Rate The Last Movie You Saw.

[DoctorDodge]

Well how I see the timeline of the new films is how things could've happened before history was changed, with the events of Escape onwards radically accelarating things (this is why, as much as I enjoy Conquest, especially the original cut, I greatly prefer the slower approach we're getting with the new films). Admittedly, not everything quite matches up with how the Ape origin was told in Escape by Cornelius (for example, the story that apes were used as pets because all the dogs had been wiped out, although this could've been put down to chinese whispers), but moments like Caesar saying "NO!" being the first word said by any ape was a great moment that was a great homage to that story in Rise. The writers have said that they are aware that there is a huge difference between the forests landscape of Dawn and the irradiated desert of the original film, but they are planning to get to that point more or less.

If the writers did want to nicely lead into the original film, and there's every chance they could, then this could be how it goes, timeline wise:

Original timeline
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Other prequels
Planet of the Apes
Beneath the Planet of the Apes

New timeline with Apes going back in time and changing history
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
That last Ape film that just felt like a massive disappointment and just felt unnecessary after Conquest

(Keep in mind I'm a fanatic of all things time travel and take this shit way too seriously)

But Mike is right, there's one or two things that don't quite match up and they could end up going in a very different direction. End of the day though, I don't care. We're getting new Planet of the Apes movies that don't feel like unnecessary reboots/prequels/whatever and are actually a great, respectful tribute to the original films. That's something I'm really thankful for in an age where there's too many reboots/remakes that just don't feel necessary and miss what the original films were all about.

[Still Servant]

I pretty much subscribe to the timeline you just submitted. That's how I've been viewing the franchise since seeing Rise. I just tell myself that after 1,000 years the origin of how Apes began to speak and take over the planet has been changed and warped. Much like many things in our own history. Kind of like one long game of telephone.

Like you said, I don't really care if things don't perfectly fit in with the original films because the two most recent films are so good. It's rare to find prequels that are actually good and appeal to a mass audience. These films don't feel like they are just capitalizing on a franchise name. They actually feel like they fit in with the previous films and I appreciate that.

The other thing to remember is that many of the people that are going to see these new Apes films have never seen any of the original films.

[DoctorDodge]

Very, very true. I'm always keen on anything that respects its original source material and yet appeals to a wider audience. The new Planet of the Apes movies, Nolan's Batman films, the Doctor Who revival (still impressed that they stuck to the original continuity while making it much more accessible for new audiences), even Dredd (because, let's be honest, it's not like the comics had that big an audience in America to begin with, and at least the new film has been steadily growing more and more of a cult audience) - respecting the source material is great, but that's usually a relatively limited audience. If you can take what appealed to the original audience and present that to a new and much larger one in a completely fresh way, that's a skill that I really appreciate.

(Before anyone asks: new Battlestar Galactica is awesome, in fact beyond fucking awesome that I appreciate a great deal more than the original series, but that didn't share much in common with the original series beyond the original concept.)

[Randall Flagg]

If the writers did want to nicely lead into the original film, and there's every chance they could, then this could be how it goes, timeline wise:

Original timeline
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Other prequels
Planet of the Apes
Beneath the Planet of the Apes

New timeline with Apes going back in time and changing history
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
That last Ape film that just felt like a massive disappointment and just felt unnecessary after Conquest

(Keep in mind I'm a fanatic of all things time travel and take this shit way too seriously)
That is the timeline you have deducted, but would you suggest watching them in order of box office release, or in timeline?

[DoctorDodge]

Oh, I'd still go for box office release, but maybe when the prequels are finished and if it does all neatly tie together, maybe watch one in timeline order at least once to see how well it fits.

[Randall Flagg]

Lucy

Director Luc Besson took a dream from an acid trip (is everything on acid a dream, or is every dream an acid trip?) and put it on screen in a visually stunning film. I am at a loss for more words. See it and decide.
I give it 1 tab of "Orange Sunshine" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALD-52), or a quarter of "Window Pane" (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=4%20Way%20Window%20Pane).

[Still Servant]

Lucy

Director Luc Besson took a dream from an acid trip (is everything on acid a dream, or is every dream an acid trip?) and put it on screen in a visually stunning film. I am at a loss for more words. See it and decide.
I give it 1 tab of "Orange Sunshine" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALD-52), or a quarter of "Window Pane" (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=4%20Way%20Window%20Pane).

Now you have my interest piqued even more.

[Mattrick]

I thought Lucy looked awful. But when I realised it was Besson film I changed my tune. Not in a rush to see it but I'll get around to it.

[pathoftheturtle]

The original original Planet of the Apes is better than the novel it was based on and better than almost half of the episodes in "The Twilight Zone" tv series, storywise. There were some interesting ideas in the sequels and the old PotA tv show I watched as a child and teenager, but I had already decided when I changed my view on shallow entertainment, quit collecting comics, and started analyzing Stephen King's bibliography online (all before the era of Planet Remake) that it would have been better to leave well enough alone and let that one near-TZ-average movie stand by itself. I keep watching but still nothing has changed my mind about that. They should take this effects technology and get a better writer with some new ideas.

[Ricky]

The Purge: Anarchy:


Any sequel with the same premise as its predecessor runs the risk of being a little tiresome. This, too, would be the case with the follow-up to last year’s surprise hit, The Purge—that is, if it weren’t so exciting.

Full Review (http://reviewsfromthecouch.wordpress.com/2014/07/30/the-purge-anarchy/)

[Still Servant]

The Purge: Anarchy:


Any sequel with the same premise as its predecessor runs the risk of being a little tiresome. This, too, would be the case with the follow-up to last year’s surprise hit, The Purge—that is, if it weren’t so exciting.

Full Review (http://reviewsfromthecouch.wordpress.com/2014/07/30/the-purge-anarchy/)

Nice review, Ricky. You pretty much echoed my thoughts on the film. Like you said, in the right hands, The Purge has the chance to be a huge franchise with endless possibilities.

I also love how you quoted an excerpt from your review. Good stuff.

[Randall Flagg]

Nice review.

[Ricky]

Thanks guys!

And Mike, I keep meaning to tell you that I saw Snowpiercer on Saturday. I really liked it. The premise and originality was really refreshing and I loved Tilda Swinton's character. One of the few negatives I had was that it started to feel a little "off" to me when they get to the front of the car, and Ed Harris was revealed to be Wilford. I think I just expected it to take a different direction than it did.

I don't think I'll be writing a review, but I'd probably give it an 8.5/10.

[Still Servant]

Thanks guys!

And Mike, I keep meaning to tell you that I saw Snowpiercer on Saturday. I really liked it. The premise and originality was really refreshing and I loved Tilda Swinton's character. One of the few negatives I had was that it started to feel a little "off" to me when they get to the front of the car, and Ed Harris was revealed to be Wilford. I think I just expected it to take a different direction than it did.

I don't think I'll be writing a review, but I'd probably give it an 8.5/10.

I'm glad you enjoyed it, Ricky. I'm just happy so many people are getting the chance to watch the movie.

[Still Servant]

Hey, guys. I finally put together a website for all my movie reviews (and some other stuff too). Check it out when you get the chance.

PopCulturedwithMovieMike (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike)

[webstar1000]

Servant do u watch a lot of movies?

[Still Servant]

Servant do u watch a lot of movies?

Yup, I try to whenever I can.

[Ricky]

Hey, guys. I finally put together a website for all my movie reviews (and some other stuff too). Check it out when you get the chance.

PopCulturedwithMovieMike (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike)

I love it, Mike! The background is great and everything looks really sharp and organized. (I wanted the "slideshow preview" pane on my homepage, too, but I don't think the basic WordPress sites offer them.) I especially like how it covers pop culture in general.

And thanks for the shout-out to my site, too.

[Still Servant]

Hey, guys. I finally put together a website for all my movie reviews (and some other stuff too). Check it out when you get the chance.

PopCulturedwithMovieMike (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike)

I love it, Mike! The background is great and everything looks really sharp and organized. (I wanted the "slideshow preview" pane on my homepage, too, but I don't think the basic WordPress sites offer them.) I especially like how it covers pop culture in general.

And thanks for the shout-out to my site, too.

Thanks, Ricky! I really appreciate that.

I was hoping you saw that I linked your site on there. :thumbsup:

[Merlin1958]

Guardians of the Galaxy is DA BOMB!!!!!



:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

[Melike]

I do not like to write reviews. Because I am not good at it. Also I am not good at defining why I loved what I loved. I just get passionate about things.
But yet, I want to say something about Snowpiercer.
The world is frozen and dead because of chemical used to stop global warming. People survived and sheltered in a train that never stops.
We first meet people of the tail section of the train. They are the ones who couldn't afford money to be in the front sections.
And we see how they are treated by the people in charge. They plan a rebellion.
We walk with the main character through the story. Like this train piercing its way into the cold, we pierce our way into the ending.
The darkness of the movie raises from the discrimination in society, but it reaches to more deep questions and problems.
And this is the best thing a movie can give to me.
9/10

[Still Servant]

Spot on, Melike! I'm so glad you enjoyed the film.

It's so great that so many people around here are watching Snowpiercer. I can't tell you how happy that makes me.

[fernandito]

I'm just happy to see Melike posting again :)

[Still Servant]

My review of Blue Ruin - 9.0/10 (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!blue-ruin/cgtx)



http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTY4NTM2MDg5OV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMDA3OTAwMTE@._ V1_SY317_CR0,0,214,317_AL_.jpg

[Ricky]

Ahh! I went to go comment on your Blue Ruin review, Mike, but it looks like your site makes you "sign in" via Facebook or Twitter (I don't have either). Here's what I wanted to say:

Nice review, Mike. I haven't seen it yet but it's been in my queue for a couple months. Guess I'll have to bump it up now!

[Still Servant]

Thanks a lot, Ricky!

Damn, I didn't even think of that. I haven't looked into it, but I think that's the only way the comments work. I will check if there is a way for a person to post without those sites. Some sites offer an anonymous feature. I'm glad to hear Blue Ruin was on your radar, I'd be interested in your thoughts.

[Still Servant]

My review of Guardians of the Galaxy - 9.5/10 (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!guardians-of-the-galaxy/c23fo)

http://www.blackgate.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Guardians-of-the-Galaxy-poster-21.jpg

[Randall Flagg]

Viewed Calvary yesterday. Set in a small Irish village, a priest is shocked when a confession begins with a person revealing he had been repeatedly raped when a child by a now deceased (and never prosecuted) Catholic priest.
The man says he is going perform an act as random and irrational as the assault upon him. He tells the priest he will kill him in one week.
Father James is a widower who used his grief over his lost wife as a reason to join the clergy. His suicidal daughter travels to spend time with him, arriving the day after his life is threatened.
He goes about his daily business in a town full of people so weird and quirky, they seem straight out of a Twin Peaks episode. Jame's faith is challenged and tested along the way to his coming to grips with his own demise.
Gorgeous scenery surrounds the miserable almost evil village.
6/6 Beers on the RFSPRS.
To reveal much more will spoil the movie. Just find it, and see it.

[DoctorZaius]

Guardians of the Galaxy - 9/10 (great family fun!)

August: Osage County 7.5/10 (better as a play than it is as a movie)

[Ricky]

My review of Guardians of the Galaxy - 9.5/10 (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!guardians-of-the-galaxy/c23fo)

Great review! I thought Guardians of the Galaxy looked pretty stupid when I first saw the trailer, and thought there's no way it's going to be a hit. Guess I was wrong! It's been getting both critical and mass audience acclaim, so I'm really surprised. I'm still not dying to see it, but may check it out when it's out on DVD out of curiosity (especially since it seems a little distanced and different from the other Marvel films, which always look cookie-cutter to me).

[fernandito]

Great review, Mike!

I'm still not sure if Guardians has overthrown Avengers as my favorite Marvel film, but it's pretty damn close. The only thing that annoyed me a bit was that the comedy was neutered to accommodate the younger audience (Rocket is a lot more vulgar in the comics), but other than that it's a very faithful representation of the comic series. The way Gunn was able to incorporate the 'Earthling' soundtrack into the film is nothing short of genius. It definitely paid dividends for them from both a marketing and creative standpoint as that is one of the films highlights. Such a damn good blockbuster. Loved it.

[Still Servant]

Thanks, guys! Really appreciate it.

I agree, Fernando. I can only imagine how much more fun it would have been if the film was rated R. I can't wait to see where they go next with the franchise. I personally can't wait to see Tony Stark interact with the Guardians. He is going to have a field day. Iron Man and Rocket in the same scene? Mind blowingly funny.

[Merlin1958]

Guardians of the Galaxy is DA BOMB!!!!!



:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:



My review of Guardians of the Galaxy - 9.5/10 (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!guardians-of-the-galaxy/c23fo)

Great review! I thought Guardians of the Galaxy looked pretty stupid when I first saw the trailer, and thought there's no way it's going to be a hit. Guess I was wrong! It's been getting both critical and mass audience acclaim, so I'm really surprised. I'm still not dying to see it, but may check it out when it's out on DVD out of curiosity (especially since it seems a little distanced and different from the other Marvel films, which always look cookie-cutter to me).

I realize I don't count here, but....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwKHrBQjzbE

Title sequence is awesome!!!

[fernandito]

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - 8/10

[Jean]

I am sorry I am away most of the time

I'll be back as soon as I feel a little better

at least I can watch films now, which is a great relief and gives hope that I might improve with time

just couldn't help coming here and posting - not a review, bears are not up to it yet - but just a quick remark. Mystic River is fucking good. Not without flaws, but Sean Penn was terrific, and the last 15 minutes are pure genius. Bears are impressed.

[DoctorDodge]

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - 8/10

Glad you enjoyed it, Fernando. Apart from Godzilla, quality wise, it's been a good summer for blockbusters, I'd say.


I am sorry I am away most of the time

I'll be back as soon as I feel a little better

at least I can watch films now, which is a great relief and gives hope that I might improve with time

just couldn't help coming here and posting - not a review, bears are not up to it yet - but just a quick remark. Mystic River is fucking good. Not without flaws, but Sean Penn was terrific, and the last 15 minutes are pure genius. Bears are impressed.

Consider me interested. I'll have to check it out.

And glad to see bears posting at all, especially about something he loves, even if its just a couple of sentences. Hope you're back to 100% soon.

[Mattrick]

I've watched Mystic River many, many times. A great theatre experience there. I quote it a lot, especially Tim Robbins..."How are things looking on that Sprite, Shawn?" "Yeah, sure." "Oh, I get it. You're the good cop. How about a meatball sub while you're at it." And Laurence Fishburne has the greatest name ever for a black cop, Whitey Powers. One of my favourite films. It should have won best picture but noooo, Return of the King (which was the worst of the trilogy) had to get all the Oscars. "Dave, I don't know what you're talkin' about." "Vampires sweetie, werewolves." "You're not making any sense."

[fernandito]

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - 8/10

Glad you enjoyed it, Fernando. Apart from Godzilla, quality wise, it's been a good summer for blockbusters, I'd say.

Absolutely. Apes, Days of Future Past, Guardians - it has been a great year for blockbusters.

Also, Mystic River is fantastic. It's one of those films I just can't imagine someone not liking.

[Still Servant]

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - 8/10

Glad you enjoyed it, Fernando. Apart from Godzilla, quality wise, it's been a good summer for blockbusters, I'd say.

Absolutely. Apes, Days of Future Past, Guardians - it has been a great year for blockbusters.


I agree, it's been a good summer for film in general. In addition to the movies listed above, I'd like to add Edge of Tomorrow, Snowpiercer, 22 Jump Street and let's not forget Captain America: Winter Soldier that came out earlier in the "summer."

[Randall Flagg]

How do you fire 100,000 rounds of ammo, several dozen tank salvos, an RPG or two, kill 900 "bad guys" and only one "good guy" is nicked-all the while staying PG-13?
The Expendables.
You can't say "fuck" twice in a movie, but kill 900+ people with edits that essentially show no blood and any kid with $10 can see it. Make sure not a single breast, or real human emotion is revealed.
Worst movie I've seen in 2+ years.
I want my beer back.
0 beers on the RFSPRS.

[Mattrick]

Sounds as good as the first Expendables.

[Still Servant]

The first two Expendables are actually pretty good. They are what they are. Unfortunately, the studio chose to neuter the third film in hopes of bringing in a bigger audience. The worst part is that the film was shot thinking it was going to be rated R, which means it got hacked to shit in post. You can't have over-the-top 80's action film craziness and make it PG-13, it's just not possible.

[Mattrick]

There were two good things in the first Expendables; Dolph Lundgren and Jason Statham beating up a pick-up basketball game. Truthfully, The Expendables just made me wish they made another Rambo film instead...the most recent Rambo kicked so much ass I needed a cane for two days after watching it.

[Still Servant]

There were two good things in the first Expendables; Dolph Lundgren and Jason Statham beating up a pick-up basketball game. Truthfully, The Expendables just made me wish they made another Rambo film instead...the most recent Rambo kicked so much ass I needed a cane for two days after watching it.

Totally agree. I would love another Rambo although some people might argue that the end of the last Rambo was a perfect way to end the franchise with him coming home again. I would argue that it could be a nice jumping off point for another film. I had a decent idea for another Rambo on US soil, but I don't remember it anymore. I should have written it down.

[Randall Flagg]

I love pop references. I wax nostalgic over 70's obscure songs like "Cherry Bomb" by Joan Jett and The Runaways. "Star Wars" blew my mind as a 15 year old (so did The Godfather, Blazing Saddles, The Exorcist (13 years old) and Jaws to name a few others).

Take parts from most of those, throw in a John Stamos reference; a Walkman running joke (Sony all the way-oh..., and wait 20 minutes after the film ends to see the silly reference to the abject failure (Howard The Duck), a few other quirks, add $150 million in special effects-lots of vegetative matter, a few actors that no one under 40 would recognize, make sure it's 20 minutes too long, and obviously set up for a sequel or three and you have "Guardians of The Galaxy"

I laughed, I yawned, I silently sang along with the songs and of course I had already handed my $15 over for the 3D Imax, so I cried.
I needed a program to keep track of the incoherent names for the villains; each of which is the most powerful and to be feared entity in the universe (until their boss showed up- and they were even more powerful).

Fun, but only 4/6 beers on the RFSPRS, 1 beer added for "Cherry Bomb".

[Still Servant]

You don't need to pay attention to the names of the villains in the slightest. They are inconsequential to the story. A story that is pretty bare bones, to be honest. It's your typical Maguffin story. Guardians was really about the colorful characters interacting with each other in interesting locales. It's one of the best films of the year hands down.

[pathoftheturtle]

Maybe Stallone should have made Rambo part whatever number Rambo got up to while I was not watching instead of starting those "The Expendables" movies which I keep hearing about the existence of ...or maybe he could just get lost already!

[DoctorDodge]

What If?

This is a pretty decent romantic comedy that I wanted to check out when I heard one review say it was the best romantic comedy since (500) Days of Summer. While in some key ways, it's a little more predictable and not quite so bittersweet, it was still a film I really enjoyed.

There were a few little things that really made me appreciate it. Firstly, Daniel Radcliffe's character of Wallace wasn't the traditional romantic male lead, but instead came across as very cynical and very dry while showing a more than slightly dorky side - in other words, he was not only incredibly British, but he was a character that I found myself genuinely relating to at a lot of good moments, so that was an instant plus. Zoe Kazan is also equally likable as Chantry, and there's a lot of chemistry between the two that feels well used within the film and not exploited and thrown in our faces (trust me, the difference between the two can be the crucial difference between "charming" and "nauseating"). The script also has a lot of really decent quotable lines ("You've totally killed my sex/nacho high" and "So your advice is that I should be sleazy, devious or pathetic?" "Well when you put it like that, it sounds like really bad advice" spring to mind), and there's a great soundtrack. It also has one of the most inventive credit sequences I've seen in a long while. Seriously if, like me, you find yourself initially unsatisfied by the ending, stick for the credits, as it really fleshes things out.

I think some weaknesses are that the 'will-they/won't-they' plot has been done a million times before, and, bar a couple of neat little subversions story wise (there's a play on the ol' "big romantic moment" that actually backfires massively in Wallace's face at one point), it really is overall rather predictable. This isn't a bad thing by itself - When Harry Met Sally is an absolutely brilliant film that still followed something of a basic formula - but it's not as good as the greats. Still, it's definitely one of the better romantic comedies I've seen in a while, and like I said, the little things it gets right really make all the difference to making this film stand out from a great deal of the genre. 7/10

[Ricky]

Nice review, James. Your comments seem pretty in line with what I've read about it so far.

[Mattrick]

Two top movies on my list to watch right now are these:

http://sparklyprettybriiiight.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Boyhood-movie-poster-MAIN1.jpg
http://0101.nccdn.net/1_5/378/1d0/2ce/Love-is-Strange.jpg

[Still Servant]

What If?

This is a pretty decent romantic comedy that I wanted to check out when I heard one review say it was the best romantic comedy since (500) Days of Summer. While in some key ways, it's a little more predictable and not quite so bittersweet, it was still a film I really enjoyed.

There were a few little things that really made me appreciate it. Firstly, Daniel Radcliffe's character of Wallace wasn't the traditional romantic male lead, but instead came across as very cynical and very dry while showing a more than slightly dorky side - in other words, he was not only incredibly British, but he was a character that I found myself genuinely relating to at a lot of good moments, so that was an instant plus. Zoe Kazan is also equally likable as Chantry, and there's a lot of chemistry between the two that feels well used within the film and not exploited and thrown in our faces (trust me, the difference between the two can be the crucial difference between "charming" and "nauseating"). The script also has a lot of really decent quotable lines ("You've totally killed my sex/nacho high" and "So your advice is that I should be sleazy, devious or pathetic?" "Well when you put it like that, it sounds like really bad advice" spring to mind), and there's a great soundtrack. It also has one of the most inventive credit sequences I've seen in a long while. Seriously if, like me, you find yourself initially unsatisfied by the ending, stick for the credits, as it really fleshes things out.

I think some weaknesses are that the 'will-they/won't-they' plot has been done a million times before, and, bar a couple of neat little subversions story wise (there's a play on the ol' "big romantic moment" that actually backfires massively in Wallace's face at one point), it really is overall rather predictable. This isn't a bad thing by itself - When Harry Met Sally is an absolutely brilliant film that still followed something of a basic formula - but it's not as good as the greats. Still, it's definitely one of the better romantic comedies I've seen in a while, and like I said, the little things it gets right really make all the difference to making this film stand out from a great deal of the genre. 7/10

Nice. You have me interested. I saw the trailer a while back and wasn't sure about it. Now I'm a little more inclined to give it a shot.

[DoctorDodge]

Cheers, Ricky and Mike.

Matt, I also meant to check out Boyhood. Just missed it, though. Shame, as I've been hearing nothing but great reviews.

[mae]

Just watched How I Live Now. Brilliant film. Saoirse Ronan is just amazing and it's a very interesting way to look at a WW3-type scenario.

[fernandito]

I rewatched Moon, The Fighter, and Tinkor, Tailor, Soldier, Spy yesterday as I recuperated from an epic hangover lol. Still love all 3.

[Mattrick]

Love Moon and The Fighter (the birthday cake stuff makes me all :'( ). Haven't watched Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy yet but I've heard nothing but good things.

[Ricky]

Dear As Above, So Below:

Thank you for being the only movie to make me physically sick. And for changing your plot every 10 minutes. I would write a review of you, but I just don't want to.

Sincerely,

Ricky

[fernandito]

:lol:

The handheld camera thing?

[Ricky]

Yes. I've seen plenty of shaky-cam movies, but dear God. I had to look away for a few seconds every ten minutes or so. Add that to there being times when I literally didn't know what was going on because the camera work was so poor.

[Mattrick]

Looks awful, won't watch.

[Ricky]

Review: Coherence - 8.5/10 (https://reviewsfromthecouch.wordpress.com/)


Whoever says that there aren’t any more original Sci-Fi movies obviously hasn’t seen Coherence.

[Jean]

Dear As Above, So Below:

Thank you for being the only movie to make me physically sick. <...>
When I read that, I was so excited! I thought: now, that's a film for bears' unwholesome entertainment!!!

Then the horrible truth came to light:


:lol:

The handheld camera thing?


Yes. I've seen plenty of shaky-cam movies, but dear God. I had to look away for a few seconds every ten minutes or so. Add that to there being times when I literally didn't know what was going on because the camera work was so poor.

Bears will definitely not watch it.

[Ricky]

Yeah, I wouldn't recommend it. It started off okay, but it gets progressively worse. The main things that it has going for it are the setting (which you can only really see about half of the time anyway) and the humor that's peppered throughout the script.

[Still Servant]

Review: Coherence - 8.5/10 (https://reviewsfromthecouch.wordpress.com/)


Whoever says that there aren’t any more original Sci-Fi movies obviously hasn’t seen Coherence.

Thank you for that review Ricky on two levels. The first is that because it was really good. The second is that you solved a question I've had for about a week. I remember seeing a trailer for Coherence months ago and thought it looked really good. I lost track of it (I really should write this shit down) and had to start googling what little I could recall from the trailer.

Where did you find the film, if I may ask? I don't think that it will open in a theater near me and it's not on VOD it seems.

[Mattrick]

http://sparklyprettybriiiight.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Boyhood-movie-poster-MAIN1.jpg


TOMORROW!!!!!!!
Unless plans change...which they better not

[Ricky]

Thank you for that review Ricky on two levels. The first is that because it was really good. The second is that you solved a question I've had for about a week. I remember seeing a trailer for Coherence months ago and thought it looked really good. I lost track of it (I really should write this shit down) and had to start googling what little I could recall from the trailer.

Where did you find the film, if I may ask? I don't think that it will open in a theater near me and it's not on VOD it seems.

Thanks, Mike.

And I got it On Demand (Comcast). It was only $4.99, I think. I would definitely recommend checking it out.

[DoctorZaius]

Just saw Into The Storm. Loved it. Little characterization, but WOW special effects. To quote my local movie reviewer, a great pieced of "disaster porn." At only an hour and a half, it was non stop action.

[Mattrick]

http://sparklyprettybriiiight.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Boyhood-movie-poster-MAIN1.jpg


TOMORROW!!!!!!!
Unless plans change...which they better not

EIGHT STARS OUT OF FIVE

[Jean]

Inspired by the tournament, have just watched two films (both long overdue): Twelve Monkeys and Blade Runner. Totally loved the former (hope to write one of my endlessly long reviews when I am able to write again); respected the latter. I fully realize that it's all wrong to compare them, but I watched them back to back, and can't help it, at least in one respect: while TM kept me enthralled, and I only wished it would never end (and deeply regretted it being only a little over 2 hours long - bears could have happily watched it for 2 more hours), I was mainly bored while watching BR. Loved the finale (watched "the final cut"), loved both Ford and Hauer (also some of the visuals), respected the idea and the intention... also, feel more impressed with its aftermath than with the actual watching. In short, as I said, respected the film, not really liked it. Adored Twelve Monkeys, and will watch it again some time soon.

[Heather19]

Jean, have you seen The Abyss?

[Ricky]

Jean, I agree with your comments about Blade Runner. I respect it and what it did for its genre as a whole, but I was bored too. I just didn't like it. Though, I'm not a fan of "hard" Sci-Fi to begin with, so I'm sure that's a part of why I wasn't thrilled with it.

[DoctorDodge]

I also watched Twelve Monkeys for the first time Jean, and I also loved it. Perfect time travel film, and one that deals with my favourite kind of time travel story, and also the one that is, naturally, the trickiest to do: the "future is history" story - that when you go back in time, you're not changing any of the events you know, you're not just a part of them but were always meant to be a part of them. It's a tricky story to do because when the main protagonist knows exactly what's going to happen, it can take away some of the tension if that situation is unchangeable. Do it right however and that can actually add to it. Twelve Monkeys was incredibly successful because it knew how to really build suspense and tension and even a few neat little twists. At first, I was skeptical about the ending before I reached it - it seemed too predictable to me - until I realised that actually, for once, being predictable was a good thing, adding a feeling of inevitability and fate to the story.

Ricky: if I'm honest, I'm the same when it comes to scifi, I'm not a big fan of the harder edged stuff. I will always love Blade Runner though not just as scifi but as future noir, and I adore the Ghost in the Shell movies and TV series, despite having so much hard scifi that a lot of it just goes over my head (it helps that it has a level of philosophy and depth that I really appreciate, not to mention the occasional political angle and full on action). But yeah, of my two favourite shows that count as science fiction, both of them barely count in the genre - the time travel angle in Life on Mars is basically the easiest and coolest way of making a detective series actually interesting for once, and Doctor Who's 'science' usually translates to 'magic', a lot of the time. :lol:

[Still Servant]

12 Monkeys is even better the second time. I'm not even joking.

The first place I watched 12 Monkeys is a very odd setting and scenario. It was actually on a bus trip to New York when I was in high school. Somebody must have popped it in on the way back. I woke up on the bus and started watching it and I was instantly hooked. Being groggy and on this mini adventure only heightened the film for me. To this day, I will sometimes start to watch 12 Monkeys if I'm feeling sleepy or if I just woke up. I can't explain it, but it has such a dreamlike quality to it.

[fernandito]

I fully realize that it's all wrong to compare them, but I watched them back to back, and can't help it, at least in one respect: while TM kept me enthralled, and I only wished it would never end (and deeply regretted it being only a little over 2 hours long - bears could have happily watched it for 2 more hours), I was mainly bored while watching BR. Loved the finale (watched "the final cut"), loved both Ford and Hauer (also some of the visuals), respected the idea and the intention... also, feel more impressed with its aftermath than with the actual watching. In short, as I said, respected the film, not really liked it.

Jean, I agree with your comments about Blade Runner. I respect it and what it did for its genre as a whole, but I was bored too. I just didn't like it. Though, I'm not a fan of "hard" Sci-Fi to begin with, so I'm sure that's a part of why I wasn't thrilled with it.
I can understand that, BR is definitely not for everyone. I think that if you're not someone like me - a fan of the hard sci fi - the only thing you will really take away from a film like that is precisely what you both mentioned; its seminal properties, the tropes it spawned and helps perpetuate, its influence etc.

I do love hard sci fi though which is why I'm able to watch and it and enjoy the hell out of it from an entertainment standpoint. The film is inherently sci fi but the tropes are not the focus (not all of them anyway), they're embellishments used to give the story and themes added horse power. I love the use of reoccurring motifs in the film, like the multiple close up of the eyes, and the core theme of enjoying the time given to you. It's a bit of a stinging remark on humanity on behalf of Ridley that the droids are desperately seeking ways to expand their life cycle and lament when one of their own falls, and the humans are just bumbling, depressive, greedy, trigger happy drones waiting for the end. Such a fantastic film, my goodness.

[pathoftheturtle]

When you have a half hour, you might like to check out the original:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqMEc0oe4yc

And then, Jean, I am hoping Gilliam might finally make it onto your favorite directors list.

[pathoftheturtle]

P.S. -

Inspired by the tournament,* have just watched two films (both long overdue): Twelve Monkeys and Blade Runner... I fully realize that it's all wrong to compare them...The biggest thing wrong with this to me is that too much of it now will spoil the final round! :lol:

But seriously, to everything there is a season. I think we must be able to appreciate each work of art separate from all others AND to be able to contrast them against others, at different times, in order to appreciate the art fully. -- MHO, FWIW.


... Totally loved the former (hope to write one of my endlessly long reviews when I am able to write again); respected the latter. ... feel more impressed with its aftermath than with the actual watching. In short, as I said, respected the film, not really liked it. Adored Twelve Monkeys, and will watch it again some time soon.


... for once, being predictable was a good thing, adding a feeling of inevitability and fate to the story.Ah, it is like the Tin Man said:
"Now I know I have a heart, because mine is breaking."



... Doctor Who's 'science' usually translates to 'magic', a lot of the time. :lol:OMG, so many things I could say about that! For one, I'd like to rant about the concept of "parallel" universes and how the misnomer led to absurdities of time travel in DW, TDT, and BTTF... but that would require a new thread, I guess... and in which forum, I can't say. <_<

[Jean]

And then, Jean, I am hoping Gilliam might finally make it onto your favorite directors list.He is rapidly getting there (ever since I watched Tideland, in fact). I have to review the list some time soon.

[fernandito]

Jean - have you seen Brazil?

[Jean]

no, not yet! I am totally going to

[fernandito]

I think you two will get along nicely.

[Still Servant]

Watched The Raid 2 - 9.0 and The Monuments Men - 6.5 check out my site for mini-reviews on both films.

Pop Cultured with Movie Mike (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike)

Most of the movies I've seen in recent weeks are under Quick Flicks on the first page.

[DoctorDodge]

Yay, Mike! Glad you enjoyed The Raid 2! It is the bee's knees and the dog's bollocks all in one, isn't it? Might re-watch it this weekend, I think.

[Mattrick]

James, when you gonna watch Another Year bro? Mike Leigh is awesome, get on it.

[Ricky]

Just got back from a screening of The Maze Runner. Wow. Really, really impressed (and surprised). I'll have a full review up sometime within the next day or so, but for now I'll just say that I loved it.

[Still Servant]

Yay, Mike! Glad you enjoyed The Raid 2! It is the bee's knees and the dog's bollocks all in one, isn't it? Might re-watch it this weekend, I think.

Oh, man. I can't stop raving about both of those films. After watching The Raid a few years ago, I was highly anticipating The Raid 2. I would check message boards for info, search for trailers and pics. I was so excited. Of course, the film was never released around here and I had to wait even longer for it to come to Blu-Ray. I got a good deal on the first two films on Blu-Ray. I probably should have waited because I'm sure they will be releasing the trilogy on Blu-Ray at some point. Speaking of that. I can't wait to see where they go from here. I'd also love to see Evans get to direct a Hollywood film. I think he's got talent and he's just what the action genre needs right now.

Ricky, you really surprised me with your remarks on the Maze Runner. I didn't have a whole lot of hope for it and was on the fence about seeing it in theaters. I will await your review as patiently as possible.

[DoctorDodge]

James, when you gonna watch Another Year bro? Mike Leigh is awesome, get on it.

When you watch Withnail & I.

[Mattrick]

James, when you gonna watch Another Year bro? Mike Leigh is awesome, get on it.

When you watch Withnail & I.

I tried but it was tough to find a good copy. I'll shall look again. POST HASTE!

edit - Found a copy. Will be watching in a few days. You, Bears and 1001 Movies To See Before You Die can't be wrong with this one. Another Year should be on Netflix. I'm about due for another Another Year viewing.

[DoctorDodge]

Not on UK Netflix, unfortunately. I'll keep an eye out for it, anyway.

[Still Servant]

Interesting tidbit. I went back in time in this thread to look for something and I stumbled upon James' initial Dredd review. Much to my surprise, you gave it an 8/10. :o

Your love for the film has clearly grown. That happens with me all the time. It takes multiple viewings to truly appreciate some films.

[Mattrick]

It's opposite for me sometimes. A second viewing can bring to light a lot of problems I didn't originally see.

[DoctorDodge]

Interesting tidbit. I went back in time in this thread to look for something and I stumbled upon James' initial Dredd review. Much to my surprise, you gave it an 8/10. :o

Your love for the film has clearly grown. That happens with me all the time. It takes multiple viewings to truly appreciate some films.

Well it's not that I didn't love the film when it was initially released - I did see it 3 times at the cinema, after all, and that's only because it wasn't out that long in the first place - but I still aimed to be as subjective as possible when it came to the original review, especially considering there were plenty of members here that were interested in the film while never having read the comics, including you and Fernando, so I tried to look at it from that initial viewpoint. Not gonna lie, it's definitely one of my favourite all-time films, and I love it a lot for how many things it got right when translating the comics to the big screen, but honestly, I'd probably say 8/10, possibly 9/10 is still a fair rating when taken on its own.

I will say though that there have been plenty of films that seriously grew on me after my first viewing. Blade Runner is definitely one example, and I think that's a common reaction for a lot of people (because with a title like Blade Runner and being released in golden age of Harrison Ford, I think it's common to go in with expectations that it's gonna be a fast-paced scifi actioner instead of the rather slow paced future noir story that it is. Not for everyone, of course - I'm aware that Ricky and Jean have their own reasons for not enjoying it - but for me, expecting something completely different was a key reason why I didn't initially love it).

But I think the biggest example of a film growing on me after the initial viewing was Withnail & I. Now, I'm sure everyone knows by now my thoughts on that film, but the first time I watched it, I really didn't get it. First time I saw it, I thought there seemed to be such little plot that went nowhere, and then out of nowhere, it just ended. I thought it had a few good quotes here and there, but other than that, I wasn't too keen on it (it didn't help that I was a little drunk and distracted by the seriously fit girl who had introduced it to me at the time). I'd probably have given it a 5/10 on initial viewing.

But the next day, I started thinking of random moments and thinking how brilliant they were (especially "WHY HAVE YOU DRUGGED THEIR ONIONS?!"). And then I thought of other golden quotes. Eventually, I just felt a need to re-watch it again and take it in more. The second time, I definitely 'got' it more and really liked it. Third time, loved it. Fourth: favourite movie ever, and that hasn't changed. From time to time, I even read some of the screenplay (even the scene descriptions are absolute gold). It's definitely amazing how some films can grow on you like that, I'll say that much.

I think I need to re-watch it tonight, actually. :D

[fernandito]

Ah yes, Blade Runner. I remember the first time I watched it I absolutely detested it. Maybe because I was young and it was not what I expected or promised it would be. The DVD box art said it contained "Nonstop, pulse pounding action!" and that it was "an adrenaline fueled ride!" (those clever marketing fuckers) so naturally I went in expecting a guns blazing, balls to the wall action sci fi film. What I got instead was a methodical, character driven sci fi film that unfolds slowly, punctuated with the occasional bit of gunfire.

I remember I was so mad when it was over I almost gave that expensive ass dvd away. I held onto it, with the intention of revisiting it later. I did after a few years, and it became one of my all time favorite films. It still is. Older me was better equipped to appreciate its seminal properties, and the sci fi coated noir story. It's such a fantastic film.

[DoctorDodge]

The DVD box art said it contained "Nonstop, pulse pounding action!" and that it was "an adrenaline fueled ride!" (those clever marketing fuckers) so naturally I went in expecting a guns blazing, balls to the wall action sci fi film.

Yep, me too. I was a little bit put off (and like you, I bought it on DVD), but it actually wasn't that long before I got the chance to watch it a 2nd time: less than a week later during my first date (like, ever), I got to see it on the big screen. Definitely enjoyed it more then, I must say.

[Randall Flagg]

Viewed "The Drop" yesterday. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Saw it in "XD!" (super large screen, and I must say a brilliant experience-essentially another companies version of Imax). Complex and very nuanced performances. The director uses quite a few extreme facial close-ups on actors who build up suspense and tension by very subtle but wonderful dialog and incredible body/facial language. No quick cuts or jerky camera shots here, in fact many shots go on so long as to make the viewer feel as uncomfortable as the characters.
5/6 beers (and a shot for the last movie with James Gandolfini in it) on the RFSRS.

I suppose I am a fool for not knowing in advance that the main character Bob Saginowski was Tom Hardy (Bane).

[Mattrick]

Long Shots are my favourite shots. My friend saw this yesterday and also really enjoyed it. Dennis LeHane is a great writer and all his film adaptations turn out excellent so looking forward to watching The Drop.

[Still Servant]

Ah yes, Blade Runner. I remember the first time I watched it I absolutely detested it. Maybe because I was young and it was not what I expected or promised it would be. The DVD box art said it contained "Nonstop, pulse pounding action!" and that it was "an adrenaline fueled ride!" (those clever marketing fuckers) so naturally I went in expecting a guns blazing, balls to the wall action sci fi film. What I got instead was a methodical, character driven sci fi film that unfolds slowly, punctuated with the occasional bit of gunfire.

I remember I was so mad when it was over I almost gave that expensive ass dvd away. I held onto it, with the intention of revisiting it later. I did after a few years, and it became one of my all time favorite films. It still is. Older me was better equipped to appreciate its seminal properties, and the sci fi coated noir story. It's such a fantastic film.

I saw Blade Runner for the first time in the worst possible environment. We watched it in one of my classes in high school. I have no idea what class it was or why we were watching it. I think the teacher might have been hung over. The seats are uncomfortable and people are talking. Just not good. I watched it years later and enjoyed it a lot more. I'm looking to get my hands on the complete Blu-Ray set.

Also, I hope to see The Drop this week.

[Mattrick]

I saw Blade Runner for the first time in the worst possible environment. We watched it in one of my classes in high school. I have no idea what class it was or why we were watching it. I think the teacher might have been hung over. The seats are uncomfortable and people are talking. Just not good. I watched it years later and enjoyed it a lot more. I'm looking to get my hands on the complete Blu-Ray set.

Also, I hope to see The Drop this week.

I watched most of it in High School too, by most I mean I missed half a class lol

[fernandito]

Viewed "The Drop" yesterday. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Saw it in "XD!" (super large screen, and I must say a brilliant experience-essentially another companies version of Imax). Complex and very nuanced performances. The director uses quite a few extreme facial close-ups on actors who build up suspense and tension by very subtle but wonderful dialog and incredible body/facial language. No quick cuts or jerky camera shots here, in fact many shots go on so long as to make the viewer feel as uncomfortable as the characters.
5/6 beers (and a shot for the last movie with James Gandolfini in it) on the RFSRS.

I suppose I am a fool for not knowing in advance that the main character Bob Saginowski was Tom Hardy (Bane).


Long Shots are my favourite shots. My friend saw this yesterday and also really enjoyed it. Dennis LeHane is a great writer and all his film adaptations turn out excellent so looking forward to watching The Drop.

I was already in when I saw that Gandolfini (rip) and Hardy were involved, but now that I find out that it's a LeHane novel I'm double in. Very much looking forward to it.

[Still Servant]

Saw The Drop. Wow. I really loved it. The film has a slow pace, but it's perfect. It builds such great tension and suspense. I hope to write a review.

Go see it.

[fernandito]

I believe in Mike Dent. I believe that under his watch my movie list can feel a little safer, a little more... optimistic. Now look at this face. This is the face of my movie list's bright future. To Michael Dent, let's hear it for him.

Oh hey Mike I also added Blue Ruin to my instant queue. Hope to get to it soon.

[Still Servant]

Good to hear, Fernando. Actually both Blue Ruin and The Drop are very similar in tempo and pace.

[Shannon]

Just watched Mud. Excellent, excellent, excellent movie. Five out of five.

[Still Servant]

My spoiler free review of The Drop. (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!the-drop/c1vxu)

[Randall Flagg]

You nailed it.

[Still Servant]

Thanks, RF.

[Ricky]

The Maze Runner:


The Maze Runner is a master class in creating suspense not just for YA films but for films in general.

Full Review (https://reviewsfromthecouch.wordpress.com/2014/09/19/the-maze-runner/)

Spoiler-ish pet peeve: I loved the movie, but why does every YA book or movie have to be dystopian?!

[fernandito]

Excellent review, Ricky.

I'll be honest - I'm one of those whose initial inclination is to blow off YA films, precisely for those reasons you mentioned. The melodrama and the shoehorned love triangles. It grates on my nerves. Glad to hear this is one of those few that buck the trend. The premise is intriguing, so I might give this a whirl.

[Ricky]

My spoiler free review of The Drop. (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!the-drop/c1vxu)

Great review, Mike. I had heard of The Drop, but it doesn't seem like it's getting a ton of exposure. I might have to check it out when it's on DVD or VOD.

I also like how you included the trailer. I was surprised to realize that I hadn't seen it yet.


Excellent review, Ricky.

I'll be honest - I'm one of those whose initial inclination is to blow off YA films, precisely for those reasons you mentioned. The melodrama and the shoehorned love triangles. It grates on my nerves. Glad to hear this is one of those few that buck the trend. The premise is intriguing, so I might give this a whirl.

Thanks, Fernando!

Yeah, I would definitely recommend it to people who aren't usually fans of YA films. I didn't know what to expect going in to it and was surprised that it was very action- and suspense-based. A local reviewer mentioned its Predator-like aspect, which is something I think you might appreciate.

The characters are a little underdeveloped and there are quite a few mysteries unanswered at the end, but I bumped up my rating because it was so much fun.

[Shannon]

Absolutely amazing short film. If you have seven free minutes, spend it on this.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gryenlQKTbE

[Still Servant]

Really solid review, Ricky. Like I mentioned before, I didn't really have any interest in The Maze Runner until I heard you say that you liked it. I'm hoping to see it in the coming weeks.

Thanks for noticing I linked The Drop trailer. You are exactly right about the trailer for that film, it just didn't get a lot of attention. I love trailers and I'm always looking for them, but I didn't see The Drop trailer until about 3 weeks ago. I know it's not going to open at most theaters, but I urge everybody to check it out on DVD or On Demand.

[mae]

I think some of you have already seen Coherence, but if not, get thee to a copy NOW. It's one of the few films that made me want to watch it again right away after it ended. Mind-bending doesn't begin to describe it. Definitely one of my favorites of the year (even though it technically came out in 2013).

[Ricky]

I think some of you have already seen Coherence, but if not, get thee to a copy NOW. It's one of the few films that made me want to watch it again right away after it ended. Mind-bending doesn't begin to describe it. Definitely one of my favorites of the year (even though it technically came out in 2013).

Yes, yes, and yes.

My Review (http://reviewsfromthecouch.wordpress.com/2014/08/30/coherence/)

[Jean]

have watched Contact
the story is ok, but altogether it's exactly the kind of film bears don't like. Some five or so minutes close to the end were good (after she is back, and before the corny finale)

[mae]

have watched Contact
the story is ok, but altogether it's exactly the kind of film bears don't like. Some five or so minutes close to the end were good (after she is back, and before the corny finale)

I'm a sucker for those kinds of corny things :fairy:

[Jean]

bears are sorry they couldn't like it! they really tried http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/mishemplushem/Facilitation/0134-bear.gif (http://s91.photobucket.com/user/mishemplushem/media/Facilitation/0134-bear.gif.html)

[Mattrick]

Bears should watch Her...that is sci-fi for bears to fall in love with as I did. It's near perfect filmmaking.

[Jean]

bears remember!

[Mattrick]

Citizen Kane: While it was a great film with one viewing it's hard for me to say it's the best film of all time, or one of the best, and repeated viewings may make me appreciate it more. It's defitinitely a film with a lot to take in. A lot of nice little subtle touches, like the quotations around 'singer'. There was some good humour in it (some of that was me and my friend laughing at the Bobo episode of The Simpsons and various other simpsons references to the film) which was nice. In some ways it has parrallels to Wolf of Wall Street, especially when Kane brought in all those dancers and was having the parties lol, was almost expecting them to break out the blow. The cinematography is amazing, especially an early scene after they screened the opening video, the backlighting, the silhouettes, the smoke...that's the kind of thing you can only find in black and white, and I wish more current films used black and white like Good Night and Good Luck and Nebraska did. The best scene in the movie was the dinner table exchanges between Kane and his wife overtime, it gives a great sense of the changes in him and their relationships, capped off by the very subtle fact she's reading The Chronicle lol. Kane is definitely a tragic character who could have everything he wanted, and did, except those days of childhood before being shipped away from home. I am not sure if the fact Rosebud was in his pile of stuff that was getting burned at the end meant that he bought so much he didn't even realise he had it or if he bought it and he realised it was just a thing and could do nothing for him.

Think I'm going to do a little run through of the classics I've had for a bit and haven't watched....Lost Horizon, Blow Up, Sunset Boulevard, Manhattan, Shane, Touch of Evil

[Heather19]

So glad you enjoyed it Matt. I think you'll appreciate it more the more times you see it. From a film making standpoint I think it is absolutely amazing, and I really don't think another film comes close.

As per your spoiler... I believe Citizen Kane was one the first films to really utilize deep focus. This is crucial for a particular scene early on in the film. As it allows you to see him playing outside in the snow, so happy and full of life, and inside you see his mom pretty much signing his life away. That moment will forever change who he is as a man. So I think to him rosebud symbolizes who he was and brought him back to a time in his life where he was purely happy and loved and with no worries. Which is a huge change from who he became.


You should definitely watch Sunset Boulevard. I actually just rewatched this one semi-recently. Great film. And Touch of Evil, while not on my list of best films, is definitely worth a viewing, if only for that opening shot.

[Still Servant]

Watched The Equalizer - 8.5, A Walk Among the Tombstones - 7.5 and The Maze Runner - 8.0 check out my site for mini-reviews on all three films.

Pop Cultured with Movie Mike (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike)

Most of the movies I've seen in recent weeks are under Quick Flicks on the first page.

[Randall Flagg]

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Equalizer". Well paced, beautifully shot (eyes, just watch the eyes), violent, but not gratuitous violence, and a great acting job by Denzel Washington. A "hero" doesn't always have to take his shirt off and show rippling muscles to be powerful.

“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
― Sun Tzu (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1771.Sun_Tzu), The Art of War (http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/3200649)

[Tommy]

Think I'm going to do a little run through of the classics I've had for a bit and haven't watched....Lost Horizon, Blow Up, Sunset Boulevard, Manhattan, Shane, Touch of Evil

Some of my very favorite films listed there, so jealous of anyone getting to watch great films for the first time
Pauline Kael called Citizen Kane "a shallow masterpiece" and I tend to agree with her, there is so much sumptuous viewing to take in but very little beneath the surface I think, what you see is what you get but it is one of the most gorgeous films I've ever seen and that alone is enough to keep me coming back for more

[DoctorDodge]

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Equalizer". Well paced, beautifully shot (eyes, just watch the eyes), violent, but not gratuitous violence, and a great acting job by Denzel Washington. A "hero" doesn't always have to take his shirt off and show rippling muscles to be powerful.

“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
― Sun Tzu (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1771.Sun_Tzu), The Art of War (http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/3200649)

I'm as curious about that as I am about the original series, although I must admit, Washington is a far cry from Edward Woodward. XD I'll check it out if reviews are good enough. This is definitely a good start, though.

[pathoftheturtle]

have watched Contact
the story is ok, but altogether it's exactly the kind of film bears don't like. Some five or so minutes close to the end were good (after she is back, and before the corny finale)

That's my favorite part, too. Of course. To me it is a good movie overall, but just a few minutes are really great.

[Still Servant]

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Equalizer". Well paced, beautifully shot (eyes, just watch the eyes), violent, but not gratuitous violence, and a great acting job by Denzel Washington. A "hero" doesn't always have to take his shirt off and show rippling muscles to be powerful.

“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
― Sun Tzu (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1771.Sun_Tzu), The Art of War (http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/3200649)

I'm as curious about that as I am about the original series, although I must admit, Washington is a far cry from Edward Woodward. XD I'll check it out if reviews are good enough. This is definitely a good start, though.

I've never seen the original series, but I'm pretty sure this film resembles the TV show in name only and a few other themes. This is more in the vain of Denzel's other action films. He's fantastic as usual and if it was some second tier actor, this would probably be just an average film.

[fernandito]

I'll watch anything Denzel is in so I'm sure I'll end up watching this at some point.

[Mattrick]

I thoroughly enjoyed "The Equalizer". Well paced, beautifully shot (eyes, just watch the eyes), violent, but not gratuitous violence, and a great acting job by Denzel Washington. A "hero" doesn't always have to take his shirt off and show rippling muscles to be powerful.

“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
― Sun Tzu (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1771.Sun_Tzu), The Art of War (http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/3200649)

I'm as curious about that as I am about the original series, although I must admit, Washington is a far cry from Edward Woodward. XD I'll check it out if reviews are good enough. This is definitely a good start, though.

I've never seen the original series, but I'm pretty sure this film resembles the TV show in name only and a few other themes. This is more in the vain of Denzel's other action films. He's fantastic as usual and if it was some second tier actor, this would probably be just an average film.

Denzel could have made Encino Man a good movie.

[Shannon]

Eraserhead.

I've rated a lot of movies one out of five stars in my lifetime. Here is the list:

2001 Maniacs: Field Of Screams, Altered States, Basket Case, Birth, Black X-Mas, Bloody Mary, Bruno, Bug, Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever, Cabin Fever 3: Patient Zero, Cannibal! The Musical, Cell 2, Darkness, Faces Of Death 3, Fantastic Voyage, Freaked, House / Hausu, I Spit On Your Grave, I Stand Alone / Seul Contre Tous, Ice Age: The Meltdown, In A Glass Cage / Tras El Cristal, Junebug, Kelly Clarkson's Cautious Christmas Music Tale, Love Object, Meet The Spartans, Pauly Shore Is Dead, Pi, Pirahna 3DD, Plan 9 From Outer Space, Pulse, Salo, Seed, Semi-Pro, Supernatural Activity, Suspect Zero, Syriana, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation, The Big Tits Dragon / Kyonyu Doragon: Onsen Zonbi Vs Sutorippa 5, The Child's Eye, The Last Horror Movie, The Million Dollar Hotel, The Ruins, The Squid And The Whale, The Ward, Hour Of The Wolf, Velvet Goldmine, Wild Orchid, and Wild Things: Diamonds In The Rough.

That being said, I have never seen as horrible a "film" as Eraserhead. I wanted to turn it off after five minutes. I REALLY wanted to turn it off after ten minutes. And literally every minute after that, it got exponentially worse. I thought I was being tricked. I thought, "There is absolutely no way this is a real movie. This is a joke." But it's real, and some people love it. Some people think it's art. Jean probably loves it, he's into that artsy stuff. Not me. This was shit.

I wouldn't wish a viewing of this piece of shit on my worst enemy. I couldn't turn it off. It became a challenge. Could I do it? Could I actually finish this movie? And I did finish it, but I hate myself for finishing it. Ninety minutes of my life, absolutely gone. A lot of people always say that, "Oh, that's so and so hours I'm not getting back." But for me, this type of hatred of something makes everything related to it so much more important.

This isn't just ninety minutes of my life that I wasted.

This is the last one minute that ninety different people spend with the love of their lives before seeing them die of old age in a hospital bed. That's what I just wasted.

Fuck.

[divemaster]

Ha ha. I can easily see that reaction. I watched Eraserhead, oh, 4-5 years ago and it scarred me. (Not scared; scarred. LOL). I did not hate it. There's no way I can say I "liked" it. To this day, I don't think I can articulate exactly what I thought of the movie. I don't know that there are words in the English language that can describe this movie. It defies description. I guess I do appreciate the balls Lynch had for putting this nightmare on film.

After watching it and trying to process the inevitable WTF???? reaction, I did a little online clicking (just Google "Eraserherad meaning") to see what interpretations others might have come up with. That was actually some pretty interesting reading. Lots of interpretations of hidden meanings and allegorical allusions. Most bullshit I'm sure, but interesting nonetheless. If I recall, one lengthy essay postulated (and to some extent, supported) that the entire film was a metaphor for masturbation.

[thegunslinger41]

Saw Transformers: Age of Extinction. Movie was decent, a solid C+.


Looking forward to seeing GONE GIRL. Should be wicked.


--Gabriel

[ka-tetcast]

I had three hours to fill in hanging around the city the other day so I went to see "The Maze Runner." I had incredibly low expectations and was blown away. I thought it was pretty strong and I loved the audacity the movie had in being so brutal given its target audience.

A solid 7 out of 10.

[fernandito]

Was Eraserhead your first Lynch film, Shannon?

[Jean]

I liked Eraserhead. Didn't love it only because I am not crazy about films that rely too heavily on allegories and symbolism, and are essentially intellectual constructs. But there were a few scenes there I truly loved.

[Shannon]

As far as David lynch movies go, I've seen Mulholland Drive which, while not a good movie by any means, had incredibly amazing scenes. Some of the best "scenes" I've ever seen. The Elephant Man, which I gave a four out of five, and Wild At Heart, which I gave a two out of five.

[Still Servant]

Eraserhead.

I've rated a lot of movies one out of five stars in my lifetime. Here is the list:

2001 Maniacs: Field Of Screams, Altered States, Basket Case, Birth, Black X-Mas, Bloody Mary, Bruno, Bug, Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever, Cabin Fever 3: Patient Zero, Cannibal! The Musical, Cell 2, Darkness, Faces Of Death 3, Fantastic Voyage, Freaked, House / Hausu, I Spit On Your Grave, I Stand Alone / Seul Contre Tous, Ice Age: The Meltdown, In A Glass Cage / Tras El Cristal, Junebug, Kelly Clarkson's Cautious Christmas Music Tale, Love Object, Meet The Spartans, Pauly Shore Is Dead, Pi, Pirahna 3DD, Plan 9 From Outer Space, Pulse, Salo, Seed, Semi-Pro, Supernatural Activity, Suspect Zero, Syriana, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation, The Big Tits Dragon / Kyonyu Doragon: Onsen Zonbi Vs Sutorippa 5, The Child's Eye, The Last Horror Movie, The Million Dollar Hotel, The Ruins, The Squid And The Whale, The Ward, Hour Of The Wolf, Velvet Goldmine, Wild Orchid, and Wild Things: Diamonds In The Rough.

That being said, I have never seen as horrible a "film" as Eraserhead. I wanted to turn it off after five minutes. I REALLY wanted to turn it off after ten minutes. And literally every minute after that, it got exponentially worse. I thought I was being tricked. I thought, "There is absolutely no way this is a real movie. This is a joke." But it's real, and some people love it. Some people think it's art. Jean probably loves it, he's into that artsy stuff. Not me. This was shit.

I wouldn't wish a viewing of this piece of shit on my worst enemy. I couldn't turn it off. It became a challenge. Could I do it? Could I actually finish this movie? And I did finish it, but I hate myself for finishing it. Ninety minutes of my life, absolutely gone. A lot of people always say that, "Oh, that's so and so hours I'm not getting back." But for me, this type of hatred of something makes everything related to it so much more important.

This isn't just ninety minutes of my life that I wasted.

This is the last one minute that ninety different people spend with the love of their lives before seeing them die of old age in a hospital bed. That's what I just wasted.

Fuck.

I just want to know the story behind how you found yourself watching Kelly Clarkson's Cautious Christmas Music Tale.

[Shannon]

I watch pretty much everything I come in contact with. That being said, check out the cast list, lots of good names there:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3353118/

[Shannon]

Horns.
Five out of five stars.

I haven't read the book (I know, sue me) and while the movie wasn't perfect, it was still excellent and original. Loved it.

[Heather19]

I enjoyed Eraserhead. But I can see where its not everyone's type of film. Its one that I've actually been wanting to go back and rewatch soon.

[Ricky]

Horns.
Five out of five stars.

I haven't read the book (I know, sue me) and while the movie wasn't perfect, it was still excellent and original. Loved it.

But isn't a 5/5 a perfect score?

[Shannon]

Near perfect, allowing for some minor flaws. The movies that get added to my Top Thirty list are perfect though. :)

[Ricky]

Then it should've been 4.75/5. :P

Did you watch it On Demand? I saw it on there yesterday (which I thought was strange since I could've sworn it came out on Halloween) for $10, and thought that was kind of high (even for VOD releases).

[Shannon]

I didn't watch it On Demand ... ... lol

[Mattrick]

My friend was just talking about how great of an experimental film Eraserhead is lol. And Shannon, HOW THE HECK is The Squid and The Whale one of five stars? That movie is freaking fantastic.

[Shannon]

I saw it eight years ago, I don't remember anything about it. I would give it another chance, but ... I have too much other stuff to watch.

[webstar1000]

Seen Coherence... not as good as I thought for sure.... I was maybe too pumped??? Oh well:(

[Merlin1958]

Yeah, "Horns" was pretty well done, though they enhanced the story a bit for the screen. Still not bad at all for VOD. Also, good for a first time, Joe Hill adaption.

[Heather19]

Why is Horns released on VOD already when it doesn't hit theaters till the end of the month? Seems funny. Might take away from the sales at the boxoffice.

[Ricky]

I think it's weird, too. That explains why I thought I comes out on Halloween--because it does! :lol:

[fernandito]

Horns.
Five out of five stars.

I haven't read the book (I know, sue me) and while the movie wasn't perfect, it was still excellent and original. Loved it.

But isn't a 5/5 a perfect score?

Near perfect, allowing for some minor flaws. The movies that get added to my Top Thirty list are perfect though. :)

I've always been interested in the different ways people rate films...

If I give a movie a 10/10 (or 5/5 in this case) it's not because I think it's a perfect movie - don't think such a thing exists - but rather that the film capitalized on its premise to the full extent. There are very, very few movies that I could give a perfect score to. The Godfather is definitely one of them.

[divemaster]

I agree. I rate films on a 5-star basis. I've given 5 stars to films many would consider ridiculous. My consideration is "did the movie achieve its goal?" (scare me; make me laugh; make me ponder, etc.) or perhaps "did it provide 5-star entertainment" to ME (regardless of how others might perceive it for film-making quality).

When I think of "perfect film," the one that immediately comes to mind is Ikiru.

[webstar1000]

22 Jump Street... gotta say... laughed my ass off. IT was pretty funny!

[thegunslinger41]

LEFT BEHIND got an amazing 2% by the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. My friend suggested we see it. We ended up walking out of the theater 10 minutes after it started. I am forever scarred. We ducked in to see The Maze Runner instead. Almost a blown movie outing.


G

[fernandito]

When I think of "perfect film," the one that immediately comes to mind is Ikiru.

Kurosawa, eh. I'm sold. One of those directors where I don't need to read the premise, just knowing they're behind it is enough to get me to watch it.

[DoctorDodge]

Gone Girl

Normally, the story of this film wouldn't usually interest me - wife goes missing, husband's the main suspect, did he kill her or is it someone we didn't suspect etc. However, when I heard David Fincher was directing this film, it pretty much compelled me to rush out and check it out. And I definitely wasn't disappointed.

The film is one of two halves. Two clear, distinct halves that are so different to each other. At one point, I almost wondered how effective this could've been as a 2-part mini-series, especially considering how fucking long it was. Not a criticism, in fact, the fact that the movie's story changes so radically halfway through easily justifies its length.

The first half, the typical "mystery" storyline, is handled very, very well. One thing I really enjoyed was that it avoided telling a typically linear story - more than that, it showed events from the husband's and the wife's perspectives, with the husband representing the present as he tries to convince everyone that he didn't kill his wife, and the wife representing the past as we see how their relationship began so sweetly and yet started to turn so bad so quickly. I really enjoyed this part, as it's a really great exploration of marriage and relationships, showing how no one who ended up in a terrible relationship ever started out that way. Everyone thinks, "We're not gonna be like so many other couples, we'll make it, we'll always love each other, no matter what." But of course, life isn't that easy, and it's fantastic for a story to show that so brilliantly.

And then the second part of the story happens and...well, that's all I'm gonna say on that. All I will say is that it made me appreciate something else about the story that a lot of 'missing/murdered person' stories don't really cover, and yet I shouldn't be surprised to see in a David Fincher movie: politics. Oh, I'm not talking about the kind of politics we see in House of Cards, at least, not the most obvious layer. But it's more about power, about how someone is seen by others doesn't normally mean much, shouldn't mean much...but when your face is plastered all over the TV for all the worst reasons, it really does mean everything, including life or death. Along with its exploration of other themes like the relationship between love, sex and death into the mix (something that in recent years Fincher has been exploring a lot lately) and how well it handles those ideas, and Gone Girl is completely elevated above the standard initial premise. 9/10

[fernandito]

Excellent. Most excellent. I'm planning on watching it sometime this week.

[Ricky]

Thanks for the review James. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I haven't seen it yet, but plan on going on Saturday.

(Have you read the book? If you haven't, I'd recommend it, especially since you appreciated the twisted marriage aspect of the film.)

Feev, do you usually go to the movies during the week? I think it's interesting to find out when people go to the theater.

[DoctorDodge]

Haven't checked out the book yet Ricky, but the movie definitely left me curious about it. Might have to check it out sometime.

[fernandito]

I see a lot of films during the week, yes. The theater I go to is on the way from work and its like 5 minutes from my house. Sometimes I'll catch a flick right after work by myself, it's a form of unwinding I guess. Don't have to deal with too many kids or people, it's perfect. I also watch films Saturday or Sunday matinee, not so many people and those prices are fantastic!!

The only times I watch a film opening night is if I'm on a date or it's an "event" movie like The Avengers or the latest Batman film or whatever and I'm with a group of friends. As I've gotten older my tolerance for noisy ass teenagers has diminished lol.

[DoctorDodge]

I'm pretty much the same, reserving most movies for a Tuesday usually, when tickets are cheap as fuck. Pay a little extra for more comfortable seats if it's something over 2 hours long, though - just 90 minutes, and my arse usually hurts like fuck in standard, cramped seats that we usually get. Only time I see a film day of release is, like you said, for an 'event' movie.

[Still Servant]

Nice review, James! I feel the same way about Gone Girl. I'm writing my review now.

As for when I see movies, pretty much whenever I can. I've been known to sneak away to see a movie in the middle of the day if I get off work early and I have nothing else going on. My local theater (3 minutes away) does a $5 bargain Tuesday. I like to go as often as I can on a Tuesday, but it's usually packed. I often go on a Tuesday with my dad after I bring him to a doctor's appointment or something.

Like Fernando, I try to stay away from Friday and Saturday nights. I just don't want to deal with so many people.

One great thing about my theater is that every month they do a drawing for FREE MOVIES FOR THAT MONTH!! Yes, you read that right. Unfortunately, I came in second once and my mom came in second once. What is second prize you ask? A fucking large pizza... :cry:

If I ever win the big one, I will be there every night.

[Still Servant]

My spoiler-free review of Gone Girl - 9.0/10 (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!gone-girl/c1lno)

[Ricky]

Great review, Mike. Really well written, too.

What did you think about the film's score? I'm always iffy about Reznor's work. It always seems to sound the same.

[Still Servant]

Great review, Mike. Really well written, too.

What did you think about the film's score? I'm always iffy about Reznor's work. It always seems to sound the same.

Thanks, Ricky! I appreciate that.

I thought the score was also very good. Reznor is pretty reliable. I think you will notice that it sounds different than some of his more recent films like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

[fernandito]

My work computer is a piece of shit. I can never view your webpage from here, Mike.

Can you post it on here with spoiler tags pweeeeeeeeassseeeeeeeee?

Also, I'll post my Gone Girl review during my break in a little bit.

[webstar1000]

Glad to hear about Gone Girl. Love movies like this. Thanks guys!

[DoctorDodge]

Fantastic review Mike, and agreed on many points, especially regarding the media and its role in the film. Also, interesting observation on Affleck and how he's often been the target of media attention actually made him perfect for the role, one I hadn't thought about at all. As for Pike: it's odd, but she's an actress I've been noticing more and more lately. Perhaps not in massive films until now, but ever since The World's End, I've noticed her name appearing in a couple of films, lately. I think Gone Girl will definitely land her more major roles though. I'm glad. Her film career didn't exactly get off to the best start with Die Another Day.

[Still Servant]

My work computer is a piece of shit. I can never view your webpage from here, Mike.

Can you post it on here with spoiler tags pweeeeeeeeassseeeeeeeee?

Also, I'll post my Gone Girl review during my break in a little bit.

Sure, there are no spoilers, so no need for tags:

Gone Girl - 9.0/10

Gone Girl is one of the most anticipated films of the year and the latest masterpiece from one of the truly great directors of our time, David Fincher. Gone Girl is based on the best-selling novel by author Gillian Flynn, who also wrote the screenplay. The book took the world by storm and soon had A-list actors and directors circling the project.

It’s safe to say the film found the best director for the job. With films like Se7en, The Game, Zodiac, and Fight Club, Fincher has proven to be a master of weaving twisty storylines under a cloud of mystery. Ironically, the last film Fincher directed, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, was also a best-selling mystery novel. Whereas Tattoo was greeted with mixed reviews, Gone Girl has been universally praised by critics and when it’s all said and done, will be considered one the best films of the year.

For those not familiar with the book, Gone Girl tells the story of Nick and Amy Dunne, a seemingly ideal New York couple. Amy, played by Rosamund Pike, is the beautiful wife with the Ivy League education. Amy also happens to be the inspiration for “Amazing Amy”, a series of children’s books written by her mother. Nick, played by Ben Affleck, is the handsome husband, enjoying a successful career as a writer. All seems perfect until Amy and Nick both lose their jobs. They decide to move back to Nick’s hometown in Missouri so Nick can look after his dying mother. Here, they open up a bar together and settle into suburban life. Until one day, Amy is just gone.

There are numerous signs of struggle and it doesn’t take long before Nick is suspected of being involved in his wife’s disappearance. To say any more would be giving away too much. Gone Girl is the kind of film where the viewer is best going in knowing as little as possible about the plot.

One of the main themes of Gone Girl is the media and how they twist and sensationalize cases like this, especially when it involves a husband accused of murdering his wife. We live in an increasingly media obsessed world. A world where people aren’t convicted in a court of law, but on 24 hour news channels, newspapers and social media.

The casting for Gone Girl was also under a lot of early scrutiny and everybody from Hollywood insiders to online message boards were quick to slam the decision to cast Affleck and Pike as the leads. Ben Affleck’s detractors stated that he didn’t have the acting chops for a role like this and that he wasn’t likeable enough. Rosamund Pike is a relative unknown, and that was the very concern for her. Most people felt that the role of Amy should go to somebody that is a little more well-known, somebody like Reese Witherspoon, who was originally set to play Amy. Fincher went in a different direction, but Witherspoon stayed on as a producer.

To say both casting decisions were a success is an understatement. Affleck and Pike give two of the best acting performances of the year and I wouldn’t be surprised if both are rewarded with nominations come Oscar season. It turns out, the very worries people had for the actors worked in the film’s favor.

I’ve always been a Ben Affleck supporter. I thought he was great in Good Will Hunting and he’s been a solid actor in numerous other films. Somewhere along the line, it became a common joke that Affleck can’t act. Even when he found success as a director, people would still say, “well, at least he’s a good director.” Affleck also seems to rub people the wrong way for some reason, which is perfect for the role of Nick Dunne. Nick is a guy that you’re not sure if you want to have a beer with him or strangle that smarmy smile from his face.

Another area that helped prepare Affleck for the role is the fact that he has been under the microscope of the media for over a decade. First with his relationship to Jennifer Lopez and now with his casting as Batman, a decision that was also greeted with disdain among fanboys. Affleck seemingly can’t put on his Bat Suit without people debating on Twitter and Facebook whether or not he should be putting his left or right leg in first.

As for Pike, it was shear genius casting somebody who isn’t well-known. Casting an actress that the audience isn’t familiar with helps wipe away any preconceived notions. Amy is such a complex character and Rosamund Pike nailed every facet of her. There’s something hauntingly beautiful about Pike and her performance is career defining. If you didn’t know who she was before, you will now.

The rest of the cast also raised some eyebrows, but they also turn in solid performances. Tyler Perry, (yes, Madea herself) plays Nick’s hotshot lawyer. A toned down Neil Patrick Harris plays Amy’s former flame, who might still have feelings for her.

My biggest worry for the film was how they would handle Amy’s journal entries. They are such a huge part of the book and it would be impossible to leave them out. The only problem is that it doesn’t always translate to the big screen. Thankfully, it’s pulled off to perfection. We see Amy and Nick’s relationship grow through flashback. We also hear Amy’s inner thoughts as she reads her journal entries. It’s balanced so well and really sets the film apart from other mystery films.

Gone Girl is the rare mystery/thriller that Hollywood just doesn’t make all that often anymore. It features two strong lead performances and is another feather in the cap of a director that already has a resume that most directors would kill for. Fincher has yet to make a bad film and I can’t wait to see what he does next. Maybe the most interesting question people will walk out of the theater asking is can you ever truly know the person to whom you are married?

[fernandito]

Gone Girl

And of course, it had to be David Fincher - that admirably talented director whose creative water well seems to have no end- the one pluck me from the depths of my review writing hiatus.

Wow, this movie. I have to say I'm a bit conflicted. Not conflicted over the film, no - the movie is phenomenal - conflicted because some of the films highlights require in depth examination, which will in turn require analysis that can possibly ruin some of the film's tastier surprises. I'll attempt to give this film a proper review without brushing against the specifics too much.

All the exposition you really need is that Nick Dunne (Affleck) arrives home one day to find that his wife Amy (Pike) is missing. There are clear signs of a struggle having taken place. What follows is a relentless barrage of mysteries, twists, and a harrowing exploration of what a dark place domesticity can be. The acting by both leads is phenomenal. Both Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike deliver career high performances. They play off each other perfectly even as the story requires their relationship to deteriorate.

The film unfurls in a non linear fashion. Present day deals with Nick as he does everything in his power to locate his wife. The events leading up to the central mystery take form as flashbacks depicting events in Amy's diary. The way these two timelines intersect and collide are at the heart of this unflinching look into the type of horrors that can result when anger and aggression in a marriage is left unchecked. Fincher has a knack for plumbing the murky depths of the human psyche and here he forces his audience to consider what they think they know about the dynamic they share with their significant other. How well do you really know the person you are with? Is this person capable of harboring a burning resentment toward you? Are they capable of distributing unmitigated pain? Are you sure?

The supplemental attributes of the film all fire on all cylinders, as is customary for a film by Fincher (a notorious perfectionist). The collaboration by Fincher and Trent Reznor once again bears fruit as the soundtrack is tailored perfectly to each scene. The tension in some of the scenes are further accentuated by Reznor's ominous score. The cinematography is beautiful, perfectly capturing the minutiae of everyday home life and somehow twisting them to sinister proportions so that even the mere sight of an iron left unattended can send a chill up your spine. Fincher doesn't stop there, however. He seems hell bent on parodying the sensationalistic inclinations of the American media and the willingness of the population at large to open wide and digest these apocryphal stories and hold them as sacrament without nary a second thought. Hey, if it's on TV, it must be true, right?

By the end of the film, once it has taken hold of you and throttled your consciousness every which way and has made a mockery of of your perception of right and wrong, fair and unfair, justified or condemnable, then you'll realize what a truly great film you just witnessed. One of the best films of the year.

9/10

[fernandito]

Great review, Mike!

[Still Servant]

I think it's awesome that it took Gone Girl for you to make your movie review writing comeback. Really nice job! I hope to read more from you. I love seeing such a cross section of reviews.

Also, thank you , James! When I heard about Pike getting the role, I made sure to keep an eye out for her. I watched her in Jack Reacher where she is nothing more than a damsel in distress. Then I was pleasantly surprised to see her in The World's End. I thought she was really good in that. Even in a small role, I saw enough little things from her that made me realize she would do just fine as Amy Dunne.

Edit: Thanks, Fernando!

[Randall Flagg]

Horns.
Five out of five stars.

I haven't read the book (I know, sue me) and while the movie wasn't perfect, it was still excellent and original. Loved it.
Watched it today, and I have to say it was bad.
Not as bad as this well written review states, but damn close. (http://www.movieweb.com/movie/horns/RErrQWnw5d7RuA)

2/6 Beers on the RFSPRS

[Shannon]

Mockingbird: Two out of five stars.

Man oh man was I disappointed. The director made The Strangers in 2008/2009, which is one of my favorite movies ... and then now he's made this. The trailer looked great, the premise sounded great, and then ... I watched the movie. The entire movie was pretty much a 2.5/3 star rating, and then the ending happened. Yuck.

[WeDealInLead]

Horns.
Five out of five stars.

I haven't read the book (I know, sue me) and while the movie wasn't perfect, it was still excellent and original. Loved it.
Watched it today, and I have to say it was bad.
Not as bad as this well written review states, but damn close. (http://www.movieweb.com/movie/horns/RErrQWnw5d7RuA)

2/6 Beers on the RFSPRS

Haven't seen the movie yet but that's one well-written review. Incidentally, the reviewer mentions Cold in July. That's an adaptation of Joe R. Lansdale's novel of the same name and a movie I was going to quickly rate for this thread. It's dark, bleak and everything about it and feels real: people, actions, consequences. It seems like the actors did exactly opposite of what Radcliffe did-they became characters. The guy who plays Dexter and Don Johnson knocked it out of the park. The movie looks at how a single decision can impact your life. Violence is there but it's not gratuitous, it's just hard men doing hard things. There's one scene that left me feeling uneasy and you'll know it when you watch the movie. Hint: "Batting practice."

Both this movie and The Rover (with the Robert Pattison and Guy Richie) belong in my top five of 2014.

[Mattrick]

The director made The Strangers in 2008/2009, which is one of my favorite movies ... and then now he's made this.

Really? I thought that movie had no redeemable qualities whatsoever. I was so happy those idiot characters got what was comin to them lol.


FRIDAY IS WHIPLASH. CANNOT WAIT TO SEE IT.

[fernandito]

I want to see Whiplash too.

T.K Simmons da gawd.

[pathoftheturtle]

...Mulholland Drive ... not a good movie by any means...

Wait, what?!

[Shannon]

Great individual scenes do not make up for the randomness that was that movie. Not even the director knows what it's about.

[pathoftheturtle]

Great individual scenes do not make up for the randomness that was that movie. Not even the director knows what it's about.

Lynch refuses to explain, but insists it does tell a coherent story. I understand at least one level, which is great because the parts fit like a key and tumblers. There are a few left over, though, and I still suspect there is another interpretation of the plot which I never figured out. Not that I'm sure I'd even want to know that. But you don't have to grasp the sequence to understand some themes and symbols. The horror of it demands sense, and I think it's safe to say you can just blame Hollywood. It's about the dark side of the city of dreams. It's a fantastic style, really far above the flat, linear types. Also, it's a fine example of the unique features of film as an art medium. For example, it would be hard in a novel to connect two characters in different chapters like Lynch does just by using the same actor. I believe this is his best work.

[Mattrick]

Half of what makes Mulholland Dr. such a puzzle is it's history. It was Lynch's second TV show after Twin Peaks but the network cancelled it on him after they'd already filmed I think six episodes. So what you're seeing the film is six episodes of a TV show cut right down to the bone with some stuff filmed as well.

The scene in the diner is one of the greatest scenes ever, creeps me out like no other. I've only seen it twice but it is a movie that demands you to pay attention to it. There's a lot of images in it that are definitely stuck with me.

[pathoftheturtle]

I think you mean the first scene in the diner. That's the most overtly creepy, although the last scene in the diner is the real trouble.

I've taken the history of the project into account, but I don't think it really marred the final product. It ultimately makes a lot more sense than "Twin Peaks" did.

However, I still can't decide whether to be excited that they are producing a new "Twin Peaks" series. -- I personally take so much ironic pleasure in that fucked-up original finale!

[Heather19]

I'm really excited about another Twin Peaks series. Do I think it'll be as good as the first? No way, but with Lynch behind it, I think it'll be intriguing. And I'm really curious what he's going to do with the story.

[divemaster]

Mullholland Dr. is one of the most intriguing films I've ever seen. It's tops on my "stranded on a deserted island and you can only pick 5 movies" list (I know I know, electricity and DVD players and all that--but you get my point). I've seen it perhaps 8-9 times and it's always fresh and I always pick up additional angles and insights.

The movie does tell a coherent story. It may not be "linear" but there is an actual plot and the interpretation that I have come up with (well, me and internet sages) is supported by the evidence on screen. There is very little random about it and I don't believe Lynch needs to deconstruct the scenes for our benefit. It's all there if you want to look for it.

IMO, the key scene of the movie is the audition where she plays out the line reading. Once you understand what's really happening there, most of the rest of the movie falls into place, more or less, especially on subsequent viewings.

This movie will never fall out of my all-time top-10 list, regardless of what other great movies come along.

[Heather19]

Matt I finally watched Beneath, don't hate me, but I thought the movie was pretty bad :( I think my biggest problem was that all of the characters were so annoying, that I wanted every single one of them to die. Also they rushed very quickly into sacrificing each other, especially considering the fish was barely bothering them every time they tossed someone overboard. And then you find out they had a small ax the whole time :doh:

[Mattrick]

Matt I finally watched Beneath, don't hate me, but I thought the movie was pretty bad :( I think my biggest problem was that all of the characters were so annoying, that I wanted every single one of them to die. Also they rushed very quickly into sacrificing each other, especially considering the fish was barely bothering them every time they tossed someone overboard. And then you find out they had a small ax the whole time :doh:

All that is intentional. They're annoying because they're realistic haha. They're also not very smart, they make smart decisions (like looking through stuff for the ax, using the cooler lid to paddle) but it's also past their due date. The catfish is us watching the movie, we're not actively doing the killing (they are), and we just happily watch and eat up the carnage. The movie is more about the death of a teenage kliq. Where these kids are only friends because of a survival technique, and they only function together in specific roles they've crafted for each other that aren't who they actually are but were necessary for social functioning, and high school is ending, the kliq is breaking, and with the fish to really survive they have to show who they really are. I like the way it's very opposite to most horror movies: the tramp and the asshole last the longest, the sweet girl goes down first, the hero ties a terrible death trying to save the day and win back his love. I love the campiness to it, the funny jaws homage that gets funnier with an oar sticking out to the top of the fish, the way the fish messes with their heads and the way they yell at it 'what do you want from us?', the way it bites the cooler lid when they finally think to paddle with it and it bites it just for the lid with a huge bite out of it to float away. It did everything possible to be as conventional as possible while flipping conventions on it's head. You have to look *cough* beneath the surface of everything you see in it to find all the goodness. These characters all secretely hate each other and the fish gives them a reason to bring it out. I know I'm in the vast minority when it comes to this movie, I love it but a lot of people outright hated it lol

[DoctorZaius]

Just saw The Judge. Very predictable and a bit sentimental at times. Worth watching for Downey Jr. and Duval alone. Great added moments from D'Onofrio and Billy Bob.

[mae]

I didn't know where to put this, but this is the last movie that I watched, even though I didn't watch the whole thing yet, but a lot of it. Not a traditional film, no, but a masterpiece of surrealist art nonetheless. Lynch would be proud:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsMZRl71Zo4

Yes, it is almost six hours long. Some background info for the sane: http://mashable.com/2014/10/15/blah-airlines/

[Still Servant]

I can't even look at that thumbnail without getting freaked out. Forget 6 hours.

[Still Servant]

"Best job I ever had!"

Fury - 8.5

[Still Servant]

Watched Fury - 8.5, The Rover - 8.0, 2 Guns - 7.5 check out my site for mini-reviews on all three films.

Pop Cultured with Movie Mike (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike)

Most of the movies I've seen in recent weeks are under Quick Flicks on the first page.

[Shannon]

Dumbo
Three out of five stars.

Now, I'm sure I've seen this when I was younger, and I've always known the basic story (Baby elephant, big ears, circus, mouse friend, flies), but I haven't seen it as an adult. Rose and I watched it before bedtime and after watching it, I have to say, what a depressing movie. Obviously, Dumbo being picked on because of his deformity, and being ignored, and shunned, that sucks. His mother being chained up and separated from him sucks, him being demoted to "clown" sucks ... But I have a theory that I haven't read anywhere else before. Just checked imdb's Dumbo message board and ... nothing.

This is the end of the movie: After a night of drinking and pink elephants (which was an amazing scene, by the way. Rose absolutely loved it), Dumbo and the mouse wake up in a tree with some birds. How did they get up there? Well, after some nonsensical thinking, the mouse decides "Oh, we must have flown up here." So, he gets the birds together, and they create a lie, a "magic feather." Well, they convince Dumbo that this feather is magic and can make him fly. So, he flies, all his dreams come true, the elephants that shunned him get their comeuppance, everyone loves him, his best friend gets famous, and he's reunited with his mother. The end.

Now, my theory. It's pretty simple. Can anyone guess what it is? I think Taxi Driver stole the idea many years later.

[Shannon]

Fourteen hours later and nothing? Boo.

[fernandito]

Sorry man, I haven't seen Dumbo in years. I wouldn't be of much help.

[DoctorDodge]

Was always more of a Pinocchio fan, myself. Some great life lessons for kids to learn as well as scarring the little shits for life with random donkey horror.

[Mattrick]

Bug - A very well crafter psychological thriller with very good performances. Harry Connick Jr definitely should have acted more because he's got major screen presence. Michael Shannon and Ashley Judd are as good I expected them to be. It does a great job of representing mental illness, loneliness, desperation and paranoia. I like in the end we don't know what was real, and what wasn't, or who most of these people even were. ****

[Shannon]

Uugghhhhh I hated Bug. It's been years since I've watched it, but I remember hating it. Painful to sit through. I'd watch it again, but I don't wanna, lol

[fernandito]

I watched Bug the first time I took shrooms, and it killed my high. No joke. Even now I can't remember what the fuck happened lol.

[Mattrick]

Mission Impossible 3 (theatres)
Joe Dirt
Grandma's Boy
The Waterboy
Stay
The Descent
Zoolander
See No Evil
Feast
Rules of Attraction
Sixth Sense

(movies I've watched on shrooms lol)

[fernandito]

I made it a point to watch three of my favorite movies - Terminator 2, Goodfellas, The Dark Knight - on shrooms. When I watched TDK, it felt like the Joker was whispering right in my fucking ear dude. It was nuts lol.

[DoctorDodge]

Just as long as you always watch Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas sober, that's the main thing. First time I watched that, I was just drunk, and I was still freaked out as fuck by what I was seeing! :lol:

[Mattrick]

I watch Monday night raw on shrooms, and Triple H was right in the camera screaming on the mic and I said, "Trips, man, we're right here. You don't gotta yell so loud.

Mission Impossible, with the face masks... Didn't know what was happening. And the gap between Laurence Fishburnes teeth....we couldn'tstop laughing at the close ups...it seemed huge haha. And, waiting to buy tickets, a mentally handicapped girl started talking to us and I couldnt handle it and bailed...I wouldn't normally laugh in that scenario but the shrooms.

I don't remember what I was on when I watched fear and loathing for the first time, it was something I shouldn't have been doing, I know that much.

[Tommy]

haha, this conversation almost made me share too much :emot-cthulhu:

[Still Servant]

I guess nobody has seen Fury or The Rover.

[webstar1000]

Wick...wow.

[Randall Flagg]

Bug - A very well crafter psychological thriller with very good performances. Harry Connick Jr definitely should have acted more because he's got major screen presence. Michael Shannon and Ashley Judd are as good I expected them to be. It does a great job of representing mental illness, loneliness, desperation and paranoia. I like in the end we don't know what was real, and what wasn't, or who most of these people even were. ****
I loved the movie. I have it on Blu-ray and at 1080P it's gorgeous. Paranoia at its best. I had to have fresh bed linen after viewing the movie.

[WeDealInLead]

I guess nobody has seen Fury or The Rover.

I saw The Rover. I thought it was great. Minimalistic dialogue, drawn out scenes of the outback, focus on non-verbal communication. It had the vibe of The Road in a Mad Max setting. Depressing as hell.

I watched The Rover, Mud and Cold In July all within ten days of each other which was emotionally a little too much.

[Still Servant]

I guess nobody has seen Fury or The Rover.

I saw The Rover. I thought it was great. Minimalistic dialogue, drawn out scenes of the outback, focus on non-verbal communication. It had the vibe of The Road in a Mad Max setting. Depressing as hell.

I watched The Rover, Mud and Cold In July all within ten days of each other which was emotionally a little too much.

Yeah, The Rover is certainly a downer of a film, but it's really well made. I'm a huge Guy Pearce fan.

Webstar, did you see John Wick? I'm really looking forward to it. I've heard great things.

[Jean]

Bug - A very well crafter psychological thriller with very good performances. Harry Connick Jr definitely should have acted more because he's got major screen presence. Michael Shannon and Ashley Judd are as good I expected them to be. It does a great job of representing mental illness, loneliness, desperation and paranoia. I like in the end we don't know what was real, and what wasn't, or who most of these people even were. ****
I loved the movie. I have it on Blu-ray and at 1080P it's gorgeous. Paranoia at its best. I had to have fresh bed linen after viewing the movie.
loved it too

[Still Servant]

John Wick - 9.0

I'll take 2 or 3 more of those please. Thank you.

[Merlin1958]

John Wick - 9.0

I'll take 2 or 3 more of those please. Thank you.

So where is the review? Slacker!! LOL

[Still Servant]

John Wick - 9.0

I'll take 2 or 3 more of those please. Thank you.

So where is the review? Slacker!! LOL

:lol: It's comin'.

[DoctorDodge]

Latest film review, with rating: Future Shock: The Story of 2000AD (http://doctordodge.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/future-shock-story-of-2000ad-review.html)

[Still Servant]

Great review, James! I think that's pretty awesome that you got to watch the film with the producers right there. Are there a lot of opportunities like that in your area? I've always wanted to do something like that. I love documentaries, but I've gotten out of them in recent years. I'm going to add this one to my list .

[DoctorDodge]

Well, not so much in my area, but London's not too far away, about 1 to 2 hours away by train, and when I was able to get a ticket for a little over 10 quid, I thought, "what the hell". They've actually done similar opportunities for a few Doctor Who episodes, especially last year, but tickets for those always sold rapidly, as you can imagine. So yeah, it was definitely cool to be mere metres away from not just the producers who'd worked on the film, but also the brilliant comic writer Pat Mills. After the screening, I even saw Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons casually chatting to audience members, but I was already rushing off home and too nervous to want to talk to him. But it was a fantastic experience overall.

[Still Servant]

John Wick - 9.0 (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!john-wick/cupy)

Keanu Reeves is back in this slick action flick.

http://imageserver.moviepilot.com/john-wick-imagens-2-win-assassin-s-creed-a-john-wick-t-shirt-poster-and-free-movie-tickets.jpeg?width=2730&height=4095

[fernandito]

Keanu Reeves.

9/10


DOES NOT COMPUTE

[webstar1000]

Yeah I would even give Wick a 9.5... This was the best action movie I have seen in years. Dark, gritty and no bullshit cheesy dialogue. It was brutal and honest. I loved ever minute of it and hated it to end... I hope this reaches more guys out there and get cult status.... Would love to see more. My friend said it was like Taken... And I disagree. This was much better. Well done Keanu.... Never doubted ya!

[webstar1000]

John Wick - 9.0 (http://popculturedmoviemi.wix.com/popculturedmoviemike#!john-wick/cupy)

Keanu Reeves is back in this slick action flick.

http://imageserver.moviepilot.com/john-wick-imagens-2-win-assassin-s-creed-a-john-wick-t-shirt-poster-and-free-movie-tickets.jpeg?width=2730&height=4095

STELLAR REVIEW! Well said. Want more for sure!

[fernandito]

Well done Keanu.... Never doubted ya!

BULLSHIT! lol

[DoctorDodge]

Brilliant review, Mike. Actually makes me want to see this film, now (despite the motivation making me laugh a little - I was expecting a major motive for revenge, but...killing his dog? Oddly enough, a guy going nuts over that does sound believable).

As for Die Hard: agreed that there really isn't a lot that makes it stand out plot-wise and the characters do make it stand out (especially Alan Rickman - still can't believe that was his first ever proper film!). Also, I think in a number of my favourite action films, I always love a lot of tension and vulnerability. Yes, I want the action hero to do super cool things, but if it's not only done in a believable way but also that he suffers as much as humanly possible along the way, then I'm all for it. I'm not talking about the usual revenge motive, either - there's just so many moments in Die Hard that make you want to scream, "Just give him a fucking break already!" - the broken glass and, later on, trying to smash through a window on a hose and failing badly, so he has to shoot it instead - little moments like that that make Die Hard one of my favourite action movies ever. It's not entirely essential to a great action movie, but I'll be curious to see what John Wick throws at me.

[Still Servant]

Thanks, James and Webstar! I appreciate that.

Ah, but there is a very heartfelt and valid reason why killing his dog is such a big deal. It will make perfect sense once you watch it. It's revealed in the trailer, but I will leave it at that.

I totally agree with your thoughts on action films. The great thing about Die Hard and John McClane is that he is the everyman and the exact opposite of the other action stars at the time like Sly Stallone and Arnold. John McClane gets the shit beat out of him and is always bloody. When he cuts his feet, it feels real. Like a situation we all might find ourselves in if given the insane opportunity. This is why the recent Die Hard films don't work. John McClane is now a superhero. He falls from buildings and turns to the camera for a witty line. Where is the guy who was brought to tears while pulling glass from his bloody feet in a dark bathroom?

Anyway, make no mistake, John Wick is a very different type of action film than Die Hard. It falls more in line with Asian action films.

Feev, what's your beef with Keanu? Sure, he's made some bad movies, but he's also made some very solid ones. Point Break, The Matrix and Speed are some of the best action movies of all time. If you like action then John Wick needs to be on the top of your list.

[webstar1000]

Agree. No one could have done it better than Reeves. Job well done and he added so much dark class to the roll. Seeing it agian Sunday with my wife:)

[Shannon]

Shouldn't any mention of dog killing be in spoiler tags?

[Merlin1958]

Shouldn't any mention of dog killing be in spoiler tags?

Pretty sure its in the trailer, partially.

[webstar1000]

Shouldn't any mention of dog killing be in spoiler tags?

Pretty sure its in the trailer, partially.

It is.. I checked.

[fernandito]

Feev, what's your beef with Keanu? Sure, he's made some bad movies, but he's also made some very solid ones. Point Break, The Matrix and Speed are some of the best action movies of all time. If you like action then John Wick needs to be on the top of your list.

Lol nah I have no inherent problem with Keanu Reeves, I've just been hard pressed to believe that this film is actually worth the price of admission given his track record.

The Matrix (one of my all time favorite films, but it is amazing in spite of Keanu, not because of him), Point Break, Speed - all 90's films, and nothing but stinkers during these past 15 years. Can't exactly blame me for being skeptical.


Agree. No one could have done it better than Reeves. Job well done and he added so much dark class to the roll. Seeing it agian Sunday with my wife:)

Idk, I've never been a fan of this outlandish statement. Really? No one? There are much better action stars out there.

Unless the role of John Wick required someone to be stoic and stone faced for 90% of the film. Keanu excels in that lol.

[webstar1000]

Feev, what's your beef with Keanu? Sure, he's made some bad movies, but he's also made some very solid ones. Point Break, The Matrix and Speed are some of the best action movies of all time. If you like action then John Wick needs to be on the top of your list.

Lol nah I have no inherent problem with Keanu Reeves, I've just been hard pressed to believe that this film is actually worth the price of admission given his track record.

The Matrix (one of my all time favorite films, but it is amazing in spite of Keanu, not because of him), Point Break, Speed - all 90's films, and nothing but stinkers during these past 15 years. Can't exactly blame me for being skeptical.


Agree. No one could have done it better than Reeves. Job well done and he added so much dark class to the roll. Seeing it agian Sunday with my wife:)

Idk, I've never been a fan of this outlandish statement. Really? No one? There are much better action stars out there.

Unless the role of John Wick required someone to be stoic and stone faced for 90% of the film. Keanu excels in that lol.

Sorry..... but you have not seen the movie thus your statement is null and void. He made this movie man.. look at all the reviews... THEN go SEE it and pass judegement. This movie is amazing. PERIOD.

[fernandito]

I'm not saying he's not great, but to say that NO ONE could have done it better sounds a bit asinine. And I've been keeping up with all the reviews; they've all highlighted the wire fu action sequences, nothing on Keanu's purported acting prowess.

I plan on watching it this weekend tho, so if Keanu is indeed as good as you both are making him out to be I'll gladly eat my words!

[webstar1000]

I'm not saying he's not great, but to say that NO ONE could have done it better sounds a bit asinine. And I've been keeping up with all the reviews; they've all highlighted the wire fu action sequences, nothing on Keanu's purported acting prowess.

I plan on watching it this weekend tho, so if Keanu is indeed as good as you both are making him out to be I'll gladly eat my words!

He really was great man... give it a shot and post as soon as your done. I plan on seeing this again and will own it. I hope this becomes a franchise.... And there are others that COULD DO it... for sure... It was just that he made it... and I could not think of anyone else doing it better. I mean the Matrix would have been great either way like you said. This would not have been as good in my eyes. I also liked the tall skinny black guy from Lost and Fringe that was the hotel clerk. Great character!

[Mattrick]

I'll get around to John Wick. I'm pumped for oscar films, not stoic action stars. Keanu hasn't earned my money. Maybe if he'd done more stuff like Somethings Gottq Give. He's just gotten lazy, he could have been doing better films for the past decade than he has been.

[webstar1000]

I'll get around to John Wick. I'm pumped for oscar films, not stoic action stars. Keanu hasn't earned my money. Maybe if he'd done more stuff like Somethings Gottq Give. He's just gotten lazy, he could have been doing better films for the past decade than he has been.

I will agree with that... he just stopped doing much after the Matrix... but he is a real introvert I guess... little odd in person I have read.

[Merlin1958]

I'll get around to John Wick. I'm pumped for oscar films, not stoic action stars. Keanu hasn't earned my money. Maybe if he'd done more stuff like Somethings Gottq Give. He's just gotten lazy, he could have been doing better films for the past decade than he has been.

I will agree with that... he just stopped doing much after the Matrix... but he is a real introvert I guess... little odd in person I have read.

Can't really blame him. I mean that must have been a real BIG paycheck he got for the Matrix films!!! He's probably still spending it!! LOL

[webstar1000]

I'll get around to John Wick. I'm pumped for oscar films, not stoic action stars. Keanu hasn't earned my money. Maybe if he'd done more stuff like Somethings Gottq Give. He's just gotten lazy, he could have been doing better films for the past decade than he has been.

I will agree with that... he just stopped doing much after the Matrix... but he is a real introvert I guess... little odd in person I have read.

Can't really blame him. I mean that must have been a real BIG paycheck he got for the Matrix films!!! He's probably still spending it!! LOL

He got a huge bonus and gave every special effects person a million bucks that made the magic happen. I seen in a special edition Matrix.... apparently money is not everything to him. A friend of mine got his autograph on the bus 6 years ago!

[Shannon]

Keanu Reeves made around $260 million dollars for the Matrix movies.

[webstar1000]

Keanu Reeves made around $260 million dollars for the Matrix movies.

crazy eh?

[Merlin1958]

Keanu Reeves made around $260 million dollars for the Matrix movies.

Holy Shit!!! I could learn to love him, I suppose. :biggrin:

[divemaster]

Keanu Reeves movies I've liked and thought he was good in:

Bill and Ted (I)
Parenthood
The Matrix (I)
Speed
Point Break

--I didn't care for Bill and Ted (II) much, but that wasn't the fault of Reeves.
--Even though I loved The Matrix, I had no desire to see the sequels.
--Loved Bram Stoker's Dracula, but thought Reeves was miscast. But he did well enough with the part.
--Vaguely remember The Devil's Advocate and recall it was pretty lame. But I mostly blame the script.

That's all I can comment on.

[Merlin1958]

Keanu Reeves movies I've liked and thought he was good in:

Bill and Ted (I)
Parenthood
The Matrix (I)
Speed
Point Break

--I didn't care for Bill and Ted (II) much, but that wasn't the fault of Reeves.
--Even though I loved The Matrix, I had no desire to see the sequels.
--Loved Bram Stoker's Dracula, but thought Reeves was miscast. But he did well enough with the part.
--Vaguely remember The Devil's Advocate and recall it was pretty lame. But I mostly blame the script.

That's all I can comment on.

Fair enough. Can't really argue with you as you make some very valid points.

[Shannon]

He was great in The Gift, as the bad guy in The Watcher, he spoke better-than-average Shakespeare in Much Ado About Nothing, and A Walk In The Clouds and Sweet November are wonderful movies.

If you've ever seen him in interviews, he's so humble. And nerdy. He loves sci-fi and everything that goes along with it. I like him. :)

[Mattrick]

He was great in The Gift, as the bad guy in The Watcher, he spoke better-than-average Shakespeare in Much Ado About Nothing, and A Walk In The Clouds and Sweet November are wonderful movies mediocore chick flicks.

If you've ever seen him in interviews, he's so humble. And nerdy. He loves sci-fi and everything that goes along with it. I like him. :)

The Watcher was awful. Keanu isn't a terrible actor, I think it's just the films he chooses, they're not my kind of film. His run in the 90s with Speed, Matrix and Johnny Mnemonic was solid. Everything else is hit or miss. You couldn't pay me to watch Bill and Ted.

I'm actually interested in Much Ado About Nothing, which is surprising sincr I think Joss Whedon sucks.

[Shannon]

Not the Joss Whedon version, the Kenneth Branaughanaughaughaugh version. Also with Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, and Kate Beckinsale.

[DoctorDodge]

Thanks, James and Webstar! I appreciate that.

Ah, but there is a very heartfelt and valid reason why killing his dog is such a big deal. It will make perfect sense once you watch it. It's revealed in the trailer, but I will leave it at that.

I totally agree with your thoughts on action films. The great thing about Die Hard and John McClane is that he is the everyman and the exact opposite of the other action stars at the time like Sly Stallone and Arnold. John McClane gets the shit beat out of him and is always bloody. When he cuts his feet, it feels real. Like a situation we all might find ourselves in if given the insane opportunity. This is why the recent Die Hard films don't work. John McClane is now a superhero. He falls from buildings and turns to the camera for a witty line. Where is the guy who was brought to tears while pulling glass from his bloody feet in a dark bathroom?

This. I really haven't been a big fan of the more recent Die Hard films. Don't mind them so much as action movies in their own right (well, 4, anyway - still haven't seen 5), but when John McClane is effectively chucking cars at helicopters because he had 'run out of bullets', you know it lacks that original Die Hard magic. By comparison, when he pretty much levels out an entire floor in the first film due to setting off a ton of explosives, it's still the kind of moment you can believe in because all he used was effectively a bomb and gravity, and I love how even that awesome moment goes wrong for him when he almost gets burned himself by the rushing explosion! "Oh SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!" XD Such an amazing moment.


Anyway, make no mistake, John Wick is a very different type of action film than Die Hard. It falls more in line with Asian action films.

Oh don't worry, I'm sure I'd enjoy it. Love that kind of balletic action in those films, as well. It's interesting actually how The Raid 1 was a mixture of both those kinds of action movies - beautiful fight scenes, but with enough of a believable, realistic edge to make it that much more intense. (Still love the machete in the wall scene.)

[Mattrick]

Of course Keanu is in an Asian style film, that's been his current run lol. John Wick, 47 Ronin, Man of Tai Chi. And I just remembered The Day The Earth Stood still...and The Lake House...gawd. I like Keanu, hate his films lol.

This conversation reminded me of Maddox's review of Matrix Reloaded.


1. Replacing Keanu Reeves with a wooden plank with a mean face on it.

The subtle point here is the mean face: without it, Reeves would be on par with a wooden plank, except a bit more rigid. He approaches every scene with the steadfast determination of a moron running into a wall. I have a theory as to why Keanu's acting is so shitty: a long time ago when he "made it big" with Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, a lot of people were probably trying to kiss his ass because he became a huge celebrity and people are shallow, so they have to fill their boring lives with trivial bullshit like clinging onto celebrities. Since then, he has surrounded himself by suck-ups, and everyone's too afraid to tell him that his acting sucks. It's never going to change, because Keanu (what kind of name is that anyway? Sounds like a foreign car company) keeps surrounding himself by suck-ups, so he'll keep making shitty movies forever. At least if they replaced him with a wooden plank, the plank would have an excuse to have the same stupid look on its face all the time.

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/images/neo3.gif

[Ricky]

Nice review, Mike. I also thought that John Wick seemed like a standard action film but your review (and the other opinions I've read) seem to point in the other direction. I probably won't end up seeing it (it just doesn't interest me) but all the positive reviews are interesting.

[Randall Flagg]

Viewed "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" yesterday. Wonderful black comedy. The "seemingly" one-shot, no edit aspect was dizzying at times, but a marvel to experience. I felt like I was inches outside each character no matter what they did or where they went. Keaton carries the film, but all of the actors deliver superior performances, perhaps none better than Edward Norton. It was like viewing a Broadway play, within a movie.
6/6 Beers on the RFSPRS.

[Shannon]

I am SO excited for Birdman.

[Still Servant]

Nice review, Mike. I also thought that John Wick seemed like a standard action film but your review (and the other opinions I've read) seem to point in the other direction. I probably won't end up seeing it (it just doesn't interest me) but all the positive reviews are interesting.

Thanks! It's certainly not for everybody.

Fernando, I know it doesn't seem like it's the kind of movie worth the price of a ticket, but the 85% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes has got to say something for the quality of the film. I could see if it was hovering around 20% but 85 for a film like this is pretty damn good.

Also, my rule of thumb is that if it's in the trailer, it's not a spoiler. There's another aspect of the film that is hinted in the trailer that I chose to leave out because it could have been easily missed and it will deliver a bigger emotional punch if seen without that knowledge going in.

[fernandito]

John Wick

Keanu Reeves is back, apparently! We all know the story - what little of it there is anyway - so I'll glaze that part over.

It's hard not to admire a film of such blistering pace, with such confidence and sure footing in what it's setting out to do. Character development and narrative fall by the wayside, but it's okay; it's not meant to dabble in that realm anyway, and it becomes a better action film for it. Wick dispatches his enemies with a grim inventiveness and terrifying accuracy. The nightclub shootout alone is probably worth the price of admission.

An unsung hero of the film is the hit man universe it depicts (to mixed results); secret, specially designated night clubs, their own form of currency, a semblance of moral code. It's all very silly and comic book-y but it works within the context of the film. It is also very funny, I found myself laughing out loud at during several exchanges. The actors are clearly enjoying themselves and reveling in the absurdness of it all.

It's not without its pitfalls, of course. The film tries to simultaneously juggle somber and comical tones and the two don't always mix. Keanu is little more than an avatar of revenge. Once the blood starts flowing he's rarely called upon to showcase human emotion. All that is really required of him is to move gracefully and embody a strong, brooding presence.

Not a must see by any means, but if you're hankering for an action film light on plot and heavy on carnage this one just might be worth your time and money.


7/10

[Still Servant]

Well, at least you didn't hate it. I'm just happy to have a pure action film. They are getting harder and harder to find. At least in America.

[Merlin1958]

John Wick

Keanu Reeves is back, apparently! We all know the story - what little of it there is anyway - so I'll glaze that part over.

It's hard not to admire a film of such blistering pace, with such confidence and sure footing in what it's setting out to do. Character development and narrative fall by the wayside, but it's okay; it's not meant to dabble in that realm anyway, and it becomes a better action film for it. Wick dispatches his enemies with a grim inventiveness and terrifying accuracy. The nightclub shootout alone is probably worth the price of admission.

An unsung hero of the film is the hit man universe it depicts (to mixed results); secret, specially designated night clubs, their own form of currency, a semblance of moral code. It's all very silly and comic book-y but it works within the context of the film. It is also very funny, I found myself laughing out loud at during several exchanges. The actors are clearly enjoying themselves and reveling in the absurdness of it all.

It's not without its pitfalls, of course. The film tries to simultaneously juggle somber and comical tones and the two don't always mix. Keanu is little more than an avatar of revenge. Once the blood starts flowing he's rarely called upon to showcase human emotion. All that is really required of him is to move gracefully and embody a strong, brooding presence.

Not a must see by any means, but if you're hankering for an action film light on plot and heavy on carnage this one just might be worth your time and money.


7/10

So, I'm guessing that, Keanu punched his ticket for the next "Expendables" installment? LOL

[WeDealInLead]

an action film light on plot and heavy on carnage

Sometimes this is all I need. After a 60 hour work week, I need something to help me unwind. Throw in an XL bag of heavily salted popcorn, a "litre of cola" and it's a remedy for forgetting the shit week I'm sure I'll be having.

TL;DR - good review, will watch.

[webstar1000]

an action film light on plot and heavy on carnage

Sometimes this is all I need. After a 60 hour work week, I need something to help me unwind. Throw in an XL bag of heavily salted popcorn, a "litre of cola" and it's a remedy for forgetting the shit week I'm sure I'll be having.

TL;DR - good review, will watch.

I thought the way Wick went about with little to no emotion was the best part of the role he played... loved this movie. Best I have seen in such a long time!