Movie News, Reviews, and Discussion Super-Thread

[Mupepe]

I love Ryan Reynolds, I just haven't seen buried yet.

[Mupepe]

Nine
Not bad.  Not good.  Only really one memorable song.  I can't help but feel that it would have been better as just a movie (yes I understand it's based off a broadway musical).  I don't understand the complaints that DDL was miscast.  He was perfect IMO.

Black Swan
Man, the buildup in this movie is amazing.  The performances are top notch.  Very rarely do psychological movies actually mindfuck me.  This one did.  It was visually awesome as expected, but it was executed perfectly too.  I really can't think of any part of this movie I wasn't satisfied with.  On multiple viewings, I can imagine it might feel a little longwinded in some parts but for an initial viewing I wouldn't have removed anything.  It was great.

True Grit
Not much to say except pretty fucking awesome.  Damn near perfect in my opinion.  Can't really elaborate more because it'll come down to me saying I loved it. 

The Fighter
I didn't believe it when Wrath said it, but the only notable thing about this movie is Bale.  He's amazing.  He's back to playing a crazy fuck again so I guess it makes sense.  The camerawork, story and everyone else's acting is just okay.  There's nothing great about it.  Bale makes the movie and he holds up a mediocre story with boring technical aspects.

[Yoritomo]

Finally watched The American.  Good movie but very subdued and depressing, nice titties.

[fistfulofmetal]

Finally watched The American.  Good movie but very subdued and depressing, nice titties.

creepy.

because I just got done watching The American as well.

I'll just go ahead and say this is the kind of movie I love. Slow pace, crippling tension, (as mentioned) subdued performances, George Clooney. Enjoyed it quite a bit. Seems Clooney is an expert at playing detached experts in a specific field (IE: Michael Clayton, Up in the Air). Clooney is mostly stoic through out the movie but he's a good enough actor to convey emotions in spots where dialogue would normally take its place. thumbs up.


I also watched Black Death staring none other than Sean Bean. Another actor that I love to watch in movies. There should be a movie with Sean Bean and George Clooney. that would be awesome. Anyway - about the movie. I also really enjoyed this as well. I read that it was supposed to be a horror movie set in 13th century Europe during bubonic plague but it's more of a suspense than anything else. Sean Bean delivers a great performance, especially near the end of the film. One thing I rather liked was that it didn't focus on gore or anything like that. It's got violence but it's held back enough to the point that when you actually see something violent, it has impact. Something most movies tend to forget about. It also has the chick from Black Book in it and she's pretty good as well. thumbs up  here as well.

[Yoritomo]

creepy.

because I just got done watching The American as well.

I'll just go ahead and say this is the kind of movie I love. Slow pace, crippling tension, (as mentioned) subdued performances, George Clooney. Enjoyed it quite a bit. Seems Clooney is an expert at playing detached experts in a specific field (IE: Michael Clayton, Up in the Air). Clooney is mostly stoic through out the movie but he's a good enough actor to convey emotions in spots where dialogue would normally take its place. thumbs up.


I also watched Black Death staring none other than Sean Bean. Another actor that I love to watch in movies. There should be a movie with Sean Bean and George Clooney. that would be awesome. Anyway - about the movie. I also really enjoyed this as well. I read that it was supposed to be a horror movie set in 13th century Europe during bubonic plague but it's more of a suspense than anything else. Sean Bean delivers a great performance, especially near the end of the film. One thing I rather liked was that it didn't focus on gore or anything like that. It's got violence but it's held back enough to the point that when you actually see something violent, it has impact. Something most movies tend to forget about. It also has the chick from Black Book in it and she's pretty good as well. thumbs up  here as well.

Even creepier.  The wife and I just watched Black Death.  Came back to report in the thread... and well.

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Black Swan was ballin.

[Groogrux]

Realized today that I had started but never finished The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day.  Fixed that problem.

What a great fucking movie.

[Mupepe]

I saw it in the $1.50 theaters and I was pretty pissed i wasted a buck fifty on it.  and I love the original.

[Groogrux]

You really didn't like it?  I know it wasn't as good as the first, but well worth watching IMO.

[Mupepe]

nah.  i couldn't stand it.  it felt way too much like the original with none of the heart.  like he was doing it because he knew nothing else will ever be greenlit from him.  it felt like it was trying too hard but not going anywhere and the visual style has been played out too much in the last 10 years since the original that it wasn't even cool anymore.

[Diunx]

Burried it was pretty decent. Don't know why no one ever talked about this

Because Ryan Reynolds sucks.

[Robo]

I'm Still Here (that Joaquin Phoenix spoof) - I was apprehensive to watch it since a lot of the press surrounding it references it as being largely gross-out humor, à la Borat (or that's the impression I got from it, anyway), but the most shocking thing in the entire movie is P.Diddy referring to The Assassination of Jesse James as "kinda wack".  I will never buy another Diddy record again.

That said, I don't get it; why was this movie made?  What exactly is the point of derision here?  Self-centered celebrities?  Their terrible music careers (Ryan Gosling excluded)?  It's occasionally funny, in an aloof stoner-comedy sort of way, but they put entirely too much time and effort into something that isn't anything more than "HA! Gotcha! ...what, you already knew?"

[Mupepe]

yeah I watched about half of it last night before i turned it off.  Completely pointless and I kept thinking "how did this douchebag thing this would be a good idea or a good movie?"  It feels so egotistical watching it.  Not in the sense that he wanted (us to think he was some great rapper) but in the sense that why did he think anyone would REALLY care? 

And Robo, at least Diddy liked GBG.

[Himu]

Avatar: The Collectors Edition Extended Cut - this cut is much better than the theatrical version. I loved the original a lot, and this makes it even better. Fleshes out some characters and completes Jake's arc in a more sound manner. Suggested for Avatar fans.

Inception - Watched this for the first time since it hit theaters, still amazing. I prefer Shutter Island, only a little bit, but this is still runner up for movie of the year for me personally.

Despicable Me - Going in I didn't know what to expect but the concept was really refreshing for animated movie. It was funny, smart, and I got a lot of enjoyment from it. In fact, it felt Pixar quality to me.

[Himu]

Watched The Human Centipede with the fam after Christmas dinner.  Mom would not shut up about how fallacious it all was.  Quite terrible.

with the family?

[fistfulofmetal]

Centurion


liked it! it's got some good action front loaded. Jimmy McNulty is suitably bad-ass as a Roman general. there's some dumb dialogue tho. mostly just cheesy and not really "bad". the very best thing I can say about it is that it has Olga Kurylenko in it and Neil Marshall was smart enough to write her character as a mute. so she struts around being all sinister looking and super hot.
also Imogen Poots. she's really pretty too.

thumbs up

[Himu]

Will watch for mcnulty

[Phoenix Dark]

I really want to see that.

also for Game of Thrones fans...Potts looks exactly like my mental image of Margaery Tyrell

[etiolate]

I just watched Secretary.

Felt like a fucked up satire of chick flicks.

[Groogrux]

I'm Still Here (that Joaquin Phoenix spoof) - I was apprehensive to watch it since a lot of the press surrounding it references it as being largely gross-out humor, à la Borat (or that's the impression I got from it, anyway), but the most shocking thing in the entire movie is P.Diddy referring to The Assassination of Jesse James as "kinda wack".  I will never buy another Diddy record again.

That said, I don't get it; why was this movie made?  What exactly is the point of derision here?  Self-centered celebrities?  Their terrible music careers (Ryan Gosling excluded)?  It's occasionally funny, in an aloof stoner-comedy sort of way, but they put entirely too much time and effort into something that isn't anything more than "HA! Gotcha! ...what, you already knew?"

It was on Netflix so I watched it last night as well.  I kept telling myself, "Why are you still watching this?" until it was finally over.  I felt like I'd been let out of prison.

[Robo]

I think it's because the entirety of the film is spent waiting for him to snap out of his delusion - since he's so clearly untalented and terrible at rapping - which could've been within the first 10 minutes or so, but instead drags on and on with no additional development.  Beyond that, it's sprinkled with braindead stoner hijinks which aren't ever especially funny.  Apparently being a celebrity, even an insane one, isn't all that interesting.

[Mupepe]

i just got tired of hearing him say the same thing over and over again.  i had to leave the house and do something about halfway through (last thing I remember is him reading reviews of his first show or something).  i never plan on finishing it. 

[Yoritomo]

I watched half of Enter the Void last night.  We had to stop the movie because my wife was getting motion sick  (she's preggers).  It's a very visually captivating movie.  The movie is beautifully painted and since it takes place within the consciousness of one of the characters there are lots of neat tricks and cinematography.  Plenty of sex, oedipal allegories, sexual tension between a brother and sister, and some fucked up stuff.  I really don't know how to describe it other than I'd imagine the movie would be awesome on psychedelics.  I'll have to finish the movie without her.

[Groogrux]

Super High Me

Not as entertaining as I thought it would be.  Turns out, it's more fun to smoke the weed then it is to watch somebody smoke it.

Harlan County, USA

Actually an interesting documentary, and that's saying something since it's from the 70's and it's about Kentucky. 

[Mupepe]

yeah, super high me was pretty fucking distinguished mentally-challenged.

what will happen if i smoke weed for 30 days straight? 

uhhh nothing?  i know a lot of people who do it.  nothing fucking happens.  maybe that was the point you were trying to prove, but everyone with some sense knows it. 

[duckman2000]

Watched Inception. Neat and real pretty, though there were so many logical gaps that it almost became distracting. Still, masterful production.

[Mr. Gundam]

Off to see Rabbit Hole, and we're picking up Easy A at Redbox on the way home.

  John Cameron Mitchell

I just watched Secretary.

Felt like a fucked up satire of chick flicks.

I love Secretary. They're supposedly turning it into in a Broadway musical.

[ferrarimanf355]

Tron Legacy was okay, but I don't get this 3D movies fad. If I want crap thrown at me, I'd get into an argument with my parents. 

[Eric P]

I love Secretary. They're supposedly turning it into in a Broadway musical.

not surprised

but now it's my time to shine with Salo'tations!  120 Musical Days of Awesome!

/you say it's the circle of shit/
/i say i'm loving it/
/you say it's the pits/
/we say we're loving it/

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Tron fucking sucked. How did they manage to make it so fucking dull?

I also lolled at the disclaimer at the beginning of the movie explaining that shit won't CONSTANTLY be popping out in your face.

[drew]

the fighter

pretty good

[fistfulofmetal]

just watched black swan

great. as expected. had a hard time getting fully engrossed into the story due to the subject matter but it came together nicely. i really liked the scene near the end:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

right after nina "kills Lily" and dances as the black swan. they did a real good job with the sfx - her arms turning into wings was really beautiful. culminating in the final shot of her holding the final post with no wings but the winged shadow in the backround. really great stuff there

[close]

nat's acting was truly the best i've seen her since The Professional. it's weird because this movie is kinda meta in that she's always felt really stiff in most roles. like she couldnt fully become the character. it took a movie like this where she plays a character who has to let go for her to actually let go. hopefully this continues in later roles.

[Mupepe]

i was expecting to call you creepy since the subject was natalie portman, but i completely agree.  especially in regards to the sound effects. 

[ferrarimanf355]

Tron fucking sucked. How did they manage to make it so fucking dull?

I also lolled at the disclaimer at the beginning of the movie explaining that shit won't CONSTANTLY be popping out in your face.

Would it have made sense to watch the original beforehand? Quorra's cute, the music was pretty good, but otherwise, it was a waste of $13.

Watched Inception last night with my parents. My mom was confused about five minutes in, I was lost about halfway through, and my dad, who was helpfully explaining everything to us as the dream-within-a-dream-within-a-dream was unfolding, was lost five minutes towards the end.

[Mupepe]

i really don't understand people who get lost in Inception.  It's an amazingly straightforward movie considering the content.  you guys have ADD or something?  i had a bunch of friends who "got lost" too

[Himu]

Inception is totally simple.

There is tech to go within dreams.

While being sedated you have the ability to make a dream within a dream.

And multiple dreams within a dream so that they are layered.

In order to see if something is a dream or not, you must create a totem. Something to tell you whether you're dream or in reality.

Inception is a movie about an attempt to heist information and convince someone of a single idea through such dream technology. It is Heat with dreams.

Like always, a totally straight forward film is labeled as "confusing" by the masses (Donnie Darko, Pi, Pulp Fiction;etc).

Note: this is coming from someone diagnosed with ADD which he really really doubts he actually has.

[ferrarimanf355]

i really don't understand people who get lost in Inception.  It's an amazingly straightforward movie considering the content.  you guys have ADD or something?  i had a bunch of friends who "got lost" too

It's easy to confuse my mom.

I got lost when they started the whole dream-within-a-dream part of the plan and they kept cutting away to the van falling into the river.

Mind you, I totally got Pi when I saw it in a film class, so it must be the whole juggling of multiple plot threads.

[Himu]

They had three dreams up at that point and they were cutting to the van because the fall would wake them up and they had to finish the job before then.

[fistfulofmetal]

i was expecting to call you creepy since the subject was natalie portman, but i completely agree.  especially in regards to the sound effects. 

i actually mean "special effects" when i said sfx but now that you mention it. yeah the sound effects were great in that scene as well.

[Diunx]

Screeners for The Fighter and True Grit are out! gonna watch them tomorrow

[Mupepe]

i was expecting to call you creepy since the subject was natalie portman, but i completely agree.  especially in regards to the sound effects. 

i actually mean "special effects" when i said sfx but now that you mention it. yeah the sound effects were great in that scene as well.

oops, for some reason i read sound in there somewhere.  but i thought it was awesome hearing the subtle sound effects throughout the entire movie.

[Phoenix Dark]

Inception is totally simple.

Note: this is coming from someone diagnosed with ADD which he really really doubts he actually has.

and you're deaf 

[Phoenix Dark]

I was wrong: True Grit rocked. Really felt like an older western

[Bebpo]

How to Train Your Dragon was fantastic.  Definitely the best CG film Dreamworks has made. If this gets robbed in the oscars for Best Picture it'll be depressing.  So much better than Toy Story 3 & Tangled (which were good, but not at this level).  The score was top-notch as well, very emotionally strong.  Would like to see a best score nom for it.

[Mr. Gundam]

Like always, a totally straight forward film is labeled as "confusing" by the masses (Donnie Darko, Pi, Pulp Fiction;etc).

That's what I thought, too. Recent films that actually take some time to figure out are Lost Highway, Primer and Mulholland Drive.

[Positive Touch]

its possible to figure out lost highway?

[Mr. Gundam]

its possible to figure out lost highway?

I haven't seen it since high school (1997), but I thought I had it figured out back then.

[Great Rumbler]

How to Train Your Dragon was fantastic.  Definitely the best CG film Dreamworks has made. If this gets robbed in the oscars for Best Picture it'll be depressing.  So much better than Toy Story 3 & Tangled (which were good, but not at this level).  The score was top-notch as well, very emotionally strong.  Would like to see a best score nom for it.

Good movie, but Best Animated? No way, not with the storyline they threw in it. Too cliched by far, too predictable. It was basically Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs dressed up in Viking garb. And that's disappointing because nearly everything else about it was great [especially the soundtrack].

[Eric P]

The Curse of Frankenstein.  I'd never seen any of the Hammer Frankenstein films, but really, really liked this.  Christopher Lee as the creature was really good with unique but iconic enough makeup.  Peter Cushing's Victor was a murderous sociopath rather than a doomed romantic.  Loved it.  Loved it.

Now I'm watching The Legend of Hell House.  I like the book well enough, but hadn't yet seen the film, but having learned that Matheson did the screenplay for this, I figured I'd give it a watch.

[Herr Mafflard]

The Curse of Frankenstein.  I'd never seen any of the Hammer Frankenstein films, but really, really liked this.  Christopher Lee as the creature was really good with unique but iconic enough makeup.  Peter Cushing's Victor was a murderous sociopath rather than a doomed romantic.  Loved it.  Loved it.

Now I'm watching The Legend of Hell House.  I like the book well enough, but hadn't yet seen the film, but having learned that Matheson did the screenplay for this, I figured I'd give it a watch.

EricP did you catch the 3-part docu 'A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss'?

In each episode he goes through a different golden age of horror movies. He's dissertation of Hammer movies (Ep2) is particularly great.

I think the whole thing's on youtube.
[youtube=560,345]4y-UO8QaFY8[/youtube]

[Eric P]

I watched the first part and have the second and third waiting for me to watch it.

[Stoney Mason]

Inception is totally simple.

There is tech to go within dreams.

While being sedated you have the ability to make a dream within a dream.

And multiple dreams within a dream so that they are layered.

In order to see if something is a dream or not, you must create a totem. Something to tell you whether you're dream or in reality.

Inception is a movie about an attempt to heist information and convince someone of a single idea through such dream technology. It is Heat with dreams.

Like always, a totally straight forward film is labeled as "confusing" by the masses (Donnie Darko, Pi, Pulp Fiction;etc).

Note: this is coming from someone diagnosed with ADD which he really really doubts he actually has.

meh. While I didn't especially find Inception to be utterly baffling (although I do think it is pretty high concept especially at the start) its not surprising that its considered a bit confusing by some people. I wouldn't slag off the masses for not exactly getting that film or some of the others you mentioned. Whenever a movie deviates from the norm of movies its going to be considered a bit unusual. That's just the way movies are. They are generally really mainstream. So its not odd to me that some movies are a bit more challenging for the wider movie going audience.

On a separate note I watched The Hangover today which I had never seen. A bit surprised at how much of a hit that was. I mean I get why its entertaining but I probably didn't think it was as good as I had kinda thought it was going to be based on how big it got. That Todd Phillips guy really seems to have his pulse on the mainstream of movie goers though because he seems to semi-consistently crank out these hits that resonate with a large group of people.

[Bebpo]

How to Train Your Dragon was fantastic.  Definitely the best CG film Dreamworks has made. If this gets robbed in the oscars for Best Picture it'll be depressing.  So much better than Toy Story 3 & Tangled (which were good, but not at this level).  The score was top-notch as well, very emotionally strong.  Would like to see a best score nom for it.

Good movie, but Best Animated? No way, not with the storyline they threw in it. Too cliched by far, too predictable. It was basically Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs dressed up in Viking garb. And that's disappointing because nearly everything else about it was great [especially the soundtrack].

Here's the thing.  Basically every kids movie/animated movie/cg movie anymore follows a traditional predictable story.  You can tell from the first 15 mins how the film will end.  Wall-E and a few Pixar ones are exceptions.  So since one archetype of these films is the traditional "person is uncool, person does something cool, person is ostracized for it, person saves the day and is accepted", the difference between a bad/good/GREAT film is how they accomplish it.  How to Train Your Dragon was very well presented.  The characters were good as was the story/humour balance/pacing and thanks to a really great score and just overall fantastic direction and writing, it was a very emotionally powerful film.  I almost teared up at a few points throughout.  They took a traditional archtype and created an outstanding film out of it. 

I thought it was pretty darn good.   

[Diunx]

True Grit: The Dude was amazing in this wouldn't be surprised if he takes home another Oscar, the cinematography was awesome and like PD say it felt like an oldschool western, I loved it but I liked the original better.

The Fighter: awesome and really entertaining film, Bale was amazing in this, Bale haters annihilated beyond recognition.

[Herr Mafflard]

I watched the first part and have the second and third waiting for me to watch it.

oh cool. I missed it when it first aired and only just caught up with it when they re-aired it during the last couple of days.

[Diunx]

Obvious troll.

[ferrarimanf355]

My parents saw The Kids Are Allright, they liked it and could identify with it a little with all the parental issues going on.

[Great Rumbler]

How to Train Your Dragon was fantastic.  Definitely the best CG film Dreamworks has made. If this gets robbed in the oscars for Best Picture it'll be depressing.  So much better than Toy Story 3 & Tangled (which were good, but not at this level).  The score was top-notch as well, very emotionally strong.  Would like to see a best score nom for it.

Good movie, but Best Animated? No way, not with the storyline they threw in it. Too cliched by far, too predictable. It was basically Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs dressed up in Viking garb. And that's disappointing because nearly everything else about it was great [especially the soundtrack].

Here's the thing.  Basically every kids movie/animated movie/cg movie anymore follows a traditional predictable story.  You can tell from the first 15 mins how the film will end.  Wall-E and a few Pixar ones are exceptions.  So since one archetype of these films is the traditional "person is uncool, person does something cool, person is ostracized for it, person saves the day and is accepted", the difference between a bad/good/GREAT film is how they accomplish it.  How to Train Your Dragon was very well presented.  The characters were good as was the story/humour balance/pacing and thanks to a really great score and just overall fantastic direction and writing, it was a very emotionally powerful film.  I almost teared up at a few points throughout.  They took a traditional archtype and created an outstanding film out of it. 

I thought it was pretty darn good.   

My problem isn't that it's just a cliched story [which it was], my problem is that it was almost an exact copy of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs! Even some of the characters felt exactly the same, so were some of the situations! It's lazy and, unfortunately, a noticeable blight on an otherwise really good movie.

Well, there was also some examples of Dreamwork's trademarked "Humor That Tries Too Hard To Be Funny", but that's a far lesser issues than the story.

[Phoenix Dark]

Exit Through the Gift Shop: Bad, terrible, awful, boring

shake annihilated

[CajoleJuice]

its possible to figure out lost highway?

I want to watch it just so I can read the David Foster Wallace essay that talks about it.