Movie News, Reviews, and Discussion Super-Thread

[Bebpo]

Jacob's Ladder is the precursor to Silent Hill

[Great Rumbler]

Strange to hear people talk of the original "Thing" like it wasn't an adaptation of a book that had a prior (excellent, albeit different) adaptation.

I don't see what being an adaption has anything to do with it.

because the john carpenter movie isn't the " original" by any stretch of the imagination.

I was about to post that. John Carpenter's The Thing is the essential one though, and I don't see why you should remake a movie three times?

The new one is actually a "prequel".

[Bildi]

I have Jacob's Ladder, been meaning to watch it for ages.  Might have a look this weekend.

Also The Grudge?  Never saw that either.  I confused it with The Ring when I was younger and never had interest.  But I heard Ju On was pretty awesome

Ultimately this was a very disappointing movie for me. Less the slow build and suspense of The Ring, and instead closer to American slasher films. It's got a lot of boo-scares in it, it doesn't make a lot of internal sense, and it's largely a question of how people are going to die, rather than wondering whether or not they will die.

I found Grudge 1 and 2 OK - they kept me watching all the way through.  But they have NO idea how to build suspense, and the films are certainly are not on the level of Ring and so on.  They had a little bit of atmosphere which probably helped keep me watching.

See the Japanese version of Dark Water if you haven't already. Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara, I think. It's by Nakata, the director of The Ring, and has a similar burn-rate. Do -not- go to YouTube for previews, it will spoil several good scenes.

YES.  I only saw this a little while ago.  Finally a horror film that does know how to build suspense, not kill it by showing the villain all the way through.  I did find the ending scene a little funny and not-scary but other than that, great stuff.

[Great Rumbler]

You definitely need to check out some David Cronenberg, Mupepe. Stuff like Dead Ringers, The Fly, Videodrome, Scanners, Naked, pretty much everything he did during 80's and early 90's. Not that his later stuff is bad, just not really the same thing as his earlier work. There's not really horror, in the traditional sense, but they're just so bizarre and surreal. Definitely check those out if you haven't already.

[youtube=560,345]d6GNs6MthtU[/youtube]

[youtube=560,345]F-JRxjI4CQs[/youtube]

[youtube=560,345]Q0fhzA_j6lQ[/youtube]

[youtube=560,345]2BTPOlbW-Cc[/youtube]

[youtube=560,345]H5HrHcgnWRw[/youtube]

[Mupepe]

And how is Jacob's Ladder?  I heard it was pretty good.  Never seen it.

The acting is very good, all around. The sets, make-up... so much to like in that move. But it's not really horror. It might be "existential horror" but it's difficult to qualify into a specific genre. I enjoyed the chiropractor's role in it. The movie has a really good message.

Also The Grudge?  Never saw that either.  I confused it with The Ring when I was younger and never had interest.  But I heard Ju On was pretty awesome

Ultimately this was a very disappointing movie for me. Less the slow build and suspense of The Ring, and instead closer to American slasher films. It's got a lot of boo-scares in it, it doesn't make a lot of internal sense, and it's largely a question of how people are going to die, rather than wondering whether or not they will die.

See the Japanese version of Dark Water if you haven't already. Honogurai Mizu no Soko Kara, I think. It's by Nakata, the director of The Ring, and has a similar burn-rate. Do -not- go to YouTube for previews, it will spoil several good scenes.

If I tend to really, really, really hate Korean movies should I still watch?  I'm not very familiar with Japanese movies, but if they're like Korean movies in terms of quirkiness and pacing I'll probably hate it.

You definitely need to check out some David Cronenberg, Mupepe. Stuff like Dead Ringers, The Fly, Videodrome, Scanners, Naked, pretty much everything he did during 80's and early 90's. Not that his later stuff is bad, just not really the same thing as his earlier work. There's not really horror, in the traditional sense, but they're just so bizarre and surreal. Definitely check those out if you haven't already.

[youtube=560,345]d6GNs6MthtU[/youtube]

[youtube=560,345]F-JRxjI4CQs[/youtube]

[youtube=560,345]Q0fhzA_j6lQ[/youtube]

[youtube=560,345]2BTPOlbW-Cc[/youtube]

[youtube=560,345]H5HrHcgnWRw[/youtube]

oh man, so much in there looks awesome.  I've seen The Fly which I found fucking amazing.  It alwaysd seemed so horribly cheesy but when I watched it I was amazed.  I also realized how many pop culture references went over my head throughout the years.

[Himu]

Jacob's Ladder is my favorite horror film. It's so choice.

Also, even though it's not horror I highly suggest Cronenberg's Crash, which might as well be the Official Bore Film due to the intense sexual situations between both genders.

Surprised you haven't seen Videodrome. Watch that movie on acid and you'll probably hate me.

[Great Rumbler]

I was looking for the TDKR teaser and came across this article:

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/181426/20110716/captain-america-dark-knight-popularity-outclass-captain-america-the-first-avenger-dark-knight-rises-.htm

Dark Knight is set for a worldwide release on July 20, 2012. Though one year to go, the $250-million movie has already started making rounds in YouTube with its videos getting more than a million views together. But Captain America: The First Avenger, which is set for on July 22, 2011 release, is already boasting of over 4 million views in a single YouTube video. Does this mean that the first American avenger has outclassed the knight’s hold on the box office?

Um...what?

Now that America’s first avenger is about to arrive, will Christopher Nolan and the company see it as a threat to the Dark Knight's strong hold on the breed of superhero movies? The answer may be yes as this superhero, just like the knight himself, does not possess any super-human powers but unlike the knight, the avenger has been developed into a breed of super soldier who is ready to finish off the evil of the Nazis during the second World War.

...huh?

One of the Dark Knight Rises teasers doing rounds earlier shows inspector Gordon begging Bruce Wayne to come back to save Gotham City. The teaser, however, had some major sound issues but showed the Gotham city landscape with the batman insignia and a shot where the villain Bane is almost frightening Batman away. Later different new videos came up but none of them got the kind of popularity that a single official video of Captain America: The First Avenger received. Does this mean the Dark Knight may face stiff challenge ahead? It's worth the wait, since the release dates are not far -- on July 22, 2011 and July 20, 2012, respectively.

And here's a bit from another article on the same site:

The teaser has done its job with the fans busy discussing whether Batman will finally reveal himself as Bruce Wayne. With no Joker or return of the Fiddler, the villain for this Batman film has roused a a lot of interest. A glimpse of the menacing Bane must have tweaked that interest a little more.

[Great Rumbler]

zomg

[Joe Molotov]

Mupepe, watch House!

[youtube=560,345]WQ_Yo06kIIA[/youtube]

Or House:

[youtube=560,345]zyW7yuW2scg[/youtube]

They're both awesome!

[fistfulofmetal]

The Fighter showed up on Netflix today. In HD to boo!

gonna watch it today.

[bork]

Horrible Bosses was pretty fun.

Kevin Spacey, Collen Farell, and Jennifer Anniston were GOLD. 

[fistfulofmetal]

I watched Source Code

I thought it was a pretty good sci-fi thriller. the concept was neat and it was executed well.

though i thought the ending was a little to saccharine. IMO I would have liked it if it ended:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

At the freeze frame moment right when his life support is terminated. It was a really nice shot of everyone on the train smiling and having a good time even though we all know it's not real and everyone on the train is actually dead. The fact that the movie went ahead and rolled with the alternate universe idea felt like a cop-out.

[close]

ending aside, it's still a really good movie. 7/10

[Great Rumbler]

though i thought the ending was a little to saccharine. IMO I would have liked it if it ended:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

At the freeze frame moment right when his life support is terminated. It was a really nice shot of everyone on the train smiling and having a good time even though we all know it's not real and everyone on the train is actually dead. The fact that the movie went ahead and rolled with the alternate universe idea felt like a cop-out.

[close]

Yeah, that was my only real complaint with Source Code, as well. That just felt like the perfect ending for the movie, but they just had to take it that next step anyway.

[Mupepe]

Yeah. I just watched it last night. Movie was damn good besides that.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

the whole email part seemed way too matrixy for my taste

[close]

and I love that the implications of the movie actually was a little higher level than the average movie opposed to something like inception that confused people but was actually straightforward and black and white.

[Great Rumbler]

[youtube=560,345]trXy3J6QQ9s[/youtube]

[Joe Molotov]

I wish the Fiddler was in Dark Knight Rises, with his Fiddle Car.

[fistfulofmetal]

The Fighter

it's basically every underdog sports movie ever made. it's completely by the books and predictable.

but at the same time, it's pretty great. it's well acted all around, especially from Marky Mark and Bale... Christian Bale steals the show actually. He was on-point the entire movie.

I really enjoyed the boxing segments because they felt real (i guess they pretty much were from reading in on it). It made the big moments much of effective.

Great movie.

[Mupepe]

Blair Witch Project
Man, haven't seen this since it came out probably. The majority of it has not aged well. But you can see where pretty much any cinema verite movie since has stolen their first half. Not a compelling movie in any way by todays standard, but very influential obviously. I was more surprised by the fact I watched it exactly 12 years after its release (7/16/1999) and that it made 140 million in the US off a $60k budget. Amazing.

[Mupepe]

Sucker Punch
Hot chicks kicking ass: the movie. Good god it's erotic! Emily Browning is sooooo fucking sexy. The action is entertaining enough. If you don't like Zack Snyder this won't change your mind. Fun and sexy eye candy.

Tonight is gonna be Jacobs ladder.

[Himu]

Jacob's Ladder

Let Me In

I had reservations about this adaptation of the book and Swedish film. It's actually really good, although not quite as good as Let The Right One In, but then, very few modern horror films are.

My biggest problem with this version is the Hollywood esque special effects. They make Abby look very very monster-like and not human. I guess that's the point, but the whole point of the story is to give a very human and more realistic take on vampires that doesn't solidify them as being monsters. These special effects change that and any time they were present, my enjoyment plummeted.

Still, it's a very good American adaptation and I suggest fans of the book and original movie check it out with the knowledge that it's not nearly as good, but still better than most horror films the studios are regurgitating these days.

[Great Rumbler]

[youtube=560,345]4sYSyuuLk5g[/youtube]

[fistfulofmetal]

The Square

its a bout a secret couple and their plot to steal some money from the chicks criminal husband and the events that follow.
it's ok. the most entertaining thing about it is seeing the crazy downward spiral of terrible events.

[Diunx]

I'm sure I seen that movie before.

[ManaByte]

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

[cool breeze]

that movie is stacked with dudes

[Diunx]

I still can't believe we are getting an avengers movie

Josh Wheadon

[Himu]

WHY THE FUCK ISN'T THE THEATRICAL CUT OF THE WARRIORS AVAILABLE ON THE WARRIORS BLU RAY?

I hate Walter Hill. Way worse than even George Lucas.

[Himu]

that's what made it an amazing film.

[Himu]

I go through this at least ONCE A YEAR.

Why the fuck can't I watch the original theatrical cut of The Warriors on blu ray?! I own the original theatrical cut on dvd as well as the utterly SHITTY directors cut but I want The Warriors on blu ray and not that horrible directors cut!

[Eric P]

Hobo With a Shotgun.

eh.  At times it's the perfect exploitation movie, at others it falls into the trap of going too far over the top in an attempt to overcompensate for the shortcomings of the film in other ways.  It's entertaining almost all the way to the end, but there were unfortunately large chunks of the movie that were too zany woweee lookit me.

Nice lighting and color though.

[Phoenix Dark]

Dark Knight Rises teaser
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=2054374751994

[Mupepe]

Fucking gaffers have already spent 3 pages arguing on the figure in the background.  fucking homos take the enjoyment out of anything.

[Phoenix Dark]

Rope is amazing

[Joe Molotov]

Fucking gaffers have already spent 3 pages arguing on the figure in the background.  fucking homos take the enjoyment out of anything.

Looks like Evel Knievel. That's what I'm going with.

[Mupepe]

hahaha  my first thought was actually Elvis

[Diunx]

It's obviously a henchman, or JGL as Robin

[Cerveza mas fina]

Grizzly Man

Very disturbing documentary about a guy living with grizzly bears for 13 summers, until they finally eat him. I had trouble falling asleep afterwards. Guy is a loon and his story is unique and interesting.

 

spoiler (click to show/hide)

He says he is protecting the bears, but living with them isn't exactly protecting them at all. The free work he does raises awareness in schools, but that's not what he is talking about. The description of his death is bone chilling.

[close]

 See it!

Hobo With a Shotgun.

eh.  At times it's the perfect exploitation movie, at others it falls into the trap of going too far over the top in an attempt to overcompensate for the shortcomings of the film in other ways.  It's entertaining almost all the way to the end, but there were unfortunately large chunks of the movie that were too zany woweee lookit me.

Nice lighting and color though.

Thanks for the write up, I was afraid it would be like this.

[Joe Molotov]

Yeah, I loved Grizzly Man, it was great doc. Since I saw it, I've been trying to keep up with Herzog's other docs. Still need to see Cave of Forgotten Dreams.

[TakingBackSunday]

Regarding Let the Right One In:

The true master stroke of the film is by far its audio/sound design.  I don't think I've seen a film in the last few years that has the same beautiful editing in regards to its sound.  Eli's stomach groans, the natural comfort the Swedish dialect gives off, the crunch of the snow beneath everyone's boots...its soothing.  It's so counter-intuitive with modern horror tim design, and that's why it succeeds.

[Great Rumbler]

I'm pretty sure it's The Fiddler.

[Joe Molotov]

hahaha  my first thought was actually Elvis

Blackest Night Elvis, don't ruin the surprise.

[Robo]

It's Heath Ledger's propped-up corpse.

[Phoenix Dark]

Robo is right. How else will it gross a billion dollars

[cool breeze]

could always become a children's movie about wizards or cat people

[Himu]

[youtube=560,345]Kd1vBBXWlDE[/youtube]



I feel like going on a Walter Hill binge. Man has a lot of bad stuff, but plenty of amazing stuff in his filmography.

[Cerveza mas fina]

The best thing about The Warriors are the shots, maybe this man deserves the credits for that

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0489970/

Yeah, I loved Grizzly Man, it was great doc. Since I saw it, I've been trying to keep up with Herzog's other docs. Still need to see Cave of Forgotten Dreams.

Man thats a good idea, didnt even think of that 

[Himu]

I think the whole package of The Warriors is great. What seems like a cheesy movie at first, has a lot more substance going for it, and the end result is a modern take on greek mythos in an urban landscape. It almost feels like urban fantasy in a way. This is even more evident if you watch more Walter Hill films. He tends to throw in a mythological aspect into a great majority of his better films.

This is why I hate the directors cut. It ruins all of this and shoehorns the mythology down your throat while leaving very little room for subtlety and interpretation.

The shots are great, but I think in terms of technical feats that's one of the smallest things about why the film works so well. Another great thing about it, technically, is the lighting. The rain that poured on the streets not only enhances the atmosphere, but also gives it this ethereal lighting.

[Cerveza mas fina]

I think I just saw the directors cut not long ago, with all those comic book inserts (right?). Is it so much different from the theatrical trailer? He does say its closer to what he intended.

You're right about the urban fantasy thing, nice way of describing it.

[Himu]

He SAYS that's what he originally intended, but I get the feeling the studio (Paramount) knocked that idea down because it's so dreadful. The Warriors works because it feels like a futuristic (at the time) take on 1970's New York City gang life mixed with greek mythology and Anabasis rolled into one. Fitting the film into a comic book ruins just about everything the movie stands for.

I highly suggest watching the theatrical cut as the directors cut is an abortion and ruins many pivotal scenes (the opening, the Baseball Furies intro, and the ending).

[Eric P]

Thanks for the write up, I was afraid it would be like this.

some parts of it are very cool, beyond exploitation though.  Worth watching, but not worth purchasing

[ManaByte]

I still can't believe we are getting an avengers movie

Josh Wheadon

I just wish Marvel had ponied up the cash for Ed Norton. 

What cash? Marvel didn't want him in The Avengers after he shit all over the cast and crew of the last Hulk movie. They didn't want an egotistical asshole in their big ensemble movie.

[Phoenix Dark]

Ed Norton is irrelevant compared to the other guys on the cast. Won't be hard to replace him.

RDJ will be playing Iron Man right?

[Himu]

Streets of Fire
The Driver
Extreme Prejudice
The Long Riders
Southern Comfort
Last Man Standing
Hard Times
Trespass

[The Sceneman]

Hobo With a Shotgun.

eh.  At times it's the perfect exploitation movie, at others it falls into the trap of going too far over the top in an attempt to overcompensate for the shortcomings of the film in other ways.  It's entertaining almost all the way to the end, but there were unfortunately large chunks of the movie that were too zany woweee lookit me.

Nice lighting and color though.

have you watched many troma films? Hobo with a Shotgun is basically a perfect recreation of one of those.

[Himu]

The Warriors

Rewatched it cause Himuro hyped me for it, still a bad ass flick. I wonder what was changed cause I've always only watched the theatrical version and never cared for a directors cut.

The complete ruination of almost every single scene. Some samples:

Opening:

[youtube=560,345]DqmAHGPRaYU[/youtube]

Baseball Furies: 3m42s

[youtube=560,345]HuptM-qLMHw[/youtube]

Ending: 04m30s

[youtube=560,345]XEegaPlb4M4[/youtube]

The worst directors cut of all time. Worse than anything George Lucas has EVER done.

[Diunx]

Ed Norton is a better actor tbh.

[Eric P]

have you watched many troma films? Hobo with a Shotgun is basically a perfect recreation of one of those.

i loathe troma films for the most part.

watched Horrible Bosses last night.  Enjoyed it.

[TakingBackSunday]

I'm pissed at Horrible Bosses because, for literally like the third movie that Jennifer Aniston promised to have true nudity, the actual scenes were cut.  Damn you hollywood  :mac

But Jason Bateman is in it, so I'll watch it someday.

[Diunx]

Oh shit! Can't wait to watch it!

class piss2

[TakingBackSunday]

Better actors and actual (maybe only) interesting mythos to the Spider-man franchise?  I'm game.  Emma Stone mmm