Movie News, Reviews, and Discussion Super-Thread

[Bebpo]

Rec 2

Was entertaining and competently made but the ending SUCKED.  Terrible, just terrible conclusion.  Hope there isn't a Rec 3.

[Cindi Mayweather]

There is a Rec 2?

[Bebpo]

Ya

Takes place about 5 mins after the first movie ends.  From the point of view of SWAT team called in to deal with it.

[brawndolicious]

Is it easy to pick up on the story if you've only seen Quarantine?

[Bebpo]

Sure.  Quarantine is basically shot for shot remake from what I heard.  Although I think Quaratine had a different explanation for what was going on in the movie?

Rec1 spoiler:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

In Rec at the end it was explained that there was a girl who was demonically possessed and sent to the vatican and then since the vatican couldn't control her, they sent her to the penthouse of this apartment along with a priest in order to experiment on her and she was the original cause of everything that happened in the movie

[close]

[Bebpo]

I have to say though, Rec 2 had some creative, cool stuff.  It almost felt like a video game.  Like watching Resident Evil/FEAR.

For instance

spoiler (click to show/hide)

the whole "world is different with the lights off" thing was very fun and atmospheric and cool.  The part where it switched over to the kids and showed their story was neat although I wish it had split the story into the two groups at the same time working together communicating with each other over the helmet and cutting back and forth to their two situations.  All the demonic stuff was alright too.  Just didn't like that ending.  It's basically gotten to the point now that EVERY HORROR MOVIE ends with the good guys all dying and the monsters/zombies/demons win in the end.  What was once a shock surprise is now just a boring unsatisfying cliche.  It worked at the end of the first Rec because it was kind of realistic given the situation they were in.  But the end of Rec 2 just made the whole thing seem pointless, meh.

[close]

[brawndolicious]

For instance

spoiler (click to show/hide)

the whole "world is different with the lights off" thing was very fun and atmospheric and cool.  The part where it switched over to the kids and showed their story was neat although I wish it had split the story into the two groups at the same time working together communicating with each other over the helmet and cutting back and forth to their two situations.  All the demonic stuff was alright too.  Just didn't like that ending.  It's basically gotten to the point now that EVERY HORROR MOVIE ends with the good guys all dying and the monsters/zombies/demons win in the end.  What was once a shock surprise is now just a boring unsatisfying cliche.  It worked at the end of the first Rec because it was kind of realistic given the situation they were in.  But the end of Rec 2 just made the whole thing seem pointless, meh.

[close]

I just watched it and I don't have a problem with that since the "END" ending will probably be in the next movie and the good guys will win (somehow).

It wasn't ANYWHERE near as bad as the first mnovie where you had no idea what happened to the girl or why this virus even existed in the end (which is just massive blue balls).  It was a decent popcorn thriller and now it at least set up the third part pretty well.

[Raban]

Dude, The Business, I think The Chumscrubber is fucking hilarious for all the wrong reasons.

[Raban]

What do you mean?

A lot of the lines are extremely corny, and the situations are just so ridiculous they make me laugh. My friend introduced me to this film, and when we saw it we were cracking up pretty hard. One of my personal favorites is when the Green Day looking kid is playing the trombone, and then randomly smashes it. Or the part where that same dude gets hit by a car. Or when the main character is talking the ghost of his friend.

I like The Chumscrubber because unlike other really thick-laced indie films it goes so far over the line of sanity that it stops being annoying and pretentious and becomes hilarious.

[Raban]

Were you high when it was hilarious? 

I did laugh when the Green Day looking kid identified a jet as a "F-17 Tigershark". 

When I saw that film for the first time I hadn't even been introduced to weed. I dunno, I find most indie films laughably stupid. Or any film in general that tries too hard to get a point across. American Beauty, Requiem for a Dream, I just can't take movies like that seriously when the movie takes itself so seriously.

[Mr. Gundam]

Seven Pounds of Magic Negro.

I still have no idea what it's about. Maybe I should rent it or something

It's about Killer Jellyfish.

There, I just saved two hours of your life.

[fistfulofmetal]

Midnight Meat Train

kinda boring. silly ending. overall not really good at all.

[Great Rumbler]

Midnight Meat Train

kinda boring. silly ending. overall not really good at all.

MMT is a pretty cool movie.

[Eric P]

The Young Victoria - loved the political aspects and family aspects, HATED the romance which was clumsy and awkward and had the male essentially emasculated due to protocol, but then he spends the movie kind of "oh how i do wish that i were by her side" type crud.

Bigger Than Life- great story about a man who went a bit wild with cortisone back when it was still experimental, and how his psychosis caused him to turn into a raging monster at work (where he was a school teacher) and at home.  Ends with Walter Matthau in a fist fight.  I really liked the lighting and shot set ups for this film, but despised the "happy ending" coda which just felt so flat compared to the rest of the film.

Zombieland- hey, a movie that actually did live up to internet hype.  I was highly entertained and the gf who hates horror LOVED this.

[The Fake Shemp]

Didn't I say you'd like Zombieland?

[Third]

Midnight Meat Train

kinda boring. silly ending. overall not really good at all.

Yeah, distinguished mentally-challenged movie. I liked the cinematography. But the movie was a piece of shit. 

[Cindi Mayweather]

Let the Right One In

The book almost ruined the movie for me. The book is chock full of characters with personality. Even the drunks - seemingly minor characters compared to Oskar and Eli - like Lacke and Jocke have their own tale and hopes and dreams. It's a book encompassing multiple characters and pov's. So I was shocked when the movie made many of these characters have extremely small parts in the movie. I don't know why, but I expected some of the more intimate details in the writing to show through in this movie adaptation: like how pathetic a person Oskar is, or Hakkan's relishing sense of pedophilia towards Eli, or the sense of guilt he feels for his victims.

This is still a great movie, fantastic even - arguably better than the book - but I guess I slightly disappointed due to ridiculous expectations set by the novel. I don't know why I'm being so hard on it, as I haven't really enjoyed a horror film this much in quite some time.

Really great, highly recommended. Just don't read the book first. In fact, this is one of the rare cases where I'd suggest watching the film first because it's arguably better. Though it's lacking the more intimate details and all the neat characterization, it still contains the same plot and overall tone.

[Philip Cardgage]

One of the rare instances where I like the Movie much more than the Book.

Saw Nightmare last night, wasn't as terrible as I thought it would be.

[Phoenix Dark]

Never read the book but I loooved the movie.

[Cindi Mayweather]

I love it too. I guess I was silly for thinking they'd be able to condense the whole book into 2 hours.

[Mupepe]

One of the rare instances where I like the Movie much more than the Book.

Saw Nightmare last night, wasn't as terrible as I thought it would be.

I saw it Friday and I had super low expectations so I guess I wasn't totally disappointed.  The pacing was horrible.  The writing was lol.  The acting was  .  Every dude in that movie looks like they were always about to cry or fart.  I actually liked Freddy though.  Too bad almost everything else sucked.  But I enjoyed laughing at it and seeing some violence.  Just don't expect anything more.  Seriously.  Nothing more.

[The Fake Shemp]

That one kid with the face that look like he was confused and sharting himself at the same time

[Cindi Mayweather]

One of the rare instances where I like the Movie much more than the Book.

Just read this at avclub

http://www.avclub.com/articles/let-the-right-one-in,25503/

movie vs book

[Philip Cardgage]

Yeah, and I agree with that... but that's true for any book adaptation. The problem is, the book is very VERY basic (assuming the fault of the translation). There aren't many descriptive details, its just very "Jane went here. Jane saw this."

Don't get me wrong the book is great, but the movie is one of the best vampire movies ever made.

The use of space, the way there is no musical score, the pacing, everything is so well done.

[Cindi Mayweather]

I'm just so split.

The book has the more interesting character details and is far, far, far more dark; but the movie is still dark, just a different kind, and contains the more important details in the story without the baggage.

Both are fantastic and I really wish I saw the movie first.

[Philip Cardgage]

At the same time, its rare when you see a movie take its source material so seriously. Imagine what the movie would have been if someone like Alex Aja directed it.

GARBAGE

[Cindi Mayweather]

Oh, I know. It's a great adaptation. There's so many details in the book, spanning multiple characters and pov's, that I was just plain curious how the fuck they'd put it on film.

[Philip Cardgage]

You should read American Psycho for another example of that. Bateman is really intricate character, but if they spent that much time on developing him in the movie, it'd be a mini-series.

[Cindi Mayweather]

btw there's an American version coming out this year

I wonder what it'll be like. Apparently they're taking out the plot line that

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Eli is a castrated boy and not a real girl

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[Philip Cardgage]

Yep. Changing the names too. Eli was great because of its

spoiler (click to show/hide)

trans gendered nature

[close]

. Now its Abby 

[Philip Cardgage]

Oh, and its a shitty director as well.

[Cindi Mayweather]

Who's the director?

One of the best changes in the movie compared to the book is also the change in season.The cold, winter landscape does wonders for the film's atmosphere. Whereas the book (iirc) takes place in the fall, the late month of October into November.

[Philip Cardgage]

Who's the director?

One of the best changes in the movie compared to the book is also the change in season.The cold, winter landscape does wonders for the film's atmosphere. Whereas the book (iirc) takes place in the fall, the late month of October into November.

The guy from Under Siege 2...

Manabyte makes me want to watch Ang Lee's Hulk now.  I'll never watch the latest one, looked like fanwank garbage for distinguished mentally-challenged fellows.

Yeah, can't wait to hear you tell us how terrible it is.

[The Fake Shemp]

You don't want to make Cohen Ang Lee.

[Eric P]

hella racist

[Phoenix Dark]

[Eric P]

Egg Fu

[Philip Cardgage]

[Ichirou]

(Image removed from quote.)

Egg Fu

You would think such a racist character would be relegated to the dustbin of history, to no one's tears...

But DC brought him back!

[ManaByte]

Saw Sherlock Holmes. Haters are mentally distinguished mentally-challenged. It nailed the Holmes/Watson chemestry and the Holmes/Adler chemestry. It's by far the best original Holmes since Seven Percent Solution and it is the closest version to the original stories. People are too used to the various BBC versions to recognize a real re-telling of Holmes.

[Ichirou]

Saw Sherlock Holmes. Haters are mentally distinguished mentally-challenged. It nailed the Holmes/Watson chemestry and the Holmes/Adler chemestry. It's by far the best original Holmes since Seven Percent Solution and it is the closest version to the original stories. People are too used to the various BBC versions to recognize a real re-telling of Holmes.

You hear that, world? Sherlock Holmes expert ManaByte says this is a REAL re-telling of Holmes, not like that BBC shit...which are actually straight-up adaptations of Holmes stories, unlike this...


Also, "chemestry"...

[brawndolicious]

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call: New Orleans

Beautiful.  Also, I just finished watching the movie two minutes ago and I can't remember the name of Nicholas Cage's character even though he had 95% of the lines.  That is just awesome.

[WrikaWrek]

Saw Sherlock Holmes. Haters are mentally distinguished mentally-challenged. It nailed the Holmes/Watson chemestry and the Holmes/Adler chemestry. It's by far the best original Holmes since Seven Percent Solution and it is the closest version to the original stories. People are too used to the various BBC versions to recognize a real re-telling of Holmes.

You hear that, world? Sherlock Holmes expert ManaByte says this is a REAL re-telling of Holmes, not like that BBC shit...which are actually straight-up adaptations of Holmes stories, unlike this...


Also, "chemestry"...

Well i'm no experct, but those BBC adaptations, or whatever Sherlock Holmes adaptations have been in the past like the videogames...are some really fucking boring shit.

However, this latest movie was very entertaining so i'll take that over whatever you might believe is better.

[Ichirou]

I seriously doubt you've sat through even a single BBC adaptation of a Sherlock Holmes story.

[chronovore]

Did I see Richard Dreyfus???

Yeah, looks like he's in the same outfit he wore in JAWS, too.

[Philip Cardgage]

Did I see Richard Dreyfus???

Yeah, looks like he's in the same outfit he wore in JAWS, too.

ha ha yep

[The Fake Shemp]

As someone who has read a handful of Arthur Conan Doyle stories, I found Robert Downey Jr.'s take on the character to be pretty faithful to the source material. Far more than how Holmes was portrayed by Basil Rathbone, which I gather is how most people thought of Sherlock Holmes in pop-culture prior to Downey Jr. taking on the role.

I have never seen the BBC series, so I can't speak for those.

[Dickie Dee]

btw there's an American version coming out this year

I wonder what it'll be like. Apparently they're taking out the plot line that

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Eli is a castrated boy and not a real girl

[close]

Was that in the film

If so I honestly never picked up on it. Maybe I missed a key scene, seems superfluous.

[Great Rumbler]

btw there's an American version coming out this year

I wonder what it'll be like. Apparently they're taking out the plot line that

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Eli is a castrated boy and not a real girl

[close]

Was that in the film

Yeah, it's there.

[Dickie Dee]

For those that read the book, did that flesh out her character any or have anything to do with her motivations. Even if I had've caught it I really don't think I would've taken much away from it.

[Ichirou]

As someone who has read a handful of Arthur Conan Doyle stories, I found Robert Downey Jr.'s take on the character to be pretty faithful to the source material. Far more than how Holmes was portrayed by Basil Rathbone, which I gather is how most people thought of Sherlock Holmes in pop-culture prior to Downey Jr. taking on the role.

I have never seen the BBC series, so I can't speak for those.

The Basil Rathbone ones certainly aren't faithful to the material, since they took place in contemporary times...they even had Holmes fighting against Nazis and shit.

The BBC series is really fucking solid, Wrath.

[The Fake Shemp]

I'm talking more along the lines of how faithful the character is, rather than Holmes fighting Nazis, which was pretty cool.

[Ichirou]

Rathbone's portrayal is pretty faithful to the character I remember from the stories. Those old movies do turn Watson into comic relief, though.

[Ichirou]

Looks like Piranha 3D will be stupid fun.  Will watch.

[The Fake Shemp]

I will laugh if Dreyfus says, "We're going to need a bigger boat."

[Ichirou]

It'd be funnier if he says one of his own old lines from Jaws instead of steal Roy Scheider's.

[The Fake Shemp]

The attire, the stuffy catchphrases and almost omnipresent attitude contrasted heavily with Doyle's work. Because Watson and almost all the supporting characters were comic foils, it forced Holmes to be a master in scholar in, well, just about everything - which was certainly not true in the books.

[The Fake Shemp]

No, it would not be funnier.

[Ichirou]

Okay, yeah, Lestrade and Watson were pretty much there for comedy relief, but it's not like they helped him out much in the short stories I read.  Watson was there mainly to be in awe of Holmes and to prove how smart Holmes was by making wrong guesses so that Holmes could explain things to him (and by extension, the reader).

[Ichirou]

At least it would make sense, instead of him ripping off the late, great Roy Scheider's dialogue (RIP).