Rate Any Movie You Saw Today << spoiler alert >>

[The Benniest]

I watched Gone Baby Gone on MovesOnDemand this afternoon. Very entertaining, edge-of-your-seat kind of movie. Kept me interested the entire time ... even though I sat down ~ 20 minutes into it. :confused:

8/10

[The Benniest]

Went and saw "Mamma Mia!" after work tonight. It's better than I thought, and Meryl Streep is fantastic in this!

Great for all ages! :D

9/10

[scumonkey]

Aww- C'mon ....would you really spend $12 to see that...
you know the 3 initials I'm thinking of?! :p

[The Benniest]

Well...I did pay only $6.50 to see it. ;)

[scumonkey]

well...ok ...in that case.....
Was it as good a comedy as i was told?
I heard that every time Pierce Brosnan opened his
mouth to sing, nobody in the theater could stop from laughing :p

[The Benniest]

I heard that every time Pierce Brosnan opened his
mouth to sing, nobody in the theater could stop from laughing
That's exactly right. His voice sounded way to stressed and scratchy every time he sang, and it wasn't very entertaining. :confused:

But yes, the movie has some humor. Christine Baranski and Julie Walters (http://thecia.com.au/reviews/m/images/mamma-mia-2.jpg), who are at Meryl's (Donna's) side most of the movie... are hysterial throughout.

And like I said ... Meryl's got a voice!! :eek: :D

[ablarc]

The Wackest. Ben Kingsley as a drug-addled psychiatrist in 1994 New York. Gritty, zany, sex, drugs, despair, plenty of cussing and Mary-Kate Olsen.

[Alonzo-ny]

Saw batman finally, really great Joker performance. After all the hype I didnt know what to expect but Ledger pulled off the character amazingly. Great storyline too.

[The Benniest]

Just finished watching "Stop-Loss" with a few friends. A really sad movie, but a really good movie. Actors like Ryan Phillippe and Channing Tatum give great performances.

8/10

[ablarc]

"Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona" by Woody Allen, with Scarlett Johansson, oscar-winner Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz. A movie about love. Carries you away and leaves you thinking. Great shots of Barcelona.

[smellslikeabid]

Dont mess with the Zohan.

Very funny, and as always in Adam Sandlers films, The awesome background of New York.

8 out of 10

[Merry]

I decided to really relax and watch some DVDs (for a change) on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (26th).

Spring and Port Wine (http://springandportwine.users.btopenworld.com/Spring_And_Port_Wine.html)
To Sir With Love (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062376)

The Swimmer (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063663/)
Fathom (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061653/)
Last of Sheila (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070291)
Juggernaut (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071706/)

Unashamedly a '60s -- and the odd '70s -- fan, although this selection is hardly representative of my tastes, just what I felt like watching on these days.

[Front_Porch]

Thumbs up for "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Grand Torino."

[lofter1]

Save $12.50 and skip "Revolutionary Road" (unless you need a nap)

[BrooklynRider]

I saw the following:


Slumdog Millionaire - EXCELLENT MOVIE

MILK - EXCELLENT MOVIE - Sean Penn deserves an Oscar Nomination

Doubt - EXCELLENT MOVIE - dialogue like this is delicious. An award winning performance by Streep.

The Day The Earth Stood Still - I enjoyed it. I like big screen blockbuster sci-fi. It had some similarities to the original movie, but this will not be a new classic. The story seemed to be too weighed down by some less that perfect casting. Jennifer Connelly and the kid (was he a Will Smith child?) were just not good - and that might be a result of lousy material for the to work with.

Bolt (in 3D) - The hamster in the ball is the best cartoon character in years. The 3D was excellent - very well developed & presented.

[Bob]

The Reader -- F. Kate Winslet topless. Who the heck cares? A snorefest that should have been rated X. Perfect example of what is wrong with the MPAA rating system.

Gran Torino -- A-. Clint Eastwood outdoes himself, and breaks with the PC crowd in Hollywood to deliver a great story. And guess what?! It's NOT filmed in L.A.!

The Wrestler -- A-. Mickey Rourke is fantastic! This movie has some terrific scenes that will have you thinking about the film long after you've seen it. Marisa Tomei is horribly miscast. And she's topless in many scenes...a totally unnecessary component of this movie that adds nothing to the story line. Also, plenty of unnecessary F bombs.

[ablarc]

Slumdog Millionaire - EXCELLENT MOVIE
Agreed! A real cliff-hanger.

(Also answers the question, "Why do 1.2 billion people want to get out of India?")

[Alonzo-ny]

Slumdog Millionaire - EXCELLENT MOVIE

The Day The Earth Stood Still - I enjoyed it. I like big screen blockbuster sci-fi. It had some similarities to the original movie, but this will not be a new classic. The story seemed to be too weighed down by some less that perfect casting. Jennifer Connelly and the kid (was he a Will Smith child?) were just not good - and that might be a result of lousy material for the to work with.



Agreed on both counts. I spent the whole time wanting to slap the kid to shut him the hell up. I thought the step-mum/ kid sub-plot was a big distraction. Otherwise good, although again I dont see what the alien saw to make him want to change his mind. A whiney kid and step-mum who dont get along makes you want to give humans a chance? I found myself wanting the humans to lose.

[Schadenfrau]

The Reader -- F. Kate Winslet topless. Who the heck cares? A snorefest that should have been rated X. Perfect example of what is wrong with the MPAA rating system.

Gran Torino -- A-. Clint Eastwood outdoes himself, and breaks with the PC crowd in Hollywood to deliver a great story. And guess what?! It's NOT filmed in L.A.!

The Wrestler -- A-. Mickey Rourke is fantastic! This movie has some terrific scenes that will have you thinking about the film long after you've seen it. Marisa Tomei is horribly miscast. And she's topless in many scenes...a totally unnecessary component of this movie that adds nothing to the story line. Also, plenty of unnecessary F bombs.

I'm not even joking, Bob- you need to get your own review column. These have been cracking me up...

Kate Winslet topless = awesome. Marisa Tomei = not so much. And what's with the damn cursing? There are kids watching for God's sake!

[The Benniest]

The last movie I was "Marley and Me" with Owen Wilson (right?) and Jennifer Aniston. A really good and quite funny for any age. I definitely teared up around the end though... haha!

Really sad and interesting ending...

[BrooklynRider]

I saw Gran Torino on Saturday not really knowing what it was about beforehand. I liked it. I enjoyed the fact that it wasn't PC. I also found it amusing. Very good work, once again, by Clint.

[ablarc]

^ All that time, Dirty Harry turned out to be a hibernating genius. Mystic River is Greek tragedy.

[Mohamed]

CLOVERFIELD

The End made me stay in bed for 3 days

[The Benniest]

UGH! I saw that movie twice in the theaters but have been meaning to go rent it again!

Thanks for reminding me.... ;)

[scumonkey]

Doubt - Best movie of the year (I've seen all the nominations-and liked most), but....
due to it's controversial subject matter,
I Doubt it will get it's just due at the awards ceremony:cool:

Biggest waste of money (glad I downloaded it for free)- Revolutionary Road
I liked it better the first time I saw it -when it was called
"Who's Afraid of Virgina Wolf"
Done with better witting, and better actors!
I will say that the mentally unstable "Friend" brougt
to dinner was well played, and at the end.....that's exactly
how I felt about the whole movie Spoiler Alert:

I too wished I could have turned down my hearing device,
and tuned the whole thing out;)

[Bob]

B+

DiCaprio just keeps getting better all the time. Your next DeNiro.

Winslet -- between THIS film and The Reader, all you need more to know about Kate Winslet is her bathroom habits. Enough already...she needs to get a new agent, or get some common sense.

Thomas Newman (soundtrack). Simply the greatest film composer today. Sorely overlooked by AMPAS.

Sam Mendes (director). Excellent, but had he demanded better editing this would have turned a B+ film into an A in short order.

Scene stealer: the actor who portrayed the mentally ill mathematician. His performance was worth the price of admission. WHO IS THIS ACTOR? He was AMAZING!

...and finally, set direction and costuming was TERRIFIC. You gotta love those 50s/60s men's suits and narrow ties. Wow.

[lofter1]

His name is Michael Shannon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Shannon) and he's been nominated for an Oscar (http://defamer.com/5137420/good-****ing-riddance-revolutionary-road) as Best Supporting Actor for this performance.

More on Shannon at imdb (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0788335/)

[Fabrizio]

I had not been to the movies since I saw "The Lively Set" with Pamela Tiffin and Doug McClure (-A) but they dragged me out to see "Milk" over the weekend.

I spend most of my time at the movies mainly looking at the art direction and thinking about what I have to do in the morning, but I must say I did enjoy this.

[ablarc]

I saw Gran Torino on Saturday not really knowing what it was about beforehand. I liked it. I enjoyed the fact that it wasn't PC. I also found it amusing. Very good work, once again, by Clint.
In recent years, Eastwood turns out to be a deep guy with a sense of tragedy and a sense of humor. Trick ending to this movie; didn't see it coming. (Don't tell what it is!)

[ablarc]

"International." Clive Owen as an Interpol agent hot on the heels of the conspirators that actually run the world. An ending the MPAA would have suppressed in its day.

[ablarc]

^ Oh...and you get to see them utterly destroy the interior of the Guggenheim in a vicious gunfight.

[User Name]

Taken - excellent movie, although Neeson shows his age in some of the more 'action packed' sequences.

Friday the 13th - dreadful waste of money and time.

[krulltime]

^ :D My friend wanted me to see Friday the 13th this weekend. I will make sure she gets the message.


Movies I have seen lately,

Gran Toirino (Good), Doubt (Very Good), Milk (Very Good), Case of Benjamin Button (Very Good), Unborn (Bad), The Day The Earth Stood Still (Ok), Yes Man (Ok), I guess that is it.

[Gregory Tenenbaum]

DiCaprio just keeps getting better all the time. Your next DeNiro.

Just wait till he plays Richard Kuklinski.

My favorite film was Taken, saw it recently. Liam Neeson is badass at showing off his krav maga to some bad Albanian dudes.

Greetings from beautiful Oradea everyone, 30 cm of snow and still coming down.

Nagyvarad, Vauban fortress included. Awesome town.

[The Benniest]

Went to "Confessions of a Shopaholic" with my aunt and uncle tonight. It had some hilarious parts, as well as some slow parts... it had everything!

Anyone else seen this?

[Bob]

B+

Refreshing to see a film NOT filmed in Los Angeles.

Makes you think twice about visiting India. Behind the front story of this film is a thinly-disguised swipe against the government and people of India.

This is a very good film, and I do recommend it. I will also (again) recommend the far better, "Children of Huang Shi," which should have been nominated for best picture. (It's now available on DVD.)

[eddhead]

Agree with Bob's assessment of DiCaprio on Revolutionary Road, although overall I would probably rate the movie a "B". It was well done, very heavy and hard to sit through however. Kind of brought me down, but at the same time it gave me a lot to think about. I will say that Winslet was amazing

Slumdog was a solid A, and I agree with the Academy on this one. Great story and performances all around. I thought about that movie for days.

I realize this thread is about movies, but I also want to give a plug to "In The Heights" at the Richard Rogers . Score was much different than anything I have heard on Bd'way and I throughly enjoyed it.

[TREPYE]

Im really wanna see "Revolutionary Road" but I was reading an article about Kate Winslet and spoiled it for me, I'm gonna see it anyways. I must say though, Kate Winslet is freaking gorgeous, specially when she is not wearing any makeup which makes her even hotter. She is #1 on my list, with Salma H. a close second.

Recently saw "My Best Friends Girl" with Dane Cook, Kate Hudson, Alec Balwin, and that dork from American pie.

Surprinsingly, the movie was overall entertaining and definitely funny; but Alec Baldwin was awesome! There is one scene he does that has to be the funniest "true story" telling scene I have ever seen....I had to pause the movie I was laughing so hard.:)

[scumonkey]

save yourself the boredom....
If you wanna see a beautiful, plain face Kate- watch "The Reader".
It's a better movie, and her acting is better in it, than that other snore fest. ;)

[BrooklynRider]

I just got in from seeing "Watchmen". The movie should have been called "The Distraction of the Blue Penis".

If your a fanboy of the book, I imagine you will love this. I didn't know the book and I found the movie to be more of a badly acted melodrama than anything else. Amusing was the hotel room number (3001) getting bombarded and seeing the "1" fall off. A little homage to the directors better film "300".

I've seen worse films, but I'd never recommend this to anyone. Considering the hype, this was a HUGE disappointment.

[BrooklynRider]

Bravo! A superhero who is not wearing sissy tights!

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd121/BrooklynRiderRob/Manhattan.jpg

[TREPYE]

save yourself the boredom....
If you wanna see a beautiful, plain face Kate- watch "The Reader".
It's a better movie, and her acting is better in it, than that other snore fest. ;)

Thanks for the heads up but looking at that beauty I will not get bored...


Kate Winslet is freaking gorgeous, specially when she is not wearing any makeup which makes her even hotter.


Case and point.....

http://img.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/2009/1101090302_400.jpg (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/0,9263,7601090302,00.html)

;)

[lofter1]

Believe it: "Revolutionary Road" is deadly dull.

[Ninjahedge]

I saw Watchmen as well, while I would not rate it as poorly as BR, I can see some things that were rather wrong with it....


First off is that it really does not stand on its own. You need to read the comic (book). There is so much more info in the comic it just is not funny, and it gets you to appreciate some of the references, backstory, and visual clues included (such as the guy with the "The End Is Near" sign that you see walking around a lot).

That being said, and having read the book (recently) I am impressed with how true to the original the story was. Some of the characters were dead on. The Comedian, Night Owl and Rorschach were perfect.

Jon sounded like HAL (meh), Silk was great naked (and not much else), and Ozymandias looked like David Byrne and Dana Carvey combined. With a wig. :p

The fight scenes were well choreographed, for the most part, although they made some of them too stacked to be believable (hello 300), and some just too gruesome (hello broken bones!). People were being flung about like ragdolls and you really had to suspend your belief in physics sometimes, but it was still done in a way that was generally entertaining.

The first 2 hours or so of the movie is great (again if you read the book), but then they try to compress things down and revise them to fit the 3 hour limit in the last hour. Certain lines that read great sounded awful in the movie (Condemn or Condone?) and the necessary plot change sapped some of the strength and believability in the final solution that was proposed and enacted.

Oh, and Ozy was SUPPOSED to be a VERY hansome and likable character, but this guy just gave me the creeps the whole flik.


So, rating it?

I would give it a 5 to 6 w/o reading, and around a 7 to 8 (not 8!) if you read the book. It was a faithful flik, and some of the characters were great, but it just did not gel.

And I miss the Hacksaw and Kerosene..........

[eddhead]

I did not find Revolutionary Road dull ... just real heavy and dark. I thought the performances were excellent however. Still I struggled with it.

The Reader was much more to my liking. Winslet was really powerful and was somehow able to evoke a level of empathy from me, despite the horrifying role she played as SS concentration guard ... immoral but almost amoral... What a juxtaposition of emotions, a classic tragic and flawed character. I thought about that movie and her character for days.

She really is special, able to portray such a wide array of roles. She and Cate Blanchett are probably the two best right now.

[Alonzo-ny]

I just got in from seeing "Watchmen". The movie should have been called "The Distraction of the Blue Penis".

If your a fanboy of the book, I imagine you will love this. I didn't know the book and I found the movie to be more of a badly acted melodrama than anything else. Amusing was the hotel room number (3001) getting bombarded and seeing the "1" fall off. A little homage to the directors better film "300".

I've seen worse films, but I'd never recommend this to anyone. Considering the hype, this was a HUGE disappointment.

I just saw this also. I agree with everything BR has said. I mean if you want to spend god knows how much on CGI penises then make something everyone can watch. And almost 3 hours long? Give me a break.

[Bob]

Terrific movie...lots of fun! This is a screwball comedy of the highest order. Everything about the film is amazing: the art deco sets and fashions, the clever dialogue, the top-shelf choreography and dancing...you name it! And guess what? Entertainment with not an F bomb in sight. A terrific film with great music, and yes... I saw it on the big screen where it belongs. Put away the cell phone and Blackberry, and have the patience to check it out on video. I give this movie a solid A.

[eddhead]

Bob's post reminded me that I saw two similar movies on turner classics this weekend while attending to my g/f who was a bit under the weather

"Who Was That Lady" 1960 Staring Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, Dean Martin, James Whitmore (who was incredible), and Larry Keating. The film also featured uncredited roles for Jack Benny and others

"There Goes Mr. Jordan" 1941 with Robert Montgomery, Claude Raines, and James Gleason who was tremendous. This movie was kind of remade in 1978 under the tittle "Heaven Can Wait" starring Warren Beatty as Joey Pendleton, the football player substituting for the Robert Montgomery who starred as the same named boxer in the original. Frankly, despite the acclaim and Oscar nominations, the remake pales in comparison to the original. It is not even close.

I only wish that like Bob, I could have watched these on the "Big Screen", although thankfully neither were colorized. I enjoyed both immensely

In addition, I saw "Annie Hall" (1977) again, for the first time in about 20 years. For me, that movie really withstands the test of time notwithstanding differences in style, culture, and well our views of the NY and LA lifestyles, probably because the primary themes transcend all of that. What a great film, in my mind Woody Allen's best by far. Not hard to see how this movie put Diane Keating on the proverbial map, both she and Allen were terrific.

[MidtownGuy]

Upon eddhead's review I'm going to watch The Reader, hopefully tonight.

"Waltz With Bashir": an excellent, visually stunning animated film depicting Director and writer Ari Folman's journey toward finding his lost memories of the 1982 Lebanon War. It is absolutely remarkable.
http://waltzwithbashir.com/

On a totally different note, I recently saw a superb movie from Sweden called "Let the Right One In". It's a thriller, though not in the American sense. Not for people who expect their thrillers to be fast paced and full of special effects, but this thoughtful and eerily beautiful movie spooked me for days. Really special.
http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/10/24/movies/24righ.html

[eddhead]

Not a movie, but last week I went to m first Opera, Madame Butterfly, at the Met, and I surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The theme was typically tragic and heart wrenching. The stage, costumes, and scenery were visually stunning and to at least me (the previously uninitiated) the performers were credible and talented.

Forgive me if this sounds sexist, but for male first-timers, I am not sure this is the right show to break in on. Perhaps something more rousing like Carmen or Barber of Seville (neither of which I have seen) would be more appropriate. Still, I am glad I went and completely enjoyed it.

MOD understand this may be considered off-topic and will understand if you delete.

[MidtownGuy]

Saw The Reader last night. Me likee.

[Bob]

F-

Laughable, literally unwatchable dreck! A tragedy this film (?) shares the same title as the classic original from the 1950s. Worst movie I have seen in several years.

[eddhead]

Saw The Reader last night. Me likee.
Great flick. Glad you liked it, I was feeling a bit or pressure there dude ;)

[The Benniest]

Watched the movie "Role Models (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430922/)" with some friends tonight. A pretty funny movie... I enjoyed it. :)

[MidtownGuy]

Dostana is a fun and sexy Bollywood movie filmed in Miami. It's about two macho guys who pretend to be gay in order to share a killer apartment with a very attractive young woman looking for roommates. The movie is eye candy, not just for the men and woman who play the leads, but for the way the whole thing is filmed. With some genuinely funny moments, some really touching ones, and a few great musical numbers, this is a very entertaining film.

http://www.dostanathefilm.com/

[Bob]

Everlasting Moments. B+

Swedish film. Slowly paced, good story of a woman who persistently stands by her less-than-perfect husband to raise her family. (Not a chick flick, guys.) The lead actor in this film is terrific! Don't let the subtitles bother you. This is a really good film, worth checking out.


Gomorrah. A

Italian film, subtitled. Story of today's Mafia in Sicily. Brutal and straight-up. Riveting. Not to miss.

[eddhead]

Bob, you see some great flicks.

[scumonkey]

Salò the 120 Days of Sodom :eek:
Wanted to see how this one ended for a long time-
(first time I got a chance to watch it back in 1985 at a Harvard screening-it's been banned in a lot of places-
I couldn't make it all the way through to the end- but almost)!
Written and directed by Pier Palolo Pasolini- his last film
before being murdered.
based on the book The 120 days of Sodom by the Marquis de Sade-
NOT for the faint of heart!!!!
Everything in this flik from rape, torture, mutilation, to eating of feces
(this was extra gross)!
There are more than one version of this film- find the dvd put out by the British Film Institute for the full version.
(don't eat before watching !!)

[Ninjahedge]

Pineapple Express: Mindless. Some funny parts lampooning the typical pothead, but that quickly degenerates into a bunch of slapstick coupled with an unbelievable plot.

Taken: Liam Neilson (sp) as a bad arse. Excellent action scenes with decent fight coreography, but the plot has a couple of 1 in a million happenings and coincidences. Good semi-mindless fun though.




It might be a good idea to have the first post edited to list the movies started in the thread, the people who saw them and a quick rating (with a link to the post that rated it so you can read the description).

It would make it handy to use this as a reference when looking for something to rent.....

[Bob]

A-

Excellent film. Not what I was expecting, at all! Not for the kids. The opening sequence took some cues from the Odessa steps scene in Battleship Potemkin. The war room scene tipped the hat to Kubrick and Ken Adams (Dr. Strangelove.) Nice touches. This is the kind of stuff that real movie buffs enjoy.

Was also nice to see the Twin Towers featuring prominently, in several scenes.

Best line has to be "I'm not in here with you. You're in here with me." Sure to be a classic addition to popular culture!

See it in the theaters while you still can. This is a big movie with great attention to detail. Some of the scenes are downright brilliant. It deserves to be seen on the big screen, or at least, the biggest movie theater screen you can find.

[Countesss]

Salò the 120 Days of Sodom :eek:
Wanted to see how this one ended for a long time-
(first time I got a chance to watch it back in 1985 at a Harvard screening-it's been banned in a lot of places-
I couldn't make it all the way through to the end- but almost)!
Written and directed by Pier Palolo Pasolini- his last film
before being murdered.
based on the book The 120 days of Sodom by the Marquis de Sade-
NOT for the faint of heart!!!!
Everything in this flik from rape, torture, mutilation, to eating of feces
(this was extra gross)!
There are more than one version of this film- find the dvd put out by the British Film Institute for the full version.
(don't eat before watching !!)

This is one of my all-time FAVORITE films; incredibly disturbing and beautifully done. Just to let folks know, those naughty tidbits were prosthetics and the scat was chocolate-covered marzipan and syrup! :rolleyes:

Brilliant movie... simply brilliant. Pasolini was a flippin' genius ~~~ RIP!

[scumonkey]

Glad you liked it:)
However-prosthetic s or not, watching people eat what looks like She-ite,
and then watching (very realistically I might add), tongues being cut off etc., is not for the faint of heart.
I will say in my defense that by the time I got up to leave the
(what was a packed and oversold standing room only) theater,
The only persons left to see the end were my partner and one other person- who had somehow fallen asleep.
A few years latter, I did manage to sit through the ending.
(the older I get it seems, the more squeamish I become at the sight of body slicing torture).

[lofter1]

"The Graduate" at MoMA (part of the current Mike Nichols retrospective through the end of April).

Still crazy after all these years.

Spoiler Alert: Benjamin gets the girl. Beyond that, who knows :confused: ...

[Ninjahedge]

Two fliks.

One, I forgot the name, but it was a Nordic Vampire flik.... The right one?

It had some moments, but failed on a lot of little things (and the cultural difference probably did not help much). maybe a realistic 4/10. Not horrible, but definitely below "average" for a true "thinking" horror flik.....


The other?

Enchanted.

Bleh. The cartoon at the beginning was funny, spoofing their own Disney fairy tale stuff. But the reality part was incredibly stupid. NYC was portrayed with typical ignorance of what NYC really is, the characters were either idiotic or unrealistic. "Daddy" was, of course, rich (all heroes need to be rich in these things).

Some humorous parts, and good compared to OTHER films trying the same thing, but again a 4/10.

[Bob]

C-

A two hour Hollywood cliche. Shall we check off the list?

Los Angeles -- check.
Left wing political message, in your face -- check.
Hero worship of the dregs of society -- check.
Slam against elected GOP (only) politicians -- check.
"Facts" placed on last scene of movie -- check.

QED. I have now told you everything you need to know about this film.

[lofter1]

Since last October I've seen the preview of that one ^ so many times I was able to skip it save myself $12.50 :cool:

[lofter1]

Recommended for rockers and others: "ANVIL!: The Story of Anvil (http://www.cinematical.com/2009/04/09/review-anvil-the-story-of-anvil/)"

[ablarc]

"The Boy in Striped Pajamas", a sad fable.

[BrooklynRider]

I saw "Run Silent, Run Deep" the other night. Clark Gable, Burt Lancaster, & Jack Warden. Great.

[.pulchritudinous.]

Saw The Reader last night. Me likee.


This movie was probably my favorite movie I've seen since being back in the states. I definitely cried at the end, though.

[Bob]

B

Interesting story of a young Dominican man struggling to find his way into major league baseball. His efforts to leave the poverty of D.R. and make a living in the United States are strewn with roadblocks, such as adjustment to a different culture, learning English, etc.

The movie ends with many loose ends. Intentional or not, this film could easily be followed up with a sequel that answers the question, "Gee, I wonder how he made out in the end?"

One particular scene is a remarkable piece of filmmaking. It follows the main character out of a building, through another, and then into a bowling alley, all the time keeping the main character in focus while every else is in a blur, AND featuring almost flawless camera movement as if the camera were on rails. Yes, I know what a steadicam is, but if this was the result of steadicam use, it's probably the best I've ever seen. For this one scene alone, the film is worth the price of admission.

[MidtownGuy]

I saw "The Great Debaters" last night and I thought it was wonderful.

[lofter1]

Star Trek: I had to go before I heard all the spoiler alerts. Saw it in DFLP and suffice to say it's all pretty fun and really well done. However most of the film covers the initial meetings and introductions of all the characters that Trekkies know and love. The filmmakers might be hard pressed to come up with the inevitable sequals that are truly viable and which will require more in-depth plotting.

[scumonkey]

The sequal script has already been commissioned ;)

[Bronxbombers]

I saw Next Day Air in Los Angeles,CA. today for $8.75.

[The Benniest]

Currently watching "Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1273675/). I believe it's the last performance.

It's amazing!! I love it!!

[Bob]

B

Complex script. Surprisingly coherent, adult political drama. No gratuitous F-bombs (thank you.)

Good cast. Helen Mirren, as always, is terrific. Also good to see Jeff Daniels on the big screen!

This movie was good despite its not-so-subtle "big business is bad" slant.

[Ace]

Comorra

A film about the Italian crime family The Comorra and how it affects the society in Napels. From tailors to stay-at-home moms. The film feels like a documentary, thats what makes it so intense and real. However i kinda missed the story part, like i already said it's more of a documentary than a film with a plot. but as a documentary/film it's really good, worth to watch!

[Bob]

I refer my right honorable friend to the post I issued (#306) some time ago. Glad you liked it, too. Probably the best thing to hit the screen this year, and unfortunately overlooked.

[The Benniest]

I saw the Wolverine movie this afternoon. It was definitely better than I expected but there were quite a few points where the special effects were definitely obvious. :confused:

[BrooklynRider]

Currently watching "Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1273675/). I believe it's the last performance.

It's amazing!! I love it!!

I attended that performance!

[Bronxbombers]

I saw Angel and Demons. Angels and Demons is a very very good movie. I slept through all of the previews. And I slept through 1 part of Angels and Demons since I woke before 5 A.M. this morning.

[Ninjahedge]

Just saw Apocolypto (?). The Gibson flik.

It was OK. Some really great scenery, but a little over-exaggeration of some of teh plot points. An over-compression of the time in some instances (like how long it took to get to the main city and how long is took going the other way...)

Also, things like people getting injured, in that period of time, in the jungle, and no-one getting infected. And so on and so on.

Rental? Maybe, depends on your tastes. I thought it was a decent movie, but seriously not realistic.

[orangecountyuk14]

Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

as it is already one of my favourite movies and i just got it on DVD, i was watching it for the third/fourth time.. and it never gets old! :)

[TREPYE]

Captivating movie about the passage of time, told in a different angle. Brad Pitt's acting and narrating was great and more than made up for his pathetic showing on Burn After Reading. Extremely well done and neatly presented although some what long (~ 2.5 hours). The scene of how the outcome several different events ends up in an impactful scene of the movie (the taxi scene in Paris) has to be one of the best scenes I have ever seen in a film, just brilliantly made.

Great movie, I highly recommend it.

[ZippyTheChimp]

Fast Times at Ridgemont High

Jeff Spicoli & Mr Hand
http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/050816/050816_fastimes_bcol_3p.widec.jpg

Who would've thought what Sean Penn would become.

[The Benniest]

Saw Up! and The Hangover in the last couple of days.

Both excellent, excellent movies! I enjoyed 'Up!' far more though. :)

[The Benniest]

Saw "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" last night. Absolutely fantastic! Loved every minute! Definitely a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through!

9.5/10

[meesalikeu]

Saw "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" last night. Absolutely fantastic! Loved every minute! Definitely a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through!

9.5/10

^ i saw a review that praised it. do you think it's better than the original?

comorra. i wanna see that one for sure.


i bought tampopo on dvd and just watched it recently after not seeing it since it came out in the 1980's. it's a quirky, funny, lovely japanese movie and world cinema classic. it's all about about ramen noodles, japanese culture, film and life. it will also make even the hardest hardcore urbanite feel a lot better about their fellow man.:) i'm so glad i picked it up, after all these years i am happy to say it remains one of my favorites. 10/10.

http://www.tune-in-tokyo.com/wp-content/uploads/tampopo1.jpg http://www.susu.at/diary-pix/tampopo.jpg

[The Benniest]

I never saw the original movie. :confused:

[scumonkey]

You should (was easily downloadable as a torrent file)- it's awesome- much better than the second remake a few years back- this is the third :D

[Ninjahedge]

Just saw Role Models.

REALLY REALLY stupid, pointless, unrealistic movie.

I laughed all the way through it. Rare for me.

[eddhead]

Saw Mary Poppins this weekend with the gf and her parents (they are into that kind of thing) Actually, I kind of liked it.

[Fabrizio]

This is the best film I haven't seen yet.... and I highly recommend it:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v33/ronaldo/food-inc-poster.jpg

http://www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-film.php

[BrooklynRider]

I saw UP today. Not as good as Wall-E, but on par with Bolt.

I also saw Moon. Interesting story and very well done considering its $5mil budget.

[.pulchritudinous.]

Saw "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" last night. Absolutely fantastic! Loved every minute! Definitely a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through!

9.5/10

I just saw this on Friday, and I agree that it's a very good movie - I just had a problem with Ryder's voice in this one. John Trovalta played the part amazingly, I'm just not sure he quite had the voice for it. (That's just my opinion.)

[User Name]

Definitely not worth going to see unless you enjoy wasting money and time.

Wait for the DVD and rent it if you must... or wait for it to be on free TV.

[Bob]

A solid "A."

Depp is phenomenal in this film. The art direction, continuity, and costumes are spot-on and each worthy of an Academy Award. Some of the scenes will blow you away with their period authenticity and incredible attention to detail. This film cost some big money to make, and it shows. Some details are only on screen for a half second, but somebody working on this film thought it important to spend money for that half second. NRA "We do our Part" poster...you got it. Hand painted names on office glass doors...you got it. Veneer wood in a telephone operator's switchboard room, but of course.

Cameo appearance by who appeared to be Diana Krall...interesting touch.

Shootout sequence at log cabin is Battleship Potemkin quality -- a truly stunning sequence which makes this film a MUST SEE for a second or third time. The director, Michael Mann, can be brilliant when he wants to be.

Art deco fans will love the sets and the architecture. And the bakelite. And the spectator shoes. And the neon signs. And, well you get the idea.

Absolutely NO continuity errors, at least that I could pick out. No handicapped curb cuts, no modern-style post office boxes, no sodium vapor street lights, etc. This movie is like a time warp, transporting you to 1933. Zowee.

The only downsides to this otherwise SUPERB film:

1. Early part of film is poorly edited, with choppy/jerky camera work that makes it difficult to view. This style of camera work is largely ended halfway through the film. It really seems as if a different cinematographer took over the production halfway through filming. Very easy to notice this...it's almost as if two separate films were spliced together.

2. The music score should be SCRAPPED, and replaced with something from Thomas Newman. That CAN be done and SHOULD be done. Newman's brilliance would be a better match for this film.

In short, SEE IT. This is a visual FEAST, with a decent story, to boot.

[Bob]

C-

Predictable, mindless glop. The only saving grace to this movie is the scenery of Alaska. I wouldn't even call this a chick flick. I suspect most women would find this movie offensive in a big way. Sandra Bullock can certainly do better than THIS.

[The Benniest]

^^ I saw this one this afternoon. I LOVED it! I could not stop laughing! I thought Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds did a fantastic job! And Betty White..... BRAVO!

I'm seeing "Bruno" this Friday. I thought "Borat" was hilariously stupid and cannot wait for this one! Anyone else going to be attending? :) :rolleyes:

[BrooklynRider]

I saw The Hurt Locker tonight. High suspense Iraqi War film. Appreciably, it was low in gore and high in intensity. Well-worth the price of a NYC movie ticket. I thought it was excellent.

From the NY Times review (which I totally agree with)...

If “The Hurt Locker” is not the best action movie of the summer, I’ll blow up my car. The movie is a viscerally exciting, adrenaline-soaked tour de force of suspense and surprise, full of explosions and hectic scenes of combat, but it blows a hole in the condescending assumption that such effects are just empty spectacle or mindless noise. Ms. Bigelow [the director], whose body of work (including “Point Break,” (http://movies.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=38541&inline=nyt_ttl) “Blue Steel,” (http://movies.nytimes.com/gst/movies/titlelist.html?v_idlist=6292;85525;6291&inline=nyt_ttl) “Strange Days” (http://movies.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=135023&inline=nyt_ttl) and “K-19: The Widowmaker” (http://movies.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=263138&inline=nyt_ttl)) has been uneven but never uninteresting, has an almost uncanny understanding of the circuitry that connects eyes, ears, nerves and brain. She is one of the few directors for whom action-movie-making and the cinema of ideas are synonymous. You may emerge from “The Hurt Locker” shaken, exhilarated and drained, but you will also be thinking.

[lofter1]

Excellent filmmaking ^

Insightful, riddled with tension and unexpected twists & turns. Iraq as a Circle of Hell.

I'm currently reading "The Forever War (http://www.amazon.com/Forever-War-Dexter-Filkins/dp/0307266397)" by Dexter Filkins, which is a horrifying but illuminating companion piece to "The Hurt Locker"

[lofter1]

And then yesterday ... I admit it ... I went to see BRUNO, which is ridiculous and very funny in parts. It seems that, these days, folks are so familiar with porn that the sex scenes were bothersome to hardly anyone and most of the Times Square audience (by far the best place to see this one) thought those scenes a riot.

The ending was the big surprise for me (no Spoiler on that part -- wouldn't want to ruin the surprise).

Bruno Diggs it (http://digg.com/dialogg/Bruno_1) and has his own reasons why everyone should see the whole film:


Sacha Baron Cohen made a rare break from character to promote 'Bruno' on Letterman as himself Tuesday night (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/07/sacha-baron-cohen-on-lett_n_227465.html), but he was back on the show Thursday as Bruno to deliver the Top Ten List.

See Bruno + Dave chat it up HERE (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/10/bruno-does-letterman-top_n_229431.html).

Can a guy ever use too much bronzer?

http://digg.com/img/dialogg/bruno.jpg

:confused:

[Bob]

Should Bruno have been rated NC-17? Or, is the R rating appropriate?

[The Benniest]

I saw Bruno last night as well and was shocked. Was one of the stupidest, funniest, and most graphic movies I've ever seen. This is one movie I wouldn't, and haven't recommended for people. Just, wow...

And I really don't see how it's NOT rated NC-17! In my opinion, an R rating was to little in this case. :confused:

[lofter1]

An R rating (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_Association_of_America_film_rating_ system#NC-17_replaces_X) allows parents to make the decision.

Seems that it's in line with conservative / libertarian thought: Don't have a government sanctioned agency tell folks what they can't do. Let people make the responsible choices for themselves.

it would seem that those who would push for an NC-17 (in any situation) don't trust that individuals will make the smart decision.

[MidtownGuy]

The Hangover was not as funny as everyone claims. I had a few laughs but not the continuous hilarity they hype it to be.

[BrooklynRider]

I saw Bruno and The Hangover this weekend.

Bruno had me laughing out loud in the beginning, but it sputtered out and ended just in time. I found some parts to have no humor in it at all. Bruno is a rather tired and, ultimately, irritating character. I didn't think it was as offensive to the gay community as some suggested in the news media. I just thought some of it was tedious. Going to rural Alabama to go hunting with some locals and being an obnoxious queen is not funny. Considering what he did with Ron Paul, I have no problem with Ron Paul calling him any name he wants.

I thought The Hangover was good, but not the laugh-a-minute riot that it was cracked up to be. I enjoyed the story and found the whole thing entertaining and amusing. However, I laughed out loud more in Bruno.

[Ninjahedge]

The 3 month Free Hbo/etrc promotion has us watching a few fliks.

Just saw Eagle Eye the other night. Meh. Kind of an urban 2001 space oddesy combined with National Security. Much too much literal impossibility in the whole plot to make it even remotely believable.

Just did not like it.

Also, saw bits of the movie 10,000BC? Man what a stupid STUPID movie. Wooly mammoths IN THE DESERT? Oh, and i never knew slaves were so buff and attractive in those days, and that women wore so much mascara, oh and that so many white boys in the deserts of the middle east, had dreds.

[Prometheus]

Funny, but not the side-splitting experience I'd anticipated, based on the raves from friends. It really only gets funny during the last 1/3rd, with the arrival of an Asian gangster. The Mike Tyson section was odd and mirthless.

[Alonzo-ny]

Saw Bruno today, while I laughed out loud alot I think this style of comedy is very tired. The whole interview an unsuspecting person, do something outrageous bit is boring now. I liked it but I dont want to see another Ali G/ Sasha whatever film.

[BrooklynRider]

I'm a Harry Potter fan and plan on seeing it this weekend.:D

[scumonkey]

Did you hear...They are making 2 movies out of the last book :p

[BrooklynRider]

I saw the new Harry Potter movie and was underwhelmed. It's definitely filler; a bridge to the finale. If you've seen the others, you'll need to see it. If you haven't seen the others, stay home. You'll have no idea what is going on. It does, however, may me excited to see the next sequel.

I aslo saw The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. I thought it was excellent. A nicely updated storyline from the original, good direction and editing, and exciting performances. Highly recommended!

[lofter1]

Snape Rules.

[eddhead]

I saw the new Harry Potter movie and was underwhelmed. It's definitely filler; a bridge to the finale. If you've seen the others, you'll need to see it. If you haven't seen the others, stay home. You'll have no idea what is going on. It does, however, may me excited to see the next sequel.

I have read and heard the same from other sources, the NY Times in particular slammed it. That is very disappointing. Like you, I am a huge fan of both the novels and the movies. In fact, I especially enjoyed this novel and as a result had very high expectations.

I will still see it, but I am not quite as enthused as I might otherwise be.

[lofter1]

The real problem stems from the fact that Mr. Radcliffe is just not very interesting. He has little inner life. The fillmakers / story tellers try to compensate by making it seem like he has some internal angst / turmoil, but it just doen't register. This leaves the viewer caring less about the main character than one would want -- and not nearly as much as what the source story demands.

Fortunately for filmgoers HP is surrounded by, for the most part, a fantastic supporting cast -- most pointedly the elder ranks of the latest epic: Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Helena Bonham Carter, Helen McCrory, Jim Broadbent and the previously noted Alan Rickman.

And it looks like next installment of the franchise, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (both Part I (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0926084/) and Part II (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1201607/)), will continue to bring us some fresh characters portrayed by the best actors England has to offer.

[Bob]

B

Exactly what the title says. Gripping and brutal film, worth seeing.

[Ninjahedge]

Hortin Hears a Who.


Silly. Yes.

Filler? Hella-yes. (How much movie can you get from a Seuss story?).

Ups? Lots of hidden jokes in the background that kids would not necessarily pick up on. Light hearted and very fast paced. Excellent cartoon CGI....

Downs? Too many celeb voices. I was constantly trying to figure out "Who was that??!?" w/o IMDB-ing it. ;)

Worth your time for a chuckle, or a stroll down memory lane. Not much else.

[BrooklynRider]

I saw "Public Enemies". Great performances, especially Johnny Depp. Overall, I thought the movie was kind of uneven. I can only compare it to driving with an Asian. They use both feet, so it is constantly stop and go. The movie seemed to unfold the same way.

[Merry]

After reading of Karl Malden's (http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21581) sad passing here on WNY, which included a link to Pollyanna (thanks Lofter :)), I downloaded and watched this movie, which I haven't seen since it was screened here on TV around 40 years ago. I think the message is as strong now as it was then. Times sure have changed, but I don't think people inherently have. Yeah, so, I'm a nostalgia nut, but we can still pull together sometimes, can't we?

Anyway, don't you just love Hayley Mills. A fine talent...still.

[Ninjahedge]

Well I fell asleep trying to watch Watchmen, so I guess that says a lot. Hehe

It helps to read the Graphic Novel, but if you do, you will also be dissapointed in the flik.

I think they did a decent job with the movie, but I was dissapointed overall....

[Alonzo-ny]

I just watched Public Enemies. I thought overall it was great, especially the action sequences. I am very impressed with modern film-making, very realistic. Visually I loved the whole movie. That era of America is probably the whole reason for my love for New York in particular and America in general.

[Bob]

A

Classic film! Saw it last night at the Fox Tucson, a fully restored art deco palace. I was surprised to see such a terrific turnout. The theater seats about 1100, and I estimate at least 80% was filled. My wife and I drove from Phoenix to see it; the effort was well worth it. I don't think what we saw was shown via projector. The print was flawless, so I suspect this was some form of digital presentation.

[MidtownGuy]

The Class (Entre les Murs)

I enjoyed this fascinating look inside the world of a Paris high school. Racially diverse students from a tough neighborhood interact with their well meaning French language teacher over the course of a year. Basically it feels like you're sitting in the class with them...instead of a real plot, you get lots of interesting dialogue and insight into the lives of these children of immigrants and the educators trying to get through to them.
It's nominated for an Oscar, Best Foreign Language Film.

[beefeater24]

I just watched the movie - ''In the loop'', it was a very funny film about the preparations for the war in Iraq. It directed by Armando Iannucci, starring Peter Capaldi, James Gandolfini, Tom Hollander......
Quote:"Climb the mountain of conflict? You sound like a Nazi Julie Andrews." LOL

[lofter1]

I walked out of this one (rare for me to do) after about 40 minutes. Very disappointing given the terrific reviews it's garnered.

It's like something you'd see on "Lifetime" if you were forced to watch it.

That said, Hugh Dancey as the lead character puts together a performance of interest & depth, but it's not enough to save the movie from brimming over with treacle.

[scumonkey]

a film written, directed, produced & staring- Tommy Wiseau.
I heard it was the best worst film EVER made...
Well it IS the WORST film EVER made!
It's like watching a train wreck- you can't take your eyes off.
Bad dialog, worse acting, awful plot, pathetic editing...
Best seen in a theater with a large group of people who
have seen it before- like a modern day Rocky Horror Picture Show-
a film to shout out at, throw things toward, and to
generally make fun of through the whole thing.
99 minutes (that seem more like 199) of your life you'll
never get back!

[Bob]

C+

(DVD rental) Disjointed story of an engineer, Robert Kearns, who takes on Ford Motor Company for stealing his invention (intermittent windshield wiper.)

What's right about this film: 1. Alan Alda steals the show, in one particular scene in which he has to relay a settlement offer to Kearns (Greg Kinnear.) 2. 1966 Ford Galaxie 4 door stars as Kearns' family vehicle. The 66 Ford is still a beautiful car and it was nice to see it in a feature film. 3. Thin-lapel suits, white shirts, narrow black ties.

What's wrong about this film: Disgustingly obviously product placement for Pepsi on two occasions...heck, there wasn't any effort to disguise the ruse! "I'll have a Pepsi, please." AAAAAAACK. On a second point, this whole story revolved around cars, and yet, the cars and the year of those cars was ALL WRONG! Mid-70s cars in 1968? I don't think so! Lastly, Kinnear overacts on many occasions. He could take a few lessons from Alda.

[Bob]

B

The new film from Francis Ford Coppolla is interesting, to say the least. It is filmed in glorious black and white, with several scenes filmed in what appears to be vintage Technicolor stock. On the whole, the movie is a visual feast. The story is odd, and difficult to follow.

Worth seeing? Yep.

Great line from this film, "There's only room for one genius in this family."

[eddhead]

Saw it a while back and agree with BR's reviews. Film itself was OK, Depp was terrific, Christian Bale, not so hot.

Interesting from an historical perspective, did a good job of portraying Dillinger;s public persona and iconic appeal. But outside of Depp, the performances were uneven at best. Still I enjoyed the film.

B-.

[eddhead]

I know this did not get great reviews, and I certainly see why. Plot was thin and predictable, the villains were too evil and too easy to hate. Liam was just a tough guy with a big heart, doing what he had to do.

Still, I have to admit liking the movie. I guess I am a sucker for this kind of action packed kick a$$ stuff. Can’t help it, it appeals to my testosterone / adrenaline fed physiology.

Good MOD movie. Plus it was my turn to do a man movie (sat thru several chick flicks leading up to this so I had it coming to me)

B

[Alonzo-ny]

District 9

Great movie, loved it.

[Bob]

A

Hilarious and beautifully crafted animated film. Fantastic attention paid to every detail. The writing was superb, and aimed at an adult audience. Anybody who has ever enjoyed the wacky humor of the classic Warner Brothers cartoons will love this movie. Worth seeing over!

Highly recommended.

[crazzycat]

"Ghosts of Girlfriends past" 9/10
----------
In love with animated gifs (http://www.gifnow.com)!

[MidtownGuy]

"Forgetting Sarah Marshall"

I thought this was a charming comedy, really delightful to watch.
Plus, Mila Kunis is completely drop dead gorgeous.
Beautiful scenery in Hawaii, some good laughs and a happy ending...when you just want a movie that's light hearted and fun, this is a nice choice.

[The Benniest]

Watched the documentary "Earth" by DisneyNature last night.

Absolutely phenomenal. I strongly recommend it for anyone, of all ages. A must see!!

[MidtownGuy]

"Happy Go Lucky"
A heartwarming and funny glimpse into the life of a bubbly, optimistic British primary school teacher, this film was fun and different.

[brianac]

"Joe Goulds Secret" on DVD.

Difficult to judge good or bad. I'll need a second look.

But a brave attempt by Stanley Tucci and Ian Holm to tackle a story about one of New Yorks complex characters from the past.

[The Benniest]

Saw "Julie & Julia" with some family tonight.

Loved it. Every minute. It's one of those movies that is hilarious, but still has those parts that make you want to cry for the character, ha.

Both Meryl Streep and Amy Adams had incredible performances.

I highly recommend it! http://wirednewyork.com/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif http://wirednewyork.com/forum/images/icons/icon14.gif

[MidtownGuy]

"Planet B-Boy"

Amazing documentary on hip hop culture centered around the annual breakdancing battle in Germany. The moves are incredible, and the glimpse into the lives of teams such as the ones from Korea and Japan was really fascinating.

Also interesting is the fact that the USA was represented by a team from Las Vegas instead of New York, the birthplace of breakdancing. Interesting, but hardly surprising, given the way NYC street and club culture has been virtually destroyed in the last 15 years. So sad.

Anyway, the movie is great.

[Ninjahedge]

Completely stupid, unrealistic and mind numbingly guy-oriented....


Buy still funny as all get out. Role Models. Check your brain at the door, there are many funny comments and quips in this one, but the whole plot leaves something to be desired.

Like PLOT.

[The Benniest]

Saw "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" in 3-D tonight with a friend tonight.

It was pretty good. Had some dry spots but definitely better than expected. :) Technology/animation is absolutely incredible these days! Wowza!

They showed a preview before the show for Michael Jackson's "This Is It" documentary. I know it's aways from being in theaters (October 28 I think?) but is anyone planning on going to it? It looks i-n-c-r-e-d-i-b-l-e!

http://thisisit-movie.com/

[scumonkey]

Somehow I can't imagine that Daquan13 wouldn't be first in that line ?!
But you couldn't drag my cold dead body in to sit in front of it;)

[Bob]

C

Funny story. This film has flashes of brilliances, scattered throughout. Some terrific dialogue, too.

What destroys this film is simply the horrible titles. This period piece was supposed to have happened in the early 1990s, but for whatever reason the director imposed some weird, distorted version of 1973 Super Fly fonts for the titles. Didn't work at all!

Some awesome cameo appearances, but I won't spoil the fun by revealing them. Matt Damon's character was hilarious, but William H. Macy's character in Fargo was the better of the two.

Ann Cusack... would like to see her in more films. I'm assuming Joan Cusack is her sister?

[BrooklynRider]

Same low-budget delivery as The Blair Witch Project.

In this film, it works very well. I saw it at a theater in the East Village and it was well-attended by the college crowd - who seemed to love it.

I thought it was good and built the suspense / scare factor very well.


I don't want to give it away with too much info, but I would definitely recommend it to a friend - and it's a good eerie film for the Halloween holiday.

[Ninjahedge]

I was wondering about that. I just have not liked all the Paranormal shows that are coming out these days trying to cash in on people's fears (what is that TV show on Discovery? Paranormal Hunters?).

This looked similar.


PS, you in the mood for some Grits there BR? ;)

[MidtownGuy]

I loved Flo.:)

Thanks for the info on Paranormal Activity. I was wondering about it.

[BrooklynRider]

I watched the new Blu-Ray of "The Wizard of OZ". It really is a stunning restoration.

[Bob]

A

Extremely well done documentary of the concert that never was to be. A big, big surprise at how well this was put together. This will rank right up there with one of the best music documentaries, ever. Is not a fluff piece -- it shows the performer's good points and bad. The only objectionable item in the film is some "save the planet" nonsense. Other than that, this film is definitely worth seeing.

Highly recommended.

[lofter1]

Precious (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/precious/) is raw & dark -- full of love and brimming over with anger.

At it's center is an amazing performance by first-timer Gabourey Sidibe in the title role. Plus Mo'Nique is extraordinary as the scariest movie mother since Piper Laurie (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MEhLIzc7_o) found religion in Carrie.

[The Benniest]

I want to see Precious SO bad, as well as The Blind Side, starring Sandra Bullock.

I can already bet that both will be nominated for Oscars, and I've only seen the trailers for both movies.:)

[scumonkey]

The best mix of hilarity and gore (and I mean uber gory),
I've ever seen!
Totally not what I was expecting- (I was ready to hate it but I couldn't):D
Woody Harrelson was born for the role.

[scumonkey]

Directed by Duncan Jones. With Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey, Dominique McElligott.
In the future after earth had almost run out of energy, a new abundant source is found on the moon-helium-3
A large corporation- Lunar Industries, has set up a base and mines it to send back to earth.
The operation is roboticly operated with the exception of one human-Astronaut Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell)
his only companion a computer (voiced by Spacey- sort of like HAL from 2001SA).
EXCELLENT/Fresh *****
The movie actually opens with a commercial advertising Helium -3
It is slow and deliberate- but not in a bad way, with a very interesting plot that keeps you guessing and wanting more.
At one point Sam Rockwell plays 3 separate people interacting with each other at the same time- brilliantly/seamlessly put together
I was amazed at what a good job they did with this!
Being a British film with a relatively low budget (although you'd never know),
I think this flik got the short end of the stick, and should have generated much more buzz than it's limited release allowed.

[lofter1]

Fantastic Mr. Fox (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1197696-fantastic_mr_fox/)

Sly and clever. Full of wit. Artfully done.

It's ... FANTASTIC :D

[Bob]

C-

This film would have rated better, in my book, with some careful editing and attention to detail throughout the film.

What's good:

1. Steve Buscemi steals the show. His 5-10 minutes of screen time in this film is worth the price of admission.

2. Location of the film appears to be somewhere in New Jersey or Connecticut... a refreshing change from Los Angeles.

What's bad:

1. F bombs in every scene. Wholly unnecessary.

2. Useless sex scenes, having nothing to do with the storyline. Useless public urination scene. Get the (unnecessary) picture?

3. Quite a bit of overacting by the lead actor.

4. There appears to have been no technical oversight or assistance given this film from the U.S. Army. A good technical assistant would have immediately vetoed the scene in which Woody Harrelson (an officer in the film) is chewing gum in his immediate superior's office. This is simply taboo in real life. And since when does an officer start boozing it up with an enlisted subordinate? Rarely, if ever!

I don't expect every movie to be 2001, or Ben-Hur. I do expect a movie to show that some real effort went into it. The Messenger fails on most accounts. Miss it, if you can.

[Ninjahedge]

7/10.

Not bad, decent action scenes, good production value but a few problems.

The bridge looked like a Disco.

The chain of command was conveniently ignored.

Vulcans usually don't even shout, nevermind slug a guy.

There are other discrepancies and eye-rollers, but it is good for some light entertainment.

I still hear "Red Baretta" when I see the convertable (mustang?) scene.....

[lofter1]

The Road

Big disappointment. No visual poetry.

Skip the movie. Read the [great] book.

[Bob]

A

I don't think my wife liked it, but I thought it was great. For nearly two hours a full house sat in its seats, riveted to the screen, watching this film with us. You could have heard a pin drop in that theater auditorium. While some of the visual impact of the film is lost, only because the end-of-the-world genre has been mined for decades, there are some gripping scenes that stay with you. I may just see this again. (And, read the book.)

[hbcat]

What is this "Blu-Ray" biz? Is it another gimmick or does it really enhance films? I've seen it associated with restored films. Is it used elsewhere? Opinions?

[OmegaNYC]

^^ Blu-Ray, is way better than a standard DVD. Of course, you need a HDTV and some good speakers, in order to really enjoy it.

[MidtownGuy]

Synecdoche, New York

This film was an incomprehensible piece of trash.
It started out with some promise, but petered into a rambling, depressing, hard-to-follow mess. The more I watched, waiting for a pay off, the more disappointed I felt. Plus the lead actor, Hoffman, was too ugly to look at for 2 hours and his voice was like a gurgling frog.

[hbcat]

^^ Blu-Ray, is way better than a standard DVD. Of course, you need a HDTV and some good speakers, in order to really enjoy it.

Ta, luv.

So can a Blu-Ray DVD be played on an old standard DVD player, or must one buy a new machine as well. I guess I am just wary of new gizmos which require us to throw away old technology.

[hbcat]

...Plus the lead actor, Hoffman, was too ugly to look at for 2 hours and his voice was like a gurgling frog.

Stop this beating about the bush. Tell us what you really think.

[scumonkey]

So can a Blu-Ray DVD be played on an old standard DVD player
no

[Gulcrapek]

Very good, childish-appearing but non-childish movie that has excellent graphics and amusing characters with distinct personalities.

[Radiohead]

Christmas Carol w/Jim Carrey, a 3D movie shown at IMAX theatres. Man 3D really sucks you in, as if you are in the movie. The possibilities are endless. Here's hoping Avatar brings 3D out of the novelty darkness and into the mainstream. It's about time already.

BTW, the movie was pretty good.

[BrooklynRider]

Last week I saw "The Fantastic Mr. Fox". I ate a bagel and a slice of red velvet cake before going into the theater. I fell asleep about 10 minutes into it. I can't comment on whether it was funny, exciting, action packed - none of that stuff. I can tell you that it is a movie that is very nice as background sound to a nap.

[BrooklynRider]

I saw "Up In The Air" and "Brothers" this weekend.

I'd recommend both.

[Alonzo-ny]

Hangover - Good.
3.10 to Yuma - good.
1408 - Not the best.

[BrooklynRider]

I saw Avatar.

It was incredible. The CGI was fantastic. More bang for the buck than anything else out there. The direction, creativity, design, and CG animation was worthy of the highest accolades.

[MidtownGuy]

I want to go see it in 3d IMAX. I haven't seen any of the new digital 3d movies yet and this seems to be the one.

[lofter1]

Definitely see it in 3D IMAX. Go early, get a great seat. Visually it's one of the most beautiful movies in a long, long time.

[User Name]

High Tension (Haute Tension)

http://theaterofmine.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/high_tension.jpg

Picked this up on DVD, as I am on a Cécile De France kick as of late.

I've watched it 4 or 5 times since I got it.

[BrooklynRider]

I saw:

The Blind Side - A "feel good" movie that was pretty good.

Sherlock Holmes - Weak movie. The two female leads were terrible. Not worth the price of a ticket (even if the ticket is $3.00).

Tim Burton's 9 - This is a good albeit very dark animated feature. Definitely not kid fare and not necessarily a "feel good" movie.

Gimme Shelter - Such a classic. The tension is so palpable. The only obvious answer to come out of the questions asked by the picture is "The concert organizers were to blame."

[lofter1]

RE: Gimme Shelter

One could also blame cosmic karma for the chaos.

No matter how unorganized it might have been that was a great concert to see & hear.

For documentary fans the film is a must see.

The Trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6IfTTnVqSY): Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter Trailer (altamount 1969)

[BrooklynRider]

"Where The Wild Things Are" made a lot of Top Ten Film lists for 2009. I saw it today and, although it was good, I did not think it was a great movie.

[scumonkey]

The Hurt Locker enjoyable, disappointed with the end.
Worth a watch but not the gushing reviews it's been receiving.

Precious I absolutely loved it! Fantastic- highly recommend

[BrooklynRider]

Precious I absolutely loved it! Fantastic- highly recommend

Really? Every review made me feel that I would watch it, then climb to the highest roof, ingest a handful of sleeping pills, slit my wrists, then jump off the building into a dumpster full of six-foot shards of glass.

It was better than that?

[scumonkey]

...you might even laugh (even when your not supposed to) ;)

[MidtownGuy]

I have really mixed feelings about Precious. I thought I would like it but it just felt like being dragged through the most filthy, depressing gutter ever conceived. There were some good things, but overall I didn't like it.

[scumonkey]

Didn't like the story...what the poor thing went through...
or didn't like the movie and how it handled the telling of that story- badly done, boring, over the top etc?
She went through a hell one wouldn't wish on anyone, but (I thought) the movie did a great job of presenting the storyline.

[scumonkey]

ohhh....and I thought Monique acted her ass off in her role!;)

[OmegaNYC]

I just saw "Quarntine." Movies like this proves that Hollywood does a horrible job a remakes. I'm not that into horror flicks to begain with, so I might sound a little bias, but this movie had no type of suspense and the plot didn't mesh at all. That was a total waste of my life.

[TREPYE]

Saw Avatar and what a brilliant delight it was! :D;) Wonderful. The best movie I have seen since the Lord of the Rings series.




The best way to describe it is as a combination of 3 movies:

Dances with Wolves
Matrix
Lord of the Rings
All of which were exceptional movies.

[MidtownGuy]

I agree, I loved it.

And I also loved Lord of the Rings. I was a Tolkien fanatic in elementary school reading the books, and the movies were so well done. I actually just watched these again in the extended version over the holidays and they are even better than the theatrical releases. Simply marvelous and magical.

[TREPYE]

^ Is there a sicker scene in cinema as that first scene of The Two Towers. That was some mesmerizing jaw-dropping action!

Makes me wanna get a Blue-Ray.

[Ninjahedge]

The only thing I was dissapointed with was the ultimate battle of the Return of the King.

Those "dead" kind of flowing in and beating everyone up did not make me feel like I was watching a real battle anymore. They looked too unsubstantial, not like a lot of the other CGI.


Also, some of the grandstanding was a little much (Legolas taking on the ATAT, I am sorry, that giant elephant?) ;)

But the extended versions ARE better, no doubt. 3.5 hours an ep!!!!! ;)

[gundam00]

Avatar was stunning, i'd like to go back to see it in 3D, it's definately meant for 3D!

[BrooklynRider]

I saw Bette Davis and Henry Fonda in Jezebel on PBS.

It should be required viewing: a red dress to a cotillion, yellojack strikes town, Preston's yankee wife. Davis was at her best and won an Ocscar for her role.

[Ninjahedge]

Avatar was well constructed. The CGI was one of the smoothest to date, especially with the facial movement. Some things were still a bit off (The sarge when he was in the mech suit near the beginning was a little puppet-like).

MINOR concerns were things like the over-similarity of the NaVi to the humans. Everything else breathes out its neck or has 6 legs, but yet the dominant species has 2 legs, walks upright, has canine teeth, "hair" and tear ducts? I know, it is to make us feel more connected. It would be hard to sympathize with blobs of goo.. ;)

Another? Why do all the bad guys have to look so mean and, well, bad? Why does that one guy have to turn from a kind of neutral to an absolute penile epithet? I don't like it when they make it that easy to choose sides.

The plot was also predictable. I kind of knew something special had to happen with that one character, but I guessed it too early (until they went to the tree and had that conversation, then it was obvious). Reminded me a bit of Ann McCaFFREY....

Extremely minor things were things like saying "gotta keep fit in low gravity" and yet everyone seemed to move in normal 1G. Maybe sarge was talking about the travel, not the planet itself. Dunno.

Also, ANYTHING that moved quickly past the screen, especially in the foreground, got sickeningly blurry. Sometimes that, and deliberate out-of-focus items in the foreground made it hard to watch. The best were scenes in the forest and in the mountains, where your depth of field were much greater and less pronounced.

We were lucky and used a Visa card promotions (get one free) and got in for under $30 for both of us. I don't think it is worth that much (I am a cheapskate) but I do think it was a good, albeit predictable movie.

Recommendations:


Order tickets a week in advance.
GET THERE at least an hour, if not more, in advance. 45 minutes got us OK seats a little close and off to the side a bit.
Stock your pockets with goodies. A standard theater thing.
If you have something to make sitting comfy, GET IT. My but was sore after 2 hours and there is no real room to stretch out or change position.
That's about it. Good flik, and if you like the genre and are not as picky as I am, I recommend you see it, in 3D. Just be prepared for a little nausea at times...... ;)

[scumonkey]

Sherlock Holmes...:o
Save yourself the bother (and money) download the
PBS Mystery series Sherlock Holmes with Jeremy Brett instead;)

[Ninjahedge]

I have heard it is a good movie so long as you call it anything BUT Sherlock Holmes.


Mind you, good. Not great, good.

(I would probably hate it! ;) )

[scumonkey]

Fantastic recreation of period London special effects- Insipid Story line.

[BrooklynRider]

Sherlock Holmes did suck REALLY bad.

I saw "A Single Man" today. The first quarter of the movie I was bored out of mind and was dreading the next 3/4 if it continued at the s-l-o-w pace. The sory picked up a bit. There were some wonderful scenes and bits of good dialogue here and there. I didn't think this was the visual / visionary delight so many described. Colin Firth gave an oscar worthy performance. With ten pictures now up for nomination for an Oscar, it is hard to say that this one shouldn't be nominated. If it were still only five nominees, I think I'd feel that this was not a contender.

[MidtownGuy]

"defamation"
A+

This documentary examines anti-semitism, and the actions of zealous American organizations such as the ADL from the perspective of an Israeli.
Fascinating.

[Bob]

D

This movie needs two things:

1. Better editing.
2. Completely new music soundtrack

First thing I would do is eliminate all the useless F bombs and similar foul language. Next, I'd scrap the music and have the film scored by somebody with talent. The existing music is garbage!!

Then, I'd cut about 10 minutes of excess footage, resulting in a tight, compelling, and mature film.

[MidtownGuy]

I saw Up in the Air a couple of nights ago and I thought it was just OK. I had higher hopes for it.

I was really surprised by what he found out about his lady friend in Chicago... didn't see that coming. The ending was a downer. My favorite part was when he transferred a million air miles into his sister and brother-in-law's names. That was nice. Wish someone would do that for me!!

[CherryChip]

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Good! HaHa!

[BrooklynRider]

I watched Braveheart today. It's still a very enjoyable film and some of Mel Gibson's best work.

[Ninjahedge]

Zombieland.

A few impossibilities (such as people operating carnival rides while sitting on them... no-one at the control panel....) but funny none the less.

Funnier if you have seen some other zombie fliks, or playe a few "kill the zombie" games (Left for Dead being one of them).

[lofter1]

Last night on TCM watched a terrific Warren Beatty double feature, the first: a great one / classic / not to be missed and the second: always interesting with a batch of great performances (particularly Lotte Lenya as a magnaccia of the first degree):

Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961)

[eddhead]

I saw Up in the Air a couple of nights ago and I thought it was just OK. I had higher hopes for it.

Same here. I found it extremely depressing on a number of fronts. Could be because I spent so much time out of work last year and empethized with the employees. But I too was suprised by the ending.

[Hof]

Right arround the time I lost my job the weather here in Florida turned to crap. It was cold a cold mid-January with temps in the teens-- and one morning, a frosted substance that looked like snow coated everything, but was actually frozen fog. The next night, it snowed. In Florida..
Being out of work in a town where unemployment hovers around 14% means that there are NO jobs, anywhere, so I stay around the house a lot. Since the weather is nasty and I'm bored as hell, I tend to watch a lot of TV.
My unemployment checks begin in two weeks.

Anyway, I now find myself with a series of empty days stretching into The Future. It reappears every 24 hours, so to fill in the time I've become absorbed in the movies.
Turner is doing a month of Oscar winners, so I've seen "Casablanca", "Sunset Boulevard", "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and a few others.
I watched Billy Wilder's "One Two, Three", a hilarious adventure set in a divided Berlin around '63, when The Wall went up. It's a comedy involving German Beatniks and a Coca-Cola executive. Acting the part of a hyperkenitic American businessman transplanted to postwar Berlin, then faced with a multiple series of challenges, James Cagney really earns his chops as a comiedic actor.

I also rented "Inglorious Basterds", and renewed my respect for Brad Pitt. The way Tarantino rewrote history was clever as hell, and the opening scenes, where the Gestapo guy was interogating the farmer, is cinematic gold. It is one of the best movies I have seen in years. Then, I returned it to the video store. I rented "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", another Brad Pitt opus. If you haven't seen it, go rent it. It's excellent.

[scumonkey]

"A Serious Man"
http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/a-serious-man/trailer
-Bad fortune rains down (in this Black comedy), on a cursed Jewish man and his family ...
Coen's at their very best.
Brilliant- I loved every twisted moment of it!
(awesome music)

[Bob]

B

Filmed in New Mexico.

Excellent performance by Jeff Bridges.

What's up with the title of this movie? It has nothing to do with the storyline.

[Bob]

A

Short animated film, nominated for an Academy Award this year. Brilliant and hilarious, I sure hope this wins. Everybody needs to see it. A clip is available on the movie's official site.

The Tempe Valley Art cinema, in Tempe, AZ, tonight showed complete sets of all this year's animated and live action films up for the Academy Award. With two separate admissions, this was not a cheap date night, but seeing all the short films was a great way to spend the evening, even though it did cost about $55 all total.

Seeing Logorama was worth the price of admission, alone!

[Bob]

A

Another short film, seen tonight at the Tempe Valley Art cinema. This film concerns the human fallout from the Chernobyl accident in 1986. Very powerful and beautifully written and directed. I hope this one wins the award for best short live action film.

[Bob]

A

Black and white filmmaking never looked much better. The cinematography in this film is stunning! This could only be improved upon by using 70 mm stock. Some of the scenes are downright jaw-dropping. Academy-award nominated for best cinematography; I do hope it wins.

Interesting story, at times confusing but the patient filmgoer will appreciate the fact this is not your typical Hollywood shlock. (2001 didn't wrap up everything neatly, either, but is arguably one of the top 5 films ever made.)

The actor who plays the Pastor gives an amazing performance; however, every actor and actress turns in solid work.

[Bob]

A-

Australian, short film, nominated for this year's Academy Award. I really enjoyed it. Very tight filmmaking with many odes to Kubrick via use of tracking shots. The ending will surprise you!

Were it not for the also-great short film, "The Door," I would vote for Miracle Fish as best short film this year.

[BrooklynRider]

I thought it was much better than critics suggest. DiCaprio's accent was annoying, but I enjoyed the film and would recommend it.

BTW, the crowds for Alice In Wonderland were absolutely mad. I bought and advance ticket for 2:00PM at BAM. Hopefully, it will be a civil and well-behaved crowd.

[lofter1]

"Alice" is a trip. A bit murky at times -- both visually and story-wise. But crazy and witty enough for a couple of hours of enjoyment.

[MidtownGuy]

The Fourth Kind.
It was OK, there were some genuinely alarming moments, but overall I was disappointed.

[BrooklynRider]

"Alice in Wonderland" was another fasinating trip into the mind and vision of Tim Burton. I thought it was a little long and some scenes seemed trivial, but the guy is truly an original.

It was a nice exclamation point to the Tim Burton Exhibit at MoMA.

[Bob]

B

A film almost nobody will see, but if you do get a chance to catch it, definitely worth it. One of the lead guys (Maynard) from the rock band, Tool, decided years ago to try his hand at winemaking, in of all places, Jerome, Arizona. This semi-documentary is interesting and informative, and it's nice that this Maynard fellow has a sense of humor, about himself and the wine industry in general. He doesn't get wrapped up in the whole celebrity thing, which is way cool. He is serious about establishing a good winery; looks like he is off to a good start.

[ablarc]

Bob, you seem to live in a cinema wonderland. Scottsdale, Arizona? A cultural center? How can that be?

[Bob]

The family-owned local theater chain, Harkins, does a decent job of sponsoring two art cinemas in town: Valley Art, in downtown Tempe, and Camelview 5, at the Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale. It's usually pretty easy to see art films, foreign films, limited release films, etc. My only complaint is that there is no theater showing older films exclusively. There are tens of thousands of wonderful films that deserve to be seen on the big screen. Alas, these sit in the vaults, only to be transferred to video. Not a comparable experience.

[scumonkey]

Mafioso 1962 directed by Alberto Lattuada
staring Alberto Sordi.
The film was awarded as Best Film at San Sebastian Film Festival (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Sebastian_Film_Festival).

Highly recommended!
Near the end the star is sent to New York to make a hit for the Don.
They take a memorable drive from uptown, through Times Square, right through the financial district!
here are a couple of screen shots.
Driving by the (still standing)Singer building:
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/scumonkey/vlcsnap-2010-03-24-21h27m17s229.jpg

Lower Manhattan (Before the skyline was ruined).
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb276/scumonkey/vlcsnap-2010-03-24-21h14m21s74.jpg

The Original trailer for the film!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SK_CyQazRk

[MidtownGuy]

So, last week I was trying to explain to a friend (born in the 90's) what a great actress Sigourney Weaver was in the Alien films (which he said he never saw).
I ended up getting the whole series because I had only ever seen the first and original Alien. Which was a masterpiece.

I thought the second was also excellent, and one of the only movie "sequels" that actually lives up to the first film it followed.

Alien 3 was so-so. I did like the crazy touch of the religious fanatics.

The last and final Alien was probably my least favorite. A bit goofey but still watchable.

[Ninjahedge]

Same page.

1st was creepy as all getout. The guys there had nothing to really combat the Ultimate Evil, and it was not a direct confrontation either.

Hunter and prey.

2nd was an all out, strapped for time fistfight to the death. They started the ticking timebomb by having live ammo fired in the fusion reactor area, and now they were being attacked left and right by the alien forces released by Corporate Interests on a group of unwary colonists (an Alien Farm, if you will).

3 was lame in that they got rid of all the extras (the Seargent and Newt? You think they could have at least kept them frozen, not just said they were kaput), the dog-alien was OK, some of the characters were interesting as well, but the prison atmosphere was meh.

4 was stupid. Super Sigourney. Yipee.

And lets not even start with the whole Alien vs. Predator thing. What could have been an interesting look at the hunting of the galaxies most dangerous game turned into another "look at us poor humans" poorly integrated special effects fest.



But aside from all that, I really have no opinions on that series! ;)

[MidtownGuy]

I never saw Predator, is it good? I missed that whole era in film and I have some catching up to do.

I watched Melanie Griffith and Sigourney Weaver in Working Girl(1987), with Melanie Griffith. The huge teased hairstyles on those girls...so funny. I laughed when Melanie Griffith's character from Staten Island said "No lunch...I got speech clayass"...her friend replies in a crazy thick accent "whaddaya need speech clayass fawh? Ya tauwk fyne!:D

[londonlawyer]

Recently, I saw Apocalypse Now for the first time in years. It is absolutely amazing, and it's an utterly brilliant adaptation of The Heart of Darkness.

[lofter1]

One of the greats ^

I was lucky enough to see a rough cut at an April 1979 screening (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse_Now) set up by Francis Ford Coppola when I was living in SF back in the good old days. I've since seen the finished AN in various versions at least half a dozen times.

For a great companion piece check out "Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearts_of_Darkness)" a documentary from 1991 by Eleanor Coppola chronicling the making of AN.

[ablarc]

It's Complicated.

Husband falls in love with ex-wife.

The theme's been done numerous times --twice with Cary Grant (Philadelphia Story, My Favorite Wife)-- but never in such lumbering fashion.

But those old movies were blessed with witty screenplays, and director-screenwriter Nancy Meyers just doesn't have the talent.

As a result, even the sainted Meryl Streep fails to shine, while Steve Martin acts like a zombie.

Alec Baldwin tries hard, but he too needs a better director.

[Ninjahedge]

Predator is a classic. It has some physical impossibilities, but the cameos on it are great (many wrestling celebs and other action stars).

It is not a classic in the realm of plot or true substance, but it is definitely one of the better Action Fliks of all time.



As for Apoc? I liked the first 1/2 to 2/3, then it got a bit too disjointed and trippy. I know that is where the philosophy is what is being followed rather that reality, but still, I prefer the smell of napalm in the morning!!!!

(BTW, whats-his-face as the reporter is one of the most ANNOYING mood busting characters I have ever seen in a flik. It just does not FEEL right....)

Anyway, question. Is there any interest in forming another thread for dramatic series recommendations? (Band of Brothers, Breaking Bad, Deadwood, etc).

Lemme know and I will start up!

[Bob]

A-

German film, English subtitles. Great film. Great photography. Long takes, not an F bomb in sight. Good old fashioned filmmaking, the way Hollywood used to make 'em before 1970. Two hours of intense, nail-biting drama. Art direction is top-rate. Worth seeking out.

[londonlawyer]

One of the greats.....

I agree.

[Ninjahedge]

A-

German film, English subtitles. Great film. Great photography. Long takes, not an F bomb in sight. Good old fashioned filmmaking, the way Hollywood used to make 'em before 1970. Two hours of intense, nail-biting drama. Art direction is top-rate. Worth seeking out.

Sometimes F-bombs are needed for reality. I have never known a Marine to go "aww shucks" in a fight.....

But you are right, carpet F-bombing has become a symptom of modern film making... :(

[MidtownGuy]

Well, "F-bombing" is a symptom of modern speech. It's real and it's common. It's expressive. If a movie is supposed to be realistic, and the character in reality would be using f-ck, then I do not want writers sanitizing the script to coincide with the wishes of over sensitive prudes.
Disney makes plenty of squeaky clean films ...those people who would get all jizzed up from particular letter combinations should stick to movies like Toy Story or Princess.

[Ninjahedge]

But Toy Story was funny!

It was the ruthless utilization of a creative anime studio (Pixar) that netted billions in profiting and merchandise!!!! ;)

[BrooklynRider]

I saw a couple....

The African Queen - An A+++++ classic with Hepburn & Bogart

Crazy Heart - Much better than I had anticpated. Bridges was great. Maggie Gylnhaal was perfection.

I couldn't sit through a couple...

La Dolce Vita - Classic or not, masterpiece or not, I found it unbearable to watch after an hour. Costumes were gorgeous. Cinematography was wonderful. I wouldn't recommemd it - period.

The Informant - I couldn't get past the music. After 40 minutes, I bailed. My partner did finish viewing it and confirmed my expectation of the plot ending. It was an annoying film and that music just grated on me completely.

[Bob]

A+

Without a doubt, the best movie I have seen in at least two years. It is a phenomenal film, a truly great piece of filmmaking! It's not often you'll hear audience applause after a movie, but that's exactly what happened tonight. I will probably go see it tomorrow, again. It is THAT good.

Be forewarned: this is an INTENSE film, not for any squeamish types. There are scenes in this movie that will burn into your memory, whether you want it to, or not. This is a film for adults, period. You absolutely get your money's worth, at two hours plus, with no filler.

SEE THIS MOVIE!

Update, 7/5/10: Have now seen this movie twice.

[ablarc]

A+

Without a doubt, the best movie I have seen in at least two years. It is a phenomenal film, a truly great piece of filmmaking! It's not often you'll hear audience applause after a movie, but that's exactly what happened tonight. I will probably go see it tomorrow, again. It is THAT good.

Be forewarned: this is an INTENSE film, not for any squeamish types. There are scenes in this movie that will burn into your memory, whether you want it to, or not. This is a film for adults, period. You absolutely get your money's worth, at two hours plus, with no filler.

SEE THIS MOVIE!
Is it really as good as Inglourious Basterds?

[Ninjahedge]

So this is what you meant about dupe posts! ;)

Just saw "UP". Cute flik, although the first 20 minutes are the sweetest.

The rest has its funny parts, but some things, like the voice of the Retriever, and the simple physical impossibilities (stacking up one after another) started to bug me. You can accept some things, but when they go too far (like using sails to steer a baloon house?) it gets harder to ignore...

meh.


Worth a rental though. The animation was very smooth and a lot of work went into the character creation, motion, and modeling. Definitely good w/kids.

[BrooklynRider]

I saw Ironman 2. Movies are getting expensive in the city (now up to $13 a ticket). There's got to be a lot of bang for those bucks. Ironman 2 ws excellent and folks on this site will appreciate some of the settings for STARK EXPO in the film.

[lofter1]

I paid more ($18.50!!!) fto see Ironman 2 with the "new" RDX experience at Regal on 42nd -- not worth the extra $$ -- it's just louder.

But it was cool to see the recreations of the settings noted by BR.

[User Name]

I saw Ironman 2. Movies are getting expensive in the city (now up to $13 a ticket). There's got to be a lot of bang for those bucks. Ironman 2 ws excellent and folks on this site will appreciate some of the settings for STARK EXPO in the film.


I paid more ($18.50!!!) fto see Ironman 2 with the "new" RDX experience at Regal on 42nd -- not worth the extra $$ -- it's just louder.

But it was cool to see the recreations of the settings noted by BR.

Saw Ironman 2 Friday. I thought it was just "mehhh..."

Tough to get a good sequel I guess.

oh btw I paid $6.50

[lofter1]

That's the right price for this one :cool:

[Ninjahedge]

But at least we get better Dr Pepper and BK Burgers for it!!!!!! ;)

[MidtownGuy]

"The Secret of Their Eyes", an Argentine film i really enjoyed last night.
Great acting, drama and whodunit twists, laced with comedy. Some beautiful architecture in the court building where the main characters work.
I liked this very much, though the beginning was a bit slow in getting warmed up. At 2 hours and 36 minutes, you'll need to have some time set aside but it was worth it. A good movie for a rainy Sunday afternoon.

[The Benniest]

Anyone seen "Robin Hood" since its release on Friday? Opinions? I'm not sure whether to see it yet.

[Ninjahedge]

The new Sherlock Homes.

Meh.

Decent special effects, some nice cinimatography and CGI, some funny bits, but overall not that good.

Physics is ignored left and right (most notably with things like the way ship shoring was dispatched with a hammer, a chain crane flying through the air as if pulled on rubber bands, and a physically impossible cantelevered truss system for building London Bridge).

The plot was mediocre, Jude Law seems to be limping half the movie and jumping through flaming hoops the other half. Chemistry is also ignored for the most part, and impossible things liek a multiple charge stun rod.....


Achie! Enough. Rent it if you like Downey and Jude, but that is about it. Rent it also if you had no problem with physcal impossibilities that just do not give youthat punch-in-the-gut feeling........

[Hof]

To The City--
I also have the entire Ric Burns set (on videotape, a medium that is rapidly going away), INCLUDING the post- 9/11 chapter--"Episode Eight" ( actually a pretty good biography of the World Trade Center and the somber aftermath of the terrorist attacks) along with their companion book--a volume almost as large as "The Encyclopedia of New York"..
The book was pricey, $49.95, I think, but very much worth it. It's titled "New York; an illustrated History" by Ric Burns and James Sanders...

I get a regular mailer from PBS and they have hundreds of interesting titles from their past shows. If you go to their website--"PBS.org"-- you can get on their mailing list.

[Bob]

A+

Easily on par with the recent and terrific "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo." This is great filmmaking. A real treat, with some excellent, excellent scenes that instantly tell you, "wow, this is an absolutely great film." Three such scenes:

1. Senior judge at the court questions the lead character about a botched investigation. Sidney Pollack couldn't have done this scene any better.
2. Assistant tells the lead character that it is passion that rules men's lives.
3. Single tracking shot -- a totally impossible shot -- which takes you from thousands of feet above a soccer stadium directly into the stands.

Highly recommended, and worth seeking out.

Update, 7/5/10: Have also seen this film twice. Thinking about seeing it again on the big screen, while I still can.

[Bob]

C-

Largely dismissable "comedy" full of predictable outcomes. 1 or 2 funny scenes, but other than that, a yecch-fest.

[Bob]

F

2 hours of (far) left wing propaganda against U.S. Border Patrol, ICE, the Patriot Act, and immigration policies. Outrageously predictable, almost laughable, with all the stock "Made in Hollywood" cliches. Half the movie is nothing more than stock aerial shots of buildings and freeways in LA. The other half: sexual scenes which add nothing to the story line (WHAT story line?) Harrison Ford signed up for this POS? He's gotta be desperate for cash! Avoid this video. If you like left wing "message" movies such as is common from Hollywood in the last ten years, rent "Crash," instead. At least that film had a decent script and sensible direction/editing.

[Ninjahedge]

Somehow I would trust your review more if I did not know your political stance there Bob! ;)

[lofter1]

I don't think Bob's philosophy had anything to do with his reaction.

Looks like "Crossing Over" was a troubled production (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossing_Over_(film)#Production_and_distribution) (often meaning the script was crap from the beginning) that nearly went straight to DVD.

The Top Critics (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/crossing_over/?critic=creamcrop) at Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 17 (others at RT rated it even lower, at 16).

A movie has to be real garbage to get numbers that low (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/movies/box_office.php?sort=t_meter&rank_id=1999) at RT.

[Ninjahedge]

I guess you missed the "winkey"

>sigh<

[MidtownGuy]

RocknRolla.
I really enjoyed this movie. Russian and British mobsters grease the wheels in London to get planning clearance for big projects, setting the context for a tale of quick action, really funny moments, twists and unexpected liaisons, sexy people, junkies, and everything in between. Lots of fun London visuals and underworld slang keep you smiling as it moves along.
Don't miss it!