved.... had to Google what it was about.... psyched now for next film after reading up
MD hipped me. Yeah, I'm stoked!!
I just watched Red 2 and it was more funnerer then MD at a Skynyrd concert.
though I wouldn't elevate it to Mirth in pantyhose levels.
close though.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on May 25, 2014, 10:34:33 PM
I just watched Red 2 and it was more funnerer then MD at a Skynyrd concert.
though I wouldn't elevate it to Mirth in pantyhose levels.
close though.
The funniest thing about that whole quote is that he spelled Skynyrd right. ;)
The Mrs & I saw the latest Sandler flick Blended yesterday. She thought that it was great, I thought that it was the worst of the lot; making "Jack 'n Jill" actually look good in comparison. ::) Much of the film took place at the Sun City resort in South Africa- which looks amazing. So full marks for setting, and that's all that I have to say about that.
20/40
Quote from: Centurion40 on May 27, 2014, 08:54:32 AM
The Mrs & I saw the latest Sandler flick Blended yesterday. She thought that it was great, I thought that it was the worst of the lot; making "Jack 'n Jill" actually look good in comparison. ::) Much of the film took place at the Sun City resort in South Africa- which looks amazing. So full marks for setting, and that's all that I have to say about that.
20/40
Let me guess...that was HER choice for you both, right? ;)
So many movies, so little money and time right now...
Forced to see an Adam Sandler movie? I think that's grounds for divorce. Does he play an idiotic man-child with anger issues in this one?
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 27, 2014, 09:36:49 AM
Forced to see an Adam Sandler movie? I think that's grounds for divorce. Does he play an idiotic man-child with anger issues in this one?
Ah, you are familiar with his work!
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 27, 2014, 09:36:49 AM
Forced to see an Adam Sandler movie? I think that's grounds for divorce. Does he play an idiotic man-child with anger issues in this one?
Waitaminute...in
Eight Crazy Nights he voiced a...he...uhhmm...oh, yeah.
Well, there was
The Wedding Singer, where he was...an...um.
Then there was
Little Nicky where...um...nevermind.
In
The Waterboy, he played a...a...oh.
In
Big Daddy...uhh...
Happy Gilmore...
Billy Ma...
Gee, typecast much? 8)
Quote from: Staggerwing on May 24, 2014, 09:12:23 AM
No spoilers!
Peter Dinklage mutates into a huge scary black man later.
(Unless that timeline was erased. OR WAS IT!?)
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on May 27, 2014, 11:11:28 AM
Gee, typecast much? 8)
would you give a shit with that bank account?
honestly
I've brought it up before but, Keanu Reeves's movies have made over $4 billion. thats why he keeps getting roles and doesn't care what we think of his acting ability.
Whoa.
He's also a fairly cool guy, as he's shared his paychecks with people that have worked behind the scenes on his movies.
Saw the latest in the series of 'Tom Cruise fights earth invading aliens' movies, Edge of Tomorrow, and it was pretty good. That being said, I was sick with a fever when I saw it Monday afternoon.
Basically Tom plays a spineless weasel advertising exec who ends-up as a Major (in what appears to be the USMC) in military public relations after the earth gets invaded by aliens. After pissing-off the commanding General of earth forces, he is shanghaied into the infantry the day before the big assault. He goes through 'Ground Hog Day' experience, leading to the culmination of the film. Sounds weak, but I enjoyed it.
32 out of 40
Saw 22 Jump Street last night, and despite all of the hype, it is not better than the first one. It is almost as good. The end credit sequence was awesome, and there was one really good belly-laugh during the movie.
Overall, it was fine as a sequel.
30 out of 40
Yep, saw Edge this past weekend, too. Enjoyed it hugely, as did the Dad. This movie deserves better audience figures.
Quote from: JasonPratt on June 17, 2014, 09:47:37 AM
Yep, saw Edge this past weekend, too. Enjoyed it hugely, as did the Dad. This movie deserves better audience figures.
Agreed.
Finally saw Amazing Spider-Man 2. Much kept me away from it.
As many have said, it is very underwhelming and boring.
Emma Stone was highly annoying - I can't stand the frog-eyed broad. I realize I'm probably in the minority around here, but barf.
Don't much care for Jamie Foxx either, the racist jackass.
Dane DeHaan was utterly unimpressive as Harry. He reminded me of Emo Spider-Man from Spidey 3.
Terrible casting all around - the casting directors should be ostracized and never allowed to work again!
The story was weak and the pacing ponderous. The only interesting part came when Rhino appeared, but of course that was in the last two frigging minutes of the film.
5/40 and four of those five only come because of the sliver of hints that were dropped at the end of the movie...Rhino, Vulture, and others.
Yikes.
Well that'll definitely continue to discourage me from seeing either Garfield Spider-man film (not that I required much discouragement in the first place). Thanks for the feedback, BC.
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 11, 2014, 09:19:24 AM
'Ground Hog Day' experience, leading to the culmination of the film. Sounds weak, but I enjoyed it.
Actually.....it isn't Ground Hog Day, it is movie version of Lieutenant Backsight Forethought during the Boer War. Doesn't really sound weak, Defense of Duffer's Drift is on the Commandant's Reading List. If you peel the onion back a little more.......this concept is why we use simulations.
Do you think it would be okay for Tomas?
^Interesting, Smuck. Thanks for pointing it out. I did not know about that book so I googled it post haste. Here are some links folks might be intersted in:
Wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Defence_of_Duffer's_Drift
US Marines PDF of the book: https://web.archive.org/web/20130928011818/http://community.marines.mil/news/publications/Documents/FMFRP%2012-33%20%20The%20Defense%20of%20Duffer%27s%20Drift.pdf
Project Gutenberg's archive of the book in multiple e-book formats: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/24842
And, of course, many dead-tree versions and derivations for you book shelf purists: http://smile.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=defense%20of%20duffer%27s%20drift
Quote from: Smuckatelli on June 28, 2014, 10:45:36 PM
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 11, 2014, 09:19:24 AM
'Ground Hog Day' experience, leading to the culmination of the film. Sounds weak, but I enjoyed it.
Actually.....it isn't Ground Hog Day, it is movie version of Lieutenant Backsight Forethought during the Boer War. Doesn't really sound weak, Defense of Duffer's Drift is on the Commandant's Reading List. If you peel the onion back a little more.......this concept is why we use simulations.
Do you think it would be okay for Tomas?
Very cool! Thanks for the info. I'd never heard of that before.
Quote from: Smuckatelli on June 28, 2014, 10:45:36 PM
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 11, 2014, 09:19:24 AM
'Ground Hog Day' experience, leading to the culmination of the film. Sounds weak, but I enjoyed it.
Actually.....it isn't Ground Hog Day, it is movie version of Lieutenant Backsight Forethought during the Boer War. Doesn't really sound weak, Defense of Duffer's Drift is on the Commandant's Reading List. If you peel the onion back a little more.......this concept is why we use simulations.
Do you think it would be okay for Tomas?
Hard to say, as I've never met Tomas. There were large and loud battle scenes. No sex, and I can't recall if there was any swearing.
Saw the latest Transformers movie. It was too long. Great effects. If you're looking for more of the same, then this won't disappoint. Be warned parents, the f-bomb is dropped, once. Not sure why they decided to do that in a movie that is used to market toys to children.
25/40
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 30, 2014, 09:00:36 AM
Quote from: Smuckatelli on June 28, 2014, 10:45:36 PM
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 11, 2014, 09:19:24 AM
'Ground Hog Day' experience, leading to the culmination of the film. Sounds weak, but I enjoyed it.
Actually.....it isn't Ground Hog Day, it is movie version of Lieutenant Backsight Forethought during the Boer War. Doesn't really sound weak, Defense of Duffer's Drift is on the Commandant's Reading List. If you peel the onion back a little more.......this concept is why we use simulations.
Do you think it would be okay for Tomas?
Hard to say, as I've never met Tomas. There were large and loud battle scenes. No sex, and I can't recall if there was any swearing.
Just saw it tonight. Lots of fun, almost no swearing, very clean.
Actually, Edge of Tomorrow is based directly on a manga called All You Need Is Kill. Don't know whether the Japanese author knew about Duffer's Drift, but Groundhog Day and 12:01 (the latter a science-fiction comedy-thriller, co-starring Helen Slater -- vastly much better than it had any right to be) don't seem to have anything to do with Duffer's Drift either. (And GD has practically nothing to do with 12:01.)
In 12:01, the purely average (but non-assholish) hero wakes back up at the start of the end of the world every time he dies (or goes to sleep, or even just lives 24 hours) and has to figure out what's going on and how to stop it. It was probably the direct inspiration for at least one, maybe two ST:TNG eps.
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 30, 2014, 09:04:50 AM
Saw the latest Transformers movie. It was too long. Great effects. If you're looking for more of the same, then this won't disappoint. Be warned parents, the f-bomb is dropped, once. Not sure why they decided to do that in a movie that is used to market toys to children.
25/40
Saw it last night; woke up with stomach flu this morning. I am not drawing any inferential connections. ;) Better than the first two, arguably better than #3. Still has some of Bay's terrible humor. (He can direct comedy quite well but depends strongly on his writing team.) Not as bad as Bricken's infamous "Transformer FAQ" series (now over at i09) makes it out to be -- he just flat missed some plot points that he complained about, though in his defense the movie isn't overly clear about one of them namely where the dinobots come from. I strongly suspect there are some missing scenes leaving out a few pieces in that regard.
Just to minimize confusion later (and not much spoilers since a lot of this information opens the film): aliens carpet-bomb the earth with something that kills the dinosaurs by converting their organic bodies into the kind of unstable-molecule metal Transformers are made from. They harvested the vast majority of this metal but a few fossils remained by accident (plus some rare indistinguishable chunks). Immediately after this prologue one of the secondary heroines finds a metal-fossil T-Rex in what's now somewhere-in-the-Arctic. (The local guard is wearing a hat that says "Grimlock" by the way -- the dinobots are never addressed by name in the film and don't talk. But this isn't just an Easter Egg, it's confirmation this skeleton will be Grimlock.)
The company who is looking for this metal and who finds the skeleton, is in cahoots with someone who is himself secretly in cahoots with a Transformer bounty-hunter named Lockdown (one of the two robotic villains of the movie, though he has some honor unlike Megatron), and this is where the movie appears to be missing some scenes: Lockdown's ship is seen in the Arctic once, and he captured a group of ancient criminals (or rebel warriors or something) for the creators of the Transformers, one of which can be seen fused with the T-Rex's metal fossil and who becomes Grimlock for the final fight sequence -- other dinobots have the same origin. Swoop is a two-headed dragon because he got fused with the fossil of two pterodactyls hit by the seed bomb.
What's missing from the film is any scene clearly showing (or even clearly mentioning) that Lockdown is picking up spare Transformium skeletons left behind 65 million years ago (probably being fed their location through his contacts back to the technology company); and any scene explaining (or even clearly showing or mentioning) that Lockdown, or some other (now?)-unseen robot on his ship, is experimenting with fusing those skeletons to the four captive rebels.
The iO9 thing is pretty damn funny!
http://io9.com/transformers-age-of-extinction-the-spoiler-faq-1598579492 (http://io9.com/transformers-age-of-extinction-the-spoiler-faq-1598579492)
QuoteSo how does Transformers: Age of Extinction begin?
It begins 65 million years ago, as an armada of snail-shaped spaceships drop mysterious bombs on the dinosaurs, turning them into metal!
Oh, wow! So that's where the Dinobots come from?
Nope. Not at all.
What? But... they're metal dinosaurs.
I know, but they literally have nothing to do with the Dinobots. They're just metal fossils.
But—
You're about to ask if the spaceships suck up some dinosaurs to study them or something, but the answer is no. These ships bomb the dinosaurs, the dinosaurs turn to metal, end of scene, case closed. Any Dinobots that come later are completely coincidental.
Uh...
LOL
Just saw
Transformers: Age of Extinction this afternoon. I liked it well enough, although not as much as the 1st and 3rd films.
Its main problems were its needless length and (what felt to me like) a lack of focus. Character development and interaction were surprisingly strong, however -- by the standards of a Michael Bay film -- with the notable exception of the relationship between the main character (Mark Whalberg) and his daughter & her boyfriend (which felt cliched to the point of absurdity). You could tell John Goodman and Ken Watanabe had a good time hamming it up playing a boisterous-bruiser and samurai Autobot, respectively.
Quote from: JasonPratt on July 02, 2014, 02:11:56 PM
Better than the first two
Dude, saying a movie is better than the second Transformers film means nothing. That's like saying someone is taller than Gus. :P
I plan on seeing it, maybe this weekend, even though it is clearly a trainwreck of epic proportions. Just because it is a trainwreck, I will brave the stupid commercials that I cannot stand in order to check it out.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on July 02, 2014, 06:51:52 PM
QuoteSo how does Transformers: Age of Extinction begin?
It begins 65 million years ago, as an armada of snail-shaped spaceships drop mysterious bombs on the dinosaurs, turning them into metal!
Oh, wow! So that's where the Dinobots come from?
Nope. Not at all.
What? But... they're metal dinosaurs.
I know, but they literally have nothing to do with the Dinobots. They're just metal fossils.
But—
You're about to ask if the spaceships suck up some dinosaurs to study them or something, but the answer is no. These ships bomb the dinosaurs, the dinosaurs turn to metal, end of scene, case closed. Any Dinobots that come later are completely coincidental.
Uh...
LOL
As noted above, that part of his review is technically incorrect, but not quite his fault -- the movie doesn't put it together AT ALL well.
Quote from: Martok on July 02, 2014, 07:03:20 PMIts main problems were its needless length and (what felt to me like) a lack of focus. Character development and interaction were surprisingly strong, however -- by the standards of a Michael Bay film -- with the notable exception of the relationship between the main character (Mark Whalberg) and his daughter & her boyfriend (which felt cliched to the point of absurdity). You could tell John Goodman and Ken Watanabe had a good time hamming it up playing a boisterous-bruiser and samurai Autobot, respectively.
Was John Goodman playing Hound? Or was he playing the Aussie-sounding one with the green longjacket? Because I spent the whole movie being distracted by what sounded like Peter Cullen playing Hound as well as Prime. {checking IMDB} Well, damn...
Holy crap, Cullen has been playing Eeyore for since ever!! (And he was Monterey Jack on the Rescue Rangers.) I was checking to see if he had also voiced Hound in the G1 cartoon and that was why I kept thinking he was the same voice in the movie. Apparently he and Goodman just sound a lot alike. :-\
Agreed about lack of focus. Thus also agreed about the overlong length, which would have been better with more focus.
The Dad and Daughter/Boyfriend relationship unfortunately comprises most of the characterization in the movie. It wouldn't be so bad if Mark's part had been written as though he was sane, and if the Boyfriend had any characterization other than Hot Irish Boyfriend. The girl playing the daughter basically carries 70% of the movie, and she doesn't get to actively contribute much, which is a damn shame.
The villains (except for the weird role of Stanley Tucci which seems to have been written as comedy relief) are sympathetically interesting, except that they've long-since passed the moral event horizon so it's hard to put their legitimate grievances into context.
As usual in these films, several of the secondary support characters should have been the main characters. At least the Autobots themselves (and Lockdown, but practically none of the 'Cons and certainly none of the Dinos) got some workable characterization this time.
Quote from: JasonPratt on July 03, 2014, 02:52:36 PM
As usual in these films, several of the secondary support characters should have been the main characters. At least the Autobots themselves (and Lockdown, but practically none of the 'Cons and certainly none of the Dinos) got some workable characterization this time.
In fairness to the Dinobots, they didn't really *need* characterization (this time, at least) due to the sheer level of
FREAKING AWESOME!!! they brought to the film's last twenty minutes. (Seriously, what's not to love about Prime getting a Big Damn Heroes moment while riding to the rescue on a giant robotic Tyrannosaurus Rex??) ;D
Otherwise, though, I concur.
Just got back from seeing Transformers. I agree with most of what's been already discussed, but overall, I'm quite happy with the experience. I went ahead and sprung for the XD/3D experience and holy hell, I feel like I'm going deaf, like I was just at a metal concert. (People had toddlers in there, and I heard one during the previews say "Mommy, that's too loud!" LOL).
The product placements were a bit too much; that kind of crap is like a slap to the face to me. And the whole Hong Kong final battle was obviously pandering to the Pacific Rim market, but oh well, that's the New Horrywood for you. It was still a fun movie overall.
30/40
Didn't the next Apes film open this weekend? All the reviews I've seen say better than great ('great' being the standard of the previous one)!
Quote from: Martok on July 04, 2014, 02:30:45 PM
(Seriously, what's not to love about Prime getting a Big Damn Heroes moment while riding to the rescue on a giant robotic Tyrannosaurus Rex??) ;D
After punching it so hard he breaks its jaw!
That being said, their final stand on the bridge against... something or other... seems to have been axed in post-production. They take up a defensive position and the next time we see them they're being waved off by Prime to wander the countryside unmolested and free which considering that they were troublemaking criminals seems LIKE IT MIGHT CAUSE SOME PROBLEMS SOON FOR THE SQUISHY HUMANS!
Still, if the next film was mainly about them wandering the countryside getting into trouble while picking up some (Chinese!) human pets and learning we aren't all pointless meatbags, that would be boss. Extra points for them getting involved in a cavalry charge later to solve an Autobot vs Galvatron problem which was developing mainly offscreen (so we don't have to deal with more goofy plot antics.) Ninety minutes, saves money, maximizes the awesome, while not wearing out the welcome.
The Mrs & I saw Sex Tape last night; not expecting much but hoping for at least a couple of good yucks. It was worse than expected, with fewer laughs than hoped.
The one good thing that I'll say is that Cameron Diaz, or her body double, has a really nice posterior.
16 out of 40
Quote from: JasonPratt on July 04, 2014, 03:53:33 PM
Didn't the next Apes film open this weekend? All the reviews I've seen say better than great ('great' being the standard of the previous one)!
Saw it this last w/e.
Solid script, storyline and directing, acting better than average... by far
8.5 bananas out of 10
Quote from: Centurion40 on July 22, 2014, 08:03:51 AM
The Mrs & I saw Sex Tape last night; not expecting much but hoping for at least a couple of good yucks. It was worse than expected, with fewer laughs than hoped.
The one good thing that I'll say is that Cameron Diaz, or her body double, has a really nice posterior.
16 out of 40
My wife wants to see this. I pointed out it had a 19% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. She didn't ask about it this past weekend, thank God. :)
Quote from: Windigo on July 22, 2014, 12:56:19 PM
Quote from: JasonPratt on July 04, 2014, 03:53:33 PM
Didn't the next Apes film open this weekend? All the reviews I've seen say better than great ('great' being the standard of the previous one)!
Saw it this last w/e.
Solid script, storyline and directing, acting better than average... by far
8.5 bananas out of 10
Saw it opening weekend with the Dad; both loved it. Far superior to Godzilla, much less Age of Extinction, probably superior to Edge of Tomorrow (though the two movies have very different tones and narrative goals). Several weeks later I still have no complaints. If someone had said five years ago I would live to see the final two original Apes movies rebooted with respect and competency, I would have said they were out of their minds. But here we are, living in the future.
9.5 out of 10, minus 0.5 points simply out of spite that no one could manage (and/or though it important enough) to write such a tight and legitimately meaningful script for the Godzilla reboot. (Or for Man of Steel. Or the final Batman trilogy movie. Or Spider-2. Or most other recent beloved properties.)
Dammit. Sounds like I'm going to have to go see the Apes movie now too.
That's Cameron Diaz's ass. First movie she's been in the buff. If you're interested, Kristen Wiig has a movie coming out where she is starkers.
you should have made your own. ^-^
I really didn't want to see Rise of the Planet of the Apes, especially after that Marky Mark disaster kind of ruined the series, but admittedly, it was pretty good. (After all, Norton's Hulk movie was a far cry better than Ang Lee's version, so...why not give it a chance, I suppose.)
I don't want to see Dawn, either, but...you guys won't shut up about how good it is. ;D
Arguably better than Rise. Though also arguably the titles should have been switched around (as several critics have jokingly noted).
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was too preachy and just mediocre. Rise was much better.
Are we up to the 3rd Apes reboot movie, now? I stopped paying attention after seeing the first one.
When I was a kid, I could explain the whole plot line of all 5 movies, including the ins and outs of the related time travel paradoxes.
SDR, fair enough about the preachiness -- I don't even agree with all the preaching.
Uber, I still can reckon up the looping timeline of the original movies! -- except I can't for the life of me remember the name of the gorilla who led the original 'pet' rebellion, replaced by Caesar being introduced into the timeline for Apes 4, whom he ends up fighting in Apes 5. The point being that this time humans and apes have a chance to co-exist. Considering they threw those movies together as they went along, it's freaking brilliant story arc.
But this is only the 2nd Apes reboot (edited to add: unless one counts the animated series from the 70s which recycled some original characters from the first movie in an extended remake of its plot -- the live action series preceding it was intended as a prequel to the first two movies). Burton's was the first, Rise was the second. Dawn is a direct sequel to Rise (not at all a 3rd reboot), and together they effectively reboot/remake the single storyline from the "Conquest" and "Battle" movies (Apes 4 and 5).
But it's a new continuity from the start, because the chimpanzee Caesar is involved from the start, not as a result of time-travel meddling in the Apes' past.
(So far as we know -- I'm pretty sure Rise was teasing the departure of the light-speed experimental shuttle a couple of times in the background: Icarus was the name given to it by fans, so that's a pretty big fan nod but since the original ship's name was never known the writers can always come back that they were teasing.)
Aldo? That's the name that pops into my head.
Yeah I looked over the plot to Ape 5 and Aldo (played by Claude Adkins, wooo!) is definitely his name, but for some reason I don't think that was the original gorilla rebellion leader's name... I may have to find a fan page. Or maybe I'll stop caring soon, since that would take less effort. :crazy2: :D
.
APE killed an APE!
APE killed an APE!
Been on vacation & therefore negligent.
Guardians of the Galaxy delivered all that was expected of it- despite being way over-hyped. Thought that Ronan's ship was poached from the Chronicles of Riddick, but what ya gonna do? Just as good in 2D as 3D, so need to waste the extra cash on a 3D ticket.
36 out of 40
Lucy started off far better than it ended. I found it a bit uneven, not as extreme as the TV series The Strain, but still noticeable. Great looking movie, but it could have benefited with another writer, or two- especially since it has been proven that we use far more than 10% of our brain.
33 out of 40
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles uses enough 3D to make it worth the extra cash to bother to go and see it in 3D. Interesting plot and truly menacing baddies. Enough bystanders and baddies get killed to make it too harsh for small kids, but my 10 year-old took it all in stride. I would compare the story and action to a Spiderman movie.
30 out of 40
Quote from: Centurion40 on August 11, 2014, 09:03:55 AM
Lucy started off far better than it ended. I found it a bit uneven, not as extreme as the TV series The Strain, but still noticeable. Great looking movie, but it could have benefited with another writer, or two- especially since it has been proven that we use far more than 10% of our brain.
33 out of 40
i fancy this one
Quote from: undercovergeek on August 11, 2014, 09:08:21 AM
Quote from: Centurion40 on August 11, 2014, 09:03:55 AM
Lucy started off far better than it ended. I found it a bit uneven, not as extreme as the TV series The Strain, but still noticeable. Great looking movie, but it could have benefited with another writer, or two- especially since it has been proven that we use far more than 10% of our brain.
33 out of 40
i fancy this one
Let me know what you think, once you've seen it.
will do
anyone for Hercules?
A good friend of mine saw Hercules and said it was "bloody Godawful."
She likes The Rock, too, and knows he's a weak actor, but she said "even for him, this was pretty terrible."
yeah, thats what i thought would happen
Dad and I saw Herc yesterday afternoon. I thought it was great, and I'm ambivalent about the Rock. (I don't not like him but neither am I specially a fan. He's all right.)
It takes a rather folklorish development approach, and I can understand viewers feeling cheated by that: the trailers already show about 90% of the mythically awesome shots (though the clever end-credit sequence stylishly re-presents the same scenes with Herc being helped by his team to fight the monsters instead of alone -- which is also a bit of a clever cheat since we were already shown one of those monsters not being a monster at all).
D. Johnson acquitted himself amiably well, and looks good as Hercules, playing his limited range with some subtlety and gusto. His teammates were generally interesting and sometimes cleverly written. The other actors outside the team were more variable but generally serviceable. The story makes a hash of Hercules myths, but that's kind-of on purpose, and I can't think of a Herc property that doesn't -- which is probably just as well as the older stories would be rather unsympathetic for modern audiences (being rather more like the God of War games, and not by accident.) While more kewl things happen in Disney's animated feature from, gosh is it already a decade or more ago?? -- I can't imagine any Grog not liking this film better. I appreciated the numerous touches of verisimilitude (though exactly how much of it is period-appropriate I can't put a finger on). It's certainly smarter and far less pretentious than the Snyder/Miller 300 film, while still knowing how to play up the action sequences, and I say that as someone who kind of appreciates that film, too, for what it is.
Far better than Tran4, I'd also argue better overall than Amazing2. Good enough that I'm seriously conflicted about whether I'd rank it better than The Thirteenth Warrior from back in the 90s, which it shares many aspects with (though by the same token anyone who dislikes that movie will probably dislike this by proportion.)
It looked to be setting up a duology with the Argonauts, in very subtle but notable ways, but so far I'm doubtful whether it'll make enough money to greenlight a sequel (it made less than $2.2Mill this weekend), and I think that's a shame: it deserves to make a good profit in my opinion.
Ingrid Berdal (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2070336/?ref_=tt_cl_t6), the Norwegian actress who plays Atalanta, also deserved for this to be her breakout English-speaking role -- maybe as Armistice in the upcoming Westworld remake she'll get her break. She had a good presence and brought the action convincingly, and though her English was a bit stiff she has enough classical training to act through that difficulty. Personally I thought her character and characterization was adorable. :smitten: But even aside from my subjective impression, objectively she worked hard to bring up a potentially thankless role to the game-level of the other veteran character actors on the team. I specially like the touch of her praying to Athena (I think, couldn't quite hear that detail) to be merciful in judging the souls of the enemies whom she's about to thoroughly and efficiently smite. All the team gets a chance to shine to some extent, multiple times, but after Herc himself she gets the most best-moments. 8)
Certainly the script has some problems, but even the most serious problem (regarding a chief antagonist who seems to take advantage of a situation where he never should have been in any such position to do so, and then who completely disappears from the plot without any accounting once his purpose has been served -- despite clear hints that he would positively factor into the resolution of the story!) ends up fairly trivial if glaringly so.
Much better than it has any right to be. Grogs will appreciate the tactical points, too; looks like actual fieldwork by period-appropriate numbers, rather than CGI soldiers.
Quote from: JasonPratt on August 17, 2014, 07:19:40 PM
Good enough that I'm seriously conflicted about whether I'd rank it better than The Thirteenth Warrior from back in the 90s, which it shares many aspects with (though by the same token anyone who dislikes that movie will probably dislike this by proportion.)
ate numbers, rather than CGI soldiers.
The Thirteenth Warrior ...by happenstance i saw it as a rerun on TV but with my projector in HD this weekend ...and couldn't stop watching it 8) even so i have seen it many times (not so sure about in HD on my wall recently)
the movie is from 1999 and i recognized an astonishing
socio psychological effect in the way i see traditional Arabs on the screen differ from the first time i saw the movie over all the reruns i saw over the one and a half decade that had past by... when that movie was released it was pre-9/11 and what came with it, pre several wars, revolution, and all kind of monkey shit in the Middle East including latest Gaza, and pre-Salafist converts spreading in my county, pre-ISIS-terror, pre Syrian refugees youth my government was stupid enuf to let into my hometown tryring to torch our city synagog a few weeks ago ... in 1999 a traditional Arab (hero or protagonist) was a kind of cool guy, and it always had the eyes-a-twinkle charm of tales form One Thousand and One Nights.
But now when i saw that guy in his traditional Arab gear in the first quarter of the movie, i immediately just 'thought': what does that damend terrorist in that nice movie, here they go the fu**ing ancestors of financiers of Islamic terrorist groups today...
I am not a happy 'Nordman' these days. ...and i some how even see the 13th warrior backgroundstory fight againts the 'fire-worm' as an allegory for our struggle today..... Go, bring my armor
I finally watched Draft Day. I didn't expect much and wasn't disappointed at all. Jennifer Garner looks like a chipmunk; she's not nearly as cute as she thinks she is and I don't like her at all. Plus it was creepy as hell seeing old Kevin Costner being her love interest. As was mentioned by others here, I could have done completely without the romance plot as it was ham-fisted and completely unnecessary. But that's Hollywood for you. I'm surprised they didn't create a fictional NFL franchise in China to pander to the Asian market. Go figure.
I read one online review where someone said Draft Day was all about people wearing logos standing in front of other logos. He had a point, but really, it's a movie about the NFL using NFL logos, so of course they're going to splash the things everywhere. I was pleased to see the Houston Texans represented, though the guy that represented them was a complete zum-dweebie. I did, however, enjoy the maneuvering Costner went through and also the fact that the movie paralleled both the Mario Williams/Vince Young draft and the Manziel/Clowney draft (though more the former than the latter). IRL, the Browns would have gone with the dickhead quarterback. But overall, it was entertaining, except for the forced romance bits.
28/40
Introducing my wife to Highlander (1986) tonight. She's into swords and dueling :) Hopefully this passes the test.
.
Quote from: eyebiter on August 24, 2014, 10:38:30 AM
Quote from: endfire79 on August 23, 2014, 08:49:41 PM
Introducing my wife to Highlander (1986) tonight. She's into swords and dueling :) Hopefully this passes the test.
After Highlander, suggest you skip Highlander 2, and watch the third movie instead.
If your wife is still interested in the franchise, there are six seasons of Highlander: the Series.
Highlander I went well, although she was a little bleh about some of the battle sequences after rewatching films like Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven. Although she did catch a few details, like Ramirez referring to Charles V of Spain.
Agreed, the only reason I'd ever go back to Highlander II was for Michael Ironside. I missed the few movies after that one, but I do remember The Series when it was on TV.
This went well - might as well see how she likes "The Duelists", and then Verhoeven's "Flesh & Blood "
She ought to adore the verisimilitude for the Duelists! -- groggy without being overly grotty (in the Verhoevenesque "human intestines can leap 30 feet out of the human body, no seriously, not kidding" sort of way).
Incidentally, do y'all do fencing or SCA or any of the oriental sword arts?
Never mind sword fighting I'm still waiting for your mysterious conclusion to the ' has anyone read Patrick rothfuss' from 2 years ago
Quote from: JasonPratt on August 25, 2014, 03:02:18 PM
She ought to adore the verisimilitude for the Duelists! -- groggy without being overly grotty (in the Verhoevenesque "human intestines can leap 30 feet out of the human body, no seriously, not kidding" sort of way).
Incidentally, do y'all do fencing or SCA or any of the oriental sword arts?
She likes swordplay in the movies, and anything set in the classical period up to the Victorian age. However I couldn't get her into The Vikings so far yet. The Nord folk did not see to get her attention enough. I've never got into fencing, kendo or any of that stuff; I just like the subject material a lot :)
For God's sake, DO NOT let her see Highlander II: The Quickening!
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on August 25, 2014, 04:48:31 PM
For God's sake, DO NOT let her see Highlander II: The Quickening!
+1 Dreadful
I watched 2010 version of 13 Assassins on Netflix and thoroughly enjoyed it. Very well done samurai period piece. I prefer it to the original. The story takes place in the 1840s. The Shogun's half-brother, Matsudaira Naritsugu, is gaining political influence but happens to be an evil, sadistic, and possibly insane piece of work. One of the Shogun's chief advisers, Sir Doi of the Akashi clan is torn between his Bushido code of duty and loyalty to the Shogun and his desire to rid Japan of what could very well be the next ruler.
He decides to assassinate Naritsugu and brings together a team of samurai and ronin to take him out. The story is a bit slow going at first but once the plan is set in motion, it really picks up. The final battle is excellent and involves some truly fantastic improvised defenses. I suspect the director must've played some Rome: Total War in his day. Animal rights fans will not be pleased.
9/10
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Quote from: undercovergeek on August 25, 2014, 03:10:59 PM
Never mind sword fighting I'm still waiting for your mysterious conclusion to the ' has anyone read Patrick rothfuss' from 2 years ago
Me, too! :D
He owes me a big favor, but we haven't worked out yet how to pay it off.
Originally our plan was to have us either fence a duel after New Years' somewhere (we're both ex-instructors), and have people register for one side or the other to win when making their Worldbuilder charity pledges, with a PS3 or something like that as an extra raffle for the people who picked the winner. Or alternately, do a turn-based game which would take longer but might be easier on everyone's schedule (with my side being hosted here at Grogheads). The idea was to use my favor to help market and compound his charity efforts a little more.
He had to clear it with the Worldbuilder board of directors first, though, and I guess neither option flew. Don't know why. His scheduling is super-insane, too, so that was always going to be a problem.
seriously?
that would have been awesome - the turn based thing anyway
so is there a big 'gentleman writers of dastardly deeds' club you all meet up at with cigars and brandy and oversized red leather chairs?
Yeah I wish! ;D
No, I had been saving up money to donate to Heifer International and that year Pat was auctioning off favors so I put that money toward the auction. I ended up applying part of the donation to Heifer directly and the other half to help sponsor their charity drive this past Christmas.
Personally I think watching us two early-middle-aged swordfighters trying to spar would have been hilarious. :2funny: I did have a clever scoring system set up so that if one of us pulled away hard in the first two rounds the other one still would have had a good chance to win in the final round.
The proposed bout rules:
1.) Fight epee, so all we need are some buzzers on the back of our uniform and the judges don't have to deal with explaining right-of-way rules to the audience.
2.) Standard strip size, or smaller if necessary.
3.) If possible, three guest judges to watch for out of bounds and to vote if necessary on who buzzed first or ties for close calls. (But this could be waived; as instructors we'd both presumably agree to call shots fairly. It would just be a way to get more of his writing friends involved at a Con or whatever, if he wanted.)
4.) Two three minute rounds, reversing positions between rounds for the benefit of the spectators. (Time could be shortened for the audience's sake, since 6 minutes plus rest is a longer time than it seems.)
5.) After 2 rounds, each fencer's total score is ratio'd for the final round. The lower score is the defender, and will win the match if he does as well or better than the ratio in the final round, including forcing a tie (even 0/0). We'd probably need at least one person as timekeeper anyway, and that person would keep track of the final round scoring ratio and stand with a sign on the side of the fencer currently winning so the audience would clearly know the relative score.
Just got home from seeing Guardians of the Galaxy with the kids.
Not much to add other than what's already been discussed. Easily 35/40, probably more like 38/40.
Though why the hell I sat around to watch that nonsense after the credits...really? Howard? Are you kidding me?
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on September 01, 2014, 03:02:00 PM
Just got home from seeing Guardians of the Galaxy with the kids.
Not much to add other than what's already been discussed. Easily 35/40, probably more like 38/40.
Though why the hell I sat around to watch that nonsense after the credits...really? Howard? Are you kidding me?
40Jr and I just saw it for the 3rd time! Once regular, once 3D, and once IMAX.
You're going to turn him into a movie "junkie" :)
When movies were cheaper and FAR less annoying to go to, I would have easily gone and seen this one multiple times, too.
I sprung for the XD/3D Guardians experience and me and the kids cost $42 just for those tix. I pay $42 to sit and be pummeled by bad USA channel spots and stupid commercials? It was worth having to suffer through that, but damn. I know they could care less about me, but I easily went from seeing 10-12 movies a year to one or two, tops.
That's why I usually wait and watch them at home. Ten movies a year times $42 could pay for a decent 1080 40" TV and Netflix for a year without having aliens from Planet Rectum in the seats around you.
Also, you can pause while you go make Hot Pockets and take a non-rushed piss.
Times 2 years, and you have a swass sound system to go with the 40".
Times 3 years, and you have a PS4 blu-ray player (or PS3 for a little less time ;) ) which doubles as a very respectable gaming system. >:D
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on August 26, 2014, 02:27:21 AM
I watched 2010 version of 13 Assassins on Netflix and thoroughly enjoyed it. Very well done samurai period piece. I prefer it to the original. The story takes place in the 1840s. The Shogun's half-brother, Matsudaira Naritsugu, is gaining political influence but happens to be an evil, sadistic, and possibly insane piece of work. One of the Shogun's chief advisers, Sir Doi of the Akashi clan is torn between his Bushido code of duty and loyalty to the Shogun and his desire to rid Japan of what could very well be the next ruler.
He decides to assassinate Naritsugu and brings together a team of samurai and ronin to take him out. The story is a bit slow going at first but once the plan is set in motion, it really picks up. The final battle is excellent and involves some truly fantastic improvised defenses. I suspect the director must've played some Rome: Total War in his day. Animal rights fans will not be pleased.
9/10
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Awesome 5 disk set.
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^^ Relatedly, the live-action Rurouni Kenshin film did well enough in Japan to warrant two sequels filming simultaneously, probably to cover the 2nd large story arc set in Kyoto.
Why they haven't released this as an official North American localization I have no idea. Argh. (I do have a decent subtitled edition from somewhere in the East, maybe Australia -- couldn't be Malaysia, I've never picked up a sub from there that didn't give me a migraine...)
If anyone hasn't seen the anime (or the film for that matter), this is good news. :) RuroKen is a historical fantasy featuring several real-life characters, set (mostly) 10-11 years after the last Japanese civil war and the start of the Meiji Era, 1870s-ish. Same time frame as Tom Cruise's The Last Samurai.
So the Mrs. and I went to see John Wick, and I really don't know what to make of it. The reason is that I was expecting a typical kind of revenge flick, and John Wick is not that. It is a fantasy, sort of in along the lines of "Wanted" (where there was a league of assassins), only without special powers. It caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting to be taken into a hotel for assassins, where the currency is large gold coins, and the house rules exclude conducting business on the grounds of the property. Like a gentleman's club for mass murders. The critics seem to like the movie, but I'm not sure that I did.
To be fair, I like shoot-em-ups with big kill counts. For example, I loved movies like "Smokin' Aces". But you knew that was going to be somewhat farcical when you sat-down. I didn't expect it here. "John Wick" is deadpan farcical with an immense kill count. I heard the guy behind me in the theatre say that he gave-up trying to count the kills about half-way through the movie. There was plenty of movie violence, lots of gun play and split wigs. Yet it still left me unsatisfied, somehow. But I still can't figure out why.
25/40
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One of my favorite early-80s comics ever...
Quote from: Centurion40 on November 03, 2014, 04:00:08 PM
So the Mrs. and I went to see John Wick, and I really don't know what to make of it. The reason is that I was expecting a typical kind of revenge flick, and John Wick is not that. It is a fantasy, sort of in along the lines of "Wanted" (where there was a league of assassins), only without special powers. It caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting to be taken into a hotel for assassins, where the currency is large gold coins, and the house rules exclude conducting business on the grounds of the property. Like a gentleman's club for mass murders. The critics seem to like the movie, but I'm not sure that I did.
To be fair, I like shoot-em-ups with big kill counts. For example, I loved movies like "Smokin' Aces". But you knew that was going to be somewhat farcical when you sat-down. I didn't expect it here. "John Wick" is deadpan farcical with an immense kill count. I heard the guy behind me in the theatre say that he gave-up trying to count the kills about half-way through the movie. There was plenty of movie violence, lots of gun play and split wigs. Yet it still left me unsatisfied, somehow. But I still can't figure out why.
25/40
I liked it well enough. I kept thinking "BOOM! Headshot!" each time someone took a round to the melon. The movie earned bonus points because it had my shotgun in it.
Yeah, there were some spectacular head shots. Real wig-splitters.
Went to see Paddington tonight with the kids. Excellent family film.
Saw The Interview on Netflix last night and I really enjoyed it. I almost died laughing, as I have a puerile sense of humour, at one scene where Seth Rogan is discussing Miley Cyrus' camel toe with a female North Korean senior officer.
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The movie certainly isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed it; and I would watch it again.
33 out of 40
Took the family to see Jupiter Ascending, and 40Jr (he's 11) says it is the best movie that he has ever seen.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it, especially how I think that Channing Tatum is a dud as an actor.
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I didn't see it coming, but this movie is brought to us by the Wachowskis and their touch (in hindsight) is somewhat obvious.
SPOILER INFORMATION TO FOLLOW, WHICH I WILL SOMEWHAT OBSCURE USING A DIFFERENT COLOUR
The movie is about Jupiter (Mila Kunis), who (like Neo in The Matrix) is drawn into a world that she never knew existed. She discovers that she is the reincarnation of the matriarch of a Dune-esque intergalactic noble house, with the legal rights of being her own heir and successor. She is saved by a genetically engineered ex-space soldier (Tatum), complete with lots of predictable sci-fi action.
As in the Martrix, terrestrial humanity is commodity. But instead of us being batteries for machines, this time humans are a type of cattle; harvested to create an elixir that gives extra-terrestrial humans virtual immortality. Jupiter discovers that she is the reincarnation of the matriarch of House Abraxas, a human family that owns and "seeds" planets with human life. When the human population of a planet grows to the point where the planet can no longer support life, the planet is harvested (meaning all of the people are killed) and an elixir is created. This elixir is the most valuable commodity in the universe; a commodity which as given the Abraxas' wealth beyond measure, and it is something that others will steal and murder to procure. The Abraxas' have a base and harvesting facility inside the gasses of the planet Jupiter, and the giant red spot on Jupiter is actually the entry and exit gate into the Abraxas' facility. They use aliens (such as our stereo-typical "greys") to tend the human flock on Earth, ensuring that the quality of the herd is maintained and that the herd continues to be ignorant of their situation.
The Abraxas family is every bit as grand as House Corrino in Dune. Their ships are massive and opulent. They tend to do whatever they want, in the face of smaller and bureaucratic "federal" authorities. The authorities are reminiscent of those portrayed in the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I wish that more time was spent dealing with the politics and intrigue, rather than the action.
(https://s3.amazonaws.com/tribeca_cms_production/uploads/uploads/image/gallery_image/52a75ea8a32a6186b0000003/Ship2.jpg)
The effects were great, the story had some depth; but it was predictable. It was like the Matrix meets Dune (the good parts), then gets spliced with Spy Kids & the last couple of Transformers (poor Chicago gets the snot beaten out of it again). Which is probably why the critics panned it as it never really settled into the deep "Matrix/Dune" camp, or the shallow "Spy Kids" camp.
Overall, I liked it and would see it again.
30/40
I just can't get past Mila. She's a horrid actress IMO. I'm sure I'll watch this sometime, but will avoid it at the theater.
Had a double movie day with junior - Shaun the sheep movie - which was hilarious, lots of things for adults that the kids would miss but we both laughed - highly recommended
And big hero 6 - great film, I cried, she didn't!
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on February 18, 2015, 10:46:30 AM
I just can't get past Mila. She's a horrid actress IMO. I'm sure I'll watch this sometime, but will avoid it at the theater.
Yeah, her & Tatum in the same movie! >:(
But it was ok, really.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on February 18, 2015, 10:46:30 AM
I just can't get past Mila. She's a horrid actress IMO. I'm sure I'll watch this sometime, but will avoid it at the theater.
Mila is hot but I'm puzzled as to why she has been getting cast in some action-ish femme hero roles. She looks to be about 5'4" and too feminine for such action movies. Doesn't look like a badass at all. :idiot2: Should stick with the comedy - she probably did best at playing parts like the controlling bitch in That 70s Show or the manipulating thief in
Extract.
Quote from: Nefaro on February 18, 2015, 02:00:55 PM
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on February 18, 2015, 10:46:30 AM
I just can't get past Mila. She's a horrid actress IMO. I'm sure I'll watch this sometime, but will avoid it at the theater.
Mila is hot but I'm puzzled as to why she has been getting cast in some action-ish femme hero roles. She looks to be about 5'4" and too feminine for such action movies. Doesn't look like a badass at all. :idiot2: Should stick with the comedy - she probably did best at playing parts like the controlling bitch in That 70s Show or the manipulating thief in Extract.
Tatum did all the action. Kunis fell, screamed and was carried.
Quote from: Centurion40 on February 18, 2015, 02:47:01 PM
Quote from: Nefaro on February 18, 2015, 02:00:55 PM
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on February 18, 2015, 10:46:30 AM
I just can't get past Mila. She's a horrid actress IMO. I'm sure I'll watch this sometime, but will avoid it at the theater.
Mila is hot but I'm puzzled as to why she has been getting cast in some action-ish femme hero roles. She looks to be about 5'4" and too feminine for such action movies. Doesn't look like a badass at all. :idiot2: Should stick with the comedy - she probably did best at playing parts like the controlling bitch in That 70s Show or the manipulating thief in Extract.
Tatum did all the action. Kunis fell, screamed and was carried.
Nevertheless, it was still a full on action film. Remember her in
The Book of Eli, with Denzel? She was pretty much the same damsel in action distress with aspirations. I thought it was a very odd casting, and the previews to this one gave me the same impression.
I didn't look very hard on iMDB, but, it is my understanding that the studio has been sitting on this one for a while due to its...crappiness. I haven't seen it, and will wait until it hits HBO. And I agree on Kunis. Not action movie material at all.
I took my daughter and a couple of her friends to see Kingsman: The Secret Service this past Saturday. She and her buddies wanted to see The Lazarus Effect, but after seeing the crappy reviews of that one I wouldn't even watch the trailer for it. Hell, even after seeing the trailer for Kingsman, I wasn't expecting anything more than a Brit version of some dopey Agent Cody Banks movie. The trailer reallllllly doesn't sell the movie well.
The movie itself was phenomenal; I was blown away by the action, dialogue, and the fact that the plot was nothing extraordinary (crazy dude wants to destroy life on the planet and repopulate with a few chosen, good guys try to stop them) but still kept me hooked. It was nothing like what I was expecting, and I very much like it when a movie does that to me. Very shades of James Bond (old school) in this one; a very respectful production with some great humor in it as well. Not to mention a twist or two here and there I didn't see coming.
Only thing I didn't like (at first) was Sam Jackson's stupid lisp, but that was part of the schtick of the film. I laughed every time he opened his mouth, and did not like him at all at the start of the film. But he grew on me a bit throughout, and by the end of the film I had a little more respect for him as an actor, putting himself out there like that.
I'll give it easily 35/40, probably more like 38/40. Easily one of my new favorite films.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on March 09, 2015, 08:13:55 AM
I took my daughter and a couple of her friends to see Kingsman: The Secret Service this past Saturday. She and her buddies wanted to see The Lazarus Effect, but after seeing the crappy reviews of that one I wouldn't even watch the trailer for it. Hell, even after seeing the trailer for Kingsman, I wasn't expecting anything more than a Brit version of some dopey Agent Cody Banks movie. The trailer reallllllly doesn't sell the movie well.
The movie itself was phenomenal; I was blown away by the action, dialogue, and the fact that the plot was nothing extraordinary (crazy dude wants to destroy life on the planet and repopulate with a few chosen, good guys try to stop them) but still kept me hooked. It was nothing like what I was expecting, and I very much like it when a movie does that to me. Very shades of James Bond (old school) in this one; a very respectful production with some great humor in it as well. Not to mention a twist or two here and there I didn't see coming.
Only thing I didn't like (at first) was Sam Jackson's stupid lisp, but that was part of the schtick of the film. I laughed every time he opened his mouth, and did not like him at all at the start of the film. But he grew on me a bit throughout, and by the end of the film I had a little more respect for him as an actor, putting himself out there like that.
I'll give it easily 35/40, probably more like 38/40. Easily one of my new favorite films.
Amen.
I didn't get around to seeing Dracula Untold in the theater -- wanted to go with my Dad, schedule never worked out right -- but we watched it Monday night on PPV.
I had thought I'd be pretty happy with it, though realistically I tried to keep my expectations low; and my happiness was well exceeded. Tight story, with some real historical nods (I only caught two or three plot holes for moving the plot forward, and/or possibly dropped in editing); good sfx; didn't waste time on bloat, clicked right along at 90 minutes; gorgeous photography and interesting directional flourishes (from a guy I've never heard of); decent acting.
Sure, it was rather Castlenvaniaish, but I didn't care, I was grinning happily the whole way through.
I should disclose here that I was pretty happy with Joe Johnston's Universal Wolf Man, too -- maybe because I only ever saw the director's cut -- except for the gore levels which I thought got out of hand. I can understand them not wanting to use that as a springboard for a modern Universal Monster series (and really they shouldn't lead with the Wolfman anyway). I guess I can understand them not wanting to use their modern Mummy movies either, though I hugely love the first one. (Not so much the second and I never got around to watching the third.) I don't hate Van Helsing as much as many people do, but I have to agree that movie jumps around from mediocre to terrible a lot, though (as a friend of mine back in college used to say about The Shadow "it keeps threatening to be cool'.)
This movie? -- I legitimately do not understand why it wasn't a bigger hit. Though given that it apparently wasn't the smash Universal was looking for (will any of those properties ever be Marvel Universe sized smashes? I seriously doubt it...), I can understand them semi-abandoning it and trying for a more distant reboot with a new Mummy movie.
If they decided to include this movie (and maybe even a PG-13ish cut of the Wolf Man) retroactively as canon for a new series, though, I'll be happy. I'm very fuzzy on how they think they can proceed with a Monster Universal series (so to speak) from this point if they regard Drac and the Wolfman as failures: they could ignore this prequel Dracula I suppose, but any attempt to remake the 'original' Dracula story is going to falter in the face of Coppola's gung-ho grand guignol, and how could they possibly remake the same Wolfman story again and expect it to do better??
Oh well. Easily 800,000 bats out of a fist of a million.
Thanks for the review Jason. I was interested in Dracula Untold, but never got around to seeing it while it was in theaters. Definitely sounds like one to follow up on.
My daughter had a friend over to spend the night, and today they both wanted to go see Pitch Perfect 2.
No, I did not take them. (Thank Fat Baby Jeebus.) My wife took them. But I suddenly decided I was going to take my son to see Mad Max.
Holy hell, that was a FUN movie to watch. The last time I had so much fun with a movie was Guardians of the Galaxy, in all honesty. And before that, it's been a long, long while.
I am not a fan of Charlize Theron at all. Sure, she's kinda cute, but that waifish blonde look doesn't do it for me, and she's been in some pretty mediocre movies and even more mediocre roles. I SURE didn't ever picture her as being a good fit in an action movie. Boy, was that an incorrect assumption. She rocks in this one. And she has a certain physical attribute that makes her even more interesting (no spoilers here).
At the start of the movie, I was kind of left with the impression that this was more an extension of the original movies than an outright reboot. Max has some issues from his past and those translate directly into the movie at several points. It's difficult to fathom exactly what these interludes mean, but one could easily extrapolate a connection to the first Mad Max and the third Mad Max movies. Perhaps the second one too, though I can hardly recall it. And it still manages to stand on its own as a reboot, too. I really liked that they kind of left that open. Maybe that's just my interpretation and nobody else would see it that way.
The action was more or less non-stop, but it was not dizzying nor was it too much. It was a perfect balance of continuing the story and of having some real 'holy crap' moments. There were some jaw-dropping moments too. Perhaps it's just me. In any case I won't spoil it by telling you about them, but a lot of those moments were indeed over the top - but they did not feel at all out of place for this movie. It was just an absolute fun time all around.
I can't give a movie a 40/40 on this scale in this thread, but this one is damn close. I'd say 38/40. There was one moment that was kind of eye rolling and a bit much, but it didn't last long fortunately. In any case, I HIGHLY recommend you go see this flick.
^Yesterday Mad Max had a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with 100+ reviews in...I gotta see this in IMAX...pun intended.
My son told me on the way there it had a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, which I thought was just an opening reflection and few had seen it thus far...I don't know if it came out this weekend or last or what. I only got the idea when I got online to buy the tix for my wife, daughter, and her friend. I didn't know it was that highly rated until, like I said, we were almost there. It is definitely living up to that expectation.
A few reviewers even claimed they enjoyed it more than any of the originals!
Quote from: Gusington on May 16, 2015, 03:14:47 PM
A few reviewers even claimed they enjoyed it more than any of the originals!
I was thinking the same thing.
I hate to go that far, but it's the truth. Not to take anything away from the originals. But.
I am secure in saying that Beyond Thunderdome sucked. Mad Max and The Road Warrior are very good.
I approve of the above statement. And, yes, I will have fries with that. And a diet coke.
If you take Beyond Thunderdome too seriously, you're not going to have fun with it. I didn't, and I enjoyed that one. I didn't see the original Road Warrior movie for a long time, which is kind of funny as I was a huge Car Wars player back in the 80s.
Regardless of whether or not you've seen any of the originals, or which ones you like or don't like, you should see this one.
Just to clarify, Mad Max is the original. The Road Warrior is Mad Max 2. Beyond Thunderdome is Mad Max 3 co-starring Tina Turner and is the birthplace of "Two men enter, one man leaves!"
I don't often turn movies off (or quit books or games in the middle) because of OCD. But while binging on Mad Max movies, I go to the third one and had to shut it off an hour in. I just couldn't take it.
I had never seen any of the Mad Max movies.
Just rented the first one on google movies. Not bad. It kind of fits my idea of some cultural elements that may have been created by the movie. I think i will watch the second tomorrow.
That's my favorite.
Quote from: Gusington on May 18, 2015, 07:37:38 AM
That's my favorite.
+1 I do want to see the new one though. Only heard good things about it.
Is the new film primarily inspired by The Road Warrior? How is Max's backstory handled?
No questions! Just go see it! :P
I'm waiting for the DVD or Prime release. Going to an actual movie theater is not really doable right now.
Ordinarily I would agree, but I may venture to the nearest IMAX with a buddie for this one.
Quote from: Staggerwing on May 18, 2015, 06:15:18 PM
Is the new film primarily inspired by The Road Warrior? How is Max's backstory handled?
As mirth said, just go see it. It's best if you go in with little idea of what's going on - trust me, it will be a lot more fun that way if you have no inkling as to the plot or what's going to happen.
I sprung for the 3D showing at our local AMC, but we went on Sunday morning and the tix were less than $10 each. I spent more on two Icees than I did on the damn tickets.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on May 18, 2015, 09:31:56 PM
I spent more on two Icees than I did on the damn tickets.
Heh, that's basically the same thing that happened when I took my kids to see Age of Ultron.
It's insane, innit? But I know those theaters have a thin profit margin. And this AMC we go to is a refurbished theater with reservable reclining leather seats, so I'm MORE than happy to throw a tiny amount of money their way to help them keep the theater going.
Yeah, I feel the same way. I dropped at least $40 bucks for the 3 of us to see AoU, but the kids loved it and still talk about it, so it seems like a deal in hindsight. It was the most fun I've had at the movies since I was a kid.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on May 16, 2015, 03:08:24 PM
My son told me on the way there it had a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, which I thought was just an opening reflection and few had seen it thus far...I don't know if it came out this weekend or last or what. I only got the idea when I got online to buy the tix for my wife, daughter, and her friend. I didn't know it was that highly rated until, like I said, we were almost there. It is definitely living up to that expectation.
How old is your son?
^ He's 16.
Good to know. I'm not taking my 11 year-old to see it!! O:-)
Mmm, yeah, 11's probably a tad on the low side. There's quite a bit of action but not a lot of gore. That said there are some :o moments. There's also some gross BBW nudity/bewbage at the start. Sorry for the spoiler but that last bit will probably appeal to some of you degenerates.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on May 19, 2015, 11:14:06 AM
Mmm, yeah, 11's probably a tad on the low side. There's quite a bit of action but not a lot of gore. That said there are some :o moments. There's also some gross BBW nudity/bewbage at the start. Sorry for the spoiler but that last bit will probably appeal to some of you degenerates.
Admit it, you go to the theater to see giant 3D bewbage.
^hell yeah
Quote from: Mr. Bigglesworth on May 19, 2015, 04:22:58 PM
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on May 19, 2015, 11:14:06 AM
Mmm, yeah, 11's probably a tad on the low side. There's quite a bit of action but not a lot of gore. That said there are some :o moments. There's also some gross BBW nudity/bewbage at the start. Sorry for the spoiler but that last bit will probably appeal to some of you degenerates.
Admit it, you go to the theater to see giant 3D bewbage.
Have you seen the movie yet? Not THAT bewbage. :buck2:
I have not. What is bbw?
Nm, urban dictionary has all lewd forms
Took the family to see Tomorrowland on the weekend. I wasn't expecting much, and was pleasantly surprised. Although it was not perfect, with some clichéd formulae at play, it both inspired the imagination and warmed the heart of this man-child, yours truly.
I'll buy the Blu-ray when it comes out.
34/40
I don't know what possessed me to do this, but I'm watching The Delta Force (1986) right now. It is providing a great deal of amusement. Hell, it did back in the 80s when I first saw it. The 'action music' is the same goddamned thing for 2 straight hours, LOL.
And Chuck can't hit shit with an Uzi. He's about as bad as a terrorist when it comes to spray-n-pray marksmanship. I think they all went to the same Stormtrooper College.
Still, 30/40.
Saw Aloha with the Mrs on the weekend. Meh.
It's the story of an ex-USAF officer who gets work as a private contractor/trouble-shooter for a satellite company (owned by Bill Murray). Of course, it turns into a romance tail, but it's ok, as the dude's 2 romantic interests are Rachel McAdams & Emma Stone:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hollywoodnews.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F05%2FBradley-Cooper-Emma-Stone-Rachel-McAdams.jpg&hash=b172281a93b479524c5428970f48cd0c13cf58ce)
And it all takes place in Hawaii, so how bad can it be, right? Well it's not bad, just 'meh'. It's a disjointed morality play with a couple of mediocre chuckles tossed-in for good measure. On the upside, this is the first time that I've ever seen a game of Crud portrayed on film, and although it was not Combat Crud, that entire scene (Christmas party at the O Mess) warmed my heart. I'd watch it again (on TV) just for that.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crud_(game)
It is fine as a date movie, or if you'd like to get a small sense of what Toonces left behind. Other than that, this flick can be skipped, or watched on TV.
25/40
Bradley Cooper is dreamy :P
Quote from: mirth on June 01, 2015, 08:35:41 AM
Bradley Cooper is dreamy :P
Emma Stone agrees with you.
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theuncool.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F05%2Faloharehearsals.jpg&hash=2c873f83fb6233123ef86f749827c592e906f935)
Went to see Jurassic World last night with the (future) Missus. It was in 3-D, which usually lowers the likability factor for me, but, they did a very good job of it, I thought. The story is very Hollywood formulaic. All the tropes are there but well put together. I only found myself checking my watch once, and that was towards the end of the movie. I had two minor quibbles, the first being, the heroine made it through strenuous terrain and physical exertion in high heels. Second, the switching of allegiance by some of the characters with no explanation. Trying not to give anything away, the group starts off allied to one character and then switches to another. The reason for the first switch is explained and I was fine with it. Then, at the climactic battle, they switch back to their original allegiance with no explanation given. Other than that, it was visually pleasing and well paced and a 'summer blockbuster,' in every sense of the words. 30/40
The heels thing has been a common complaint around the web.
The funny thing is, Chris Pratt even says something to her about it. Not that she was in a position to do anything about it at the time, but, still...
From what I've been reading, it's so ridiculous that it distracts from the scenes she's in.
I wouldn't go that far. It's not like they take shots of her feet every time she's in a scene. And I certainly would have noticed even if Pratt's character hadn't said anything, but, his mention did kind of make it stick out a little more as the movie went on. Still, not a deal breaker when you're dealing with a movie with genetically engineered 'dinosaurs.'
What do you think about appropriateness for kids? Mine have seen the original JP, but this one looks like it might be too intense for them.
There's a couple of swear words. The Mosasaurus is HUGE and there are several points where there are big, scary, tooth filled roars pointed directly at you, but, other than that, I didn't see anything out of line. I might not bring anyone younger than 10, but, you know your kids best.
Thanks for the feedback, MD.
^Take the kids to see Fury Road.
Man I want to see this one, but I suspect I'll be waiting until it eventually hits Netflix.
After the debacle that was Jurassic Park III, I wasn't expecting to want to see this. But it actually looks decent.
Quote from: mirth on June 13, 2015, 09:21:10 AM
The heels thing has been a common complaint around the web.
I think you look great in them.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on June 13, 2015, 07:56:36 PM
Quote from: mirth on June 13, 2015, 09:21:10 AM
The heels thing has been a common complaint around the web.
I think you look great in them.
You're sweet ;)
For my sake try flats once in a while.
Jurassic Park (first one) is one of those timeless classics that never looks old, even by today's standards. I could watch it and re-read the book and still be entertained.
Quote from: MetalDog on June 13, 2015, 09:00:23 AM
Went to see Jurassic World last night with the (future) Missus. It was in 3-D, which usually lowers the likability factor for me, but, they did a very good job of it, I thought. The story is very Hollywood formulaic. All the tropes are there but well put together. I only found myself checking my watch once, and that was towards the end of the movie. I had two minor quibbles, the first being, the heroine made it through strenuous terrain and physical exertion in high heels. Second, the switching of allegiance by some of the characters with no explanation. Trying not to give anything away, the group starts off allied to one character and then switches to another. The reason for the first switch is explained and I was fine with it. Then, at the climactic battle, they switch back to their original allegiance with no explanation given. Other than that, it was visually pleasing and well paced and a 'summer blockbuster,' in every sense of the words. 30/40
Agreed on all points, except the 3D. I dig it, even thought it usually is a waste of money.
Quote from: Gusington on June 13, 2015, 09:33:00 PM
For my sake try flats once in a while.
No way. The heels pop all your back pimples.
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 15, 2015, 07:15:32 AM
Quote from: MetalDog on June 13, 2015, 09:00:23 AM
Went to see Jurassic World last night with the (future) Missus. It was in 3-D, which usually lowers the likability factor for me, but, they did a very good job of it, I thought. The story is very Hollywood formulaic. All the tropes are there but well put together. I only found myself checking my watch once, and that was towards the end of the movie. I had two minor quibbles, the first being, the heroine made it through strenuous terrain and physical exertion in high heels. Second, the switching of allegiance by some of the characters with no explanation. Trying not to give anything away, the group starts off allied to one character and then switches to another. The reason for the first switch is explained and I was fine with it. Then, at the climactic battle, they switch back to their original allegiance with no explanation given. Other than that, it was visually pleasing and well paced and a 'summer blockbuster,' in every sense of the words. 30/40
Agreed on all points, except the 3D. I dig it, even thought it usually is a waste of money.
That's why we're friends :) How did 40 Jr. like it?
He loved it, start-to-finish.
I just watched 'Jupiter Ascending' and, despite all the poor reviews it received, I must admit, I quite enjoyed it.
Jurassic World has paleontologists in an uproar, but WTF did they expect from a summer blockbuster movie? Accuracy? :2funny:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3120652/Jurassic-Park-simply-dumb-monster-movie-Paleontologists-slam-Hollywood-blockbuster-glaring-errors.html
Sadly, Michael Crichton is no longer with us to keep the 'Jurassic' films honest.
Maybe if the dinosaurs were gay, transgender, or transracial; the paleontologists grievances would be heard.
Quote from: Bison on June 20, 2015, 06:07:21 PM
Maybe if the dinosaurs were gay, transgender, or transracial; the paleontologists grievances would be heard.
And a woman.
And on the 'new' $10 bill.
What they really need is an astroturf SuperPAC.
Quote from: Staggerwing on June 20, 2015, 06:15:37 PM
What they really need is an astroturf SuperPAC.
Damned straight. Dinosaurs have been repress for far too long.
Saw the Entourage movie and it wasn't bad. I have never been a devotee of the TV show, so I wasn't sure what I was in for; but I enjoyed it.
30/40
Saw the latest Mad Max [fury road]... loved it. It was action packed and had a good story line. The acting was really good, and despite the lack of lines, Tom Hardy was very good portraying that special kind of crazy.
Quote from: Centurion40 on June 23, 2015, 02:16:30 PM
Saw the Entourage movie and it wasn't bad. I have never been a devotee of the TV show, so I wasn't sure what I was in for; but I enjoyed it.
30/40
You'd probably enjoy the TV show; it was one of my favorites. Makes me wish I pushed to be an actor back when I was much younger...though I could very easily still be bussing tables at my age had I done that, so who knows.
I think I'm going to go see Jurassic World this weekend, by myself. Family's in Arizona for three weeks so why not. It's not creepy, a middle-aged man going to the movies by himself, right?
Quote from: Staggerwing on June 20, 2015, 05:20:38 PM
Sadly, Michael Crichton is no longer with us to keep the 'Jurassic' films honest.
He didn't do such a great job keeping the first film honest :P
http://dinosaurs.about.com/od/typesofdinosaurs/ss/10-Facts-About-Velociraptor.htm
Crichton's novel was much more scientifically realistic (I know we're talking making genetically engineering dinosaurs) than any of the JP movies. One of the things I loved about that first JP novel was that it sounded so plausible.
I'm pretty sure I recall the raptors in the book being much the same as in the movie. Except the movie raptors eventually got feathers, briefly. ::) (From the production stills I've seen, it seems the feathers are gone again in JW...? Probably for the best if so. Trends in Paleontology come and go, and the trend has been away from dinos being the ancestors of birds for a while.)
What the movies definitely changed from a more realistic book approach, was the poison-spitting dino (whose name I forget offhand). It ought to be as large as an Allosaur, like in the book, not as small as most raptors were. ;)
I thought the Tell-tale game, which is a direct sequel to the first movie (and takes place partially at the same time as those events), was going to explain them being newly hatched babies, since fresh eggs are found in the area, and show us full sized whatevertheywere; but the writers chose to creatively punt a different direction and put down all the variances to splicing from frog DNA.
Saw Jurassic World this morning. Was somewhat underwhelemed though there were a few bright spots. Few, unfortunately.
The little kid annoyed me a great deal. I was wishing Smuck would show up and shave his ratty hippy boy hairdo.
The older kid was not so much a character as a cardboard cutout of one.
In fact, most of the characters came across like that. Chris Pratt's character was pretty much the only one with some actual character built in; I thought Jake Johnson's character (Lowery, the one with the dinos all over his desk) had a bit too, but that was about it. Bryce Dallas Howard was by far the most annoying of all of them; she reminded me of one of the housewives from The Stepford Wives. The camera/director was way too preoccupied with her feet in the early part of the film (gross). The high-heels thing was annoying too, but I only thought of it because of what you guys said on here (ha).
The product placement was very annoying too, but at least they kind of poked fun at it.
I did like that this was an extension of sorts of the original film and not a remake. If the characters had something more to them, I might have cared a little more. As it was I was really looking forward to a mass dino slaughter of everyone by the middle of the movie. With 20,000 on the island one would think there would have been a LOT more CGI carnage.
It was nowhere near as interesting or suspenseful as the first film, although it was better than the second or third ones (which isn't saying much). It was also highly formulaic and predictable.
Still, there were interesting moments. I really liked the homage to the original film in the overgrown dome. I liked the T-Rex versus the Indominus Rex battle.
Not bad overall, but certainly not great.
26/40
Just bought tix to see both Spy and then Terminator Genysis on Sunday morning. Because I can.
I watched Get Hard tonight. Almost universally panned by critics, and indeed it was lame at first, but it got better as the movie went on and had me LOL several times in the second half. A good movie overall. 30/40.
Went to see Inside Out tonight with the family. Good movie. Not really meant for younger kids, as I'm guessing they would miss the whole last part. 30/40
Just watched Paul Blart Mall Cop 2. About the same as the first one. Not all that great but it did have some snicker-worthy moments. 24/40.
I've never seen either of those.
I just vented about Terminator Genisys in its thread so I won't echo how bad a movie I think that is, here. 15/40, tops.
Spy was hardly much better. Melissa McCarthy was her usual fat woman caricature self. There's some good acting that she has to draw from - I happen to think she's talented as long as she doesn't rely on the 'ha ha laugh at me because I'm a fat woman' character acting. These roles of hers are, unfortunately, pretty much the same thing. I guess if that works for her, more power to her - I'm sure she's laughing all the way to the bank. "Ha, I'm fat, but I can fight. Ha, I'm fat, but nobody likes me, woe is me. Ha, I'm fat, and f**k you you motherf**king f**ktard f**kwad f**k." I never have issue with F-bombs being dropped in movies, as long as it is for comedic effect. Melissa dropped one every five minutes at about halfway through the film, as if she was begging the audience to think she's turned from a nobody into a tough strong woman, and using it just made her character more pathetic. Jude Law was pretty good, but the 'twist' he was involved with was so transparent it was non-existent. Jason Statham shows some comedic chops, but rarely were his lines laugh-out-loud funny; his role in this film was the main reason why I wanted to see it, even though Melissa figures prominently on the movie poster, obviously. In any case, this was fairly mediocre. 18/40.
x men days of future past 33/40
best of the series hands down. Good to see a Lanister still stirring up shit.
Just watched Inside Out in 3D with the kids this afternoon. Man I hate 3D glasses they give me a headache. Anyway movie was decent and a real tear jerker for the kids. I got popcorn and a sip of Sprite for my part.
I can't believe I still haven't seen Days of Future Past! -- but every time I think of it, I figure I might as well wait until the coming "Rogue Edition" is released and reviewed somewhere so I can decide which version to spend my money on (assuming they don't include the theatrical cut with it).
Watched Raiders of the Lost Ark at a local theater last night. So friggin awesome seeing it on the big screen again!!
Ant-Man...saw it last night with the family, and all I can say is, wow. At first I really did not want to see this at all - it looked uninspired, silly, and just plain boring. I am very glad I was wrong on all counts.
It was not a brilliant piece of movie-making, nor breathtaking or cutting-edge, but there just was something about it...the pacing, the timing, the parts, everything all meshed together perfectly and made for an excellent story that kept me engaged the entire time. I was worried Rudd wouldn't be up to the task of a superhero, but he portrayed the character very well. The visuals were stunning - the bathtub scene, where he first shrinks, was almost dizzying in presenting the perception one would have at that small a level.
Corey Stoll made a great villain in this. I really liked him in House of Cards and when I saw he was playing the bad guy, that's what tipped the scales in making me want to see this movie.
If I had to complain about something, and I almost always do, the ants were portrayed like big puppies. That was really weird. I'm no entomologist, but even mind-controlled ants, that didn't look like what they should behave like.
Another disturbing thing was Michael Douglas in the first scene; it took place in 1989, so he was much younger, and whomever did the CGI to render his face young should receive an Academy Award. It was hard to look away, trying to find a flaw - it really looked like him from his younger years. What disturbed me is that they can do that. I can see filmmaking and actors' roles becoming obsolete/greatly changed in the near future because studios can do things like that. All an actor would need to do is sign over their likeness, get signed, maybe do some voiceovers, and poof, computers and renderers do all the work.
Thirdly, they had a cameo in the movie from a guy that was in The Winter Soldier. I won't say who, but his inclusion was rather ham-fisted, as if they were trying to legitimize Ant-Man more by throwing in the token dude (no, I don't mean token in that way, though it certainly could be interpreted that way). They'd already thrown around a few phrases, which felt like name-dropping to try to tie everything more into the Marvel continuum, but whatever. It wasn't too bad.
Regardless of the minor complaints, Ant-Man was thoroughly satisfying and worth the price of admission.
The two end-credits scenes were interesting. If you don't want spoilers, don't read below:
One pretty much paved the way for the Wasp. The other involved the aforementioned cameo as well as another couple of well-known individuals, Captain America and Bucky. I don't know if that was aiming for a new Cap movie or a new Avengers movie, or perhaps both. I get the feeling (maybe I've missed something along the way) that they're going to do more Avengers movies, but they're going to move to a new class of heroes.
I would say this is easily 35/40.
Just got back from watching Ant-Man. I thought my dislike of Michael Douglas, and the usual shenanigans the movies make with Marvel canon, would throw me off. Not so, say I. For the hot mess it could have been, I think it was pretty good. There were no parts where it dragged. The amount of primary and secondary characters was well balanced. And I like Paul Rudd. There were several people in the theater with very small children, and it's not geared towards them, but, I think your average ten year old could follow things pretty well. All in all, a good effort by Marvel/Disney.
Agreed. Ant-Man was better than I expected.
On the other hand Pixels was exactly as I expected. A cool concept in a semi-lame Sandler flick. Still, it could have been worse. Great for the kids, and it brought back many warm memories of the hours that I spent in arcades as a lad.
The only thing that annoyed me was the way that they dressed Sean Bean's character. In the credits he was listed as "SAS Officer", yet he was wearing corporal chevrons on epaulettes on his combat dress. The Brits don't have epaulettes on their combat dress, nor would a corporal be commanding a special forces unit (talking like a peer to a full USN Admiral who was supposed to be one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, possibly even the Chairman). I know that its just a Sandler flick, but they could have made the "SAS Officer" an actual officer, or even given him an actually facsimile of a SAS badge (instead of whatever the frick they actually had) on his beret. I'm even trying to recall if they had the right colour beret. Ah well, I also seem to recall glimpsing a US Lt. with a vertical bar on an epaulette. :buck2:
I think there's some stipulation that whenever a uniform is in a movie, it has to be slightly altered so it's not the exact same as a real uniform. I can't recall where I heard that before, but I think it applies to not just military, but also civilian law enforcement.
I've been listening to Opie Radio interview people from the Pixels movie all last week...the director wrote Goonies and Gremlins and directed a few Home Alone movies too; you'd think this would be a home run of a film. They made it sound like it was being received so, so well by audiences that had seen it prior to full release (but of COURSE they'd say that). I was surprised to see what terrible ratings it's been getting, but then again, Adam Sandler and Kevin James are in it, so it ain't going to be a genius film...at best a 'meh' one. That's a real shame. I'd still like to see it but I'm not going to the theater to do that.
The 3D was ok, especially whilst battling aliens playing Centipede in Hyde Park.
I dunno about the uniforms. Monaghan looked fine:
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia1.popsugar-assets.com%2Ffiles%2F2015%2F03%2F18%2F676%2Fn%2F1922283%2F513534cd_edit_img_image_2387502_1426691146.mlarge%2Fi%2FPixels-Movie-Trailer.jpg&hash=ab15864cb9360aa9de32b64ca98d531a7c6c9063)
I got home late from rehearsal last night and was exhausted, but decided I was going to watch Pixels.
It wasn't a terrible movie, but neither was it a GOOD movie. I don't think it deserves the 18% it currently has on Rotten Tomatoes; more like 40-50% I think would be better, but 50% would be pushing it.
It tried SO hard to be an homage to the 80s...or wait, was it 80s arcade games? I don't think Chris Columbus or the movie really knew what it was trying to do. It tried to jump between video games and homages to 80s music. I think this felt more like they were trying to make something that 40-somethings like us would come and eagerly watch and bring the kids...though most of our kids are kind of ??? when it comes to these characters. My son, for example, is 16; he knows Q-Bert very well (he played that game constantly over one summer a few years back), but most everything in this, he wouldn't get.
It was completely and utterly predictable, which I absolutely despise in a movie. I'd like a few twists and turns, but when I can tell exactly what's going to happen and how they're going to do it (they're in the hole, one step from disaster...but hey look, they pulled it out at the last second! Gosh, who saw THAT coming?!?). Drives me crazy.
Adam Sandler wasn't nearly as bad as he's being made out to be in some reviews. He's...well, Adam Sandler. This didn't feel like an Adam Sandler vehicle, though he certainly was the main character in it.
Peter Dinklage was totally wasted in this flick. He has such awesome acting chops, but his role was really meh. He had a few funny moments in it, but I felt like he was lost in this role, which is a shame.
Kevin James was...Kevin James. Pretty much Paul Blart, US President. No surprise there. A caricature of a President, to be sure.
The romance subplot was the usual formulaic nonsense that Hollywood feels it needs to do. You could see it coming a mile away, anyway. Several eye-rolling moments during those expositions.
The 'invaders' were kind of interesting but I really didn't feel an "OH COOL" moment at all, at any point in the movie. Keep in mind that I essentially lived in arcades back in my younger days...whether it was the arcade at the bowling alley (my parents were in a lot of bowling leagues as I grew up, and I passed the hours there among the classics), and the mall was always a great place to blow some money while mom and dad got a few hours to enjoy themselves, lol. It still didn't feel as fun as I'd hoped it would be. There were a few 'huh' moments, like "Huh, look at that, there's Paperboy...oh wait, he's gone and he won't come back again." That happened a lot. There were a few characters I didn't recognize so I guess I'm not as well-versed in all the arcade games as I could be. I'd wished they'd put in Dirk the Daring from Dragon's Lair or maybe Space Ace from the game of the same name...but as it is they already tried to cram so many cameos into this that it felt like Chris Columbus thought that quantity was better than quality.
If you've seen the trailers...you've pretty much seen the movie. I also despise that about trailers/movies.
One good bright thing was at the end, they did a short summary of the movie while the credits rolled, in 8-bit glory. That was kind of cool. But it's sad when that's the coolest part of the entire movie, at least to me.
Overall I'd give it a 20/40, tops. Not bad, not good, and SO much wasted potential, especially considering Chris Columbus was behind this. Very disappointed.
Loved seeing Joust and Defender. I saw Paperboy a couple of times. Pretty sure I spotted Dirk once too.
I could have lived without Max Headroom though.
Seeing Jaws tonight on the big screen!
Quote from: Centurion40 on July 31, 2015, 10:32:13 AM
I could have lived without Max Headroom though.
That WAS really weird...thanks for mentioning it. I liked the Fantasy Island and MTV and other messages the aliens used...that was rather entertaining. Max Headroom was...???
Mirth, sounds like Jaws will be fun! You taking the kids? ;)
Lol. My kids would never go in the water again if I let them watch Jaws. OTOH, it would piss their mother off...hmmmm.
I'm looking forward to seeing it. For all the times I've watched Jaws, I've never seen it in a theater.
Retro movie night is pretty sweet. Raiders last month and now Jaws. Good stuff.
Raiders and Jaws...man they just don't make them like that anymore.
Quote from: Gusington on August 06, 2015, 02:49:18 PM
Raiders and Jaws...man they just don't make them like that anymore.
Nope. They sure don't.
We need more movies that melt Nazi faces and devour hawt chicks in bikinis.
Jaws of the Lost Ark.
Raiders of the Lost Shark.
Nazis sharks...so many possibilities
The Last Crusade of Crystal Bikini's?
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Frying Pans?
:tickedoff:
We'll go with the Crystal Bikinis then.
O0
Just so long as Karen Allen isn't wearing one.
O0
Shark Raiders with Melting Nazi Faces + Friends.
Jaws is the exact reason I am deathly afraid of the water. So, good call on not bringing the kids.
Just watched Let Me In. Unusually for a yank remake, it was superior to the original. Almost beautiful in fact. I don't think I've seen any films with Chloe Moretz before but I will look out for her from now on; she's quite a talent.
Jaws was friggin awesome. Robert Shaw was such a badass.
I try to model my life after certain aspects of Robert Shaw's character in Jaws. So far I'm failing.
I really liked Let Me In too...I watched it on Netflix a few years ago. Very believable and creepy at the same time...great atmosphere.
Hooper drives the boat Chief!
I want to drive the boat one day.
You will Hooper.
I suggest being Hooper from the movie, not Hooper from the book. Trust me on this.
Quote from: Huw the Poo on August 07, 2015, 04:55:07 PM
Just watched Let Me In. Unusually for a yank remake, it was superior to the original. Almost beautiful in fact. I don't think I've seen any films with Chloe Moretz before but I will look out for her from now on; she's quite a talent.
Kick Ass. Which is pretty much what she does throughout the movie. I liked Let Me In as well. I also saw the original and I agree, Let Me In was better.
Quote from: Staggerwing on August 07, 2015, 07:27:32 PM
I suggest being Hooper from the movie, not Hooper from the book. Trust me on this.
Yeah, I know the difference. The movie Hooper was close to getting the book result.
Really? I thought Kick Ass was just some cheesy superhero film. I guess I'll have to take a look.
It is a cheesy super hero movie. But in a good way.
Quote from: Steelgrave on August 07, 2015, 07:29:54 PM
Quote from: Huw the Poo on August 07, 2015, 04:55:07 PM
Just watched Let Me In. Unusually for a yank remake, it was superior to the original. Almost beautiful in fact. I don't think I've seen any films with Chloe Moretz before but I will look out for her from now on; she's quite a talent.
Kick Ass. Which is pretty much what she does throughout the movie. I liked Let Me In as well. I also saw the original and I agree, Let Me In was better.
Okay, I'm going to have to watch Let Me In. I really liked the original and was very skeptical of the remake.
I loved it. I almost really enjoyed Let the Right One In but felt, if I recall correctly, that the pacing was too slow and the story could've been developed a bit. Let Me In addresses my complaints. Definitely one of the best films I've seen in a while.
Quote from: Huw the Poo on August 07, 2015, 04:55:07 PM
Just watched Let Me In. Unusually for a yank remake, it was superior to the original. Almost beautiful in fact. I don't think I've seen any films with Chloe Moretz before but I will look out for her from now on; she's quite a talent.
Watch
Kick Ass (the first one, NOT the 2nd one). She ruled that movie.
D'Oh, Steelie beat me to it. As did the Dawg.
This really ugly
https://www.yahoo.com/movies/fantastic-four-gets-worst-cinemascore-ever-for-126334302717.html
Quote from: Gusington on August 07, 2015, 07:10:19 PM
I want to drive the boat one day.
You aren't gonna need a bigger boat.
Saw The Man from U.N.C.L.E. last night with the Mrs. The Mrs. liked it, but I thought it was ho-hum. It was missing something, and I can't quite put my finger on what that something is. It did not manage to engage my imagination. It looked fine, the performances were acceptable, but watching it was like eating french fries without salt or ketchup.
25/40
Was it missing a dash of visceral fun?
If only the real movie were this good
I saw the much-hyped It Follows last night. Pretty good, and reminded me of a kind of recurring nightmare I had as a child. The second half couldn't sustain the terror of the first half - ever the problem for inventive horror films - but overall well worth the watch. If you see it, try not to learn anything about it beforehand.
Actually, It Follows is a grower. The more I thought about it, the more brilliant I realised it is. I went out and bought the blu ray today and I'll be circulating it around the office for the next couple of weeks. O0
Just picked up PT Anderson's latest film, Inherent Vice. A superbly-made film about a hippy in the 70s played by Joaquin Phoenix who works as a private dick and gets embroiled in a complex case involving the disappearance of his ex girlfriend. Phoenix is fantastic in the film, as is Josh Brolin who is a superb foil to Phoenix as a police lieutenant enduring a very love/hate relationship with the hero. Honestly, the chemistry between these two is enough to carry the film already, but it's ably supported by a magnificent supporting ensemble cast (you have to see Martin Short's performance to believe it). It's very funny too; it's actually billed as a comedy...it isn't really, but there are some genuinely laugh out loud moments. Warrants more than one viewing, too. Highly recommended, especially for fans of PT Anderson.
Just saw The Gallows, an utterly bog-standard by-the-numbers found footage horror. A small group of school students are trapped inside the school after dark, and something's stalking them. Will they make it out alive.....? You won't care unless this is literally the first found-footage film you've ever seen...and even then you won't care. Plenty of jump scares though, which at least made it amusing to watch with my lady, who I had to scrape off the ceiling afterwards.
Just saw The Grand Budapest Hotel.
I hope Wes Anderson's arse cheeks fuse together, forever distracting him from ever directing films again.
If you haven't seen Inside Out yet go now!
Its an animated family-friendly movie with great adult humour.
37 cents outa 40!
Quote from: Huw the Poo on September 14, 2015, 04:17:01 PM
Just saw The Grand Budapest Hotel.
I hope Wes Anderson's arse cheeks fuse together, forever distracting him from ever directing films again.
have you seen 45 years yet H?
Quote from: undercovergeek on September 14, 2015, 05:21:41 PM
have you seen 45 years yet H?
Nope, not heard of it. I've added it to the list now though.
kermode was raving about it last week - apparentley tis awesome and a bit art housey - thought it would be reet up your street
I saw The Grand Budapest Hotel because of all the hype. I wasn't impressed.
Quote from: undercovergeek on September 14, 2015, 05:53:10 PM
kermode was raving about it last week - apparentley tis awesome and a bit art housey - thought it would be reet up your street
Yeah it does sound good! :)
Quote from: MetalDog on September 14, 2015, 06:42:15 PM
I saw The Grand Budapest Hotel because of all the hype. I wasn't impressed.
I'll second that. It had some good moments (the whole bit with Jeff Goldblum's cat was pretty funny), but man was it uneven.
Wes Anderson has an infuriatingly arrogant and pretentious style of direction, something which similarly afflicted The Life Aquatic. You can almost hear him shouting at you "this is obviously funny!" In common with the modern hipster who spends a lot of time on their hair, making it look like they've spent no time at all on their hair, Anderson goes to great lengths to make his comedy seem subtle whereas in actual fact he may as well wrap it around a hammer and hit you in the face with it. Another example: look, Bill Murray is in my film! Never mind that I chronically under-use him and don't actually give him anything funny to say....it's Bill Murray! This is obviously comedic genius!
I have no time for him at all, and now, after seeing two of his "masterpieces", I can confidently invite him to shove it up his arse.
I'm not quite getting what yer saying Huw?
Yeah, don't mince words. Tell us what you really think.
I don't know what to watch next:
Spring
The Lives of Others
The Theory of Everything
I'm leaning toward Spring.
Saw The Theory of Everything. The actor who played Hawking did an outstanding job conveying the slide into ALS. For no other reason, I would watch that.
Quote from: MetalDog on September 16, 2015, 11:42:23 AM
Saw The Theory of Everything. The actor who played Hawking did an outstanding job conveying the slide into ALS. For no other reason, I would watch that.
Yeah alright. I've heard that Hawking himself wished the film had focused more on the science - I'm currently reading
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat by John Gribbin so I wish that too - but an excellent dramatic portrayal of something is usually enough to sell me on a film. :)
Cheers for the recommendation!
Went and saw "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.". As a huge fan from way-back-when I though it was pretty good. It was more of an origin story than I was expecting and an obvious set up for a sequel or two. Given it was set very early in the history of U.N.C.L.E. I will forgive them the rather modest use of gadgets. The "sixties" style was well done and the story moved right along. They had some good bad guys and gals and the first meeting of Solo and Ilya was a hoot.
Huh. I had that film written off, but you've convinced me.
Quote from: Huw the Poo on September 16, 2015, 01:21:56 PM
Quote from: MetalDog on September 16, 2015, 11:42:23 AM
Saw The Theory of Everything. The actor who played Hawking did an outstanding job conveying the slide into ALS. For no other reason, I would watch that.
Yeah alright. I've heard that Hawking himself wished the film had focused more on the science - I'm currently reading In Search of Schrodinger's Cat by John Gribbin so I wish that too - but an excellent dramatic portrayal of something is usually enough to sell me on a film. :)
Cheers for the recommendation!
HUW!
The cat....
...its inna box, innit.........
Quote from: Huw the Poo on September 16, 2015, 03:43:25 PM
Huh. I had that film written off, but you've convinced me.
have you retired, or taken up a career in film review?
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.topanimestream.com%2FImageHost%2F25%2F39%2F8%2Fw1280_The_Critic_backdrop.jpg&hash=4e8dae10436584b22621068029ef23a706881d91)
Bob: but is it dead or alive?
Quote from: Huw the Poo on September 16, 2015, 05:16:22 PM
Bob: but is it dead or alive?
Dunno mate. get Geek to stick his hand in and find out.
Should be easy enough. He'll stick his hand into any old box.
And there we have a scientific answer, eh!
The other answer is "a duck".... but might confuse some here abouts......
Doesn't matter if it's dead or alive. What matters is if it weighs the same as wood.
Saw Black Mass today. It's standard mob movie fare. Bad guy is a violent psycho who kills anyone who crosses him while climbing to the top of the heap. Eventually, the Feds come down on him and his organization and confederates. Mob boss runs away. 12 years later, he is caught. The end. Not worth the $16.75 I paid for the ticket, soda and peanut M&M's (the drink and candy were $9.50?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!), but, if you have time to kill, and you like the genre, by all means, drop the dough on it.
23/40
I am SHOCKED. SHOCKED I say. This was supposed to be the GOOD Johnny Depp movie.
Depp was good in character. However, it just felt like he was playing a one note song the whole time. No deviating from the, "violent psycho who should be feared," path.
Maybe that was the point of Depp's take on the role. The real Whitey Bulger did't have much to redeem him either.
Just read a statement from Bulger's lawyer. It was basically, 'That doesn't portray Whitey in any way shape or form.' Bulger also refused to speak to Depp for the role. And one of the enforcers, Kevin Weekes, also said something to the effect of, 'Whitey never swore at me. And we didn't yell.' Of course, they have reasons to say those things, but, I'm sure there's some truth to it.
Whitey was a murdering psychopath. There's not much else in the way of nuance to bring to portrayal of him.
Quote from: MetalDog on September 20, 2015, 08:20:46 AM
Depp was good in character. However, it just felt like he was playing a one note song the whole time. No deviating from the, "violent psycho who should be feared," path.
I've just never been a been Deep fan. After watching Vincent D'Onofrio as Kingpin in Daredevil I would want to see some real depth in the portrayal of a bad guy. Thanks for your take on the film, MD. Sounds like it might be a renter but I'll save my theater dollars for something else.
Watched Black Mass last night. Great cast, well acted, but kinda 'meh'. It also skipped over some details about Bulger's rise and career, but you'll only notice if you know something about his history. Depp was amazing, but he brought too much charisma and likeability to a man who was a vicious, murdering thug.
It's worth seeing, though maybe not in a theater. I went with a couple of friends, so it made for a decent night out.
7.5/10.
Interesting Reddit AMA with Howie Carr, who has written extensively on Whitey Bulger and the Boston mob world.
https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3n8auc/james_whitey_bulger_tried_to_murder_me_i_am_howie/
I went to see Everest at the movies last week ....I think , I'm losing track of the days :uglystupid2:
It was slow to get into , the story builds slowly . The scenery as you would expect is epic in scope and truly awe inspiring . It's mentioned in the film that the height of Everest is the same as the cruising altitude of a Boeing 747 !! I've been looking at planes flying overhead in a whole new way since seeing the movie , I can't imagine climbing that high .... :o
It's based on a true story , the basic premise is that now you can climb Everest as a tourist , with different tour company's that have set up to make mega bucks out of climbing enthusiasts . As you would expect things start to go wrong , a massive storm blows in and from then on in its "man vs mountain " ......which will win out ?
I thought jake gyllenhall ( I hope I got his last name right :D ) well he did a really bad job with the character he played , he just annoyed me the whole way through , which is a shame because the guy he played deserved a better portrayal I thought . On the other hand josh brolin was outstanding , I was rooting for him the whole way through . Kiera knightly played a really good part and she pulled off a very convincing New Zealand accent .
By the end of the movie there wasn't a dry eye in the cinema , and there was mostly guys there watching this ....I would defy anyone of you guys not to shed a manly tear or two towards the end ;)
I definately recommend this film and it should definately be seen in the cinema to appreciate the scale of Everest and nepal in general . I thoroughly enjoyed it and felt my money was well spent on this .
Saw The Martian. Was a ripping good yarn. Not sure 3D is worth it Good characters, great story.
34 cents out of 40.
Krull
45/40
Just sayin'.
Just saw Horns. For the first 90 minutes I was thinking that this was a much better film than I was expecting (I only watched it because the eminently fuckable Juno Temple stars). But then the third act happened, and oh my god it was shoddy. Very poorly done in my opinion...slapdash, nonsensical and riding roughshod over all the sentiment that had been carefully built up in the preceding 90 minutes. Not to mention the overt Christian propaganda; always irritating in any film. Bah. Oh well, one to chalk up to experience.
First time I've ever seen Daniel Radcliffe properly act, mind!
So my 7 year old was quite insistent I buy Jurassic World on DVD for him. Apparently his school buddies have all seen it and have told him all about it.
I caved in picked it up for him yesterday. He's already watched it 3 times and now quotes it incessantly. Clearly they knew who they were target audience was and it wasn't me.
The Mrs. and I saw "Rock the Kasbah yesterday and it was very "meh". There was so much talent in this movie, but it just seemed to limp along. It seemed like the only actors not "phoning it in" were Danny McBride, Scott Caan, Kate Hudson and Zooey Deschanel. Bill Murray was fine, but at times it seemed like he was making up his lines as he went along and the director went with the first take. Bruce Willis was unconvincing.
I'm giving it a 23 out of 40.
Quote from: Windigo on October 05, 2015, 11:53:25 AM
Saw The Martian. Was a ripping good yarn. Not sure 3D is worth it Good characters, great story.
34 cents out of 40.
I saw it tonight with my son. I would give it a bit better than 34 but then I am a space geek (wore my NASA T-shirt). We did not opt for 3D and I'm not sorry.
Quote from: Centurion40 on October 27, 2015, 10:34:59 AM
The Mrs. and I saw "Rock the Kasbah yesterday and it was very "meh". There was so much talent in this movie, but it just seemed to limp along. It seemed like the only actors not "phoning it in" were Danny McBride, Scott Caan, Kate Hudson and Zooey Deschanel. Bill Murray was fine, but at times it seemed like he was making up his lines as he went along and the director went with the first take. Bruce Willis was unconvincing.
I'm giving it a 23 out of 40.
truth is, Bill IMO needs a good kick in the ass from the Director every morning while he's on set
Saw the Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse last night. Before I went, I read a review that said the flick is a cross between Superbad and Zombieland. That statement is an insult to both of those movies.
The Scouts Guide is not very polished, and there is a fair amount of "shaky cam", which seems very popular these days. I found the first half-hour to be almost pitiful to watch, but then the film really took off once there were more than 10 zombies; and I actually started to enjoy it. I even had a couple of genuinely serious chuckles at some of the puerile shtick. No gut-busters, but even now I am smirking as I type and think about some of the scenes/situations. I was entertained.
25/40
I just watched Spring for the second time so I thought I should mention it. It's an interesting take on body horror. An American guy has a run of very bad luck so decides to piss off to Italy for a while. He meets a beautiful girl there, and from that point some...weird stuff happens. It's almost a romance film that happens to have a horror theme. Very nicely shot, the script is above average and avoids cliché and sentimentality, and you genuinely care for the characters. All against a gorgeous old Italian backdrop. Well worth watching, despite a very slow start.
thanks for this review Huw da Poo(?) - will watch it
Quote from: Windigo on November 20, 2015, 12:16:46 PM
thanks for this review Huw da Poo(?) - will watch it
I hope you enjoy it mate - let me know what you think!
The Mrs. and I saw The Night Before yesterday afternoon, and enjoyed it. It had something for everyone (low-brow drug humour for me, and character development for the Mrs.). I had a couple of good chuckles on top of one air-gasping guffaw, and the Mrs. even shed a tear. Not that this flick was overly meaningful, I mean Tracey Morgan played Santa... as in the real Santa Claus and not some department store rent-a-Santa.
Best holiday movie of 2015, and maybe even 2014 too.
31/40
Finally saw The Martian. Excellent film, much better than I thought it would be. It got really bad with the whole EVA experience near the end (I mean, seriously, the timing on that would have had to be laser perfect...silly movie star physics). But despite the feeling that Hollywood tried to pack as much danger and drama into it even though an experience like this would probably have resulted in something far more boring, it was a great movie. 35/40.
Quote from: Banzai_Cat on November 24, 2015, 03:52:20 PM
Finally saw The Martian. Excellent film, much better than I thought it would be. It got really bad with the whole EVA experience near the end (I mean, seriously, the timing on that would have had to be laser perfect...silly movie star physics). But despite the feeling that Hollywood tried to pack as much danger and drama into it even though an experience like this would probably have resulted in something far more boring, it was a great movie. 35/40.
I really enjoyed it as well. I'm listening to the book now, and so far the movie was pretty much a faithful word for word reproduction. Haven't got tent to the part where he starts his trek yet, though. Anyway, great movie, great book. They make math word problems exciting.
I don't go to movies much. But my wife and I try to pick cruises that have a ton of recent movies that you can see in your stateroom. We just got back from a 1 week cruise to the Caribbean and I watched 10 movies in 7 days.
They were (and some are classics):
Inside Out - one of the better junior high science movies I've seen - but not great movie entertainment.
Minions - Blah.
Latest Mission Impossible - This was very good. Highly enjoyable.
A Royal Night Out - A nice piece of VE day in London bit of fluff.
American Sniper - This was really well done. Loved it. Wife, not so much.
Max - I've seen better made for TV movies than this. Nothing objectionable but not worth the time.
The Imitation Game - Yes! A really awesome movie about breaking Enigma.
Into the Woods - OK if you like musicals. But I don't like musicals all that much.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit? - Have not watched it in at least 10 years. It is still awesome.
The Princess Bride - It is still awesome!
We also brought back 10 liters of booze. Suitcases were quite heavy.
Quote from: airboy on December 21, 2015, 09:04:33 PM
The Princess Bride - It is still awesome!
Of course it is! I still watch it once a year. O0
Quote from: Martok on December 22, 2015, 12:14:53 AM
Quote from: airboy on December 21, 2015, 09:04:33 PM
The Princess Bride - It is still awesome!
Of course it is! I still watch it once a year. O0
INCONCEIVABLE!
The last time I was into dating, whether or not the woman liked Princess bride was one of my evaluation questions
I've never seen it in its entirety. Just bits and pieces here and there. However, I think the OCD nature of gaming nerds means that I've had pretty much the whole script repeatedly quoted to me since the film's release.
Quote from: Windigo on December 22, 2015, 01:07:36 PM
The last time I was into dating, whether or not the woman liked Princess bride was one of my evaluation questions
Same. :)
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on December 22, 2015, 03:39:12 PM
I've never seen it in its entirety. Just bits and pieces here and there.
SDR, I weep for you.
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on December 22, 2015, 03:39:12 PM
However, I think the OCD nature of gaming nerds means that I've had pretty much the whole script repeatedly quoted to me since the film's release.
I can believe that easily. ;D
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on December 22, 2015, 03:39:12 PM
I've never seen it in its entirety. Just bits and pieces here and there. However, I think the OCD nature of gaming nerds means that I've had pretty much the whole script repeatedly quoted to me since the film's release.
INCONCEIVAwait, sorry, I've done that joke already. :coolsmiley:
^ It had to be done, though. :D
Saw three really good movies of note over the holidays on Netflix;
Nightcrawler - very atmospheric and creepy in a non-horror way. Great acting by the catcher from Brokeback Mountain. 34/40
Meet the Millers -laughed my ass off at this one. Schmaltzy and very funny... and even though I don't like Jennifer Aniston she was great in this one. For what it is, script and direction were top notch. 32/40
Elysium - predictable dystopian sci-fi thriller, but very well acted and directed. Matt Damon continues to be a solid actor. 32/40
and as bonus, best of the bunch - Kingsman: The Secret Service - a wickedly good action/adventure/comedy spy thriller. Samuel Jackson et.al. are on top of their acting game, the story line is fun and action packed. Seriously witty and you can identify easily with the characters. A top-shelf movie. 37/40
Quote from: Windigo on January 04, 2016, 04:50:41 PM
and as bonus, best of the bunch - Kingsman: The Secret Service - a wickedly good action/adventure/comedy spy thriller. Samuel Jackson et.al. are on top of their acting game, the story line is fun and action packed. Seriously witty and you can identify easily with the characters. A top-shelf movie. 37/40
I really want to sit down and watch this one. It's been on my list since I first the trailers for it.
Quote from: Martok on January 05, 2016, 06:43:25 AM
Quote from: Windigo on January 04, 2016, 04:50:41 PM
and as bonus, best of the bunch - Kingsman: The Secret Service - a wickedly good action/adventure/comedy spy thriller. Samuel Jackson et.al. are on top of their acting game, the story line is fun and action packed. Seriously witty and you can identify easily with the characters. A top-shelf movie. 37/40
I really want to sit down and watch this one. It's been on my list since I first the trailers for it.
Watch it... yesterday is too late.
watched it yesterday, i can honestly say one of the last shots in the film is truly spectacular
Quote from: undercovergeek on January 05, 2016, 04:30:10 PM
watched it yesterday, i can honestly say one of the last shots in the film is truly spectacular
Yeah, that shot was a little...well, there was a crack in its logic, let's just say. It kind of just suddenly reared itself up.
Finally saw Spectre. Wow. How bitterly, horribly, embarrassingly disappointing. :(
Quote from: Huw the Poo on February 28, 2016, 05:20:10 PM
Finally saw Spectre. Wow. How bitterly, horribly, embarrassingly disappointing. :(
now, im not going to accuse you of such nefarious doings my old friend but what seems to have happened when the film came out was a weird gushing of over hyped praise for the film, and now it seems trendy, hipster if you will to kick the film in the goolies - i wasnt overly impressed so was never in the gushing crowd but i have seen a lot of negativity towards the film now that critics think their embarassing overexuberance has been forgotten
Heh, well, since I knew I'd be buying it on release I stayed away from any and all coverage, including critical reception. All I'd heard was what my colleagues in work had said (they all praised it and they're all going to get a bollocking today). I fully expected it to be brilliant, which is why I was so disappointed. :(
I genuinely think it's worse than Quantum of Solace.
Huw, I applaud you for getting through the entire thing.
I've tried three times and I can't get but maybe ten minutes past the acid trip intro with the horrible music. The Honest Trailer for Spectre is pretty much dead on. The opening action sequence is decent enough, but it's standard Bond fare so it's nothing special or amazing. The rest of the movie seems boring as shite.
I'll have to watch that honest trailer.
Boring is the right word. Hubris also springs to mind. I didn't even like Craig in this one; I get that he's always portrayed Bond as being closer to a cold killer than anyone else has, but he took the piss in Spectre with empty dialogue and no character or charm.
Spectre sucked, and I'm pissed off about it.
The new hotness in horror is The Witch. It opened last night and I went to see it with some friends. It was very, very good - but there's a caveat: it isn't what some people think of as a "standard" horror film, and has been unfairly attracting criticism from some quarters as a result. Some people expect jump scares and rivers of blood in horror films, and The Witch has neither. Instead it is a painstakingly researched, beautifully shot period piece which is genuinely unsettling and downright horrific in places. The mood throughout the film is menacing and paranoid. Within the first fifteen minutes it goes somewhere few films dare to go.
I won't say any more, except this: if you like genuine horror films and don't need jump scares to be entertained, go see it. It's a work of art.
Quote from: Huw the Poo on March 12, 2016, 03:27:27 AM
The new hotness in horror is The Witch. It opened last night and I went to see it with some friends. It was very, very good - but there's a caveat: it isn't what some people think of as a "standard" horror film, and has been unfairly attracting criticism from some quarters as a result. Some people expect jump scares and rivers of blood in horror films, and The Witch has neither. Instead it is a painstakingly researched, beautifully shot period piece which is genuinely unsettling and downright horrific in places. The mood throughout the film is menacing and paranoid. Within the first fifteen minutes it goes somewhere few films dare to go.
I won't say any more, except this: if you like genuine horror films and don't need jump scares to be entertained, go see it. It's a work of art.
Hrmmm...
..now I may have to check this out sometime. I like well done horror, but most of the trailers I see are of those cheap "jump scare" cookie cutter type bullshit (same movie as last month, different title).
I almost never watch horror-ish type movies at the theater due to all the repetitive trash out there. But I also want to see
10 Cloverfield Lane. See what JJ does with that Cthulhu-esque theme, but without the original's shitty shaky hand-cam & found doc bullshit that should've remained in 1999, from whence it came.
Quote from: Nefaro on March 13, 2016, 07:43:18 AM
..now I may have to check this out sometime. I like well done horror, but most of the trailers I see are of those cheap "jump scare" cookie cutter type bullshit (same movie as last month, different title).
Absolutely. Even though horror is probably my favourite genre, I have to disregard 90% of it because to most people horror just means scary, and scary means put in a load of "frightening" events to make the audience jump and forget about
actually making a good film. The Witch was a very welcome breath of fresh air.
QuoteBut I also want to see 10 Cloverfield Lane. See what JJ does with that Cthulhu-esque theme, but without the original's shitty shaky hand-cam & found doc bullshit that should've remained in 1999, from whence it came.
Agreed again, sir. I saw the trailer for this before The Witch and it showed just enough to pique my curiosity; looks like it could be excellent if done well.
Edit: If you want to see The Witch you should probably hurry; I can't imagine it being on a very wide or long release.
I finally got around to watch Another Earth today. Not sure how much I liked it...it certainly isn't brilliant, but it's probably worth a watch. It's about a perfect replica of Earth is found in the solar system, and gradually approaches our Earth. However, the second Earth barely features in the film, which focuses instead on the life of a young woman and a man whose life she accidentally ruined.
It's very nicely filmed for such a low budget (and was something of a Sundance darling, I gather), the dialogue is pretty good too. However the issue of the second Earth is too far in the background and the film almost seems boring a lot of the time, even though the pacing is pretty balanced. The ending is very good. I wish I'd watched it on Friday night because it certainly wasn't a Sunday afternoon film! It was quite melancholy really.
Wow, long time since anyone posted here.
Went with the family to see Sing today. Pretty good. No real great gut busting laughs and predictable story line. Give it a 32 outa 40.