Official Film Discussion and Last Movie You Watched

[Glex]

^Most people at the time of release thought "WTF" with the Blues Brothers but since gained cult status. It's quality - completely stupid but quality.

I love the flying nun

The new Indiana Jones film won't have Sean Connery in it - he's retired from acting.

I saw that; I hope Harrison Ford goes and smacks some sense into that guy. Except that if Harrison Ford were to get into a fight with anyone off-camera he would get his introverted ass kicked. Who's going to play his dad? I really don't care that much that it's Sean Connery, I just like continuity!

This means you, Jodie Foster

 

[tim290280]

https://musclemecca.com/showpost.php?...&postcount=852

Completely agree with you Line!

Oh, and for what it's worth, Norrington was robbed.

Guess I'll just have to go back to watching Jack Davenport in his good roles in "Coupling" and "This Life".

 

[Paulie]

Just finished watch American History X.

Edward Norton is a BADASS MOTHER FUCKER. I really enjoyed this film alot. The plot was really good, and acting for the most part was superb. The connections between characters were great, and the story really explained alot. I didnt feel any open holes and asking myself questions. I give this a strong 5 out of 5 stars.

 

[tim290280]

^^ Actually I partially disagree. That movie suffered from mainstream ego, on the part of Ed Norton. While it was a thought provoking movie, it pulled up short of being really challenging. Apparently Ed Norton had such huge clashes with the original director that it was finished without him, and EN pretty much took the reigns, and fluffified it.

Having said that I really enjoyed it.

Fluffified is my own word that I have been using of late.
Meaning: Extracting manliness and grit out of subject, topic, or events to create a pansy version that lacks depth and quality of thought, substance and meaning.

 

[Rocky]

Watched Superman Reutnrs last night. Was ok - bit of a going nowhere film though. Just seemed a bit anti-climatic to be honest. I was expecting better of Singer.

 

[Paulie]

Watched Superman Reutnrs last night. Was ok - bit of a going nowhere film though. Just seemed a bit anti-climatic to be honest. I was expecting better of Singer.

I agree as well. Anti-climatic is a good way to put it. But, Superman is my favorite comic book hero, so I still enjoyed what it was worth.

 

[Line]

I saw Hostel Part II and Ocean's 13 this weekend. I'll type out some short reviews tomorrow after I'm done sorting my thoughts.

 

[Rocky]

I want to see both of them. I expect them to be pretty much the same as the previous entries although I'm surprised most of the reviews of Oceans have been so favourable.

 

[onebigeric]

So 28 Weeks Later was an experience of raised eyebrows for me, both in a positive and negative fashion.

28 Days Later was a masterful film in some ways; their use of an empty cityscape to pound home how far everything had gone was definitely a high selling point for it. That action alone induced more errieness in me than any amount of gore has in recent memory.

Weeks did some things very well. The feeling of tenous recovery was there, as well as the relief of a seemingly healing nation. The opening sequence(shot during the initial outbreak of infection) was a touch they needed more of; it portrayed well how massively horrible the showcase disease was. The chracters were interesting(sans the stupid kids), and the source for the renewed outbreak was handled with a believeable touch[except for everything that led up to the transmission of the disease itself] That's where the hits really end though.

Once the outbreak hits, things are manhandled in a brutal way. The Army becomes a bunch of inept killjoys, the spread of the disease itself is ridiculous, and the situations our protagonists continually find themselves in are innane. The addition of the homing beacon the newly infected father apparently placed in the kids didn't help things either, or else I assume that's how he managed to show up at every concievable turn. It was like freaking Wliy E. chasing down the Roadrunner, no joke

A good beginning, a semi-laborious middle, and a tounge-in-cheek forced end(with the obligatory not really a twist factor) made for an overall dissapointing film. For each thing I enjoyed, there seemed to be three or four things knocking on the door, reeking of lame.

I'll grade on the four star system, as Line's set the bar well in that regard.
*1/2 - Could've been so much more, hence my bump down from a possible **.

 

[Line]

Sorry, Eric but I disagree on a few accounts.

The army wasn't a bunch of inept killjoys, they were just following protocol. At that point of infection there was little to be done and I thought that for the most part the film showcased the unease that several soldiers had when it comes to following direct commands. Obviously the entire situation involving the US Army's occupation is a reflection of the current state of Iraq but I thought the message itself wasn't an overpowering commentary but more like an expressed state.

As for the infected appearing in random places, that's fairly easy to explain. There were only specific places where the firebombing and gases didn't reach and those who were infected could only travel to said locations in the same fashion as our leads. Also, it really only takes a few of the infected to see any humans for them to all start chasing them sooner or later.

While I had qualms with the film, some of which you touched on, it was much more of a true horror film than its predecessor, which acted as a psychological thriller and a character study of humanistic survivalism. The score worked very well with the more intense events and although the beginning was a definite highlight (probably the best opening sequence of 2007 thus far) the final two acts, while disappointing, were still worth a watch.

 

[Pain]

Just saw a preview for vacancy, looks like it might be good.

 

[Paulie]

My co-worker said one of his favorite movies is Frequency (Dennis Quad, James Caveizel). He told me to check it out, anybody seen it?

 

[Rocky]

^Yeah I've seen it - it was on TV recently too. It's not bad. An interesting premise. Worth a watch anyway.

Pain - I thought vacancy might be ok, but then I thought 'Blair Witch 2' looked good from the trailer.

 

[onebigeric]

Sorry, Eric but I disagree on a few accounts.

The army wasn't a bunch of inept killjoys, they were just following protocol. At that point of infection there was little to be done and I thought that for the most part the film showcased the unease that several soldiers had when it comes to following direct commands. Obviously the entire situation involving the US Army's occupation is a reflection of the current state of Iraq but I thought the message itself wasn't an overpowering commentary but more like an expressed state.

As for the infected appearing in random places, that's fairly easy to explain. There were only specific places where the firebombing and gases didn't reach and those who were infected could only travel to said locations in the same fashion as our leads. Also, it really only takes a few of the infected to see any humans for them to all start chasing them sooner or later.

While I had qualms with the film, some of which you touched on, it was much more of a true horror film than its predecessor, which acted as a psychological thriller and a character study of humanistic survivalism. The score worked very well with the more intense events and although the beginning was a definite highlight (probably the best opening sequence of 2007 thus far) the final two acts, while disappointing, were still worth a watch.

No need to be sorry at all, Joe I only saw it once, and I guess since I was hoping for so much I tended to stick with what I didn't like more than I did the pros. I guess I can offer a more level-headed perspective now that I got my monkey-on-my-back post out of the way.

The military sequences were some of the most enjoyable for me, but I did find it frustrating how they seemed to turn the Army effectiveness on and off. Complacency can be taken into account, but the infecto-dad going into trance mode[which was a little goofy to me] and killing a number of heavily armed soldiers without any complication was a bit of a shrug. The fact that he entered into ninja mode after that didn't really help the situation.

The quarrintine was a cool idea, but having the shabby and unattended back door was almost comical. It was quite unnerving to see how quick the infection did move through the crowded basement though; it was in those moments of hysteria and claustrophobia that I felt the movie truly shined.

Seeing the snipers and soldiers shift from selective to free-all was very well done, and made my preferred protagonist's shift all the more believeable. It would've been nice for them to somehow detail how the infected actually track people[although there's no explaining when it came to the dad]
Using the chopper to 'mow the lawn' was a creative touch to be sure

I'll have to take it in again; I found that Days didn't really grow on me until I'd seen it a few times as well. Although one thing that was perplexing was the fact that they didn't utilize much of the footage that was used in the various previews; basically extensions of various scenes, mostly action and infection sequences. Placing the two side by side did give the movie itself a bit of a choppy feel to me.

All in all, thank you for checking my short sided fan-of-the-genre negativity

 

[onebigeric]

On another note, what did you think of Letters From Iwo Jima? Coupon time at Hollywood Video, so I know that'll be one of them. Thinking Slither[I dig Fillion] and something else as well; recommendations, Line?

 

[Rocky]

I liked Slither - good throwback to 80's ick-horrors!

Watched Pan's Labyrinth last night finally - great film. Quite sad inevitably but so well done.

 

[Rocky]

I bought Jackass 2, Smoking Aces and Harsh Times today.

 

[Pain]

I bought Jackass 2, Smoking Aces and Harsh Times today.

Better off buying a razor blade and a plasitc bag.

 

[Rocky]

^Not a fan of those films then?

 

[Rageking]

jackass 2 was freakin hilarious, and smokin aces was just sweet. never seen other tho.