Periodic Movie Review

Talk about anything under the sun or stars - but keep it civil. This is where we really get to know each other. Everyone is welcome, and invited!
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Postby Young Val » Sat Jan 03, 2009 1:43 pm

So, my mother in law took care of the baby last night and Paul and I went off on a date. We got to the theatre late and decided to just go see Twilight.

We expected it to be bad. We expected it to be cheesy and teenybopper. It was so very much worse then that.

It wasn't "so bad it's good", it was just "so bad".It was a vampire movie without fangs, a romance without affection. The acting was wooden, the chemistry non-existent, the plot completely useless. Even the action scenes were boring!

I haven't read the book- now I kinda want to just to see the difference- so I didn't know that vampires SPARKLED in the sun. They sparkle??? They freaking sparkle?! What kind of horrific crap is that? "I'm a monster, I sparkle." I have not the words.

I seriously laughed through the whole movie. It was like it was written by George Lucas.


Oh, Jan! You haven't read them? I'm torn between saying "YOU MUST!" and "DOOOOOOOOOOOOON'T."

I've read all four for several reasons: 1. morbid curiosity. 2. WH represented Stephanie Meyer so while I worked there it was encouraged that I read them.

They are...unspeakably horrible. Truly, truly terrible. I have no words.
you snooze, you lose
well I have snozzed and lost
I'm pushing through
I'll disregard the cost
I hear the bells
so fascinating and
I'll slug it out
I'm sick of waiting
and I can
hear the bells are
ringing joyful and triumphant

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Postby Eaquae Legit » Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:01 am

Saw Passchendaele tonight.

What can I say? It was fantastic. Very sad, because it is, after all, a movie about the Battle of Passchendaele, but it was excellent. Most of the movie did not take place in the trenches, since it's at heart a love story, but the bits at the front were wrenching.

As is normal with Paul Gross, I will watch anything he puts on screen. If he did a documentary about household furnace repair, I'd probably watch it. He is possibly Canada's greatest film-making treasure. He doesn't just make arty films for those who show up at the Toronto International Film Festival, he makes things people actually want to see. He makes accessible, touching, funny, wonderful cinema and TV. And he does it Canadian. When I watch his stuff I feel like Canada has stories to tell, too. Why do we sell ourselves so short all the time, or just plain sell out? What's wrong with telling stories about ourselves?

It was a wonderful film. You should see it if you get the chance. Bring the kleenex.
"Only for today, I will devote 10 minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul." -- Pope John XXIII

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Postby locke » Mon Jan 05, 2009 7:18 am

I've had Passchendaele on my radar for a while, now I'll really have to make the effort to see it. :-P

Our canadians should appreciate these, apparently y'll can make films too! ;):D

VANCOUVER FILM CRITICS NOMINATIONS

BEST FILM
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E

BEST CANADIAN FILM
C’est pas moi, je le jure!
Heaven on Earth
The Necessities of Life

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Edge of Heaven
Let the Right One In
Tell No One

BEST BRITISH COLUMBIA FILM
Fifty Dead Men Walking
Edison and Leo
Stone of Destiny

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Gus Van Sant, Milk

BEST DIRECTOR OF A CANADIAN FILM
Atom Egoyan, Adoration
Philippe Falardeau, C’est pas moi, je le jure!
Deepa Mehta, Heaven on Earth

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE
Sean Penn, Milk
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road/The Reader

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Josh Brolin, Milk
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Viola Davis, Doubt
Rosemarie DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A CANADIAN FILM
Antoine L’Écuyer, C’est pas moi, je le jure!
Jim Sturgess, Fifty Dead Men Walking
Natar Ungalaaq, The Necessities of Life

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A CANADIAN FILM
Marianne Fortier, Maman est chez le coiffeur
Julianne Moore, Blindness
Preity Zinta, Heaven on Earth

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A CANADIAN FILM
Gael Garcia Bernal, Blindness
Randy Quaid, Real Time
Mark Ruffalo, Blindness

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A CANADIAN FILM
Suzanne Clément, C’est pas moi, je le jure!
Maya Ritter, Finn’s Girl
Janet Wright, Real Time

Achievement Award for Contribution to the British Columbia Film Industry
William Vince
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby locke » Mon Jan 05, 2009 7:58 am

The Fall, directed by Tarsem can be compared most favorably to The Princess Bride, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Brazil, Labyrinth and Time Bandits.

The Fall in particular is about storytelling. A little girl in Los Angeles (once upon a time, oh about 1920) is in a hospital recovering from a broken arm. Being inquisitive and adventurous while possessing a propensity to roam whenever possible she soon finds herself in a mens ward on a the ground floor. There she finds a rather depressed and recently crippled man and he begins to tell her a story--of Alexander the Great. But this bores her, and so to keep her attention he weaves an entirely new story and works out a system of barter with her, he tells her some more of the story and she fetches him something he wants.

the film takes an unexpectedly dark turn in the latter half of the film but picks up when a 'new' character suddenly enters the story to rescue our heroes in an unexpected but perfect and delightful manner.

Ultimately very goofy, but visually stunning and with a terrific performance by Lee Pace and a performance from a little girl that is pretty much a little too natural, as most of her dialog is unintelligibly garbled as a four or five year old attempting to relate something very exciting and complex and interesting and not-really-understood would be garbled. Overall not perfect, but a strong recommendation and it's a lot of charming fun. - 8 of 10

----

The Visitor features four outstanding performances and a solid story but is an extremely slow moving, thoughtful and methodical film. It has a decent energy for the first act, but slows down as the film suddenly downshifts out of that gear when a great change suddenly changes the life of one of the main characters. Richard Jenkins is quite good, one of his best performances, but it is the other three members of the cast who have the most interesting roles and impressive performances, particularly Hiam Abbass and Haaz Sleiman as a mother and son, respectively. Hiam's quiet dignity and presence is particularly impressive (kudos to the costume designer for accenting that, btw). The film looks very nice, and was well shot although it is not remarkable in that respect. Overall quite a good movie, but not a must see. 8 of 10
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby locke » Mon Jan 05, 2009 7:48 pm

WallE is still one of the years best but I wasn't quite as over the moon on it the second time. The bluray is absolutely gorgeous, but this time it lacks a bit of that wondrous surprise of the first time, I make like it more on a third viewing. LOL.

Trading Places is one of those classic eighties comedies that is always quite entertaining. seems to move a bit slower than I remember, but still worth a watch or two. Looks great on bluray. :D
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby Eaquae Legit » Tue Jan 06, 2009 9:44 am

Just on the off-chance I haven't plugged it yet, you should find yourself a copy of Slings and Arrows, Adam. If I have plugged it, and you haven't seen it still, consider this a reminder. ;) Amazing stuff. (Men With Brooms came out quite a few years ago, and wasn't widely released in the States, so if you haven't seen that too, you should. Wacky, random, and full of Canuck in-jokes.)
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Postby locke » Sat Jan 10, 2009 4:31 am

the documentary Native Land, narrated by the great Paul Robeson, is a really phenomenal piece of work that should be much much more highly regarded than it is. the photography and direction by Paul Strand is superb, but it's the overall text of the piece as a progressive anti-fascist piece of media that is most impressive of all. Because it castigates Americans for their fascists tendancies repeatedly and without mercy, this is not at all about fascism in Europe, it was a wake up call to let american's know the same things were going on in their country, unreported and overlooked with the same silence the German people took. a must see, imo. 9 of 10
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby locke » Sun Jan 11, 2009 10:38 pm

movies to watch in theatres in the next seven days if possible, in relative order of necessity:
The Wrestler
The Reader
Waltz with Bashir
Let the Right One In
Seven Pounds
Revolutionary Road


movies to watch on video sometime soon
Eyes Wide shut
kingdom of heaven directors cut
the untouchables
in bruges
pineapple express
LA Story
Total Recall
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby Valentine » Sun Jan 11, 2009 10:42 pm

My list:
Doubt
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Frost/Nixon
The Wrestler
I've Loved You So Long
Waltz with Bashir
Last Chance Harvey
Gran Torino

In no particular order....I THINK that's it..

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Postby Luet » Mon Jan 12, 2009 9:34 am

I just had to say that I watched LA Story for the first time a couple weeks ago. :)
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Postby locke » Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:03 am

I am definitely going to see New In Town.

The plot is pretty simple. A Florida girl finds out winters are cold up north. That aspect looks hilarious while the romantic comedy is more incidental to me. :)

"I may be a city girl but I know how to light a fire. Where's the switch?"

http://www.apple.com/trailers/lions_gate/newintown/
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby Valentine » Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:52 pm

Florida girls don't LIKE the cold.
*grumbles about Tennessee*

And, to add my two cents..
Zack and Miri Make a Porno is really very cute and VERY funny. I definitely enjoyed it a lot. It's a more mature Smith in many ways, despite the sense of humor that all Smith fans love still being there. There's a little gross out factor that may be a throw to his old films, but it's hard to not realize how much he's grown as a director. This film felt a little more like Chasing Amy to me (my personal favorite), but more sweet than bittersweet. I think I'll definitely purchase it when it comes out - Elizabeth Banks is utterly adorable, and Seth Rogen is his goofy, charming self. With this and Clerks II, Kevin Smith has proved he can still make great movies with a larger budget and studio feel. I forgive Jersey Girl. :wink:

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Postby Jayelle » Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:20 pm

I am definitely going to see New In Town.

The plot is pretty simple. A Florida girl finds out winters are cold up north. That aspect looks hilarious while the romantic comedy is more incidental to me. :)

"I may be a city girl but I know how to light a fire. Where's the switch?"

http://www.apple.com/trailers/lions_gate/newintown/
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Postby locke » Tue Jan 13, 2009 11:45 pm

Revolutionary Road is in some ways Sam Mendes' most interesting and complicated film. It is beautifully shot by Roger Deakens, who lensed Mendes' last film Jarhead. Kate Winslet is beyond superb in this role and it's pretty much the richest and most complicated female performance I've seen this year. :) Leonardo Dicaprio is really good as well, and turns in some of his strongest work (up there with the Aviator). The film and story is quite troubling it is reaching for tragedy but it touches more into a sort of Sirkian melodramatics instead. It's not an easy film to watch, slow and thoughtful with characters who are sympathetic but not likable and a situation that always plays against a happy expectation. It's not wallowing in misery and it would easy to say that the film takes a very suprerior nasty tone towards its setting but it doesn't, that sort of totalizing generalization refuses to acknowledge the more difficult and delicate achievement the film is attempting. I don't think it managed it entirely, but it's close, and a strong film for those that like this kind of film.

One aspect I found fascinating was just how Shakespearian the whole thing is, complete with a fool who speaks the truth none dare say aloud. It often feels more like a play than a movie, because the film contains the characters claustrophobically within their sets (very nice touch there). And adding to the theatricality is Kathy Bates whose character is very loud and stagey and so is the performance. The film also tries to incorporate a sardonic tone and humor but it feels somewhat out of place, the laughter in the theatre was often more nervous than genuine. I really noted this in one of the film's final scenes, a Breakfast scene that from the first shot had several in the audience chuckling but I found to be immensely sad from that same shot--perhaps I was seeing through how the film would upset those expectations with this scene as it reverses course, but I don't think so, the reverse shot on Leo seemed to confirm the sorrow of that scene, perhaps I was empathizing with his feelings there, rather than watching as a more detached observer appreciating the contrast of the breakfast scene with the scene that came before it. but something was seriously off, that was my favorite part of the film and people were chuckling through it.

All in all very good, but primarily recommended only to cineastes. 7 of 10 maybe higher.
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby locke » Wed Jan 14, 2009 3:10 am

The Wrestler is one of the finest films of the year, and in my opinion, Darren Aronofsky’s strongest work yet, both directorially and just as an overall film. Mickey Rourke delivers an astonishing performance, as does Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood. The screenplay is one of the best ones this year, and I think my single favorite scene of the year is in this film, when Randy and his Daughter find an old ballroom and dance—superb. Bruce Springsteen’s song that plays under the credits is also terrific.

I used to watch pro wrestling from about seventh grade til ninth grade, so this is a bit poignant, moreso from having watched the doc Bigger Stronger Faster this year which is also related to wrestling.

I dunno. I can’t seem to articulate how this film made me feel. Too many other things going on. Emotionally it’s quite a powerful film, bravo to everyone involved. 10 of 10.
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby Valentine » Wed Jan 14, 2009 11:25 pm

Doubt

Doubt is an absolutely beautifully put together film. It was a sophmore effort by the director (whose last film, Joe Vs. The Volcano, came out in 1991), and in some ways, you can tell. At times the messages seemed force, the editting not quite as spot-on as you might expect. Despite this, there is something so powerful about watching one of the debut films by a director. It can be quite raw, but sometimes, there's just a spark, an ambition, that makes the film so much bigger than itself.

The performances were stellar, all around. Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Merryl Streep are as brilliant as their track records lead you to expect, which is saying something :wink: Amy Adams held her own, despite many critical complaints. I thought her performance was excellent. Viola Davis absolutely shined despite limited screen time.

The writing was intense; a very strong screenplay indeed. I really enjoyed the symbolism of the wind, though it felt somewhat derived and forced to get the point across. It certainly made its point, mirroring the accusations by being invisible yet ever present, and certainly damaging. I enjoyed the diagnol shots, which served, in my opinion, to show that nothing was ever seen clearly.

All in all, I greatly enjoyed the film. I think it'd be an 8 or 9 out of 10; I'll ponder more on that later. :D

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Postby locke » Thu Jan 15, 2009 12:24 am

After seeing Doubt the natural conversation that comes up is "did something happen or not?".

Here's what I think (highlight to read) The question to me, is not whether his actions indicated he was guilty or not, but what Jesus--or any true Christian--would do in the situation. The prideful thing to do is to fight. The Christian thing to do is to go, despite the fact that it makes you look guilty, but in terms of protecting the interests of the child, the priest has to go. By his actions he's condemning himself, but he's also doing the only right thing in an impossible situation.

That said, he has committed a mortal sin in the past, what it was or is doesn't matter to us, that's between him and God (and since this is Catholic, the priest he confessed to). However so has Sister Aloysius, and that isn't our business either. not even to speculate. In fact it's the speculation of Sister Aloysius into the Father's own mortal sin that I think is one of the darker things she does.

How quickly it is her mind, and ours, leap to the worst possible conclusion. How eagerly she and we want to fit it into a common, scandalous and memorable narrative.

But for all that I think he didn't do it, the film is very clever to give us just enough information that skeptics like myself have doubt. And the reverse is true as well, for those that think he did do it, the film is very clever to give us just enough information that those with certainty have doubt as well. That is downright brilliant.


I do agree with your assesment of the director and overall impressions of the film, Nicole. very nicely said. Joe Versus the Volcano is a visually very inventive and free film, so the stylistics of this film fit well with the style he demonstrated in his other film.

My favorite part of the film is the sermon on gossip. Damn.

---

Seven Pounds is an emotionally gripping and honest film. Will Smith gives a wonderful performance as does Rosario Dawson. I had some questions about possible wrenches in the plan throughout the film, but it's a bit of a inverted fairy tale in a way. Despite the fact that the rules and regulations and systems in place would never allow what happens to happen, the story is making a moral and metaphorical point that can't be made within the restrictions of the real world. A Beautiful film, more of a dream than a possible reality. 9 of 10.
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby locke » Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:40 am

LA Story is a piece of pure fantastic joy from start to finish, whether it's Steve Martin's absurd and amazing route to work, the python esque humor of sending up (lovingly) LA or the magic of city itself it's quite simply a marvelous and utterly entertaining piece of work. Up there with Roxanne as one of Steve Martin's best films.

I've watched the first disc of Kingdom of Heaven (the director's cut) and it's a wonderful film so far. Fans of Orlando Bloom should check it out (lookin' at you, Chuck), he's fantastic in the film.
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby Valentine » Thu Jan 15, 2009 5:48 pm

I agree about the sermon on Doubt; that's something I said to Brandon when we left. Phillip Seymour Hoffman has such a powerful presence about him; he's a fantastic actor.
And as for his guilt or lack thereof... (highlight, spoiler)
I agree. I don't think he did anything wrong with the boy. I think he saw companionship, a kindred spirit, and an ability to be a protector. Priests don't get the chance to raise their own children, and I think he saw this boy as an opportunity to help mold someone. I think that his lack of reporting the wine incident goes with his character. He enjoys life. You can be a priest, and a good one, and still give in to human pleasures - as evidenced by the smoking, rare meat, and jovial conversations we saw. The boy made a mistake, but he was not a bad person - just a confused child. Hoffman's character gave the boy a chance. There was no doubt in my mind of his innocence throughout it, but maybe that's just from encountering quite a few people like Merryl Streep's character in my life. Either way, the correct decision was made to walk on and not put up the fight.

On the topic of mortal sin, it is important to note that the most important factor on a mortal sin is that it was done with the knowledge of being wrong and intentionally. Yes, in Catholic faith, a mortal sin is considered a grave sin - one the pushes you away from God. Anything that contradicts the 10 commandments and is done intentionally is considered a mortal sin, in this faith, and I would assume the clergy would be more biased to consider their sins mortal. As such... (highlight, spoiler) I truthfully think that, though no one is perfect, neither mortal sin of theirs was something so dreadful as what the Father was being accused of.

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Postby locke » Thu Jan 15, 2009 10:47 pm

Bolt is absolutely wonderful. Surprisingly charming, completely hilarious and just all around awesome. I'm buying it. and I wish I'd seen it in 3D

Ring, ring! Who's there? Destiny! I've been waiting for your call.

And oh, the script is amazingly hilarious, spot on funny. It's got a few holes, but for the most part it's a stellar piece of entertainment and the best work Disney has put out since Lilo and Stitch or Tarzan. it's like 1/3 Oliver and Company, 1/3 Toy Story, and 1/3 Animaniacs with a slight dash of Lion King thrown on top. And the amazing thing is that it really works, and like Shrek is quite possibly an even more appealing movie for adults than it is for children. My god the brilliant satiric double send-up of X-Men and Disney Channel original programming in the episode of Bolt we see at the beginning is worth the price of admission alone. :)

Wow. Okay, you want reality, here you go chief. The show's too predictable. The girl's in danger, the dog saves her from the creepy english guy, we get it. There's always a happy ending. And our focus groups tell us 18 to 35 year olds are unhappy. They're not happy with happy. So maybe you should, I don't know, spend a little less time worrying about the dog's method acting, and more time figuring out how to stop 20 year olds in Topeka from changing the channel. Because if you lose so much as half a rating point, so help me, I will fire everyone in this room, starting with you! How's that for real?

9/10
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby locke » Fri Jan 16, 2009 3:05 am

The Kingdom of Heaven director's Cut features Orlando Bloom's best performance to date. It's also one of the best depictions of middle-ages combat to date. To a degree it is often unrealistic, but less so than Braveheart. It also has trebuchets, so that completely negates several other negatives right there.

The film was issued in a two hour theatrical cut, it was taken away from Ridley Scott and brutally cut down to two hours. the three hour and twenty minute-ish version of the directors cut is quite nice (the script was a 180-200 page script, I remember it well, we had many copies at the cinema library, so they greenlit a long movie, I don't know why they thought they were going to get a two hour movie from it :() it's not perfect, and yes I can see why one subplot was cut, but overall the film works pretty well. The primary issue with the film is the Girl. naturally she has an affair with the hero and does some other awful things. I sort of feel that we could have lost the subplot that happens between the death of her brother (the King of Jerusalem) and the crowning of her as queen and she crowns her husband king to lead for her (and he just happens to be a bitter personal rival with the hero, how coincidental). Other than that (and I'd say at least 70% of that stuff works, if not more) the film is very well made, very entertaining and quite fascinating piece of work. I was constantly engaged and it doesn't feel very long for all that I watched it over two nights. It's a shame how this wound up being treated with a little more finesse and care it could have been outstanding. that said, it is no Gladiator, and even the directors cut is only an 8 (almost a 9, I had planned on it, but I think it's just a bit shy of it on this viewing).

---
also, OMG the Eyes Wide Shut bluray is insane! It's going to be a damn hard thing to turn off this insanely mesmerizing movie and go to sleep like I need to. Wow. the compositions, the camera movement the timing of everything--just jawdropping so far. I'm going to have to buy this.
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby Luet » Fri Jan 16, 2009 9:02 am

I actually saw Bolt in the theater because I laughed so hard at the hamster every time I saw the trailers. I love that hamster.
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Postby Eaquae Legit » Fri Jan 16, 2009 10:50 am

The Kingdom of Heaven director's Cut features Orlando Bloom's best performance to date. It's also one of the best depictions of middle-ages combat to date. To a degree it is often unrealistic, but less so than Braveheart. It also has trebuchets, so that completely negates several other negatives right there.
We'll have to disagree on the combat front... :p. Not nearly enough parasites, climate sickness, or proper educated swordplay. I haven't seen the extended version, but I found the theatrical one nonsensical at best. Maybe those extra 90 minutes add some coherence to it...
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Postby steph » Fri Jan 16, 2009 5:26 pm

I haven't seen Bolt, but my 3 year old gives it rave reviews. In fact, he has 2 toys dogs that he's had for 2 years and hasn't named yet and he named them Bolt when he got home. Not one, but two dogs!
"When I look back on my ordinary, ordinary life,
I see so much magic, though I missed it at the time." - Jamie Cullum

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Postby locke » Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:25 pm

The Kingdom of Heaven director's Cut features Orlando Bloom's best performance to date. It's also one of the best depictions of middle-ages combat to date. To a degree it is often unrealistic, but less so than Braveheart. It also has trebuchets, so that completely negates several other negatives right there.
We'll have to disagree on the combat front... :p. Not nearly enough parasites, climate sickness, or proper educated swordplay. I haven't seen the extended version, but I found the theatrical one nonsensical at best. Maybe those extra 90 minutes add some coherence to it...
oh agree on those things, but at least you know it sort of tried. I thought the Italian high guard was kinda funny. and there was the throw away line about having to burn the bodies or everyone in jerusalem would be dying of disease in three days. And he recovered from an awful lot of wounds that would have infected and killed him. then again, so did everyone else except for his father who rather quickly died of his wounds I was giving the movie props for letting the movie actually show that almost any wound was fatal and then it had to go having it's guy survive much worse thrown at him.

And anyway,

trebochets!
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby locke » Sat Jan 17, 2009 1:16 am

Eyes Wide Shut. I watched a few minutes of this last night and was pretty excited, it's a superbly made movie and especially fascinating at first.

and I still say it's a very good movie.

unfortunately, simultaneously it's also quite a bad movie.

because if you take the movie seriously it's a fascinating and thoughtful if a bit torrid film, but beautifully made and always interesting, especially visually, and the production design.

but it's really easy to not take the movie seriously because of the subject matter but also because the movie is sort of full of itself, kinda pretentious, kinda overblown and taking an absurd situation pretty seriously.

The question really is, was that seriousness in absurdity intentional, or incidental? Is the film making a mockery of people's fascination with the 'scandalous' and sexual deviance or is it trying to seriously investigate it. Because the film is only voyeuristic on a surface level (we are only looking at, like Tom Cruise, we are not asked to look into the contents) I'm inclined to think that the to-be-looked-at-ness of the content is quite consciously invoking a sort of scopophilia for sexual deviance, for the audience's desire, more or less to encapsulate and have access to a fictional world they suspect might exist (and in some ways wants that fiction to exist) but in reality probably does not exist in any form similar to the silliness on display here. So yeah I think that Kubrick was sort of wanting some people to be trapped by the film into trying to derive meaning from it, and he wanted others to scoff at the way the film attempts to seduce a viewer to try to derive meaning from it's surface presentations, and he probably didn't give a f*** if others just laughed it off as a bad movie. So it's a good movie, and a bad movie at the same time. Which is really interesting.

Tom Cruise is quite good. Nicole Kidman is pretty good, but her performance is really affected, and I found her less interesting. Their scenes of dialogue together were laughably bad, really awful. Though when they transitions to Nicole's monologues that tend to end these scenes, those are really good, and her best work in the film.

I'm gonna go with a 7 I think. :-P
Visually it's a 10 though. :D I'd watch it again just for that. The compositions, naturally I'm talking about the compositions. and the err, the lighting. ;)
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby locke » Sun Jan 18, 2009 12:54 am

The Reader is not a film I expected to love. I thought it would be well made a bit dry and predictable and very slow.

I was delighted to find myself wrong on almost all counts (it's extremely well made which is a good thing).

I loved Kate Winslet here, her performance in this film is definitely better, imo, than her performance in Revolutionary Road, and this is a lead performance though she'll be nominated for it in supporting at the oscars due to stupid rules and whatnot. It's a much more silent, expressive and intense performance (which is a bit of a shock because her character is very expressive and intense and loud in Rev Road) but it's also more tenderly directed and a more interesting role, I think. :-p She's also more naked in this role. a lot more naked. not that I'm biased or anything... err moving on.

The film tells a quite beautiful and moving story of Hannah Schmitz a german woman who lived through the war and its aftermath and suffered both so to speak. We see the story through the eyes of Michael Bert. We begin the story with him at 61 and he recalls the time he was 15, in 1959, when he met a stunning woman. upon encountering her again, some months later they fell into an affair. the years rolled by and we see a few more versions of Michael, him in law school, in 1966 and again some ten years later. Each point in his life, Hannah returns to touch in some way. It tells the story of a first love, and of a lifelong love. of how a lover can betray by never telling a secret and discovering a way to still show love by protecting and respecting another secret. There's a poetic flow to the film, it's mesmerizing, erotic, intimate, distant, moving and laced throughout with a bittersweet tenderness of memory, "where now are the dreams of youth?" is a phrase that comes to mind when I think of the film. For all that, it is not a sad movie, nor a depressing one, it's a movie, like Seven Pounds that creates a genuine swell of emotion without leaving you down in the dumps. Remarkable, an excellent film. going in my top ten (which if you click on the last post of the previous page you'll see it has changed substantially). :D
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby Jayelle » Sun Jan 18, 2009 3:28 pm

I saw Marley and Me last night.

It was a great date movie. I think the best part about it was that it was a Hollywood portrayal of a happy, normal marriage. It made me glad to see a couple who simply gets married, has a dog, has kids... has issues, but over all, a normal life.
It was a movie about a dog without being a "dog movie", he was mostly just the catalyst for watching the family grow up.

8 out of 10.
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Postby locke » Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:05 am

Man on Wire is, in a word, brilliant.

August 6, 1974 Philippe Petit, a french wirewalker and street performer infiltrated the newly constructed world trade center with an accomplice (and a second team in the opposite tower), overnight they rigged a wire between the roofs of the tower and the next morning, August 7 he walked between the world trade center towers, dazzling new york and baffling authorities.

This documentary is energetic very entertaining and absolutely fascinating. put together with source footage he and his friends shot, along with photographs, dramatic recreation and amazing interviews about the event from most all the participants.

The film is cut together brilliantly, combining the heist aspect of the big event with Philippe's history, including his similar events between the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral and the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Australia all leading up to the climatic event itself.

Great, great movie. 10 of 10
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby starlooker » Tue Jan 20, 2009 9:21 am

I wouldn't ordinarily be interested in that, but the anthology of circus stories I'm reading had a piece by him about wire-walking that I just read a couple of nights ago that was very, very good.

So, yes, absolutely, I want to watch that.
There's another home somewhere,
There's another glimpse of sky...
There's another way to lean
into the wind, unafraid.
There's another life out there...

~~Mary Chapin Carpenter

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Postby locke » Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:27 am

Glad you're interested in it Kirsten, it's a damn good, very entertaining movie. :)

Bad Girl was nominated for best picture in 1930/31 and it won best director for Frank Borzage, it's long been virtually unavailable because it's a fox film and hasn't shown on one of their cable movie channels or aired on TV in reruns. the reason it hasn't been shown is the film is badly deteriorated, and was never released even on VHS. even though the DVD looks good, this is the best possible remaining print and it has some dropped frame and audio issues, and the audio wavers out of sync for a moment in the worst damaged area.

Despite all that the film looks very good. Borzage was an excellent director and this is a fine and appealing melodrama with marvelous characters and a clever script. It's not maudlin nor does it ever manipulate with overwrought pathos. The character conflicts that drive the plot are quite charming and enjoyable to watch play out because you never have the sense that this one is going to end badly--that's partly what makes it such an enjoyable film. It's also worth noting that after the fact I felt that the film was actually the forerunner to a hell of a lot of sitcom plots very much in a "It's a Wonderful Life" manner. Where that film has provided a christmas episode for every single sitcom in history to have more than three seasons, this film has provided a 'baby' plot for every single sitcom in history to feature a new baby at some point in the plot.

Roughly the film is about a very nice, single city girl who meets up with a diamond in the rough guy--someone who tries to be tough and nonchalant but is actually a big cushy huggable decent fellow. They meet, instantly start quarreling with each other and before you know it they've spent the evening together and are falling in love. Fast forward to her spending the night at his place (but not meaning to) and coming home at 4AM to get thrown out of her home by her brother and caretaker. But it winds up okay, he marries her the next day. 10 weeks later there's a crisis brewing, he's complained many times about people having babies they can't afford to take proper care of and she's certain he'll be upset at the surprise she has growing inside her. It's all very comical and endearing the way this couple's life plays out, the film charmed the hell out of me and I think it's one of the best american films of the early thirties. It's a damn shame that it's been unavailable so long, and is effectively still unavailable since you can only get it threw an online service like Netflix or by shelling out 200 for Fox's elaborate Borzage/Murnau set they released in December. I know several of the films in that set and I've actually been considering it, but luckily the price has kept me out of it. :-P

The most bizarre thing was the title. She is not a bad girl whatsoever, the only thing she does that could even be considered bad is get talked into bed the night before she gets married and even then the movie presents it really cutely, it was rainy out and they had nowhere to go. :D Clearly it was a changed title tacked on by the studio to attempt to entice audiences to see it as a scandalous title sells more tickets. :-P

Excellent film, 9 of 10
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby locke » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:10 pm

The Incredibles is still perfect, and pretty much moves into my top twenty. :-p
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.

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Postby Mich » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:52 pm

The Incredibles is still perfect, and pretty much moves into my top twenty. :-p
Best Pixar movie ever, for sure. Then again, I haven't seen WALL-E yet (please don't kill me, anyone).
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Postby zeroguy » Sun Jan 25, 2009 12:43 am

Taken (with Liam Neeson). It's a pretty normal "badass guy kills everyone" kind of movie; pretty much just like Man on Fire (with Denzel). The protagonist seemed unusually human for action-y movies while still defeating a ridiculous amount of people throughout the movie. Not that he gets hurt, necessarily, but makes small mistakes, actually misses when shooting enemies, etc, which was nice. Liam Neeson is just cool; and the character is very focused and calm when s*** happens, perhaps a bit less so near the ending scenes. Enjoyable for the kind of movie it is.
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Postby locke » Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:28 am

well, we couldn't be doctors

Night Shift, a Ron Howard film from the early eighties is a completely haphazard but utterly charming and sweet film about a couple of schmucks with a big idea. ;)

Henry Winkler and Michael Keaton play the two Night Shift morgue workers that don't particularly like their job. Winkler's neighbor happens to be a prostitute without a pimp (who is killed in the opening scene), and well, two and two are put together and suddenly the morgue workers are running a second business from where it would be least expected. and it's damn successful too, you can bet hilarity ensues. Winkler and Keaton play an Odd Couple esque pair as the neurotic/uptight and slobby/manic respectively, they've got great chemistry and Howard brings off the comedy effortlessly. it's comparable to Trading Places actually, in terms of 80s comedy. A gem of an overlooked film 7 of 10

---
zero, I've heard a lot about Taken lately, mostly positive things, especially about Neeson. I can't wait to see him play Lincoln. :D but I'll have to check out Taken at some point.
So, Lone Star, now you see that evil will always triumph because good is dumb.


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