Movie News, Reviews, and Discussion Super-Thread

[OptimoPeach]

Isn't The Blind Side a story about affluent white people that adopt a black kid to train him to play football for their alma mater?

There was a 20/20 piece on the real dude and it was kind of uncomfortable to watch. Its hard to tell if they actually exploited him or they really cared for him. The clips I've seen of the movie itself vs. the real life guy are hilarious, the movie seems to paint him as some mentally stunted dummy.

I haven't seen the movie but they actually said something about that on Monday Night Football a few weeks back. Chris Collinsworth was all like, "Apparently Michael Lewis was unhappy that he was portrayed as such an...ignorant young man. He said something along the lines of, 'I was playing football since 6th grade!'"

So I guess they made him look like a straight up distinguished mentally-challenged fellow or something?

[The Fake Shemp]

I am going to adopt a Kenyan and train him to be an All-Pro quarterback for the Redskins.

[Great Rumbler]

Isn't The Blind Side a story about affluent white people that adopt a black kid to train him to play football for their alma mater?

There was a 20/20 piece on the real dude and it was kind of uncomfortable to watch. Its hard to tell if they actually exploited him or they really cared for him. The clips I've seen of the movie itself vs. the real life guy are hilarious, the movie seems to paint him as some mentally stunted dummy.

I haven't seen the movie but they actually said something about that on Monday Night Football a few weeks back. Chris Collinsworth was all like, "Apparently Michael Lewis was unhappy that he was portrayed as such an...ignorant young man. He said something along the lines of, 'I was playing football since 6th grade!'"

So I guess they made him look like a straight up distinguished mentally-challenged fellow or something?

I heard it's basically a remake of Radio.

[Eric P]

I am going to adopt a Kenyan and train him to be an All-Pro quarterback for the Redskins.

i'm going to adopt a kenyan and train him to be president

[The Fake Shemp]

Too late!

[Eric P]

oh noz!

[BlueTsunami]

Oh! And that same 20/20 piece (I believe it was 20/20 or 60 Minutes?) They showcased another white family that took in an impoverished black teenager who is also being schooled and is skilled at football. With that family they actually grilled them about trying to create another "Blind Side"

So I guess they made him look like a straight up distinguished mentally-challenged fellow or something?

His real life persona is more animated, smiling, laughing. In the clips I've seen of "The Blind Side" he's quiet, always has this downs syndrome mopey face.

[The Fake Shemp]

I imagine that Michael Orr was at a theater with friends when he saw the trailer for The Blind Side:

"THE INSPIRING TRUE STOR-"

"Hey guys, it's that move about me! Shh, this is what I was telling you about!"

"Y ABOUT A distinguished mentally-challenged BLACK BOY RAISED BY TWO KIND WHIT-"

"WTF!"

[The Fake Shemp]

Is too late to adopt Maurice and train him to play cornerback?

[Phoenix Dark]

I played WR and CB!

[Eric P]

I played WR

i bet

[Powerslave]

The Dark Knight


I fucking love The Joker.

[Barry Egan]

nm

[Joe Molotov]

Is too late to adopt Maurice and train him to play cornerback?

At this point, the best you could do is adopt Green Man and train him to be your sex butler. Maybe Alejandro Jodorowsky would direct it into an inspirational film.

[WrikaWrek]

So I gather by the end of the film, faith in humanity is restored by boosters? That's pretty ingenious. They bypass all the laws and scrutiny that come from simply bribing black kids to play for their alma mater by adopting and training them instead.

It's like the NCAA Manchurian Candidate.

Sorry, not that cynical yet. The movie as it is is a wonderful story, if it's true.

[The Fake Shemp]

Other wonderful stories you might enjoy: The Birth of a Nation, Song of the South, etc.

[WrikaWrek]

So I watched Hurt Locker, and while I enjoyed it, I don't get the immense hype surrounding the movie.

It didn't click with you.

The movie is like a showcase movie in how to get you at the edge of your seat. My heart was pounding the whole way through, masterfully directed, the movie not only makes you wanna take a breather for a second, but it also raises some questions about some of the reasons behind the war.

I didn't care for Up in the Air for example...and i just get astonished at people saying Clooney is a lock for Oscar...

[chronovore]

Agreed concerning Basterds. Tarantino has said he wanted to create his own Dirty Dozen type cast, but ultimately no one stands out except for Pitt. And while I'm not asking for flash backs of the Jewish soldiers' families getting slaughtered, I'd have at least liked some back story on them.

still an amazing flick imo tho. I watched it again last night

Pretty sure there's enough "backstory" for why Jewish commandos would want to kill nazis if you just google "holocaust."

I rewatched Return of the Jedi yesterday, and honestly I don't think it's a very good movie.  It's not the first time I've seen it and I've thought this every time I've seen it.  It has moments that are neat, but most of it is pretty dull.

There are 50 reasons why Jedi sucks.

Fixed.

Note: there are over 13,000 hits for that phrase on the google.

[chronovore]

Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus - unfortunately quite bad.  Uninteresting characters, a muddled plot, and a really really smh-worthy performance from Vern Troyer.  I'm sure there are dwarves who can actually act, Gilliam.

I think Grumpy is frequently overlooked, and would have been a good choice. Everyone praises Dopey, but it's clear he was just playing the distinguished mentally-challenged fellow card in an ill-timed and arguably tasteless bid for an Oscar.

But what is it with Gilliam? I love the visuals in his films, and the ideas on which his scripts are based, but I can't get into anything after The Fisher King. And his productions generally seem cursed; there's got to be some kind of Hollywood legend going around about how Gilliam epics are doomed by default.

[chronovore]

I checked out the Coraline BR in 3D a few days go. Wowie zowie. At 2am in a darkened room on a big TV, it was pretty crazy. Loved the film and the soundtrack, enjoyed it more than the fairly mediocre book, actually. If you do get it on BR, give those little glasses a shot. You might be surprised at how well it works.

Got a total of 10 mins into Moon last night before being derailed by daughter drama. Really sucked me in though.

And soon we can all watch Coraline in the theaters, come February. Man, the BR was out in the USA with 3D specs in AUGUST. I hate the Japanese theatrical release schedule.

[Diunx]

Saw Up in the air, the movie is good but I don't get all the oscar hype, especially in the acting, it was George Cloony being George Cloony.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

but Vera Farmiga's glorious ass does deserve some kind of recognition

[close]

.

Avatar deserves a best pic nomination more than up in the air imo.

[Himu]

I saw Avatar again yesterday. Just as awesome the first time. Seeing Up in the Air later today.

[Powerslave]

I watched PI again last night. Goddamn that movie makes me feel so badass and I don't even know what it's about!

spoiler (click to show/hide)

jk, though there are still parts i don't get

[close]

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

Murderer is a crazy ass film.  It starts out normal enough as a police procedural/mystery thriller, the protagonist is a amnesic cop investigating a brutal serial killer, but why does all the evidence point back to him?

The movie seems built on an foundation of an increasing frenzy, as everything seems to continue playing at a higher pitch (performances, gore, bad taste, and especially the performances) up until the completely ridiculous third act plot twist that does in fact explain everything, but manages to be shudderingly mad while doing so.  Excess can be good, excess, played straight can be better.  I can't call Murderer a good film, but I can say I was entertained, and isn't that enough?

***

[Raban]

So I watched Hurt Locker, and while I enjoyed it, I don't get the immense hype surrounding the movie.

Don't feel bad, I have the same opinion.

[Himu]

Does anyone know if this dvd contains the THEATRICAL CUT of The Warriors and not the shitty Directors Cut?

http://www.amazon.com/Warriors-Michael-Beck/dp/B0000541AM/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1262896144&sr=8-8

[Mr. Gundam]

Does anyone know if this dvd contains the THEATRICAL CUT of The Warriors and not the shitty Directors Cut?

http://www.amazon.com/Warriors-Michael-Beck/dp/B0000541AM/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1262896144&sr=8-8

It was released in 2001, 4 years prior to the director's cut being released. So yes, it's the theatrical cut.

[Eric P]

that director's cut is so bad

so bad

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

I caaaaaaaaaaaan't dig it.

[Himu]

that director's cut is so bad

so bad

It's TERRIBLE. People shit on George Lucas? Well, Lucas WISHES he were Walter Hill.

I can't believe he RUINED some of best scenes in the movie:

00:14 - 00:24

[youtube=560,345]OwUi0V3fSMI[/youtube]

 :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

Here's the original:

[youtube=560,345]ksTjDg351dk[/youtube]

 

[Himu]

I kinda liked the comic book parts.

 

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Summer wasn't a bitch. The movie was about Tom outgrowing a childish fairytale perspective on relationships. Nothing she did was outside of the realm of normal adult dating practices, but Tom victimized himself because everything about her was contrary to his destiny based, magical love-at-first-sight view.

[MCD]

avatar.

generic plot and characters but enjoyable for the cg effects and all that new 3d jazz.

[CajoleJuice]

In reality, people just settle!

[BobFromPikeCreek]

They showed all the warning signs that their relationship was failing, but not until way later in the film. That's the point. You see the movie from Tom's selfish perspective that she's a cold bitch who just dumped him for no reason, but as he starts to move past his immature stance on love the movie shows what really was going down. Summer told him straight up this wasn't a long term thing, they weren't getting along and she broke it off. Easy as that. Tom just victimized himself because it was inconceivable to him that "the one" would act this way. he blinded himself to the flaws in their relationship because he was so convinced that she was the one he was destined to be with.

You could make an argument that the party thing was unfair I guess, but all they really did at the wedding was dance. If Tom had any sense he wouldn't have put himself in that position to begin with.

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Pretty much.

[Barry Egan]

omg she's a bitch why didn't she be upfront with him in the first place omg.

this is why the internet sucks.

 

basically.

[CajoleJuice]

I might as well just read GS's spoilers and never bother watching this movie.

[Barry Egan]

The internet sucks because people like me think that you shouldn't

spoiler (click to show/hide)

dance with an ex who is still in love with you at a wedding and then invite them to your house without telling them that you've entered into another serious relationship?

[close]

On the list of reasons why the internet sucks, I think that one is pretty low, to be honest.

It sucks because just like every ressentiment fueled clanger king on the internet

spoiler (click to show/hide)

you think people need your permission to act impulsively 

[close]

[Ichirou]

Yeah, for example, if a dude was in a relationship with a mentally unstable chick, he should think about the effect that telling her to get an abortion would have on her psyche.

Face it, if she didn't have any remaining special feelings towards him, she probably thought he felt the same way towards her.  You're just seeing shit from his perspective and not hers.

[Ichirou]

And because of that, a rabbit is dead.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

Just came back from Sherlock Holmes.  I admit that I wanted to hate the movie for some reason and wanted to leave at a couple of points early on but the story kept me in.  It was pretty standard.  Downey plays an impoverished, abstinent version of Tony Stark.  Jude Law complimented him well and Rachel McAdams was the typical modern day action female: tough but of course, needed to be saved in the end.  The story isn't that amazing and in its own way, checks through the typical action movie characteristics.  Guy Ritchie didn't want to think outside the box on this one.  Overall, I liked it but it wasn't a must see.  We'll see this movie again this May with Iron Man 2.  Speaking of which, the trailer for that was ass.  I'll probably still see it.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

so, if anybody was wondering what the last significant VHS release would be, well, its this one.  The 80's styled horror flick The House of the Devil.



trailer here.  This is pretty damn clever, they should have done this with Tarantino's Grindhouse.  Anyways, its mostly a promo item, so quantities are extremely limited, iffin ya want the best in 70's tech today.  There's been lots of positive reviews, but it was barely theatrically released, so this is going on my Netflix queue.

[The Fake Shemp]

That is awesome. I really liked the movie too. I highly recommend it to fans of horror.

[bud]

just saw the fountain.

btw, you guys should totally check out the soundtrack.

[Powerslave]

looking forward to it green shinobi cant fucking wait

[Eric P]

just watched Carriers.

pretty good post-apocalyptic film

really episodic with a merely "meh" ending but i liked it well enough

[Eric P]

that is pretty clever

and i did really like the movie

[Diunx]

Watched Mysterious Skin, that movie was amazing but fucking painful to watch at times, how come Joseph Gordon-Levitt wasn't nominated for anything? he was fucking brilliant in this movie, he is probably the most underused actor in hollywood, I hope that inception changes that.

[TakingBackSunday]

He's an awesome actor.  Love him.

[Powerslave]

Joseph Gordon-Levitt looks so much like Heath Ledger.

[The Fake Shemp]

Torrenting House of the Devil now. Will post impressions in the movie thread.

Ugh. Really? Your Avatar zealotry is bad enough, but you pirate films that could actually use your money?

[The Fake Shemp]

Wrapped up District 9. Delicious Blu-ray.

Despite characterization issues, it was thoroughly entertaining. Avatar isn't even the best film featuring aliens or mechs released in 2009!

[Great Rumbler]

Joseph Gordon-Levitt looks so much like Heath Ledger.

That's why Nolan is grooming him to be The Joker in the next Batman movie.

Wrapped up District 9. Delicious Blu-ray.

Despite characterization issues, it was thoroughly entertaining. Avatar isn't even the best film featuring aliens or mechs released in 2009!

The first half of D9 was great stuff, some of the best scifi I've seen recently. But the second half is just kind of like "Let's have a bunch of stuff blow up and a mech that tears through a shanty town!" and they just went with it. It's pretty awesome action, but it was a let down after the brilliant opening half.

It's not better than Avatar though.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

But Moon is still better than both.

[close]

[TakingBackSunday]

Moon is better than everything.

[The Fake Shemp]

Eh, that stuff doesn't bother me, and it was probably needed to inject some energy into the picture. It doesn't really feel forced. The biggest problem is the main character's arc, or complete lack thereof. It was little surprise to me, because I was given fair warning by some peers who saw the picture before it was released - but it still raised eyebrows.

The guy is a total dick the entire picture and then his heart melts once he hears the soldiers are going to kill Christopher? Really? It's that kind of stuff, relatively easy-to-fix screenplay issues, that bother me the most. Because of instead of settling for just being entertaining, it could've been a really great film.

The film really struggles with attempting to develop characters, on both sides, that you can root for. Even the aliens are overplayed as mindless, violent animals early on.

Oh well, I guess Blomkamp(sp?) will have his shot to correct some of those issues in three years.

[Great Rumbler]

D9 is basically Avatar set in South Africa.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

The villains, while still thin, are more interesting in Avatar.

[close]

[The Fake Shemp]

I don't think anything could be more interesting in Avatar, especially since I have already seen it four times before.

[Great Rumbler]

I don't think anything could be more interesting in Avatar, especially since I have already seen it four times before.

Then you've also seen D9 four times before but you still watched THAT.

[The Fake Shemp]

I can't really recall a lot of "aliens stranded on Earth, segregated from society" films, unless you want to count something like Alien Nation.