Movie News, Reviews, and Discussion Super-Thread

[Robo]

I saw that episode of the Twilight Zone when I was about 7 or so and it haunted me like a fever dream for months. 

[brawndolicious]

I'm shocked. Really.

I am.  I'm pretty gay for PT Anderson, but this didn't do it for me.  It tried to take the zeal of Oil! the melancholy of Angle of Repose and the beauty of Days of Heaven but failed to put it together in any real way.

But the cinematography and acting were still damn good.

[Great Rumbler]

And it's got an amazing ending.

[Phoenix Dark]

And the score is amazing

[brawndolicious]

My brother did constantly complain about the little kid's acting.  I pointed out that he was 6 fucking years old tho.

[Phoenix Dark]

He was fine. Paul Dano was great imo. Reminded me of some of the more hyper religious kids I knew growing up.

[brawndolicious]

Paul Dano did an amazing job, very believable performance.  The deaf son kid did good too when you consider that most people 4 times his age can't act as well as him, or even admit that.

[cool breeze]

And it's got an amazing ending.

yeah, the ending was what made me think I liked it more than I did.  When I watch it again I remember that I'm not a big fan of a lot of it.  The only thing I can be specific about is that entire middle area when it was about his "brother".  Still, of the four or five times I've watched it that ending always gets me.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

I thought it was an amazing movie.

[EmCeeGrammar]

Moon was good in all the right fucked up ways.  I would say that having the computer being so cooperative was a weak cop out, but I guess its nice that every ficitonal AI isn't a HAL archetype.

The wikipedia says the guy wants to do a sequel or another movie in the same 'universe'.  It mentions it being an epilogue, but I have a hard time imagining what else needs to be delved into regarding the plot.

[The Fake Shemp]

That scene went totally over your head.

[Robo]

uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[Barry Egan]

probably the best indication that GS might in fact be trolling evilbore.

[EmCeeGrammar]

Uhh, the dude was trying to cope with the fact that

spoiler (click to show/hide)

-his wife was dead
-his daughter had grown up without him
-wait, no she didn't

[close]

And there was plenty of inquistion among the ... ONE character. The computer complied as best as it could.  The only qualm I had is that it was a little too helpful in situations where you think it would be more strict.

And the guy was pretty disturbed about his situation.  There's the fact that

spoiler (click to show/hide)

It represents Sam at two different periods in his life.  One where he is hot tempered and trying to tear apart the base looking for answers, the other a little weary and mellow headed.

[close]

[Ichirou]

Wow, GS just doesn't get it.

Are you sure you're not autistic or something? Maybe asperger's?  Something that makes it difficult to understand the feelings of "normals"?

[Barry Egan]

you sort of lose the impetus to act out when you've been isolated on a moon base for three years.  The movie suggested this in a variety of ways.

Really would like to see MOON: Glen Shinobi's Melodrama Cut though.  After seeing  MOON one of my first thoughts was "this movie could use more scenes of the protagonist hitting punching bags"  

[EmCeeGrammar]

He fucking went to town on a speed bag. I just watched that happen.  And yes, I would help someone first and ask questions later. 

[Ichirou]

In the Glen Shinobi cut, one of the clones is actually the FEMALE VERSION of him and he falls in love with it.  

[Phoenix Dark]

Moon was extremely predictable but still a great movie. GS's complaint is so ridiculous given what has happened to...Sam by the time that event occurs.

[EmCeeGrammar]

They both accept it very quickly, because its obvious to both of them whats going on.  They say as much.  If anything the only one that should be confused is the viewer.  Did you forget the movie takes place in the future?

[Barry Egan]

What did they tell you happened to me up here?

smh

[Ichirou]

I think Sam was a little too freaked out by the result of making that call to ask rational questions.

[Eric P]

just watched a serious man

loved it

gf was angry at the film for ending like it did

i tried to tell her that it didn't matter and that she should just enjoy the wonder of the parking lot and she hit me

[Great Rumbler]

What did they tell you happened to me up here?

smh

The original Sam Bell went home or never went in the first place, which is why you hear his voice when the daughter calls for her dad. The other questions are meaningless.

Old Sam ended the call because he freaked out. The daughter he knew didn't exist, the wife he knew was dead, and the real Sam Bell was already living the life that Old Sam thought was waiting for him. He realized that he was calling a complete stranger.

wouldn't you be a little more freaked out than Sam was? At the very least, wouldn't you at least be a little more demanding while trying to get answers out of the computer?

Old Sam sort of took it in stride, but Young Sam freaked out when he brought Old Sam back. Later he tore apart the whole station looking for a secret room. He also got into a fight with Young Sam and then overturned the model.

[EmCeeGrammar]

I'm halfway through What the Bleep do we know and its terrible.  I don't want to finish the second half.  The production values are like, saturday morning educational cartoon level.  It trys layering all this nonsensical philosophical hogwash on the basis of quantum uncertainty.  I dont respect philosophers in general, but its like they fail to realise that quantum uncertainty and things existing in multiple states in multiple places do not occur on the macro level.  There's an miniscule chance of that happening to be sure, but it may as well be zero.

*emceegramr's hat disappears and winds up in orbit around neptune*

edit: as an example, they had the gall to cite this guy's work
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masaru_Emoto

So of course after they mention him I check the wikipedia and it says that the dude told the photographers to pick whatever images they want.  Such bullshit.

[brawndolicious]

A LOT of what was in that movie was bullshitted.  The one professor (from Columbia University I think?) said that he regretted doing the interview for that movie because they cut out the parts where he explained that it makes no sense to use something as poorly understood and uncertain as quantum physics to support a philosophy.

Apparently the movie was also made by a cult too.  I think there was a woman with a fake British accent in the movie and she is actually the leader of that cult (where they believe that she's a reincarnation of a 30,000 year old Atlantis warrior) so....yeah.

[Great Rumbler]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramtha%27s_School_of_Enlightenment

[EmCeeGrammar]

'The film's central theme—that quantum mechanics suggests that a conscious observer can affect physical reality—has also been refuted by Bernie Hobbs, a science writer with ABC Science Online. Hobbs explains, "The observer effect of quantum physics isn't about people or reality. It comes from the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, and it's about the limitations of trying to measure the position and momentum of subatomic particles... this only applies to sub-atomic particles - a rock doesn't need you to bump into it to exist. It's there. The sub-atomic particles that make up the atoms that make up the rock are there too.'

Amen.

[EmCeeGrammar]

The premise of the movie is that people are free from the laws of cause and effect due to how are perceptions of the world will collapse our individual realities into ... ummm...gee.  Its kind of stupid and hard to explain.

I'm going to put in Religulous and get a nice dose of rational thought.

[EmCeeGrammar]

I'm guessing a "free will" kinda thing.  I think it has SOME valid points.  It goes over how people can become addicted to emotions which causes things like depression, mania, anger problems, etc.  What I read in psychology confirms this.  But there are better credible venues for these types of discussions.

[brawndolicious]

I'm going to put in Religulous and get a nice dose of rational thought.

That gets pretty crappy at the end though.  For the first 90%, it's just funny interviews with some of the stupider devout people who are struggling to justify their beliefs but then Maher starts preaching in the very end about how religion is ruining the world and is so illogical and everything.  That would have made a little sense if he wasn't purposely interviewing the stupidest people he could find.  If he was actually trying to have a genuine debate rather than laughing and pointing.

[Madrun Badrun]

I dont respect philosophers in general, but its like they fail to realise that quantum uncertainty and things existing in multiple states in multiple places do not occur on the macro level. 

These are not real philosophers though.  No real philosophers born with in two hundred years would believe this kind of thing.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

In before some one makes a not a real Scotsman joke

[close]

O and Religulous is pretty much the equivalent of Expelled, just on the other side of the debate.

[EmCeeGrammar]

I just got done with religulous.  I agree that he wasn't having an interest in debate.  The selective editing and condescending captions make that apparent.  But then again thats someting I relate to.  There's no allowances to be afforded when it comes to religion.  Its core mechanism is respecting and celebrating obedience to an authority based on no evidence.  Faith as a virtue is like, I dunno, super dumb.

[EmCeeGrammar]

To be fair, I think libertarians and such at least have some basis for their thinking.  Survival of the fittest is nothing new.  Religion bases itself on faith alone, because they know it can't be supported unless you make faith a virtue.  I'm an apathetic atheist, so I don't bother none.  But when the issue presents itself thats the first thing I ask.  Why is blind faith a virtue?

BUT THIS IS A MOVIE THREAD

[Eric P]

I'm shocked. Really.

I am.  I'm pretty gay for PT Anderson, but this didn't do it for me.  It tried to take the zeal of Oil! the melancholy of Angle of Repose and the beauty of Days of Heaven but failed to put it together in any real way.

But the cinematography and acting were still damn good.

I'll agree with this.  the score was good, but somewhat overdone in context.

the score was like watching your mom raped by dogs to the point of her having an involuntary orgasm

it was horrifying and didn't fit.

i found out later it was by some dude in radio head, which made me go "ah"

[The Fake Shemp]

Burn.

I don't care for There Will Be Blood either. I watched Carlito's Way last night, which ranged from derivative to terrible at points, and just makes me sad that De Palma is so completely wasted in Hollywood. Even in a schlock film like Carlito's Way, the guy is the master of creating palpable tension through just his camerawork. It didn't help that the film was written by David Koepp.

Even out of all the De Palma films I've watched on streaming Netflix, I'd put it below Body Double.

[The Fake Shemp]

I thought it was pretty bad, and I had the benefit of seeing it in 3D.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

fucking hell.
Was just going over the last page and I think I just spoiled Moon.  Shit!

Anyways, I liked My Bloody Valentine as well.  It was more fun then most slashers are, and isn't that the point?  I also rather dug A Perfect Getaway, which isn't quite as clever as it thinks it is, but is still kinda clever.  Also, the Hawaii locations (actually shot in Puerto Rico, but whatevs) are just damn gorgeous.  It features characters who never do anything that's obviously stupid (rare for a Hollywood thriller at all), has some colorful performances, if there's a Timothy Olyphant love train, I want to get on it is all I'm saying.

***

[Eric P]

i liked it but saw the set up.  the "HERE IS HOW IT ALL HAPPENED" flashback went on a bit to long, but overall i really found myself liking the film

[Mupepe]

The only thing I didn't like about the reveal flashback was that there were things they showed that never happened in the movie.  It would be fine, except for the fact they flashback to points we saw and obviously should have seen the flashback but didn't for whatever reason.  I know that sounds convoluted, but you know what I mean, right? I have no problem with them showing stuff and filling in on other information.  But don't extended parts to scenes I actually saw just to fill in plot holes.  Pretty damn entertaining though.

[Mupepe]

A Perfect Getaway.  I think.  I hope.  Because that's what I was assuming he was talking about.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

District 13: Ultimatum could be classified as a bit of a disappointment.  Its not that its a bad movie, its just that it looks pretty damn bad next to the movie that came before it.  Its not that there isn't any kickass action scenes and great stuntwork, its just now that there's a fair bit less of them.  Its not that there isn't the same dunderheaded comic relief and political subtext, its just now there's more of it.  Its not that the ultra-athletic stars of the first film aren't back and still quite capable of mouth-agogging moves, its just now that their considerable talents aren't so clearly visible thanks to shitty camerawork.

The first film was fun, amazing, and a little too Hollywood.  It had an unsatisfying ending, but everything else that came before was appropriately rockin, so it was cool and shit.  Here, the ratio of good stuff to bad is considerably lower.  The highs are still great, but there's more valleys in between them this time.

C+

[Cormacaroni]

Burn.

I don't care for There Will Be Blood either. I watched Carlito's Way last night, which ranged from derivative to terrible at points, and just makes me sad that De Palma is so completely wasted in Hollywood. Even in a schlock film like Carlito's Way, the guy is the master of creating palpable tension through just his camerawork. It didn't help that the film was written by David Koepp.

Even out of all the De Palma films I've watched on streaming Netflix, I'd put it below Body Double.

I have a soft spot for this movie. Maybe it's the awesome Boogie Nights-esque score. Maybe it's Pacino chewing the scenery beyond all reason. Maybe it's Viggo stealing the movie out from under him. Maybe it's because I read the (better) book by Edwin Torres. I understand completely that it's not a great film but there's something about it.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

not to mention Sean Penn is fully awesome in it.  Great (and typically De Palma-esqe overblown) score too.

[Eric P]

just watched black dynamite

goddamn hilarious

[Powerslave]

The only thing that REALLY bothered me in Carlito's Way is that they gave the ending away in the beginning. I know this is intended or loosely implied that it may be the ending but it still ruined the build-up for me in the final scene.

[Stoney Mason]

I'm watching Transformers 2 for the first time and its sort of stunning how utterly bad this movie is.

And I'm generally lenient with popcorn material.

[Bloodwake]

I just watched Precious and I thought it was pretty good.

The film managed to set up characters and situations in an hour and a half and made me care about them. Bravo. Especially since Avatar was two and a half hours long and I didn't give a shit about any of the characters in the film.

[Stoney Mason]

Finished it. Holy shit that was bad.

[Raban]

just watched black dynamite

goddamn hilarious

THOSE DIABOLICAL DICK SHRINKING MOTHER FUCKERS.

[Great Rumbler]

9

The animated movie, not the musical. It looked pretty good, but that's about it. There was no character development at all and the story didn't really go anywhere[it was more a string of action sequences than anything else]. There's this part at about the two-third point where it really, really feels like the movie is over. This scene goes on for several minutes that feels like the credits should roll immediately afterward, then it goes on for another twenty minutes. Also, the ending didn't make sense to me. The movie just assumed that we knew why it had to end that way and then just ended. Also, 9 [the character] is a raging idiot.

[Joe Molotov]

Finished it. Holy shit that was bad.

It's a bad movie with the strength of three bad movies! The first time I watched it, I got to the part where Megatron tries to kill Shia, and then Optimus saves him but then he gets killed, and I'm thinking "Okay, surely I'm almost to the end of the movie now, let's wrap this thing up." Oh wait, I'm less than an hour into it, there's still over an hour and half to go. Double-You Tee Eff. And it only gets worse from then on.

[Phoenix Dark]

My mom and a few other folks I know have said Precious was good, but too depressing. And they all complained that people brought their children to see it

I wanna see it mainly to see if the whole "light skinned people=good, dark skinned people=bad" dynamic really happens.

[Diunx]

just watched black dynamite

goddamn hilarious

I was gonna watch this tonight but ended up watching some Seinfeld episodes instead thanks to that sitcom thread on gaf.

[Stoney Mason]

Finished it. Holy shit that was bad.

It's a bad movie with the strength of three bad movies! The first time I watched it, I got to the part where Megatron tries to kill Shia, and then Optimus saves him but then he gets killed, and I'm thinking "Okay, surely I'm almost to the end of the movie now, let's wrap this thing up." Oh wait, I'm less than an hour into it, there's still over an hour and half to go. Double-You Tee Eff. And it only gets worse from then on.

It's the worst "big" movie I've seen in many years. Much worse than something like Spiderman 3. The movie literally has no redeeming qualities and makes absolutely no sense. I was just floored watching it. It's so bad and crazy its hypnotic. It was truly something that would be on MST3k (I'm ignoring Rifftrax) if such a thing existed now. 


btw this scene is better than anything that happened in that movie.

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

[Raban]

just watched black dynamite

goddamn hilarious

I was gonna watch this tonight but ended up watching some Seinfeld episodes instead thanks to that sitcom thread on gaf.

Should of went with DY-NO-MITE. DY-NO-MITE.

[brawndolicious]

9

The animated movie, not the musical. It looked pretty good, but that's about it. There was no character development at all and the story didn't really go anywhere[it was more a string of action sequences than anything else]. There's this part at about the two-third point where it really, really feels like the movie is over. This scene goes on for several minutes that feels like the credits should roll immediately afterward, then it goes on for another twenty minutes. Also, the ending didn't make sense to me. The movie just assumed that we knew why it had to end that way and then just ended. Also, 9 [the character] is a raging idiot.

Well the movie wasn't about character development, it was just all about the really cool and imaginative world/visual style.  The story is digestible for a kid so I don't really see what you were expecting from it.

[Great Rumbler]

9

The animated movie, not the musical. It looked pretty good, but that's about it. There was no character development at all and the story didn't really go anywhere[it was more a string of action sequences than anything else]. There's this part at about the two-third point where it really, really feels like the movie is over. This scene goes on for several minutes that feels like the credits should roll immediately afterward, then it goes on for another twenty minutes. Also, the ending didn't make sense to me. The movie just assumed that we knew why it had to end that way and then just ended. Also, 9 [the character] is a raging idiot.

Well the movie wasn't about character development, it was just all about the really cool and imaginative world/visual style.  The story is digestible for a kid so I don't really see what you were expecting from it.

A review I read sums it up pretty good: it's too dark for kids and too simple for adults.

Aside from "looking cool" it really didn't have much going for it. It would probably make a pretty cool videogame, but as a movie it just doesn't succeed.

[brawndolicious]

Watched 4 movies recently, 3 of them were good:

Fantastic Mr. Fox
Fantastic.  It really brings the old book to life with the style of the stop-motion animation.  The story is actually good and charming and I was impressed with how emotive, yet realistic (mostly) they could make the animal characters' faces.  Something you can definitely rewatch over and over and also a really good babysitting aid.

A Serious Man
One of the funniest movies of the last year, largely because of how much you sympathize with the main character.  Every scene in this movie had something brilliant about it, which makes it feel like the slow pace of the movie doesn't waste a single second.  I honestly didn't know about the references to the story of Job until after but that of course just makes it better.  Also, I didn't really hate Sy Ableman as much most people for some reason.

(500) Days of Summer
The funniest movie of last year.  It's one of the only relationship movies that actually feels honest because it deals with a relationship that fails, of course.  I loved the way they completely realistically showed the retardedness of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character in interpreting relationships and how they jumped around to different parts in it and his obsessive/passive-aggressive attitude towards romance.  From the trailer, I actually went in expecting some shitty movie about hipster references and ambiguous definitions of love but they totally avoided all that bullshit and made probably the best romantic-comedy I've ever seen, and the only really good one actually.

Burn After Reading
Disgusting shit.  The acting is amazing but the writing is just horrible.  There are no likable characters.  There is no interesting story.  There IS a witty little closure for the completely uninteresting story though.  It seems like they wrote the whole movie around those lines at the end where the CIA guy shows how indifferent he is to everything that happened.  Seriously, what the fuck about this attracted all of the star power?

Now, I'll and watch Crazy Heart, Transformers 2, Drag Me To Hell, and Paranormal Activity.  I'm gonna guess that maybe two of those movies will not be crap (including Crazy Heart).

A review I read sums it up pretty good: it's too dark for kids and too simple for adults.
Aside from "looking cool" it really didn't have much going for it. It would probably make a pretty cool videogame, but as a movie it just doesn't succeed.

I don't know, it didn't seem that dark.  The general concept didn't seem lend itself too well to actual character building (toys wandering around after an apocalypse) but the inventive visual style definitely kept me entertained for the two hours or whatever.  They might have been able to do more with it, but I'm still happy with what they were aiming for.

[Great Rumbler]

I don't know, it didn't seem that dark.  The general concept didn't seem lend itself too well to actual character building (toys wandering around after an apocalypse) but the inventive visual style definitely kept me entertained for the two hours or whatever.  They might have been able to do more with it, but I'm still happy with what they were aiming for.

I'm shocked that you'd pull the Avatar Defense on this one.

And it was 79 minutes [71 if you don't count the credits].