Movie News, Reviews, and Discussion Super-Thread

[Loki]

The Taking of Pellham 123 - 3ish stars on a 4 star scale, maybe a hair less.  So like a 70-75% or so.

Up (was taken by a lady friend, don't crucify me ) - 3.5 stars.  For what it is and what it tries to be, it's tops.  I'd give it an 85-90%.

Public Enemies - 2-2.5 stars (55-65% or so).  Utterly forgettable and bland, with no sense of purpose or meaningful characterizations.  Horrible writing.

[etiolate]

Wendy and Lucy

i really thought i would like this more. it's gotten a lot of praise but i just couldn't get past how frickin' BORING it was. yet the movie's short as it is: 70 minutes without credits. nothing much happens. and i struggled to find the "poetry" and "lyrical beauty" mentioned in every other review. yes, williams' performance is great but it ultimately amounts to nothing - at least it didn't for me; i was hardly ever touched and certainly never heartbroken. the movie is minimalistic and understated - almost to a fault.

that said, it's still not an entirely bad movie and i can see why people like it. so if you enjoy indie with a capital I and love dogs, then maybe you'll dig wendy and lucy.

I really loved the film, one of my top three from last year.  I think it is a well timed film and it helps to be American and going through the economic dropoff to enjoy the movie.

[Phoenix Dark]

Let The Right One In

Absolutely amazing. The dvd box really hypes it up as some scary horror film with vampires, and my brother (who watched it before me) didn't like it at all. This is a horror film sure, but it's also a love story, a coming of age story that happens to have vampires. The two child actors are great, especially the girl who plays Eli; what a haunting face. The atmosphere is great - from the music to the snowy, peaceful location.

It's definitely an interesting take on the vampire tale. It's not scary, but there are some unsettling images throughout the film. Especially the death scenes; they aren't particularly bloody or gory but they're executed in such a believable way

spoiler:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Also I was not familiar with the vampire mythos that they cannot entire a room unless asked. That scene kinda confused me at first

[close]

[chronovore]

TOKYO GORE POLICE.

Holy crap. Someone sign me up for more of this madness. The first few minutes featured political commentary, impossible levels of emo cutting, cannibalism, a Quake-style rocket-jump, and Troma sensibilities. I'm off to find MORE.

Seen Machine Girl yet? And, of course, there's also RoboGeisha.

I looked for Machine Girl, but haven't found it yet. I'ma pester the clerks next time I'm there. Robo Geisha opens later this year, I think. I could be speaking ignorance again though.

[Great Rumbler]

spoiler:

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Also I was not familiar with the vampire mythos that they cannot entire a room unless asked. That scene kinda confused me at first

[close]

spoiler (click to show/hide)

It's part of vampire mythology that they can't cross thresholds unless invited across, since thresholds are considered holy/sacred.

[close]

[Reb]

Almost Famous, pretty good, didn't really pay attention though.

[BlueTsunami]

The main woman in Legend of the Seeker is fucking beautiful

[Tauntaun]

nvm. 

Edit:  Looks interesting, I'll check it out tonight.

[Phoenix Dark]

I'll have to check it out. Heard the books were meh

I'm curious as to how a fantasy show will work on television. Game of Thrones is gonna be on HBO (assuming the pilot gets picked up) so it'll have a bigger budget obviously, but I'd love to see what worked/didn't work for this Seeker show

[Tauntaun]

Is that a biographical movie about BrandNew's life? 

[ManaByte]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i64d7e42a898297d743cce7f17982cc1f

Paramount smells a rat.

As rodents prove surprisingly likable on the big screen, the studio is developing a feature version of the award-winning children's tale "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH."

Director Neil Burger ("The Illusionist") is in talks to write the screenplay, and former Walden exec Cary Granat is on board to produce.

A pic would be the second theatrical go-round for the book, which MGM brought to the screen in 1982 as the animated "The Secret of NIMH," directed by Don Bluth.

Robert C. O'Brien's "Rats of NIMH" won the Newbery Medal in 1972 and has been a staple in children's bookstores and libraries since. The story centers on a mouse -- the titular Mrs. Frisby, re-named Mrs. Brisby in the MGM movie -- faced with a crisis when her son falls ill and she must move her family to escape a farmer's plow.

Mrs. Frisby enlists a group of former lab rats, whom she soon discovers run a highly evolved society, who possess advanced technologies and divide labor in the manner of a human community.

Formerly relegated to sidekick status, rodents have recently come into their own as leading, er, men. This weekend "G-Force," which centers on a mission undertaken by a group of CG guinea pigs, took the boxoffice cheese, earning $32 million and besting holdover "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

Those familiar with "NIMH" noted, however, that the material had elements of a parable and reflected more serious ideas than the comparatively light comedy of "G-Force."

It's likely the new "NIMH" would combine live-action and animation in the manner of "Alvin & the Chipmunks" and other kiddie hybrids.

Granat is a family-fare veteran, producing pics at Walden that include "Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D" and serving as exec producer in the first pic in the "Spy Kids" franchise.

"NIMH" would be Burger's first foray into family fare. The CAA-repped writer-director's previous work includes the Ed Norton period magician tale "The Illusionist" and the Tim Robbins post-Iraq pic "The Lucky Ones." He's also on board to write the "Bride of Frankenstein" reboot at Universal."

 

[Bildi]

Dunno if anyone listens to commentaries but 3:10 to Yuma's director's commentary is excellent.

Tim Burton still reigns as worst at doing a commentary unless you enjoy silence and don't want to hear how they achieved anything in the movie.

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

I was given a copy of The Room by a co-worker 'cause he knows I'm a sucker for crap.  Wasn't expecting it to be this awesome though.  Now I kinda want to go see it in the theater for the complete experience.

[Phoenix Dark]

Dunno if anyone listens to commentaries but 3:10 to Yuma's director's commentary is excellent.

Tim Burton still reigns as worst at doing a commentary unless you enjoy silence and don't want to hear how they achieved anything in the movie.

I usually can't stand commentaries; I'll watch for a few minutes before getting an urge to actually watch it without the commentary. Best I've run across is the one for A Series of Unfortunate Events. It's simply hilarious, everyone must watch it

[Bildi]

Yeah, I can only watch them straight after watching the movie itself.

One of the funniest I heard is Lord of the Rings 1 extended edition with the hobbit actors.  Especially how they made a fictional game based on 'tag' called 'tig' and convinced Elijah Woods it was real, then changed the rules while playing which meant Elijah always lost.

[chronovore]

Yeah, I can only watch them straight after watching the movie itself.

One of the funniest I heard is Lord of the Rings 1 extended edition with the hobbit actors.  Especially how they made a fictional game based on 'tag' called 'tig' and convinced Elijah Woods it was real, then changed the rules while playing which meant Elijah always lost.

That's excellent. For some reason, I've wanted to see Elijah Wood punched in the face ever since Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

[Tucah]

Tropic Thunder commentary was brilliant for having Robert Downey Jr. in character during it.

[Great Rumbler]

I was given a copy of The Room by a co-worker 'cause he knows I'm a sucker for crap.  Wasn't expecting it to be this awesome though.  Now I kinda want to go see it in the theater for the complete experience.

You should pick up the Rifftrax commentary for that.

Dunno if anyone listens to commentaries but 3:10 to Yuma's director's commentary is excellent.

Tim Burton still reigns as worst at doing a commentary unless you enjoy silence and don't want to hear how they achieved anything in the movie.

I usually can't stand commentaries; I'll watch for a few minutes before getting an urge to actually watch it without the commentary. Best I've run across is the one for A Series of Unfortunate Events. It's simply hilarious, everyone must watch it

The commentary for The Thing is all kind of awesome. It's basically two hours of Kurt Russel and John Carpenter drinking and smoking.

[Great Rumbler]

There's no way they'll let it be as dark as the first movie.

[Madrun Badrun]

secret of NIHM was awesome. 

[Joe Molotov]

I know when I think Secret of NIMH, the first thing I think is "I wish this was more like the Alvin & the Chimpmunks movie."

[Great Rumbler]

secret of NIHM was awesome. 

Don Bluth turned out some really good movies in the 80's and early 90's.

I know when I think Secret of NIMH, the first thing I think is "I wish this was more like the Alvin & the Chimpmunks movie."

Yeah, or G-Force.

[BobFromPikeCreek]

I was given a copy of The Room by a co-worker 'cause he knows I'm a sucker for crap.  Wasn't expecting it to be this awesome though.  Now I kinda want to go see it in the theater for the complete experience.

It's so great. I wish I could go to one of them monthly midnight showings in LA. Tommy Wiseau is often there.

[Cyanista]

I recently watched Stardust.  It was gay, I was rooting for the witch.    It really wanted to be The Princess Bride.

[Mr. Gundam]

They just pick shitty scripts. From Hell?

And, Gary Whitta:
[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

lol u mad?

u mad

[Tauntaun]

[youtube=560,345]KvS5jmB1jzI[/youtube]

Fallout 3: The Mother Fucking movie

So awesome

Fight scenes looked weak, will have to see more of this to determine it's awesome level. 

[BlueTsunami]

Finished watching "Network" just a half an hour ago. What a perfect, awesome movie.

I loved the two threads in the movie, the surreal nature of TV and its effect on people and the actual human connection Max is trying to make with that crazy network chick.

Also I seriously got "Glen Beck" vibes from Howard Beale. Not the messages but the affective way they both deliver their message. Obviously, one is a movie character and the other is reality and that shit is just scary.

[ManaByte]

Pirates 4 starts filming next year:

Disney is on the verge of putting Rob Marshall in as director of a fourth installment of “Pirates of the Caribbean,” a move that puts the film on track for a 2010 production start, with Johnny Depp back as Captain Jack Sparrow.

[Kestastrophe]

I just saw "The Hurt Locker". Very tense movie and difficult to watch; there is a scene within the first 10 minutes that really sets the tone of the entire film. I thought it was excellent and it did a good job of portraying how stressful war is

[Bebpo]

I recently watched Stardust.  It was gay, I was rooting for the witch.    It really wanted to be The Princess Bride.

 

In a world of very, very few good fantasy movies, it was a good fantasy movie

[ManaByte]

You haven't lived until you've listened to the Conan the Barbarian commentary.

[chronovore]

I recently watched Stardust.  It was gay, I was rooting for the witch.    It really wanted to be The Princess Bride.

 

In a world of very, very few good fantasy movies, it was a good fantasy movie

The book is better; it looks like it's going to go to All the Usual Places for a clichéd fantasy story, and then neatly sidesteps them. As opposed to the movie, which plants its feet squarely in the cowpie cliché, then wriggles its toes in it.

[JaySosa]

Punisher 2, excellent cast(Officer McNulty!! and

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Dexters wife

[close]

/Angelus girlfriend looks stunning with black hair!) but somewhat dissappointing movie. Its like a splatterfilm crossed with a superhero movie and that just doesn't seem to work for me. And turned off Friday the 13th remake after about 10 minutes, something just wasnt right and I usually like somewhat dumb slasher movies (Like Wrong turn 2 or TCM:Beginning).

[ferrarimanf355]

My parents saw Watchmen yesterday, and my dad thought it was crap. And yes, he read the original comics and liked it. My mom thought the same thing, and that Dr. Manhattan's meat whistle was too... distracting. And that Zack Snyder was compensating for something.

I think Snyder's secretly gay, though.

[Don Flamenco]

just finished American Movie.  I, um, thought it was a mockumentary the whole time    then at the credits I figured it out.   Great stuff.

[ManaByte]

The Hurt Locker is fucking awesome.

[ManaByte]

[ManaByte]

From the soundtrack??
http://www.avatarmovie.com/

[Diunx]

AVATAR

[Tucah]

(500) Days of Summer.

Fantastic. The leads were great, the film was charming, funny and thoroughly entertaining. I loved it.

[Bildi]

Devil Wears Prada - I think this is what you'd class as a chick flick but it was on TV and I started watching it.  It was OK for a change of pace.

[ch1nchilla]

I'm super close to driving to Blockbuster and renting that Beyonce movie (I think it's called Obsessed?) on Blu-ray.

[BlueTsunami]

Watched "Funny People", it was great but some aspects fell flat. They could have really done without the really mellowdramatic shit at the end. Also, Adam Sandler really knows how to channel that douchiness and unlikability.

[Tauntaun]

AVATAR

[ch1nchilla]

Watched Obsessed last night. It was entertaining for what it was (and it looked win on Blu-ray), and Beyonce is just insanely hot.

[ManaByte]

First image of Haley as Freddy Krueger in the remake.

(Image removed from quote.)

I'm actually shocked that they didn't try to screw with his look like everyone else has done with every slasher remake this generation.

Yeah. I mean they didn't CHANGE Jason either but it was such a terrible movie either way. I'm hoping they make Nightmare less camp than it became towards the end.

The footage shown at Comic Con shows that Nightmare is pretty much a direct remake.

[BobFromPikeCreek]

(500) Days of Summer.

Fantastic. The leads were great, the film was charming, funny and thoroughly entertaining. I loved it.

Just saw it. I expected to hate it and ended up really, really liking it.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

The Sky Crawlers

I've got a new 2nd favorite Mamoru Oshii film!  Actually, its practically the same as Avalon, which was way similar to GITS, with isn't all that different from GITS:2.  And I'm sure if I go even further back through his resume, I'll find that the home movies he shot when he was twelve were about the alienating effects of war, technology, and his lovable basset hound.  For a guy who makes largely similar and purposely languid, ponderous, and melancholy films, at least he makes them visually stunning with infrequent but masterful jolts of action, and some interesting ideas and subtext.

But yeah, long story short.  Its an anime film, I liked it.  So shoot me why don't cha?

[Great Rumbler]

The Sky Crawlers

I've got a new 2nd favorite Mamoru Oshii film!  Actually, its practically the same as Avalon, which was way similar to GITS, with isn't all that different from GITS:2.  And I'm sure if I go even further back through his resume, I'll find that the home movies he shot when he was twelve were about the alienating effects of war, technology, and his lovable basset hound.  For a guy who makes largely similar and purposely languid, ponderous, and melancholy films, at least he makes them visually stunning with infrequent but masterful jolts of action, and some interesting ideas and subtext.

But yeah, long story short.  Its an anime film, I liked it.  So shoot me why don't cha?

Rather than being about war or technology and all that, I've heard that Sky Crawlers is actually a metaphor for

spoiler (click to show/hide)

otaku culture in Japan. Basically, otaku man-babies never want to grow up or get involved with any serious personal relationships with other human beings. In the end, they all got shot down by The Teacher [aka an actual adult].

[close]

[ManaByte]

Cast for Machete announced!
http://news-briefs.ew.com/2009/08/05/machete-cast-releas/

The confirmed cast of Robert Rodriguez’s (and protégé Ethan Maniquis’s) next movie, Machete, was announced in Variety today, and there are some unexpected names making the cut. Machete features Danny Trejo playing the title character, a Mexican Charles Bronson-type gun for hire — a character who appeared in a fake trailer for 2007’s Grindhouse.  Starring alongside Trejo will be Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Steven Seagal, Michelle Rodriguez, Nash Bridges co-stars Cheech Marin and Don Johnson, and in her first major film role in some time, Lindsay Lohan. The list puts to bed rumors that Jonah Hill would also join the cast. Machete is expected to hit screens next year.

 

They fucked with the wrong Mexican!

 
[youtube=560,345][/youtube]

[Phoenix Dark]

holy shit @ the cast 

[Solo]

Funny People - yet another decent Apatow movie that runs on like 45 minutes too fucking long.

[EvilBoris]

 New work from Terrence Malick will indeed make it out the the end of the year, also to be accompanied with a curious IMAX doco, 'The Voyage of Time'.
http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2009/08/finally-tree-of-life-scheduled-for.html

 Johnny Depp more interested in tea parties and Sparrow shenanigans and will not 'reprise' his role in The Man Who Killed Don Quixote
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gWqLREHQxBHCMhKCAdktrMpz_HFw
 Parnassus still does not have a US Distributor

[Powerslave]

I know nothing of AVATAR except that it's set in space with ultra realistic CGI.

[ManaByte]

holy shit @ the cast 

People are assuming Lohan will be the daughter from the original spoof trailer.

[etiolate]

Four Brothers

This movie was two brothers too many.

[Diunx]

hermione has some pretty nice tits, will watch the next Harry Potter movies.

[ManaByte]

IESB has learned exclusively (believe me this is solid and I've confirmed it three times over with studio executives and our close ties to CAA) that one of the biggest producers in Hollywood history is currently in active negotiations to develop the feature film adaptation and no it's not Jerry Bruckheimer or Peter Jackson. It's the man behind Jaws, E.T., Indiana Jones and Transformers, Mr. Steven Spielberg.

Spielberg is blown away by writer Stuart Beattie's take on the game in his script entitled HALO THE FALL OF REACH. This coupled with the fact that his Dreamworks umbrella is looking for a big tent pole to help launch their newly independant studio with distribution over at Walt Disney Pictures after losing Transformers to Paramount in the separation, it's the perfect combination.

[TakingBackSunday]

500 Days of Summer was fucking fantastic.

[The Fake Shemp]

BrandNew enjoys hipster flick, news at eleven.