Movie News, Reviews, and Discussion Super-Thread

[Bebpo]

Here's my thing about the Re-animator:

GOOD
--------
-Performance by Jeffrey Combs is iconic and awesome
-Performance by David Gale as Dr. Hill
-Special Effects
-Final Battle

BAD
-------
-Story was really short and simple.  I know it's based on a Lovecraft short story and it felt like a short story.  I was expect something with some more substance.  I wanted to see the ramifications of the re-animation formula on a bigger scale than a personal battle between two scientists (West and Hill) and a girl.  It just felt kind of small-scale. 

Good outweighs the bad, which is why I thought it was alright, just expected the story to be a larger scale and have more depth than what it was.  It would've worked great as a short in a horror anthology film, but as a standalone I wished it had more to it.

[Bebpo]

Also, are any of the Wayan brother's spoof movies funny?  I remember like 20 years ago they were terrible but had some funny jokes, maybe enough to justify watching for free and wasting some time to see popular films parodied.  I've been sitting in bed a lot this last week with the cold and netflixing and I'm always kind of tempted to check out their newer stuff that parodies paranomal activity and found footage movies and stuff.

[Eel O'Brian]

I guess if you're stoned out of your mind they could be funny.

[Great Rumbler]

Also, are any of the Wayan brother's spoof movies funny?  I remember like 20 years ago they were terrible but had some funny jokes, maybe enough to justify watching for free and wasting some time to see popular films parodied.  I've been sitting in bed a lot this last week with the cold and netflixing and I'm always kind of tempted to check out their newer stuff that parodies paranomal activity and found footage movies and stuff.

I'm Gonna Git You Sucka was pretty good.

[Eric P]

-Story was really short and simple.  I know it's based on a Lovecraft short story and it felt like a short story.  I was expect something with some more substance.  I wanted to see the ramifications of the re-animation formula on a bigger scale than a personal battle between two scientists (West and Hill) and a girl.  It just felt kind of small-scale. 

the actual story goes into it a bit more

not a lot more, but a bit more

also the short story is a comedy, but hpl has a v dry sense of humor

[Mupepe]

Also, are any of the Wayan brother's spoof movies funny?  I remember like 20 years ago they were terrible but had some funny jokes, maybe enough to justify watching for free and wasting some time to see popular films parodied.  I've been sitting in bed a lot this last week with the cold and netflixing and I'm always kind of tempted to check out their newer stuff that parodies paranomal activity and found footage movies and stuff.

The first Scary Movie is still funny to me.  I just watched A Haunted House a few days ago.  There are a couple legitimately funny scenes, one of them is absolutely hilarious, but for the most part it's something a 14 year old stoner would find funny.

[ToxicAdam]

If you were to watch one, South Central is your best bet. It still isn't great, just stupid fun.

I loved South Central when it came out. (But I was baked every time I watched it.)  The comedy had more resonance back when every other movie was some melodramatic take on 'the hood'.

My favorite scenes are the one where he moves back in with his father (who is half his age) and when that gangster gets out of jail and has to readjust to the real world.

[Tasty]

I remember Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood was pretty king among my sixth grade class for a long time.

[HiResDes]

Also, are any of the Wayan brother's spoof movies funny?  I remember like 20 years ago they were terrible but had some funny jokes, maybe enough to justify watching for free and wasting some time to see popular films parodied.  I've been sitting in bed a lot this last week with the cold and netflixing and I'm always kind of tempted to check out their newer stuff that parodies paranomal activity and found footage movies and stuff.

I fucks with the Keenan Ivory Wayans movies heavier than most, I'm Gonna Git You Sucka and Low Down Dirty Shame are classics in my eyes. It's not a parody, but Mo' Money is actually kind of decent too. Blankman is still the best movie ever made though

[Tasty]

If you want something good with a Wayans in it, the correct answer is Requiem for a Dream.

[HiResDes]

If you want something good with a Wayans in it, the correct answer is Requiem for a Dream.

I'll take Blankman, Don't be a Menace, and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka over that melodramatic jaunt any day...Needed more scenes like the one at the end

[Tasty]

If you want something good with a Wayans in it, the correct answer is Requiem for a Dream.

I'll take Blankman, Don't be a Menace, and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka over that melodramatic jaunt any day...Needed more scenes like the one at the end

spoiler (click to show/hide)

This should totes be an emote here. :a2a

[close]

[chronovore]

Blue Jasmine
A remarkable movie, full of stunning performances across the board, believable dialog, and very much like watching a slow motion car crash interspersed with shots of showing the driver earlier, and why the car is going to crash... perhaps deserves to crash.

Louis CK's appearance was understated, as was Alec Baldwin's, but the real surprise was Andrew "Dice" Clay showing up and owning his role. I am hoping it means a return to work for him; I was one of the fans who didn't like his schtick, but realized it was his stand-up character, and not representative of his beliefs.

As much as the other actors really hauled their weight, I am again convinced that Cate Blanchett may be the best actress of our age. She's consistently amazing.

The writing, though. My god, this was just an intricate, balanced house of cards, waiting for the end for the author to sweep it aside of his own volition. I'll be thinking about this movie for some time to come.

[Eric P]

Candyman - this popped up on Netflix today and I hadn't seen it in forever so I thought I'd give it a spin.  I liked it.  I had forgotten so much about it (including that the female lead was Gillian Anderson).  I wish it had been a bit longer to develop the whole "drug dealer taking the persona of an urban myth" a bit more spending less time with "Gillian Anderson is craaaaaaaazy"

[Eel O'Brian]

virginia madsen

[Eric P]

ha ha

omg



vs

[Stoney Mason]

wrong thread whoops.

[recursivelyenumerable]

I keep thinking about writing a post about why I sort of like sw ep 1 but deciding against it. but one of the things I think is neat (besides that I'm just a sucker for Fantasy Scenery Porn) is the weird structure of the movie, which kind of seems to be the crux of why e.g. that Plinkett review hates it so  :'(

[chronovore]

I keep thinking about writing a post about why I sort of like sw ep 1 but deciding against it. but one of the things I think is neat (besides that I'm just a sucker for Fantasy Scenery Porn) is the weird structure of the movie, which kind of seems to be the crux of why e.g. that Plinkett review hates it so  :'(

What is it that you like about the structure? I can't find a structure, or even a main character in it.

[recursivelyenumerable]

That is what I like. I sort of hate the concept of main characters

(glib b/c alternative would be writing the post I've been avoiding writing)

[chronovore]

No lie, Creator-era Virginia Madsen is like :hhhhhrrrrrnnnnngggg

Pretty much everything after that as well.

[Mandark]

I get that. Ep1 at least doesn't have the sleek, overly-structured feeling that say, the recent Marvel stuff has.  But instead it feels like someone had done a bunch of world-building and wanted to share it, only they didn't figure out how to cut off a chunk in a way that would make an interesting story.  Stuff like The Princess Bride and Psycho mess around with main characters, but still felt coherent.

Plus, y'know, Ep1's just so bad.  So, so bad.

[benjipwns]

Except for the Pod Race section, Episode I does a lot of visiting to different areas and cultures, letting you see them, and cutting between multiple story lines that aren't really going anywhere.

That Darth Maul fight for example is put together with the Gungan's big fight against the robots, Padme and whoever else shooting at dudes in the castle, and Anakin's wacky space battle adventures. And the whole thing is supposed to be a little local deal of unknown importance except that a Sith is involved, and like they discuss at the end that "there's always two." (AND ANAKINS THE PROPHESIED ONE BUT WHAT COULD THAT MEAN?!? QUI GON UR CRAZY FOR TRYING TO TRAIN HIM!!!)

It's bloated as fuck but sometimes I think that I probably like it better than II or III if only because Anakin is both better acted and has better dialogue than in the next two. And Liam Nesson.

Really, all three of them are too long and boring and padded out.

[Raban]

me and Esch were talking about this and comparing any of the prequels is like saying which pile of shit smells the best. That said, Episode 1 is definitely the least aggressively bad of the trilogy, and that puts it in a higher spot for me. The people who praise ROTS

[Tasty]

http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/2/5675302/doctor-who-star-matt-smith-will-star-in-the-new-terminator

Smith joins a host of well-known names and faces, including original series star Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones), Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty) and J.K. Simmons (Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy). A Good Day To Die Hard's Jai Courtney stars as Kyle Reese, the role played by Michael Biehn in the 1984 original. The new Terminator is set to arrive on July 1st, 2015 — but we hope to hear more about the movie this July at San Diego Comic-Con.

[Momo]

Matt Smith :puke

[Tasty]

Matt Smith

[Great Rumbler]

...new Terminator trilogy

[Momo]

Emilia Clarke :eyebrows

[Tasty]

Just bought my opening night ticket for Days of Future Past!!

                           
                       
                   
               
               
               
                   
                       
                           

[Phoenix Dark]

Emilia Clarke :eyebrows

[Momo]

Emilia Clarke :eyebrows

(Image removed from quote.)

[Himu]

The direction in that is daytime tv status. It even looks like a single-camera comedy.

[Steve Contra]

"I wasn't going to teach evolutionary lies from those textbooks.  I'm outta the game"
                /
              /
 

[Phoenix Dark]

"I wasn't going to teach evolutionary lies from those textbooks.  I'm outta the game"
                /
              /
 

It's the Christian version of "I'm too old for this shit"

you can just tell that's a get-the-old-gang-back-together scene 

[Rahxephon91]

"The guys an evolutionist"

Complete with menacing sounding music.

Because believing in science means you are a smug asshole. Unlike the guy who wants the education rhetoric to include the teaching of his personal religious beliefs.

[Joe Molotov]

The twist is that during the debate, the dad is like "Wow, you're right, Evolution is totally rad!" and then Neil deGrasse Tyson comes out and starts high-fiving everyone while the blue ghosts of Charles Darwin and Carl Sagan look on.

[Himu]

Someone tell me why they're rebooting Terminator when the old series hasn't even ended yet and we haven't gotten to see humanity win? Surely there's still money in a Terminator 5.

[Steve Contra]

No one gives a shit about the future stuff.  Terminator is time traveling robots.

[Great Rumbler]

They should send a robot back into medieval times (Image removed from quote.)

?

[Momo]

They should send a robot back into medieval times (Image removed from quote.)

[benjipwns]

I can't believe nobody commented on the professor being Harry Anderson. He's probably going to do a bunch of sweet magic tricks and go "HOW DOES YOUR GOD EXPLAIN THAT?!?"

[Yeti]

I actually like Terminator 3 for what it was (a dumb but fun action movie)

The most recent one (Salvation?) was just

[Great Rumbler]

Terminator 3 had that really awesome scene where they basically wrecked an entire town during a chase scene.

[Joe Molotov]

Terminator Salvation had that really awesome scene where Christian Bale is like "GET OFF THE FUCKING SET, YOU AMATEUR! I'M TRYING TO DO A FUCKING SCENE HERE!"

[fistfulofmetal]

I really liked the part at the end of Terminator 3 where they're in the bunker bout to go in and THE SHE-TERMINATOR JUST FUCKING CRASHES INTO THE ENTIRE MOUNTAIN WITH A GIANT HELICOPTER.

[Rahxephon91]

The best part of Salvation is where Christian Bale hacked into Skynet with one of those PoS Sony Vaio computers.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

I'm not British, so I don't have really any prior knowledge of the Alan Partridge character to draw upon, there's no nostalgia in my well that the Alan Partridge movie can tap into, but that's okay, because the film, on its own, is still fucking hilarious.  Did I like Steve Coogan before the movie, I sure did.  Do I like him better now, you betcha.  In fact, this is a much better showcase for his talents then his 'I'm trying to break into America' film Hamlet 2.  Coogan get to be just as venal and clueless as he pleases here and its a heck of a lot of fun, even if he seems to have inadvertently remade Airheads(but you know, way better).

Under the Skin is a nearly narrative-free, dense and mysterious film about what it means to be isolated and alien in a world you don't understand.  Scarlett Johansson is really terrific here, and so is the cold, menacing visuals of urban and rural Scotland.  And holy shit, I hope people are remembering this film's score come award season, its frigging great.  Go in to this knowing as little as possible if you can.  Even knowing the genre it eventually confirms itself to be is knowing a bit too much.  It is however...

spoiler (click to show/hide)

an extremely great, smart bit of science fiction, where the protagonists burgeoning humanity actually doesn't do her any favors.  Johansson gives such a subtle, great performance as a not-person who slowly discovers a lot of things about people and the world, almost all of them unsettling.

[close]

I couldn't figure out exactly what the subtext was supposed to be about, but that's only because the messages here are so malleable.  And of course, occasionally weird and freaky.  I dug it a lot.

[TakingBackSunday]

Amazing Spiderman 2 was fucking atrocious.  Good lord.

[Eric P]

I'm not British, so I don't have really any prior knowledge of the Alan Partridge character to draw upon, there's no nostalgia in my well that the Alan Partridge movie can tap into, but that's okay, because the film, on its own, is still fucking hilarious.  Did I like Steve Coogan before the movie, I sure did.  Do I like him better now, you betcha.  In fact, this is a much better showcase for his talents then his 'I'm trying to break into America' film Hamlet 2.  Coogan get to be just as venal and clueless as he pleases here and its a heck of a lot of fun, even if he seems to have inadvertently remade Airheads(but you know, way better).

loved this film as well

should please you to know they're doing another one

[Joe Molotov]

I watched I'm Alan Partridge a few years back, and I'm looking forward to seeing this movie.

[Shaka Khan]

Yup, Captain America 2 was ace.The only thing that bothered me was the Black Widow's hair. Gurl, get a better stylist.

[Madrun Badrun]

She had hair?

[Tasty]

What's annoying is her hair was perfect in Avengers. Bleh.

[cool breeze]

Amazing Spider-Man 2

Coulda been worse.  Better than ASM1.  It's such a sloppy movie but it ends up being pretty fun anyway.  Was not helped by watching Winter Soldier just last week, though.

I agree with this.

It's really a mess.  At times feels like a collection of loosely related scenes.  Some of those scenes are very entertaining, and it could probably be reedited into a much better movie.  But as is it's almost exhausting how much it jumps around between tones and characters and plots.

I dunno.  I'll take an entertaining mess over something dull and boring.  I enjoyed it even with all its problems and I totally get why it's dumped on.

[TakingBackSunday]

I'm not the only one who thought Jamie Foxx's character was basically this guy:



in the Spidey universe, am I?

The entire film felt like Sony's attempt to make a Batman Forever.

[Tasty]

I'm not the only one who thought Jamie Foxx's character was basically this guy:

(Image removed from quote.)

in the Spidey universe, am I?

The entire film felt like Sony's attempt to make a Batman Forever.

He has such pretty hair.

[chronovore]

I get that. Ep1 at least doesn't have the sleek, overly-structured feeling that say, the recent Marvel stuff has.  But instead it feels like someone had done a bunch of world-building and wanted to share it, only they didn't figure out how to cut off a chunk in a way that would make an interesting story.  Stuff like The Princess Bride and Psycho mess around with main characters, but still felt coherent.

Plus, y'know, Ep1's just so bad.  So, so bad.

When you phrase it that way, it makes sense why I enjoyed parts of it. I enjoy reading RPG world books and background books; usually I enjoy them more than roleplaying in that world. The world books are so full of possibility, and roleplaying with others can frequently just degenerate into lowest-common-denominator hack and slack experience hoarding.

[archie4208]

I just watched Mulholland Drive

[archie4208]

Yeah I liked it, but it makes the last episode of Twin Peaks look straightforward.