# What's The Latest Good MOVIE(S) You've Seen?



## Griller

Most recently I saw "*Bend It Like Beckham"*", this movie is *excellent*. It won a few awards and did pretty well when it was released in the U.K. about year ago. Starring actors most north americans may not know, they are still quite funny and charming. It's a fun little, feel-good movie. I recommend it.

*Dreamcatcher*. Well, it was _interesting_. Entertaining? I would have preferred to spend the ticket price on a different movie. This based on a Stephen King novel, which doesn't directly mean anything but if you like those type of stories then here you go. It's a quirky, gorey, bizarre sci-fi action movie. I wouldn't recommend it, but that's just me, you might like it.

Anyone have recommendations/warnings for any fairly recent movies?


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## Kosh

I thought *BASIC* with John Travolta and Samuel Jackson was a good military mystery. Talk about misdirection, they had you thinking one guy was guilty when he wasn't, and nothing was what it seemed. One of my workmates couldn't keep up with all the twists and turns in the story.


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## buck

city of god was my most recent great movie. it's the movie that quentin tarintino wishes he could make.


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## Chealion

Saw Bulletproof Monk yesterday, wowza, those tickets are expensive.  But good movie, wasn't worth the $14 though, no movie is. Never going to see a movie thats not a matinee again.


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## (( p g ))

Ringu (the original Japanese version that was later remade as The Ring)
Solaris (the US remake: you'll either love it or hate it)
8 Mile (surprisingly good)
Sponge-Bob Squarepants episode collection on DVD (okay...it was my daughter's pick)

[ May 01, 2003, 09:29 PM: Message edited by: PGant ]


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## Clockwork

Ive watched several movies in the last week or so. Broken down palace (very good movie), Rabbit Proof Fence(very good movie). The Gift(not too bad) House of 1000 souls(sick tiwsted, rip off of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, not bad but I probably wont watch it again). David Gayle (I think it was called that)(Very good twisty movie, Kevin Spacey is his odd usual self).


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## ehMax

I just saw [email protected]$$ out of morbid curiosity. (Oh sorry, thought this category was worst movies)...  

I liked the movie *About a Boy*. Not super great, but entertaining. 

Didn't really like 8 mile that much, but it was one of those that was better than I thought it would be. 

Just watched Forrest Gump again... One of my favourite movies.







Just like the Forrest character so much.


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## MACSPECTRUM

The last 3 good movies I have seen (I have movies on cable and so don't go to theatres much anymore) were:

The Legend of Bagger Vance
Castaway
The Thin Red Line

* The Legend of Bagger Vance*
multiple layers, especially Bagger Vance.
original cast was supposed to be Robert Redford as Major Junuh and Morgan Freeman as Bagger Vance. Redford, who directed, decided against such casting saying that, and I am paraphrasing here; "It would feel too much like 'The Natural' "

Still a wonderful film. Not necessarily about golf. Golf is merely the canvas upon which the director paints a picture of man's struggle against his own demons guided by a benevolent "God"

Bagger Vance is a play on the Hindu word for God.

Also some great music in it. Wonderful strings and a lone, bright solo trumpet.

*Castaway*
Castaway reminded me much of the technique used by Michael Cimino, in that breakout film for a few young stars back then, "The Deer Hunter". "Castaway" shows the "before" of the life of a FedEx executive, then the "life altering experience" and finally the "aftermath"

Same technique used for 'The Deer Hunter'

The messages of both films are similar in that the main character goes on a journey and is transformed by it.

Tom Hanks's character apologizing for not being there even though he was stuck on an island the entire time. Robert DeNiro, once he came home, avoiding the spotlight, and in the very end he doesn't shoot the deer even though he has it right in his sights.

"The Deer Hunter" young guns....
Robert DeNiro
Christopher Walken
Merryl Streep
John Savage

*The Thin Red Line (TTRL)*
Directed by the infamous Terrence Malick.
I could write some "stuff" but much is wel written here 
Many of the actors took bit parts to be able to work with Malick.

Reminds me very much of Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Kubrick used much music and beautiful cinematography to take us on a journey. TTRL with its use of the serene scences of the beautiful flora and fauna set up as the colourful juxtoposition for the very 'black and white' horrors of war. The story is of man's immortal questions; "Who am I?' "Where do I come from?" "Where am I going?" 
The lone sprouting coconut lying on the beach, at the end of the film, leaves an haunting image.

I recommend all 3 films very highly and look for the not-so-secret message in "Castaway."

Enjoy.

[ May 02, 2003, 02:34 AM: Message edited by: macspectrum ]


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## PosterBoy

I just watched Donnie Darko again, which if nothing else is very cool to watch just for the strange visuals and cinematography. In a similar vein, Requiem for a Dream is very very good both in terms of story and visuals.

Formula 51 is entertaining, but not really good. Worth the rental fee I think.

Mostly I have been watching my new and nerdy DVDs though, babylon 5 season 2 just came out on the 29th of April.

I am going to go see X-Men 2 tomorrow (opening day!), hopefully that will be awesome.

--PB


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## JAMG

Attack of the Clones and Austin Powers 3 are the only Theatre films I've seen since my daughter was born...

Looking forward to X2 and maybe Matrix reloaded... {oh who am I kidding, My brother and I will be at a midnight screening...}

Best film I've seen latly though is on DVD... I finally got around to seeing "Reservoir Dogs".... Wow.... but suddenly "Pulp Fiction" doesn't seem so original....


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## (( p g ))

Add me to the list of admirers of Mallick's The Thin Red Line. I was advised by many friends to stay away from this one (one even described it at the worst...movie..ever!). Maybe because my expectations were so low, maybe I was in the right frame of mind given that it was the dead of winter when I saw it, but I was really, really pleased. 

It works on your senses in a manner similar to Wim Wenders' masterpiece, "Wings of Desire." The plot is secondary to the narrative, which in both cases, is like a two-hour poem. If that tweaks your curiosity, then go see it (and rent Wings of Desire for good measure...but for the love of Pete, stay away from the US remake).


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## MACSPECTRUM

actually TTRL comes in at 170 min., so very close to a 3 hour poem, or was that "a 3 hour tour"?? [cue Gilligan's island theme]


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## Dr.G.

macspectrum, I shall agree with your three selections of movies, although with a caveat that one has to be prepared to think a bit with TTRL. A bit of knowledge about the war in the Pacific would also be helpful, but not absolutely necessary. When I first heard about the plot of Castaway, I wondered how Tom Hanks could pull off the solo, but with Wilson taking "second banana" it proved to be a helpful "prop" personna.


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## arminarm

The eye opener of the past year so far and the best script by far; 

Todd Haynes' *"Far from Heaven*" is a look at the impossibility of the Dream of the American Republic.
For those who did not see the 'fifties in life, this is as close as it gets to that time when thinking or being different was a criminal offense.
Dick Cheney's daughter owes her freedom to the sixties. Her Republican Attorney General Mr. Ashcroft, regards her and her kind as filth and like all Republicans wants the 'fifties back.

Chuck Heston and Ronnie Reagan are Republican idols.


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## Tomac

*Pi* is one heck of an interesting movie, yet a little weird for some. If you see the DVD cheap, definitely pick it up.


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## iMiller

I just got Who Framed Roger Rabbit lask week.. great movie!


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## MACSPECTRUM

*Pi* i saw in the theatre.
Now there is a good reason to tell your physician everything....

Interesting watch.
Very NYC, very nuts, very "out there"


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## MACSPECTRUM

> Chuck Heston and Ronnie Reagan are Republican idols.


Now wasn't there something about worshiping "false idols", in a movie with Chuck Heston and Edward G. Robinson called *The 10 Commandments*?


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## MACSPECTRUM

Dr. G.,
TTRL makes you think a lot.

Wilson was created so that Hanks would have some lines during his stint on the island.

Wilson also represents other things, but mainly a prop that allows Hanks to speak. out loud. Otherwise there would be not much more than voice overs.
Except for the "I have made fire!" scene.


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## Strongblade

Last movie I saw in the theatres would be Bulletproof Monk. Not an amazing movie, but it was alot of fun. A matinee or cheap-nite viewing would be worthwhile.

Before that was Miyazaki's *"Spiritied Away"* which I then picked up on DVD. One of his best. I'd say easily as good as his earlier US released *"Princess Mononoke"*.


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## Dr.G.

macspectrum, I trust that you meant "Interesting watch. Very NYC, very nuts, very 'out there'" in a positive way??? Granted, NYC can be nuts (have you ever tried to get out of the city just before a long summer weekend, or road on the subway during rush hour?), just as the people can, at time, be "nuts".


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## MACSPECTRUM

i used to visit NYC (in the 80s) quite often for a period of time.
got used to the "pace" (not that tex-mex dip either) of the city
and i used to laugh at my toronto friends who complained of traffic and hustle and bustle.... in Toronto
living in NYC is like being at warp speed compared to Toronto then
altho' Toronto is catching up


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## PosterBoy

I just saw X2 yesterday, and I have to say that it was quite good. The effects were better than the first one, as was the acting. The plot wasn;t necesarily as good, but the end leaves it waaaay open for a sequel (which is already scheduled for production here in Vancouver/Victoria)

--PB


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## MACSPECTRUM

Spiderman came on cable tonite.
i started watching for about 30 min. and am now "listening" to the movie from the 'computer room'

what a waste...


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## Dr.G.

macspectrum, I miss some of the hustle and bustle of NYC, especially window shopping and going to sporting events at Madison Square Garden, Shea Stadium or Yankee Stadium.


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## MACSPECTRUM

i miss Jeremy's
a little working man's bar near south side seaport, in the fishmonger area
jukebox full of frank sinatra albums, cold beer, a drink that i got to name since they never heard of it before and the sweetest clams i have ever had

i miss McSorley's, the home made draft, the people from all over the world one would meet there, the sharp cheese and onion sandwiches, that autographed pic of JFK

Leshko's deli, where the only thng faster than the service was the quick wit of the servers

memories..


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## Dr.G.

macspectrum, I too miss McSorley's draft beer and I now have a craving for an onion and sharp cheese sandwhich for lunch. It is like a Pavlovian response. I still have a commercial McSorley's mug that I tried to give to my girlfriend at the time......who refused it when she heard that McSorley's had a policy, until ordered by the federal government, to allow women in to their establishment.


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## MacNutt

Wasn't this thread about movies?

I saw Spiderman and was less than impressed. Sorry to any of you who liked it...just my humble opinion.

I watched "Birthday Girl" with Nicole Kidman on sat a few nights ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. What an interetisting and offbeat role for this top actress to take on. The lady has range, no doubt about it. Far more than her former husband...again, in my humble opinion.


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## MaxPower

I just watched "Empire" on the Satellite last night.

It starred John Leguizamo as a drug Dealer in the Bronx who's only motivation in life is to make lots of money by either illegit or legit means. After investing some of his money he decides to get out of the business.

Interesting, not great, but OK.


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## Dr.G.

My wife and I saw "Catch me if you can" a few months ago. It was an interesting movie, especially since there were elements based on the actual person who was, in fact, the impersonator.


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## MaxPower

I saw X2: X Men United last night and I enjoyed it. Much better than the first.

You get more of a background on Wolverine, and the introduction of a lot more mutants - Dr. Hank "The Beast" McCoy, Colossus and of course Nightcrawler.

I would liked to have seen more of Deathstrike, but the scenes she was in I rather enjoyed. For what Deathstrike is in this movie, I thought Kelly Hu was great.

Any way that's my two cents.


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## Kosh

> My wife and I saw "Catch me if you can" a few months ago. It was an interesting movie


Yeah, I saw that one too. Hilarious movie. Ahhh, the good ol' days, when it was easy to fake anything.


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## Dr.G.

Kosh, fake yes, but he had skills and talents combined with a great deal of "chutzpah" and "moxie" (i.e., nerve/gall and drive). Still, it was an entertaining movie.


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## MacDoc

Watched "Road to Perdition" in HD - good on a normal screen fantastic atmosphere and sound in HiDef.
Terrific attention to period detail, lighting and sound details.
Highly recommended.

Watched "Tuxedo" with Jackie Chan and Jennifer Love Hewitt - so so - he can be funny at times but this one was not one of his better efforts - a Bond spoof I think that did not quite work. Still Jackie is fun to watch and Hewitt....well

















[ May 12, 2003, 02:39 PM: Message edited by: macdoc ]


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## Dr.G.

PosterBoy, in a way, we each have two lives -- the first life is the one we utilize to learn about the world around us, and our special role in this world; the second life involves living in this world with our obtained knowledge, with the hopes of leaving it in a better shape than when we entered.


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## Cynical Critic

*Donnie Darko* is a fascinating and much over-looked film. It portrays notions of schizophrenia and worm holes accurately as well as being greatly entertaining.

*X-Men 2* was fun. It was more exciting and fast paced than part one. It was ridden with clichés but that was to be expected. Definitely worth seeing in theatres.

*Dream Catcher* is bizarre and typical of Stephen King. It's a movie that is confused about its genre. Morgan Freeman's character (the mad military general) is ridiculous. It always blows me away that Freeman can act in wonderful movies and then turn around and do such crap. On the up side, _The Last Flight of the Osiris_, which is a movie short before *DC*, was rather stunning and definitely worth seeing. However, it will be available on the Animatrix DVD this month I believe.

*Bulletproof Monk* was silly but fun. It was really a tribute to Hong Kong martial arts flics.


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## PosterBoy

*The Good Doc said in regards to Frank in "Catch Me if You Can":
but he had skills and talents combined with a great deal of "chutzpah" and "moxie"*

Actually, he HAS all that, it was after all based on a true story, and Frank actually did do most of that stuff.

It's strange, I have read a few things about him and these days when is talking about himself during those times he refers to himself int he third person because he feels he is a different person now.

--PB


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## PosterBoy

So who is going to see *The Matrix Reloaded* on opening day besides me?

--PB


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## Dr.G.

PosterBoy, I would love to see this movie ASAP, but my wife does not, and it's not cool, according to my 16 year-old son, for him to go with me. Thus, I shall have to see it alone, or wait for someone who is willing to go with me.

An interesting review of sorts on this movie -- http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/5842378.htm


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## MacDoc

"Smilla's Sense of Snow" - an overlooked gem. The book is good and the movie true to the book. Extremely well cast, terrific story - Ormand is terrific
Partial cast

Julia Ormond (Smilla)
Gabriel Byrne (Mechanic)
Richard Harris (Tørk)
Vanessa Redgrave  

Bille August - Director

Rent it or read it ...you'll enjoy it.


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## MacDoc

Wow a movie I'd never even heard of with one of my fav actors too  
Ralph Fiennes, Cate Blanchett
In "Oscar and Lucinda"

a strange and wonderful movie set in Australia at the turn of the 19th century.

Based on a Booker Prize winning novel some reviews thought this movie should have been nominated for several Oscars ( no pun intended ) ..it was nominated for costume design.

Wonderful quirky movie, Fiennes at his ethereal best and well matched with Cate.
Something different.


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## motd

1968's The Producers, by Mel Brooks. Quite possibly one of the funniest movies EVER made. (Siskel and Ebert) Gets funnier every time I watch it!!! It was rereleased a few months ago.


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## PosterBoy

The Imposters, starring Oliver Plath and Stanley Tucci is very very low budget (as in when they are standing on the deck of a boat you can see their shadow on the backdrop) but very very funny.

Birthday Girl with Nicole Kidman and Ben Chaplin is very good. Very wierd, but very good. Further proof that Nicole Kidman was worthy of Best Actress this year.

--PB


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## jonmon

Bend it Like Beckham - I agree with Griller. Feel good movie. Very enjoyable!

Matrix Reloaded - Tastes good less filling.


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## arminarm

*Highly recommended*.
(Previously posted on another topic.) 
May 17, 2003 02:01 AM                     

I am now extremely embarrassed for not having seen "Bowling for Columbine" sooner than this evening. 
The tenor of the topic posted by macnutt as "Michael Moore is in trouble... " now seems to me to distract completely from the overwhelming profundity of the message of BFC for an understanding of the fearfulness at the root of the currently most violent nation on the planet. 
That this film has taken the US and world by storm is not at all surprising.
Perhaps if macnutt has or has not actually seen the film might have some bearing on this.
It goes for denial's jugular and does not let go.
It is obviously intentional bait for the more rabid right wing "revoketheoscars.com" type of trash. Moore even gets them to make themselves proud of their obviously low mental capabilities.
The movie seemed no less factual or no more slanted than most American TV news reports.
Some complaints of some detractors may be reasonable but for the most part almost all urls posted by macnutt amount to partisan name calling. 
Selective editing seems to be the biggie to these detractors but they would have to complain much more loudly about FOX-TV etc. before complaining about this wicked piece of work.
I can see the Academy floored by the technical virtuosity. Two hours plus of dead perfect pacing and not a boring second!
Moore's portrayal of the pathetic and vain Heston gave me no glee.
Heston actually admits that America's love of violence comes from a bloody history of racism and ethnicity.
When Moore asks him to look at a photo of the six year old shot by a six year old classmate, Heston with a face of benign denial shows a cold, dead heart and walks away.


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## MACSPECTRUM

Just saw "3 Days of the Condor" on History Channel (canadian version)

never saw it before

if anyone has not seen it, please rent it
the ending will have double weight in light of today's geo-political situations vis-a-vis current White House foreign policy.


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## MacNutt

Check back to my original topic for more on Michael Moore and his growing troubles. 

As for your statement about "selective editing" being the main complaint about Michael Moore's fact-twisting films and books all I can say is this...

Surf around the net and see what vast numbers of highly-repected people are saying about his "facts". And see how they have proven beyond any shadow of a doubt that his "documentary" is far more fiction than fact.

And if "Bowling for Columbine" REALLY deserves an Oscar for "Best Documentary"...then so does "This is Spinal Tap"


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## Griller

Regarding a recent good movie I just saw, because that is the topic of this thread...

*A Time To Kill* (1996) starring Matthew McConnaughy, Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Spacey, James S. Dutton. A drama set in the 1960's in a small southern U.S. town. A bunch of today's big names in a '96 flick giving good performances with a great story.

*An excellent movie.*


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## Cynical Critic

The last two movies I saw were _The 25th Hour_ and _The Tuxedo_. I highly recommend _The 25th Hours_. It stars Edward Norton, Rosario Dawson, Berry Pepper, Anna Pacquin, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Brian Cox. It is one of the few films that deals with the aftermath of September 11th - albeit in an indirect way. I thought the ending was a bit corny but the main part of the film was great. As for the other movie mentioned, even Jackie Chan fans will be disappointed by this Dream Works film. All I have to say is Jeniffer Love-Hewitt can't act. She makes Keanu Reeves look like a pro.


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## MacDoc

Ummm can we get this back on topic and keep it cycling up.....surely there are more movie mavens than just me on this board.









Just watched "A Beautiful Mind" in HD and Dolby and it had even more impact than my first round at the theatre. Even then I was thrilled when it won Best Picture putting the Star's 2 star review to deserved shame.  I was so ticked and that review hung around for a long time - but the revenge on Oscar night was SWEET!

What a terrific story and wonderfully executed. I'm a sucker for true tales and this is a marvelous story.
Nash's impact on the world has yet to be fully appreciated.
Much of the world is beginning to realize that good old Adam Smith was wrong, as Nash showed, and that elements of cooperation as a survival strategy is far more prevalent in nature and in human interaction and economics.

I won't comment too much as there are some surprising twists but if you haven't seen it yet do so. Well worth the time spent.


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## MacDoc

Yeah but such nice eye candy in HD







At least she did a better job that Denise Richards in the Bond flick - now that was truly AWFUL  
I thought Hewitt was just "okay", not bad in the action sequences, reasonably funny and verrrrrrry sexy


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## Cynical Critic

Macdoc, where'd you get the pic of J. L-H.?


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## arminarm

J. L-H is about good acting as a saxophone is about good pitch









As many a good actor will admit, "good acting" quite possibly is an oxymoron.


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## lotus

A Time to Kill, if I remember correctly that was John Grisham's first and probably best novel. Lately I have been disappointed in his work, although I haven't read his last two novels. Both the book and movie were excellent.


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## Dr.G.

lotus, was JG's first book not "A Pelican Brief"? I might be wrong, but he is a good writer (not great, but good).


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## MacDoc

Grisham is like a marshmallow - tasty but a lot of fluff and not very nourishing. He writes well but he's just a "good writer" and best when he stays where he knows best in the legal arena.
Not as good as Clancy altho with a similar fast pace.

••••
http://coolwallpaper.com/model/lovehewitt.shtml

••••

Watched "The Score" in HD. Nice to see Montreal in a movie. I enjoyed it. Not as good as "The Usual Suspects" and Brando is his usual useless self....never did understand that man's draw....but deNiro and Norton are a good match.
If you HAVEN"T seen "Suspects" you've missed a real goodie.


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## lotus

Dr.G, I think the Pelican Brief was Grisham's third book. Grisham was a lawyer in Arkansas and A Time to Kill was actually based on a true story. It took him three years to write it. His second book was The Firm and his writing has gone downhill from there..

Macdoc is probably right that his writings are "fluff", but sometimes it is nice to settle down in front of the fire and read a good novel. What am I saying I don't have a fireplace anymore.

Some other authors I enjoy are J. Freedman, P. Freidman, Scott Turrow. Nothing too intellectual. but don't want to over burden my brain.


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## MacDoc

"Moulin Rouge" is one of my daughter's and my fav movies. Just got to watch it in HD and the detail of the sound was superb - really enhanced the movie. The big scene with the entire cast in theatre for the "play within the play" comes across much better with 5:1

The entire Baz Lurhman Red Curtain trilogy is very entertaining and you can see the progression over time. This is the kind of "structured" entertainment I enjoy. Seeing "Chicago" win all the awards and Moulin Rouge do so well last year just affirms Lurhman's vision of movie entertainment.

Musicals are alive and well and I think that's great  Watch it ...enjoy


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## MacDoc

BTW the upcoming 'The Italian Job" looks terrific. Wow will it sell a lot of Mini Coopers.  
http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/the_italian_job/


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## MACSPECTRUM

a friend of mine saw "The Italian Job" last night and said it was awful.


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## MacDoc

Hmmmm the reviewers seem to like it - "summer fun" seems the summary - the Star gives it 3 stars and the tough rotten tomatoes site likes it too. 
Think we should stick to "first person" suggestions???


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## MACSPECTRUM

well i am not going to see it based on his review so i won't be shelling out the $14 to go see it

if i want to see a bunch of BMW mini coopers i can always go visit my client that is across the street from the dealership downtown.


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## Cynical Critic

Saw *Bruce Almighty* last night and it had me in stitches a few times. Some of the moral messages were heavy-handed and clichéd but overall I really enjoyed Jim Carrey back at comedy again.


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## MacDoc

CC _ There were moments and Aniston is an eyeful







Uneven I thought. Panned at rottentomato - but they REALLY liked Nemo.


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## CubaMark

We saw "Down With Love" last night... very low expectations, but we laughed from the opening credits straight through to the end. What a surprise! A remake of a 60s flick, and for those of you who have worked in film / video, technically very interesting.

Lots of exaggerated hip-swagger, horribly hilarious 60s fashion, and sexual innuendos falling like excuses for the Iraq War off G.W.B.'s thin little lips.

A solid 8 out of 10.

 
M


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## PosterBoy

*The Salton Sea* is a very good movie starring Val Kilmer (to those who consider that sentence a contradiction in terms, keep in mind that Peter Sarsgaard, Vincent D'onofrio and the rest of the cast are quite good as well).

Check the trailer here.

--PB


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## MacDoc

Personally I think Val Kilmer is quite good - he was superb in the The Doors.
He does "real" stage acting
Hows this for stage credits alone
The Alchemist 
*	As You Like It (Orlando)
*	Camino Real (Casanova)
*	Electra and Orestes (Orestes)
*	Equus (Allan)
*	The Glass Menagerie (Tom)
*	Hamlet
*	Henry IV, pt. 1
*	How It All Began 
*	Kingdoms
*	Lost Horizons (Robert) 

*	Macbeth (Macduff)
*	Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (artist)
*	Richard III (Richard)
*	Sand (wrote and directed)
*	Scrooge (Scrooge)
*	Slab Boys
*	'Tis Pity She's a Whore
*	Twelfth Night (Malvolio)
*	Two Gentlemen of Verona
*	You Never Can Tell (Boone) 
 
and an extensive Filmograhy including one of my fav movies and one that will truly scare you.
"The Ghost and the Darkness"
One of the most frightening things about that movie is that it's TRUE








Personally he's now a draw for me and I'll pick up Salton Sea mainly for his involvement.
I mean he was also the lead in perhaps the only "decent" Batman movie " Batman Forever"


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## PosterBoy

Sorry macdoc, but the only really good Batman movie was the first one.

Michael Keaton was the only one of the three who could pull of both Batman and Bruce Wayne. Kilmer (as much as I like him) was a good Batman but a lame Bruce Wayne, and Clooney was the opposite.

Of course, Jim Carrey as The Riddler made the movie, and Tommy Lee Jones was no slouch either, but I think the lack of Tim Burton was the worst thing to happen to the franchise.

--PB


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## MacDoc

Yes I agree Keaton did both well and Kilmer was marginal as Wayne but the villains were best with Carey and company







 








You know that's quite a cast


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## Alesh

Yeah, quite a cast... but that movie sucked! I like Val Kilmer though, he was very cool in Red Planet as 'the janitor'.


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## hayesk

The best Batman movie was Batman:Mask of the Phantasm - better than any of the live action ones.


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## MacDoc

I think Carey and Tommy Lee were the best villians of all the Batman series....Tommy Lee in particular.

•••••
Just watched "ET the Special Edition" for the first time in many years. Film wears well, Drew Barrymore is SOOOOO cute.
Pretty clean DVD and good sound, I can see that one going generational the way the top Disney titles do. It''ll be fresh for the next round of rug rats  
••••
Bought the Superbit version of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and was somewhat disappointed by the vid quality even tho the sound was superb.
Guess the original film was a bit on the shy side as far as quality goes.  because the Superbit of "Seven Years in Tibet" was wonderful.
I'll try the Dragon on the higher end component DVD and see if it improves altho the Superbit review indicates the fault lies with the orginal.


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## PosterBoy

Macdoc, like I said: Batman is the best film, Jim Carrey (and Tommy Lee Jones) is the best villan.

As for the superbit, it isn;t so much the video you should notice an improvement with, it is the audio.

--PB


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## james_squared

Hello,

The most recent theatrical realease I have seen is Finding Nemo. It was very good.

James


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## Marilee

Good afternoon,

Two movies I really enjoyed lately are Meleena (subtitled) and Treed Murray. However, I did see The Matrix and admit I was blown away by the sights and sounds. Walking out of the theatre, my pupils were sore from the rapid dialation.









__________________________________________

Marilee


----------



## MacDoc

If the release of LOTR II looks as good on the DVD as it just did on HD I'll be very very pleased. Just watched an ad for the DVD on HiDef   oh my it looks like a superb transfer..here's hoping.
Actually think I'll watch the first one later tonight.  Funny time of year to be hooked on movies,


----------



## arminarm

Marilee

Beautiful, this:
_"Las cosas claras y el chocolate espeso. (Ideas should be clear and chocolate thick.) 
--Spanish proverb"_ 

....... where does it come from?

I am reminded of Suares' (Spanish and largely ignored) film "Goya in Bordeaux", the movie he always wanted to make.
If you love film ......


----------



## PosterBoy

Vanilla Sky was an interesting watch, I keep meaning to go out and rent the original, Abre los ojos.

And as for LotR: The Two Towers, I will be waiting until November, when the Extended DVD Edition comes out and I can see the extra 40 minutes that I know are supposed to be there. If you have a PlayStation2, go rent the EA Two Towers game, it has some scenes from the movie that werent in the release version of the movie.

--PB


----------



## jfpoole

PosterBoy,

I've seen both Vanilla Sky and Abre los Ojos, and if you've seen one, you've seen both. Since Vanilla Sky is, at times, a shot-for-shot remake of Abre los Ojos, I didn't get much out of Abre los Ojos that I didn't already get out of Vanilla Sky.

Not that it's a bad movie, mind you....


----------



## arminarm

Finally saw "Bruce Almighty".
I needed that.








JA made me cry for two ... or more reasons ....
Are Carrey and Myers (wave the flag) the only full body comedy left?


----------



## MacDoc

A bit off topic but not a lot, this site http://www.digitallyobsessed.com offers very comprehensive reviews that also feature the technical aspects.
After my ongoing love affair with HD I'm realising that eye and ear candy contribute a lot to my inclination to buy a DVD.
This site is very good for those either with high end home theatres or those wanting to build a collection that will work well WHEN high end gets really affordable - and that's coming very quickly.
So far I've found the reviews and technical comments exactly right as I've watched the movies they've commented on.
There will be a few DVDs going back to the used store and I'm now a more sophisticated and informed buyer.
But DAMN there are a lot of DVDs I'd like  

Just about to watch a doulbe header of the first two LOTR in the next few days.
Just a bit too late tonight to tackle it and be at all functional tomorrow.


----------



## Cynical Critic

I have to strongly disagree that Tommy Lee was a good Batman villain. Jack Nicholson was the best villain of all the live-action films. Jim Carrey was passable and Tommy Lee was terrible. He was so over-the-top that I wanted to walk out of the theatre and I saw it when I was 14 years old and big into comics and such. He gave a very disappointing performance overall. In a sense, Arnold's Mr. Freeze was better just because I don't expect anything from Arnie.

Thus endeth the rant.


----------



## MacDoc

Ummmm SOCK BAM POW isn't Batman SUPPOSED to be over the top


----------



## Griller

*Paper Moon* (1973), black and white. I'd never heard about this movie and just saw it for the first time. Unbelievably good. It's about a con-artist/ scam duo, consisting of an 9 year old and a her 30-something guardian/dad. It's in black and white, and is set in the 20's or 30's (I think that's the time period). I'm not a huge fan of b&w or 70's movies, but this one's too good. The 9 year old? Tatum O'Neal... she was just too cute.

Batman movie villains? Jackson Nicholson as the Joker was my favorite of all the villains from the movie series. My 2nd favorite? Maybe it has to do with how the series started to decline after part 2, but I'd say Danny DeVito as the Penguin without a doubt.

Maybe that Schumacher guy (who "filled in" for Batman 1 & 2's director Tim Burton) suggested that the villains just be stupidly overly animated. Tommy LJ as Two-Face, was pretty bad, he was overly animated --- like a bad broadway play. Animated = good, overly animated = bad. Carrey's Riddler was barely okay.

Is "Batman" supposed to be "over the top"? No. If it's based on the Batman comic book and story-line, then it's actually quite dark (figuratively and literally) and brutal in a twisted but serious way (see Joker and Penguin, Batman 1 and 2 respectively). Again, I'm quite certain it had to do with the Director involved (Burton = excellent; Schumacher = garbage).


----------



## emmapeel

It's not a new release, but I just got Juzo Itami's "Tampopo" on widescreen DVD. Man I love that movie!
It's like the Seven Samurai meet the Magnificent Seven and then get reincarnated as Japanese truckers. 
Yeah.


----------



## Cynical Critic

The Batman I like is based on the comic books which are dark and brooding - not the campy TV series spin-off with Adam West in tights. Although I do get a kick out of the old TV series. ZOWEE!!!


----------



## Griller

*The Mummy*, the first one, I just saw it last night. I saw part two, which was good, in theatres without seeing part one. The first one was actually way better than I thought it would be, after all these years of just hearing about it. Definitely worth the rental if you like fun, fast-paced action.


----------



## brockmasterflex

sadly.... i wasted $10.50 and saw the Matrix Reloaded

whatta waste.....


----------



## Kosh

The first Mummy movie was better than the second. I guess there was more suspense and action in the first. The second wasn't bad. I enjoyed both.

For some reason I can't remember the third, although I'm sure I saw it. It really isn't a third Mummy movie, as it focusses on the Scorpion King, but it sorta continues the series.


----------



## Cynical Critic

_Reloaded_ was fun but that's just my opinion.

If you really want to waste your money, just go see _2 Fast 2 Furious_ or _Hollywood Homicide_.

I'm interested to see everyone's reaction to _The Hulk_. A friend of mine saw it already and he said it had some weird camera work and weak plot but was better than _Dare Devil_ (not that that is saying much persay).


----------



## arminarm

I saw "The Good Thief" last night ....... a mess







of a movie .... so bad, in fact that it was well worth the money to see the totally abysmal acting and a truly illiterate script.

So nice to have had confirmed the tur(d)gid banality of US remakes of non-US movies.

With Nolte however, there is no need to see "The Hulk" as he is a far more convincing human blob of dung here than whatever it is that moves so badly in the rushes for the "Hulk" that I have seen. 

If you love as I do, to see a pretentious project die of shame 
you will be rewarded.


----------



## boba fett

Hulk Review:

Way better than Reloaded! I actually like the character development. The editing is very comic-book like. The movie isn't perfect, but the HULK is mesmerizing to watch. The CG is also very ambitious, and pulls it off convincingly. Finally a smart comic book movie. Actually the three Marvel movies have been pretty good. X2, Spiderman, and HULK. Once again, wicked editing!


----------



## CubaMark

I saw the Hulk last night (Fri) - and loved it.

First rule of watching a movie like this is, *it's a <u>comic book</u>*!

After that, everything fits right into place... the special effects (and I'm a stickler for this as an aficionado and as someone who's worked in "the business,") started out less-than-great (the initial glimpses of the Hulk), but by the time we see him in all his green glory, it works. 

There are fight scenes (the one in the woods, particularly) that had the audience out of their seat. The desert battle with the tanks is just plain hilarious. This is certainly an engaging film, from many aspects.

I liked the father / son conflict, and the fact that unlike most hollywood movies, their relationship was not resolved in a heartstrings-tugging musical hugfest.

Nolte plays a crazy man like nobody's business.

Jennifer Connolly (whom I first saw in _The Rocketeer_) seems to have gone 'way off the Atkins diet into Kate Moss land. I'm assuming she's weak from hunger, since her performance was uncharacteristically vague and distant.

But, Hey - *it's a comic book!*

As one review put it, a great action flick for the kids, with some nicely mature themes for adults.

Those who are expecting a version of "The Hulk" faithful to the original comic, however, will find that the backhistory is not all that accurate.

Keep your eyes peeled when Banner arrives by bicycle at the university - you'll get a surprise  

4 / 5 stars.

M.


----------



## PosterBoy

I don't know about you guys, but I found Spider-Man more enjoyable once I started picturing all the dialogue in bubbles over the actors heads. I think it might be the same for the Hulk. At least with Ang Lee directing there'll be good choices for music.

Why didn't anyone like DareDevil? I can understand that a lot of people might be taken off guard as it is basically the Batman[1] of the Marvel Universe, but I thought that it was pulled off quite well all things considered.

[1]And by Batman I mean the dark brooding trying to avenge death comic book batman, not the SOCK! BAM! POW! batman of the 60's.

--PB


----------



## arminarm

*A Mighty Wind*









This is acting without trying ..... 
comedy without trying .....
Brilliant ensemble .....


----------



## Cynical Critic

Regardless of the Hulk is a comic book the movie was all over the place. The first 45 minutes were slow and mostly pointless. The movie deviates greatly from the comic book and not in ways that I found as a great improvement. Sure the explanation of his mutation was more "realistic" but the love interest and insanse father character were tacked on and distracted from Bruce Banner himself. I preferred X2 and Spider-Man and even the Hulk TV series was far superior.

Admittedly, the CG effects were impressive and well-done. I found them mindlessly entertaining. However, unlike the Matrix Reloaded I didn't need to use more than 1 brain cell during The Hulk. The Hulk was predictable, poorly organized and only worth watching once for its eye-candy effects.


----------



## ErnstNL

Finding Nemo - funny and witty, excellent quality. I will have to get the dvd to recall all the references. I loved the "I can speak whale" bit by Ellen DeGeneres' character. 
" weeeeee arrrrrre loooooooooooking foooouuuuuuooooor ......" LOL x 10
I was searching for the Apple homage, a la Monsters Inc., I must have missed it.


----------



## Johnny

Whale Rider

We both really liked this movie. Here is a review which has a good description if you want to know more:

http://www.hackwriters.com/WhaleRider.htm

Johnny.


----------



## Tomac

Just saw T3 today. 

WOW!!!!

I'd definitely say it was a helluva lot more fun than Matrix: Reloaded. I didn't think the story would hold up -- T2 seemed to patch and close the story up nicely -- but T3 banishes those thoughts completely. Judgement Day -- originally supposed to happen on August 29, 1997 -- was postponed, thus allowing this story to work. I don't want to babble about the story -- much better when you see it yourself. Just make sure you've brushed up on T1/T2 before you see it -- definitely helps. 

Nice way to make extra casheesh, but damn you'll walk out satisfied!!!  

I CANNOT wait for the DVD.


----------



## Cynical Critic

Sorry to be the fly in the ointment. But I saw _T3_ and was entertained only minimally. I had low expectations and the film barely exceeded them. I didn't care about the characters. The acting was mediocore at best. _T2_ was a far superior film all round.

Part 3 seems like a high budget made for TV movie. The best part is when Arnie smacks into a truck, makes a loud *clang* noise and then disappears. Grade A slapstick moment. There are a few scenes that are so over-the-top that they are funny. For mindless entertainment, the film is decent. I mean Arnie does wield a urinal as a weapon. Hilarious. However, character development is weak and originality is highly lacking from the entire plot and its regurgitated dialogue.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

this one looks like it's going to be a gem
i can't wait to see it

preview here


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

I'ved just watched *K-19 The Widowmaker* for the 3rd time on cable.

Too bad it didn't receive better acclaim from the movie going public.

Good insight into the psyche of Cold War era Soviets, but still a beautiful, poignant film.

Some interesting music as well, for those with an ear for Slavic music.

An unique film.


----------



## Cynical Critic

MacSpectrum have you seen any films by Andre Tarkovsky? They are definitely outside of the mainstream. They are beautiful - though often confusing or at least very differnt/foreign to a North American audience on the first viewing. I'd start with his first film _My Name is Ivan_, which is about a Russian boy who is a scout in the second world war.


----------



## arminarm

Cynical Critic, 
thanks for the reference .....
Tarkovsky is the standard for visually tactile film. You can watch "Stalker" (my personal favourite) five times and learn even more from the next viewing.
I silently dissed an L.A. composer a while back for calling him an "experimentalist". They (some) behave like crack ho's lately. 
Tarkovsky said in response to such a suggestion referring to himself: "I experiment no more than does a woman having a child!"

Our thesaurus reminds us of the other word for "film" being "scum"


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

I saw *City of God* last night at my local repertory film theatre and this movie makes a Scorcese film look like a peace rally.

Based on a true story on the life of child "hoodlums" in a slum outside of Rio in Brazil.

A little long (should have been better edited), but well worth seeing.

Portuguese language with English subtitles.

Extreme violence warning.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

CC asked;


> MacSpectrum have you seen any films by Andre Tarkovsky?


No I have not, but I will make a note to look for his films and pond scum.


----------



## PosterBoy

I just watched Goodfellas for the first time last night. I was actually more impressed with it than i thought I would be. It was kind of fun watching all the things that so many people parody these days, like Joe Pesci's "I'm Funny?" tirade, or just some the character's who's look is poked fun at in cartoons.

I am watching an Australian movie right now called "Chopper", which stars Eric Bana in one of his bigger roles in his home country. Here is the IMDb writeup:

<blockquote>
"Chopper tells the intense story of Mark "Chopper" Read, a legendary criminal who wrote his autobiography while serving a murder sentence in prison. His book, From the Inside, upon which the film is based, was a best-seller."
</blockquote>

It is quite good so far.

--PB


----------



## MannyP Design

*Re: Hulk*

I'm a little late on this topic, but hey... so it goes.

I liked the movie, but it is definitely not better than Reloaded. No way, no how (IMHO of course). They total skewed the genesis and storyline of Banner/Hulk saga. I'm all for altering the superhero formula if, and only if, it benefits the story (ie Spiderman's web shooters). In Hulk's case, it did not.

However, and it almost sounds silly as I type this, but they put too much story into the Hulk. So much so that it _over_ explained everything that honestly didn't need. The first 30 minutes was just a rush-rush-rush warm-up that could have been, in a normal and more dramatic (and menacing) tempo, 30 minute prelude to build up the second chapter of the movie.

Personally, I think it would have worked better as flashbacks of Bruce's memories and would have presented a much more menacing antagonist that would have been hidden from the protagonist as well as the audience. (Whatever happened to keeping a little mystery in a story? It seems like a lot of movies give the audience too much too soon. Jaws, Alien/Aliens tease the audience... hook them, peaque their curiosity and keep them in suspense for the duration of the movie.)

The editing was very creative, but I (and the folks I saw it with -- both comic and non-comic types) thought it was over-done and distracting. I won't even comment on Josh Lucas's death scene.  


The wife and I also checked out *T3* -- which wasn't bad... definitely lacking the heart and scope that T2 had... but entertaining none the less. They pretty much lost me on how they re-evolved the original terminator cyborg-- a huge departure from the first one, and kind of left turn from the 2nd one.

That's where I could say my personal preference comes from (and could be my downfall) -- I'm a purist when it comes to sequels (which can be my downfall): When you define a particular element in a story, then alter it or expand on it that ends up compromising the the very nature of a character's being (ie a machine that cannot evolve a personality beyond it's programming or story defined parameters; or alter it's physical "durability" or "strength"), that it takes away from the story.

When I watch Terminator 1 and compare it to it's later incarnations, they totally disassociate from each other -- dilute with each subsequent version if you will. It ends up losing any and all power over the audience (the first one was a menacing character, whereas the last one was pretty much harmless). Although, the 3rd Terminator is technically up against a new an much tougher version, the 2nd liquid version was much more menacing to me.

But that's just my 2 pence.

... I won't even bother talking about Charlie's Angels.


----------



## Cynical Critic

I agree that Hollywood movies are too eager to explain things to the audience. It worries me that we're becoming a dull society that wants everything fed to us. It blows my mind when moviegoers complain that movies like The Matrix Reloaded was too confusing or complicated. It worries and scares me that people want to be hand fed by Hollywood. What happened to mystery and contemplation and open-endings? 

As for The Hulk, I was saddened by it because it had so much potential but it fell very flat.

I recently saw Pirates of the Caribbean and it was fun. I don't recommend it for little kids although it is rated "G." I was pleasantly surprised. The movie was a touch too long but it was fun.

The Leage of Extraordinary Gentlemen was short on plot and character development. The visuals were intriguing and the story concept could have been good but overall the film was flat. It was like watching a long made-for-TV movie. Perhaps the graphic novel it was based on had more depth. This was greatly lacking.


----------



## arminarm

*"Owning Mahowny"* is the Arriving in Las Vegas of gambling addiction. Philip Seymour Hoffman is uncanny and riveting as a pure addict owned by an obsession. 
10 out of 10 on the unpretentiousness scale.


----------



## SINC

I enjoyed the two movies I watched last weekend in my motor home. "Catch Me If You Can" and "What Women Want" were both good.


----------



## Cynical Critic

I saw _Man on the Train_, which is a French movie, and I recommend it. The film is philosophical and slow-paced. It is permeated by a sort of sad dark humour. The ending is unclear and bleak. Basically, it's a very typical French movie.  

Not for everybody but you do get to practice your French listening skills if you go see it. I'd probably just rent this film because there's nothing spectacular about seeing it on the big screen - unless you need to read the subtitles in big lettering.


----------



## MacNutt

Anyone here seen "Orange County"? Tom Hanks son Colin Hanks is the star and I really enjoyed it. Very quirky and sort of uplifting in an odd way.


----------



## wonderings

a movie called Equilibrium - Christian Bayle is the main actore. its a kind off matrix meets 1984, an excellent movie, and also 28 Days Later, my 2 favorite movies in a long time


----------



## Cynical Critic

Anyone seen Bad Boys 2?


----------



## jo42

> _Bad Boys II_

Renter. Go see Johnny English instead.


----------



## Moscool

Hey Cynical Critic

If you enjoy modern Russian cinema, a must-see is Urga by Mikhalkov (here is the IMDB link). Absolutely wonderful visually, the pace gives you a real sense of the steppe and the role of modernism/technical assistance. 

You will also understand where the title 'the silence of the lambs' comes from... 

Ignore the pompous user comment on the IMDB page and check out your specialist DVD store for a rental copy (if such things exist). Needs a big screen or at least all ights out!


----------



## MacDoc

"Equilibrium" was a surprise - it rolled along quite nicely and that was quite a cast.
•••••
I just finished watching "Whale Rider" and the lead actor should be up for an Oscar, she is just terrific.
Highly recommended.


----------



## PosterBoy

Orange County was a very well put together and acted movie. Not any great feat of modern cinema, but thoroughly enjoyable. Colin Hanks, at times, looks so much like his dad it ain't funny.

For a good french film, check out "La Fille Sur La Pont", a very well done movie done in black and white. Best to get the version that is french with subtitles though, as the dubbed version is crap. Voice actors never seem to be able to convey the emotions quite right for the body language on screen.

I finally saw Blade Runner today, and I am just watching Alien (the first and best one) right now. Good times with old movies.

--PB


----------



## Alesh

Pirates of the Caribbean. I was very pleasantly surprised by this movie. Most definitely the best movie this year that I have seen.


----------



## Kosh

> Pirates of the Caribbean. I was very pleasantly surprised by this movie. Most definitely the best movie this year that I have seen.


I have to agree, it was one of the best movies of the year - Johny Depp makes a great pirate. I think he had a lot of fun with the character.

As for the movie Bad Boys II, there's a lot of action - shooting, car chases, car crashes - and humor, but I think the first one may have been better. It's a longer movie too, about 2.5 hours.


----------



## MacDoc

Johnny Depp - glad you gave Pirates a thumbs up. He's one of my favorite actors. Unafraid to take on strange and difficult roles.
Gilbert Grape, that weird western ( anyone remember the name - black and white ) - he was well cast in Chocolat, perfect against the extraordinary Binoche.  
Pirates here I come.....yo ho ho....
•••

Just watched The Recruit with Al Pacino.
Won't tell you ANYTHING other than well worth the time spent


----------



## PosterBoy

Other god Johnny Depp flicks to check out:

Blow
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
The Forthcoming "Once Upon A Time In Mexico" (third El Mariachi Film!)
Sleepy Hollow
Donni Brasco
Don Juan DeMarco
Ed Wood
Benny and Joon

The stranger the role, the more confortable he seems. it's great!

--PB


----------



## Alesh

Johnny Depp really is an amazing actor. He was really funny in Pirates.

One other movie of his that was absolutely amazing (not to mention weird) was The Ninth Gate.


----------



## MacDoc

I'm being inundated with favourite actors. Just watched Julia Ormand in Legends of the Fall.
She is such a standout - an emotional and expressive face that needs little language to carry it. Holds her own easily against Anthony Hopkins
The Superbit version is excellent both sound and picture, highly recommended - too few sweeping movies these days - Legends bridges the frontier as America grew up at the turn of the century.
••
Ormand was also fabulous in Smilla's Sense of Snow as well. Have to look up her filmography and catch more of her work.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, agree with your comments about "Legends of the Fall". The contrast in scenes, especially those in the US west, were stunning.


----------



## MacDoc

Movie like that rewards the investment in a good home theatre. Huge sweeping movie of Doctor Zhivago or Passage to India scope.

I've found little enjoyment lately in going to the movies.
Sticky floors, ignorant audiences, over priced snacks and out of focus screens plus buried in ads.....who needs it.  

Legends looks to be a good one for HD DVD  altho the Superbit version is very fine indeed.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, Dr.Z., along with Casablanca and The Way we Were, are my three all-time favorite movies.


----------



## MacNutt

Just saw "Solaris" and was left totally in awe.

THIS will be a cult favorite in the future, I'll wager.   

You have to watch it closely to get everything that is in there....and there is quite a bit, BTW.

(NOTE: I have the original 1972 Russian version on tape. If you think that this 2003 one is at all SLOW....then I suggest you watch the original!)

If you are tired of the standard sci-fi movies that rely on explosions, gore, and wicked special effects to cover up the fact that they have no new ideas....then I highly recommend you see "Solaris". 

George Clooney took a big chance on this one, and it didn't do very well at the box office (in theatres, at first wide release)...but I honestly believe that this will be one of the movies that he is most remembered for in the long run.

Just my thoughts on this.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macnutt, I like the idea of a sci-fi that does NOT rely on techno-explosion and SFX. What is the basic storyline of this movie? Why, in your opinion, is George C an asset to this movie? I am not asking you to give away any endings, but I have to admit that I do not know the basic plot of this movie.


----------



## Cynical Critic

That's good to know MacNutt. I took a course on Tarkovsky and we of course watched his version of Solaris. It's definitely not his slowest movie but for a North American audience it crawls. My teacher recommended the new Solaris - in particular to do a comparison between the two. He felt they had different focuses but definitely stood on their own merits.


----------



## MacDoc

Just had the rare opportunity of enjoying book and movie on the same day.  

"Sea Biscuit" is a treat in either form.
I happened to watch the movie first and it was exceedingly well cast - once again one of those "true stories" that if wrote as fiction would be laughed away as too unlikely.

The book expanded upon the various interwoven tales and fleshed out some parts of the movie that were not clear in the viewing.

It's a great story - it electrified a stumbling nation and is worth every moment of the time you spend watching OR reading it.

I've really admired Tobey Maguire after seeing him first in the excellent "October Sky" - another true story movie that's high on my "enjoyment" list. His unlikely casting as Spiderman also worked IMHO  and his hard work in varied roles earns high regard from me.
In the future I will seriously consider any movie he picks to work with as to date the ones I've seen have all been winners. 

My eyes are tired, I had to double up on my reading glasses to get finished as my new prescription is still a week away but it was a very enjoyable way to spend a rainy Ontario Sunday. Good crowd at the theatre too, not many but well behaved and they all clapped at the end  

To bed to bed to rest my weary eyes.....well maybe a few minutes reading









[ August 04, 2003, 07:08 AM: Message edited by: macdoc ]


----------



## PosterBoy

Macdoc, 

October Sky was actually Jake Gyllenhaal, not Tobey Maguire.

Maguire was great in both 'Wonder Boys' and 'Pleasantville' though, and Gyllenhaal was fantastic in "Donnie Darko" and also "The Good Girl".

--PB


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, I am about half way through "Seabiscuit" (they are just now negotiating for the Man-o-War/Seabiscuit match race). I would like to see the movie as well, and I am glad that it gets the Macdoc "Seal of Approval".


----------



## MacDoc

Posterboy -







I stand corrected - could have sworn it was Toby. Allow me this that they DO look alike.

Jake









Tobey









BTW if anyone hasn't seen Cider House Rules it's terrific.

and Dr. G - see the movie, don't wait on finishing the book. They are very complementary.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, I know the story. Strange, but as a boy growing up in NYC, never having seen a live horse or a horse race, and not knowing who/what Seabiscuit was, we would use the expression "And here comes Seabiscuit" to mean someone comning up fast from behind in some sort of race.


----------



## MacDoc

Currently watching RKO 281 - terrific   

What a cast and a terrific subject - the making of Citizen Kane. Very very well cast. I had never heard of it. Rotten Tomatoes gives it a huge recommendation. 100%  look at that cast and the lead could not portray Welles any better, even to the cadence and language. Had never heard of it - just stumbled on it on satellite and gald I did.
Of course Ridley Scott had a had in it...genious portraying genious. The pacing is just terrific as is the musical score - very fitting for the subject and times.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, do you feel that Orson Wells "peaked" with Citizen Kane and that it was all downhill for him from there? I had this discussion over the weekend, and I just can't envision that this is the case with OW. I respect your opinion on such matter.........as I do on Matters of the Mac, which is for another thread (of course, if you let me know what the likely trend is for the PowerBook line, and I invest wisely in Apple stock, then there might be a new 60" flat screen HDTV in it for you........just a thought







), so we won't discuss that here.


----------



## MacDoc

Orson Welles is hard to understand - the experience with Kane could easily have disenchanted him or made him a pariah - remember the times were not conducive to his renegade and elitist approach.
The US was conflicted about the war, Jews, big business and then came McCarthy








Not a pleasant time for artists in general and especially such a rare plant as Welles.

Without knowing more of his history ( I do know some) later it's hard to draw a conclusion but my sense of it is that a combination of factors were at play but that disillusion played a major role.  

Others have made their great contributions early then faded. Hollywood in the years during and after the war perhaps was not the place for "fine arts".
The battle with Hearst would dishearten anyone.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, I think that the running battle with the Hearst chain of papers might have had something to do with OW's inability to recreate the magic of Citizen Kane. Hearst is reported to have told the major motion picture producers that should they take on OW for a major project with their studio, that his chain of papers would not allow advertisements for that picture or their movie houses throughout the US. I heard Frank Capra suggest this in a lecture he gave at the University of Georgia, in that this is what he had heard from a minor executive. This was in response to why he created Liberty Pictures rather than let a major studio produce his pictures. He replied that the decision was forced upon him, in that he wanted to make "It's a Wonderful Life", but no studio wanted to make this "bit of fluff". How lucky we are that he had the foresight and the chutzpah to do it on his own.


----------



## MacDoc

I'm not sure of your 'Its a Wonderful Life" comment- he was involved with the remake but not the original as far as I understand.









He certainly stayed busy.
Perhaps he was a high brow Speilberg at the wrong place in time. 
Sorry for the popups
http://www.angelfire.com/ri2/rebeccastjames/orsen.html


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, I heard Frank Capra say that "It's a Wonderful Life" is the best picture he ever made. He created Liberty Pictures to make sure that this story would be told. I think maybe we are at "crossed wires", in that one of us is not exact in his use of language and the communication of this language. It might be me, so I am not pointing fingers. However, Frank Capra DID make "It's a Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, I see where the miscue was pertaining to our disagreement. I read you OW URL and saw that OW played Mr.Potter in the remake of "It's a Wonderful Life". I was making a reference to Frank Capra, and this is where the confusion lies. Frank Capra is the "he" in my previous post. I apologize for this miscommunication.


----------



## MacDoc

Got it now. If you liked a Wonderful Life I suggest you watch the Best years of Our Lives.

In my opinion it's a superior movie and story. "IAWL" was a bit over the top for me - whereas Best Years was an honest portrayal of a difficult time in America and a terrific story filmed and acted in a superb manner.
Seven Oscars - all well deserved.
Do you think the Academy would EVER give a 3 hour movie 7 Oscars these days???........it's long but worth every minute spent watching.
As one reviewer said
" It is one of my all-time favorite movies, and though it is almost three hours long, the first time I saw it, I was so impressed that I rewound it and watched it again."

Certainly shows the power of Black and White. I was emotionally spent at the end. The true cathartic experience a great performance can elicit. WAAAAAY up on my top movies list. It's out on DVD.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, that is also one of my favorite movies. I vaguely recall that my father and I first saw this movie on TV when I was about 8 years old. He never talked about his experiences in the US Army, but he rambled on about the war during this movie. It was one of the few times we talked about something other than sports.

I am a fan of Fredric March, Dana Andrews and Myrna Loy, and I think that Harrold Russell played a crucial role in the film, since his injury was not staged. Willie Wyler knew how to get the most out of good actors. 

A good trivia question came from this movie, in that Russell won two Oscars for his performance, (an honorary award and the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor), making him the only performer in the history of the Academy Awards to win two statuettes for the same performance.

And, of course, there was the Hoagy Carmichael piano playing.


----------



## MacDoc

That's a good assessment and yes it's the only time a double Oscar was awarded.
Worth a look again from your current perspective.
I think the US may have another "noir" period coming up as they reassess their nation.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, I fear you may be correct in your prediction. However, I think that the next presidential election will be an indicator of where the American people want to go in terms of their social/political/economic lives. We shall see.


----------



## MacDoc

I fear the election will have little impact. We are still in a post bubble hangover that has yet to be reckoned with.

Car companies are offering 72 month 0% financing. Banks offering 100% mortgages. Interest rates at 1% and the deflation word being whispered and look at the situation in Japan.  

Combine this with fear and navel gazing and we may see a value shift - or perhaps earthquake in the works. An "interesting times" moniker may come about in not too long a period I have a premonition. 
How it unravels I have no idea....just my 1.4¢ worth.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, yes, we do indeed live "in interesting times". There are times when I feel much of the world has gone mad, and the average person (whomever he or she might be) has little control over their macro-situation. This is when I maintain an awareness of the world situation, but turn inward, via meditation and working in the garden, or even playing with the doxies, to gain a sense of personal balance. I am sure that you are able to understand what I am saying here re inner balance.


----------



## MacDoc

Watching Who Framed Roger Rabbit on HD and it's amazing how seamless the integration is desptite there was no CGI involved  

The detail in the set shows up extremely well, textures of materials in particular and things like the reflections and shadows of the animated characters ( the reflection of Daffy Duck in the piano surface is mind bending thinking about what that involved without computers figuring out the ray tracing. Awesome art.  Funny too























••••
Has anyone seen "In the Time of Butterflies". I was sort of watching it and realized it was a terrific movie too late to get fully engaged.  
I really like Edward James Olmos as an actor. Anyone seen it give it a brief review??


----------



## PosterBoy

"Brotherhood of the Wolf" (aka "Le Pacte des Loups") is a very cool, very high style french film worth checking out if only for the cinematography. 

--PB


----------



## MacDoc

Damn now I've skidded by that movie a dozen times.








I'll watch it next time.
Thanks for the tip.  
I be cinematography junkie eh.


----------



## MacDoc

On HBO at 6.30 tonight - Path to War about Lynda B Johnson. I'll let you know but looks reasonable - and I like the cas.
I always remembered how devastated Johnson looked at the end of his Presidency as if all the life had been sucked out of him.  

"The war referred to is sometimes called the Vietnam "incursion." And the path the US administration ultimately chose to follow in the mid-1960s became a hideous slippery slope. In his uncanny portrayal of Lyndon Johnson, Michael Gambon captures the agonizing indecision that wracked the President. Should he and his foreign-policy team, including Clark Clifford (Donald Sutherland) and Robert McNamara (Alec Baldwin), end US participation in a ghastly war or escalate involvement? Knowing the outcome in no way diminishes the suspense of this searing HBO drama. 2-3/4 hours."  Yikes almost 3 hours


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, it is amazing how accurate was the portrayal of the various main characters in this film. I lived through the early days of the Kennedy administration as a teenager, and was drafted to go to Vietnam during the height of the war. However, I was already granted a Conscientious Objector status, and was drafted but never served in active combat duty. The actor playing LBJ had his speech and body mannerisms down to a "T". I have seen the movie four times and could watch it still again tonight.


----------



## MacDoc

Yes I'm really enjoying it. Baldwin is amazing as McNamara
I laughed at the major meeting where they decidd go ahead with air strikes and they discussed Chinese response and the comment was "We can't assume they are as rational as we are "









Brings back odd memories, teletype machines, old phone systems - the lack of communications - it's really surprising we all survived it


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, watch "Thirteen Days" to get a sense of what it was like during the Cuban Missle Crisis in Oct.1962. We were doing Civil Defense drills daily during that two week period. However, I lived near the center of a primary target, so all I would have been was a pile of "duck, tuck and cover" dust.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, if you like Winston Churchill, watch "The Gathering Storm", with Albert Finney as WC. He too got the speech mannerisms down pat, and gives a great performance.


----------



## MacDoc

I've seen 13 Days several times and I watched that entire thing unfold on TV - that was perhaps the scariest time of my life.   
I thought the movie was well done.

Gathering Storm was excellent - hope they continue the series. The lead WAS Churchill. It's kind of hard to watch the memoirs version after reading Bodyguard of Lies. However the human story of it was wonderful.

I'll try and watch Path to War again as the storm and a client interrupted but I see now why LBJ looked like death warmed over at the end of his term. Brought back some bad memories.
Wish Bush would have the same common decency to get out.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, yes, LBJ looked quite tired at the end of his term, as did FDR. War has a way of aging presidents. Bush seems fine, however, and would probably run for another few terms if the Constitution allowed him to serve more than two terms. Who knows, maybe he will tear up the Constitution and declare himself King.


----------



## MacDoc

I think would be Emperor Bush, have you been following Doonesbury on the topic - he's been hilarious










FDR of course was on his 4th term and ill plus had to deal with small items like the Depression, a World War AND a physical disability.....none of which were authored by him.









LBJ on the other hand had a rich society, a world generally at peace and turned it into a nightmare entirely by his own hand.
I found the scene with McNamara towards the end very revealing and heart saddening as he drives by the rows of graves and thinks back on his role in the escalation.
I beleive he wrote a book about how wrong headed the foriegn policy was.
I'll watch it again or maybe even rent it.
Man's folly writ in young lives lost.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, RM was stung by the phrase "McNamara's War". Still, LBJ had the best of intentions with his Great Society, and one can only wonder how the quality of life would have been better for most Americans had he not gotten bogged down in Vietnam and concentrated on the GS.


----------



## MacDoc

Yes a great opportunity squandered and he obviously knew it. He didn't live that long did he.....one wonders how many years it cost him.   

This is much better to the driving beat that accompanies the commercial release

War

SUNG BY - Edwin Starr -


War! huh-yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Uh-huh

War! huh-yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it again y'all

War! huh good God
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me?

Ohhh? War! I despise
Because it means destruction?
Of innocent lives

War means tears
to thousands of mothers eyes
When their sons go to fight
and lose their lives

I said - War! Huh Good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it again

War! Whoa, Lord ...
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me?

War! It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
War! Friend only to the undertaker
War! It's an enemy to all mankind
The thought of war blows my mind

War has caused unrest in the younger generation
Induction then destruction-
Who wants to die?

Ohhh? War Good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it, Say it, Say it

War! Uh-huh Yeah - Huh!
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me?

War! It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
War! It's got one friend, that's the undertaker
War has shattered many a young mans dreams
Made him disabled bitter and mean
Life is much to precious to spend fighting wars these days
War can't give life, it can only take it away

War! Huh Good God y'all
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Say it again

War! Whoa, Lord ...
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Listen to me?

War! It ain't nothing but a heartbreaker
War! Friend only to the undertaker
Peace Love and Understanding;
tell me, is there no place for them today?
They say we must fight to keep our freedom
But Lord knows there's got to be a better way

War! Huh Good God y'all
What is it good for?
You tell me
Say it, Say it, Say it

War! Huh Good God y'all
What is it good for?
Stand up and shout it.
Nothing!
••
I guess what I found scary was my daughter's choice of song to analyse was "Eve of Destruction" and out of twelve students in her class TWO chose it completely independently of all the thousands of songs out there
  

It appears little has changed in 40 years

Barry McGuire
Eve of Destruction

The Eastern world, it is explodin',
Violence flarin', bullets loadin'.
You're old enough to kill, but not for votin',
You don't believe in war -- but what's that gun you're totin'?
An' even the Jordan river has bodies floatin'.
But you tell me, over and over and over again, my friend,
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

Don't you understand what I'm tryin' to say,
An' can't you feel the fears I'm feelin' today?
If the button is pushed, there's no runnin' away,
There'll be no one to save, will the world in a grave.
Take a look around you, boy, it's bound to scare you, boy.
An' you tell me, over and over and over again, my friend,
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

Yeak, my blood's so mad feels like coagulatin',
I'm sittin' here just contemplatin'.
I can't twist the truth, it knows no regulation,
Handful of senators don't pass legislation,
An' marches alone can't bring integration
When human respect is disintegratin',
This whole crazy world is just too frustratin'.
An' you tell me, over and over and over again, my friend,
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

Think of all the hate there is in Red China,
Then take a look around to Selma, Alabama.
Ah, you may leave here for four days in space,
But when you return it's the same ol' place,
The poundin' of the drums, the pride an' disgrace.
You can bury your dead, but don't leave a trace.
Hate your next-door neighbor, but don't forget to say grace,
An' tell me, over and over and over again, my friend,
You don't believe we're on the eve of destruction,
No, no, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, the last time my father and I really spoke about anything other than sports was over the song "Eve of Destruction". He was an Archie Bunker-type conservative and I was an ultra-liberal. The "talk" turned into an arguement re the war in Vietnam (he favored the war, I was against the war from the onset), and that was that.


----------



## MacDoc

Okay enough flower child yak







back to the movies  

I had forgotten how many stars were in Flatliners.....and how young they were/are in it.
Kiefer Sutherland
Julia Roberts
Kevin Bacon
William Baldwin
Oliver Platt

Just watching it now in HD, so so so far

Update - gave up - too dated  









[ August 13, 2003, 07:59 PM: Message edited by: macdoc ]


----------



## Kosh

I saw Path to War in HD. As you said Baldwin makes a great MacNamara. I enjoyed the movie.


----------



## MacDoc

I'm really ticked I could not see that all the way through - hope they show it again. Mothman Prophecies on now in HD - good quality.
Intermediate movie - Gere is pretty good - it has some subtle scary without showing anything moments.


----------



## MacNutt

I missed Path to War but I am going to watch it the next time it's on sat. I lived through that period as well and it was a bit frightening to see all of the adults around me so very concerned about what was going on in a faraway place I'd never heard of.

I knew it was important. The grownups certainly thought so...and their feelings were transmitted to all of us kids.

Scary stuff.


Scary, also, was the "Mothman Prophecies". I agree with macdoc that it was an intermediate movie...but the notation in the credits that claimed it was "based on real events" kind of creeped me out.

The very best scary movies leave a lot to the imagination of the viewer. Special effects are never quite as frightening as our own imagination, eh?


----------



## MacDoc

"Scary, also, was the "Mothman Prophecies". I agree with macdoc that it was an intermediate movie...but the notation in the credits that claimed it was "based on real events" kind of creeped me out."
Yeah I've always wondered what the "really happened" basis was - have to do some snooping - anyone know???

"The very best scary movies leave a lot to the imagination of the viewer. Special effects are never quite as frightening as our own imagination, eh"

Absolutely - I love radio plays and talking books as for that reason. I found the tension in Ghost and the Darkness was unbearable at times.
I'll NEVER look at long waving grass again without a shudder.  

If you haven't seen it and can stand a tense scary movie get it - the wildest part is that it all really happened







Good role for Val Kilmer.


----------



## MacNutt

I really liked "Ghost and the Darkness". Very well done.  

Also, I believe, based on a true story.

Which leads me back to "the Mothman Prophecies".  

When I watched that (alone, at night, in my house which is surrounded by a large forest full of owls) I got a very creepy feeling that I haven't really had since I watched "the Haunting of Hill House" as a child.  

Then I went to Google and looked up the "Mothman Prophecies". There was the usual movie promo and discussion stuff...but there were also several references to newspaper articles, over a period of some years, that spoke of a large "mothlike" creature appearing just before some crucial event. And lost time. And disappearing people....

Big red eyes on it's shoulders, apparently...  


Like I said...it creeped me out.

Like few things before or since. And I've seen a LOT of strange stuff in my travels...believe me.

The only thing that's scared me more...in recent memory...was a dream I had, one dark and stormy night. 

In that dream, the federal NDP had formed a majority government in Canada and prime Minister Svend had declared that he was disbanding the military in order to help finance a guaranteed annual income for every Canadian citizen...no matter WHAT the eventual cost might be!!









I woke up shrieking at the top of my lungs and drenched in cold sweat!! 

( _had you goin for a minute there...didn't I?_ )


----------



## MacDoc

Yes the Ghost and the Darkness was entirely true    

So was the NDP whacking the Tories in Nova Scotia and Uncle Ernie ain't likely to survive this latest example of good government in Ontario.

Did you say dream or prophecy


----------



## MacDoc

Hmmmm anyone know how much Gangs of New York was based on a actual events?
 







Wow you certainly see the roots of violence in US. Now I know Tammany Hall and certainly there was a lot of violence but did the Union ships actually fire on New York City.
I never know with Scorcese where his viewpoint intrudes.
Daniel Day Lewis certainly struts his capabilities.
Diaz and Leo I think were not perfectly cast across from him tho' Diaz perhaps carries it off - DiCaprio as much as I do like him as an actor just isn't quite right - not that it's a bad performance perhaps he just too familiar a face.









Just to cap off a night of American violence...also in New York City ( unintentional double header







) the Phone Booth is very well cast. A modern morality play with Keifer Sutherland showing how powerful voice alone can be.

Casting was the key to this as this could be a stage play in its formality 








I'd say both worth the viewing - Gangs is long while Phone Booth is tight and effective seeming short as the pacing is just about perfect.
I'm a tad mixed on both films an I notice that Rotten Tomatoes also has a mix of reviews for both, interesting they both get identical scores - pretty accurate IHMO. Certainly the sets on Gangs were terrific - I guess typical Scorcese's which mean drifting toward the "over the top" arena altho the spectacle perhaps carries it. 
It's easy to see why it was delayed release tho.  for a whole bunch of reasons.


----------



## MacNutt

Haven't seen "Gangs of new York" yet but I did watch "Phonebooth" with my new girlfriend the other night.

We were both a little put off by how short it was and how little was done with a great premise.  

Good movie (one pass) pretty good cast, but a bit of a fizzle overall.

(BTW: My lady is twenty five and I am more than forty five so we cover several generations. We watched it with two other friends who are in their early thirties. They were ever-so-slightly-dissappointed as well)

Ho hum.


Oh...and macdoc...on that tiny little regional victory in Nova Scotia by the rapidly fading NDP.

Isn't it nice that they didn't just dissappear from the political scene in one giant puff of smoke? It makes it so very much easier to stomach, after all.

They USED to be SUCH a major power in politics, after all. Both Provincially and on a Federal level. All across Canada

There WAS a time when some of us used to think that they might just form a Federal government or something. Pretty much all finished, these days, eh?


----------



## MacDoc

Watch Ontario even without a strong leader.

And if you think the NDP will fade Federally with Layton around you are smoking your provinces #1 agri crop.  

Whe it comes to fade, the Alliance is due ......over due.

You still seem to have a problem getting the idea that the world is moving to the centre of the political spectrum. Once you deal with that honestly then your viewpoints might be persuasive - as long as you
a) recycle the same tired old rant that is SOOOOOO 80s
b) refuse to SEE what's going on ACTUALLY in your own country
Then your cred gets tread on  

•••••
So Phone Booth was actually short, hmmmm but it did match the pacing.


----------



## iLabmAn

Phonebooth sucked, Well, at least for me. Colin Farell was way over the top and his love interests were miscast. Also, the music and phone audio was brutal. Having Keifer sound like a god through the speakers and then having Farell's wife and girlfriend go from left to right to centre audio was distracting. And what's with what's-his-name as a police captain?

B-movie. That's it.

Good movies? In order of experience for me this summer:

Finding Nemo
Predator
Quiz Show
Best in Show
The Animatrix
X-Men 2
Minority Report
Batman: Dead End
...and a whack of films from http://www.fanfilms.com

Who-hoo!


----------



## coyote

I saw 28 Days Later and was really impressed with it. Very creepy seeing London (UK) city streets deserted. It's 2 hours and 10 minutes of relentless tension. Very quick editing and a scary in two ways; 1. the release of an uncontrolable virus, and 2. how people can turn on one another. Worth seeing despite a few parts that didn't make sense.


----------



## MacDoc

Currently watching The Hours - wow what a wind up with the piano music and mulitple environments shifting with the music  
And the cast  

Good print - later  

Oh my The Hours is like this enormous autumn wind sweeping over time. I swear the music will ....
This is a piece of poetry somehow put into film...I have no words...

whew......absolutely brilliant. .I will remember the boy's eyes.










Juliana Moore deserved her Oscar, she shone even against Streep, Kidman and an amazing performance by Ed Harris.

Kidman was superb as the brilliant and erratic Virgina Woolf and I certainly agree with her decision to alter her face. It suits the role and the echo of Woolf far more effectively that if played in Kidmans normal elfin/Celtic splendor.










World class acting all around and the kid was just amazing. Very beautifully structured and the music 

[ August 21, 2003, 10:04 AM: Message edited by: macdoc ]


----------



## Cynical Critic

I just watched Bringing Down the House. It could have been funnier and some scenes could have been shorter. However, it was a decent movie and it had me laughing out loud several times.


----------



## PosterBoy

I am not sure if I mentioned it here before but a very very interesting watch is the HBO movie "Live from Baghdad". here is the synopsis from HBO.com:

<blockquote>
his HBO Films production mixes breakneck excitement, biting humor and blistering drama in telling the behind-the-scenes true story of how brash CNN producer Robert Wiener (Michael Keaton) and his resourceful team made history, and reported it, during the onset of the 1991 Gulf War. Arriving in Baghdad, Wiener and co-producer Ingrid Formanek (Helena Bonham Carter) contend with numerous logistical, technical and political challenges as they attempt to report on the situation in Baghdad as war looms. While feeding stories to a hungry 24-hour news network under the scrutiny of Iraqi censorship and Saddam's propaganda efforts, the two producers must stay ahead of the competition - the Big Three networks. When the bombs hit Baghdad on January 16, 1991 (most of the other news crews have fled the city), the ingenuity and courage of Wiener, Ingrid and their crew (including CNN anchor Bernard Shaw and reporters Peter Arnett and John Holliman) pay off when they are able to use a coveted "four-wire" transmitter to relay live reports on the U.S. bombing of Baghdad not just to America, but the entire world. 
</blockquote>

I highly recommend this movie if for no other reason than Michael Keaton and Helena Bonham Carter are excellent in it.

More Info Here 

--PB


----------



## MacDoc

I agree LFB was terrific. The cast and the pacing was excellent. As usual, I like movies based on actual events and Bonham Carter is 
a) one of my fav actors
b) played the role extremely well.

Interesting if likely sanitized look at CNN's world.
I actually think CNN is a cut above the likes of Fox and most of the rest of the US news organizations.


----------



## PosterBoy

Macdoc,

Julianne Moore didn;t win an oscar for "The Hours" (or "Far From Heaven" either), it was Nicole Kidman, who from what I have heard was very deserving.

I think Helena Bonham Carter was nominated for an Emmy for her role in LFB, I can;t recall whether she won or not.

--PB


----------



## MacDaddy

I have a, let's say, wierd taste in movies. I like alot of Indie films that most people won't watch, but here are a few that I just got that are fantastic.

L.I.E. 
Welcome To The Dollhouse

Both of these are fantastic films and I definatly recommend them. 
(Sorry, I could not find a trailer for Welcome To The Dollhouse on QT.com)


----------



## MacDoc

Hmmmm corrected again.  
So it WAS Kidman - certainly deserved - somehow thought it was Moore I remember it at the Oscars and not having seen the movie couldn't relate to the performances.

Still a wonderful movie altho fromsome reviews I read many disliked it intensely - same response on Moulin Rouge which I could watch over and over.

No question Hours is difficult and without a bit of background on Woolf perhaps hard to penetrate. I was swept away tho.


----------



## MacNutt

I really liked "Live From Baghdad". I usually find that the HBO movies are a real cut above and always worth the watch.  

One of my favorites is "By Dawn's early Light" with Rebecca de Mornay and Powers Boothe as hapless B-52 pilots ordered to attack the USSR. Powerful and a good watch!

Live from Baghdad certainly described CNN's finest hour. Too bad they're very much a second rate news organsiation these days. Last I heard they were down to number three or even a distant forth in choice among most regular news viewers...even during big events such as the invasion of Iraq.

Most people seemed to be glued to MSNBC all during that pivotal period. They just seemed to be much more involved and timely than the fast-fading former powerhouse CNN.

Perhaps the screwed up management decisions (and resulting economic mess) that happened after the Time/AOL merger had something to do with it all.

Certainly Ted Turner is not very happy about the current state of his former wunderkind. Not even a tiny bit. 









He's been quite vocal about this, of late.


----------



## PosterBoy

Be sure to check out 'The Tuskegee Airmen" from HBO as well. Fact based story of the first black fighter pilots in WW2. The quality of the movie is pretty up and down, but it is a very interesting story.

The 332nd (the fighter group formed by the graduates of Tuskegee) never lost a bomber to enemy action.

--PB


----------



## Dr.G.

PB, when I was teaching part-time at a Freedom school in Coy, Alabama, I met one of these airman. He hated the way he was treated before and after the war, especially in Alabama, but you could see the pride in his eyes when he talked about his combat experiences.


----------



## MacDoc

I caught that movie too and enjoyed it - think I started just before the beginning but got hooked - I'll watch for it again. Good tip.


----------



## Dr.G.

I would like to see Dr.Zhivago once again at the movies. I have seen it 7 times in the movies, but I would still like to "feel" the power of that movie once again. David Lean at his best (notwithstanding L of Arabia).


----------



## Cynical Critic

If you're a fan of stupid slasher flics, I recommend "Freddy Vs. Jason." The movie had my gf and I in stitches. Pun intended.









I'm looking forward to 
"Once Upon A Time in Mexico". And I'm curious about "Underworld."

Anyone have any insights or thoughts on either of these movies?


----------



## MacDoc

Dr. G Zhivago is timeless.

You know I never understood why "Ryan's Daughter" gets overlooked. It ticked Lean off enough that he just about retired ( I think he came back to do Passage to India).
RD was a terrific film yet it never gets shown.  
I mean look at the cast and nominations.

Best Actress (Nominated), Academy Awards, 1970 - Sarah Miles 
Best Supporting Actor , Academy Awards, 1970 - John Mills 
Best Cinematography , Academy Awards, 1970 - Freddie Young 
Best Sound (Nominated), Academy Awards, 1970 
Best Sound (Nominated), British Academy BAFTA, 1970 

Cast as well as the above
Barry Foster, Trevor Howard, Christopher Jones, Marie Kean, Leo McKern, John Mills, Robert Mitchum

and Maurice Jarre for the music.










It certainly ranks in my top films. I'd love to see it remastered. His use of the huges waves and stormy sea as the backdrop was as brilliant and awe inspiring as the Russian Steppes or the desert vistas - perhaps more so because of the power and turmoil.

Sometimes...grrrrr  - I suspect The Hours may have a similar fate altho I can understand it to a degree as it's a complex work - somewhat like enjoying the Goldberg Variations.

But Ryan's Daughter was classic David Lean huge sweeping love story, romantic, terrific acting and signature Lean visuals and very accessible if long ( when wasn't his stuff long but that's the idea behind epics  )


----------



## PosterBoy

CC, 'Underworld' will have a lot of style if nothing else, and hot people in leather. What more, really, do you need for a few hours of entertainment.

'Once Upon A Time In Mexico' is going to freaking rock, because the El Mariachi character is cool, because Robert Rodriguez is a good writer, because Salma hayek with throwing knives is hot as hell, because Johnny Depp is a great actor and because the music will undoubtedly be amazing.

On the other hand, Enrique Iglesias is in it. So who knows?

--PB


----------



## Dr.G.

"Once Upon a Time in America" is being re-released with much of the original footage that was cut out of the movie to keep it under 3 hours. This film gave an excellent portrayal of NYC at the turn of the century, with the progression into the "roaring 20s", and on into the 50s.


----------



## MacDoc

Watched "Fifth Element" in Superbit. Might fine print. 
Good test for a honkin Home Theatre both sound and video quality.  

oh yeah - I DO like the movie too.  










"Video: How Does The Disc Look?

Since its arrival on DVD Fifth Element has been highly regarded as one of the best video transfers available. As a result the Fifth Element's initial DVD release is still one of the most often-demo'ed DVDs you'll find anywhere. Industry insiders and consumers alike pull out The Fifth Element whenever they want to show off a video display's capability. The detail on original Fifth Element DVD is stunning, the colors jump, and there's nary a compression artifact to be found. And that's why I was so surprised to find that this Superbit DVD release is actually better in every way.

The Fifth Element Superbit is framed at approximately 2.35:1 and is presented in anamorphic widescreen (of course). The biggest improvement here is that the image is sharper, more three-dimensional, more film-like, and is quite simply higher in resolution. I'm going to give some specific examples of where I saw these improvements, but the important thing is that my wife and I sat down to watch this movie and we didn't pick our jaws up off the floor for the entire 126-minute running time. This is the most breathtaking video experience I've had outside of high definition presentations without a doubt. That DVD could offer such mind-boggling depth and dimensionality is a staggering achievement for Columbia and Sony. Now, on to the specifics."

http://www.dvdfile.com/software/review/dvd-video_4/fifthelement_sb.html

Not every Superbit is up to this level but this one is terrific and Legends of the Fall and Seven Years in Tibet are very credible.
This one is indeed a jaw dropper. Good to lug about if you are dropping a few thou' on a new toy.


----------



## CubaMark

*WAITAMINUTE!*

PosterBoy, MacNutt and *gasp* MacDoc:

Re: "Live from Baghdad'

The one thing that made this film completely unacceptable is its perpetration of one of the biggest lies surrounding Gulf War I, namely the fake 'babies ripped from incubators in Kuwaiti hospitals' story, created by the U.S. P.R. firm Hill & Knowlton (under contract with the Kuwaiti Gov't in exile), put to the people by a "kuwaiti hospital candy striper" (aka daughter of the Kuwaiti ambassador to the USA, and who since the time of her birth had not set foot inside a Kuwaiti hospital), and cited by dozens of elected representatives as they voted (narrowly) to go to war.

This was a classic example of the manipulation of public perception to enable an imperial government to achieve its objectives.

For the whole, rotten story, check this out.

 
M


----------



## MacDoc

Yes but be careful don't throw the baby out with the bathwater - no question CNN got conned on this - but we all the ought the Battle of Britain heroic too until we found out about Magic and Enigma.


----------



## Cynical Critic

Well what do you expect from media that has had to fire various employees for making up stories and facts. And undoubtedly there are more reporters not even being caught at their lies. Plus the media likes bending facts, playing politics and creating epedemics. For instance, SARS as being a fearful plague, or the Eastern Power Outage being made into a bigger deal than it was VS. the massive destruction of the Forest Fires that was initially receiving little coverage. And I'm sure I'm only touching the tip of the bull**** iceberg.

I'm glad there's intellegent people out here doing their research and distributing legit info.

Perhaps we should now all watch "Weapons of Mass Destraction." It's an HBO movie about media hype and manipulation. And as a bonus it'd fit in nicely with Bush's vain crusade for weapons of mass destruction.


----------



## MacDoc

CC I think it was the US government that conned CNN not deliberate misinformation by the network.


----------



## PosterBoy

"Weapons of Mass Distraction" is indeed another HBO movie worth the watch. It is also fairly well acted by Gabriel Bryne, Ben Kingsley and a number of others.

Oh yeah, it was written by Larry Gelbart, famous for Barbarians at the Gate, Tootsie, and Mash (among others).

--PB


----------



## jo42

> _Fifth Element_

My all time favorite DVD. Have both the original release (standard on one side, widescreen on the other) and the Superbit one.

Picked up Two Towers yesterday. Really wish they made DVDs that fill up the full 16x9 of my widescreen Sony...they can keep the non-16x9 aspect ratios for the theatres...

Would give a left nut for the _original_ release of Blade Runner - not the "Director's Edition" POS...


----------



## MacDoc

I thought Two Towers had both versions available







???

I like the original Blade Runner as well - think I might have it around.

The movie "Crumb" is on the "True" Network tonight.









Just watching "Endurance" about the Haile Gebrselassie, Gold Medal winner at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. The film documents his life. Excellent reviews - I just love true stories









Oh that was a gem   Terrific sound track and pacing ...the little guy from the farm in Ethopia to Runner's World declaring him the greatest distance runner of all time. Justy plain beautifully concieved and executed movie. Recommended.

[ August 27, 2003, 09:48 PM: Message edited by: macdoc ]


----------



## PosterBoy

I shant be buying the Two Towers until November when the Extended DVD Edition comes out. It'll have a Polystone Gollum Statue!










--PB


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## MACSPECTRUM

We wants our precioussss


----------



## MacDoc

in HD


----------



## MacDoc

Well everytime I get thnking maybe the US isn't so bad at all I get a reality check.

















"Set at the height of the Cold War in the fifties, ONE OF THE HOLLYWOOD TEN examines the personal struggle and triumph of film director Herbert Biberman in his crusade to continue his career in the face of the McCarthy-led blacklist. At its most personal, Biberman’s story is a compelling drama of individual perseverance and familial sacrifice and, at its most political, a conspiracy thriller and ever-relevant testament to societal paranoia and hate mongering. Biberman and his wife, Academy Award-winning actress Gale Sondergaard, refused to name names and stood by their acknowledged communist beliefs. As a result, Biberman was cited for contempt of Congress, sentenced to jail and forced out of the Directors Guild of America. Resolved to fight back, he made the film THE SALT OF THE EARTH which, in 1992, was among the first 100 films to be placed in the Library of Congress. With Jeff Goldblum, Greta Scacchi and Angela Molina. 2001 San Francisco International Film Festival"

Once again one of those movies that wouldn't get made if was a work of fiction - too unlikely. What a horrible time in America. Jeff Goldblum is very good as Biberman.

Geez the FBI BRIBED vigilantes and had to be tossed by the New Mexico National Guard ..Yikes

 
Very very interesting reading

http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,1981,00.html


----------



## Cynical Critic

I want the Special Edition Two Towers now!!! Gollum statue be damned...


----------



## PosterBoy

Macdoc,

Woody Allen's "The Front" is another interesting look at the McCarthy era and the blacklist.

From IMDb:
<blockquote>
In the early 1950s Howard Prince, who works in a restaurant, helps out a black-listed writer friend by selling a TV station a script under his own name. The money is useful in paying off gambling debts, so he takes on three more such clients. Howard is politically pretty innocent, but involvement with Florence - who quits TV in disgust over things - and friendship with the show's ex-star - now himself blacklisted - make him start to think about what is really going on.</blockquote>

It makes an interesting watch.

--PB


----------



## Cynical Critic

I second seeing "The Front." It's a good movie. And I normally find Woody Allan and his movies quite irritating.


----------



## MacDoc

Yes CC I agree Woody's angst shines through far too clearly - I never did see what critics liked inthe man but the dialogue in Antz or Ant's Life - can't recall which he did, was brilliant.

I will catch the Front when it comes by on satellite but a small dose at a time of that particular "Once upon a time in America" is quite enough.

Watching "Endurance" was a great counter....what an incredible journey both in culture and space the little guy from Africa made.


----------



## Chealion

My brother went out and bought the Two Towers yesterday, and well its awesome.







I never did go see it in theatres, and its spectacular. Although I'm waiting for the Extended Edition Box Set to buy. I can wait until Feb 2005ish.


----------



## Cynical Critic

I felt like the flow of _The Two Towers_ was not nearly as smooth or enjoyable as _The Fellowship_. Granted part two is supposed to be darker. I'm of the line of thought that A) the extended edition will be a significant improvement (whereas in part one it was just a nice bonus) and B) _Return of the King_ will make or break my appreciation of _The Two Towers_.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, I recall my parents hiding certain books and records in our apartment when I was about 5 years old. When I asked why they were hiding these things, they said it was a game and that I could not tell anyone about this game. Years later, when I was in high school, I came across these books and records. I asked my mother why she would hide books like Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath" and "In Dubious Battle", and an album of Russian folk songs. She said that it was hidden until the McCarthy "reign of terror" was over in the US. They always feared that my grandmother's sister, who tried to go to Spain to fight against Franco in the late 30's, and was a known socialist in NYC, would not be called before the HUAC. "Guilt by association". 

Yes, these were sad times for all in the US.


----------



## MacDoc

It's always the extremes in the US that is disturbing - North Chicago versus South Chicago.. I for one am glad you are here.  

••••
Movie buffs who want a technical review as well as movie review this site works well.

http://www.digitallyobsessed.com 

BTW for those into high end renditions here is the current Superbit list. I've personally seen and can recommend these •• for the visual quality with Fifth Element at the top.
Now I'm really interested in Hollow Man Superbit Deluxe as the original was terrific - can't imagine what the Superbit Deluxe must look like  

BTW the •••• only indicate relative image quality OVER the originals - ie Crouching Tiger is a terrific movie but the Superbit did not get improvement in the image altho the sound quality was fabulous.

I WOULD be interested in feedback on the movies themselves other than the one marked. I almost picked up from Here to Eternity since it rarely plays on satellite and I like the movie.

R1 

Dracula
Desperado Superbit
Fifth Element
Gattaca
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Hollow Man
Patriot
Air Force One
Big Hit
Panic Room
Knights Tale
Anaconda
Johnny Mnemonic
Vertical Limit
Snatch
Mask of Zorro
Resident Evil
Tommy
Heavy Metal
Heavy Metal 2000
Labyrinth
Das Boot
Dark Crystal
From Here to Eternity
Legends of the Fall
Seven Years in Tibet
Bad Boys
MIB
MIB II
xXx
Charlies Angels
Punch Drunk Love
Adaptation

R1 Superbit to be released August 2003

Starship Troopers
The One
The Quick and the Dead
John Carpenters Vampires

R1 Superbit to be released Sept 2003

Hook
Lawrence of Arabia
Léon: The Professional (Uncut International Version)

Hmmm think I'll get Zorro just for a "clear view" of Zeta-Jones sword fight

































[ August 30, 2003, 11:38 PM: Message edited by: macdoc ]


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, not sure if it out on anything but VCR, but "Seven Days in May" is a most interesting movie when seen in the perspective of all that is taking place today.


----------



## jo42

> _Superbit_

IMHO, some of those titles should simply not be released in Superbit format. Only movies with stunning visuals and sounds tracks should get that treatment. I bought Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (in Superbit) and wondered what all the fuss was about - just another Kung Fu movie with improbable fight scenes. When is Shaolin Soccer coming out? Then again, I am still in total disbelief that Chicago got any awards at all - just another musical. I don't recall musicals getting such accolades when they were big back when...

One title that I really want on DVD is "Grand Prix" with James Garner. I can't believe they haven't put that one out yet. Then again, since it is a movie about F1, I can see the Bernie and Max Gang wanting mucho dinars...


----------



## MacDoc

Ummm Crouching Tiger HAS stunning AUDIO.
It's a fairytale Jo









That said some of the titles I question - certainly Hollowman is marginal as a movie but the visuals are terrific.

I suspect each movie has a mix with a few being overall top notch.

There is also the question of who owns the rights to various movies as it's Columbia's initiative

BTW it appears there are way more available now - I'm trying to find a complete list.
See above

[ August 30, 2003, 11:39 PM: Message edited by: macdoc ]


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## MaxPower

macdoc,

This might be a stupid comment but, have you tried here?

http://www.sonypictures.com/cthe/superbit/html/content/titles.html


----------



## MacDoc

Thanks - I was trying to find a copyable list but that site is good for reviews by title.
I must say I'm a tad surprised by "Anaconda" being on the list









Stuff like Patriot I can see but the big snake tale err tail   

Still if you have a Dolby 5:1 and a goo theatre screen the enhanced quality is a trip almost no matter what the content.
Looks like Gladiator and Lawrence of Arabia are coming up and I'm glad "Leon" made it - it's a gem.


----------



## MaxPower

I saw American Wedding the other night.

Becausee the some of the original cast wasn't in the movie, at first it didn't feel like an American Pie movie. The Actors didn't seem to be in character early in the movie (this changed about a 1/4 of the way in).

But the laughs were still there. Jim still gets into his usual embarrasing moments and Stiffler has his usual gross out moment.

Aside from the lack of cast and the acting early on, it held true to the American pie franchise and provided the audience with non stop laughs.


----------



## jo42

_Ummm Crouching Tiger HAS stunning AUDIO.
It's a fairytale Jo_

A Kung Fu flick that won Academy Awards...  

Check out "Blind Swordsman" on IFC Saturdays and Sundays at 5 PM.

IMHO _Amelie_ is another well done DVD, and good movie.


----------



## MacDoc

Amelie is marvelous in the same vein as Chocolat which I also enjoy. Binoche is just about my favourite actress period.
Anyone see her in Damage


----------



## MacDoc

Watched "House of Spirits" last night - finally saw the entire thing end to end.
Good cast interesting story but it didn't quite all come together.  

Maybe too many Caucasions trying to be Spanish.
Banderas of course works...duh








Jeremy Irons and Glenn Close actually pull off a poisonous Spanish Brother Sister relationship but Merly Streep and Winona Ryder despite good acting don't mesh with the story


[ September 04, 2003, 06:26 PM: Message edited by: macdoc ]


----------



## MacDoc

Watched Solaris last night with no preconceptions about it. Quite an effective movie. Small underlying touches - the continuing rain, clearly hydroponic veggies, casual "high tech".
Only one jarring sequence with an overplayed Michaelangelo moment but otherwise and interesting conceit as a movie premise.
I'd heard Lemke was very good as an author but not read anything.
Excellent question in this about "reality"
Cool movie overall


----------



## MacNutt

I really liked Solaris...and I suspect it may become one of those movies that we all still talk about many years from now. A keeper.

I watched the original Russian version many years ago...but it was a bit sleepy. Interesting, tho.


----------



## MacDoc

Do you beleive in magic????

You will after you've seen Winged Migration. I am just speechless.










It's totaly impossible to believe this was made without special effects....but it WAS.....and it took 4 years.








Makes me feel how out of touch I am with the rhythms of the earth and it's seasons. Birds aren't!!!...... and they do indeed rule the skies. 
An absolutely beautiful work and music to go with it.
Almost universal top reviews and very deserved.
It's on and off at iMax too which would be astounding to see.
What a treat.


----------



## Cynical Critic

Two movies I want to see (Solaris & Winged Migration).

Instead though I saw _SWAT_. A friend insisted it was surprisingly good. But it was quite the opposite. The dialogue was horrible and there was no chemistry between the cast. There was one cliché after the other. And while it began vaguely showing you SWAT procedures, the T (for Tactics) went out the window very quickly. But then again what should I have expected.

I highly recommend _Identity_, which is now on video. I saw it for a second time and I still found it gripping and smart.


----------



## Kuni

macnutt, Tarkovsky's "Solaris" is a bit sleepy, agreed. If you want a better taste of Tarkovsky, I recommend "My Name is Ivan" (aka "Ivan's Childhood")...it's absolutely breathtaking. It's one of his early films, so he hasn't yet developed his "wow, I love those 8-minute shots of the back of a person's head!" technique. ^_~

S.W.A.T. was pure crap. Too bad; it could have been a good action flick. I don't know if action flicks have gotten worse over the years, or if I've just been spoiling my brain with artsier cinema, and now it can't tolerate Hollywood trash. Either way, it's sad...I want to be able to enjoy random gun chases and explosions again.


----------



## MacDoc

Interesting your comment about action flicks. Way back when the Blues Bros wanted to end the one up man ship of car chases - instead of being taken sarcastically it became a feature of the movie









I though the Matrix was okay until it degraded into a stock type shoot em up.
Subtle and effective violence is fine - the silliness that is pervasive these days is a yawn.

Enemy at the Gates about the real sniper duel that helped Russia morale in the dark days at Stalingrad was terrific. Well portrayed and acted, wonderful and accurate cast. And realistic violence - the scenes on the river were wild.


----------



## Cynical Critic

_Enemy At The Gates_ was a great movie. It was amazing that there were no American characters or American viewpoint in the film. However, my only beef is about a blasphemy often committed by Hollywood: the obligatory love triangle. Eck!!!  The love triangle was tacked on and totally out of place in the movie.

Not every movie requires a love story, you dull Hollywood bastards! Okay, I'll breath deeply and calm down now.


----------



## MacDoc

But she was very cute


















Bob Hoskins pulled off a very scary and credible Nikita too  
But yes you are right. I didn't think it intruded to much here but Pearl Harbor ( sic ) was such a joke. Badly cast and a very untidy love triangle.  
Yanks eh


----------



## Chealion

I enjoyed Enemy at the Gates thoroughly, although I'll have to agree the love triangle was as if it was from a completly different story. I just got a ticket from a friend to see the VIP Preview Showing of Kill Bill. Does anyone know anything about this movie? I just know it doesn't have to do with killing Bill Gates.


----------



## MaxPower

Chelion,

Here is a link to give you more insight:

http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&cf=prev&id=1808404741

Kill Bill is the latest movie from Quentin Tarantino and the movie has recently been cut into 2 parts. The one you will be seeing is part 1.


----------



## Chealion

Thanks, MaxPower, I'm still clueless as to what on earth this movie is going to be about (or what is so significant about Mr. Taratino).


----------



## Kuni

_Enemy at the Gates_ was wonderful, though I found the love triangle too distracting, too. Hooray for a movie that portrays Russians without cheesy "Russian" accents!  The scene with the sniper was wonderfully done, especially. Great suspense there.

I am looking forward to Kill Bill just for the choreographed martial arts, though I'm not too familiar with Quentin Tarantino's work. Saw _Pulp Fiction_ for the first time a little while ago, and I'll admit that the violence was too intense for me to stomach. Are all his films that graphic?

Funny that in my mind, martial arts violence is okay, but guns = bad.


----------



## MaxPower

Some people either absolutly LOVE Tarantino's work or hate it. I like his dark, obscure sense of style. Here is a partial list I got off the site I posted earlier:

Actor
• Kill Bill Volume 1 (2003) 
• Little Nicky (2000) 
• Kisses in the Dark (1998) 
• Somebody to Love (1997) 
• From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) 
• Desperado (1995) 
• Destiny Turns on the Radio (1995) 
• Four Rooms (1995) 
• Pulp Fiction (1994) 
• Sleep with Me (1994) 
• Reservoir Dogs (1992) 

Director
• Kill Bill Volume 2 (2004) 
• Kill Bill Volume 1 (2003) 
• Jackie Brown (1997) 
• Four Rooms (1995) 
• Pulp Fiction (1994) 
• Reservoir Dogs (1992) 

If anything to get you more familliar with his work, you might want to start off with Reservoir Dogs and then Pulp Fiction. But a word of warning, they are EXTREMELY graphic.


----------



## Cynical Critic

Kill Bill is a martial arts tribute film. If I recall correctly, it's a tribute to samurai films in particular. The basic premise is Uma Thurman's character seeks revenge on a character named Bill who put her in a coma and killed all her friends, family and guests at her own wedding.


----------



## MacNutt

Legend has it that Quentin Tarantino was a video-store clerk/movie geek who managed to talk his way into directing a low-budget thriller or two. For some reason that escapes pretty much everyone, several fairly big names came on board and worked for scale (cheap).

That would be "Resevoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction"...which I personally think are two very cool movies.  

I also like the first half of "From Dusk till Dawn".

Most of the rest of his stuff has been a bit less remarkable. To say the least.

But he did have a few moments of true brilliance at the beginning. Watch "Resevoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction" a couple of times each...and then think about when you have ever seen anything quite so different or compelling from Hollywood. Ignore the blood and think about the radically new structure....and especially how he directs the casual conversations between the major players.

It sticks in your mind for a long time. A bit of pure genius, really.


----------



## MacDoc

Hitting a dry spell on good movies  Despite more HD channels popping up. Perhaps the high dose of eye candy on Discovery HD is partly to blame.

Now BAD movies - Gods and Generals has got to be the most dry as dust, boring rendition of the Civil War ever imagined. I LIKE historical drama and even I couldn't get more than 45 minutes into the interminable monster.

Hmmm got Labyrinth on Superbit and haven't watched it. Any good???


----------



## Mantat

Hi all...

I dont know how availlable these movies are out of Québec but you really should see them (with subs of course...):
- les invasions barbares
- La grande séduction
- À la folie, pas du tout (french movie, with Audrey Tautou, very unexpected)


Now in english:
- the importance of being Ernest
- Dark city (for the ending)
- Sawshank redemption
- Green mile
- Roger Dodger (GREAT intro speach)

Btw, I find it funny how we like long title in french while its the opposite in english. Take the exemple of 'Amélie', in french its 'Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain'.

Some recent stuff:
- ehh.. nothing out from holywood impressed me so far this year... But I have very high hope for underworld which is coming out this friday...

[ September 15, 2003, 04:41 PM: Message edited by: Mantat ]


----------



## MaxPower

> Gods and Generals has got to be the most dry as dust, boring rendition of the Civil War ever imagined.


I couldn't agree more. I decided to check it out despite the 3 hrs and 40 min legth. It has some credible actors in it but once you start it the movie is dry, dry, dry.

Most of the actors look the same in the movie and the uniforms on both sides are similar. Very hard to follow. Maybe that's why it didn't do very well in theaters.

I caught myself nodding off about 45 mins into it.


----------



## MaxPower

On another note, tonight is The Two Towers in all it's glory.

The home theater will be pumping tonight. In full Dolby Pro Logic







One of these days I will upgrade to a digital receiver to complement the rest of my system.


----------



## MacDoc

Did you get Widescreen?? VERY interested in the video quality.


----------



## MaxPower

IMO, Widescreen is the ONLY way to go. I'll let you know what the quality of the picture is like.

Widescreen isn't too bad on my 36" Toshiba CRT, based on my viewing distance. Hopefully someday I will be able to build or convert a room to a dedicated home theater.

The problem with my current set up is that my TV and stereo components face a curved stair case that acts like a giant speaker and amplifies the sount directly into the bedroom and living room which leads my wife to asking me to turn it down.

Maybe I'll build a concrete bunker in my back yard


----------



## ehMax

Macdoc, Labyrinth was one of my favourite movies. I really like David Bowie in the film. Some of the scenes are a little like a skit from the muppets, but its pretty entertaining with couple of good scenes with Bowie. 

Just had minor surgery, and had a movie marathon with lots of duds. 

Chicago was really entertaining, even though I'm not a big fan of René Z. 

Thought I would get some silly college laughs in Old School with Will Ferrel, but even the high dose of Tylenol 3's didn't help make it funny.  

Got a chance to watch Bowling for Columbine. Really liked the film! Don't see what all the hub-bub was about regarding Moore's editing style to change Heston's words around. He pretty much wedged his whole foot and leg in mouth when he attributed the US's more violent culture with having more ethnic diversity.  Though the over all theme and thesis was really good. 

Watched Two Towers again. I love that film and can't wait until December.


----------



## sputnik

Just saw Second Hand Lions last night.Was cute but had the worst editing I have seen in ages.Almost was a little rushed.


----------



## MaxPower

macdoc,

Well I watched The Two Towers last night and the picture quality was very good. I use very good because there was one instance during the Battle of Helms Deep where the colours seemed washed out. I don't know if it was the quality of the DVD that I rented, but for the scene where the colours were washed out it was a bit anoying. As the movie progressed you soon forgot about it though.

Other than that one scene, the colours were very crisp and clear. The blacks were deep and the whites were brilliant.

The special features I really didn't have time to watch, but what I was most interested in off the special features was the 10 minute preview ot Return of the King. From what I saw, I think this last installment will blow everybody's mind. I am anxioously waiting for this one to hit theaters.

Before that I am waiting to get the super duper nothing like you've ever seen before special extended edition 4 disc DVD  The extexded scenes look fantastic.


----------



## MacDoc

I also watched Columbine last night with a bit more attention and thought overall the balance was good as well. I thought Michael's work with K-Mart was terrific and seeing the Toronto segments agains were a good reminder of the differences.
Heston was obviously trying to courteous in a difficult situation. Overall the aging the movie asks good questions answers few but raises excellent and needed discussion points.


----------



## Kuni

"Bowling for Columbine" is great. At the very least, it's an entertaining way to spend two hours...and even if some parts may be a bit exaggerated, it provoked everyone to talk about the topic, right?







My favourite movies are ones that can be debated and discussed for days afterwards, and "Columbine" certainly has that quality.

Going back a few days, agreed with Mantat: Roger Dodger is great. Very entertaining. Felt to me almost like a stage play than a movie, probably because it focusses almost entirely on two characters. Dark City is one of my favourites because I love the atmosphere (and Jennifer Connelly...hehe)... I have yet to see many of the other on your list, unfortunately.  

Thanks for the list of Tarantino films, MaxPower. (Your avatar rocks, BTW!







)

...macnutt, agreed that Pulp Fiction was brilliant in its structure. Talk about different! And the acting was incredible. I'll give the writer and actors/actresses props for taking "bad-guy" characters and making them interesting and likeable (something Hollywood doesn't do very often.) I look forward to seeing more of his work (admittedly, something with less guns...*gun wuss*)


Saw "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" a little while ago...was entertaining, though a bit disappointing, in my opinion...too many characters for me to feel attached to any of them, despite the fact that four of my favourite actors/actresses were in the film. ; Still, was a good mindless action flick.


Going to see Underworld tonight. Not sure what to expect, so I'll go in expecting a cheesy Matrix/Blade rip-off. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised...?


----------



## Cynical Critic

I'd just like to thank Kuni for my new animated avatar!

What a coincidence because I'm also going to see Underworld tonight. We'll compare notes afterwards!


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

Moonlight Mile - 2002
Jake Gyllenhaal ("Homer" from "October Sky"), Dustin Hoffman, Susan Sarandon and Holly Hunter.

Inspired by actual events.

Young man deal with the death of his fianceé and moves in with her parents.

Very good film. Great soundtrack. Good character development film. set in small town America.

I saw it on cable so it must be available at your local video store.

Definitely worth renting. Just a slice of life film.

Film synopsis here.

Trailer here.


----------



## Kuni

Underworld was about what I expected. There was nothing original about the movie, from the plot to the style (which was pretty much a composite of The Matrix and Blade). The characters were flat (there was so little chemistry between the leads in love that it would have been better off for them to be friends, not lovers), with the exception of one or two. 

Still, it was flashy enough to be entertaining, and there was one plot twist that saved the movie, in my mind. ...and it was interesting how the writers relied on visuals rather than dialogue to tell a lot of the story. Whether these points outweigh the unoriginality of the plot depends on whether you're a fan of the genre, I imagine. I'm not normally a fan of gun-violence and gore, so I felt the bad points outweighed the good, but that's just me. :B

Bonus points to the writer for using the term "Lycan" instead of "werewolf."


----------



## Kosh

> Saw "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" a little while ago...was entertaining, though a bit disappointing, in my opinion...too many characters for me to feel attached to any of them, despite the fact that four of my favourite actors/actresses were in the film. ; Still, was a good mindless action flick.
> 
> 
> Going to see Underworld tonight. Not sure what to expect, so I'll go in expecting a cheesy Matrix/Blade rip-off. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised...?


I saw "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" and my main disappointment was that I was expecting Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas to partner up, instead we only saw Salma Hayek in flashbacks - in my opinion that was a bad use of a great-looking woman. I also had a hard time keeping track of who was double-crossing who, but that's the way it goes.

Underworld was entertaining and had an interesting plot and a couple of twists. I still love those sceens where she leaps/falls off the building and lands on the ground. Very Matrix style and graceful. Better than those old vampire movies where the vamp crawls on the wall or turn into a bat. 

One question though, did they say that one person fathered a vampire, a werewolf, and a human? Didn't they also say the werewolves were the servants of the vampires (werewolves protected the vampires during the day)? Okay, that was two.


----------



## Mantat

Kosh:
Yes, the Lycan are the protector of the vampires. 

About underworld:
The movie was ok, but there is no 'WOW!' moment. I think the best thing about the movie is the story. The combat scenes can be rated 5/10 maximum. I also have to agree that the dialog between actors were kinda flat, we dont feel that the heros of the movie have hundred of years of experience. Also, how on earth the vampires managed to exterminate the werewolfs? Even now with guns they are having a hardtime...
Finaly, the black werewolf should have been more exploited, same thing with the whip vampire. 

About Once upon a time in Mexico:
Bad bad bad movie... The preview should be considered a fraud, it doesnt represent at all the movie... 

They played Sleepyhollow last weedend, ahh.. what a great movie!


----------



## Grasshopper

Hi 

I finished going to 52 movies at the Toronto Film Festival, and so thought I'd add a few movies to the list of ones to watch out for. A lot of them won't come out until a few months, but they still fit the 
"I saw them and liked them" category. For my complete list, go to 

www.thepipaltree.com/filmfestival2003.html.

The Corporation is an amazing doc, comparing corporate behaviour to that of a psychopath.

This Little Life is a beautiful, moving story about a couple who have a pre-mature baby. The best film in the festival, by far.

This Revolution will not be Televised, another amazing doc about the coup in Venezuala. The filmmakers went through the entire experience.

Rhinocerous Eyes is a wicked, surreal, funny, spooky film with amazing stopmotion animation and a great story.

Love, Sex and Eating the Bones, out Valentines Day, is by one of Canada's best young directors... a young black man falls in love and has to kick his porn habit. Very funny and very smart.

Finally, Ong Bak Muay, Thai Warrior, heralds the arrival of the next Jackie Chan, a brilliant Muay Thai fighter with great screen presence. The film has humour, amazing stunts and fights, and a really good story.


----------



## iLabmAn

What about Donny Darko? So many people rave about this flick. I have yet to see it. Thots?


----------



## Cynical Critic

Donnie Darko is an excellent movie. It loosely deals with schizophrenia (and actually does it in a clinically accurate way). I highly recommend it. Though I caution you that it is fairly depressing (at least in the end).

As for Underworld, it's entertaining but I would only go on a cheap night or with a discount coupon. 

The movie explained the presence of Vampires and Lycans as being a virus. Humans were infected and of those who survived two strains manifested themselves: vampires & lycans.


----------



## motd

Just ordered A Mighty Wind, This Is Spinal Tap, and Waiting For Guffman. Saw Mighty Wind last night, and grinned from ear to ear, during the entire movie. Loved it.


----------



## PosterBoy

HBOs 'And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself' 
<blockquote>
The adventure gets its start when early movie giants D.W. Griffith (Colm Feore) and Harry Aiken (Jim Broadbent), send a junior executive, Frank Thayer (Eion Bailey) to Mexico to persuade the cash-strapped, publicity-hungry Villa (Banderas) to let them film his revolution. Stepping into the literal crossfire, Thayer's crew risk their lives in the mingling of fiction and reality-and prove, ultimately, that "the lens is mightier than the sword." </blockquote>

It is quite good, and Antonio Banderas does quite well as Pancho Villa. The best part is that it is based on true events. It seems unbelievable, but it is true.

--PB


----------



## Kosh

> The movie explained the presence of Vampires and Lycans as being a virus. Humans were infected and of those who survived two strains manifested themselves: vampires & lycans.


That answers my question Cynical Critic. You just left one thing out. There was also one human who survived the virus and didn't become a vampire or lycan. The human the lycans were after was a descendant of that onehuman that survived the virus and didn't become a vampire or lycan. Now that's all clear.


----------



## MacDoc

I also enjoyed "As Himself" and thought it was well cast. Truly unbelievable but then I LOVE those movies as real life is way whackier than any screenwriter can write.

I'll give you an amusing example of that.

I was watching World Tour Poker the other night. It comes down to the last hand with only two left for the million dollars in prize money.  
The Russian goes all in with an Ace high hidden and there are 3 x 7s and a King on the table.
His opponent has a pair of Kings hidden - just about unbeatable, a full house Kings over Sevens with one last card to be dealt to complete the hand.

The screenwriter would never dare to put into a fictional account of this championship hand, that the Russian had won. The reader simply would not believe it.

This actually occurred on TV the other night and a million dollars swung on it. 
What card turned up?


----------



## MacDoc

Hmmm quiet on the movie watching front I guess.

I just came from Lost in Translation and not sure how to approach it.
As a Tokyo traveller and lover of most thing Japanese it was wonderful. Very reflective of the disorientation and "colourful blur" that the new arrival to Tokyo experiences.
The movie was written for Bill Murray who I like and was well cast. It was filmed in some sense like a home travel movie but the little touches that are "culture shock" are very accurate and played nicely by both leads as are the "relationship" tidbits for both.
I'd be interested in others reactions who have not been there.
The Star waxed lyrical about it.
Anyone else seen it??
••••
My daughter was watching Might Wind which struck me as entirely ludicrous. Of course I'm not much on comedy of that nature.


----------



## MacDoc

If you are a folk music fan....I'm one since forever.....you owe it to yourself to catch "The Ballad of Ramblin Jack".
Extremely enjoyable, touching and funny at times. Conceived and filmed/narrated by his daughter.
Terrific music. To hear Odetta do "900 Miles" was worth the entire experience and there's way, way more.
Highly recommended.  

Yikes 3 movies in one day is a bit much even for me.....night all. ( Patriot Games was scrunched in the middle ...BTW I thought Alec Baldwin was the best Ryan even tho I'm a big fan of Harrison Ford.....I'm on a Clancy kick having just finished "Exectutive Orders"







1300 pages+ = too many late nights.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

Finally got to see *Northfork*

Nolte steals the film. Possibly his best performance.
Good performance by James Woods and surprise, surprise; Darryl Hannah can actually act !!!!

The film is full of imagery and quite esoteric.

If you want to put your thinking cap on and enjoy some great scenery and acting, check out your local repetroy theatre.

I found it to be a very good experience.

We actually discussed the film afterwards. Something rarely done with our group.

I will see this film again. Lots to figure out.

[ September 30, 2003, 12:51 AM: Message edited by: macspectrum ]


----------



## MacDoc

On my list for sure. I'd heard very good things about Nolte in this.
••••
I finally saw a decent version of Hunt for the Red October. It was shown in HD and it was way better than any DVD version I've seen - anyone know if there was a remaster on this cuz the first DVDs were dismal.
Great sound on the HD channel - Likely my fav Clancy film tho Sum of all Fears was pretty good too.
••

What a nice treat Two Towers in HD and Dolby. 

[ October 03, 2003, 09:09 AM: Message edited by: macdoc ]


----------



## MacDoc

Hmmm funny coincidence I had wanted to see the Good Thief having heard general good things and what pops up tonight.  
What a terrific movie, very Gallic, Nolte is superb. Highly highly recommended entertainment.  










Sexy girl too


----------



## Dr.G.

My wife and I saw "The Event" last night. A most moving, thought-provoking movie. The acting was solid, the scenes from NYC and Halifax war well done, and the flash-back genre was utilized quite well.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

now on History Channel in Toronto area
Platoon


----------



## MacDoc

Double feature night. The Quiet American. Not sure what to make of it. Michael Caine really wanted to get this produced and Grahma Green has a feel about the atmosphere of an era.
Certainly settings were top notch but acting a bit uneven and melodramatic.
US meddling as a backdrop - you can see why it was resisted for some time.










Mixed reviews, tho many positives from the Pros which I agree with but 89% from the RT crowd  
Certainly the mood and the music works. Brendan Fraser I think was cast incorrectly. Caine pulls off his role well. It's a political statement yet the Yank reviewers gobbled it up.
Something bubbling down south perhaps.
Very haunting music.

The Good Thief better entertainment.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

> It's a political statement yet the Yank reviewers gobbled it up.
> *Something bubbling down south perhaps.*


David, that dog just won't hunt.


----------



## Kuni

At the risk of sounding like a wet blanket, I found "Lost in Translation" offensive. The language jokes bothered me the most. A person has no right to make fun of someone's English when they have made no effort to learn the language of their host country. Imagine if you made the effort to speak to a non-English/French-speaking traveller to Canada in their native language, and they made fun of your accent behind your back? How unbelievably rude!

Lines such as organizing a "jail break" and "these people are so weird" made me want to cry.

Jokes about the height of Japanese people would have been viewed very differently if they had been, say, jokes about North Americans being overweight (imagine a man trying to squeeze onto an elevator, but not being able to because it's full of 400-lb people).

Too bad; the characterization was good, and the story itself was engaging. Just wish the writer hadn't felt the need to sink to ethnocentric humour, when the movie would have been just fine without it.


----------



## Griller

Long time no post...









I saw *Lost In Translation* Friday evening. Starring Bill Murray and Scarlett Johanssen; directed by Sofia Coppola. I've been looking for a good Bill Murray flick for a while. Granted I haven't see his last couple movies... but this one is alright. I probably shouldn't have gone in expecting it to be a comedy though LOL, and nor should you because it isn't, it's a drama...with several moments of funny Bill Murray comedy here and there. The overall story however is quite deep, reflective, serious--- 'soul searching' is what you might call what the main characters are doing throughout the movie.


----------



## The Great Waka

Ok, so it's 2 AM, I'm bored, I read through this entire thread and now I am adding my favs.

On the Tarantino theme, 4 Rooms was excellent. Big-name cast and just plain funny.

I saw that someone mentioned Pi. Probably one of my favourite movies. Highly recommended. I love the slack-jaw expression people have after I show it to them. Very good Director's commentary track as well. Truly an amazing movie on a second viewing keeping in mind that it was made on a $60G budget. Everything was real, even the 'stunt' at the end. Just shows how much of an amazing method actor Sean Guillette is.

I loved all of the Kubrick movies I've seen, especially Dr. Strangelove. Excellent black comedy.

As for a mainstream choice, I really liked Contact. I should really read the book, but its a nice stab at religion vs science as well as government corruption.

Memento is amazing, if only for its unique story-telling method. Also by the same director, Following.

A movie that I saw a few months ago that everyone MUST see is Russian Ark. A feature length film entirely done in one shot, one take. Truly amazing work. I saw it down at the Carlton, not sure if its still playing there or not. Look for it when/if it ever comes out on DVD.

City of God was very well done IMO. I think a lot of people should watch it. Opens your eyes.

Of course, one of my favourite comedies, Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Never saw the series on TV, but found the movie absolutely hilarious.

And, lest we forget, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Simple, either love it or hate it. No middle of the road on this one. 

Not at all a complete list, but all I can think of at 2 AM.


----------



## MacDoc

At long last I managed to watch Amistad. It's been on my list for a long while. Terrific cast. Perhaps a bit over mythologized by Speilberg but perhaps the story deserves that as it is ages old and not yet entirely told. 










That must have been terrifying and challenging for Matthew McConaughey to be up against the likes of Hopkins and Morgan Freeman but he plays it to perfection. As ever movies based on true stories appeal to me most of all. I've been to Freetown and it's saddening that West Africa has collapsed in chaos.
Canada supported some excellent work in the area. Seems our role as Peacekeepers has gone astray to becoming minor ill equipped mercenaries.  
Geopolitics at play in Amistad and mere humans crushed in the collisions of nation states. At least some few were spared. Have things changed much?


----------



## Kuni

macdoc, your point is definitely fair.







I'm definitely oversensitive after spending 2 years in Singapore and overhearing way too many American/Canadians complaining about Singaporean culture and "Singlish" and other such things. Very loudly. In public places, like buses or malls. Travelled to Malaysia, same thing. Same with Indonesia. As such, when someone is making fun of a culture without trying to adapt to it, I think "blind ignorance," not "humour." Given that a) the characters had only been in Tokyo for a few days, and hadn't had any time to adapt yet, and b) the jesting was all done out of earshot, and mostly in good humour, I see now that the situations are not at all similar. My gut reaction is still the same, but I'll bite my tongue and stop being a wet blanket!









To be honest, I was a bit offended by Greek Wedding, though less so, probably because it was written by someone Greek-Canadian, which makes it okay...? Wait a minute, does it really? Maybe I'm just a big fat hypocrite!










On another note, Amistad has been on my "must see" list for years, but I always forget about it when I visit the video store.







*writes it down* That and Schindler's List are the biggies that always slip my mind.  

The Great Waka, Contact is one of my favourite movies. I was an astronomy freak when I first saw it, and even though astronomy shifted to the backburner when I went to university, I still love to watch it now and then. ^_^


----------



## MacDoc

Kuni it's a fine line between bigotry and humour and it's very contextual. Like a person, a culture measures it's strength by being able to laugh about it's own quirks.
My Jewish leasing agent makes the most outrageous jokes about his Jewish clientele that would get me branded and ridden out on a rail.
It's all about diversity with respect. Sort of like here eh.
Some humour like that in the Gods Must be Crazy seems to cross all cultural boundaries in it's hilarious, head scratching and heart aching look at technology.
For myself I can't stand Monty Python, love Billy Crystals dry understated humour and blow hot and cold on Steve Martin. I'm sure a native Tokyo dweller would find different insights and puzzles in LIT than my NA viewpoint and the person from Podunk Nowheresville never having been further than 50 miles from home might not have clue what it was about at all. I guess it's just like movie reviews sometimes you wonder if everyone watched the same film - the conclusions and responses can be so varied.









That said English is a scary bit of imperialism for western culture - the virus for air traffic control and computer programming makes for a nasty meme if you are for instance French.  
•••••
If you want an amazing movie about real hatred and racial prejudice this is one of the scariest I've ever seen and one of the bravest acts someone could undertake. I really enjoy Oliver Platt as an actor and he's in top form here.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

> Of course, one of my favourite comedies, *Mystery Science Theatre 3000. *Never saw the series on TV, but found the movie absolutely hilarious.


I'm in a New Orleans hotel and I wake up a little early on a Sunday morning. Click on the TV and catch this guy and 2 robots commmenting on a movie. Absolutely hilarious. It was, or course, MST 3000.

Ah, N'awlins...


----------



## MacDaddy

Great Waka,
Great taste in Movies! 4 Rooms was an awesome flick, one of the few I still have to pick up on DVD actually. Pi was amazing, same with Memento.

I went to the closing Gala of the Calgary Film Festival Last night, which I saw Gary Burns new film "Something About Fear", I thought it was fairly well done, some of the writing could have been ddeveloped a bit more, but still worth watching if you can find somewhere to check it out, or purchase on DVD.


----------



## MacDoc

Kuni - I think you are being oversensitive but that's just my opinion. Much of the comedic lines were self deprecating and language issues can be hilarious in real life. I remember sitting at a restaurant with two suppliers, one from Yorkshire, one from Tokyo and having to translate English......ummmmmm to English.
I could understand both quite easily but not a hope in hell they could understand each other.
We ALL thought it very amusing.
People in France laughed at my fractured French and bottom line the immense differences in cultures comes across in a generally sensitive and very very accurate manner. Even the often de-focused filming is accurate to the dis-orientation Tokyo causes the North American traveller. It was bittersweet on a number of levels.
Regarding height jokes the first thing my 5'4" biz partner at the time said when he hit Tokyo " I feel normal for the first time in my life". Killed myself laughing it was so heartfelt yet funny.
Part of the soft satire in the work was sending up the "traditional" jokes about language etc ( the R issue is like us trying to deal with the African "clik" languages - our palates don't want to cooperate ) - of course it's funny at times when the language twists in unexpected ways.
If humour demeans a culture, that's different ( Blackface, Uncle Tom, step'n fetchit, Jerry Lewis playing a Chinese etc ) but I had no sense at all of that from the film or from Murray. The film was written for him specifically and of course his height was a factor - I remember our agent in Tokyo was 6'3" - huge for a Japanese at the time  He was forever whacking into things and making jokes about it.
How different is "Greek Wedding" in it's humour over cultures.
I love Japanese culture and food, I've been to Tokyo several times and could relate perfectly and I really didn't see anything that was offensive or out of the context of the film which after all was "Lost in Translation". My 2¥ worth.  
•••
Watching The Last Waltz while I type this. Well done rock video of The Band. There is a freshness in it that belies todays overly glitzy DVD music videos. Here the music an the performer comes through and quite frankly I think this is the direction the music industry needs to focus on.
The music is so much better when you see the performer, the emotion, the players backing them, the interactions on the stage.


----------



## MaxPower

The talk of racial prejudice got me to thinking about a powerful movie that is amazing.

American History X is one of those movies that just made me go "Wow". Starring Edward Norton and Edward Furlong.

Taken from the IMDB:

Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) returns from prison to find his younger brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), caught in the same web of racism and hatred that landed him there. After Derek and Danny's father is killed in the line of duty by a minority, Derek's view of mankind is altered. While in prison, Derek discovers that there is good and bad in every race. The task before him now is to convince Danny of his newfound enlightenment.

A powerful, tragic story.


----------



## Cynical Critic

American History X is a powerful movie that was passed over my critics and mainstream audiences for some reason. It's in my collection.

I just saw Bend It Like Beckham. The film was cute. I did like that it dealt with a variety of social issues. I have mixed feelings about the ending because if it'd been ended a scene or two earlier it wouldn't have felt so sappy and Hollywood. However, it was supposed to be mainly a feel-good movie, I think.


----------



## Kuni

American History X is actually my favourite movie. I've seen it four times, and every time, I've been moved almost to tears...and I'm usually pretty skeptical and stoic when it comes to emotional endings.









macdoc, it is funny how diverse the reviews for LiT (and other movies) are...what is light-hearted and feel good to one person is sappy and melodrama to another, etc. Film must be a difficult medium to work with if you're trying to get a message across, because everyone will interpret that message differently...


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

very cool teaser of upcoming film

cool teaser link


----------



## MacDoc

Oh that looks terrific - what a cast and Albert Finney HAS to be one the best actors of all time. Cool indeed


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

David,
you seen Northfork yet?
you gotta' go

I gotta' see it again


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

how did this one sneak by me?
and starring our own Bryan Adams too

House of Fools site


----------



## Timothy J

I'll say that there are sure a lot of movies out there that I don't like. But recently i have enjoyed the following:
1. Spun
2. Mad Max on DVD with original Australian voice tracks not overdubbed American version
3. Miller's Crossing
4. 12 Monkeys
5. American Beauty

I don't go to the theatre much anymore. Too expensive and I have a nice setup at home for watching DVDs. Can pause movie for snack breaks as well.








--------------------------------------------------
*"What we do in life echoes in eternity!"* - Maximus in _Gladiator_


----------



## MacDoc

You caught a couple of my favs in there.
Mad Max for sure - Steam punk before Gibson.
12 Monkeys for similar reasons...anything I can watch numerous times and get something more from it gets my vote. Willis was very good in it.

American Beauty didn't turn my crank despite
a) I love Kevin Spacey - one of my top actors
b) I love Annette Benning
c)







and Mena Suvari








Just not together in that film

Not familiar with Spun.....


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

> 5. American Beauty


Seminal film IMHO.
I saw an interview with Annette Benning after the movie opened. She walked out of the premiere, affected her so much. Actually she did a great job. Best since *Bugsy* "Why don't you go and jerk yourself a soda." classic line

Anyone seen *Happiness* ?
black comedy look at disturbing subject matter.
directed by Todd Sdolonz (sp?)


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

*K-19: Widowmaker*
on cable tonite
important hisorcial event showing that heros can come from "the other side"
pet project for Harisson Ford
great insight into the workings of early nuclear subs
you really get the cramped feel in the boat
excellent job by Liam Neeson


----------



## MacDoc

We were renting an iMac to Harrison when he was filming K-19 in part in Toronto and he was making wry comments about being "very wet" "very often". Geoff enjoyed dealing with him in person - found him very gracious and enthusiastic about Macs.

I didn't find the role in K-19 very fitting for him but Liam was terrific and the story provided interesting insight into Russian headspace. Sure was a scary situation as was Chernobyl - reading the interviews of the guys that first reacted ( before they dies a few days later ) about looking into the blue flames of a nuclear meltdown still gives me nightmares.
I mean they were in the shattered building looking directly into the heart of an out of control nuclear reactor.


----------



## Cynical Critic

For fan's of anime or samurai movies, I highly recommend *Kill Bill*. The film was excellent and stylish. The fight scenes put those of The Matrix to shame, I think. The movie is _very_ bloody so some viewers be ware. The film is rated 18A with good reason.

I look forward to other people's opinions and reviews of Mr. Tarantino's 4th film (which will also be his 5th film when part 2 comes out).


----------



## vacuvox

Not a lot of plot... but I recommend not missing out on an opportunity to see Winged Migration - which is doing the rounds at repertory theatres and the Cinesphere.

The movie I have watched the most times is Blade Runner. fantastic movie.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

So, having taken the day off, I watched 3 films today. Never mind peeking in on the *Star Trek* film festival on *Space: The Imagination Station*

*The Royal Tannenbaums*
A good cast does not a great movie make. Poor plot development. Fragmented. 
Few cute scenes. Waste of good talent; Bill Murray, Angelica Houston, Gene Hackman, Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow.

*The Majestic*
No Charles Bronson here. Jim Carey does a wonderful job. Great story sandwiched by a depiction of McCarthyism . Great cinematography and well cast. Look for gem performances by Martin Landau and David Ogden Stiers. Enjoy this one.

*When Harry met Sally*
Fluff love story. Very New York. Could have been directed by Woody Allen, except this one had a schmaltzy ending. Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal. Watch it with your girlfriend. Not your wife, 'cause she'll give you the "where has the magic gone?" speech afterwards.

[ October 13, 2003, 06:39 PM: Message edited by: macspectrum ]


----------



## MasterBlaster

.


----------



## Cynical Critic

_Happiness_ was interesting though very disturbing.

Has anyone seen _Storytelling_? I've meant to see it but I haven't really heard any strong reviews one way or the other.


----------



## PosterBoy

I plan on seeing Kill Bill tomorrow, but just as a note the Martial Arts sequences were all choreographed by the same guy who did 'The Matrix' and 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'. Also, they are getting rave reviews from other martial arts fans/choreographers/directors as they are apparently incredibly seamless.

I am looking forward to it.

--PB


----------



## The Great Waka

I forgot about Happiness. Yes, seeing it reminded me a lot of American Beauty, which is an amazing movie. I found Happiness interesting and funny, but not on my top list. One movie that I need to see in completion one day is *Waking Life*. Very interesting for anyone into philosophy, although it might be a good idea just to take bits of it at a time. Great animation style as well.

Well, I'm gonna have to go an see Kill Bill soon...just gotta find the time.


----------



## Strongblade

Kill Bill was excellent. Tarantino has put together probably the ultimate chop-sockey (sp?) flick.


----------



## jo42

Looks like I'm the odd geek out. I thought *Kill Bill* sucked. Too gory. Too long. Too cheesy. Next.

_Revenge is a dish best served cold.
- Old Klingon Proverb_


----------



## The Doug

Actually, *I* thought The Royal Tenenbaums was a _hoot._

Didn't see Matrix Reloaded when it was in the theatres, but I picked up the DVD this past weekend. Fun to watch, but it didn't quite hit the mark for me. I'll have to watch it again and think about it a bit.


----------



## MacDoc

Doug - I was mixed on the Royal Tannebaums as I tend NOT to like over the top stuff but what a cast









I'm not a Matrix fan altho some of the stuff in Animatrix was fab and I'd really like to see some of that explored - the rise of the machines in particular.
The premise is neat but I find it breaks down to often into "wild west" chop kicky that is at odds with the underlying idea.









I'm thinking about Kill Bill but think I'll wait on the DVD.  
I'm in HD withdrawal and I WANT a DLP screen so I'm grumpy about most things I watch these days. Damn technolgy is seductive......AND expensive


----------



## MannyP Design

I wasn't thrilled about Kill Bill either... apparently chop-socky movies aren't my thing because I came out slightly disappointed.

There were some good scenes (when the main character -- who I call **BEEP** landed in Okinawa -- the interplay between Uma and Sonny Chiba was great) but overall it was the over-the-top blood and violence that kind of ruined it for me.

It started looking like a Monty Python movie after a while... I was waiting for some tubby bloke to come on screen and explode whilst eating a mint.

Another thing that kind of ruined it was the fighting... some of it was good... some bad, although I did get a kick out of the throw backs to old M.A. flicks like Norris' The Octagon (I believe) and Lee's Game of Death (which also was reflected in Uma's yellow and black outfit).

IMHO, the fighting was not anywhere the capacity as the Matrix despite the fact that it was choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping. Maybe I'm getting Ping'd out... Hollywood's been oversaturating movies with his work in the last 4 years.

However, I'm waiting until I see KB Volume 2 before I pass final judgement. It very well could be the type of movie that I need to let ferment in the ol' noggin before I can come to terms with it.

--

Bought Matrix:Reloaded DVD last Tuesday... I still love it. I can't believe how much subtext played through this movie. There are really a lot of facets and parallels to philosophy and theology that run deep throughout.

The supplemental DVD is good -- I'm sure they'll probably come out with a deluxe boxed set that will touch further on the Matrix again like they did with Matrix Revisited.

I can't wait for Matrix Revolutions... just in time for my birthday!


----------



## MacNutt

"Matrix Reloaded" was a mixed bag for me. I will have to watch it again a few times to see if there was something (possibly a LOT of things) that I missed in the first pass. A cool movie and killer effects...but it didn't grab me by the chops like the first one did. Perhaps I was expecting a serious mindf*ck and didn't quite get it. Definitely worth a second or third watch, though.

I watched "The Italian Job" two nights ago and, going in, I was a bit wary of the old Hollywood tendency to remake an older classic and totally screw it up (while spending millions on special effects to cover the obvious lack of new ideas...or story..or plot...or even decent acting)

But I was pleasantly surprised.  

It was as enjoyable as the first one and even managed to include many of the visual elements of the earlier version without coming off as silly. 

I liked it! Against all odds. I really did.

Now I'm looking forward to "Kill Bill"....

And looking for a used wide-screen copy of "Solaris" for my collection...

And eagerly awaiting for a sequel to...or a similar...movie like "Final Fantasy;The Spirits Within".

The next totally-CGI live-action movie will rock the world, I'll bet.


----------



## PosterBoy

The Matrix Reloaded will make much, much more sense once you see The Matrix Revolutions. Remember, the Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions are 2 halves one movie. Reloaded is just the rising action.

--PB


----------



## MacNutt

Yeah...I suspected it was a "bridge" feature to something much bigger. "Back to the Future 2" was a similar in-betweener, as I recall.

Like I said....I will have to watch it again. Once part three is out on DVD I will go back and watch them both in the proper order....just to get the full effect.

I won't have to watch the first Matrix again. I can practically recite the dialog from memory at this point (I think I wore out the DVD on that one.)


----------



## Cynical Critic

You and I alike MacNutt. Although for you it was probably your initial attempts to try and play the Matrix DVD on your record player that wore it out.


----------



## MacNutt

Hey...how did you know that??!!??

What can I say? Those of us from an earlier and simpler age are sometimes dazzled by new technology. More's the pity.

(Gosh I miss steam engines. Them new-fangled gas buggies have no real future...mark my words))


----------



## MacDoc

We knew you were 80's prone MacNutt but I got the CENTURY wrong.  
Glad this thread is staying active. I'm on a reading kick lately after overdosing on movies for a while.








I'm still gnawing my knuckles over a DLP set


----------



## MacNutt

The eighties are old hat...but the early part of the new century had it all! That's when things started to really happen! Why I remember back in ought three when them two brothers from Dayton finally got that kite thingy to actually fly. 

Now _that_ was a truly great era, by cracky!


----------



## Cynical Critic

Yeah, well I remember when Oscar Wilde and I used to lounge languity on our divans in purples suites. Ah, I miss the gay 90s. So decadent.

Has anyone heard anything about _Mystic River_? It's Eastwood's latest movie and I'm intrigued by it (although the title kind of puts me off).


----------



## Chico Sanchez

Fargo, Miller's Crossing, and Barton Fink. (I like Coens.)


----------



## Dr.G.

"The Event" was not in theatres for very long here in St.John's, but if you have a chance, and would like to see a most moving film, see this movie.


----------



## MacNutt

Cynical Critic says he misses the 'gay nineties'. 

And we have all heard about his...ahem..."wet thong", among other things. (some of them quite a bit less tasteful and somewhat more disquieting than the above, BTW)

Methinks that this lad may have some serious 'splainen to do on his upcoming wedding night.

Yikes!  























(sure hope Kuni has a real good sense of humor)


----------



## MacDoc

Hey Bullet Proof Monk was very cool. I really like Chow Yung Fat.


----------



## MacNutt

Agreed, macdoc. He was too cool in "The Replacement Killers".

The asian Charles Bronson or perhaps even Clint Eastwood.


----------



## MacDoc

Waaaaay better than Bronson - good sense of humour and tho perhaps Clint equivalent.
Corruptor was excellent too.


----------



## Cynical Critic

Saw Scary Movie 3. It was better than the second one (which isn't saying much) but less funny than the first. It was consistent and had several laughs. However, most of the humour was slapstick, which was fine, except for it was short on memorable and quality dialogue. Scary Movie 3 spent too much time trying to blend story lines than mock and parody them.


----------



## Griller

I watched *Mystic River* about a week ago.

Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, Laurence Fishbourne, and a few other notables. It's a murder-mystery drama, set mainly in a N.Y. city neighbourhood. It's not a "cinematic-experience that'll blow you away" but it's a good/ quality movie nonetheless.


----------



## MacAttack

It has to be Lost in Translation! 

Absolutely brilliant!


----------



## MacDoc

MacAttack. Bill Murray was great and the girl was extremely well cast. Bittersweet movie and lots of memories of Tokyo for me.

•••
Don't waste time on The Core ......bad science, marginal movie.  Reminded me of something out of the 80's not a 2003 movie. There must be SOMETHING better to do with production money.
Can I have my 1 1/2 hours back please.  
Oh yeah Daylight saving time....okay only 1/2 hour wasted


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

oh yeah, *The Core* was horrible
made me ill to .... yeah u guessed it....


----------



## Cynical Critic

*The Core* was a waste of time even watching it on a friend's computer for free. Although the part where the lame computer geek character ran across the carrier yelling whales was pretty comical (not intentionally so of course).

Oddly enough, I just watched *Little Nicky* on TV and it actually made me laugh several times. I wouldn't go out of my way to see it but if you don't mind Adam Sandler and some outrageous comedy it's not bad.


----------



## K_OS

I've been so busy lately that I haven't had the time to sit down and watch a movie, last night came my 1st chance in over a month so I tuned on to DirecTV and lo and behold BulletProof Monk was playing, good movie Chow Young Fat didn't dissapoint at all. After that I started to watch The Core didn't make it past the 1st 30 minutes I just couldn't take it anymore turned it off and went to bed.


----------



## Cynical Critic

Despite its mixed reception here, how many ehMacers are going to see *Matrix Revolutions*? It comes out in 9 days.

I for one am definitely going to see it. Though I probably won't be able to see it opening night.


----------



## Chealion

I enjoyed The Core. Had potential, and not the best movie, but for entertainment I found it just fine. Bulletproof Monk however is even better, but not as good as Finding Nemo.

I'm going to see Matrix Revolutions







Though the day its being released snuck up on me.


----------



## MaxPower

> Despite its mixed reception here, how many ehMacers are going to see Matrix Revolutions? It comes out in 9 days.


Would it be a bad thing to take my wife to see Revolutions for our Anniversary, since it comes out a day before it?  

All that aside I will definitly go to see it. Maybe not right away, but I will be there.


----------



## MacDoc

Well I got a kick out of Basic and for once I disagree with Rotten Tomatoes site which panned it.
I enjoyed it and I'm not saying ANYTHING about it.


----------



## MacNutt

Actually, I liked "Basic" as well.

And I watched "The Core" not expecting much at all...

No big names, not a lot of hype (at least none that I remember). I just watched it because I'm a sucker for sci-fi and there was not much else left in the DVD rack at the tiny video store in our tiny village (which is at the other end of the island,BTW)

While I wouldn't say it was a particularly good movie, I WILL say that I liked it better than I expected. I may watch it again...but it is definitely not on my "must buy" list.

On the other hand...

I just watched "28 days later" and was expecting a pretty cool movie. It had good word of mouth and is not a big production number from one of the big studios.

But I was not really that happy with it. I saw one of the alternate endings, and I think that it might have been a better movie for me with a different final scene.

I guess the lesson here is that one is usually let down a bit when one expects something really good, and not having any expectations going in leads to some pleasant surprises.

Or less of a letdown. Or something like that.


----------



## PosterBoy

I have not seen all of The Core yet, but there is no way it can be worse than the crappy, low budget movie it ripped off: *"Deep Core"*.

The best part of Deep Core is when Wil Wheaton dies a firey, lava-y death*.

--PB

ps: I actually like Wil Wheaton, that scene is just too much.


----------



## MacNutt

I was working part time in a small video store in Fulford Harbour when the "Abyss" came out and I remember at least three other quickie ripoff movies on a similar theme that showed up shortly afterward.

Same sort of situation when both "Armageddon" and "Deep Impact" were released within weeks of each other. Almost identical premise for both movies.

A coincidence? Not likely.

But it sure shows how starved Hollywood is for new ideas when they start copycatting unproven "B" grade thrillers and releasing them before anyone knows whether the first one was any good.

Pretty sad.


----------



## MacDoc

Just watched "The Josephine Baker Story" Wow. 










Talk about driven by a vision......and talent. 
Good ol' U S of A does NOT come off smelling very sweet in this tale.  

How many brilliant talents has the US chased off it's shores.







Enjoyable movie


----------



## PosterBoy

Just for anyone who thinks that Hollywood isn't long out of ideas, they are developing a big screen version of Girls Gone Wild. Whether it actually makes it to the theatre is questionable, but they are developing it.

--PB


----------



## Cynical Critic

Just when you think they'd reached rockbottom... the floor drops out and Hollywood sinks to even lower lows.

[ October 29, 2003, 10:29 AM: Message edited by: macdoc ]


----------



## Lawrence

The latest movie that I've seen...And laughed my guts out
at was...Saving Nemo.

The scenes are really worth seeing again and again, I saw it
at least 5 times on the cruise ship that I was on last week.
Rent it...You'll love it...Again and again.

Dave


----------



## Chealion

Dolawren - Finding Nemo was very good, but I've never heard of Saving Nemo


----------



## Dr.G.

Chealion, you obviously are not a little boy. It's the trilogy -- Finding Nemo, Saving Nemo and Losing Nemo are the three movies that have taken kids imaginations by storm. There was rumor of a Halloween horror movie of Catching Nemo and Not Throwing Him Back, but Pixar pulled the plug on that idea.  

I can't wait for Nemo Meets Jaws this coming summer, and there is a local rumor going around about another Orca-like movie being shot here again, but Nemo Does St.John's does not have a ring to it as was once thought of by the producers. Such is Life.


----------



## Kosh

I reeeeaaaallly enjoyed BASIC. It was a very good military mystery. Had alot of twists in it. I never guessed the ending.


----------



## PosterBoy

Alien vs. Predator is coming. Usually I would avoid something like this, but considering the games and the previous movies, I think I am kind of excited about it.

--PB


----------



## PosterBoy

Also, Alien: The Directors Cut is coming (or is back already) to theatres. 

Should be fantastic, especially if you want a fright.

--PB


----------



## MacNutt

I already own both a DVD and a VHS tape that claims to be the "directors cut" of Aliens (the second one).

Is this a new release? And..if so...are they going to do yet ANOTHER "directors cut" of Aliens?

(BTW...of the first two, "Aliens" is, by far, my favorite.)

And I can't imagine "Alien vs Predator" being anything other than an update of the old Japanese sci-fi "monsters" theme. I honestly can't see Sigorney Weaver having anything to do with it and without her, it just wouldn't fly IMHO.


----------



## MaxPower

Oops. Sorry. Double Post.


----------



## MaxPower

Here is a plot synopsis and Cast notes I found over at Upcoming Movies for Aliens vs. Predator:

Cast Notes: (6/23/03) Since this movie is set in the present day, and not in some far flung future, Sigourney Weaver's character of Ripley will not be included, so she won't be starring in this particular 'Alien' movie. In fact, no characters from any of the previous films are expected to return, so that means no Danny Glover or Arnold Schwarzenegger cameos either. There are rumors that Paul W.S. Anderson may have written the character of 'Lex' for his girlfriend (and his Resident Evil star) Milla Jovovich. Jovovich would have a very tight schedule fitting this movie in between Resident Evil: Apocalypse andUltraviolet, especially considering she is the lead in both of those films, so it is likely she will not end up taking that role after all. (9/29/03) Lance Henricksen, who played the artificial beings called Bishop in Aliens and Alien 3 has signed on to play the lead character (and villain). Might his billionaire industrialist character of the 21st century from this movie actually turn out to be the basis for the androids he played in the earlier films (which were set farther in the future)?

Based Upon: This movie is based upon two of 20th Century Fox's most popular franchises: Alien and Predator. If considered the next movie in each of those franchises, this would be 'Alien 5' (with the next Sigourney Weaver movie likely to be Alien 6) and 'Predator 3.' The idea for putting these two alien races up against each originated in a popular franchise of comic books published by Dark Horse Comics called 'Aliens vs Predator,' which eventually spawned video games. The apparent reason for this movie being called 'Alien vs Predator' (rather than 'Aliens vs Predator') is to distinguish it from the storyline of the many different comic books and video games, which take place in the future. This movie is perceived by Fox as being a good way to getting interest in both of the franchises restarted again (ie, possibly leading to the eventual production of Alien 6 and 'Predator 4'?), but it's possible that if it's a *really* big hit, we could see 'Alien vs Predator' emerge as a separate franchise altogether. 

Premise: Set in the early 21st century (ie, now), this movie follows a team of drillers, scientists and archaeologists led by a billionaire industrialist (Henriksen) who travel to Antarctica to investigate ancient pyramid ruins buried deep beneath the ice which predate those in Egypt and Mexico, suggesting they were once the home of a great empire that ruled over the Earth first. When they finally reach one of the pyramids, however, they discover human skeletons and fossilized remains of alien creatures that appear to hug faces and burst out of chests (wink wink), along with evidence that such aliens may still be alive somewhere in the ruins. The danger below them is frightening, but what the scientists also don't know is that something as dangerous lurks above them, happy to have had someone uncover the Aliens: Predators.


----------



## Cynical Critic

As long as BASIC is better than THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER, it sounds promising.

And, Dr G., you've confused the order of the Nemo trilogy. It has to be Finding Nemo, Losing Nemo and then Saving Nemo. Just like any trilogy the second has to be the dark one that fills you with temporary despair and many questions, forcing you to go and see the third installment.


----------



## PosterBoy

The Directors cut of Alien (my favorite of all four movies) coming to theatres is the same (or very, very similar to the) one that came out on DVD a few years back.

It contains several scenes not in the original theatrical release and is completely remastered (and I think that includes a new digital colour grade as well).

Both Alien and Aliens are completely different styles of movie. The former is a Ridley Scott horror/thriller and the latter is a James Cameron action/thriller. I like the first one better, but both are great in their own right.

Alien^3 wasn't especially great but was interesting having the Alien taking on some more canine features after emerging from a dog instead of a man.

Alien: Resurrection had an alright cast and director, but the writing was poor, to say the least.

AvP, if it holds true to the original Dark Horse comic books (and to some extent the video games) could be very good, but knowing how todays hollywood operates I doubt it will meet it's full potential. The featurette sheds some more light on the concepts and plot, I figure it has a 50/50 shot.

--PB


----------



## MacNutt

Yeah...but I'll probably still watch it anyway.

I'm SUCH a sucker for sci-fi that it's not even funny anymore.

I sat thorough the original Russian version of "Solaris".

In the theater!

TWICE!

Oh, woe is me.


----------



## MaxPower

Over at Apple now. Two trailers for Alien vs. Predator:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/avp/


----------



## Cynical Critic

Sure you weren't translating the Russian movie posters outside wrong, MacNutt? You thought it said double feature and in fact it said nothing of the sort. Something more like Drama Feature. Or Playing Now. Or MacNutt doesn't Speak Russian and You're wondering how the heck we knew he'd read this poster... well we know everting... we mean everytHing!


----------



## MacNutt

This could be true CC. I sat down in a theatre on Whidby Island (in Washington State) and watched a radical Russian Sci-Fi movie. I'm not sure what I expected... for all I know, it could have been a really long Soviet toothpaste commercial. 









And I was so darned befuddled by the whole thing that I just sat there and watched it all over again!

BTW... I was dead cold sober at the time!

But I still didn't manage to get whatever it was that the director was trying to convey.   

Ahhh...what the heck. I had about five hours to kill before a business meeting and I figured if I spent it in a bar (my first choice, BTW) then I would have ended up at that important meeting both drunk and seriously wounded from the inevitable barfight that would have followed. Drinking and fighting are my natural element. 

(And I'm just as abrasive in real life as I am on this forum. Trust me.)

So, I watched a spacey and wierd Russian Sci-Fi movie. TWICE.

And I still don't know what the heck they were on about.  









But it was a good ride.  

And I really enjoyed the recent George Clooney version of "Solaris"


NOW I get it! (Finally!)


----------



## Dr.G.

This looks like a good one, coming soon to a theater near you. We shall see...........

http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/paycheck/medium.html


----------



## ErnstNL

I would like to see Orca vs Nemo. That would be something.

(Orca was a movie filmed in Petty Harbour NF, very forgettable and starred Bo Derek and Dumbledore)

Alien/Aliens are 2 of my favorite movies ever. I would buy any version that comes out with improved quality and extra scenes.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

dr. g,
looks like ben is entering "Tom Cruise country" with this latest foray

i'll watch it and reserver judgement until then


----------



## PosterBoy

Paycheck will either be good or bad, I don't see much middle ground. I would put my money on entertaining as it is based on a Phillip K Dick story (author of "Blade Runner" (Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?), "Total Recall" (We'll Remember it for you, wholesale) and "Minority Report" (which I think was just called Minority Report)

--PB


----------



## Cynical Critic

I'm mildly intrigued by *The Alamo* but I can't watch the trailer on Quicktime because the link has been and still is broken (at least on my computer). Has anyone heard anything about the film?


----------



## MacDoc

Watched Confessions of a Danergous Mind last night about the creator of the Dating Game and Gong show and not sure what to make of it.
Interesting commentary on both American proclivities for meddling abroad and the depths to which TV could go. Odd movie I'm still chewing on.
I wouldn't advise going out of your way for it but it's got quite a cast.


----------



## Kosh

Me and a couple friends from work left work early and saw Matrix Revolution this afternoon at 3:30 at StarCity in Gatineau. I have to say I enjoyed the movie. Lots of action and the war scene was excellent, but then again I fell in love with the APU (the Mech with the big guns) in the second Matrix and lets just say there were alot more of them in this movie. Lots of corny lines, but they were funny, and we've gotten used to corny lines in the Matrix.

Never quite expected the ending, but it made sense, after my friend explained it to me. It wasn't quite clear unless you added up a couple of hints given in the movie.


----------



## MacDoc

My daughter took in Matrix R - she liked it. I'll wait for DVD.

BUT









This movie is just a treat. What a great movie for a gloomy fall.







d it. Highly highly recommended.


----------



## Dr.G.

CC, I saw the Quicktime trailer, and I have a sense that they are throwing in a love story to balance out the historical fiction, which builds upon some actual historical events. At least John Wayne is not in this one. I won't give away the ending like my wife did just before we saw "Titanic". Who knew the ship was going to sink??? Who knew that Santa Anna would.........


----------



## MacDoc

While not in the class of Bend it like Beckham I enjoyed this.


----------



## Cynical Critic

Hi folks,

Well Kuni & I saw "The Matrix Revolutions" on the 7th here in Auckland (which is the 6th there in Canada).

I was disappointed. The action was top notch. The war scenes were fantastic. However, the story was full of cliches and heavy-handed Christian imagery. I didn't find the story very surprising. The second movie was more stimulating in my opinion. The very end scene was super corny. Neo was dumber than a bag of hammers in a few scenes (I won't say specifically now because it'd be a bit of a spoiler). Basically, action replaces philosophy and intellectual plotting. Also there is far too little time spent in the Matrix for my liking. I wanted more Trinity and Morpheus. 

What are other people's reactions?

Overall I'd say if you really desire to see the movie do see it on a big screen for the effects. However, don't expect any deep conclusions or thought-provoking ideas.


----------



## MacDoc

Sometimes you see a movie that reminds you that there are immense sacrifices as peoples gain their freedom.
Excellent true story about the struggle to overthrow the dictator General Rafael Trujillo in the Domican Republic.

Strong cast - terrific quality and cinematography. Heart breaking. Long movie, worth the time.  
Olmos at his scary best and a perfectly cast fiery Salma Hayek.


----------



## MacDoc

Well this has to be one of the edgiest movies ever. Leave it to the French.  

ONLY if you want a walk on the wilder side. I'm really in shock it made into Rogers. It's uneven but if you like to explore edgier EuroFilm it is certainly evocative


----------



## Kosh

I saw Kill Bill finally. Man, how many tanker trucks of blood did they use on that movie. Some of the blood scenes made sense, but I think they over-used the blood spurting out of the severed neck, or the severed arm, or the severed leg thing. I guess it wasn't my type of movie.


----------



## MacNutt

Actually, I have witnessed people being shot and hacked up from very close range (I lived and worked all over South and Central America from the seventies to the early nineties).

Believe me, the human body contains a LOT of blood. Hollywood, even at its goriest, usually falls well short of the terrible reality. Arterial spurts can go more than six feet out from the victim and it looks like an explosion of red all over the place. 

And no one who is ever shot with an assault rifle ever just gets up with a small hole in their chest and a red stain on their shirt. Big pieces get blown out and they stay down.

The very worst part is the smell. Thankfully, they can't convey that to an audience in a theatre. Yet.

I don't mean to be crude here. Just thought you'd like to know.

And believe me when I say that you do not EVER want to see the real thing.

Ever.


----------



## K_OS

I've been going trough my DVD collection and started to watch the backlog of purchased DVD's last night I watched Rocky a great movie no matter when watched. Today I started to watch Metropolis not Friz Lang's version but the recent anime remake so far it's great but I've only gotten to watch 30 minutes of it.


----------



## Cynical Critic

Hey let me know how "Metropolis" is when you've watched all of it.

I'm currently watching the anime series "Trigun." It's entertaining and has its moments. But it's not very philosophical or deep like some series are from time to time.

I highly recommend "Jin-Roh / The Wolf Brigade." Its an anime movie about Japan if the Nazis had won WW2. Very realistic and very chilling. Don't watch it if you want to feel happy of uplifted in anyway afterwards. It's a very heavy film.

Anyone else seen "The Matrix Revolutions"? I'm patiently waiting for other reactions? Or has my review turned everyone off. I suppose it's bad when a big fan of the series cans the current installment. Oh well.


----------



## MacNutt

Waiting on the DVD Cynical Critic. You know how crowded Central Hall can be when a biggie like that comes out. Plus I can rewind the good parts.  

So...you and Kuni likin New Zealand? Good beer down there...or so I hear.


----------



## MacDoc

Playing hooky today to catch the opening of Master and Commander  
I'm also REALLY looking forward to the books it's based on.
Yippee - 20 volumes by an author I'm not familiar with and I LOVE historically accurate sea faring novels.

Double whammy for me, movie first then the book. "Avast ye scurvy dogs"


----------



## arminarm

"ELEPHANT" Gus van Sant.

Back to life's realities .......  

Sparse. disciplined and true.

An antidote to the "Kill Bill" choreographed fantasy ballet for the emotionally arrested.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

very cool animation - check out the faces
looks like a good one for kids to see for the holidays
Zemeckis and Hanks seem to be working a lot together these days

http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/the_polar_express/large.html


----------



## Dr.G.

"The Polar Express" is one of the best children's lit books for children of all ages. My son is a true believe in Santa because on Christmas Eve we read this book together, and he addended his Santa list to include a real reindeer bell. As luck would have it I actually already had such a bell to give him on Christmas morning. This was to be a gift from me to him, but when he asked for this on the "night before Christmas", I changed my plan. As he was going to sleep (he was four), he called out to me asking if Santa would be able to get him the bell if he added it to his list that night. I said that if there was a real Santa Claus he would. The rest, as they say, "is history".


----------



## MacDoc

I saw the clip for Polar Express today. Wow the animation was stunning.

Caught the Looney Tunes flick as well - a tad uneven but lots of insider and B- movie jokes - they actually did pull off an all-ages movie. I think Roger Rabbit was superior but part of that was the newness of the technique ( with a nod of the head to Disney's efforts prior)









RT gave it 57% rating which was about right. I do like Brendan Fraser and the female lead was an eyeful.









COMPLETELY on the other end of the spectrum









This very haunting and beautiful movie with a shattering point to it, is highly recommended but this is NOT a family movie.
If you want an unflinching, funny at times, heartfelt always and beautifully cast and scripted look at a modern Indian family embedded in their traditions this is a breakthrough film.
A very high rating by RT as well but I do use "unflinching look" with good reason. A sobering message in a terrific piece of cinematography.


----------



## K_OS

> Hey let me know how "Metropolis" is when you've watched all of it.


Metropolis turned out to be a great Anime film with allot of phsychological meaning burried in it. After the film, I'm putting it back on the DVD rack and I put it right beside my copy of the Animatrix, then I start to think about the deep meaning of Metropolis and the way it's setup and it could've easily be put into the Animatrix and become a Matrix pre-quel. The screenplay was written by Katsuhiro Otomo and you will definetely see a slight resemblance of Akira in the film but that's all there ever is only a resemblance and nothing else the film has an energy all it's own and it's definetely worth the price of the DVD. Anime at it's best.









[ November 17, 2003, 10:48 AM: Message edited by: K_OS ]


----------



## Kosh

I saw "Love Actually" this weekend. I thought it was a hilarious Romantic Comedy. It's about all these different people in different situations that fall in love. Lots of comedy in it. There's this part where these two people who can't speak each other's language, try to talk to each other and it's almost like they have ESP, they're so close to what the other is saying. There's nudity in it and a bit of swearing just in case your not into that or want to take the kids. It's set in Britain. Hugh Grant is in it as well as alot of good looking chicks. I get a kick out of the over-the-hill pop star who puts out this Christmas single that really stinks and he basically says his song stinks at every opportunity he gets.

The Brits are always good at humour.


----------



## MannyP Design

Saw the trailer for Polar Express -- it looks like the Final Fantasy folk might have a hand in it -- the young boy looks like a young male variation on "Aki". I tried to do some research to see if it was indeed Square pictures folk, but there's no info on the CGI producers. Which wouldn't suprise me since a lot of the characters from "Final Flight of the Osiris" in the Animatrix were remodeled variations of principal characters from Final Fantasy.

One thing I did find out however is that the animation is done almost completely in mo-cap (motion capture) by the principal actors -- including facial expression, etc. While not exactly an "art" form per sé, like the animation used in any one of Pixar's CG movies, the fact that they utilize it to capture the actor's performance (and their physical features -- judging from the Conductor's uncanny resemblance to Hanks  ) brings a nice touch to it.


----------



## ErnstNL

I will recommend "Love Actually" too. 
(The theatre was blocked, 80% XX and 20% XY.) 

Definitely funny, you will be smiling when you leave the theatre. Some nudity and sexual situations, not recommended for kids.
Not the typical Hollywood version of relationships.

Good actors: Laura Linney, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson.


----------



## Griller

I saw *Monsoon Wedding* and really liked it. It's set in 'modern day' in India and is about a wedding which is set to take place and the gathering of relatives from near and far and the relationships between them. It's in Indian (Hindi?) but there are subtitles which are well done and very coherent. It's a mix of drama (well done) and comedy (also well done). I didn't know what to expect going in and was very pleasantly surprised throughout. Quite funny with some social commentary. I would definitely recommend it.

*Gone In 60 Seconds*. I just saw it last-night for the first time. It's not as 'bad' as I'd been led to believe. There are obvious weak points in the story but it's an okay, entertaining action movie. Several *real* nice cars (a.k.a not-Fast-and-Furious) in the movie. Nicholas Cage, Giovanni Ribisi, Angelina Jolie, to mention a few names. Ribisi does a pretty good job in this role. Check it out for a basic but fun action ride.


----------



## arminarm

"Falling Angels" ..... a world class Canadian movie about the sixties based on Barbara Gowdy's novel.

Review


----------



## MacDoc

What's on the agenda for the Holiday movie season aside from the LOTR finale


----------



## MaxPower

If Santa's nice to me;

Terminator 3
X-Men 2
Bad Boys 2
American Wedding (will it be out by then?)


----------



## MacDoc

Hmmmm I WAS thinking new theatre release but why NOT DVDs as that's what the thread is mostly about - thanks for the tip off.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

not a film, but music artists i saw last night

a young Idaho native -* Josh Ritter *- folk singer / acoustic guitar - an honestly "nice" guy - really gave me hope for America - worked the room over with this voice and guitar 
followed by 
*Bill Morrissey* - a legend

$20 - small room - 100 people *Hugh's Room*
the 'kid" Josh Ritter is going to be a star one day - i would have been fine paying $20 to just see "the kid"


----------



## MaxPower

> Hmmmm I WAS thinking new theatre release


There's really not much coming out besides LOTR but I would really like to see "The Last Samauri."

I htought "The Alamo" was being released as well.


----------



## MacDoc

I might take in The Missing today - the trailers look good and I do like the cast. Tommy Lee Jones and Cate Blanchett

Any seen Runaway Jury??

Hmmm RT rates Runaway well above the missing  
Cat in the Hat sure got canned at RT tho the Star reviewer for kids who is a kid herself gave it three stars.

I've been mesmerized by the various Kennedy docus, awesome and very disturbing. If you've never seen a Kennedy speech, treat yourself, the coverage of his speech in Germany is awe inspiring - even now 40 years later Germans gather to here and see him on a big screen in the same square...and have done so every year apparently.
Powerful orator.  

The world WOULD have been a different place and in my opinion a much much better one had he not been murdered.


----------



## Kosh

Yes, this December there is LOTR, The Last Samurai, and Paycheck that I know of. There's a few others.


----------



## The Great Waka

Well I just finally watched Waking Life all the way thru in its entirety. What a great movie. However, it might be good to watch it thru, and then revisit parts one at a time. Definitely recommended to all of you lovers of philosophy out there. 

As for this season's films, I am kinda worried about The Last Samurai. Probably a good movie, I just see Tom Cruise as being the wrong person for the role. But we shall see.

Ah yes, and Russian Ark is now available on DVD. If you haven't seen it, now it your chance.


----------



## Kosh

> Ah yes, and Russian Ark is now available on DVD. If you haven't seen it, now it your chance.


What's it about? Who's in it?


----------



## Griller

I just saw *Cast Away* for the first time.

This movie is really damned good. Tom Hanks really impressed me here, did he win any awards for his performance in this movie? It was all him in this movie and he owns this one big time. To me this was his best performance of all time. Green Mile was really good too but Cast Away still manages to be even better which says a lot about it. I recommend it.


----------



## The Great Waka

Kosh, Russian Ark is a truly unique and groundbreaking movie. It was a joint colaberation between a Russian director and a German cinematographer and film crew. It is basically a movie of the history of the Hermitage museum in Russia, in a non-linear time manner. Two main characters, no one you heard of. So what's the big deal? Well basically because the movie contains 2000 actors, 300 years of Russian History, 33 rooms at the Hermitage Museum and 3 live orchestras, all in 1 single continuous shot. Feature length film in one shot. Truly amazing. 

Russian Ark


----------



## Chealion

I was able to actually go see a movie, and caught Pirates of the Caribbean at the local university for a toonie. That is one heck of a movie. If you haven't seen it, I strongly recommend it.

I also highly recommend Finding Nemo.

Has anyone seen the Two Tower Extended Edition yet? In late December my brother and I planning to be part of a group that is going to watch the first two extended editions DVDs then go see Return of the King in the theatres in one day.


----------



## Dr.G.

Chealion, I bought it for my son for Christmas, so we have yet to see it on TV. The local theater here in St.John's has come up with a unique experience. All three of the trilogy movies shall be shown back to back to back. Sadly, they have to pay for three movies plus a bonus charge for the "right" to see them as a trilogy in 10+ hours.


----------



## MacNutt

Griller....Tom Hanks is, in my mind, one of the greatest living actors on this planet. Castaway really showcased his immense talent. He never ceases to amaze me.  

And the guy is in no way "Hollywood Pretty". If he weren't a well known actor, most of us wouldn't even notice the guy. This says something in a town like LA where you have to be "noticed" to get anywhere.

Have you seen his son Colin Hanks in the movie 'Orange County"? If not, then give it a look. It's a sleeper classic IMHO, and Colin is going places. On his own merit.


----------



## The Doug

I'm really looking forward to LOTR:ROTK - I enjoyed the first two films immensely and hope that Peter Jackson does make The Hobbit. However no other "major" releases currently in the theatres (or about to be released) interest me very much I'm afraid. The usual dreck IMHO.

I'll probably pick up a few DVDs for the holidays - T3, Finding Nemo, X2, the new Looney Toons set, and so on. But every year I make it a point, during the holiday break, to re-watch a few films that I love. An eclectic list that spans decades, in no particular order:

- Victor, Victoria
- Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail; Life of Brian
- Vertigo
- It's a Wonderful Life
- A Private Function
- Just about any Fred Astaire / Ginger Rogers movie
- Groundhog Day
- Lawrence of Arabia
- Casino
- The Party
- Touch of Evil
- 2001: A Space Odyssey

... and more. It'll be nice to do some cocooning between Christmas and New Year's, and trot out these and a few other favourites...


----------



## Dr.G.

Doug, talk about an eclectic list -- from "It's a Wonderful Life" to "Groundhog Day" to "Lawrence of Arabia"!!! That is better than Tinkers to Evers to Chance!! Actually, these would be on my top All-time favorite movies. Casablanca and The Way We Were are numbers one and two.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

re: CastAway
i've watched that film about 5x
each time i see and understand more of the undercurrents running through the film

look for "fading red lights"
angel wings

the kissing in the rain scene was so hackneyed and predictable that it almost destroyed the film - the scene afterwards (having a drink with his friend) was right back on track with "food for the soul" kind of writing

"Wilson!"


----------



## Dr.G.

Macspectrum, being laid out on his raft (i.e. cross) looking like a crucified Jesus, was also a unique "touch" when he was saved at the end.

I wept when Wilson "drowned"........just like I wept when HAL was "dismantled".........and I wept when Disney's Fess Parker as Davy Crockett died at the Alamo.


----------



## MaxPower

I wept when they destroyed the Hummer in "The Rock".


----------



## MacDoc

I thought * Castaway* was not one of Hanks better attempts - a bit over the top in the imagery. There were indeed some funny moments but other situations seemed too contrived as noted. He's always good tho.

I think * Big* is one of his best - for an actor to convince you he's a 10 year old but lost in an adults body is very hard to do and Hanks pulls it off.
The scene with him dancing on the Piano keys in the department store is a classic.

* Forrest Gump* also showed off his sly touch. The crack about buying a Fruit Company killed me. Hanks is very good but I think Kevin Spacey the somewhat superior actor.

The * Usual Suspects* will blow you away if you haven't seen it. Spacey at his very best.

I watched * Holes* on the weekend. Good cast and a bittersweet story similar in feel tho not contect to Chocolat. Like Chocolat some of the goofy interplay hides a darker theme. Sigourney Weaver seems to like some of the odder roles bu the kids make the movie in this case.

If you haven't seen * Chocolat* - you're missing a real treat ( sorry couldn't resist ) and a chance to watch one of the greatest living actresses ply her subtle magic.
Julia Binoche across from Jonny Depp  Magic in deed...highly recommended.

Now if you want another side of Binoche - * Damage* will leave you shaken, not stirred.


----------



## SINC

macdoc, I agree with your assessment of Tom Hanks and his work.

Generally, I have liked most of his films with Castaway or The Green Mile being personal favourites.

I beg to differ on Chocolat though. I tried for the first half hour to get into that movie, but turned it off. It did nothing for me.

I have mentioned before I am in the process of collecting the top 100 westerns. I just finished watching an oldie this morning on Lone Star on TV. It was a 1953 flick called "Gunsmoke" with Audie Murphy.

Makes me wonder if the TV series with James Arnett borrowed the name from this movie or vice versa?

Cheers


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

> I wept when Wilson "drowned"........just like I wept when HAL was "dismantled"


Dr. G.,
My take on Wilson was that "he" was lost, his image lost in the waves not to be seen again. sort of like Hanks' character was "lost" - who knows Castaway II - Wilson returns
Wilson's leaving was very emotional and is a credit to Hanks' acting as he really makes you feel that Hanks has lost a loved one for indeed Wilson was "family" - i recall that Wilson came to life with Hanks' own blood as paint - as Eve was created from Adam's rib?

re: HAL, i didn't feel any emotion for HAL when he was being dismanteled in the film.
if you have a chance, read the books 2010 and 2061 to gain more insight on HAL - the movie 2010 gives us a glimpse of HAL's inner self.
and for a treat read 3001 as the final chapter of the tetraulogy


----------



## MacDoc

Sinc you need let Chocolat roll - suspend your disbelief and let the movie wash over you - it's a live fairy tale with a very strong undercurrent about gated communities and tolerance.
Let all the stories weave to a conclusion - you couldn't possibly grasp where it's going in the first 1/2 hour.

If you want a good analogy just think of Binoche as a newcomer to a town suffering under the thumb of a self righteous sherrif who has his own demons.
"Cept her ammo is chocolate.

This movie is very much in the tradition of some of James Stewarts work and perhaps Henry Fonda.

Some humour, a strong message carried by an unlikely hero. Try again if you will.  
•••••

Hal was interesting in that the director was able to build such a strong character out of voice only. I think anyone would identify that "actor" immediately.

The same empathy for the machine is marvelously evoked towards the end of Blade Runner.
""I have seen ships ablaze on the shoulder of Orion" 
.........tears in the rain


----------



## SINC

macdoc re Chocolat:


> "you couldn't possibly grasp where it's going in the first 1/2 hour."


Right you are sir, that is precisely why I turned it off.

However, since you obviously feel I didn't give it a chance, I will watch for it to be run again on Movie Central. I am not a closed minded person. I take you at your word and will spend the time to try watching it again.

Cheers


----------



## MacDoc

As long as Movie Central is commercial free that's terrific.

Chocolat weaves an atmosphere not well served by commercial breaks.

Approach like a stage play or a stylized western like Clint's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly where characteriztions are heightened Lee Van Cleef and terrific villian etc.
Lee Marvin has starred in similar stylized productions ranging right to Cat Ballou.....a musical Western

Chocolat got an amazing number of nominations at the 2000 Academy awards including for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress amongst others and was up against some heavy weights.
Traffic, Crouching Tiger, Gladiator, Erin Brockovitch.

Did you run across any McMurtry books?? 

[ November 30, 2003, 11:59 AM: Message edited by: macdoc ]


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## SINC

Alas, I have yet to get to the library this week, but I do need a hair cut, and my barber is across the street from the library.

Perhaps this week, I will read McMurtry.

I'll let you know.

Cheers


----------



## Pamela

Did anybody else see "lost in Translation" with Bill Murray?

Did anybody else think it was a waste of $23? (couple price).

*sigh* I was SO looking forward to a good movie as I had been stuck in the house for months. I think the last movie I saw in a theatre was Finding Nemo AGES ago.

The risk of seeing a bad movie for $23 (+ $10 for goodies) makes me not want to risk it at all anymore.

Am I getting old?


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## SINC

Pamela, the last movie I saw in a movie theatre, was "Coming to America" with Eddie Murphy.

Now, THAT is old.

Cheers


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## MacDoc

I though Lost in Translation was just "okay". There was a review/discussion earlier here.

Given that a gorgeous 42" HD set with a sound system likely finances for about $90 a month it's hard to justify sticky floors, rude noisy patrons and overpriced junk food.

I'll usually only go to opening day of a top notch film.
Certainly LOTR III I wil play hooky for. I did for Master and Commander.

Some "extravaganzas" should have the BIG screen and sound LIT wasn't one that needed or deserved it. Hope you got a snuggle in at least









That's another nice aspect of movie watching at home - snuggling can turn to ...ahem..other pursuits should the movie prove boring.


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## SINC

macdoc, please define "...ahem..other pursuits".

I, for one have forgotten.

Cheers


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## MacDoc

Surely necking at the movies is a life long adventure.









Course it DOES require a willing partner which Pamela surely has.


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## SINC

Awwwwww, macdoc.

Geez, now you've gone and ruined my mental image of Pamela. 

And here I thought she behaved at the movies!

Darn.

Cheers


----------



## SINC

Gosh Pamela, if that is supposed to be an evening of enjoyment, I think I will pass. Thanks for taking the time to outline the costs, both in dollars and in frustration. No wonder I quit going to movies in theatres 15 years ago. 

Movies are much more comfy at home and the popcorn is a lot cheaper.

Cheers


----------



## MacDoc

Pamela that was priceless...ooooh sorry that truly was accidental





















Great tale


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## Pamela

LOL! You guys are awful!!

You are quite right on the cuddling part though. It was hard if not impossible to do in the "new" style of chairs that are in the theatres now.

Usually we like to stay home and rent a movie..more comfortable...cheaper....*ahem*..ecetera...But I have been feeling like too much of a hermit lately and *insisted* on going out to a movie. Big mistake that was. Maybe if it was a better movie it wouldn't have been so painful...but the whole process of going out to a movie isn't as easy as it used to be.


1. find decent movie/theatre...turns out the good ones are all downtown...this is where the adventure begins in Vancouver.
2. find parking
3. can't find parking so do underground parking which is $2.50/half hour
4. go 3 storeys...go to automated machine to get tickets and concession stand coupons...oops...they don't take interac anymore....
5. go find bank machine
6. go up to the ticket booth to get ticket but see the sign that says "three hours free parking validation with movie"
7. send husband down 3 flights to the car to get the ticket to get validated
8. buy tickets..."that'll be $23 sir"...ouch...
9.get snacks...."50 cents for the super dooper size, mam?" "combo deal, mam"..."butter or becel, mam'...that'll be $8.95 for a small coke, large popcorn and small box of glosette raisins, thank you. 
10. ask for extra baggie for popcorn..."sorry mam, we're not allowed to give those out.
11.choose a seat 
11.move seats because a tall guy sits in front of you 1 minute later
13. set up napkin as a little basket for popcorn...loose half the popcorn on the floor and on your lap in the attempt.
14.watch movie.
15. try to snuggle but get a cramp from the new uncomfortable reclining seats
16.realized you just wasted effort on steps 1-16 because it's a bad movie
17. head to your local lounge to try and salvage the night with a couple of martinis...$35....ouch
18. finally decide to go home before you break the bank.
19. get into comfy clothes and lay on the couch spooning with the hubby....priceless. That's where we should have started the evening.

lol.

That was my night.


----------



## MaxPower

> $8.95 for a small coke, large popcorn and small box of glosette raisins


That's not a bad price considering that I spent $30 for a regular Diet Coke, Regular Popcorn, a bottled Water, Slush and Reese Peanut Butter Bites. That, plus the cost of admission of $29. You have to take out a loan to be able to afford going out to the movies these days.

I usually have the Air Miles free pass to use when my wife and I go out to the show. This way I can actually enjoy the movie without having to worry about breaking our budget.


----------



## Kosh

It's not all that costly and such a big frustration if you pick the right time to go to the movies. I go Saturday afternoons and I go to the new big Famous Players theatres. Small lineups, less costly, always able to get great seats (not as many people, and no worries about a tall guy sitting in front of you since it's stadium-like seating). Snacks, well they've always been costly at a theatre. Of course it helps that I live 15 minutes walking distance to the theatre  ... no worries about parking.

I saw the extended DVD version of LOTR: Two Towers, excellent version of the movie. It adds a few interesting facts and background. For instance I don't think Aragon ever mentions in the non-extended version that he's 87 years old - he's a member of a race of humans that have a longer than normal lifespan. There's also more scenes with the Ents (those tree creatures).


----------



## MaxPower

The right time and day is the way to go to go see a flick. Although I usually pick the middle of the week and it's usually the same scenerio - no line ups and good seats.

Unfortunatly during the day on the weekend isn't a luxury I can afford. That happens once in a blue moon.


----------



## Pamela

I just wanted to feel like a teenager again....like I was on a date. That's why I picked Saturday night.

I mean it isn't very romantic to go to a sunday afternoon movie....and we can't make it tuesday nights...not that that's anyMORE romantic.


----------



## Dr.G.

At least you folks to east of us get seat....and popcorn.....and talking movies.......  These are things that are just now coming to St.John's........along with TV and radio.....and the telephone..........









I can't tell you how many people are transferred from Houston to St.John's to work as an executive in the Hibernia oilfields, and are surprised to see how "advanced and modern" we are here. Certain companies still give their employees "isolation pay" to come here.  









Still, I agree with Pamela that a romantic date-like experience can still happen in the movie theater.


----------



## SINC

Dr. G.:


> "Still, I agree with Pamela that a romantic date-like experience can still happen in the movie theater."


And so it should Dr. G..

Provided of course that she is in the company of her husband. Right Pamela?

Cheers and Happy Holidays


----------



## Pamela

YES Sinc! OF course! *ahem*....unless of course you're free for an evening?














lol!

(although lately I've had to do a double take to make sure it's him...he has been growing a beard for the last week and I can't get used to it! Not to worry. It WILL be gone soon! grrrr!)


----------



## Pamela

Glad I could help


----------



## LGBaker

This made a 'mouth-breather" (Macnutt's term) out of me for a couple of hours.

Naqoyqatsi


----------



## SINC

Pamela, you flatter me, but I do believe that my wife of nearly 39 years would take exception to your kind invitation. And for the record, I still love her dearly.

But between you and me, you did make an old guy's day, and I thank you for that! 

 

Cheers


----------



## MacDoc

Just watching the Horatio Hornblower series on A&E and reading the Master & Commander Series.

I'm goin end wit ableedin Limey accent I am.









BOTH recommended  

4 movies in the Horn Blower series









20 books in the Master and Commander- part way through #3 and lovin it.


----------



## MaxPower

I watched Pirates of the Caribean last night and to my surprise, I didn't think it was all that it was made up to be.

Perhaps it was all of the hype that it received that altered my perception of it.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie, but it wasn't one of those that made me go WOW.

On the other hand, I thought Johnny Depp Was brilliant. A very under rated actor who really captured the part of a scoundrel.


----------



## Chealion

I saw School of Rock last night. Although a tad cliched, and some rather lame parts where you just want to hang your head, the overall story is quite well done. Also, many of the things expressed in the movie are praised for being very accurate. Not a bestseller, but definitely a movie worth renting.


----------



## Kosh

> On the other hand, I thought Johnny Depp Was brilliant. A very under rated actor who really captured the part of a scoundrel.


That's the best part of the movie and why I think it receives such hype. I mean when I recommend that movie to a friend the first thing I mention is that Johnny Depp really does a great job playing the pirate scoundrel. Without Johnny that probably wouldn't have been as good a movie.


----------



## MaxPower

The first scene where we see Captain Jack Sparrow standing Majestically atop his mast had me in stiches.

Johnny Depp's facial expressions were priceless.

Actually, the more I reflect back on the movie the more I want to watch it a econd time.


----------



## SINC

I had occasion to watch two older movies this week, both starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman, "The Sting" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid".

I had forgotten just how well Newman and Redford worked together. They were genuinely funny in many scenes too.

If you have never seen either flick, treat yourself and rent one soon.

Cheers


----------



## Dr.G.

Sinc, these are two of my favorite movies. I saw the Sting a week before it won the Oscar for best picture. Those were the days...........


----------



## MacDoc

I want to rent Pirates this weekend - I was annoyed I missed it theatrically as it was one of those that might benefit from a big screen and an audience.
I'll snuggle in with my sweetie and watch it sometime soon at home.








I really like Johnny Depp as a actor.
••••
Watched Age of Innocence last night. Glorious period piece with Daniel Day Lewis and a pair of eyefuls - Winona Ryder and Michelle Pfieffer both dressed to the nines in this upper class New York circa 1870 drama.
Dr. G I suspect you'd enjoy the subtle intrigue and the sets  










Good reveiws from RT - an elegant dance in an absolutely spectacular set. Based on a Pultizer prize novel. What a strange world they inhabited.
••

I liked both the Sting and Sundance - the humour in both in particular.
A can think of very few movies that caught me as off guard as the Sting.
Perhaps 'The Usual Suspects".  but what a great use of Scot Joplin's music - it was so perfect for the Sting.


----------



## Dr.G.

Macdoc, I have always been fascinated with how certain houses in NYC have retained their post-Civil War/pre-WWII look and feel. There are still some excellent pictures of this period in the Museum of the City of New York.


----------



## The Doug

Tonight I'll watch one of the following:

- Terry Gilliam's "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen"
- Howard's End
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

I haven't firmly decided which one, however I'm leaning towards Gilliam's fantasy (_in which the late Oliver Reed's character, Vulcan, bears a striking physical & behavioural resemblance to the father of a friend of mine_







).


----------



## MacDoc

Now THAT's an eclectic choice  

'Tis Pirates for me......avast ye hearties


----------



## vacuvox

arr.... avast thar!


----------



## Kosh

I typically don't buy DVD Movies, but I have to say I was tempted to buy Pirates of the Carribean at Zellers for $17 (you trade in 95,000 HBC Reward points for $10 off).


----------



## MacDoc

Well Pirates was....okay.....but the female lead














worth the time spent just watching that gold medallion spend quality time with the girl. Disney's not so "family" when it comes to sexy décolletage. I can't recall a movie with such..ahem..focus. Tho' certainly not without good cause.  

Keira Knightley is one very gorgeous leading lady and she knows it. Sure showed to good effect in "Bend it like Beckham" as well.

as we were saying   










Many more here
http://www.exquisite-keira.com/potc.html 

Good music. Johnny Depp is truly funny at times. Excellent eye candy.


----------



## MaxPower

macdoc,

I was thinking the exact same thing after watching Pirates. Keira Knightley is a very attractive leading lady. I expect we will see more of her in upcoming features.


----------



## MacDoc

Her CV is amazing for her age. But then looking at her you know why and her acting is not bad at all. 
She was very good in Bend it and a classic heroine/lust object in Pirates.
Disney SOMETIMES appeals to all ages.


----------



## MaxPower

Here ya go macdoc.

http://www.keiraknightley.com/

Enjoy.


----------



## MacDoc

Yum  

Completely on the opposite side of the movie spectrum Varian's War starring William Hurt and Julia Ormand is a terrifically cast and acted true story about rescuing the cream of Europe's artists and intellectuals from occupied France right under the Gestapo's nose.

Marc Chagall, and Mahler's wife ( along with Mahler's original manuscripts ) Max Ernst and Nobel Laureate Otto Meyerhoff were amongst the two thousand plus rescued.

Excellent tale of intrigue and desperation and what one man can do. Well cast, well acted.......and true


----------



## MaxPower

A little late but I finally got around to seeing The Martix Revolutions.

I found it entertaining and easier to follow than Reloaded, although the ending made me go huh? I will have to purchase the DVD to complete the trilogy.

There's rumors that we will be going to check out a movie tonight. My guess is it will be Master and Commander or The Last Samurai.

After we get through the Christmas movie blitz we have the summer movie blitz to look forward to. Personally Troy looks to be like a blockbuster.


----------



## MacDoc

If it's you - Master & Commander tho I'm interested in Samurai too. If you a e in mixed company M&C is NOT likely to be a popular choice  

Let us know


----------



## CubaMark

Master & Commander is certainly more of a "guys" flick than anything else - a very nicely done war film, with pretty amazing battle scenes. I enjoyed it far more than expected.

M


----------



## MacDoc

The book series is terrific too tho you really need to love historical fiction as this an extremely erudite author who brings the language and opinions of teh times to life while maintaining a rollicking good sea story.

Patrick O'Brien - 20 books in the series - my those Irish love to tell stories.


----------



## MaxPower

We wound up seeing Samurai last night,

Excellent movie, although the story line was fairly predictable. It wasn't a "thinking movie" however it was entertaining.

I recommend it.

I have heard rumors that this movie could give a nod for an Oscar to Tom Cruise.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

Mel Gibson has had a very difficult time getting this movie into distribution. He's taken lots of flack too.

QuickTime teaser here. 

Gibson is a devout Christian.


----------



## SINC

My wife and I watched a "made for TV" movie last night. It was the story of a big city newspaper reporter, sent to a small town at Christmas to uncover the identity of a good samaritan who only surfaced at Christmas. The name of the movie was "Secret Santa". We both really enjoyed the movie and we got to discussing why, when it ended. We decided the reason was so simple. It wasn't because of the actors, as we had never seen nor heard of them before. It was because there was not one scene of violence, not one swear word, not one sex scene, but rather a good wholesome movie that could be shown to any age group. If ever released it would fail at the box office, for all the reasons we outlined for liking it. Too bad that the world has degenerated so far that most movies today are largely blood, guts, gore, violence, sex and the mandatory "F" word sprinkled liberally throughout. It's a darn shame.

Cheers


----------



## Pamela

Surprisingly enough (because I've grown up in this new age of r-rated movies so I should be numb to it) I feel the same way Sinc. It all grows so old really.

But anyway, I just wanted to make a NON recommendation...or however you'd put it....DO NOT...no matter HOW desperate you are.....DO NOT rent Adam Sandlers Hanukah movie! IT was SOOOO bad!!!!!!!!!!!

On that note....I am desperate to watch some Christmas movies in the countdown to Christmas....I am aware of the classics so no need to mention those...and I always watch them on tv the last couple of days before christmas....

..I'm thinking more current movies... I've only really seen the Grinch that stole Christmas by Jim Carey and it was great....you can suggest animated childrens films or normal holywood ones...

THANKS!


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

for a real feel good movie, go see *Big Fish*
opens soon in larger cities
getting good reviews


----------



## Dr.G.

Sinc, I recall seeing "It's a Wonderful Life" back in Dec. of 1967, and saying thinking that this movie should become a classic. The rest, as they say, is history.

I recall listening to Frank Capra, the director of this movie, speak in 1976 at the Univ. of Georgia. I asked him about this movie and he replied that it was his favorite movie and tried to demonstrate what he believed in as a person.

So, as little Bug Humbar, who played Tiny Tim in the Alistair Sim "The Christmas Carol", said 

"God bless us, everyone."


----------



## Pamela

macspectrum, I saw Ethan Hawke on Jay Leno last night and he was plugging that movie. 

I have to say, after seeing him on Leno as he really is..which is totally different than in the movies he plays....it's like seeing two different people.....that man is my new favourite actor...he's got a great personality, it TOTALLY HOT!! Sorry guys...I had to


----------



## MaxPower

Pamela,

Some modern Christmas movies to consider:

The Santa Clause 1&2
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (My Favourite)
Christmas Story
Scrooged
Die Hard  (hey it takes place during Christmas)


----------



## canuck1975

I want to see The Hebrew Hammer.


----------



## LGBaker

Not really christmas, but it has winter in it and, in my opinion always worth watching,...

The Gold Rush.

A Charlie Chaplin classic.


----------



## MacDoc

Sinc there are lots of terrific movies out there without the violence etc.
Just hook up with 
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/

Or tell us here the kind of movies you like and we'll keep you watching
Have you seen 

Chocolat
Bridges of Madison County
Chariots of Fire
Out of Africa
The English Patient
A River Runs through It
A Beautiful Mind
Forrest Gump
Dances with Wolves
Ghandi
Shakespeare in Love
The Sting
Lawrence of Arabia
Dr. Zhivago
Amadeus
Titanic
Driving Miss Daisy
Rain Man
Gone with the Wind remastered
ET
Patton
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Legally Blonde
Sleepless in Seattle
Paper Moon
Dirty Dancing
The Fugitive
Apollo 13
Goodwill Hunting
Shine

those'll keep you off the streets for a while and not a few might find you a bit misty eyed


----------



## Kosh

Sinc said:


> My wife and I watched a "made for TV" movie last night. It was the story of a big city newspaper reporter, sent to a small town at Christmas to uncover the identity of a good samaritan who only surfaced at Christmas. The name of the movie was "Secret Santa".


I saw it too. A good family movie... I had the secret santa pegged from the beginning though.

A few popular TV actors in the movie. The reporter is one of the girls from the TV series "What I Like About You".


----------



## MacNutt

Dr.G....by 1967 "It's a Wonderful Life" was already considered a classic. It was twenty years old by then.  

Interesting how well Jimmy Stewart played the small town guy, eh? He was quite an actor.

The movie was shot during a 90 degree heatwave in an area near Los Angeles (the "snow' was mostly rock salt) and Jimmy Stewart had been flying bombers and dodging flak over Germany less than two years before he made that movie. He had been doing that hellish and thankless job for several years before he mustered out of service. He watched a whole bunch of his buddies die in horrible ways and had to personally hose one of his best friends out of the nose turret after a particularly bad encounter with enemy fighters. He said there were no pieces of this guy bigger than a baseball mitt left after the attack.

This was one of his very best friends in the whole world, at the time BTW.

Then he came home and calmly went to work and made one of the very best feelgood Christmas movies of all time. What a guy! 


I honestly think that this generation was made of sterner stuff than we are. They absolutely amaze me with their resilience.

Of course, Jimmy Stewart WAS a Scot. Perhaps that explains it.


----------



## SINC

MacDoc, I have actually seen eleven of the movies in your list, and you are right, they are very good.

But I still have the impression that for every ONE we get like those, there are TEN that resort to the bad stuff I pointed out in an earlier post.

But IMHO, I still question the need for so many movies, with so much that is unacceptable. 

Cheers


----------



## Dr.G.

Macnutt, according to Frank Capra, "It's a Wonderful Life" did not become a classic until about 1976. It was rarely shown on TV and there were no VCRs back then. He felt that it became a cult classic during the post-Watergate years when we were cynical of political leaders and the recession was hitting the average person quite hard. He felt that with the election of Jimmy Carter in Nov. 1976 (he was speaking in early Dec. 1976), people were ready to "accept and understand" (his words, not mine) the main message of this movie.

Whatever, it is STILL a wonderful Life for all in ehMacLand this Hanukkah and Christmas season. Paix.


----------



## canuck1975

A great family movie which everyone will love is Pee Wee's Big Adventure. It's clean, funny and might get you misty-eyed. Of course there's also Princess Bride.

Just some thoughts for family entertainment...


----------



## MacDoc

The Return of the King was quite the adventure today.  
Indeed the one battle sequence dwarves ( sorry couldn't resist ) the Helm's Deep which was itself terrific.

Long, worthwhile, very true to the book nicely paced from an emotional basis and also made to hang together perhaps better even than the book as the connections betweenthe disparate events is easily followed.

I'll look forward to the DVD particularly in HiDef sometime as the scenes sometime are a bit soft ( CG trick I suspect the anti aliasing to keep the seams invisible and indeed they are ).
Some shiver moments, misty eyed moments and triumphant ones...what more from an epic could one want.  

We pre-bought - got there an hour ahead and were 100 people back







 









98% positive reviews on RT - that's quite a vote of confidence.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

Spiderman 2
one word; "Damn!"
http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/spider-man_2/


----------



## Griller

Non-violent movies eh? Hmm... 

Where The Heart Is
Erin Brockovich
Moulin Rouge
A Bug's Life


----------



## Griller

> Spiderman 2 one word; "Damn!"


That's putting it mildly.

WOW, from the beginning as the car is spinning by his face, to seeing the metal arms hitting the ground, right through to the end... DAYYYYYUM!!


----------



## MaxPower

MacDoc,

Why? Why do you tease us so?

I was at the Famous Player's Silver City last night picking up some Gift Certificates and stupid me was wondering why there was so many people there on a Wednesday night. Then it it me like a ton of bricks: Oh yeah. Return of the King.

I glanced over at the board and realized I could make the show with a single seat. Unfortunately, logic took over and I got back to Christmas shopping.

Probably for the best. knowing my luck I would have gotten a seat up at the very front with my neck arched way back. Not worth it in my opinion.

I WILL see it soon.


----------



## Kosh

Finally saw LOTR: Return of the King. An excellent action-packed and at sometime tear-jerking end to the trilogy. I like Aragon's entrance to the battle.


----------



## Kosh

Finally saw LOTR: Return of the King. An excellent action-packed and at sometime tear-jerking end to the trilogy. I like Aragon's entrance to the battle, I didn't see it coming.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

On Showcase Revu, 10 p.m. tonight
*The Thin Red Line*
about the U.S. assault on Guadalcanal during WWII
Mallick's big comeback film
the "name" actors worked for scale $ just for a chance to work with Mallick

make some popcorn and settle in
mentally and visually stimulating film
you'll be left thinking about all the metaphors and imagery used in the film
spectacular cinematography
musical score is superb

far superior film to *Saving Private Ryan*


----------



## SINC

Thanks for the tip. My wife is working this evening so that is what I will do. 

Cheers


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

let me know what u think of the film
enjoy - it is a great long film 
perfect for movie watching on a cold dec. eve.


----------



## MacDoc

Not on my service. I even warned the kids off the time slot.


----------



## PosterBoy

*The Thin Red Line [is a] far superior film to Saving Private Ryan*

I don't know that it is superior, but definitely on equal footing IMO. Many thought that The Thin Red Line was a little slow and plodding (which at times it was).

--PB


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

> ... Many thought TTRL was a little slow and plodding


TTRL has seveal levels where Saving Pvt. Ryan is a simple film.
TTRL demonizes war withtout the usual demonization of one side or the other. A very neat trick IMHO. The lack of English subtitiles for the Japanese dialogue was a great choice. One needs to read the faces of the Japanese soldiers and their facial expressions to understand the text.

TTRL is a f ilm that presents the viewer with a poetic presentation (philosophical voice overs, beautiul flora adn fauna, children playing, aboriginal singing) set against some of the bloodiest fighting in WWII.

One might argue that Kubrick's 2001 was also "slow and plodding", yet now hailed as a masterpiece and as a film well ahead of its time.

i'm glad you watched it


----------



## SINC

I sat down to watch TTRL last night, not realizing how very long the movie was going to be. I nodded off about the two hour mark, which always irks me when I try to watch something. Fortunately, I get both the Showcase east and west feeds and switched to the west feed upon awaking. As it turned out, I caught it about 10 minutes before I had nodded off, so got to watch the whole movie, although in two "sittings".

I thought it was a powerful movie. While I did not enjoy the violence, one has to realize that war is hell and it certainly demonstrated that fact clearly. The peaceful moments in between were almost surreal, with natives singing and children playing in the midst of it all.

Very well done, especially when what the Japanese soldiers were thinking and feeling, was left to your imagination. They came across as very human with the same feelings as the Americans, in my estimation.

It was well acted too. Nick Nolte particularly gave an impressive performance.

Cheers


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

Sinc, sounds very much like you understood Malick's intentions in TTRL.

I didn't want to warn you that the film runs long. That alone sometimes puts people off.

I actually came home early from a party to watch the last 1/2.

Malick's juxtapostion of the beautfiul scenery (flora and fauna and aboriginal people) with the hell of war is an especially powerful technique. Especially noting that the fighting in Guadalcanal was some of the bloodiest in the theatre, if not the entire war.

i'm glad you watched the film


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

macdoc, i thougt you had rogers cable
get yourself the dvd - u won't regret it

u should have come over and watched over at my place 

[ December 21, 2003, 12:27 AM: Message edited by: MACSPECTRUM ]


----------



## SINC

Many years ago, our youngest son now 27, introduced us to his favourite Yuletide movie.

I sat down that first Christmas Eve so many years ago, convinced that I would not enjoy it, but rather suffer through it.

To my surprise, I laughed out loud 'til my sides near split.

As a new Christmas tradition for our family, we now watch the movie every Christmas Eve.

"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" is now not only a tradition at our house, it is a treat!

Every year I watch it, I see something I missed before.

Give it a try and live a little!

Cheers


----------



## MaxPower

My Dad and I started the "Christmas Vacation" tradition many years ago as well (probably a good 10 years now) and we still love watching it every year.

Although my wife and my Dad's wife really don't see why we love it so much, I still think it is a classic.

Some of my favorite scenes:

When Clark and Eddie are walking down the isle in the department store - Eddie is quite apparently "well endowed"

Under Eddie's shirt he is wearing a "dickie".

S****r's full.

Among many others.

Truly a classic that has to be watched again and again.


----------



## Dr.G.

We have a split tradition here in our house. I watch either "Miracle on 34th Street", the Alistaire Sim "Christmas Carol", or "It's a Wonderful Life". My wife watches.......the "Die Hard" trilogy. 'Tis the season.


----------



## Dr.G.

We have a split tradition here in our house. I watch either "Miracle on 34th Street", the Alistaire Sim "Christmas Carol", or "It's a Wonderful Life". My wife watches.......the "Die Hard" trilogy. 'Tis the season.


----------



## MacDoc

I knew your eye sight was bad but either too much Chrristmas Grog or you are watching Miracle in StereoVision


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, I don't drink much, and the original "M on 34th Street", with a young Natalie Wood, is on the NYC stations this time of year. Thanks to StarChoice, we get these stations. Thus, I shall be able to see this movie either tonight or tomorrow.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

hands down, the best Christmas movie of all time is the original black and white film - *A Christmas Charol*

watch the late night version
turn off the house lights, spark a candle or two - a nice blanket to keep you warm and hot toddies for everyone - and let the "magic" takes it course....


----------



## MacDoc

I was referring to your double post


----------



## Dr.G.

Macspectrum, I agree with your choice of movie. The A.Sim version is still the best of all.

MacDoc, I never even saw the double post. I have not done that in a long time. I am still getting used to the iBook keyboard, in that for the past couple of years, I have been using black keyboards.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

Dr. G., did i read correctly? You're blaming your Dell?


----------



## MacDoc

Wow just watched Pandaemonium a BBC production.
Sounds dry as dust about Wlliam Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge.
WRONG.









Not quite sure how to take it but a terrific juxtapostion between the "almost" mad art of Coleridge's
"Kubla Khan" and "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" that speculation casts as deriving from opium dreams and the staid Wordsworth set as an anchor on Coleridges soaring imagery.

If you have any sense of the power of language and ideas and the uncertain line between madness and genius this movie will appeal.

This review does a better job than I

http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/pandaemonium.php

The biop of the director may give a hint of the strangeness

"Julien Temple is a British director best known for his involvement in the music video arena. To date his career has been book-ended by two documentaries about the rock group, The Sex Pistols. The first in 1980 was The Great Rock 'n Roll Swindle, while the recent return to the subject was 2000's The Filth and the Fury. In between, he worked on music videos for many of the top music groups or individuals of the 1980s and 1990s—Rolling Stones (he was involved in their 1991 IMAX effort At the Max), Duran Duran, David Bowie, Whitney Houston, and so on. He has also directed several feature films over the same period, often with musical themes. A recent departure was 2000's Pandaemonium, which has now been released in Canada on DVD by Seville Pictures."

Departure indeed - rock videos to Coleridge  

"A stately pleasure dome decree:
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea."

stay with the movie......the vision and imagery are there ........a Ridley Scott edit of this would be mind bending. The movie itself is true to it's name.


----------



## HJS

Julien Temple's "Absolute Beginners" is a very under-rated film; people were expecting too much from it(mid-Eighties) Great soundtrack, visuals, based on an excellent capture-the-period book...post/war, youth-explosion, pre-Beatles Swinging London...  Music produced/arranged by Gil Evans


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

PB, I didn't say that you said.... well enough of that... starting to sound like an old Abott and Costello routine....

Dr. G,


> The A.Sim version is still the best of all.


and it has to be the b/w version, not the colourized one.... courtesy of Ted Turner I assume?


----------



## Dr.G.

Macspectrum, I strongly agree that the B&W version is the best, and that colorization has dulled the impact of the movie.


----------



## PosterBoy

*TTRL has seveal levels where Saving Pvt. Ryan is a simple film.*

Just a note, I never said that I thought it was slow and plodding, but many reviews I read did.

I think "to the point" is a better way to describe Saving Private Ryan, simple makes it out to be a movie for the sole purpose of entertainment, which it isn't.

What is one life worth? This is the basic question the movie asks, in several different ways.

I don't think one is superior to the other as they have different points.

--PB


----------



## MacDoc

Some films are best in black and white. I mean one of the top rated films period is B&W and probably gains by it ( Citizen Kane ).
All Quiet on the Western Front
Casablanca
Schindlers List
Raging Bull
Grapes of Wrath
Dead Man
many many more


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

wow, what a bonanza of movie watching..
*A Christmas Carol
It's a Wonderful Life
Going My Way*

and just to put the spice in the nog...

*Eyes Wide Shut*
- for which I have gained more insight and taste for - sort of like scotch - it is acquired - i think i am starting to uderstand what Kubrick was trying to do - more research needed

interesting analysis here.

[ December 25, 2003, 03:14 AM: Message edited by: MACSPECTRUM ]


----------



## PosterBoy

*the best Christmas movie of all time is the original black and white film - A Christmas Charol*

The Simm version yes, as well as the Bill Murray re-interpretation "Scrooged" and of course, the classic 1983 christmas film "A Christmas Story".

--PB


----------



## Dr.G.

George C. Scott should have stayed with his Patton image, although he did have the voice for Scrooge.


----------



## SINC

Last night on the Drive-In Movie channel, I watched a 1976 western that always brought a smile to my face, called "The Great Scout & Cathouse Thursday".

It starred Lee Marvin and Oliver Reed. Reed gave a memorable performance as a hard-drinking , Harvard educated half-breed named Joe Knox. It reminds me of both "Cat Ballou" and "Paint Your Wagon".

Cheers


----------



## ehMax

Haven't read over the last 32 pages to see if this one was mentioned at all, but I just watched Seabiscuit last night. I really enjoyed the film. (I've always been a fan of horse movies and books). Kind of liked the juxtaposition of things "natural" / analogue (like a horse, relationships, sleeping outside, smelly barns) vs things mechanical, (cars, over-decorated houses, barns so clean, "they don't smell like horses") 

The theme of giving things a 2nd chance and how heart can count for a lot more than physical strength or money. 

I love movies with a happy ending. Story ending almost seemed to story-booked, but made it cool that it's based on true story. DVD had lots of good bonus info and background information. Really good segment on how producer/director writes his notes to develope story shots. 

Good DVD to rent.


----------



## Dr.G.

Sinc, re "the Drive-In Movie channel", is that where you sit in your "new" 1980 Buick in the living room and watch TV movies???


----------



## SINC

I only wish Dr. G.

Last night I watched my Christmas present, the uncut DVD version of "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly". It ran two hours and forty one minutes and I enjoyed every one of them.

Cheers


----------



## Dr.G.

Sinc, we could always pile into your new Buick and drive over to MacDoc's house to see his big TV. Maybe his living room is able to take the size of your car.  I trust that there is room for the four doxies in the back????


----------



## MacDoc

42" screen might fit IN a Buick


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, we are on our way. Please be sure to have the latest DVD version of "101 Dachshunds", "Lady and the Doxie" and "Old Yeller Doxie". Oh yes, and Daisy would like "Driving Miss Daisy" as well. Merci.


----------



## MacDoc

I'm sorry the service your requested is no longer available...this is a public anouncement.

I'm sorry the service your requested is no longer ........


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

please send all request re: MacDoc to:

c/o Camp X-Ray
U.S. Military Base - Windward
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

a representative will be "in touch" with you in 15-20 minutes - do not leave your home - they are on their way


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, sorry to hear this. The doxies were going to bring you a 60" plasma display as a token of their appreciation. I was going to bring you some chicken soup. C'est la vie.

Watched "The Postman" with Kevin Costner last night, along with "Rudy" (both were DVD gifts). Liked both movies, albeit for different reasons.


----------



## MaxPower

I just watched the first disk of the Two Towers last night - The second disk is tonight.

The extra and extended scenes really make this movie more complete. It's too bad they were never included in the theatrical release.


----------



## Kosh

I saw Jack Nicholas in "Something's Gotta Give"... he really epitomizes the rich-dirty-old-man who chases young woman in his role. Amanda Peet is hot. A lotta laughs.


----------



## MacNutt

I just heard that natalie portman has agreed to star in "The Professional 2"!   

Somehow...at the end of that truly great film, I thought that there was a pretty good chance that she would come back one day and give us an update. Too cool!


----------



## The Doug

Saw *Return of the King* this past Tuesday. Outstanding. 

On the home front - finally picked up *Finding Nemo* on DVD. Lots of fun, luminous and vivid. Pure Pixar genius as usual.

This afternoon's DVD flick will be Terry Gilliam's wonderful muddle, *Brazil*.


----------



## MacDoc

This is usually my prime movie indulging time but for some reason not settling in even tho there are few on the go waiting to be seen.
I haven't cut out enough time for Cold Mountain which I'm looking forward to - maybe today - long flick.

Did catch Virginia's Run on DVD a rather predictable but gorgeous photographed and nicely cast family movie. 









Filmed in Nova Scotia too. 








Good casting


----------



## MaxPower

I just watched Bad Boys 2 last night. One of the DVD's I got for Christmas










A really good blend of Action and Humour (although quite a bit of language). The exterminator scene where Marcus is talking about the "Rats doing the Nasty" had me in stitches.

If you're into non-stop action and are in for a good laugh, I highly recommend this.


----------



## Dr.G.

Watched "Finding Nemo" with a four-year old child last night. It was certainly written on two levels, one for a child and one for the adults. Still, it was a good movie with incredible computer-generated graphics.


----------



## MacDoc

Very provocative and disturbing movie. A real life Fellini set in a very alien landscape and culture.
Some brilliant photography and and music.

Is this A future.


----------



## Griller

_Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers_ Extended DVD Version. I just saw this and it's awesome. If you loved the first one this one just continues the momentum, and amazes you once again. This one is a bit less 'cozy' than the first. I guess due to the war's increase in scale and due to the fact that the Fellowship has been forced to split up for now. Much more combat as well. The 'Ents' (sp?) sequences are just awesome.


----------



## MacDoc

EWS just did not cut it for me tho a nude and very buff Nicole Kidman is excellent eye candy any time.









I would call it "over dramatic" and it felt stagey as a result. An old man's fantasy not quite realized.

The first 10 minutes of 2001 is movie myth writ large. WOW and it still plays well.

Castaway was carried by Hanks I think. A bit too contrived and in your face imagery tho Hanks is amazing in what he can evoke.
I guess part of my issue is I'm so intrigued by real stories like "Alive" or "Into Thin Air" that contrived situations just don't cut it.

Kandahar was intriguing in that it left you puzzled as to where "reality" was. Part documentary part stylized Noh play.

Michael "Alive" would be interesting apre Castaway.


----------



## Max

Agreed about _Alive!_ - I've often thought it would make for a great flick in the hands of the right director and production team. I just watched the tail end of _Castaway_ on ye olde tube last night and although Hanks is very strong, he's really doing the heavy lifting - the fim as a whole feels more like a romantic fable or legend to me than a complete tale. The real-life tragedy of _Alive!_ would make for a more compelling narrative, involving as it does multiple characters, cannibalism, the forbidding splendour of the Andes, tremendous odds against survival... I read the book shortly after it first came out and it made a huge impression on me. I should go dig that one back up and read it again.


----------



## MacDoc

It did just that
Good cast and director too.
: Ethan Hawke, Vincent Spano, Josh Hamilton, Bruce Ramsay, John Haymes Newton, David Kriegel, Kevin Breznahan, Sam Behrens, Illeana Douglas, Jack Noseworthy, Christian Meoli, Jake Carpenter; NARRATED BY: John Malkovich; Directed by: Frank Marshall

Your wish is granted  

It's not perfect but it is very gripping.  

Into Thin Air both book and movie are outstanding 










The story of the Texas doctor is astounding....talk about the will to survive.


----------



## Max

Well, I'll be... how did I miss that? I'll have to go out and rent that one. Looks like a good cast, too. Illeana Douglas, too! She has that certain _je ne sais quoi..._ (;->))

As for _Into Thin Air,_ I have a copy of that book and yes, it's a gripping read. The doctor was one tough s.o.b., wasn't he? Hard to believe he came off of Everest alive. I remember reading a review of this book, in the _Globe_ I think it was, and it called it a shining example of 'disaster porn,' or words to that effect. I find that to be a pretty crude and unfair allegation, myself. It's simply an absorbing human interest story and it certainly has the taste of an adventure gone horribly awry. I thought the author's account was far from sensational; he was merely trying to understand the enormity of what went wrong on the mountain, and how it could best be avoided in the future. Great book.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

what a great last few days of movies....

sat. night - *2001: A Space Odyssey* - reminded of the sheer brillance of the film
sun. night - *Eyes Wide Shut* - a Kubrick film that is really growing on me.. Stanley really had the last laugh
mon. night -* Castaway * - a film that goes outside the box, lots of imagery and metaphors


----------



## MacDoc

I agree that was a very unfair comment. I thought the author was very sensitive to the terrible situation. 
The team leader speaking to his wife from the summit - refusing to come down - dying as he was speaking - still brings tears to my eyes.

There is a followup book about the doctor that is also very insightful and funny in a way only medical people can be. Gothic dark humour in the most desperate of situations.  

The iMax team was also on the mountain and aided in the rescue operations.  

I tell you the only ones more whacked than high end mountaineers are cave divers and high end spelunkers.







I've met them both and they are usually really not of this world.


----------



## Griller

I just saw _Pirates of the Caribbean_ on DVD. It's a fun movie. To see Johnny Depp acting like that was cool. Orlando Bloom is and Keira Knightly are very cool as well. Geoffrey Rush plays a good villain. There's a good balance between the action and the dialogue sequences, but I wish there was even more dialogue (but hey, it's a pirate movie, I guess!) --- mainly because we're talking about Depp, Bloom, Knightly and Rush, who characters are very compelling, interesting and funny!


----------



## Student P

My most favorite movie that ive seen lately is Spirited Away. Even though its quite weird.  oh,yeah hi dr.G


----------



## Dr.G.

Student P, re your comment "My most favorite movie that ive seen lately is Spirited Away. Even though its quite weird. oh,yeah hi dr.G" any reason why you included "Spirited Away", "wierd" and "hi dr.G." in the same post???    Have you been sent here by MacDoxie (another person living in St.John's, and my arch-nemisis)???? 

Just fooling.


----------



## Bolor

Getting back to castaway for a moment ...
The scene where the plane is going down was listed as one of the all time great sound effects for surround sound. It was the only good part of the movie. Almost drove my wife out of the house. 
If you are really into sound, the snow boarding scene with the snowmobile chase in XXX was pretty awesome too. Watched that part on a system with four sub woofers and the sound at mega decibles. I walked funny for a while after that one.

My most memorable movie? ... still waiting for it.


----------



## ErnstNL

To Dr. G:
StudentP is my 12 year old son. He reads over my shoulder when I'm on ehMac and he decided it's time to join ehMac for himself!


----------



## Dr.G.

ErnstNF, I guess that counts as someone else from St.John's here in ehMacLand. We have too much outmigration in our own province that any and all are welcome.........and I guess we Newfoundlanders and Labradorians should also extend out kindness to any and all in ehMacLand. I have a 17 year old son who likes the iBook but has no time for this forum.


----------



## The Doug

Picked up *The Manchurian Candidate* on DVD yesterday, and watched it this evening. This was the first time I'd ever seen it, although it's been highly recommended to me many times over the years, and I've read much about it. 

Excellent film on all counts. Very taut, intriguing, and edgy!


----------



## buck

I would agree with you doug. The machurian candidate blew me away. The scene in the interogation room intercut with the flower club must have been a logistical nightmare!


----------



## Max

Agreed that _The Manchurian Candidate_ was great - though talk about your movies of a particular era! This one practically reeked of fear and paranoia - the Red Menace writ large. Excellent performances, however, with Mr. Sinatra holding his end up rather well. Most disturbing was Angela Lansbury's masterful reading of the freakishly domineering mother with the twisted global agenda... ominous Freudian undertones to that role.

I've seen it three times now and my enjoyment of it increases with each successive viewing. Should look around and see if I can't get my paws on the DVD.


----------



## The Doug

> _Should look around and see if I can't get my paws on the DVD._


MaxWell, I got my copy of The Manchurian Candidate at my local HMV, where there are racks of DVDs @ 2 for $22, and 2 for $30. For my $22, I also picked up the restored version of Hitchcock's *Vertigo*. Another great movie. 

You can order The Manchurian Candidate from HMV/Amazon.


----------



## Max

Gracias, Doug. Next time I'm down at the HMV on Yonge I'll pop in and look for it. Cheers.


----------



## Hankman

Just bought and watched two DVDs, So Close and Underworld. Both feature women in strong lead roles.

So Close is a Hong Kong action movie. Some pretty good stunts, wire work and action scenes. It was released by Columbia in North America and comes with subtitles or a dubbed soundtrack.

Underworld is a vampire/werewolf movie. You have to follow the story closely but the way it was filmed was excellent. It had a gothic feel to it and some killer action scenes. Plus Kate Beckinsale in tight leather doesn't hurt.  

I would recommend both for anyone looking for good action movies. May not recommend it for the wives or girlfriends, there is a lot of bloodletting in both movies.


----------



## MacNutt

Does everyone here realise that both "The Manchurian Candidate" and "Suddenly" were Frank Sinatra movies that dealt with the assasination of a sitting US President?

After the actual assasination of JFK in 1963, Frank Sinatra used his clout to have both movies supressed. We didn't have any chance to see them again in any form, until the early nineties.

This is particularly interesting since Frank Sinatra and his mafioso buddies were so closely associated with the Kennedy family. Two of them assasinated under mysterious circumstances...one a President, and the other an almost sure bet to BE President.

Interesting, eh?  

BTW..."Suddenly" has it's moments, but is pretty dated. It's definitely worth a look if you are interested in this subject....but, for my money, "Manchurian Candidate" is a much better movie.


----------



## Kosh

Did anyone else see Paycheck? It didn't seem to be all that great... no big WOW factor. Maybe the plot was too simple. It just seemed to need alot more.


----------



## The Doug

*Invasion of the Body Snatchers* (1978 version starring Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum, Leonard Nimoy etc). Excellent film; low key paranoiac horror at its best.

Do _not_ stop and smell the flowers.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

just watched part 1 of 2 of the re-make of the 70s sci-fi (cough) series *Battlestar Galactica*
Edward James Olmos stars and it is soooooo much better than the original
good dark quality
can't wait for part 2 tomorrow, Space, 9 p.m. ET


----------



## Griller

*Battlestar Gallactica*, YEAH! I saw that over the weekend. Very cool, some of the camera angles were _noticeabley_ cooler that you'd see in your everyday TV show; a nice deal of style and flair, within a dark-themed look but not over-done. For a TV program, it was pretty refreshing (to see a quality job done).


----------



## Kosh

I'm reserving judgement on Battlestar Galactica until I see the second part. The first part is just to set up the story and provide some background. I taped the second part. 

Where are the crome-plated Cylons? The Cylons and the Cylon ships are drastically changed - I think I prefer the old Cylon ships, which were more saucer-shaped and the sides bent down. 

I don't remember Battlestar Galactica having two versions of the Viper - it adds an interesting twist to the plot, though. 

I had heard about the idea of making Starbuck a female role and that's okay. Also, it's an interesting idea to have a type of Cylon that looks like a human.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

*Big Fish*
had some time today and saw an afternoon showing
very good film
modern retelling of a fairy tale with a common thread throughout the film
truly Tim Burton's masterpiece
lots of meat on the bones
like a warm cup of tea on a cold winter day
the film transported me into it, which is exactly what i wanted

Jessica Lange does a great job and is still a cutie
Finney is good
Buschemi is very good
DeVito is well, DeVito

if you want a good famly film that all can enjoy or if you like films that are appeal to the brain, this would be it


----------



## MacDoc

Cold Mountain left me a bit........well, cold









It's long. Perhaps more than necessary.
It's got pretty people where character faces are needed.
It's got very obviously fake snow.
Why it needed snow in the Carolinas is a bit of a mystery.

I't's not horrible - it just is patchy - sort of a neat looking coat that once you look closer is made of bunch of different slightly conflicting styles and fabrics and doesn't quite hang together.
Casting I thought was off. Sound track a bit dodgy too


----------



## PosterBoy

*I don't remember Battlestar Galactica having two versions of the Viper - it adds an interesting twist to the plot, though. *

They didn't originally, but originally the Humans didn't create the Cylons either.

In the new show, the "old" vipers (Mark 2) were used in the first war, 40 years prior to the story. The current vipers (Mark 7 I think) are 40 years newer, but also more susceptible to Cylon interference. They break out the Mk2 vipers because there are no real computer systems to infiltrate and shut down.

Personally, I like the new Battlestar Galactica better than the original series (which I have on DVD). In a lot of ways it is far more "believable" than the original, less dogma, more action, less hair, more acting. I will be buying the DVD when it comes out, and am hoping they either do a second mini series or start up a TV show. It'll be good.

The Sci Fi channel also adapted Frank Herberts Dune into a Mini Series a few years back, and it is quite impressive also.


----------



## Kosh

I finally watched the second part of Battlestar Galactica. They definitely got Starbuck's hot-dogging pilot character down pat.

I did a bit of net-surfing and apparently in the 80's series of Battlestar Galactica there was a humanoid model of the Cylon - my guess is that's where they got the idea for the humanoid models in the new series. I never got a chance to watch much of the 80s series which was based on Battlestar Galactica actually reaching Earth. In the original series, I think they relied on human traitors and Cylon sympathizers, to fill the role of the Cylon humanoid model.

As to the reason for breaking out the old Mk2 Vipers, I don't think they explain this properly. I don't agree with Posterboys statement "They break out the Mk2 vipers because there are no real computer systems to infiltrate and shut down" since the Mk2 definitely have targetting or "radar" computer screens. Actually I think Baltor explains it when he states that the Cylons have corrupted his software which is used on the Battlestar and new Vipers. It must have more to do with the fact that the Battlestar Galactica's computers are not networked or that they are old and maybe using an older version of software. The old Vipers could be using an older version of the software. Baltor apparently has a fix for the problem and they were going to update the new Mk7 Vipers. 

It would have been nice if the Space channel had aired the original first 2 episodes of the TV series. I saw on the net that someone claimed the original theatre movie was just an editted down version of the first 2-3 episodes of the series used to see to see if there was a market for the series.


----------



## PosterBoy

*the Mk2 definitely have targetting or "radar" computer screens*

The Mk2 has radar and a radio, and hydraulic control systems. The Mk7 has an integrated nav/targetting/communications computer system with fly by wire controls. The former isn't one that the Cylons can infiltrate, the latter is.

As to Baltars software, I believe that was more to do with the Caprica (and other colonies) defence systems, and Number 6 helped him write that software and used him to gain access to and shut down said defence systems.

At least that is what I took from it, But then, I watched the mini series when it came out 2 months ago. I'll have to watch it again.


----------



## MacNutt

Being a major sci-fi addict...and being in my mid twenties when the original Battlestar Galactica series first aired...

I went and saw the theatrical movie. It came out during the summer, before the fall debut of the TV series (I think it was 1983.)

I thought the movie SUCKED!! BIG TIME!!

And I thought the TV series was a total joke! Right on par with "Love Boat". Silly, silly stupid stuff. Below my radar. In every possible way and form.

I watched the Movie and about five episodes of the regular series of the original "Battlestar Galactica" when they first aired on TV. Then I wrote it off as total pap. And I haven't thought of it in about two decades.

But...I really like the new miniseries!

Edward James Olmos as Adama was enough to get my attention. I decided to watch the NEW Battlestar Galactica here in 2004...and I have NOT been disappointed! It's cool!  

I can hardly wait to see the next installment. 

BUT...I have one single complaint! It is this:

Why do so many of the newest productions insist upon this "shaky camera" thing? Is it supposed to make it more real?

And what about the "sudden zoom" effect? It looks really cheesy, to my eyes.

"Odyssey 5" was also cursed with this intentionally bad camera work. It looks fake...and takes away from the production, IMHO.

I'm doing a bunch of video features right now...and one has caught the eye of some big players. They want to sell it for real money. One of their complaints is that my early footage (on the first part of the video)... has quite a bit of "shaky camera" work and "sudden zoom" stuff.

It looks awful...and I agree. I'm going to modify my technique this summer, when I start shooting at the drag races again.

But what happens if I get MUCH better while the "Pro's" are trying to emulate my type of bad camera work?

What's up with that?









Reality is reality. Bad camera work looks bad. Good camera work is smooth and seamless and looks good. Simple as that.

Faking "reality" is just wayyy too sad. And it is a total cop-out.

I think this silly trend will pass. I am certainly going to try to get much smoother. I think that this may all be because there is some "Film Studies" teacher out there who thinks that this is "cool" and "leading edge" and has convinced all of his students to try it, once they hit the Big Time.

Some film teacher at a major California University who could NEVER get his stuff on the Big Screen, by the way. So he has found a way to make his presence felt, for the time being.

It's a dead end IMHO. Eventually Hollywood will catch up to the reality, and this "teacher" will be exposed for what he is...a failed hack.

And the "shaky camera work" that has been a part of this era, will be looked upon as an historical artifact that is characteristic of the period. Something that we will all giggle about in the distant future, when we see it.

We can only hope.

[ January 21, 2004, 04:55 AM: Message edited by: macnutt ]


----------



## Kosh

The movie "21 Grams" was worse than "Cold Mountain". The movie dealt with death and I think it died itself. 

Not only was it boring, but it was confusing. It was basically an almost random bunch of scenes at various point in times. At the beginning you never knew where you were in the timeline and what one scene had to do with the next. Of course haalf-way through the various scenes started making sense.


----------



## MacDoc

Watched the Contender and enjoyed it a second time. RT gives it a 75% rating I'd say a bit lower as it's a tad dated due to the current situation. Certainly a Clinton era movie and I'd say the US is about 30 years further back from this movie's contention  Good cast.


----------



## Max

A couple of weeks ago we sprang for Rogers Digital Cable, just the basic package. Right now we have two months free preview of all that's potentially available if you want to spend the big bucks, but to us it's overkill. We won't be getting anything else because all we really want is decent movies that air intact.

The four or five movie channels that air commercial-free flicks is the best deal of the lot -we've been watching quality stuff that's not your typical Hollywood fare. I guess for that very reason many would find them unsatisfactory. But we've been very surprised at the depth of these flicks - and the fact that they aren't callously butchered every six minutes by yet another inane commercial break is a huge bonus. I can't watch TBS Stupidstation any more for just this reason.

Anyway, two great flicks we watched in the past 24 hours include _Charlotte Grey_ with Cate Blanchett... great wartime France film with superb acting and nice supporting work from Billy Crudup and Michael Gambon. We also watched _Vidocq,_ a vividly surreal mystery/horror flick set in Paris... if anyone in here has seen _Brotherhood of the Wolf_ and loved that one as much as we did, this one is another one you'd like... fantastic sets, costumes and music, and really inventive camera work. Bizarre but very cool stuff.

Another gem was a mesmerizing Norwegian drama called _I am Dina. Fantastic cinematography and some talented fresh faces matched to an eerie narrative - another two hours well spent. I dunno, I just find this stuff a breath of fresh air. It's nice to see some European stuff that's a natural counterbalance to the Lethal Weapons and Porkys of this world._


----------



## MacDoc

A truly amazing movie both cast, visual and theme. The boy is out of this world. He is a total delight.
RT gave it a deserved 95% approval and this for a sub titled movie.  

Highly highly recommended - a solid theme with a punch and relevant today in a big way. Provocative, evocative entertainment gorgeously executed and scored.

Michael, Dr. G you'd enjoy this thoroughly.


----------



## PosterBoy

*Being a major sci-fi addict...and being in my mid twenties when the original Battlestar Galactica series first aired...

I went and saw the theatrical movie. It came out during the summer, before the fall debut of the TV series (I think it was 1983.)*

The original Battlestar Galactica series was on the air in 1978/79 and only lasted for 24 episodes. I know, because I got it on DVD for christmas.

Are you sure you didn;t end up watching the short lived and crappy second series where the galactica reached Earth? The original series is so campy it is hard to watch, but the second series was just bad.

*Why do so many of the newest productions insist upon this "shaky camera" thing? Is it supposed to make it more real? [...] And what about the "sudden zoom" effect? [...] It looks awful.*

When it's done right, it looks really, really cool. Problem is, no one seems to know how to do it right.

I'm not so keen on the zoom one, but the shaky camera one definitely can add to the atmosphere of a shot. Take for example, The Cowboy Bebop movie [1]. 

In the last fight scene, the "shaky camera" is done perfectly, you know how? It's not shaky at all, it looks like the camera man is having a hard time keeping up with the guys he's supposed to be filming. I've not seen the effect done better than here, although I have seen it done pretty well in some other places.

[1] Yes, it is animated, but the effect is emulated perfectly.


----------



## MaxPower

I just saw Seabiscuit last night.

At first I had no desire to watch it, but after I heard some people here talking about it I thought I would give it a try. Great movie! I really love under dog movies.

Although some of the FX were bad, the story more than made up for it.

Highly recommended.


----------



## MacDoc

Another mind bending movie and a true story. This movie has won a number of awards and deservedly so.

Seeing the actual "girls" that undertook this at the end of the movie is incredible.

A difficult subject handled with delicacy. A tribute to human courage and a cautionary tale about "meddling".
Very highly recommended. 87% RT rating.
A double header of this and Butterfly  Oh my.


----------



## SINC

I got the movie "Get Shorty" from my son for Christmas and I watched it last night. It is one of my favourites and I enjoyed it once again. A fine performance by Travolta, Hackman and DeVito, but the Ray "Bones" Barboni character played by Dennis Farina was hilarious.

Cheers


----------



## MacDoc

Sweet and quirky. A look at Beijing that may be surprising. Not in the class of the other two but worth the time.  

••••










Haunting images from a different world. I'm not really sure how to describe this movie. I was pleased to see RT give it a 90% rating.


My week of subtitles - I guess if they make it this far they are sure to move you.

Quite a double feature. 

[ January 31, 2004, 07:04 PM: Message edited by: MacDoc ]


----------



## Max

Ditto the thumbs-up on _Rabbit-proof fence._ Brilliant tale. Kenneth B. plays one heartless [email protected] hiding behind a facade of elegant efficiency.


----------



## MacDoc

Y'know Max I think he plays out further than that.
This was the time of eugenics right around the world and the most horrid things were done with the best of intentions.

I think he caught that sense - and therefore I think heartless is the wrong term. It's never so easy as that. These are shattered cultures - looks what's happening in some Inuit communities with addiction.

No easy answers. Destroy 10,000 years of a way of life - there will be casualties. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

In these cases we DO suffer the sins of our fathers and there is no absolution that I know of.

Western and European cultures have and continue to destroy indigenous cultures. Our loss.


----------



## Max

Agreed that "heartless" is perhaps the wrong term. Perhaps he was tragically single-minded in his quest and simply failed to take heed of his heart - that he wasn't heartless so much as he was living in his head at the expense of his heart. Compassion was somehow shunted aside in favour of a bureaucratic adherence to procedure and 'going by the book.' Some people need more order than others; I think Brannagh's character was one of those persons. His failing lay in attaching greater importance to form than he did function. But perhaps we might agree to disagree over this matter.

But another flick that really arrested me is one I just finished watching earlier this evening, a gritty Toronto International Film Festival award-winner called _Khaled._ It was riveting, with not an ounce of fat in it. No wasted gestures, no overblown narrative pegged down by name-brand actors - just a stripped-down, utterly compelling small film that was scathing in its portrayal of a young boy's plight once his mother dies. If you ever have a chance to see it - on the tube or in one of the alternative cinema houses - and you crave a story that cannot possibly be mistaken for crass Hollywood escapism, I recommend this one to you. It's heartbreaking yet entirely lacking in cheap sentimentality; no romantic scoring to soften the blow of a gripping, appalling tale. It's bursting with humanity but it's so far from what we usually get via celluloid these days that one might be tempted to dismiss it as too crude, too raw. At any rate, we were knocked for a loop, my gal and I.

Love chatting about film. What a great medium. Cheers, MacDoc.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah I thought Branaugh played it right on - the sort of owl-eyed perplexity "but we're doing the right thing for them, how can they not understand that".

These subtitled gems I've been exploring come with little or no fanfare - so unlike Cold Mountain which was a let down - I'm not bringing expectations to the table.
It's very nice to get surprised by a movie.
I find more and more I enjoy them at home where I'm not distracted by noisy people, sticky floors, out of focus screens and people that leave 2 seconds before the credits roll  

I was pleasantly surprised by the video quality on several of these. Very good transfers.









I'll look for Khaled - got restock the treats tonight and exchange a messed up "Brotherhood of the Wolf" that did not even get to the 'Play Movie screen before freezing


----------



## Max

[email protected] - _Brotherhood of the Wolf_ is a fine film. Hope you get a decent copy next time! I'd be interested to know what you think of it.

Yeah, I agree with you about the optimum conditions for watching flicks. I can barely tolerate commercial interruptions now, so we are increasingly watching only commercial-free digital movie stations or we still rent the occasional DVD... for that matter, most of the time we'll buy DVDs of flicks we like. Don't get out to the theatre much anymore, but for stuff like LOTR I think it's essential. Most films don't demand that wide-screen experience, so I'm happy to watch a lot of stuff from the comfort of our bedroom.


----------



## Griller

I finally got a chance to see *Finding Nemo* and see what all the attention was about... and um yeeeahhhhh, it's an _awesome_ movie. The underwater scenes of coral reefs were amazing! Quite funny and it can get you going at times. Dudes, you gotta take a ride on the EAC!

I also saw Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life. I didn't like this one that much. If I had to pick between the first and the second I'd say the first Tomb Raider is much better.


----------



## David MacFadyen

Lost in Translation

OK only.
Mildly funny; very slow especially for an American film. 
It was of value though to get a glimpse of life in Japan.


----------



## MacDoc

Good assessment. The raves it's been getting I think are political to get Murray some Oscar action. The film was written for him and he played what there was well.

The slow sort of disorented ( sorry horrible pun ) action was likely deliberate as were some of the soft focus shots - it's indicative of the head space ( speaking from experience ) that you are in when confronted with a 12 hour time shift AND Tokyo plus Japanese quirks leaves one in a rather dreamy state and I think Murray played that well.

Tall in Toyko is a very weird thing on top of all the rest.
I also though a middle movie done well for the topic.


----------



## The Doug

*Howards End*. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I think it's fantastic. Superb cast & screenplay, and typically excellent Merchant-Ivory production values.


----------



## blue sky

Attended a screening of "The Corporation" the other day, and was fortunate enough to have the director, Mark Achbar, dialogue with the audience for a while.

A definite "must view" for everyone and Macnutt especially.  

If you can make it to the theatre in the cities where it is currently playing, please do so. It will also be shown on TVO on February 25th, for those who enjoy watching movies at home.

If you cannot view it in person, maybe head over to www.thecorporation.com .


----------



## Dr.G.

Saw "Somethings Gotta Give" last night with my wife. We both laughed, but understood the undercurrent theme as well. Jack and Diane were great in their roles.


----------



## SINC

Last night I noticed a movie I had not heard of before on the Aboriginal People's Television Network and decided to watch it.

It is based on a true story of the Indian Squanto in the 1600's and his efforts at peace with Europeans settling North America.

His vision of living together in peace with the white man resulted in a treaty which lasted for 50 years or so before being broken by the newcomers.

It was an informative and eye opening movie and I enjoyed it.

The movie, "Squanto, A Warrior's Tale" is from Disney Studios.










Cheers


----------



## wonderings

Just saw The Butterfly Effect yesterday night, and I was very suprised at how good it was. I was worried when I saw that Aston Kutcher was in the movie. But I thought it was a really well done and interesting movie.


----------



## Kosh

I saw The Butterfly Effect too. It was a much better movie than I thought it was going to be. It sorta reminded me of the movie The Time Machine.


----------



## MacDoc

Oooh Howard's End thanks for the reminder. That was terrific. MT cup o tea for sure. I generally really like Merchant Ivory films. Nice to be able to do what you love and damn the critics.....or the box office.

Been on a movie jag this weekend.









Not bad, gorgeous scenery - a bit of a formula plot tho. I think RT gave it a high rating just to encourage Costner after a string of duds. Not badly cast but perhaps a tad over symbolized.
Guns actually sounded like guns and indeed had the physics - two barrels of a shotgun will indeed wreak havoc and be VERY LOUD,

This was good









Beautifully photographed and scored. I won't tell you too much. Cate Blanchette is terrific in this. :nice:


----------



## MacNutt

Just for the record...I plan on watching "Corporation" as soon as I can.

I also always watch all of Michael Moore's movies and have all of his books and videos in my library.

I usually sit down to watch this sort of stuff in the company of my many leftist friends here on Salt Spring. (I have a giant TV set...and we have all known each other for several decades. We enjoy the debate!) 

Plus... I just want to see their reaction to the proferred "data".

Then, we all go online and start checking the "facts".

It's often quite enlightening.

















To say the least.


----------



## MacDoc

"They had no vote, no political clout, no equal rights. But what they lacked under the law they made up for with brains, determination and courage. Oscar®-winner Hilary Swank leads an outstanding cast in the inspirational true story of two women who dared to make a stand for women's rights, and ended up shaping the future of America."

A Katja von Garnier Film
Hilary Swank  Frances O'Connor  Julia Ormond and Anjelica Huston

There's a quicktime trailer but do try and snag the film. If you have any interest in history very well portrayed you enjoy this immensely.

Once in a while you get reminded about the struggles that created the rights and freedoms we are proud of.

Rent this film and you'll be inspired.
The score is marvelous as well.

Just a terrific cast and an wonderful tale of courage and perserverance. Too many superlatives to get it all across just watch it if you can.
••••

Strange MacNutt, American politicians have had to be dragged kicking and screaming into honouring it's own ideals for a long time - not much new under the sun is there..  

"Stupid White Men".......yep 

[ February 17, 2004, 05:04 PM: Message edited by: MacDoc ]


----------



## LGBaker

That looks quite interesting, Macdoc. I'll make an effort to find it and watch.

I watched "Fidel" last night. It was interesting, too, but a little tedious. If you are looking for action, look elsewhere.


----------



## Max

I'll second that opinion, MacDoc... _Heaven_ is mesmerizing. Cate B. is utterly watch-able in most anything she does... one of the finest actors of her generation. Ribisi is a criminally underrated actor, too... a real firecracker of talent.

In this film the direction is wonderfully understated; so much happens in the silent interstices. That ending, too... sheer magic realism... impossible and preposterous, yet soulful somehow, and searingly evocative.


----------



## MacDoc

Max have you seen * Smilla's Sense of Snow* ?? Another moody masterpiece - dark winter against Heaven's Iltalian summer. My only disappointment was the ending. The book was good as well.

We've got a wonderful crew of women actors these days.









Hilary Swank was marvelous in the lead in Iron Jaw. Flashing eyes and steely determination playing Alice Paul the central figure. 
What a cast over-all.
http://www.hbo.com/films/ironjawedangels/cast/

I love Julia Ormand in everything I've seen her in. 










••••

Speaking of terrific woman actors - this is worth getting.










Terrific movie - star studded in cameo roles with a very strong performance by Hayek. A marvelous story about art and politics intertwined......and true


----------



## Visual-Q

If you ever get a chance watch the original BBC miniseries Traffic, probably the best made for TV film I've ever seen and vastly superior the recent remake by SS.


----------



## Max

Agreed that the original _Traffic_ is superior to the S.S. version, but his was also a very good flick. The best thing about the first one was the utter lack of distracting Hollywood star power bs.; it made for a far grittier depiction of things.

And agreed MacDoc, that _Frida_ was great... we bought the DVD recently. Haven't seen _Simila's Sense of Snow,_ though... will be on the lookout for it.

My latest recommendation: a period war piece called _The four feathers_... set in the Sudan during British colonial days. Wicked film, great tale about friendship and betrayal... we really enjoyed watching this on digital last night. Keep an eye out for it! Cheers.


----------



## MacDoc

To think I almost took this movie....this.EPIC!!..back without watching it.









I picked it out on t he sub-titles shelf as it had a interesting look, didn't watch it and then at the last minute renewed it. Glad I did.
I didn't check RT and sat down unemcumbered by expectations.

Well MORE than 3 1/2 hours later- yes foks you read that right 225 minutes - I've just been mesmerized.

You've heard the stuff about Bollywood........well this is the BIG MOVIE.
If you have any sense of adventure and entertainment, try and find this movie and settle in with a giant bowl of popcorn.

The music is just fabulous. RT gives it an astounding 94%.

One caution - make sure the copy you have is pristine. Clean the DVD first as with that much movie on a single disc it stresses your player to limit for error correction. Watch it with a good sound system as the music and song are just wonderful.

And don't be put off with "song" - that's Bollywood tradition and it's a terrific tale - funny, heartbreaking gorgeous all at once.

Roll West Side Story, into Gone with the Wind, into the Last Emperor into Remember the Titans.  This is entertainment on a grand scale...don't miss it.

Oh and by the way - you'lll FINALLY learn about cricket.  

A few of the RT raves









""In some ways, Lagaan is quintessential Bollywood. Except it's much, much better."
-- John Anderson, NEWSDAY

  "Manages to be both hugely entertaining and uplifting."
-- Aseem Chhabra, BOSTON GLOBE

  "An enormously entertaining movie, like nothing we've ever seen before, and yet completely familiar."
-- Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/Lagaan-1111568/


----------



## PosterBoy

For anyone who likes stupid-funny movies, be sure to check out Super Troopers. Stupid Funny, but funny. I look forward to Club Dread.

Also, National Lampoons' Van Wilder. It's a bit juvenile at times (or you know, the whole time) but it is very funny. Canadian born Ryan Reynolds does a great job with the part, too.


----------



## Kosh

Shrek 2 is coming and it looks just as good as the first one. They had a bigger trailer than the one I linked to on TV after they showed the first Shrek.


----------



## Griller

Just saw *Bruce Almighty* on DVD. It's pretty good. One of Carey's better movies, I think. My girlfriend thought it was good too and there was one particular sequence which was HILARIOUS (the 'voice control' scene).

*Jeepers Creepers 2* on DVD. OH WELL, at least it was... at least it had... yeah, don't see this movie. If you want some good scares *don't* see this movie.


----------



## mrjimmy

Has anyone seen The Republic of Love? It is directed by Canadian Deepa Mehta, based on the Carol Shields novel of the same name. I would be interested in what you thought.


I also saw Mystic River recently. Perhaps a new category for next year's Oscars: overacting for both supporting and best actor/ actress...


----------



## Max

I saw Deepa Metha's _Bollywood Hollywood_ flick a few months ago... thought it was great.

As for _Mystic River,_ I saw that on the weekend. I can't imagine where you're talking about instances of over-acting. Are you commenting on Penn? That's the only one whose role I could even begin to see as having that potential. Robbin's character was a hooded, internalized role, Bacon was playing it very straight up, Harden and Linney gave excellent performances.

I dunno. Penn's character has his first daughter, his favourite one, brutally murdered. I thought that how he handled his grief was extremely credible. I also thought that his tortured yet bitterly defiant reaction at the end of the film, the moment when he commented that he'd found out the identity of the murderer "too late," was entirely in keeping with his character.

Care to expound on your views a little?


----------



## Kosh

Man, our movie thread slipped way back...

I saw the movie "Hildago" this weekend. It was a packed theatre even though it was a Saturday matinee (I usually go Sat. afternoon to miss the crowd, but it didn't work this time). It was a great story. A good amount of action, drama, and a great leading actor/horse. Haven't seen a western/Arabian movie for awhile. 

For LOTR fans, the lead actor is the actor who played Aragon in LOTR.


----------



## MaxPower

Has any one heard of Famous Players not accepting the two for one movie passes that you get from Air Miles?

I usually cash in some of my Air Miles for the passes because $14.50 is criminal. A buddy of mine told me that he and his wife went to the movies on a Saturday night and the passes were refused. Apparently Famous Players is only accepting the passes on certain nights.

Funny, but I don't see that on the pass anywhere that they are only good on certain nights nor was that ever implied. Should Famous Players still accept these passes that were bought before the changes were made?


----------



## The Librarian

all of these recently viewed movies are good:

American Splender
Capturing The Friedmans
24 hour Party People
Lost In Translation


----------



## Kosh

I've only used the Airmiles passes once, about a year ago, but wouldn't they fall under that "No Passes" rule that famous players uses from time to time on certain nights of the week and on certain popular movies. I always see this "No Passes" thing on the big sign nowadays, which I assume covers those cereal box passes, Famous player passes and any other passes... as Jean would say a pass is a pass is a pass.


----------



## rollee

my all time favourite is 'the parent trap' (new verison).
the last excellent movie i saw is' big fish'-great story.


----------



## Cynical Critic

I saw _The Missing_ and wasn't very wowed or entertained. I checked my watch part way through. The plot was predictable and the characters were mostly dull. The landscape was beautiful and the acting is good but the movie just doesn't come together.

I also saw _The Passion_ and was numbed after witnessing all the violence. I thought Mel had got his share with _Braveheart_. I imagine the film is very personal for some people and I don't want to judge one way or the other. I liked the use of imagery. However, I felt the violence was over the top and Gibson should have presented more of the human story and the human element instead of focusing mainly on the horrors Jesus endured his last day.


----------



## MaxPower

> I always see this "No Passes" thing on the big sign nowadays, which I assume covers those cereal box passes, Famous player passes and any other passes


I've been using these passes for about two years now and have never ran into any problems with them.

It was only until recently that the problems came to my attention when my buddy mentioned he wasn't able to redeem them because of the restrictions.


----------



## Traveling Wilbury

*Hollywood Bollywood* ...

F*&!ing Hilarious...


----------



## The Doug

Rewatched *Contact* this evening.

So good.


----------



## Griller

I saw *Starsky & Hutch* today. It was decent. It wasn't quite the laugh-fest that I expected from movie starring Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, and Vince Vaughn, but it had it's moments. Seeing the ol' red and white Ford Gran Torino however was a treat, I _loved_ the original show as a kid mainly because of the car


----------



## PosterBoy

The Man from Elysian Fields. It's not a great movie, but it's well written and Mick Jagger plays his part better than you'd probably expect.

Check it out.


----------



## MacDoc

Perhaps a bit of an offset to the Passion passion that's been about.










A totally inspiring film with a terrific cast. 
Pierce Brosnan and Aidan Quinn amongst others in a true story about an average Irish working man taking on the powers of kirk and state in 1950s Ireland to reunite his family.

The first step in correcting unjust laws is courage to try.
Highly recommended.  

The Magdalene Sisters up next  










Both true stories and perhaps in part why a number of us cast a jaundiced eye religion's way.  

Perhaps as much cruelty as in Caesar's name.


----------



## MacDoc

An excellent pick me up after a long winter.
Enjoy the Tuscan sun in this gorgeous and well cast film.  

Oh my what a brilliant double header tho I now end up disgusted with Canadian culinary opportunities


















Around to the other side of the world in Taipai and an equally wonderful movie. Also gorgeously film and beuatifully acted. Funny and sumptuous.
Fantastic to watch cooking as a fine art and the heart of a family. I'm not doing a good job of discribing this feast for eyes and heart. Just watch it.  

You may be headed for the closest REAL Chinese eatery near you wiht a happy heart. Enjoy.  

•••••

Traveling if you liked Hollywood Bollywood grab Lanatana then for sure. 
You may like Deepa Mehta Fire and Earth. Two of the three part trilogy from one of India's premiere movie makers, tho more serious themes.

*Earth* in particular for the look at the India Pakistan partition terrific cast and production values.








..........








* Fire* for the the clash of modern India with it's traditions.

[ March 20, 2004, 12:46 AM: Message edited by: MacDoc ]


----------



## The Doug

Rewatched Woody Allen's *Crimes and Misdemeanors* on DVD last evening. This, _Manhattan Murder Mystery_ and the much earlier _Sleeper_ are my favourite Allen films, and I recommend each of them highly but for widely differing reasons.


----------



## MacDoc

Okay you mix a young girl with dreams of running away to Atlantic City in Depession Era US, loves horses, gets a job with a show......lives her dream.........well you know....shmaltzy as it comes a screen writers' delight..... especially with Disney footing the bill so who really cares if it's fantasy stuff all nicely worked out by the writers............. 'cept for one small detail

IT'S TRUE!!!!!!  

Once again the story that would likely get left on the "reject pile" turns out to be a terrifically inspirational true story. One of the more unlikely and totally heartwarming TRUE stories you'll ever come across.

I won't tell you more...other than she died a couple of years ago at the ripe age of 99.
Watch the movie and THEN look up her name on Google.


----------



## Roland

Sheer classics...
















WILD STALLIONS!


----------



## MacDoc

Hmmmm *Returner* ET done Japanese style with lots of the Matrix tossed in for style. A bit of transformers just for spice. Big budget Japanese flick - lot's of derivatives that are fun for fans of Anime.









Then Michael Moore's










he IS a funny man. 

[ March 28, 2004, 10:22 AM: Message edited by: MacDoc ]


----------



## mrjimmy

Has anyone seen Luck?

I've read some lack-lustre reviews...

Check out this site web page 

Perhaps a grass roots movement will help invigorate an industry that has never been.


----------



## MacDoc

Well that did not do much to improve my view of America









Strong performance by Hopkins and Joan Allen. I suspect it was more forgiving than it might have been.
Oliver Stone has a strong sense of the innuendo but likely the truth is far more sinister than any film makers imagination.

Hoskins is truly sinister as J Edgar Hoover......very scary as was Kissinger.....

Bottom line one is left wondering exactly how a creep of this magnitude had his fingerr on the world's trigger   

No amount of post death eulogies can blot out that particular stain.  

Sow the wind.....

••••

Well that was quite a depressing double header on the state of man's inhumanity  

Atom Egoyan is a national treasure.










A film within a film - this lyrical and beautifully photographed ( much in Toronto ) illuminates a little known holocaust in Turkey in 1915 where the heartland and the hearts of the Armenian people was cut out in a horrendously brutal genocide that is still denied by the Turks.

Woven in with a modern story of the impacts on the surviving Armenians into current times as only Egoyan can.
He is truly a magician in cinema and seeig his raft of familiar actors including his talented and beautiful wife once more brings an almost unique auteur approach to modern film. 

Only David Lynch perhaps keeps the a set of familiars around him in a similar way.

If you like Egoyan you'll probably enjoy this film despite the pathos of the inner subject. Egoyan both understands cinema and takes it to exceptional heights of excellence. 

He IS unique and Canada should be proud of having such a talent in our midst.
Not for everyone but a very good film IMNSHO. 

[ March 30, 2004, 01:30 AM: Message edited by: MacDoc ]


----------



## MacDoc

Okay triple header







Damn True Channel gets me hooked every time and it was a 3 hour monster.

Welll cast true about an innocent family man and soldier caught up in the "system".










3+ years on death row thanks to blind and ambitious cops and a prosecution that was just about brought up on criminal conduct charges for their part in the affair.

Here's the heroes

http://www.beaverholt.com/beaver.html 

I actually sent them a note after seeing this movie.


----------



## MacDoc

A much better movie than Lost in Translation and a look at TWO cultures at once.
A pair of German brothers on a funny and heart warming stumble through Tokyo and a week in a Japanese monastery

Subtitled but that is no hindrance - it's light hearted but makes it's point in a gentle way that leaves you with a


----------



## The Doug

Watched another Woody Allen film last evening: Bullets Over Broadway.


----------



## canuck1975

Finally saw 










It was weird seeing Sarah Polley all... blockbusterish... and even weirder knowing where it was filmed (Thornhill Square) and then seeing the Madison Centre. 

Other than that slight distraction, I really enjoyed it. I think I prefer my zombies to be dumb and slow moving, but it still was a fun ride!


----------



## Kosh

I saw the Walking Tall movie with the Rock. I thought the Rock was good in the role, but that they could have added another fight scene or two. In my view they went too fast through the "cleaning up the town" part. I can't remember who played the major role in the original '70s movies. Was it Nick Nolte? I do remember watching the original movies.


----------



## Griller

*Dawn of the Dead* (the 'new' one in theatres): This movie was better than I thought it would be. I'm not a big horror movie buff, but I can say that's it's been a while since I saw a decent horror movie. This movie earns it's 'R' rating with lots of blood, gore, and violence.

A few roles played by some notable names that you may not expect to find in this type of movie: Ving Rhames, Sarah Polley, the guy who played 'Max Headroom,' Mekhi Pfieffer.


----------



## Wolfshead

Just watched Sexy Beast again (for the third time). Brilliant. Especially Ben Kingsley. I love his "I know a bloke, who knows a bloke" speech.


----------



## Pamela

hhmm..I forgot about Sexy Beast. If I remember correctly though, I think I preferred, Lock, Stock and Smoking Barrel. I was on a british movie kick for a while there..."toupee"...a guy is a toupee salesman in Ireland I believe?...., "greenthumbs", a bunch of inmates start a garden at their prison and go to the national finals....., then there's the one about the older woman who is known for her gardening who gets divorced and needs money so she starts growing huge, potent weed...., then there's the one with the old man who has won the lottery in a small small town, and drops dead...and they don't find him till ages later and the town shares the money....

That was a good stint of films.

Just saw Something's Gotta Give. Personally I thought it was fantastic...I heard it wasn't though?? Maybe it's just because I've seen a lot of bad movies lately so this one was good in comparison? Regardless...I liked it.


----------



## Pamela

and on a side note...I wish Julia Stiles would stop making movies. I'm tired of seeing her dull, boring, unconvincing, manly voiced face on tv trailers. Puke.


----------



## The Doug

> ...then there's the one with the old man who has won the lottery in a small small town, and drops dead...and they don't find him till ages later and the town shares the money...


That would be Waking Ned Devine. I have it on DVD - it's great. Warm, very funny, very non-Hollywood.


----------



## Strongblade

The last two movies i saw in the theatres would be about a week and a half ago. Scooby Doo 2 (which was light fun but definitely aimed at kids) and Starsky and Hutch which was also a fun movie.

recently rewatched The Italian Job (the remake) which is a good flick as well as Monty Python's Life of Brian.


----------



## Pamela

Thanks Doug...that was the name









I just got back from seeing the "...Spotless Mind" movie with Jim Carrey et al.

Crazy flick.

I believe I enjoyed it, but I'll tell you tomorrow in case I have any bad dreams!


----------



## Wolfshead

Who's Julia Stiles?


----------



## Pamela

http://www.juliastiles.net/movies.html


----------



## The Doug

I re-watched Dark City this past weekend. Not everyone's cup of tea, but to me it's great...


----------



## canuck1975

I'm excited about Kill Bill being on DVD and Vol 2 being out on Friday... *buzzbuzzbuzz*


----------



## Strongblade

Saw Hellboy this past Sunday. A fun movie. Definitely spot-on casting for the lead role... Ron Perlman was perfect as Hellboy.

I've never read the comics nor really had much interest in seeing the movie, but my friend convinced me. It was a blast.

A good 'popcorn' movie.


----------



## PosterBoy

I just watched American Psycho last night. It was very tame. I had a couple of friends telling me it was gory and scary and terrible but really there was little gore, it wasn't scary and it was an all right movie.

The book, however, is it's own breed of disturbing.


----------



## canuck1975

Have you seen The Rules of Attraction? It's a great great great movie!


----------



## PosterBoy

I bought it at work for $8. I am going to watch it this week, and hopefully pick up the book after I finish reading 'Less Than Zero'.


----------



## Bilbo

Kosh,

Walking Tall... "I can't remember who played the major role in the original '70s movies. Was it Nick Nolte? I do remember watching the original movies."

If I remember correctly Buford T. Pusser was played by Joe Don Baker.

B


----------



## canuck1975

PB: The movie's a pretty good adaptation of the book, although they do change major parts of it... I think you'll enjoy both if you're a B.E.E. fan.


----------



## Kosh

> If I remember correctly Buford T. Pusser was played by Joe Don Baker.


Yes, you're correct. I looked it up via google because it bugged me. I thought it was someone more popular. Then again, maybe Joe Don Baker was more popular back then.


----------



## PosterBoy

Walking Tall, 1973 at IMDb.

I am becoming a B.E.E. fan. I like his writing style.


----------



## canuck1975

I'm not sure if you know this, but one of the main characters from Rules (Sean) is the brother of the main character of Psycho (Patrick). And, the guy who spends the semester in Europe (Victor) grows up to be the main character of Glamorama. He likes his characters, it seems!


----------



## Pamela

Just saw the "The Delicate Art of Parking" last night. What a HOOT! Especially for a person with a bit of a...ahem...record...here in Vancouver. LOL!

The audience was laughing the whole time. It was great. Shot in Vancouver too.


----------



## Dr.G.

My wife and I plan to go and see "The Alamo" tomorrow night. I have watched every version since the original Walt Disney version with Fess Parker as Davy Crockett. I only hope that THIS time the Texans win. We shall see.


----------



## canuck1975

Hehe... The Texans won't win, McG, Mel Gibson didn't direct the movie  

Yesterday afternoon I went to see Kill Bill Vol. 2. Wow, it was a great great great great GREAT movie. While I didn't leave Vol. 2 with the same adrenaline rush that I'd had after Vol. 1, I did leave with a better appreciation of the story as a whole. 

For anyone who saw Vol. 1, GO SEE THIS. If you haven't seen the first one, get the DVD first, watch it, then see Vol. 2. Everything is resolved and makes sense when you leave the theatre after Vol. 2!


----------



## Macaholic

I really want to check out the Kill Bill*s*, and will rent 1 before seeing 2.


----------



## The Doug

Bought some DVDs last weekend:

*Kill Bill Volume 1*: Preposterous ultraviolence, very stylish, strangely comical and easy to watch. But in my opinion Tarantino's best work was (and will probably remain,) Pulp Fiction. 

*Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country*: Haven't seen this one in a little while and I really enjoyed watching it again. TUC is tied with First Contact as my favourite Trek film, for myriad reasons. 

*Matrix Revolutions*: Much better than Reloaded but neither of these two films had the same _wowee factor_ for me, as the first film did. Still, it's decent popcorn entertainment.


----------



## MannyP Design

*A Bridge Too Far*










Picked it up at Rogers Video for $10 on DVD (new). What a great movie, I gotta tell ya. Lots of big-name actors in it (Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins, James Caan, Gene Hackman, Robert Redford and more).


----------



## Pamela

Saw Seducing Dr.Lewis/Le Grand Seduction (given 4 stars by viewers) Tuesday night. What a nice French Canadian movie. I usually don't prefer subtitles (nor does my husband) but it was pretty simple diaglogue and you didn't even notice you were reading 1/4 of the way through









Beautiful scenery, highly recommended.


----------



## Griller

I saw *Kill Bill Vol. 1* over the weekend. Personally, I do NOT see what all the hype was about. Don't get me wrong, it's a decent action movie. In the way of 'story,' I wish there was more. But I guess from what the audience is told, it's a really basic story with not much to be told. With out the backstory of almost each of the 'villains' this movie may have been half as long.

The _little_ surprise at the end actually made me think about seeing Vol.2 in theatre. We'll see


----------



## MannyP Design

Whatta coincidence, I saw Kill Bill Volume 2 over the weekend, and thought it was better than Volume 1 -- which I wasn't too thrilled about but reserved final judgement until I saw Volume 2.

Now that I have, I think Volume 1 is something I'll appreciate a little more once I see it again. I loved the blend of various styles and such...adds to mood of the different chapters.


----------



## The Doug

Um, er... I watched Zoolander this past weekend. Deliriously _stupid_. Loved it.


----------



## Kosh

I finally saw Kill Bill Vol. 2 and have to agree with the others, it's much better than Vol. 1. I think there was more story than killing in Vol. 2 and I loved the ending. Interesting use of black and white filming too... that part looked very 60-ish (alot of good TV shows and movies in the 60's).


----------



## Griller

I saw *TROY* a few days ago. Pretty good movie! Sort of along the lines of Gladiator in terms of quality, style, and type of action that you can expect. I don't know how historically accurate it is but it was quite entertaining.


----------



## Lawrence

I'm counting the days until Shrek 2 debuts 
I hope it opens at a theatre close to my area.

I hear it got a standing ovation at the Cannes festival.

The first 5 minutes at Shrek2.com 

Or you can enter the site this way:

http://www.shrek2.com/


Dave 

[ May 19, 2004, 06:40 PM: Message edited by: dolawren ]


----------



## MacDaddy

I saw The Delicate Art of Parking this weekend. FANTASTIC flick! Great acting from everybody, great storyline to boot. Check it out for sure!


----------



## Kosh

Yeah, I can't wait for Shrek 2, too. I get a kick out of the Donkey... or should I say Stallion.

As for Troy, I saw it, and thought it was good. I liked the fight and war scenes, and found the Achilles character interesting. But I have to admit that some of the acting wasn't spectacular.


----------



## Pamela

Saw Troy last night.

Terrible.

I wish I could have gone to the Shrek opening tonight...I was looking soooo forward  boo hooo. Guess I'll have to wait till next week.


----------



## Griller

I saw *Van Helsing* yesterday. It was much better than I thought it would be and I _did_ have some preconceptions about the movie due to _some_ reviews (not favouring the movie) which I usually try to avoid. I was pleasantly surprised! Personally, I think *Van Helsing is pretty cool / fun!*

If you liked The Mummy & The Mummy Returns you may like this --- a good action/ adventure movie, with a sense of humour, that's not dark/serious all the time.


----------



## Strongblade

Saw Van Helsing on Saturday and I agree with Griller. It's a fun 'turn your brain off' action movie. Much better than I was expecting, but still very dumb in alot of ways.

"Slick, dumb fun".

Also, on Sunday i saw Shrek 2. An absolute blast! I can see why it's doing so well. Incredibly funny!


----------



## MannyP Design

Here's my thoughts on Troy... as told by Penny Arcade:


----------



## Strongblade

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA whoops! *THUD* HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA.

That was damn funny.


HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!


----------



## Pelao

saw Shrek 2
Very good animation etc, but I enjoyed the first one much more. 
#2 was just too predictable for me.


----------



## Lawrence

I've been looking at what's coming down the pipe for later
this year and saw a trailer for "Garfield" with my iTunes 4.5
player, It looks like it's going to be a hit.

The animation mixed with real reality scenes for Garfield is
quite unusual, I'm not sure if it's going to work, But it looks
better than some other mixed animation/reality movies I've
seen in the past like Roger Rabbit.

Also another animated new movie called "The incredibles"
looked interesting as well, Although I can see that it looks
similar to the Fantastic four, Except more of a spoof.

Dave


----------



## khummsein

> Also another animated new movie called "The incredibles"
> looked interesting as well, Although I can see that it looks
> similar to the Fantastic four, Except more of a spoof.


and by pixar. excellent.


----------



## Kosh

The Chronicles of Riddick ( http://www.thechroniclesofriddick.com/ ) looks good. It stars Vin Diesel as Richard Riddick which seems to be the same character he played in pitch black, and I thought he played the character really well.


----------



## Griller

I saw *Shrek 2* today. This movie is A HUGE LET DOWN. The only reason this movie is doing well at the box office is that it's riding the coat-tails of the original Shrek (which I thought was awesome).

The original Shrek movie was a journey and an adventure --- it had a story (especially when compared to Shrek 2). Shrek 2 is actually *boring* at times, it's goes NO WHERE. It had a few moments but no where near what you'd expect. It's also not very original either with the exception of the inclusion of a 'classic' fairy-tale character (Puss n boots) and a small bit by the Ginger-bread man (from the original Shrek --- he's awesome). The original Shrek was a hilariously good time, Shrek 2 is not.

I'm surprised at how bad this movie is considering it came from such a great original. Kids may like it. Unfortunately, it's another instance of a poor sequel, *Shrek 2 is boring waste of time and money*. This is a cartoon sequel that should have gone _straight_ to rental.


----------



## CubaMark

I saw "The Day After Tomorrow" this evening.... 

The special effects were 95% excellent. A minor quibble with the wolves, but otherwise very nice. The tidal wave that hits N.Y.C. is particularly good, as the filmmaker avoided the huge, cresting, towering wave that is usually employed, instead going for a more realistic (?) rolling wave.

The aspect of the film that bothered me the most was this: it's the _happiest_ disaster movie I've ever seen! No-one seems terribly concerned about the death and destruction going on around them, and the kids in the film are all happy-happy, while their families are almost certainly dead. A little character development would have been nice.

And Dennis Quaid should be told never to smile when he's in a serious film, even in humourous moments. That face! The man should have been cast to play the Riddler...

Still, a film worth seeing. It certainly does make you think about the complete lack of any disaster planning we have as a society.









M


----------



## PosterBoy

* It certainly does make you think about the complete lack of any disaster planning we have as a society.*

It's worth noting, though, that the disaster (or series of disasters) that takes place in The Day After Tomorrow would take decades (if not more) to play out in real life.


----------



## CubaMark

True, however....

I live on peninsular Halifax, within spitting distance of the Atlantic ocean. It has crossed my mind, on occasion, that all that needs to happen to wipe this city out would be (a) a mid-Atlantic undersea earthquake or (b) a large-ish meteor strike anywhere in the Atlantic to trigger a tidal wave.

The odds of a meteorite hitting the city are very low... the Atlantic, though, is rather large.

 
M


----------



## Kosh

Oooh, I heard there is a new Pink Pather movie coming. Apparently Steve Martin will play Peter Sellers' role, Inspector Clouseau. Nobody could every replace Peter Sellers, but Steve Martin might come close.

I can hear that Pink Panther song already...


----------



## hmto

I would have to concur with griller about Shrek. Big yawnn for the first half and thankfully picked up thaks largely in part to Puss. Stole the show I felt. 

Day after tomorrow, great special effects but poor story, not to mention ludicrous storyline. Snowstorm equals foot travel from Philly to New York with rattan seats for snowshoes. Works for me...


----------



## Pamela

Well I'm glad I wasn't the only one that thought that about the first half of Shrek. I thought that my judgement of the first part was skewed due to the fact that 5 minutes into the previews I discovered a puddle of coke in my lap due to the fact that my cup was puctured at the bottom....then 5 minutes into the film our big bag of popcorn lost it's balance in my hand and dispite 3 or 4 attempts at trying to recover my grasp the bag tipped over and spilled it's contents on the head/ear/shoulder/lap of the older gentleman sitting in front of me with his grandson (who said stadium seating was a good thing??  ). I was in tears for the first 25 mintues of the movie. I don't think I've ever done something so embarrassing in my entire life.  

It was puss in boots that got me back in the mood....

*sigh* I was SOOO looking forward to that movie. I swear I'm NEVER a clutsy person. It must have been my nervous anticipation of seeing the movie that created the problems


----------



## Loafer

Saw SuperSize Me last week.

Very amusing documentary. Obviously a bit biased and that anyone who only ever eats one type of food for a month is obviously going to get sick.
The guys doctor for some reason reminded me of Saddam Hussein throughout the film.
All in all a very funny piece of film making.....though not a terribly informative piece of documentary making, but that might be because I knew it all anyway and more after reading 'Fast Food Nation'


----------



## Cynical Critic

*Shrek 2* was funny. I do admit it felt more like an extended sitcom episode than a movie. However, *Shrek* is over-rated in my mind partly because I had to sit through it twice on a plane and found it had little replay value on the third and fourth time round. I find it funny how part 2 seems much more hit or miss with viewers. I thought the two were on par with each other. 1 is definitely more plot-driven and 2 had more allusions, puns and bawdy jokes.

*The Delicate Art of Parking* is a peculiar Canadian gem. The film is a mockumentary about parking attendants in Vancouver. Having worked with similar employees in Canada Customs, I found the movie funny and familiar. The film is slow-paced and quirky. Definitely not for everyone.


----------



## Strongblade

Saw Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Well done. But darker than previous HP movies. Might be a bit much for the real young'uns.

Some of it was predictable, but other parts completely floored me.

Funny that the young cast have had a rather noticeable growth spurt. Especially the guy who plays Draco Malfoy.

Oh, and finally, Hermoine decks Malfoy. (With a really solid right hook!)

All in all, a good movie.


----------



## elmer

Saw Prisoner of Azkaban on IMAX last night. I was thrilled. It seemed so much more creative than the first two, with the physical humour and the newly envisioned school grounds. Better performances from all the child actors and Mr. Weasley. Lupin was well cast. The plot worked as a movie, surprisingly. The screenwriting and refreshing cinematography make it an outstanding literary adaptation. The third book is the first one that's really interesting for adults to read, and similarly this movie.

Snape is still my favourite, played by Alan Rickman (Dogma, Truly Madly Deeply, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Die Hard). But Gary Oldman (Air Force One, Immortal Beloved, The Fifth Element) was perfect, as expected, playing Sirius Black.


----------



## iGeeK

> Here's my thoughts on Troy... as told by Penny Arcade: http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2004/20040524l.jpg


Well, y'know... that JUST might be the next flick from the geniuses in Hollywood.

A little Hulk and Legolas wouldn't hurt in "Stepford Wives" either.  The original was OK'ish for the seventies and totally appropriate for that decade, why it "needs" to be regurgitated now, I'll never know.

What is it with all these remakes? Are we so impoverished that there's no new material and we constantly need to exhume celluloid corpses out of their tin graves?

G/<


----------



## iGeeK

Pamela admits to causing a popcorn disaster:



> our big bag of popcorn lost it's balance in my hand and dispite 3 or 4 attempts at trying to recover my grasp the bag tipped over and spilled it's contents on the head/ear/shoulder/lap of the older gentleman


Are you quite sure you haven't done this before? Cuz I was the older gentleman who had popcorn spilled on him during my last visit to a Vancouver cinema.









Actually, I gotta say that I no longer go to theatres, unless a friend pressures me into joining them. I much prefer watching DVD's at home... all the hoopla has died... the floors are not sticky with spilled soft-drinks, nobody dribbles popcorn on my head, no suffering through the super-obnoxious ads/trailers, no inane comments or cheering and applause, and finally... no cellphones ringing during the film!

Last time I went to see a flick (Hellboy) the cellphones were ringing as often as these tentacle beasts spawned from their eggs. Half way into the movie I was wishing that the windup Nazi would jump from the screen and decapitate a quarter of the audience and that the fire-starting Monica Lewinsky (am I the only one who saw the resemblance?) would immolate another quarter.


G/<


----------



## Pamela

LOL! GK sounds like you have bad luck when it comes to theatres! And NO...it wasn't me that got you with the popcorn! I have only ever done this once in my life and that was at Shrek. From now on my husband will be holding the popcorn so it won't happen to ME again!


----------



## iGeeK

> GK sounds like you have bad luck when it comes to theatres!


My bit of bad luck was being born on this planet. 
From then on, things got progressively worse.  

I try to avoid first run movies anyway. Repertory cinemas are more civilized, yet even these temples of cinephilia have been ravaged by the dread cell phone.

Cell phones and derringers should be checked at the entrance.









G/<


----------



## iGeeK

Now, regarding good movies... A year ago a friend told me to see Miyazaki's "Princess Mononoke".

"You will like it" - he said.

I was a bit dubious, since I haven't really liked animated stuff all that much in the past, mostly having seen all the saccharine pap Disney put out.

My friend was wrong. I didn't like it. I LOVED it. Since then, I've become a convert.

I have just seen "Spirited away" again (I bought it), and am even considering seeing "Kiki's Delivery Service" although the premise of the story doesn't really appeal to me. However, for the sake of Miyazaki's art...

In any case, the three Miyazaki films I have seen: "Princess...", "Spirited...", "Castle in the Sky" were all good movies and I enjoyed them heartily. Softened up my cynicism for a couple weeks, that's how good they were.  

G/<

[ June 08, 2004, 05:26 PM: Message edited by: Grzegorz Kryszczuk ]


----------



## Kosh

Strange, I've never heard one cellphone at a movie. Of course famous players does have an announcer before the movie (about half the time) that tells you to shut these off before the movie starts.

Other than the one time I got a ticket to the right movie at the wrong time and couldn't get it switched, I haven't had a problem at the movies.


----------



## iGeeK

Perhaps in Ottawa the movie going populace is more civilized than here in Toronto?  

A friend of mine who is a devoted cineaste (sees at least one film a day) says that the problem is so bad that he's considering getting a cell-phone jammer.

These would DEFINITELY be of aid in restaurants, because I *have* managed to see movies unperturbed by tinny phone ring renditions of Depeche Mode/Beethoven's Ninth, but lately it is NOT possible to eat one's sushi in peace.

Maybe it's just Toronto's Queen street crowd which is annoying that way... I must start sampling other parts of the city.


G/<


----------



## Kuni

Miyazaki-san does amazing, amazing animations. *bows before him* I hope Disney will bring over more of his stuff...seeing that he's growing in popularity in North America, I'm sure it won't be long!

If you do watch more of his films, I recommend *not* watching the English version of "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds;" it was brought over here before anime was popular, and so Disney butchered it to make it a kid's film (and called it something like "Warriors of the Wind")... I haven't seen the English version myself, but it's reputed to be TERRIBLE. (The Japanese version is very good, btw...a bit sci-fi, a bit fantasy...)

*fangirl*










EDIT: Ha! Disney's releasing a PROPER English dub of Nausicaä on DVD, as well as bringing over a few more titles...hooray! Go, Disney! *dances*


-----

About cellphones, the problem was particularly bad while I was in Singapore (1997-1999)...there wasn't one movie I saw (and I saw a LOT) without at least one phone going off...fortunately, Singaporeans loved to heckle the jerk who forgot to turn the phone off, so hopefully that has embarrassed enough people that the problem is gone now.  


Victoria's usually pretty good, but one girl started TALKING on her cellphone...she plugged her ear and YELLED into the phone, right in the middle of the movie. When I asked her to be quiet, I got shushed by her boyfriend. Everything's a bit hazy after that and I think I said a few four-letter words. -_-; (And still she didn't shut up for about 10 minutes...I should have grabbed the damned thing and stepped on it!)


----------



## iGeeK

Kuni wrote:



> If you do watch more of his films, I recommend *not* watching the English version of "Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds;" it was brought over here before anime was popular, and so Disney butchered it to make it a kid's film


Actually Nausicaa is in line, fairly soon. I have been having some difficulty obtaining it locally (someone stole both copies from the video store and they haven't been replaced!), but a friend has it in their library and will lend it to me.

I typically don't watch dubbed versions, unless there is absolutely no avoiding it.

Although there *is* some very good dub work, what can actually compare to the joy of listening to the music of the original language?

I once watched "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" specifically in order to listen to the Mandarin language track i.e. I watched the film without subtitles. My Mandarin comprehension is still nil. Except for








which is said in that movie every minute or two.

Li Mu Bai is ever so polite!  


Yesterday I saw "Musa: The Warrior" which, I believe, was the first Korean film I ever saw. I really enjoyed hearing that language.


Cheers,

G/<


----------



## Pamela

*My bit of bad luck was being born on this planet. 
From then on, things got progressively worse. 
* 

I also noticed that you posted the 666th post in this thread!!

wooooaaaa....SPOOOOOOKYY!!!


----------



## PosterBoy

Regarding poor manners in movies, I find the worst offenders are the herds of teenage fan-girls who are constantly talking throughout the film, or rather, throughout the portions where the object of their affections is on screen.

"OMG, it's ORLANDO, he's so dreamy!!"

Makes me want to bring a shotgun to the theatre.


----------



## iGeeK

Pamela had a sighting of the Beast:



> I also noticed that you posted the 666th post in this thread!!


Oh, that! Well... I AM the Antichrist, you know...
.
.
.
at least if you believe my mother, who originally applied this moniker to me at 6. Strange pattern, you say? With numerology, ANYTHING is possible!*

I DID try my worst to be BAD-BAD-BAD, but got bored of it after a week or so. Being evil was hard work, and my general tendency towards complete inertia finally won out. };¬D

GGG/<

* - according to the rules of gematria, just my given name reaches 732 {finally, the consonants have done something for me!}, so apparently, unlike Napoleon, I'm really not the Beast. What a relief! I really didn't feel like visiting the hills of Megiddo any time soon.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Jim Jarmusch's COFFEE AND CIGARETTES recently. I'm a huge fan of Jarmusch and I believe that DOWN BY LAW is an American masterpiece, COFFEE AND CIGARETTES on the other hand, isn't. I've read that the film was a spin off of the vignette containing Tom Waits and Iggy Pop. I can see why you would want to pair those two up, (also, the Alfred Molina/ Steve Coogan bit was good) but perhaps he should have left it at that. Not quite enough in my opinion to fill two hours.


----------



## Kosh

On the topic of the number 666, I consider that my lucky number. I missed being member 666 by 10 numbers. My birthdate contains three 6's - as well as a few other numbers.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Mean Girls yesterday. I normally would have overlooked a film like this but I had run out of things to see for a weekly matinee a friend of mine and I hook up for. It was pretty entertaining. It had a self deprecating/ ironic quality to it that made it charming. I recommend it (for a matinee).

[ June 11, 2004, 08:21 AM: Message edited by: mrjimmy ]


----------



## MacDoc

How many like Vivien Thomas wasted away in the oblivion of racial prejudice.  

*"Something the Lord Made"* 

An incredible HBO movie about pioneering in heart surgery and how sometimes almost miraculous talent finds a way to blossom even under the bootheel of racism.

Both the story and the movie are worth taking the time to explore. A vivid heart wrenching reminder of how racism imperils brilliant humans who happen to have a different skin colour.

At least one brilliant talent got the recognition he so justly deserved even if it took decades and a upheaval in society to bring it about. His portrait hangs in the atrium at John Hopkins along side his medical partner.

The benefits of his talent and the doctor who recognised it echo in every heart surgery done today. 
Two huge thumbs up. A true story, a reminder, and a tribute to human courage, tenacity and endurance.
*I strongly encourage you all to try and see it.*

Sorry about the big image but if it catches your attention and you take the time to read about Thomas or even better see the film ......it will have performed its purpose admirably.  

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Press_releases/2004/05_26_04.html


----------



## Rob

I had a hankering to see a movie I hadn't seen in years. Once Upon a Time in the West is the last spaghetti western by Sergio Leone.

It stars Henry Fonda as the real nasty, and Chuck Bronson plays the strong silent type. Claudia Cardinale provides the heat, and Jason Robarts the comic relief.

Fonda is perfect as evil incarnate. 

This is just a wonderful movie that has a real style and class. 

My other favorite western is The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. 

They're both great!! Leone Films 

After seeing Henry Fonda again in Once Upon a Time in the West, I was reminded about another great movie he starred in called Mr. Roberts. I haven't seen that one in over 20 years. That's my next DVD if I can find it.









[ June 21, 2004, 11:52 PM: Message edited by: Rob ]


----------



## oatmeal

I want to see The Village when it comes out or whatever. 

I did check out Dazed and Confused, Half Baked and How High this weekend... My wife and I needed to have a good laugh .. *wink* Great flicks!!


----------



## mrjimmy

I'm almost embarrassed to say I went to see Dodgeball last night (almost). Luckily we paid Tuesday night prices or I would have been mad.

Tomorrow's matinee is Napolean Dynamite. It's supposed to be quite good. I'll let y'all know...


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Napolean Dynamite this afternoon.

Man, all I can say is you have to see this film. So funny; so much going on on so many levels.


Huge thumbs up!


----------



## ekcondon

DODGEBALL IS HILARIOUS, if u want to see a film that has an EXTREMLY small story line, but LOTS of laughs, I highly recommend it, me and my friends laughed through the whole thing.


----------



## Pamela

phew. I wanted to see dodgeball. I LOVE Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn *sigh*...oh so dreamy
















I was worried from the last post that the movie wasn't funny  

All I need is a few laughs and an hour and a half to look at my hunks  hehe


----------



## Strongblade

I saw the latest remake of Around the World in 80 Days last weekend.

Originally, i didn't want to see it, but my friend Bill got to choose.

Boy was I glad I saw it! It was absolutely FUN.

A worthy remake of the original!


----------



## Kosh

I saw Around the World in 80 Days and agree it's hilarious and a great movie. Jackie Chan was great.


----------



## Kosh

"The Terminal" was hilarious. Tom Hanks makes a good foreigner. A good human drama and comedy. Watch a person's life in an airport terminal.


----------



## CubaMark

I managed to wade through the crowds and see "Fahrenheit 9/11" tonight... the show is sold out days in advance, so a friend was kind enough to pick up a ticket for me on the weekend.

It's very good. Not as hard-hitting or in-your-face as "Columbine." A little more subtle (for Moore, that is) and it definitely does leave the audience in a very foul mood.

There were tears, cheers and jeers throughout.

No surprises for me, however, since I'm pretty much plugged into the issues Moore covers. Still, very effective to see it on the big screen, and it will be a huge shock to those Americans who decide to see it, particularly if they're not terribly political.

Interestingly, sitting beside me were a senior couple who spent most of the movie cursing Bush whenever he appeared on screen. Should've asked 'em if they were Yanks on vacation, or just enlightened Canucks!  

One nice aspect of the film - an excellent choice of music for the various bits. Hilarious, in fact.

It is a must-see film, regardless of your placement on the political spectrum.

M.


----------



## Griller

I saw *Spider-man 2* over the weekend. A pretty awesome action movie. Definitely a sequel that is NOT a let down. The story, action, acting, and effects are really good.

Doctor Octopus' face and upper body, and I'm sure his legs, were all still human flesh YET he doesn't get a single scratch on his face where as Spider-man gets bleeding cuts all over. That was a glaring inconsistency considering he took a pretty good trashing from Spider-man. By the end of this movie Spider-man 3 is basically introduced. This is a good action movie, that I really like and recommend (I really liked the first one as well).


----------



## used to be jwoodget

I saw F9/11 on July 4th, seemed appropriate. I was familiar with most of the material but it was extremely well put together (except the cheesy Coalition of the Willing segment). The recruiting officers for the marines were simply scary. Moore has many detractors but he also has many sympathisers - hence the remarkable footage.

The Control Room looks like an eye-opener too.


----------



## MaxPower

I rented "Stuck on You" on the weekend. Good mindless comedy.

It had it's funny moments, but the one liners was what made the movie.

If anything worth a rent.


----------



## Strongblade

Saw Spiderman 2 this weekend and it was excellent. It doesn't suffer from sequel-itis and in some ways it's superior to the first one.

Even went out and bought the Game (for Gamecube). It's really fun swinging around new York as Spidey!


----------



## The Doug

Bought some DVDs recently...

Woody Allen's *Manhattan*. This is probably his best work of _cinema_ in many ways. Terrific film overall, but full of characters so utterly infuriating you could throttle them.

*SCTV Network 90 Volume 1*. This is a 5-DVD set of SCTV episodes that were repackaged and broadcast on NBC ages ago. Initially I was somewhat put off by the fact that these are the NBC "episodes" however the SCTV goodness, and most of the characters & talent, are all there - and standing up to time _very well_. I only skimmed throught the booklet that comes with the set but I am sure I saw a mention of more DVDs to come, with original Canadian-broadcast episodes. In any case, a most enjoyable trip down an hilarious memory lane. 

*Looney Tunes Golden Collection*. Excellent.


----------



## Pamela

I did dodgeball last night.

We thought it was HILARIOUS!

Mindless...but hilarious!


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

> Woody Allen's Manhattan. This is probably his best work of cinema in many ways. Terrific film overall, but full of characters so utterly infuriating you could throttle them.


i prefer one of his later works; *Deconstructing Harry*
appears to be somewhat self analytical


----------



## The Doug

Friday was "what the heck" day while browsing sale-priced DVDs at HMV. Picked up a few; watched two so far:

*Amélie*. Delightful, off-beat film - now I know why so many people were recommending it to me. Great cinematography, interesting and quirky characters and storyline. If you're looking for a nice anti-Hollywood comedy, this is one to watch.

*Godzilla* (1998 remake with Matthew Broderick). As fun to watch as it was when I saw it in the theatre in 1998 - but it seems even more _stupid_ now than it did then. Must be because I'm so much smarter now.


----------



## Pamela

Saw Touch of Pink last night....GREAT movie! (I highly recommend it...if men kissing doesn't make you squirm  )


----------



## Clockwork

I just watched a movie call Dirty pretty Things. Its a very good movie. The Woman from Amelie is in it.

http://www.rogersvideo.ca/movie.asp?mid=27676


----------



## elmer

> I rented "Stuck on You" on the weekend. Good mindless comedy.
> 
> It had it's funny moments, but the one liners was what made the movie.
> 
> If anything worth a rent.


Rented it - yes - very funny. Constant gags on the obvious theme get you laughing through the first half. With a few Mac spottings, including 12" PB, G4 iMac. The DVD had a blooper reel that was entertaining as well.


----------



## Strongblade

Saw I, Robot on Saturday. Pretty good movie. It'snot a specific Asimov story, but it's faithful to the 'world' to which he built up on all those books and short stories.

Will Smith is fun and the CGI is excellent. A bit silly at times, but certainly worthy a viewing.

Also saw King Arthur. Okay, so i really only remember Keira Knightly in her outfit and blue warpaint....

It was well done, but it doesn't follwo the 'mythical' story so i was quite confused and lost during it. Supposedly it follows a 5th century situation that may have been the inspiration for the 15th century 'myth'. Excellent work by all involved and quite immersive.

Oh, yeah.. and Keira Knightly in leather strapped outfit. Can't forget that


----------



## Kosh

I saw "I, Robot" too and thought it was a good sci-fi mystery. I didn't guess the murderer right, though. The robots were cool.

The finding and using of the various clues now sorta reminds me of those old King's Quest adventure games where you pick up various items and you don't know where to use them until you get to a point in the game.


----------



## Griller

*The Hulk* was a MUCH better movie than I thought it would be! After about 7 months of owning the movie on DVD I _finally_ got around to actually watching it. The visual effects and action are quite good.


----------



## MaxPower

50 First Dates was another good comedy that I would recommend.

Rob Schnieder at his finest.


----------



## khummsein

am discovering rogers' video-on-demand...awesome service. almost a tivo!

wanted to watch Chicago (caught a couple of bits of songs on the normal movie network), but wasn't up on VOD yet...my brother couldn't get through it, but looked interesting to me. any thoughts?

little Canadian flick The Last Casino -- their scheme was wildly disappointing (for a buncha math geniuses), but the movie was pretty fast-paced & had its moments.

couple suggestions:

saw a comment on "existenz" when it came out that it made the matrix look like a crayon drawing...the world cronenberg makes is indeed vivid...not a movie for the squeamish though (like most cronenberg?)

"the sweet hereafter" -- what i remember most is sarah polley's haunting rendition of the hip's "courage", but another good movie (if somewhat depressing). anyone seen ararat?

thanks for all the suggestions...


----------



## The Doug

*Lost In Translation*. Terrific film. Funny, sad, and poignant.


----------



## MacDoc

Doug you might want t follow up with *Enlightenment Guaranteed* and as well *Eat, Drink, Man, Woman* both wonderful movies with culture collision themes. 

What a weekend triple treat that would be for you.


----------



## Kosh

> Okay, so i really only remember Keira Knightly in her outfit and blue warpaint....
> .
> .
> .
> Oh, yeah.. and Keira Knightly in leather strapped outfit. Can't forget that


Yeah, she's hot in that movie. 

I saw the movie and it puts a different twist on the King Arthur tale. Great story! I enjoyed it.


----------



## MacDoc

"She's hot in EVERY movie!! I sure liked to follow that pirate medallion's every .....ahem..... ..plunge....in Pirates."









I thought *King Arthur* better than the reviews gave it credit for.
Took the large themes of the British Isles, Romans, Hadrian's Wall, Saxons/Vikings and the Celts and rolled it all into a single story. I thought the scene on the ice effective and also splitting the Saxon forces at Hadrian's wall.

Anyone know in what manner it's based on a "true story"??


----------



## Pamela

Saw the Manchurian Candidate this evening. LONG film...good bang for the buck. Since I know nothing about any of the things they were talking about I found it entertaining and quite interesting. Denzel, Meryl and Liev were excellent. Best I've seen Denzel in a long time.


----------



## MacNutt

While I haven't seen the current re-make of "The Manchurian Candidate"...I would highly recommend that everyone have a look at the original.

It was really quite good.

And it was supressed for almost thirty years by none other than Frank Sinatra himself, because of content.

That ALONE, makes it worth a good hard look.


----------



## The Doug

Hmm, I'm not sure I want to see the recently released _reimagining_ of The Manchurian Candidate, even though it seems to be receiving mostly-positive reviews. 

I have the original version on DVD - it's a superb film. Gripping to say the least...


----------



## Pamela

Ironically when I got home from watching the new version in the theatre, the old version was on tv...so I watched it.

If you want gripping, the new one is FAR more gripping. And as far as I'm concerned an almost completely different movie and relevant to today's times.

Then Denzel et al. were on Charlie Rose right after that...but I went to bed...


----------



## Macaholic

Blew the dust off of one of my all-time favorite sci-fi movies that's NOT a sci-fi movie: 1997's "Contact". If you've not seen it, it's an interesting flick, because it studies the main character's belief system being completely challenged. And yet, she's as much at a loss to not only explain "what happened", but also at a loss as to how to deal with it, herself.

Lots of people get hung up of the sci-fi aspects of this film -- which I think are awesome, too. But the REAL story is Jodie Foster's character's surprise challenge at the end; a challenge her character is set up for this knock-down all throughout the movie.

And yes, Jodie Foster kicks ass in this role, as do most of the actors here. When she is imploring (or lecturing) the review board at Hadden Industries for SETI funding, she could have very easily leveled the rant with confidence and swagger. Instead, she's frustrated, emotional unbound, yet nervous and flustered. She really felt "real", man. Awesome!

Director Robert Zemeckis brings his marrying current actors with figures on previously shot film to full bear to carry the story -- NOT make the story, as was the case when he did this in Forrest Gump.

"Contact" was originally a book, written by the late Pulitzer Prize winning astronomer, Carl Sagan (um... did he win it for this book??).

The first few minutes of the flick are absolutely stunning. It was for this reason that I revisited this old VHS! there's a screensaver, called SaveHollywood, that can play Quicktime movies as screensavers. So, used I iMovie to make it into a screensaver! It is about two and a half minutes of your point of view leaving Earth and traveling far far FAR beyond our galaxy and you see all the galaxies floating about the universe (illustrating jusst how small EVERYTHING is in the universe), and your view ends up pulling out of the main character's eye. So, I stopped the film there, copy-pasted that entire clip of the trip "outwards" from Earth, _reversed it_ and then sped it up to maximum speed back in all the way back to Earth -- and then SaveHollywood loops this film as the screensaver: ooooout and BACK IN again... oooout and BACK IN again. Very cool!

I'll shut up, now. This post is too long.

[ July 31, 2004, 02:36 PM: Message edited by: Macaholic ]


----------



## The Doug

I love Contact as well - excellent film. Watched it again (for the 5th time I think) a few weeks ago...


----------



## Macaholic

"They should have sent a poet."

Interesting that you would link to Rotten Tomatoes, there. Skimming through the review quotes, this one summed up my experience watching this film:

_"It's more visceral than I can explain in a short little review like this - but you can feel your breath in your throat at the most unexpected times."
-- Karina Montgomery, CINERIN_

For me, this is so true of this film.

Heh. Check out how this Globe and Mail review got COMPLETELY fooled by the film: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/movie/MOVIEREVIEWS/19970711/TALIAM 

Others at the IMDB also complain about the aftermath of the venture. Guess what folks: IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.

(I gotta say that morphing her adult face back to her childhood visage for that moment was a little too manipulative, though. But, the subsequent "reunion" -- such as it is -- and "where" it was decided by "someone" for it to take place, is bang-on!)


DOUG do you have it on VHS or DVD? If on DVD, is there a commentary track? If so, who's on it?

[ July 31, 2004, 03:22 PM: Message edited by: Macaholic ]


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw the Anchorman this weekend.

Now I love Will Ferrell but  

What an unbelievable piece of #[email protected]%!









I know there are some Producers laughing all the way to the bank. 

Shame on the new rat pack (Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson). Are they that desperate for cash?


----------



## Kosh

> I thought King Arthur better than the reviews gave it credit for.


That's why I generally don't look at the reviews. Sometimes they are overly critical. Of course then, you risk watching a bad movie once in awhile.


----------



## CubaMark

A buddy and I went to see "Spiderman 2" last night - and were surprised at how good it was.

The effects are, for the most part, amazing. There are a couple of moments in which the computer-generated Spidey looks a littl too... animated... but the camerawork is wonderful. An epic battle on a speeding subway train is just masterful.

One thing, however... back when I read every Spidey comic the day it hit the stands (a long time ago, admittedly), I don't recall Peter Parker being such a nerd!  

The actor who plays Doctor Octopus is excellent, and I roared at the portrayal of Mr. Jamieson. And then there's Kirsten.... yum!

 
M


----------



## MacDoc

Oh that's good - it's on at iMax here so I'll go and sit out the afternoon heat.


----------



## The Doug

After putting the new Seagate HD in my brother's Snow iMac today we watched Hellboy. Quite good, and lots of fun.


----------



## talonracer

Just watched "The Human Stain" last night on DVD. Amazingly well done, if not exactly the feel good movie of the year...


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Harold and Kumar go to White Castle yesterday.

Nice surprise. It was quite funny and not as low brow (kinda) as I suspected. 

Made here in T.O. by the director of Hey Dude, where's my car (hence the hestitation). The two actors who played Harold and Kumar were excellent. Very subtle and quite funny. And you can't go wrong with a fake raccoon...


----------



## Macaholic

Spiderman was a pleasant surprise for a sequel.


----------



## MacDoc

Spidey II is on in iMax  Should be terrific.


----------



## Clockwork

Spiderman 2 was great. Spiderman 3 will be great to I bet. I watched Radio tonight. It was a really good movie. Cuba Gooding Jr was fantastic.


----------



## dibenga

I would have to say "HERO" 

check out the trailer here 

A friend gave me a copy of the 'asian market' DVD to watch.

A spectacular film that makes Crouching tiger look like the matrix.

And for those of you who may 'poo-poo' watching a pirate copy of the film before it's release, I intend on seeing on the silver screen AND buying a copy of the dvd.

Yup it's that good.


----------



## Pamela

I just saw Garden State tonight. Wow. Beautiful movie. Everyone clapped at the end.

Beautiful soundtrack, wonderful acting by the scrubs guy and natalie portman.

I cried out of my right eye half of the movie and laughed my brains out the other half.

Highly recommended!


----------



## Griller

I saw *Blade 2* yesterday. It wasn't bad for an action movie. More special effects this time around. If you liked the first one you should like this one. I like the first one better though. 

I saw the Blade *3* teaser/preview in theatres once already. Looks like it'll be good.


----------



## buck

I've been on a bit of a gangster kick lately. 
In the past week I've seen The Godfather Trilogy (1 and 2 were great...3 meh), Casino (all round great movie), and Scarface (loved the movie... hated the music).
A friend of mine lent me Easy Riders, Raging Bulls (how the sex 'n' drugs 'n' rock 'n' roll generation saved hollywood). 
That will be next. I was supposed to see supersize me, at the bloor cinema tonight, but i don't think I'll be able to make it.


----------



## The Doug

> ...Casino (all round great movie)...


I agree. I'm due to watch it on DVD again soon... maybe next weekend, eh?


----------



## The Doug

Bought Woody Allen's *Broadway Danny Rose* yesterday; watched it last evening. It's a simple little film, but very funny.

Also picked up *Kill Bill Vol. 2*. I'll watch it this afternoon when my brother comes over.


----------



## Griller

I saw *AVP (Aliens Vs. Predator)* over the weekend. I thought it was really good. Overall for me it was an awesome action/sci-fi movie.

I didn't have my expectations high for this one and I didn't know what to expect. I didn't read anything about it, but I've always been a fan of both the Alien movies and Predator movies. The action was awesome, some of the acting and some of the story were just-okay. For me, seeing an Alien and a Pred battle it out was great. The special effects were done well.

_** Semi-spoiler-ish (but not detailed) **_
The very ending surprised me even though during the movie there was that scene where it kind of happens but you're left not really knowing for sure if it did or not. But oh how awesome was that!!!! That was just too cool!! That possibility was hinted at in Alien3 (maybe earlier, I'm not sure), but it didn't seem like it was going to happen! That was good!


----------



## cottageboy

I've got to agree with Pamela about Garden State, the best movie I have seen in a long time, the story was nothing special, but it just hit, it was like a few days in the life of some teenagers...

The soundtrack was extremely wonderful, touches of Nick Drake, The Postal Service, and various other great tunes...

Garden State: Highly Recommended.

Another movie I saw was The Notebook. It was cute, but meh...My girlfriend loved it though.

The Notebook: Rent it.


----------



## The Doug

Finally saw Master and Commander on DVD last evening. Great film - rousing, exciting, and very well done.


----------



## Gretchen

Resident Evil: Apocalypse....Nothing beats blowing away the undead away!  

Good old zombie stuff is a riot.


----------



## logcomet

Speaking of blowing away zombies, Shaun of the Dead is super funny. A definate must see if you like British Comedy.

I love the worker/consumer undertone of all zombie movies.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

> Nothing beats blowing away the undead away!


i say again
macnutt must be in love !!!!


----------



## talonracer

It certainly won't make anyone's top ten list, but I just procrastinated on work and watched the Punisher...

It was good. Stayed fairly true to the comic (from what I can remember), and ANY movie that has mmmmmmRebecca Romijn in it is good by me. The guy they cast as the Punisher was well suited to the part.


----------



## MannyP Design

Saw Hero and Collateral. Both excellent movies!

Hero has amazing cinematography, and the underlying (and overlying for that matter) philosophy was a fresh departure from the usual N.A. movie.

Collateral: One thing bothered me: It's obvious they filmed the movie digitally. There's a sort of muddiness to the picture at times when the action gets to fast... can't explain it, but it's there.


Rented a couple of movies this weekened: The Girl Next Door; very funny teen movie.

The Punisher: Bleh, another comic movie done completely wrong. It was better than Dolf Lundgren's Punisher -- but not by much. David Jane did exceptionally well as Frank Castle, however the location, the persona and the story were just plain wrong.

A) It's supposed to be dark, not sunny -- think Batman without the costume, and uses guns, and is set in New York, not Tampa Bay! The Punisher was never one to show his face in public; ie: On the steps of the court with tons of reporters around -- he's a soldier for sh!t's sake, every hear about the element of surprise?);

B) He was never one for elaborate schemes to bring his enemy down.

C) The Punisher is not slap-sticky, not even once in a while.

D) Jonathan Hensleigh (writer/director) is not Robert Rodriguez -- you cannot swipe the singing, guitar playing desperado and get away with it -- even if the character is from Memphis.

The direction sucked. The editing sucked (ever hear of a transition?). The photography was nicely done, however, as was the opening/closing credits -- this totally built me up for a disappointment -- I really thought this movie would kick ass.

They should have hired David Fincher. Jonathan Hensleigh has written some great action movies in the past -- however this is not one of them.

And Marvel should have a new rule from now on: stick with a known director; stick with a know writer; the two shall never meet; and neither will mess with the basic general story of the character, places, and genesis of said character -- unless it vastly improves and fixes any logistical problems that might otherwise affect the _budget_ of the movie goddammit!


----------



## Mrs. Furley

I saw Kill Bill V2 on the weekend. Now I must say that I do not enjoy violent movies but for some reason the violence in Kill Bill just doesn't upset me the way it does in other movies. I'm not sure why that is...

Anyway, I loved these movies - volume 1 and volume 2.


----------



## MannyP Design

I agree -- just bought them on DVD this weekend. Originally, I wasn't much of a fan of Vol. 1 when it was first released, however after watching Vol. 2, which is my favorite of the two, the movie as a whole is very cool.

I'm still not all that crazy about the _Crazy 88's_ chop-socky fight in Vol. 1, but I don't hate it as much as I used to -- it is what it is.


----------



## Mrs. Furley

I liked V2 better too. I LOVED the ending!!! Wow!

I enjoy seeing some women kicking a$$, for a change, I must say! Uma did a great job.


----------



## buck

> Collateral: One thing bothered me: It's obvious they filmed the movie digitally. There's a sort of muddiness to the picture at times when the action gets to fast... can't explain it, but it's there.


I remember reading that the outdoor scenes and in the cab were shot on HD video, which may be why it looked muddy to you.


----------



## darkscot

Ladykiller is really good - Tom Hanks, as usual, pulls it off. the movie is witty and funny. the old lady is hilarious, too as are the supporting characters from Tom Hnaks group!


----------



## talonracer

Wow Manny, that's me told!

I'll confess, I never bought the Punisher comics.. but he made enough guest appearances in the other comics I read that I had a pretty good idea about who he was.

You're right, of course, now that I think about it. I kinda just shut my brain off and enjoyed the comic book movie.

He was based in NY, and the movie was too bright. That whole appearing on the courthouse steps thing was right out of character.

But you gotta admit.. my girl Rebecca... my, but she looked pretty...


----------



## CubaMark

Just came from "Hero." Anyone who like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" will like this flm. Pretty amazing... cinematography (only see it at theatres that put it on their best screen) is fantastic. Epic. Noble. The subtext is China's mythology around nation-building. Recommended.

M


----------



## MacDoc

My daughter saw Hero and enjoyed it.

•••••

One of our staff works and watches extensively the TIFF. Can you IMAGINE this scene.

You have a terrific documentary about an exceptional hero that has the entire audience in tears...........and the actual guy portrayed in the movie stands up in the audience. 
Heart stopper or what  



> There was not a dry eye in the house at the screening of Hotel Rwanda, a powerful dramatization of the heroic actions of Paul Rusesabagina (played by Don Cheadle), who saved Tutsis holed up in his hotel from marauding Hutu extremists. At the end of the screening, a spotlight was thrown on a box seat at the Elgin theatre where Rusesabagina stood to thunderous applause and tears. One of those showering him with appreciation was Michael Moore, who made a surprise visit to Toronto to see the film.


Looking forward to that movie. Rwanda is NOT a prideful example of humanity at it's best.  

More coverage of TIFF


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## MannyP Design

Talonracer: I confess, I'm a bit if a purist when it comes to movies with pre-conceived characters/stories. You should have heard me during Aliens Vs. Predator!









I guess, for me at least, it's frustrating when certain folk at Marvel allow Hollywood-types to muck with their properties as they see fit. I can only speculate as to why they would go with a guy who has never directed before... maybe they thought "Hey, this guy wrote so many popular action movies; maybe he'll be a good director, too!"

It's not like the Punisher would have been difficult to make compared to other comic movies -- it's an action flick. There is so much substance to the character and his story that it drove me mad to watch the movie. I kept asking myself "Why did they change that?"

Oh well... at least Rebecca took some of the pain away.








There's always Batman Begins (which looks like it's going to be amazing!), Fantastic Four, Sin City, X-Men 3 and Superman coming up next...


----------



## Clockwork

I prefered V1 to V2 in Killbill. I love the old Japanese films. TotalLy unbelievable fights. The second had too much story line and I thought the ending was terrible (stupid 5 point hit). I think the whole movie is awsome but I still think Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction were his best. I guess its different strokes for different strokes. I saw The Human Stain tonight. Good movie, very different. I like different movies, along with Foreign films.


----------



## talonracer

I'm totally with you, Manny. I was almost scared to watch X-Men and Spiderman, as I was a comic geek for most of my life.

I am really looking forward to Batman Begins... it looks like they're going to capture the darkness, the mood of the world he lives in properly.

I'm also very much looking forward to Garden State - just trying to coordinate schedules with a pretty girl so we can see it. The soundtrack is amazing.


----------



## buck

Batman begins look pretty cool.
I just watched Amelie angain the other night. Audrey Tautou is ridiculously cute in it


----------



## Mrs. Furley

I can hardly wait to see Garden State! Natalie Portman isn't a favourite of mine but it looks like she's decent in this. Zach Braff is always great. And yeah, the soundtrack is good. I love it that Colin Hay is on it...Nick Drake too.


----------



## Griller

I just saw the first *Resident Evil* for the first time. I'd forgotten about it until the new one's commercials started showing up on TV. RE1 was pretty good, better than I thought it would be. I didn't expect much for a movie based on a videogame but the 'suspense' and action were good, and there were those little moments that made me jump or surprised me. There's a definite feeling of 'what's going on here? something's not right in this place.'

Overall a good movie especially for a action/suspense/scary movie. I'm interested in seeing the RE3: Apocalypse, but maybe I'll rent RE2: Nemesis first.


----------



## Gretchen

Watched 'Man on Fire' last night. Macs are so nice, you can work and watch DVD's at the same time..  

I got it because Christopher Walken is in it, he's just so strange I love his acting. I thought it was a good movie, not your typical hostage drama and I just _loved_ the fingers and cigarette lighter scenes.  

What the hell has Mickey Rourke transformed himself into now? Wow! It's too bad because he was/is a good actor.


----------



## Cynical Critic

*Hero* was better than expected for me. The release here is being marketed as an action movie solely; however, this was nice for me because I was pleasantly surprised to find more to it.

*The Lady Killers* is excellent. I'm still more of a *Fargo* fan as far as the Coen brothers work goes but both are different movies. Tom Hanks does an admirable job and so does JK Simmons (of Spider-man fame). See if you can catch the Spider-man allusion made by his character in *The Lady Killers*. The film is both subtle and outrageous!

*Collateral* is disturbing but I highly recommend it. The film is more like a stage play with slick visuals than a typical Hollywood flic. Cruise and Fox deliver nuanced characters. There are many pieces of dialogue that are like soliloquies, which I found a nice change to the usual heavy-handed dialogue movies cram down our throats.


----------



## MacDoc

Oh my, right out of the pages of 1930s comic books.









Much fun. Gorgeous, funny and fast paced.


----------



## lindmar

I agree about the Lady Killers... great film.. funny... typical coen brothers...


----------



## lotus

Hot off the press, the awards for the TIFF were awarded today.

Hotel Rwanda was awarded the AGF People's Choice Award, which proves Toronto film patrons know a good movie when they see it.

Of course I was more interested in my daughter's film "It's All Gone Pete Tong". It received the Toronto-City Award for Best Canadian Feature Film.


----------



## talonracer

Okay, I finally watched Kill Bill 2.

I'm not sure what I was expecting.. but that wasn't it. I don't mean that in a bad way.. but maybe I just wanted more. Of course, it was very well done, the swordplay was great, and Uma... mmmm... Uma..

I see why my friend didn't want me to see it, though. I've been practicing my short punches on wooden planks.. mostly as a controlled anger release lately. She thought that the movie romanticized punching. Ah well.


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## Cynical Critic

The movie romanticized punching?! I think your friend sorely missed the point. And besides punching inanimate objects as a form of training or stress relief is better than punching people.  

I felt similarly about Kill Bill Vol. 2. I wasn't disappointed but I wasn't sure what to think upon my first viewing. My fiancé saw it a second time without me and said she appreciated it a great deal more on a second viewing.


----------



## yo_paully

Saw Garden State a few weeks back @ the show - fantastic film! Funny, emotional and very well done! Zach Braff (who wrote, directed and stars) and Natalie Portman do a great job together.

Rented "The Butterfly Effect" over the weekend. Good movie too! Once you get past the fact that you're watching Ashton Kutcher it's good (Can't say I like his show Punk'd, but I love That 70's Show). He actually does a good job in this serious role.

Up Next: I'd like to see "I (heart) Huckabees"
________
CL175


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## MaxPower

I watched The Punisher last night.

Being a fan of Marvel Comics, I have to admit I really don't know all that much about the Punisher.

So from a complete newbee's point of view, I liked the movie. The Punisher by nature is violent, but the violence in the movie isn't as graphic as you would expect. it was done with the less is more in mind.

I would like to see a sequel.


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## MaxPower

Loved the Ladykillers.

It reassured me why Tom Hanks is one of my favourite actors.


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## Cynical Critic

yo_paully, I agree with your assessment of *Butterfly Effect*. I was surprised Ashton can actually act in a serious role. Reviewers mainly criticize the film for its plot holes, which is somewhat inevitable when time travel and causality are toyed with.

Alternate movie ending: in an early cut of the film, Ashton's character apparently goes back to being in his mother's womb and strangles himself. A pretty harsh ending needless to say. To see other changes that didn't make the theatre release go to: Butterfly Effect


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## Cynical Critic

Saw *Shaun of the Dead* last night and it was brilliant! It's a very dark comedy. I believe PB said the movie was "one of the best zombie movies ever" during the end credits last night.

The movie isn't for the faint of heart though. It's not as gory as some horror movies but it does have a few very graphic scenes. The movie is a good mix of dark comedy, social commentary and horror.


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## The Doug

Watched *The Ladykillers* this evening. I'm somewhat disappointed. The film has many excellent moments - sadly, they are almost all crammed into the last half hour. But before that, it doesn't quite work for me. Seems disjunctive - over the top here, utterly plodding, mundane and predictable there, and without the consistently brilliant black humour needed to make it work. I am generally a fan of the Coen Brothers' work - Fargo especially (one of my _favourite_ films). Perhaps that's why I was expecting more from this one, and feel let down. I should have bought The Big Lebowski on DVD instead.  

The original Ladykillers (1955) starring Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom & others, is a much better film, and far more entertaining, than this pointless 2004 remake / reimagining.

(edit: fixed a typo)

[ October 03, 2004, 05:48 AM: Message edited by: The Doug ]


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## Cynical Critic

The Doug, I concur that _Fargo_ and _The Big Lebowski_ are better movies. I'd rather watch the Dude any day of the week. If you feel like you really have a bad taste in your mouth, I highly recommend _Shaun of the Dead_ to cleanse your palette. The comedy is black and brilliant.


----------



## Cameo

I don't have a TV, well the kids have one in the basement but it is not safe to venture down there unless you are fully armed.
I watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy on my laptop - enjoyed it immensely. You're going to laugh - I think my favourite movie has been Ice Age - absoulutely hilarious!!!


----------



## buck

I agree, Shaun of the Dead is the funniest movie i have seen in quite awhile. I can't remember the last movie I saw that had the whole audience laughing out loud as much as that one. I highly recommend it to anyone with a slightly sick sense of homour.


----------



## HappyDude

Just did the Infernal Affair marathon. Don't know if you guys have heard of the movie, but it's a chinese movie that will be coming to Canadian/American and rumours of a remake version with American actors. Apple.com has the trailer for it, but I don't recommend watching it since it gives away way too much of the story line. Very neat storyline and I recommend everyone to watch it when it comes out, or pick up the DVD.


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## CubaMark

Wish I'd thought to post this last weekend...

I finally saw Control Room the inside look at Al-Jazeera. Fascinating.

What I found interesting were the comments by the U.S. CentCom Public Relations officer, who stated "Just like Fox news is extremely patriotic in the U.S., so is Al-Jazeera in the Arab world." And the bits that show the Baghdadi Information Officer ("Comical Ali") calling Al-Jazeera a propaganda service for the imperialists, while Rumsfeld calls it a mouthpiece for Saddam and Osama...

It really is a well done, no-commentary, nearly-raw footage sort of piece. Worth watching, regardless of your political stripes.

It's probably out on video / DVD by now...

M.


----------



## Griller

*Freaky Friday* lol. Yup, I watched it one evening last week. I found it pretty entertaining and funny. Previously I thought it was some cheesy, cutesy, girly movie from what I had seen of trailers and commercials... for some parts it is, but overall it's a fun movie for the whole family (girls and boys). Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan (sp?) do good jobs acting, especially Lohan for being a teenager who had to act as her 40-something mom.


----------



## MaxPower

I just watched The Passion of the Christ last night.

A very powerful film indeed. 

Religious or not, the film gave good insight to the type of treatment criminals faced in those times. It was also interesting to see how politics and religion shaped decisions.

I was glad Mel Gibson didn't "candy coat" the brutality that occurred during Christ's incarceration and ultimately crucifixion.


----------



## MacDoc

Likely not for everyone but I certainly enjoyed it.
I'm always amazed the the classic Dutch painters power can reach out almost 1/2 a millenia and mesmerize.

Merchant Ivory type of fare - gorgeous settings and a Henry James paced story of manners.
Almost like a graceful dance with a score well matched and excellent casting.

The entire film is lit and staged in the manner of the Dutch Masters so it's eye candy for those familiar with the genre.

This will take a while to load but worth the wait.








:nice:


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## Brainstrained

Saw Shaun of the Dead last night.

It is a sick, wickedly humourous look at life.

I loved it.


----------



## Blue shirt Yellow Pants

Recently saw the new Bruce Campbell movie, *Bubba Ho-Tep* - very impressive! For a completely unbelievable plot it sold the story pretty good, production was great and soundtrack was even better. Almost forgot that Bruce Campbell was in it - he is the king.

Elvis Presley and JFK battle the mummy in a retirement home... it doesn't get any better than that! This has got to be seen to be believed.

Thank you, thank you very much.


----------



## Mrs. Furley

Macdoc, I also enjoyed Girl With A Pearl Earring...it was almost as good as the book! I thought they did a great job.

I saw Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind yesterday and really enjoyed it. Very unusual. Jim Carrey was wonderful - I much prefer him in roles like that. Kate Winslet was great too. I don't think it's for everyone though!


----------



## Clockwork

I saw 50 first dates the other day. Its very funny. Im not a huge Adam Sandler fan but this one is worth watching. As for the Passion of the Christ. It was tame compared to what they believe they did to Jesus and or others in that time. The movie is a very good way to show people pretty much what happended. He was probably beaten and tortured far more according to most historians though. The Romans allways made it a point to find the most hideous ways of torturing people. They also used to Crucify people upside down, or just hang them up there till they suffocated. 

http://www.religiousstudies.uncc.edu/jdtabor/crucifixion.html


----------



## MannyP Design

Saw _A Shark's Tale_... it was nice, but that was about it. There were some funny moments in it. Will Smith was, well, Will Smith.

The wife rented _Bridget Jones' Diary_ -- very funny, although I fail to see the weight issue that everyone talked about.  

_The Last Samurai_ was amazing. It didn't seem like 3 hours long at all. Beautiful scenery, amazing story...

_21 Grams_: Great movie if you want to kill yourself.  It's a very good movie, but I've never felt so depressed in all my life after watching it. The structure is Tarantino-esque, but pushed the envelope as far as telling a story goes. Great acting all around.


----------



## Loafer

Manny,...yeah 21 grams, true to that, very depressing.

Mrs Loafer and Myself went to see Shaun of the Dead...

loved it, just beautiful.....made me feel kind of homesick.


----------



## bopeep

Ok... Don't laugh, but I just saw Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi yesterday .... for the first time. 

Miss it when it's at the theatres and it's damn near impossible to get a chance to see it, then it just became some kind of sick joke that I hadn't seen them... sooo, I rented them ALL and sat through them all one after the other. 

All I can say is WOW. 

gonna watch em again today while I work.


----------



## MaxPower

I just bought the DVD box set on the weekend and watched the trilogy again for the umteenth time.

Of course my wife can't understand why I can watch a movie over and over again.....

I also watched The Alamo as well.

Quite the "underdog" story, although in this case the underdogs didn't win. 200 Texans against thousands of Mexicans. Not really fair odds.


----------



## yo_paully

My Life Without Me
with Sarah Polley, Mark Ruffalo, Scott Speedman

Possibly one of the saddest movies I?ve ever seen - a tear-jerker... the story is very moving, it really makes you think about what is truly important in your life.

View the Trailer
________
Aprilia SXV450


----------



## Griller

Don't laugh at me either, but I just saw 'Silence of the Lambs' for the first time, it was on TV a few nights ago. I finally see why everyone used to talk about it and I finally get all the references ever made about it. The Buffalo Bob reference in 'Joe Dirt' is awesome!


----------



## The Doug

*Donnie Brasco*: Great, and powerful from start to finish.

*28 Days Later*: _Very_ different film than the trailers and advertising would have you believe. Yes, it's a zombie flick but pretty art-house if you ask me. And that's a good thing.

*Big Fish*: Tim Burton at his deft, whimsical best. This is a charming and highly enjoyable film.


----------



## We'reGonnaWin

If they really do make an anglicized Infernal Affairs - heads will roll.

In the meantime, "O Brother Where Art Thou?" is great.
So great, I'm going to do their dance from the movie.


----------



## Griller

*The Day After Tomorrow* was pretty good, I just saw it over the weekend on DVD. Alarming and thought-provoking, as it explores the destructive potential of climate change due to human causes/ ignorance. It kept my attention throughout and was 'entertaining' as movies go. It was almost documentary-like.


----------



## Griller

*Bringing Down The House* wasn't anything special. Eugene Levy had his moments and I think Steve Martin has gotten really annoying/ unfunny since the late 90's ("Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" being his best work ever  )


----------



## The Doug

*As Good As It Gets* - finally saw this film on DVD. Quite funny, but predictable.


----------



## Cynical Critic

I just watched *Silence of the Lambs* again because my lady hadn't seen it. Definitely the best movie of the entire trilogy.


----------



## MacDoc

I would agree tho *Man Hunter* which is not officially part of the trilogy I'd say comes a close second. Casting is excellent and typically the score is phenomenal.


----------



## Cynical Critic

I like William Petersen in *Manhunter* but without Anthony Hopkins I just wasn't as enthralled or entertained. I'd rather watch *CSI*. I do agree *Manhunter* is better than *Hannibal* and possibly its remake, *Red Dragon*.


----------



## MacDoc

I'd rank them that way too. Michael Mann's score, visuals and pacing somewhat offseting the lack of Hopkins and a "Clarice" level star. You know thinking about it Hannibal was also terrific. All three deliciously scary enjoyable films. Excellent film making and for that matter writing as well.

I spent many enjoyable hours in Starbucks/Chapters reading the trilogy.


----------



## MaxPower

Watched The Girl Next Door the other night.










In the tradition of American Pie, kind of a coming of age comedy. Not an Oscar winner by any means but funny none the less. 

Any movie with Elisha Cuthbert is allright in my book.


----------



## ehMax

Everytime I see that poster for The Girl Next Door, I have to turn away. That's Elisha from Popular Mechanics for Kids that I watched with my children!









Doesn't feel right.


----------



## SINC

I watched The Punisher last night.










While I enjoyed the movie, the level of blood and gore dismayed me somewhat.

Do they have to be that graphic? 

Cheers


----------



## MaxPower

> Everytime I see that poster for The Girl Next Door, I have to turn away. That's Elisha from Popular Mechanics for Kids that I watched with my children!
> 
> Doesn't feel right.


But now she's all growsed up. You're talking silly now Mr. Mayor. Get that Popular Mechanics for Kids image out of your head right now! You're spoiling it for the rest of us.

BTW, SINC, if The Punisher didn't have all the violence in it, it would be called The Pansy (not meant to offend). The comic was violent and I feel the movie stayed fairly close to those roots.

But if you are turned off of gore, then I suggest you stay from the Kill Bill series.


----------



## Cynical Critic

I haven't seen *The Punisher* yet; however, I heard from fans of the comic series that while the film is quite violent it doesn't stay true to the dark feel of the comics. Frank is supposed to be vengeful, violent and jaded. The main critique I've heard is that Tom Jane does not fit the role of the Punisher. Funny because I thought John Travolta would be terrible as the bad guy (think *Battlefield Earth* - worst movie ever!).

Now I'm even more curious about seeing the movie.


----------



## SINC

I guess I am getting my fair share of "revenge" movies this week, but last night I saw "Man On Fire".










Denzel Washington shows an unexpected darker side as well as a softer image. It is quite a twist in emotions overall.

Although violent, the viewer seems almost approving of Denzel's character's behaviour.

As good an action movie as I have seen in a while.

Cheers


----------



## Cynical Critic

I saw *Panic Room* last night. The movie is entertaining and Jodie Foster is an excellent actress. However, you have to be willing to suspend disbelief during a couple of scenes. Also many of the plot points are obvious.


----------



## The Doug

*Van Helsing*: Nicely-made eye candy with very good production values, fun visuals... combined with a screenplay that's desparately in need of surgery, and some of the _worst-written_ dialogue I've heard in years.


----------



## CubaMark

Yes, but... Kate Beckinsale certainly does make one forget how bad the dialogue was... which of course is why she was cast...









 
M


----------



## The Doug

Watched Woody Allen's *Stardust Memories* on DVD last evening - it's probably not as accessible as most of his other films, but I found it hilarious. The black & white cinematography is typically _gorgeous_...


----------



## We'reGonnaWin

Didn't see this thread. I suppose my ringing endorsement for *Ray* belongs here.


----------



## CubaMark

Last week I saw the east coast premiere of The Take:


> In the wake of Argentina’s spectacular economic collapse in 2001, Latin America’s most prosperous middle class finds itself in a ghost town of abandoned factories and mass unemployment. In suburban Buenos Aires, thirty unemployed auto-parts workers walk into their idle factory, roll out sleeping mats and refuse to leave. All they want is to re-start the silent machines. But this simple act —the take —has the power to turn the globalization debate on its head.


A very good film. It'll bring tears to your eyes... There are some academic quibbles, including a very male focus (which detracts from the fact that the factory takeover movement began with women and is largely women-driven). Still, it's worth seeing just to get a sense that fighting back against this neoliberal rampage is possible.










M.


----------



## MacDoc

The Take is playing in Toronto and it's been extended - if enough go see it they will rollout nationally.
That's our very own Naomi Klein and Avi Lewis so support good Canadian films.

•••••

Finally got to see *Kill Bill I *last night. Liked the music and visuals and choreographed mayhem.
So many ironically done cliches ( I mean that in a positive way ) for both Japanese film/culture and film culture itself. Lots of fun tho gory. Anime brought to life.

I wasn't watching too closely but likely will tonight if it comes around on hidef again. Production values and detail were superb and hidef really enhances the film.
••••

BTW Polar Express is now on in 3D IMAX  I'll tell you about it soon. Looks incredible. Breakthrough style of animation.


----------



## Macaholic

> Everytime I see that poster for The Girl Next Door, I have to turn away. That's Elisha from Popular Mechanics for Kids that I watched with my children! Doesn't feel right.


I KNOW!


----------



## Cynical Critic

Well, I saw *Saw*. I went in with low expectations and was really surprised and creeped out. The last movie to make my skin crawl or make me want to yell out loud like this was *Seven*. However, the acting and plot in *Seven* is more nuanced and superb. 

*Saw* is creepy thriller but the acting is a bit weak at first and the story lags a litte bit at few points. Nevertheless, I recommend the flic. Even for this cynic who has seen it all there were a few surprises and enough original imagery to keep me entertained.


----------



## agent4321

I just saw *SAW* too  

I thought it was pretty good. Yes the acting was a little dodgey in spots but overall the movie kept me interested. I thought it was going to be quite gory, but was glad to see it wasn't too gratuitous - unlike _Hannibal_ which was too over the top  

I would give it a 7 out of 10.


----------



## Cynical Critic

I concur Agent. _Hannibal_ was my least favourite of the series mostly because of the excessive and needless gore.


----------



## MannyP Design

Checked out _Envy_ and _The Day After Tomorrow_.

_Envy_ had it's moments... Jack Black, Ben Stiller, and Christopher Walken -- a pretty funny combination. 

_Tomorrow_... it had nice visuals (except for the CG wolves -- was that really necessary?). Bad plot and bad dialogue. Decent acting for the most part. Don't bother unless you have nothing better to do.


----------



## MBD

> Finally got to see Kill Bill I last night


MacDoc - I just watched it too. I haven't heard people rave about this aspect of Tarentino films like I do (maybe I've just been looking in the wrong places) but I love how he strongly emphasizes meta fiction. In _Pulp Fiction_, besides the fact that it's called _Pulp Fiction_, many of the characters make reference to being characters or getting into character. The dialogue is so unreal that it becomes dialogue unto itself and yet, we suspend belief (until the Gimp scene).

I love the opening quote in _Kill Bill_ - a well known quote but it is attributed as a Klingon Proverb - very meta fiction! I love it! And the crazy conversations & the exagerated squirting blood (mixed in with the more realistic gore)! I could do a whole study and paper on this.

Of course I guess I'd have to counter balance it with the truer gore and violence (a la Gimp, a la rapist in the hospital and of course Bill killing the bride) - it's almost like a morality play - you get sucked in because you suspend your disbelief, despite all the signs that it is fiction and then you wake up when you realize you sinfully start identifying and laughing with the killers.

Oh, and I also love Uma Thurman.


----------



## MacDoc

Oh MY!!  *Go catch a bit of history in the making.*
I felt like the DW Griffith audience must have felt watching Birth of Nation.

*Polar Express* in IMAX 3D is THE breakthrough movie.

If you do ONE THING this holiday season try and catch this in iMax 3D.
Mesmerizing isn't sufficient. Totally, totally engaging.










It's a terrific credit to Canadian technology and a wonderful story all rolled up with Tom Hanks at his septuble best and a very spooky Haley Joel Osmond.










and *3D*!!!! you're reaching out your hand to catch the snowflakes. If you can imagine sitting right on the edge of the screen and looking not at it but IN IT. It's just startling at times.

If you have to drive a 100 miles to find an iMax do it.

Go see it, you'll love it and it means more will be made like this. Can't wait.


----------



## Cynical Critic

Regrettably, I saw *Van Helsing*. The plot, characters, acting and dialogue were terrible. The computer graphics and scenery were interesting at times but overall they created no ambiance. I felt like I was watching a big video game. (Although to be fair to games like _San Andreas_ and _Halo 2_, they have a much better grasp of character, dialogue and plot.) It wasn't even bad in a funny way. My friends and I mercilessly mocked it and that's the only thing that allowed us to finish watching this steaming pile of crud.

Did anyone else feel like this movie was indeed a Frankenstein's monster of recycled scenes, characters, tired plot devices and one-liners?


----------



## The Doug

I saw Van Helsing a couple of weeks ago; it certainly isn't the _worst_ movie I've ever seen (Judge Dredd or Wild Wild West, anyone?) but I agree with you. Things really started to fall apart for me when the vampire brides made their first appearance... they all sound like _very_ bad imitations of Zsa Zsa Gabor.







This film is as much a failure as Kenneth Branagh's _Frankenstein_ was a number of years ago. 

On a much more positive note, I watched *Bagdad Café* last evening. I saw it when it first came out (1988 or so?) and a few times thereafter, but it's been years since my last viewing. Just as enjoyable as ever.

Also - I picked up the Star Wars Trilogy on DVD a few weeks ago. I've watched the A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back so far. Yesterday, I watched half of the Empire of Dreams documentary & will finish viewing it today. This documentary on the extras disc is terrific - informative and quite fun. In its own way, Empire of Dreams offers as much of a sentimental journey to me, as the original three SW films do.


----------



## Cynical Critic

The Doug my post was in no way meant as a slight to your earlier post. I just saw *Van Helsing* and felt ripped off even more than I could have imagined. I thought my expectations were low enough. How wrong I was.

Truly *Battlefield Earth* ranks near the top of my list. *Van Helsing* was such a disappointment because the myths it used (and abused) have so much potential that such a junky movie should never have been made. Dracula had no presence and acted more like a tempramental sissy than a creature of the night. Frankenstein was only monstrous in appearance and the Borg-like green lights in his head were just silly. But I could go on and on so I shall stop.


----------



## MacDoc

Go see Polar Express in iMax 3D and get the ripoff taste out of your mouth.


----------



## The Doug

> ...The Doug my post was in no way meant as a slight to your earlier post...


I didn't take it as a slight at all, CC! I agree with your critique. The movie *is* a huge disappointment, especially considering all the production talent and money behind it. I too thought that the Dracula character was ineffectively portrayed - and perfectly miscast. Visually the movie is nice but it's so hard to keep your brain turned off while watching it, what with its non-stop WTF?!! moments. Suspension of disbelief is one thing that's essential when watching most movies - but Van Helsing requires um... suspension of _consciousness_ I think.


----------



## Codger

Just watched The Punisher. If you've seen The Punisher version from about ten years ago with Dolph Lundgren, then the new version is a disappointment. 
Something to do with most movies that Travolta is in. Just never seems to be believable.

Finished redoing my home theatre so it should be fun watching some movies that I haven't seen for a while.

Buckaroo Bonzai is on order.


----------



## avalonian

Like a pastiche of early-80s memories congealed by the film's charismatic protagonist: Napoleon Dynamite.

Quirky.
Fun.
Great Charactarization.

Wes Anderson would be proud.


----------



## Dr.G.

My son and I watched "Supersize me" last night. I don't think that I shall ever be able to have a BigMac, et al, hamburger ever again without thinking of the stats generated from this experiment. Granted, I can't remember the last time I had a hamburger made in a fast food place, but I shall think twice before I go again.


----------



## Cynical Critic

Aside from the somewhat gimmicky and outrageous Ronnie McRotten's diet, did you find the rest of *Super-size Me* fascinating, Dr.G? Before watching the movie I didn't consider what a huge amount of calories people consumed from drinking pop and eating high-sugar-content foods. I knew they were bad for you in excess but I never understood just how bad or how much crap some people frequently consume. 

These people don't understand the meaning of the word moderation or self-control. No, give me a stomach staple instead. Adults can kill themselves if they like; however, I am saddened and angry for the children who are subjected to the whims and bad habits of their irresponsible parents. 

I didn't intend to go on a rant here. Dang stimulating movie. Now I feel like Dennis Miller (with fewer big words - although I could add some in).

The Doug, I concur. Some of the ideas and visuals in *Van Helsing* were unique and promising but often they were misplaced and poorly executed. For instance, I liked how the werewolf ripped his skin off. But the CG stood out like a sore thumb; it was made overly cartoony.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

Saw *The Fog of War* on Independant Film Channel.
Great documentary of an interview with Robert McNamar, architect of the Vietnam War, Sec. of Defense for Kennedy and LBJ.

You could see he knew now that the war was wrong and feels bad about it.


----------



## Dr.G.

CC, the most amazing stat was the amount of sugar that was consumed (e.g., 30 pounds) and the visual representation of this fact. I was also shocked to see the size of some many "average" American. I am not small by any means, but I can now see how many people in North America can become very overweight with the "convenience" of fast foods.


----------



## agent4321

Just watched *Walking Tall*.

It's a good old school kick







movie. 

Amazing action sequences, a must see if you dig "The Rock". 

Also it was filmed in B.C., Squamish to be exact.


----------



## james_squared

Hello,

I just watched the "Uncut Collector's Edition for Mature Audiences" of Todd McFarlane's _Spawn_. It was a long show and I even needed to flip the DVD over to "Side B."

James


----------



## The Doug

*Meet The Parents*. Not the best comedy ever made but it's still an enjoyable, amusing romp.


----------



## ErnstNL

Just saw The Incredibles tonight. It's one of Pixar's best so far. The detail in the scenery is fantastic and I really enjoyed it. 


My 13 yr. old son didn't like The Incredibles. bah.

Shall we Dance with Richard Gere and JLo was a surprise. I liked it more than I'd expected. 
Why would anyone think that JLo is beautiful is beyond my comprehension. She is pretty, no doubt, but just that, only "pretty".


----------



## Griller

I saw *THE INCREDIBLES* last night and it is one of the best superhero movies ever made, if not the best. The visuals and the humour are great! Surely inspired in some way by DC and Marvel but *not* from either (or any other) major comicbook publisher --- that's something that I think ROCKS and I applaud and respect that completely because of how well this movie turned out!

Even if you don't want to see it in theatres, definitely rent or buy this one when it comes out. The Incredibles proves that superhero movies can be done without seriousness, drama, or darkness --- that's unique/rare in my opinion (oh and I am a fan of superhero movies like Batman (the first one with Michael Keaton), Spiderman 1 & 2, and X-Men).

Great action, humour, visuals, it's a really good all-round movie. Definitely a fun ride! Jack-Jack was awesome!


----------



## The Doug

*Koyaanisqatsi*... I find this 1983 film as mesmerising and thought provoking now, as when I first saw it many years ago. 

I saw this DVD on sale at HMV on the 3/$20 rack and couldn't resist buying a copy - it's an all-time favourite of mine. Never seen the two sequels however, Powaqqatsi and Naqoyqatsi.


----------



## Mrs. Furley

Ohhh...I remember Koyaanisqatsi...I watched it a few times in the 80's. Wonderful!


----------



## Perfessor

I just saw Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's "Infernal Affairs." It was released a year or so back but just hit the repertory theatres here. What an incredible movie! Intelligent, incisive, respecful and a wonderful antidote to the cynical blow 'em up, bloodlust movies that seem to be the main product of the north american movie scene these days.

Chinese with English subtitles

Check it out!


----------



## MacDoc

Caught *Beyond Borders* last night on HD. Sort of







. 

I got the impression the chaos in key areas was being exploited for Hollywood purposes as opposed to any kind of actual benefit to those areas tho the aid workers around the world were recognized at the end.

Bit of a head scratch that one......anyone else's take on it??

••••

In case I didn't make it clear .. *GO SEE POLAR EXPRESS IN 3D IMAX!!!!*


----------



## kps

Doug, you should see *Powaqqatsi*. In some ways is better than Koyaanisqatsi. I was able to get both DVDs at Amazon, now that the legal battles over distribution are over. I haven't seen the final chapter in the trilogy -- Naqoyqatsi. I'll get the DVD when it comes out.


----------



## Griller

Just saw *Ocean's Eleven* for the first time. It was pretty good. A tonne of big names (lots of good news for the ladies in this movie) and they actually all went well together. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Matt Damon plus Julia Roberts and a bunch of other known actors, it's literally star-studded. It's trendy, modern, cool, funky, and entertaining. It didn't blow me away but it's not a bad movie.

It has me interested to go and check out the sequel "Ocean's Twelve" in theatres. With Catherine Zeta-Jones added to the cast list it's tough to resist.


----------



## Pamela

just saw ocean's twelve. blah.

too hard to follow...to confusing.....doesn't pack much punch....boring.


----------



## liquidgenesis

Five words:

The Gods Must Be Crazy.

Funny!


----------



## Cynical Critic

*Blade Trinity* is somewhere between amusing and just plain silly. The plot and acting are _meh_ but there are plenty of stylish shots and funny lines (although some aren't intended to be). Oddly enough, Triple H, the wrestler, proves to be a better actor than Parker Posey right from the start of the film. I suppose this in itself is a comment on the film quality.


----------



## The Doug

*The Lathe of Heaven* - the 1979 PBS production starring Bruce Davison. Dated and decidedly low-budget but still _excellent_. NOT to be confused with the lousy re-make from a few years ago (starring Lukas Haas and James Caan) that was, shall we say, _not faithful_ to the classic Ursula K. Le Guin novel.

I first saw the PBS version when it was first shown in 1979, and was hooked. As I understand it went into distribution limbo shortly after that, but a couple of years ago PBS was able to show it again, and I taped it. I'd totally forgotten that I had it on VHS, and to my delight, rediscovered it recently. If you like the Ursula K. Leguin novel, check out the 1979 production. It is available on VHS cassette from Amazon/HMV.


----------



## Pamela

saw sideways tonight. great movie. A little gross at some parts but definitely worth the 7 golden globe nominations.


----------



## agent4321

They're not movies persay but I just finished watching *The Office Season 1, Season 2 & The Office Special* on DVD.

I have to say it is the funniest show I have ever seen.























If you haven't seen The Office Rent it! Now!

_If you watch it and don't find it funny, there's something wrong with you._


----------



## Pamela

watching tv shows on dvd seems to be the latest rage. Everyone I know is doing it.

I guess without hockey and such ****ty tv, there really is no other option...lol


----------



## lotus

It's All Gone Pete Tong was filmed in Ibiza, Spain and pretty well covers all the excesses, drink, drugs, sex and most of all the fantastic music scene. Paul Kaye, a British actor, literally threw himself into this wild comedy.

This film was voted best Canadian feature at the film festival this year and made the top ten list of Canadian films for 2004. Although it is not in the theatres yet the top ten will be shown at the end of Jan. by Cinematheque Ontario.

I am excited about this as my daughter was the Canadian producer.


----------



## Kosh

The trailers for Elektra look good. Of course Jennifer Garner makes a good heroine.


----------



## The Doug

I treated myself to The Sinbad Collection recently. I was a huge fan of Ray Harryhausen's films when I was young - and I still have a soft spot for them.


----------



## wonderings

Just watched ROTK SE a few days ago. And WOW the extra scenes really should have been there in the theatre. A must watch for any Lord of the Rings fan.


----------



## james_squared

Hello,

I have recently started renting DVDs from the library. I watched the Band of Brothers, which was pretty good. It took me almost two weeks to get through all the parts.

We watched Dances with Wolves last night which is a very good show. I had not seen it before and I was reasonably impressed with Kevin Costner's performance. The day before we watched A.I. and I thought it was pretty neat; it was all about chasing a dream. I really would like to get one of those teddy bears that was on the show.

James


----------



## The Doug

*Holiday Inn*. Every year at this time I watch some old movie favourites, like this one from 1942. The song "White Christmas" was introduced in this movie. It's a fun film with a fluffy plot, great songs by Irving Berlin, and nice dance numbers. It's thoroughly enjoyable. They don't make films like this anymore - they _can't_.


----------



## Pamela

Holiday Inn is my FAVOURITE classic Christmas movie EVER. Hands down. Every year I watch it and I can't pull myself away. It's just the perfect mix of story and music. Beautiful  No other old Christmas movies can keep my attention for some reason. I try and try every year to watch some of the classics (like the one hour 60's rudolph and snowman flicks as well as the charlie browns and all the other old time long movies) but end up getting bored every year and change the channel  

Elf and the Jim Carey Grinch are my contemporary favourites.


----------



## Griller

A good new Christmas movie is The Polar Express. I saw it in theatres a few days ago. Both my fiancé and I really enjoyed it, we want to buy it when it comes to DVD. It's one of those 'new' Christmas classics for sure. It's a magical, warm Christmas movie for kids and adults.


----------



## autopilot

i'll be watching kill bill 1 & 2 when i get home tonight. work is keeping me here right until 6pm, dammit! i have been bored all day!

a childhood favourite of mine is "the snowman"; animated short film (about 30 mins) that is so beautiful. i wish i could find it on dvd.


----------



## MBD

I watched I Robot. I was so worried it would be off of the Asimov short stories but I liked it and I'm a big Asimov robot story fan! 

Ugh. I wish I had a robot. Come on! You promised me in the 70s that we'd have a lunar base & robots.









I've asked my friends to rent it and see how well they know me by seeing if they can figure out at what point in the movie I almost cried.


----------



## MacDoc

Griller it sounds like you saw it in 2D. If you liked it in 2D you'll be blown away in iMax 3D.

Treat yourself to a second round.


----------



## Snapple Quaffer

Autopilot, Amazon.com has the Snowman (Raymond Briggs?) on DVD.


----------



## autopilot

are you kidding? i'm SURE i looked and could only find VHS.

thanks for the tip


----------



## Snapple Quaffer

Oh, I meant Amazon.ca. They had it when I looked.

I guess the .com version of Amazon is US, eh?


----------



## autopilot

oh yeah, i naturally assumed .ca anyway









i'm checking now...


----------



## Pamela

POLAR EXPRESS 3D ROCKS!!!! We saw it on the 21st and it's definitely going to be the next classic. Great story line.

We were actually going to see Lemony Snicket but we arrived too late. I glad we ended up seeing it instead!

But having said that, I plan on going to see Lemony Snicket on Boxing Day....from what I've seen it's gettin 4 starts. Anyone seen it?


----------



## james_squared

Hello,

We watched Shawshank Redemption, which was a very good show although the ending was a bit too 'cutesy-poo' with how everything worked out fine.

We also watched all the episodes of Fawlty Towers over the last couple of days. It's a good show and very funny. My wife had not seen any of the episodes before so she really enjoyed the shows.

Next up, Spider-Man, Airplane!, Unnatural Causes, and Avalanche!, which is "[n]arrated by Mark Hamill." Oh, how exciting.

Yes, these have all been 'rented' from our public library.

James


----------



## MacDoc

Anybody with a half decent screen or especially an HD should snag one of these for the holidays










The *LG DV7832NXC **employs Faroudja's de-interlacing technology, up-converting image resolution for crisper, clearer, finely detailed images on screen.* Enjoy better picture quality from your DVD movies on any HDTV compatible TV by simply connecting this LG DVD player via DVI or component video output jacks

Totally amazing and cheap. $239 I got mine for and it really does a number on making DVDs look like HD.
It's not the only one out there BUT if you have an earlier HD ready set with DVi inputs it's the only one that has component out with the upscaling.

I'm going to be cruising my whole DVD collection over the holidays - 
*cheap thrills indeed !*  

Find out more about Faroudja technology and if you are buying high end HDTV look for it. In the meantime it's yours real cheap in the LG DVD player.

http://www.faroudja.com/technology.phtml


----------



## gastonbuffet

saw "sideways" last night

really really good, i encourage everybody to check it out and have a laugh.

on dvd, " the five obstructions" was great for me, my better half didn't like it.


and about 
"new and improved ehmac" , five stars, it's a "must post" forum.


----------



## MaxPower

*One Good, One Bad.*

I watched i Robot last week and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. I honestly didn't think I would like it, which is probably why I did like it.

Open Water. Now there's a something to not waste any money on. I turned it off after 10 minutes. The whole movie looks like it was filmed from a camcorder. Please tell me it gets better.


----------



## sammy

*Lemony Snicket*

Lemony Snicket's Series of unfortunate events was, well, blech. My son and I have been reading the series together and were pretty eager to see it. My son (8 years old) had the initial reaction of "Whaaat?" but later admitted he liked it. Jim Carrey does a fine job, but it scrambles bits and pieces of the first 3 books.

I did watch I, Robot as well though, and was also pleasantly surprised how much I liked it.


----------



## re:load

just saw "The Postman Rings Twice" (original version) on TVO Saturday. I was surprised by how much I liked it! 

For it's time, it must have caused such a stir… a head-strong woman looking for success, plotting to kill her husband, was a floozy in her younger days, pregnant with a baby with a man outside her marriage… it's like an eposide of The OC, only it takes place 60 years ago! 

It's a must see if you like classics.


----------



## bopeep

I watched the second Resident Evil, T3 and Lock Stock and 2 smoking barrels. 

Ok, I hadn't seen RE 2, nor T3 --> I was entertained by RE, and will probably get it for my collection, T3? What on earth was that? Horrible. 

Lock Stock... I had seen it a few years ago, forgot how much I liked it. That's a keeper for sure. What else has Guy Ritchie done [besides Snatch] that's good? 

Cheers
Bo


----------



## james_squared

Hello,

I watched Code 46 and it was a really neat moving about some of the issues that could, potentially, arrive through cloning of human beings. It's a fun science fiction movie starring Tim Robbins.

James


----------



## Cynical Critic

*Life Aquatic*

Happy New Year all! I was surprised to find this new layout but I suppose it has been over a month since I dropped by.

I saw the <b>Life Aquatic</b> and was content after watching it. The film is a character study of some odd characters much like Anderson's other movies (<b>The Royal Tannenbaums</b>, for instance). I had a few good chuckles and not much more. If you're a Bill Murray fan, you'll probably enjoy the film.


----------



## The Doug

Some recent viewings on DVD:

*Spiderman 2*: Lots of fun, well made, somewhat better than the first film (which was good to begin with). Dragged a bit in the middle though.

*I, Robot*: Much better than I thought it would be. I read Asimov's book when I was 12 or so, and barely remember it, yet felt a twinge of dread when I found out about this film starring Will Smith. Now, I don't know how this film relates to the book but it's certainly entertaining enough, and more than competently made. More or less on par with Spielberg's _Minority Report_ (which I like).

*Chronicles of Riddick*: Okay, I purchased the DVD. Forgive me for my moment of impulsive stupidity; I will forgive Dame Judy Dench for appearing in it (note to myself: send her a card tomorrow). This is a Riddickulous film that expands on the universe of _Pitch Black_ in the _worst possible way_. Eye candy to be sure, but it will rot your brain. The only saving grace is that it seems to have been exactly the kick in the head that Vin Diesel (and the studio types that tried to turn him into The Next Big Thing) needed.

*Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*: Every bit as good as the other films in the series.


----------



## Gerbill

The Phantom of the Opera. Most of the bad reviews I've seen are by people who didn't like the musical. (Maybe they were the wrong people to write the reviews?) IF you like the music and/or the stage production, the movie is superb. It's hard to see how it could have been done better.


----------



## smokeyj

Napoleon Dynamite....so stupid, yet you can't help but laugh hysterically!!


----------



## wonderings

I second Napolean Dynamite, I thought it was an excellent character comedy. No real story, just dry nerdy characters. I loved it! Kinda feels like a Wes Anderson movie, a bit anyways


----------



## Cynical Critic

*More Movies*

*Harold & Kumar Go To Whitecastle*: stupid but amusing. I recommend the intake of restricted or illegal substances during the movie. Oh, why play the euphamism game; it's a stoner movie. However, I didn't inhale and I had a good couple of laughs. There are many amusing cameos.

*Alexander*: I want this 3 hours in my life back. Slow, heavy-handed on the dialogue and straining to be artistic. A lot better than <b>Troy</b> though from what I hear (not that that's saying much).

*Blade Trinity*: Entertaining but basically a 1.5 hour iPod ad. Parker Posey can't act her way out of a coffin in this flic; HHH outshines her. 'Nuff said. The Vancouver backdrop saved this movie for me a bit. Although the vamp hunters secret base on top of the Pan Pacific Hotel was beyond silly. The weakest of the Blade movies.


----------



## Kosh

bopeep said:


> I watched the second Resident Evil, T3 and Lock Stock and 2 smoking barrels.
> 
> Ok, I hadn't seen RE 2, nor T3 --> I was entertained by RE, and will probably get it for my collection, Cheers
> Bo


Did you see the first Resident Evil? I found it much better than the second one... the second one was okay. Nice to see Toronto's city hall get demolished.


----------



## bopeep

Ya I saw the first one. I will likely get the 2 of 'em. I quite enjoy campy movies. 

such as: 
Starship troopers - yes I saw the second one.


----------



## Cynical Critic

There is a second Starship Troopers!?!  

Who is in it?


----------



## MaxPower

Cynical Critic said:


> There is a second Starship Troopers!?!
> 
> Who is in it?


Yes there is. In fact there is a number 3 as well.










Cast:
Richard Burgi
Kelly Carlson
Cy Carter
Tim Conlon
Sandrine Holt
Bobby C. King
Ed Lauter
J.P. Manoux
Lawrence Monoson
Colleen Porch
Drew Powell
Ed Quinn
Jason-Shane Scott
Stephen Stanto










Cast:
Clancy Brown
Elizabeth Daily
David DeLuise
Bill Fagerbakke
Nicholas Guest


----------



## Griller

I watched my *Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Extended Version)* DVD that I got for Christmas a few nights ago. It's the same high-quality visuals and cinematography at found in the first two chapters, though it may not the best out of the three, except maybe when it comes to battle sequences.

Still, overall it's entertaining and it's a good ending to the trilogy. I wish it didn't have to end! Peter Jackson(??) should redo 'The Hobbit'... though it would have made more sense to have done that before 'The Lord of the Rings.' For them to make 'The Hobbit' now would hurt my respect for them since it would be too under-handed and cash-grab-like as mastered by the intelligence-insulting LucasFilm....... _STILL_ though, the more I think about it... the more I think I could forgive and LOVE a movie for 'The Hobbit.' I think it pretty much stands on it's own really. I want a Peter Jackson made movie for 'The Hobbit'!!!


----------



## Cynical Critic

*The Hobbit*

Peter Jackson does plan to do the Hobbit. However, for now he is working on his King Kong remake.

Have people here seen the WETA/Chronicles of Narnia preview yet? 
See it here: Narnia à la WETA


----------



## Kosh

MaxPower said:


> http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0001XAOKC.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
> 
> Cast:
> Clancy Brown
> Elizabeth Daily
> David DeLuise
> Bill Fagerbakke
> Nicholas Guest


That link doesn't look like it links to a #3 of Starship Troopers but links to a DVD of the animated series (not sure which episodes or seasons), which I just happened to have watched. I recognize the characters faces. I thought the animated series was great and wished it lasted longer.


----------



## MaxPower

Kosh said:


> That link doesn't look like it links to a #3 of Starship Troopers but links to a DVD of the animated series (not sure which episodes or seasons), which I just happened to have watched. I recognize the characters faces. I thought the animated series was great and wished it lasted longer.


I didn't realize it was an animated series. Amazon's description never pointed out that fact.

Thanks for the info though.


----------



## Mike Y

I did a Bill Murrary week.

*Life Aquatic* Good. Typical Murray film. I like how low budget it looks and feels.

*Lost in Translation* Amazing. Filmed in twenty some days and on a small budget. I should have seen this one a long time ago. Music and cinematography good.

Maybe I am a fan of the low budget film. They are always better for me.


----------



## Cynical Critic

It's because Hollywood has proven time and again that a big budget does not equate to a good (or even decent) movie. They're often more hype than content.

The most glaring example of this was the over-budget *Waterworld*. What a flop! Although I didn't hate it as much as some. More recently, movies like *Troy* come to mind.


----------



## MacNutt

Good movies I've seen over the holiday break?

-"Collateral" (with Tom Cruise, of all things! But I loved it anyway!)

-"Man on Fire" with Denzel Washington. I enjoyed it so much I went out and bought the DVD. ( I like Michael Mann movies, I just wish he made them more often)

-"I'll be There". A smallish Britflick that I watched on a whim. Turned out to be a really nice diversion. Watched it again with several friends and they all enjoyed it as well. Not too deep...but rather nice. And good fun.

I have a list of about fifteen movies that I didn't like very much. But I won't bore all of you with that. At least not right now.


----------



## agent4321

*Hobbit? When!?!*



Cynical Critic said:


> Peter Jackson does plan to do the Hobbit. However, for now he is working on his King Kong remake.


Yes but the question is when, after Kong he's planning to do a movie called "Bones" (The Lovely Bones) based on this book.










The Lovely Bones: Article (AICN)

So we will have to wait at least 2-3 years till The Hobbit. By then he should have "The Ultimate LOTR Collection" transferred to HD-DVD or Blu-Ray which ever one wins the battle for the studios approval and then he can throw the Hobbit on it too! It's all coming together.


----------



## Tomac

Maria Full of Grace 

It'll _move_ you.


----------



## agent4321

*Manchurian Remake*

I just rented *Manchurian Candidate* (2004) and quite enjoyed it. Good cast, director & acting=


----------



## autopilot

i saw two movies yesterday.

*the life aquatic with steve zissou* 
this was great. i thoroughly enjoyed this. you might like it if you are:
a) a fan of wes anderson's similarly styled films "rushmore" and "the royal tenebaums"; and
b) an adult who enjoyed making forts and creating make believe adventures as a kid.

the boat he has is great. great music in this movie as in wes' others. some hysterical jokes. i adore bill murray. cate blanchett is adorable in this. just great. a must have for my dvd collection when it's released.

*closer* 
a truly great film. julia roberts, jude law, natalie portman, and some british actor i haven't seen before. the film is mostly these four, and it keeps jumping ahead in time, so you're not always completely sure of the status of their "relationships" until they're a few lines in.

great story. characters are well-developed, but keep you guessing. it has an end that you wouldn't expect. very well doen movie. i urge everyone to see this before it leaves theatres.


----------



## agent4321

Watched *Garden State* last night and I really enjoyed it, Zach Braff is a talented writer, actor and director, just an amazing movie. :clap:

I was also impressed with Natalie Portman's performance, I think this is the first real film I've ever seen her in that she got to spread her wings. Her roles in the Star Warts (not a typo) franchise really didn't allow much room to show her skills. Actually I did see her in The Professional when she was like 10 but that was a long time ago and can't quite remember the performance.

Here's a shot from Garden State that best illustrates what the weather is like today in Vancouver


----------



## Pamela

I couldn't get to your link agent. Access was denied.

But I have a slight idea what you are talking about re:Vancouver weather. It's even too wet for fish!

I don't mind though. Good excuse to stay inside


----------



## MaxPower

I saw Troy and the Village over the weekend.

I have to say it. I liked Troy. :yikes: I'm a sucker for mindless action. Especially "Epic" action. I know the masses will disagree with me on this one.

The Village I enjoyed as well. Totally different than what is typically released. M. Night Shyamalan really knows how to mess with your head. Just when you think you've got it figured out, he messes with you again.


----------



## agent4321

Pamela said:


> I couldn't get to your link agent. Access was denied.


Works fine for me  

Try this one *Garden State: Official Site*

Try this too *Zach Braff's Garden State Blog*


----------



## autopilot

agent4321 said:


> Watched *Garden State* last night and I really enjoyed it, Zach Braff is a talented writer, actor and director, just an amazing movie. :clap:


i agree. great movie. i rented it and then found it in a used music store for $10! :yikes: 

bargain if you ask me. i don't think he understood what he had...


----------



## Mrs. Furley

I saw Napoleon Dynamite...twice! I loved it. It's not for everyone though.

I also saw a Norwegian movie called Elling which is now one of my favourite movies. It's funny, touching and offbeat.

And I saw Open Water...well done but very disturbing.


I really, really want to see the new Wes Anderson movie!


----------



## Mrs. Furley

I was disappointed with Garden State!  Maybe I just got too excited about it.

...but I still love Zach Braff.


----------



## agent4321

MaxPower said:


> I saw Troy and the Village over the weekend.
> I have to say it. I liked Troy. :yikes: I'm a sucker for mindless action. Especially "Epic" action. I know the masses will disagree with me on this one.


Troy was good. I thought casting Brad Pitt was wrong and that Eric Bana stole the show. His performance was the only saving grace for Troy IMHO.

The Village is next on my list of movies to see along with Napoleon Dyanmite.


----------



## Cynical Critic

Agent when you see <b>The Village</b> let me know what you think of it. In retrospect I enjoyed it; however, right after seeing it I was uncertain of what I thought.


----------



## Carex

Cold Mountain. OK, I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for Nicole Kidman (especially when I get to see her bum :clap: ).

I also like that dude, whose name I can never remember, that played the bad priest.

Looking forward to seeing The Life Aquatic and renting Napoleon Dynamite.


----------



## MaxPower

Carex said:


> Cold Mountain. OK, I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for Nicole Kidman (especially when I get to see her bum :clap: ).


OK Why didn't anyone tell me you get to see Nicole in her Birthday suit? :heybaby:


----------



## Kosh

Carex said:


> Cold Mountain. OK, I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for Nicole Kidman (especially when I get to see her bum :clap: ).


That's the ONLY movie I've ever seen (And I've seen thousands) that I've been tempted to leave the theatre. BORRRRRRRINNNGGG... it was worse than watching grass grow. 

There are far painless ways to see Nicole Kidman in her birthday suit. 

The only interesting parts was the big explosion in the battle and Renee Zellweger's character.


----------



## Kosh

agent4321 said:


> Troy was good. I thought casting Brad Pitt was wrong and that Eric Bana stole the show. His performance was the only saving grace for Troy IMHO.
> 
> The Village is next on my list of movies to see along with Napoleon Dyanmite.


I thought Troy was a great epic love and drama story with some good action, and Brad Pitt made a great Achilles. My friends enjoyed it too.

The Village was interesting, didn't know what to make of it at first. Interesting how the group of families created the place and kept it secluded.


----------



## MacDoc

Saw *Mystic River* last night. Superb cast.


----------



## Cynical Critic

I still haven't seen <b>Mystic River</b>; I want to see it. Another serious drama worth seeing with Sean Penn is <b>21 Grams</b>, which came out around the same time as <b>Mystic River</b>. Be warned: it's a very heavy movie.

I haven't seen <b>Troy</b> yet, but I've heard Brad Pitt is the worst part of the movie. My parents felt that Bana was far superior. What did you like about him, Kosh?

As a friend and I discussed, Achilles is a hard character to portray on-screen because in Homer's writings Achilles has little to no dialogue.


----------



## Kosh

Cynical Critic said:


> What did you like about him, Kosh?


I thought he gave alot of character to his role. He played a character who was an arrogant but deadly and skillful mercenary who didn't care for the chain of command (doesn't care for Kings and holds no allegiance to any), and knew that he was being used and manipulated. He came in to battle fast and furious and fought to the death. Yet he showed a softer, nobler, honourable side when he protected one of the women from Troy (can't remember which woman it was) and when he is haunted by the destruction and killing he causes. 

I have to agree that Bana (Hector) played his character well too. The honourable, dependable, wise big brother of Paris. Respected by all in Troy.


----------



## MaxPower

The one thing I never understand about epics period films such as Troy is why do all of the characters have a British accent?? Gladiator was the same.


----------



## Cynical Critic

*Conspiracy*

Max, has Hollywood taught you nothing? Clearly every person in the world speaks English just with various accents. They always have. All these other languages exist just to be difficult and to get language scholarships.


----------



## Kosh

Everybody adores a British accent! If you don't, your bloody loopy. :lmao:


----------



## The Doug

*1984*... _Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clements..._

Of course this is an adaptation of Orwell's novel starring John Hurt as Winston Smith, and the late Sir Richard Burton as O'Brien in his final film role (his performance in this film is fittingly spare and understated). Overall this is an excellent film, with a great cast and perfectly appropriate production values. If you are seeking light & mindless entertainment though, it is doubleplus ungood. Go watch Bambi.


----------



## Gerbill

*The walls of Troy*

I saw part of Troy this morning at my local Mac shop - the movie looked OK, but the really impressive thing was the 30" Cinema Display I watched it on. I was just staggering around muttering "big! big!!! Then I saw the Mac mini and switched to staggering around muttering "small! small!! I had to get out of there tout de suite!


----------



## Cynical Critic

Gerbill I have one word for you: brilliant. :rofl:


----------



## Carex

Maria Full of Grace
21 Grams
Buena Vista Social Club

All are good and recommended.


----------



## MacNutt

Latest movies that I have seen and really liked?

"I'll be There"

"The Human Stain"

"Collateral"

"Man on Fire"

"Forgotten"


----------



## Carex

How was the human stain? I wonder which is better, the book or the movie (it's usually the book).


----------



## The Doug

*Tonight On DVD...*

Woody Allen's *Radio Days*. Terrific film, very funny screenplay. This is a much more accessible and light comedy than a number of Woody Allen's other films; his later _Bullets Over Broadway_ echoes this 1987 work in some ways.


----------



## Carex

Tonight it will be Napoleon Dynamite and, if we are still awake, De-Lovely. 

Monster last night. It was grim. Good job by Charlize though.


----------



## Vishalca

Oceans 12. Wow, what a suspenseful mind-thriller. The complexity of the story, and how they interwove every occurring event made the story a refreshing movie. I did not find it confusing at all; instead, I found it spectacular.


----------



## Pamela

God I hated Oceans 12. For me it just seemed like a good excuse to get the boys club together. And the ending was such a cop-out. I also disliked Napolean Dynamite...so that just shows you...to each his own.

I just saw In Good Company with that kid from the 70's show, Topher Grace and Scarlett Johanssen. Love that girl. Great movie.

I also just saw that basketball Coach Carter (the true story baseketball coach movie). VERY inspiring and wonderful acting with a wonderful story.


----------



## MacNutt

Haven't seen Oceans 12. But I will certainly watch it. It'll be a good ride, I'm sure. (when I die...I want George Clooney's life to flash before my eyes.) 

Carex...I thoroughly enjoyed "The Human Stain". Good movie, and quite thought provoking. Haven't read the book though. Almost seems like a true story. If it wasn't, it certainly could have been.


----------



## Griller

*Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow!*

I just saw *Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow* on DVD. It starts off a bit slow but it picks up in the second half and finishes very nicely.

The first half seems more like a showcase of the 'cinematography' and the visual style, I liked the visual style but to make the entire movie like that took some getting used to for me. During this, the story and acting seem to lack. The visuals though did help to convey the whole "40's/50's sci-fi action" idea of the movie. It gets made up for as the movie goes on, as more characters get introduced, especially with Angelina Jolie's character and her relation to Jude Law's character. The scene where they're getting into their planes and she gives Jude Law that smile was too funny!  

I also noticed that the humour element also gets turned up in the second half --- and this was a major redeeming factor for the movie overall. I enjoyed the small bits of humour which popped up here and there which definitely help the movie end on a high note.


----------



## The Doug

*Grosse Point Blank*: Offbeat and very dark comedy, with a great soundtrack.

*Dirty Rotten Scoundrels*: One of my favourite comedies; I watch it once or twice a year. Heh heh. _Ruprecht, do you want the genital cuff?_


----------



## talonracer

In that last little bit I've watched Collateral, Hero, De-Lovely and just finished watching Shall We Dance? - On super bowl sunday, no less!!

Before you revoke my guy card, it was with a very cute female who brought it over, with food, to watch with me. What's a lad to do?


----------



## agent4321

*Constantine*










Say Constantine last night and I enjoyed the movie more or less. The visuals were great, story was good and Mr. Reeves acting was so-so. I would recommend seeing it on the big screen.


----------



## MannyP Design

Ditto on Constantine... interesting idea (I'll have to check out the comic book.)


----------



## Kosh

I saw Constantine too, the visuals were great, but I was just expecting more. Something was definitely missing. It had all the makings of a good movie, but fell a little short. No suspense? Needed more of a plot? I'm not sure.

How he tricks the devil was cool.


----------



## The Doug

*The Big Lebowski*: _The dude abides_. I love this film!

*Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow*: An homage to 1930s pulp science fiction with terrific visual style, it is undermined a bit by a breezy, slight plot. Still, it's quite fun.

*Some Like It Hot*: Perfect. 

*Murder On The Orient Express*: Very enjoyable; Albert Finney does a terrific job as Poirot. This film is _30 years old already?_


----------



## MannyP Design

Saw _Be Cool_ last night... it was passable, but not as good as the first. All in all it was entertaining so I didn't feel to bad about spending $10.00.


----------



## Cameo

Just watched Shall We Dance - Richard Gere - what a sexy man!
The notebook was an excellent movie.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

After Hours, 1985 directed by Scorcese
thorougly enjoyable, twist and turns

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...843929?v=glance


----------



## agent4321

Just saw Frank Miller's *Sin City* tonite, I was impressed.

If you're fan of comic books, Frank Miller, Robert Rodriquez or Quentin Tarantino then you will most likely dig this film. I haven't read the graphic novels so I can't compare the two but I will have to check them out in the near future.


----------



## MannyP Design

I second that emotion, however I will say that this movie is not for everyone.


----------



## talonracer

I watched Suicide Kings last weekend. Great movie, Christopher Walken doing what he does best...


----------



## MaxPower

Was there any cowbell in that movie?? 

BTW, It was Walkin's birthday this week.


----------



## enaj

Just saw Napoleone Dynamite. If you appreciate low budget, you'll love this movie.
And it's damn funny!!!


----------



## The Doug

*Recent Viewings...*

*Gods And Monsters*: Excellent (quasi-biographic) film about James Whale, the director of Frankenstein, and The Bride of Frankenstein.

*Annie Hall* - I hadn't seen this movie until recently; I'd been avoiding it actually because Diane Keaton makes my skin crawl. Well, the film is terrific right through but it reaffirmed my dislike of Ms. K. 

*The Incredibles* - great fun. But I remember seeing commercials with a quick scene of the baby shooting energy beams from his eyes, which bounced off a kitchen pot held by his mom. This wasn't in the film.

*Groundhog Day*: What a gem; one of my all-time favourites. But next time I'll have to mute the sound during the outdoor scenes where the groundhog first appears. I hate the background song, The Pennsylvania Polka and it always gets stuck in my head. Oh, the tortures of life.


----------



## agent4321

I finally got to see "The Corporation" recently and recommend that everybody see this film, it's an eye-opener to say the least.

Dr. Robert Hare: Psychologist
_"The corporation is the prototypical psychopath."_


----------



## thejst

Rewatched Memento recently:

Some of the best sound design in cinema to this day.

Joe Pantoliano and Carrie anne Moss are chillingly good. (especially when she leaves the house and comes back a minute later)  *Memento *


----------



## autopilot

saw *the cell* on the weekend. whoa, creepy movie, amazing sets and effects. just because jlo's in it doesn't make is awful. vince vaughn kicks ass.

*runaway jury* was very good also. i liked the book better, and of course i read it first, but the change from tobacco companies as the defendants to gun manufacturers was interesting. plus, you can't go wrong with gene hackman in a good ol' baddie role


----------



## The Doug

*Meet The Fockers*: Mildly amusing; Meet The Parents wasn't the best film to begin with but it's a heckuva lot better than this uneven sequel.

*Ocean's Twelve*: Boring, smug, and tension-free. I liked Ocean's Eleven more.

*The Village*: I dunno, Shyamalan fell flat on his face with this one. It looks pretty, but the dialogue is turgid and the story disappointed in the end. Speaking of the end, I half expected to see _A Very Famous Historian_ get killed by a knight with the lot of them carried away in a Black Maria soon afterwards.


----------



## winwintoo

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - I'm a real Douglas Adams fan, so I thought it was hilarious!

Margaret


----------



## MacDoc

I'm not an Adams fan in general but this movie was excellent - made me laugh and this guy is going to go down as one of the classic funny characaters of all time










There will be a quiz..........what did the lttle dog eat? 

See how many are "respectful" movie goers. ;D


----------



## MacDoc

The forge of experience.

*Warm Springs* an HBO presentation about the early days of FDR - excellent movie and cast.

Highly recommended. :clap:


----------



## Dr.G.

I strongly concur, MacDoc. It was a dramatic movie that helped to show how FDR obtained his humanity for the common person of the USA.


----------



## Carex

House of Flying Daggers. Love those stylistic Chinese kung fu fable stories. Wasn't that enamored with Crouching Tiger, but did enjoy hero and now Flying Daggers. Maybe Kung Fu Hustle should be my next choice.


----------



## MacDoc

Carex you might like Shaolin Soccer - lots of fun.

I like the lead in Dragons/Daggers - she's amazing.
Chou Yun Fat is also a fav actor of mine so Dragons was a treat.

I liked the scenes in the desert best.


----------



## The Doug

*Being There*: This was Peter Sellers' last film. Very subtle, very funny, quiet and poignant.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

*Being There* was a brilliant film.
A most fitting epitaph to the genius that was Peter Sellers.


----------



## autopilot

that reminds me... i saw "the party" again recently. too funny.

"birdie num num"


----------



## agent4321

I saw a screening of this movie last night Howl's Moving Castle [Trailer]

It is excellent a definite must see! The animation is phenomenal.


----------



## CN

I recently saw "Cindarella Man" and it was definately entertaining.

I read the book "Howl's Moving Castle" and I really disliked it, but I imagine it would translate well to animation (lots of vivid descriptions etc.). However, I think my dislike for the book would prevent me from ever seeing it


----------



## jicon

Not a latest list by any means, but I've been going thru my DVDs recently.

Swimming With Sharks - I'm a big Sugar Twin only type of guy (I'm a walking birth defect with the amount of sodium cyclimate running thru my blood) I absolutely love Kevin Spacey's character.

Shallow Grave - Early movie with Ewan McGregor... before Trainspotting. Makes me wonder if success or winning the lottery is all that its supposed to be.

Killing Zoe - Heavy Tarantino influence, doesn't have the Shakespearian ending like Reservoir Dogs, but it teaches those who don't watch the news: When in France, don't hold anyone hostage. You will always lose.


----------



## Hangman

Saw it a little while ago, but it has to be one of my favourites. *Equilibrium* with Christian Bale (the new Batman, which I definitely want to see). 

Also enjoyed *Hero* and *House of Flying Daggers* .


----------



## Dr.G.

My wife and I are going to see "Cindarella Man" tonight. It should be good, I trust. We shall see.


----------



## agent4321

*Land of the Dead*

Just got back from a screening of *Land of the Dead* it was ok I guess, the dialogue was pretty trite and the acting was so-so. I'm glad I didn't have to lay down any money, I would say wait for DVD and save a few bucks. The remake they did last year of *Dawn of the Dead* was way better IMHO.


----------



## Squisherton Squirk

I saw Batman last week. Awesome. Talked about it in detail in the "Batman" thread.

Last night I saw "The Terminal". A very good film. I laughed, I choked back a few tears and I forgot Tom Hanks is American. Good stuff.


----------



## CN

I just watched this movie for the first time (yes, I know its old, but still...) "Benny and Joon". Very entertaining...gotta love those dancing dinner rolls. Very strong role for Johnny Depp


----------



## Pamela

Saw Madagascar and almost peed my pants laughing so hard at the east indian critter. Holy crap there were some funny parts in that movie!


----------



## MaxPower

I rented The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

It's one of those movies that the more you think about it afterwards the funnier it is. The problem is is that the humour is so dry, it would go over most people's heads.

Worth a rent.

Rented Team America as well. I'll just leave it at that.


----------



## MacDaddy

I just got Project Greenlight Season 1 which included The Battle Of Shaker Heights, which I thought was a fantastic movie with great acting on all counts (Especially from Shia La Boef)


----------



## Mrs. Furley

MaxPower said:


> I rented The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.
> 
> It's one of those movies that the more you think about it afterwards the funnier it is. The problem is is that the humour is so dry, it would go over most people's heads.
> 
> Worth a rent.
> 
> Rented Team America as well. I'll just leave it at that.


I normally enjoy such dryness, but I just didn't quite get that movie Willem Defoe was the best part for me - I thought he was great.

I'll probably give it another try at some point...


----------



## MaxPower

I just found it to be the perfect role for Bill Murray. The humor in it suited him perfectly. 

The movie just never broke stride after the one liners. Also a great homage to Jaques Costeau.

Willem Dafoe was great in it.


----------



## CN

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou- not my type of movie, reminded me alot of "The Royal Tenenbaums", probably because both were written by Wes Anderson. Great quote in it though (warning, a bit of a spoiler sort of)

Official (french accent): But what would be the scientific purpose of killing the shark?
Zissou (deadpan): Revenge.

Brilliant!

I watched "The Assassination of Richard Nixon" a few days ago. I thought it was great. Excellent development of a very human character...not a whole lot of action but still very neat. It helps that Sean Penn is an absolutely amazing actor. He is honestly one of the best, he never seems to have a poor performance!


----------



## MacDoc

*Ghost Dog* Reminiscent of Crying Game with the same lead and lyrical yet violent up close culture clashes.


----------



## CN

I just saw the new "Willy Wonka". Wow. Kind of weird, but in a good way. Johnny Depp was very quirky, but I really enjoyed watching it (I was never bored, what with Depp's antics and all). Seems like it could turn into a sort of "cult" movie that people watch while they are on drugs. You have to see it to really understand what I mean  But some of those music numbers...

Definately some classic Tim Burton material


----------



## The Doug

*The Astronaut's Wife*: Stylish. Boring. Johnny Depp. Miscast. 

*The Music Box*: This film has its flaws, but I like it a lot. Powerful, well-acted drama.

*Soylent Green*: The namesake foodstuff is made of people. The film itself is made entirely of cheese. Yet somehow, it is still a classic.


----------



## The Doug

_Well, with my DVD player on the BLINK! BLINK! BLINK! I rummaged through my VHS tape collection, and watched..._

*Sneakers*: This is an highly enjoyable film from 1992 with a great cast and great screenplay. I'd not watched it in years and had forgotten how much I like it. Three thumbs up!


----------



## MannyP Design

Saw _The Island_ tonight at the Templeton Drive-In in Gatineau... Michael Bay is running out of ways to film a movie. The guy throws every trick in the book, not to mention utilizes crane shots in almost every part of the movie... seriously great entertainment for those with A.D.D.

The gratuitous product placement shots were completely absurd... more-so than most movies -- at one point the camera dollies-in on a countertop with a lone Aquafina bottle... and that's about it until the main character grabs it.  Other gratuitous product placements: MSN Network, XBox, Puma, and more.

All in all, the movie was nothing more than a mish-mash of THX-1138, Logan's Run mixed with VFX scenes that belonged in Minority Report and a "air-bike" scene that was a pathetic attempt at doing a Lucas-style chase sequence a la the Pod Race from EP:1.


----------



## Vexel

Watched, Constantine on Friday Night.. GREAT film. Very religious.. but waaaay out there. I was entertained the whole time


----------



## Jacklar

Constantine ended so horribly.. so so bad..other then that it wasn't too bad.


----------



## jicon

CN said:


> I just saw the new "Willy Wonka". Wow. Kind of weird, but in a good way. Johnny Depp was very quirky, but I really enjoyed watching it (I was never bored, what with Depp's antics and all). Seems like it could turn into a sort of "cult" movie that people watch while they are on drugs. You have to see it to really understand what I mean  But some of those music numbers...
> 
> Definately some classic Tim Burton material



I was pulling from the memory banks trying to remember parts of the book. Quirky and fascinating movie. I enjoyed it, and I think it suits kids perfectly. Definitely has the Burton twist, and despite all the laughs, you really feel sorry for the characters.

/Hate Johnny Depp... Only because he's the only 40 year old I know who looks 25.


----------



## MacDoc

Mesmerizing visuals and an intriguing look at China. A short sweet film. Visuals right out of Eisenstein's creative manual. Well cast and filmography most of Hollywood has forgotten :clap:

•••

*Jockeys* An HBO special. A heartrending inside look at the life a jockey must endure for the sake of a few pounds of weight.
You'll be shocked and fascinated and some welcome news at the end.......true stories, real people, well told. Another excellent HBO production.


----------



## MacDoc

Excellent companion to Riding Giants or Billabong Odyssey.
Nice pacing and excellent production values. :clap:


----------



## ErnstNL

I saw _The Island_ last week. I agree with Manny. Product placement?
They should be paying _us_ to watch the movie. 

Typical Michael Bay/Armageddon spinning boom shots with wooshing sound effects as the scene rotates. Bah!
Other than the obvious commercial product placements, I liked it. 
A typical homage to many films. An Armageddon/Gattaca/AI/Matrix mishmash of ideas. 

Watched W of the W last week too. Spielberg was true to H.G. Wells concepts, I thought. The aliens were not too frightening, the tripods were almost low-tech. The effects were spectacular. Pretty good for a summer film.


----------



## Griller

1 in theatres and 1 on DVD:

In theatres:
*The Island*
A really good action movie. Ewan and Scarlett are a really likeable couple on screen, both are really charming. Awesome action and the premise/story is pretty interesting and holds you attention. Don't let the 'critics' ruin this one for you. It's a really good action movie.

On DVD:
*I,ROBOT*
Just saw it for the first time on DVD (never saw it in theatres). It's actually better than I thought it would be. I'm not a major Wil Smith fan but still the movie was pretty entertaining. I think originally this was a movie that I let the 'critics' combined with my ideas of Smith get in the way --- minus the reviews I probably would have gone to see it back then. For an action movie it's pretty good and is definitely worth a rental.


----------



## MannyP Design

Griller said:


> 1 in theatres and 1 on DVD:
> 
> In theatres:
> *The Island*
> Don't let the 'critics' ruin this one for you. It's a really good action movie.


And by critics you mean the majority of the people who see the movie? 

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/island/


----------



## Mrs. Furley

Griller said:


> Ewan and Scarlett are a really likeable couple on screen, both are really charming.


I agree that they are both very charming, but I'm having trouble with the idea that they are in a movie like this, together or seperately. I will rent this one because I am a big fan of Scarlett's and a HUGE fan of Ewan's, but if they do any love scenes together, I might have to cover my eyes.


----------



## MaxPower

I just saw Frank Miller's SIN CITY.

I never read the graphic novels, nor was I familiar with them, but I really enjoyed this movie. Sure it is very graphic but the film noir feel that Rodriguez gave was a refreshing change from all other Hollywood films. And the film still maintained a comic book feel without being too far fetched.

Also watched Hotel Rwanda. I can't say much about it except that this is a film that you have to see. If only to educate yourself about the events that happened there.


----------



## lpkmckenna

The gf and I watched a great porn movie last night. Does that count?


----------



## CubaMark

WOW 

...Like MaxPower, I just caught Sin City (DVD release this week). Amazing - and featuring one of my favourite actresses, to boot!








Definitely worth a rental!

M


----------



## MissGulch

I recently saw Maria, Full of Grace on video. Excellent drama. 

Why doesn't somebody start a thread on their favorite Canadian films? No, I'm not joking. Mine is Atlantic City, directed by Louis Malle, starring Susan Sarandon.


----------



## ArtistSeries

lpkmckenna said:


> The gf and I watched a great porn movie last night. Does that count?


How was the acting in it?


----------



## talonracer

Got to see "the 40 year old virgin" last week, and I really enjoyed it.

Thought it might be a one joke, over-and-over-and-over nasty comedy, but it was really well written and totally surprised me.

Best quote, those who see it will know... "on a pedestal, like a greek god! ___olia!!"


----------



## Max

> Why doesn't somebody start a thread on their favorite Canadian films?


Not a whole thread, but I'll throw some out for starters:

Going down the road

Mon oncle Antoine

Jesus of Montreal

Un zoo la nuit (Night zoo)

The Barbarian Invasions

All good stuff. Toss in Arafat, Crash, Naked Lunch and My big fat Greek Wedding for good measure.


----------



## Mugatu

lpkmckenna said:


> The gf and I watched a great porn movie last night. Does that count?


Was is good? Then yes!


----------



## MacDoc

For Rogers customers with Movie on Demand it's the last chance for *Step into Liquid* and it's really superb.










A feel good film that is incredible. Well edited, good sound track and waves you will not believe. I've watched it 4 or 5 times and enjoyed it every time. :clap:

It's fun, the music is great and the surfing out of this world.


----------



## MacDoc

BTW for those with high end screen on their Macs THIS is a treat in HD :clap:

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/hdgallery/thebrothersgrimm.html


----------



## mr.steevo

Max said:


> Not a whole thread, but I'll throw some out for starters:
> 
> Going down the road
> 
> Mon oncle Antoine
> 
> Jesus of Montreal
> 
> Un zoo la nuit (Night zoo)
> 
> The Barbarian Invasions
> 
> All good stuff. Toss in Arafat, Crash, Naked Lunch and My big fat Greek Wedding for good measure.


I enjoyed the Red Violin and When Night is Falling.

s.


----------



## macthink

i'm partial to well done romantic comedies.  [don't pretend they're not necessary sometimes...  ]

-dear frankie. irish film, somewhat predictable but lovely and well made.
-a fond kiss. another UK film. bend it like beckham with less teen angst, more mid-20s 'realism'.
-shrek 2. LOVED it. laughed my a** off.
-the family guy movie. "The untold story of Stewie Griffin." makes me want to have cartoon children. 
-the beach. not a huge fan of leo dicaprio, but thought it was decent. pleasantly surprised - not as 'lord of the flies' as feared.
-finding neverland. meh. cute i guess.
-the stone reader. kind of long, but made me wistful for my book-reading youth.... 


not seen but - 
-heard march of the penguins is great.
-want to rent 2046 (wong kar wai) - it's in theaters, but can be rented at indie shops like Queen video.


----------



## Makr

Not exactly a movie, but the band of brothers mini series is the awesome. same sort of style as Saving private ryan but more of a documentery then anything.


----------



## sammy

Carex said:


> House of Flying Daggers. Love those stylistic Chinese kung fu fable stories. Wasn't that enamored with Crouching Tiger, but did enjoy hero and now Flying Daggers. Maybe Kung Fu Hustle should be my next choice.


Just saw kung fu hustle on the weekend. I enjoyed it, but it seemed like the directing was done by a tag team.
My wife went off to read after about 15 minutes because "she was losing brain cells."


----------



## MacDoc

I don't usually give up on movies especially when eye candy like Halle Berry is involved but *THIS MOVIE IS AWFUL.*






























•


Stylized Kung Fu???? - Shaolin Soccer is lots of fun


----------



## MaxPower

What movie is it that you didn't like Macdoc? Shaolin Soccer? I see an image file but it isn't showing up. Just the question mark.


----------



## Dr.G.

The comedy, "Best in Show", a mockumentary, and "A Mighty Wind", a parody about '60s folk musicians who reunite for a tribute concert several years after their heyday. Both were on DVD.


----------



## AppleAuthority

Just saw Four Brothers with a friend of mine. It was a bit more so an action movie, kind of rough at times. But the story was alright, and it was actually humorous at times.


----------



## Mrs. Furley

Dr.G. said:


> The comedy, "Best in Show", a mockumentary, and "A Mighty Wind", a parody about '60s folk musicians who reunite for a tribute concert several years after their heyday. Both were on DVD.


Best In Show is a favourite of mine and I loved A Mighty Wind too. Dr. G., if you haven't seen Waiting For Guffman and you enjoyed these two, you might want to rent it.


----------



## Dr.G.

Mrs. F., what is "Waiting for Guffman" about, in that I liked the play "Waiting for Godot".


----------



## Mrs. Furley

Dr. G., there are 3 movies with more or less the same cast and creators - the first is Waiting for Guffman, the second is Best in Show and the third is A Mighty Wind. These movies are not for everyone, but if you enjoy one, you will enjoy the others. Waiting for Guffman is a riot.


----------



## scootsandludes

I love those Steven Chow movies, Shaolin Soccer, and Kung Fu Hustle. Stupid movies in general are great. Can't stand people who look down on me because of my movie choices, it's nice to be able to turn off your brain for a good 90 minutes and just not have to think about anything.

Just saw The 40 Year Old Virgin last night, and Deuce Bigalow last week. Thought both were brilliant. Some of the lines in those movies are comical genius'. I kept thinking about how much fun it must of been to be sitting in some room and just brainstorming about new names for sexual positions or new names for penis'.

vince


----------



## mrjimmy

I also recently saw 40 Year Old Virgin and completely agree. I was worried at first as many of the 'creative' team from The Anchorman were involved (I couldn't stand that film) but they seemed to redeem themselves. My favourite quote: "Man, is that Steve Austin's boss?"


----------



## cheshire_cat

I saw 'Wedding Crashers' recently. Very funny movie with Owen Wilson and Vince Vaugn...hehehe


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

Something the Lord Made 

great topic and good acting
looking at racism in America from a different angle
sadly, even with educated people racism was still prevalent

currently playing on the movie network
worth renting


----------



## Clockwork

I just watched Sin City yesterday. It was decent if you like Pulp fiction type movies. Very violent but silly like Kill Bill.


----------



## DP004

I saw Sin City yesterday.
I go back to Scootsanddules and this time the thought of some people brainstorming on the movie's stories is quite frightening...
Still, it is well made.
If you intend to see it, you will see Frodo in a different light.


----------



## CubaMark

Heh - Frodo. Yup, took me awhile to clue in that it was the same guy. Very, very, very creepy.



M


----------



## The Doug

*Panic Room*: Decent thriller, albeit with a reed-thin plot, but overall it's not a bad way to spend a couple of hours.

*Sin City*: Excellent film, but probably not for those who aren't fans of _pulp noir_. Gorgeous B&W imagery, and preposterous, highly stylised violence. Mickey Rourke was born to play Marv. 

*Miller's Crossing*: This is one of the Coen Brothers' earlier films, often overlooked, but it's such a little masterpiece. Superb cast, faultless screenplay, and very high production values.


----------



## The Doug

*Sense And Sensibility*: Excellent from start to finish. 

And at the other end of the spectrum...

*Shaun Of The Dead*: Deadly funny; I enjoyed it very much. _You've got red on your shirt..._


----------



## Dr.G.

Thanks, Mrs. F. My wife and I saw "The Constant Gardener", and it is still in our thoughts. That was a very powerful movie.


----------



## MacDoc

> Sense And Sensibility: Excellent from start to finish.


I watched but paid little attention thinking I had seen it before  I will NOT make that mistake again - thanks for the rap on the knuckles 

and a several of my fav actors  Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet ( amazing in Jude ) in particular......I ASSUME it's on later.


----------



## CubaMark

Just saw Crash on DVD.

Excellent film, directed by Paul Haggis. No one character "leads" the film - a true ensemble cast (Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Thandie Newton, Mat Dillon, etc.). Full of social commentary on race and relationships. Well worth watching.

M.


----------



## sdm688

*Transamerica*

My wife and I got tickets to watch Transamerica on Friday night at the Toronto Film Festival. What a great movie. I say it definitely surpassed my expectations. Great acting!


----------



## Beej

I recently saw Crash (the new one) and Lord of War and would recommend both. They both have too many moments of Hollywood schlock, but are overall solid flicks.


----------



## Beej

Replying to myself...must be a sign of insanity.

For people who want to try something very different, try 'Graveyard of the Fireflies'. It's an excellent WWII anime that got warm kudos from Ebert, and is an excellent example of non-robotech anime. Unfortunately, it's not an uplifting movie so bring tissue.


----------



## MacDoc

Movie making at it's very, very best, taking you out of place out of time. Don't miss it.

Dr. G - catch this one for sure. :clap:

Anyone serious about the art of movie making will appreciate this on a number of levels.

Everyone else......just enjoy an excellent work ....from somewhere else. Wow that was a real treat.

Rogers subscribers ...it's On Demand.


----------



## winwintoo

"The Lion King" at the IMAX


----------



## ArtistSeries

CubaMark said:


> Just saw Crash on DVD.
> 
> Excellent film, directed by Paul Haggis. No one character "leads" the film - a true ensemble cast (Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Thandie Newton, Mat Dillon, etc.). Full of social commentary on race and relationships. Well worth watching.
> 
> M.


It was a good (but not great movie), not a typical feel-good movie. Some excellent acting.


----------



## SINC

Watched "The Transporter" last night. Great action, super car chases.


----------



## Dr.G.

I shall try, MacDoc. "The Constant Gardner" was great.


----------



## Chipper

Sunday afternoon at the movies found me at "Just Like Heaven" - it was a bit more serious than I expected, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.


----------



## Zoiks

If this were considered a movie, I would imagine it would be my favorite movie until the day I die.

*Band of Brothers*

This is a mini-series available on DVD about the paratroopers that landed in France on D-Day. It was created by the same folks who created "Saving Private Ryan", Tom Hanks and Steven Speilberg.

I rented the first disc a couple of years ago, and after watching only the first episode, I promptly returned to the video store, and bought two copies of the series, one for my self, and one for my father.

I have never seen a piece which so determinedly attempts to show the horrors that the WWII vets went through in that time. Amazing Story, and all of it is based on real people. There are interviews with the real soldiers that this is based on before each episode.

If you haven't seen *Band of Brothers*, Please, Do yourself a favor and watch this series. It is important to watch them in chronological order however.

Now that (dare I say) fall is here, it's the perfect time to find a new video series to enjoy at home.

Cheers All!


----------



## MacDoc

Zoiks if you liked Band of Brothers ( I raved about it as well ) try the *From the Earth to the Moon*










Narrated by Tom Hanks and with a terrific cast the 12 part series is enthralling. Highly recommended and apparently the set above is remastered.

•••

I caught *Finding Neverland* last night and thoroughly enjoyed watching two of my fav actors Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet










Depp is a brilliant actor and one of these days will get the Oscar he so much deserves.
Based on the original story behind Peter Pan - excellent casting including Julie Christie and Dustin Hoffman and four WONDERFUL kids. :clap:


----------



## Paul O'Keefe

Some friends and I laughed out guts out during the entire viewing of *Forty-Year Old Virgin*.


----------



## Dr.G.

Zoiks, I have to agree with your views re "Band of Brothers". I have not seen every part, but the parts I did see were very well acted and quite realistic.


----------



## MacDoc

I watched B of B in one sitting and was an emotional wreck at the end. 

Very well done especially the weariness, bitterness and cynicism of the survivors at the end struck me as "the way it was".  A wonderful work with lasting value.

Zoik *Zelary* would be an incredible follow up movie.


----------



## Lawrence

I just watched "The incredibles" for the 3rd time...
Why do I keep watching this thing? (and still laugh at it)
Is it the animation?...The colours?...The storyline?

http://www.apple.com/trailers/disney/the_incredibles/


----------



## Gerbill

"The Corpse Bride" Very original and a rather sweet story. Wonderful animation . Not as good as "The Nightmare Before Christmas", though, IMHO.


----------



## Carex

> Why do I keep watching this thing? (and still laugh at it)


"No capes!!"

"It's not a graduation, he's moving from the 4th grade to the 5th grade!"


----------



## Mike Y

_Requiem for a Dream_

Just saw it the other day.


----------



## gastonbuffet

last week i saw "Amanece que no es poco" by Jose Luis Cuerda. Nobody comes out alive from the social critique on that film. It's an AMAZING movie. i' ve seen it 4 times since, couple of more times and i'll have it memorized 100 %.


----------



## MacDoc

John Malovich's directorial debut. The lead Javier Bardem is superb. An.......'interesting".... film.

Left some reviewers scratching their heads...



> ...painstakingly vague even during the rare scenes it isn't teetering on incoherence--I'm not certain the movie isn't awful. Yet I don't think I'd mind seeing it again."
> -- Sean Burns,





> "Far from perfect but completely unique, the film could best be described as a paranoid South American metaphysical political thriller -- you heard me -- and whatever its failures, they're not ones of nerve or imagination."
> -- Ty Burr, BOSTON GLOBE


Makeup your own mind .....worth the effort.


----------



## gastonbuffet

Last Night i saw "Primer", really interesting and twisted. 

MacDoc: The fact that Javier Bardem has not won an Oscar yet, is what is keeping him from being "World"s greatest Actor". But it will come, soon. 
exagerating mua? maybe, but not a lot anyways.


----------



## yo_paully

Dr.G. said:


> "The Constant Gardener" was great.


I agree, The Constant Gardener was terrific. I saw this film a couple of weeks ago and it is still lingering in my mind.

Although the story is fictional, it really makes you think about some of the big business crimes that take place, especially in impoverished parts of the world like sub-Saharan Africa. 

Great acting by Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz. I also enjoyed the nonlinear story line and the hand held camera cinematography. The movie gives a very accurate reflection of how life is lived in many places in Africa.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/focus_features/the_constant_gardener.html


----------



## enaj

Just saw The Terminal....I want those two hours of my life back!!!


----------



## MacDoc

Geez you guys u r both driving me buggy......Constant Gardener....pulllleaaase.










With Fiennes and Wiez two of my fav actors aboard it's on my list.

Anyone catch History of Violence yet????


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, if I take that as a negative vote re "The Constant Gardner", I am a bit surprised. Still, "to each their own" as the saying goes. Yo paully and I agree, so I am not alone in my beliefs about this fine movie.


----------



## MacDoc

No that's a negative vote on BOTH your spelling


----------



## yo_paully

oops! fixed that typo.


----------



## Dr.G.

Point, Set, Match, MacDoc. Gardner vs Gardener shall be the next match at the ehMacLand Invitational Open.


----------



## MacDoc

If Macnutt were about I'd probably end with a 30 list of my spelling faux pas..no AS that is NOT an invitation.
It was just the repeat of the first misspelling that got me wondering to the point I looked it up thinking t'was me was wrong about Gardener.


----------



## CN

Just saw Corpse Bride (last night). Fun to watch, it really is mind blowing that its all stop motion. Not as good as The Nightmare Before Christmas IMHO, but still a fun movie. Tim Burton is amazing. And Johnny Depp. Well, his voice. Good enough.

The movie reminded me of some other movies I have so I rewatched Finding Neverland and Ed Wood. Finding Neverland is such an amazing movie. Anyone who hasn't seen Ed Wood should see it (although it may be a type of humour shared by only a select few...my sense of humour is a little off). It is the most hilarious movie ever! Best quotes ever (you have to watch it to understand):

***ED WOOD SPOILERS***sort of...

"Pull the string, pull the string!"

"Lets shoot this f$%@er" (don't forget the hungarian accent on that baby)

Edward D. Wood, Jr.: I met Bela Lugosi. 
Dolores Fuller: Why, I thought he was dead. 
Edward D. Wood, Jr.: No, he's very much alive. Well, sort of. 

Edward D. Wood, Jr.: My girlfriend still doesn't know why her sweaters are always stretched out. 

Edward D. Wood, Jr.: Listen, I was wondering if you'd like to go out sometime, grab some dinner, maybe? 
Vampira: You mean a date? I thought you were a ***. 
Edward D. Wood, Jr.: No, no, I'm just a transvestite. 

Edward D. Wood, Jr.: I like to dress in women's clothing. 
Georgie Weiss: You're a fruit? 
Edward D. Wood, Jr.: No, not at all. I love women. Wearing their clothes makes me feel closer to them. 
Georgie Weiss: You're not a fruit? 
Edward D. Wood, Jr.: No, I'm all man. I even fought in W.W.2. Of course, I was wearing women's undergarments under my uniform. 

Edward D. Wood, Jr.: And cut! Print. We're moving on. That was perfect. 
Ed Reynolds: Perfect? Mr. Wood, do you know anything about the art of film production? 
Edward D. Wood, Jr.: Well, I like to think so. 
Ed Reynolds: That cardboard headstone tipped over. This graveyard is obviously phony. 
Edward D. Wood, Jr.: Nobody will ever notice that. Filmmaking is not about the tiny details. It's about the big picture. 
Ed Reynolds: The big picture? 
Edward D. Wood, Jr.: Yes. 
Ed Reynolds: Then how 'bout when the policemen arrived in daylight, but now it's suddenly night? 
Edward D. Wood, Jr.: What do you know? Haven't you heard of suspension of disbelief

Edward D. Wood, Jr.: Why if I had half a chance, I could make an entire movie using this stock footage. The story opens on these mysterious explosions. Nobody knows what's causing them, but it's upsetting all the buffalo. So, the military are called in to solve the mystery. 
Editor on Studio Lot: You forgot the octopus. 
Edward D. Wood, Jr.: No, no, I'm saving that for my big underwater climax. 

Dolores Fuller: [arriving for her scenes in "Bride of the Monster"] Well, I see the usual cast of ****, losers, and drug addicts are here. 

And how about that Ed Wood smile. Gets me every time (he's so cheesy...man those are some crazy veneers). Not to mention his hilarious disbelief at the "amazing" scenes he creates..."Perfect, just perfect".


----------



## MacDoc

Well I don't usually disagree with RT in a major way but this movie was a waste of time and talent in my mind yet RT gave it a 93% "good stuff" rating  










Kate Winslet kept me watching to the ragged over long ending but my over all assessment was very negative.
From editing to story line to writing in my mind it sucked. ONLY cast quality offered some relief from the cinematic flaws.

Not my cuppa


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, luckily, being learning disabled with spelling, I have an excuse. Of course, knot every raisen is gud wit everybuddy teas daze. Luckily, I have four university degrees to soften the blow.


----------



## MacDoc

A Canadian Cabaret and almost as dark but nowhere near the power......enjoyed this film for a combination of the music and nostalgia trip through "oh so Canadian/Quebec events" rolling through the backgrounds.

This movie would never be made without strong cultural support and in my mind - we need this - very much.



















The reviews here are a pretty fair assessment

http://www.roydupuis-online.com/history/film/jack_paradise.htm

I must admit it made want to start a thread about the rise and fall of Montreal as Canada's premiere city........a tale perhaps yet to unfold in further chapters.

Toronto the good was stodgy and dull and Montreal ruled and rocked...great food, great lifestyle, music, and international city......a power city........and then ??? ..

.....somebody from Quebec want to kick it off.......


----------



## SoyMac

_The Constant Gardener_
Fair. 
Good story. Beautiful cinematography. 
Not gripping. I felt very little for the main characters. 
A great film would have had me on the edge of my seat. 
Instead, I was on my seat.
Too bad. The potential in _The Constant Gardener_ was certainly there.


----------



## The Doug

*Antz* -- haven't watched this film in a while. I'd forgotten how truly enjoyable it is.


----------



## SINC

I watched Secondhand Lions this afternoon and thought it a very good movie. No surprise with Michael Cain and Robert Duval in the lead roles. Pretty good flick.


----------



## ArtistSeries

MacDoc said:


> Toronto the good was stodgy and dull and Montreal ruled and rocked...great food, great lifestyle, music, and international city......a power city........and then ??? ..
> 
> .....somebody from Quebec want to kick it off.......


101 or 401......


----------



## MacDoc

Cute.....made me laugh. C'mon start thread.
401 the how
101 the why


----------



## Dr.G.

"401 the how
101 the why"

????????????????????????


----------



## Makr

Serenity. One of the best films of the year, mos likely to be a sleeper hit. 
It's got original plots, original characters and shiny guns.


----------



## MacDoc

Damn I knew there was something I wanted to see. Glad you gave it a thumbs up - motivates me. :clap:

Anyone on History of Violence ( no spoilers please )??


----------



## talonracer

Pretty Persuasion.

Saw it @ the Calgary Film Festival. Great movie - slightly disturbing but the lead actress was very, very talented.


----------



## PosterBoy

> Serenity. One of the best films of the year, mos likely to be a sleeper hit.
> It's got original plots, original characters and shiny guns.


Seconded. I was quite entertained. Hopefully it does well enough to provide us with some sequels, but even if it doesn't it provides fans of the show some closure.


----------



## The Doug

I'm very heartened that Serenity is getting good reviews -- I hope to see it this week...


----------



## ArtistSeries

Dr.G. said:


> "401 the how
> 101 the why"
> 
> ????????????????????????


401 is the highway from Montreal to Toronto (starting in Ontario)
101 is the language law bill in Quebec.


----------



## Derrick

I saw Proof on Friday night ... fantastic ... best movie I have seen in a long time.


----------



## MacDoc

One of my staff has seen Serenity FOUR times ( he got into a preview screening or two ). 
Gonna take the kids this week.


----------



## Chipper

Went to see "An Unfinished Life" this afternoon - not a bad way to pass the time.


----------



## MacDoc

A new Wallace and Grommet coming on Friday :clap:









Should be VERY good for laughs.

http://java.europe.yahoo.com/uk/uip/wallaceandgromit/


----------



## The Doug

*Toy Story* and *Toy Story 2*: Absolutely wonderful films -- watched them again this weekend for the first time in a while. 

I wonder if Toy Story 3 (2008) is going to live up to the overall quality of the first two films, with Disney doing it all sans Pixar.


----------



## talonracer

Just got to see Jarhead.

Well done, a well made movie. Subtly political, if you choose to interpret it that way.


----------



## agent4321

*Touching The Void*

Blew me away.











Everyone should see this movie, period.

quicktime trailer


----------



## PosterBoy

Lord of War is good stuff.


----------



## Mac Yak

I saw the latest Wallace & Gromit, Curse Of The Were-Rabbit, at a sneak preview about a month ago. I was laughing so hard, I thought I was going to have a seizure. Two lungs up!


----------



## The Doug

*Diggin' In My Big Box O' VHS Tapes...*

A Simple Plan: Gripping, taut, tragic. Fargo without the wickedly dry humour. I like this film however it's somewhat marred by Bridget Fonda's character having a really badly written scene near the end.


----------



## MaxPower

I just finished watching After the Sunset.

Great Cat and Mouse type film with some good humor injected into it.

Well worth the rent. And it has Salma Hayek.


----------



## audiodan

Harold and Kumar go to Whit Caste! SOO FUNNY!!! Recommended


----------



## MacDoc

I enjoyed After Sunset as well. I like Brosnan as an actor and Hayek playing the bad girl was a treat. That's some body. 

Good light movie for laughs.....and scenery of a ....ahem.....varied sort 
•••••

Watched *Closer* last night - mixed reaction - some of my fav actors in it...Portman not quite cast right in my mind and Julie Roberts out of her league against Jude Law and Clive Owen.
I admire Portman for her gutsiness to attempt a wide range but her persona in this didn't sit right for me. She IS truly gorgeous tho. :clap:
Still her best role so far was in *The Professional*.........incredible....... and completely wasted in Starwars .










Mixed reviews on RT - my opinion as well. Felt a bit like a stage play.


----------



## MaxPower

MacDoc said:


> I enjoyed After Sunset as well. I like Brosnan as an actor and Hayek playing the bad girl was a treat. That's some body.
> 
> Good light movie for laughs.....and scenery of a ....ahem.....varied sort


It will definitely be one I will watch again. And not because of Salma.  OK maybe just a little.


----------



## enaj

Just saw The Interpreter. Not bad but for over two hours, should have been better.
And the love story felt tacked on....really tacked on.


----------



## MacDoc

Waste of a wonderful cast in *The Baroness and the Pig*. 










Don't spend your time on the Baroness- watch Depardieu in 








instead.

Just fantastic....:clap:...and a true story as well.


----------



## The Doug

More rummaging through my big box of old VHS tapes...

*War of the Roses*.

Heh heh.

Heh.


----------



## PosterBoy

MacDoc said:


> Mixed reviews [of Closer] on RT - my opinion as well. Felt a bit like a stage play.


Probably because it's an adaptation of the play of the same name.


----------



## The Doug

Finally watched *Batman Begins* on DVD. Quite good, very satisfying -- it easily stands head and shoulders, ears and cape above the earlier kitsch-fest films. 

I hope there'll be a sequel or three...


----------



## CubaMark

<img src="http://thecia.com.au/reviews/w/images/water-poster-0.jpg" align="right">
For those interested in something other than car chases, T&A, and want to see an amazing film, may I suggest:


Deepa Mehta's Water

CBC: Digging Deepa

Amazing. Beautiful. Heartbreaking.


----------



## The Doug

*Recent DVD Purchases*

*Revenge Of The Sith*: Fun to watch, with wonderful production design, and great visuals -- which are sometimes overly and needlessly busy. Uneven, often lousy acting and sometimes laughable dialogue. That being said it's easily the best of Lucas' three prequel films -- even though it doesn't deliver anything resembling the magic that I find in the original three films from way back when.

*Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy*: Highly enjoyable to watch but _something's missing_... can't quite put my finger on what it is. Sure it's quirky and entertaining but I got more of a kick out of the original BBC radio play & TV series than I did this movie. Did anyone else notice the head of Marvin The Robot from the BBC TV series in one scene?


----------



## PosterBoy

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Didn't have quite the striking style that the last one did (although it is shot at the same location, which is nice) but they did cut out less important stuff which made it more watchable for my friends who haven't read the books.

Plus, dragons are cool.


----------



## singingcrow

I just saw two movies. The first was 'Water', absolutely amazing, beautiful, and highly educational without being a documentary. It was as wonderfully produced as her earlier works 'Fire' and 'Earth'. I can't wait 'til, I suspect, 'Air' will come out.

The second, 'Run Lola Run', a quirky German flick. I got it on dvd. Makes you really get involved in what's going to happen.

I highly recommend both.

Toodles!


----------



## MacDoc

*Brassed Off*

terrific enjoyable movie - great music, wonderful cast and a heart wrencher.

Highly recommended.










A well deserved 81% on RT and good reviews elsewhere. :nice: :nice:


----------



## ArtistSeries

MacDoc said:


> *Brassed Off*
> 
> terrific enjoyable movie - great music, wonderful cast and a heart wrencher.
> 
> Highly recommended.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> A well deserved 81% on RT and good reviews elsewhere. :nice: :nice:


I finally agree with MacDoc on a movie  - this is an older British movie (1996) with Ewan McGregor - has that typical overseas humour where class wars/employment plays a prominent part...


----------



## PosterBoy

I saw Brassed Off when i first came out. I enjoyed it then and recommend it now


----------



## Dr.G.

Saw "Syriana" with my wife this evening. The film's multiple storylines weave together to show the greed and corruption in the quest for wealth and power in the oil industry, the US government, and the conflicts with Islamic fundamentalists.


----------



## The Doug

*Wag The Dog*: Watched this again this evening for the first time in a few years -- still as funny, thought-provoking, and as relevant, as it was when last I viewed it. :clap:


----------



## enaj

Just saw Millions.
Cute, feel good movie (for those of you with young kids, it's PG but fun for everyone).


----------



## Griller

*Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*

Not too shabby, a good latest installment in the series. A bit better than the previous one (Prisoner of Azkeban?). After the last one I was hoping this one would be better and it was. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, I liked it!


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

*Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine*

Making the rounds on the Movie Network.

Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine

documentary with a "who dunnit" feel to it
like a good book, you can't put it down

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10004779-game_over_kasparov_and_the_machine/


----------



## SINC

I watched The Aviator from 4:00 to 7:00 a.m. today and really enjoyed it. I have read most books on Howard Hughes, but learned a couple of things from the movie as well.


----------



## MacDoc

:clap:

Wow....!!!!! Not to be missed if you get the chance. Superior movie making.


----------



## ComputerIdiot

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. :clap: 

I loved the cinematography in Prisoner of Azkaban but wasn't all that happy with parts of the script.

Sadly, some of the movies mentioned on this thread sound great but are unlikely to show up in my area ...  ... there's always DVDs.


----------



## MacDoc

Haunting and lovely with moments of brilliance but perhaps over ambitious.
May be actually better second time around.
There might be a Directors Cut in this that works a bit better.
Well cast.
Needed the tightness and pacing of Last of the Mohicans.
RT has it about right at 55% positive. Hard to dump on Malick as his visuals are spectacular but too much muddle in the narrative.


----------



## yo_paully

*A couple of IMAX documentaries...*

I saw an advance screening of Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag at the Ontario Science Centre last week. A documentary on the training that fighter pilots and ground crews go through. Beautiful shots of these amazing pilots and their fighters - especially on the Omnimax dome screen. Regardless of politics and war, this was a well done film.

I was also lucky enough to see an advance screening of Mystery of the Nile a couple of months back, again in the Omnimax theatre at the Ontario Science Centre. The film is visually stunning as it begins at the source of the Blue Nile in the highlands of Ethiopia and travels through the dangerous desert plains of Sudan and finishes among the pyramids of Egypt at the Mediterranean Sea 114 days later. Amazing scenery and an incredible adventure.


----------



## MacDoc

Little heavy on the scatological humour but fresh faced girls and Irish music always makes for a good time. :clap:
Good cast and music make up for a bit predictable formula. Light hearted fun. I DO like an Irish drum.


----------



## MacDoc

Based on the memoirs of Hitler's secretary Traudl Junge who appears in a brief interview at the beginning and end, this is a chilling and very well produced film covering the last 10 days of WWII inside Hitler's bunker and the area of Berlin nearby.

Subtitled, exquisitely researched and a frightening portrayal of madness at the end of time...recommended for history or human edge aficionados. Reproduction of the hell that was Berlin then was incredible. So many substories interwoven yet they all frighten or tug at the heart in varied ways. The level of detail is astounding.

The vignettes at the end tracing the major and minor characters after the war - some short, many alive until recently and one still around somehow ....ties the whole unreal episode into the now.

A remarkable performance from the lead Bruno Ganz







portraying the wild emotional outbursts and mood swings and real madness at the end not only of Hitler but others as well.

Maybe Oscar level for Ganz....well deserved. It's a tremendous work that must have been heartbreakingly difficult for the Germans involved. 
IF you're interested...it won't disappoint...but only IF.


----------



## Makr

Lord of War
Lost
Serenity (again)


----------



## fellfromtree

If you have seen both, how does Downfall compare to Blind Spot- the interview film of Junge.
'Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary' is a narrative interview of Traudl Junge. It is remarkable for her almost banal recounting of her time as his secretary. She makes comments and recollections of very everyday routines and events. The film alternates between the interview, and Junge watching the interview, providing clarification and supplementary comment.


----------



## MacDoc

Have not seen Blind Spot. I suspect your assessment is correct as the movie does play off the day to day amidst hell - I can't imagine how a narrative could convey what this movie evokes visually.

I'd say despite trying she comes across in the short interviews as a none too bright light perhaps STILL in shock of her role in history. Yet seeing her, knowing what she saw and experienced.
How does anyone cope.


----------



## lpkmckenna

I just came back from Tristan+Isolde. I greatly enjoyed it.










It's an interesting spin on the story. Instead of the two lovers being held together by a love potion, this version has the two fall in love before Tristan unknowingly wins her hand for King Mark. Makes the story easier to fathom, and makes their adultery forgiveable.

The Tristan/Isolde/King Mark love triangle is played better than any other medieval romance I've ever seen. I haven't seen the recent King Arthur yet. I doubt that the Lancelot/Guinevere/Arthur triangle could compare. I know the Sean Connery film First Knight doesn't hold a candle.

It's been a long time since I've seen Excalibur. I'll have to watch it again and decide if the love triangle there was better. Since I can't remember a single Guinevere scene, it didn't leave much of an impression.

In this film, the Irish giant Morhault is Isolde's husband-to-be, instead of her uncle, and the second Isolde is dropped from the story altogether. Both good, good changes.

The two lovers are well-portrayed by James Franco and the lovely Sophia Myles. However, because Tristan spends almost the entire film in brooding depression, Franco comes off rather wooden. Ms Myles is radiant in every scene, with a beautiful and flattering wardrobe.

http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.y...fox/tristan___isolde/sophia_myles/isolde2.jpg

The costumes are excellent, and the scenery is good, too. The castle of Cornwall is convincing in its simplicity, yet still grand and regal.

The movie reminds of Revenge of the Sith, with the hero torn between love and duty. And with James Franco looking so much like Hayden Christensen, the similarity is even stronger. If you liked Sith, you'll like this.

The movie also reminds me of Rob Roy, another favorite of mine. It's the excellent villians of both movies that binds them. Morhault, King Donnchadh of Ireland, and the traitorous Orick (played by Dexter Fletcher) were all fiendishly evil, just like Archie and the Duke of Argyle from Rob Roy.

Finally, the movie presents Tristan as a truly fearless and cunning warrior. The battle scenes are just great. I was really underwhelmed by Aragorn in the Lord of the Rings movies; he just didn't seem convincing or particularily skilled. Tristan is amazing in this film, as a war leader and a duelist. This Tristan would kick that Aragorn's ass. Good job, Franco.

The movie had small flaws. It was impossible to keep track of the huge cast or their characters names. The accents were uneven at times. And some of the lines were beyond mushy. But all that is very forgivable.

If you like the medieval romance genre, it's hard to get better than this. 3 1/2 stars out of 4.


----------



## SINC

I watched and thoroughly enjoyed this one last night. More twists and turns than Pike's Peak . . .


----------



## MacDoc

Excellent review lpk :clap: I'd seen the posters at the theatres but now I'll go as that's my cuppa when done well.
BTW Arthur is worthwhile entertainment but not up to the likes of RobRoy or Braveheart. I've seen all of RobRoy a couple of times over....just never straight through at one sitting 
It's good to see the Celts and Picts et al getting their heroic due as their stories emerge from under the blight of British history books

I'd be interested in your take on *New World* as I'm of two minds on it.


----------



## Max

_Broken Flowers,_ by Jim Jarmusch. Now sometimes I'm not a fan of this director because he can come across as painfully self-indulgent. But this one's great. Bill Murray does a star turn as the taciturn protagonist and there's a bevy of great actors in juicy supporting roles - Jessica Lange, Sharon Stone, Julie Delpy, and Jeffrey Wright, among others. Great story about a man who finds out, by way of a mysterious pink letter, that he has a nineteen year old son... trouble is, he doesn't know which of his many old girlfriends is the mother. A series of road trips ensue. Great meditative pacing (meaning some would find it too slow, although I personally really enjoyed it) and wonderful scenes. I laughed quite a bit at the absurdity of some of the strange encounters Murray's character experiences.

Murray just keeps getting better. And, as with many of Jarmusche's films, the soundtrack is superb.


----------



## PosterBoy

SINC said:


> I watched and thoroughly enjoyed this one last night. More twists and turns than Pike's Peak . . .


I don't remember enjoying Jackie Brown except for a few scenes involving Michael Keaton and Samuel L. Jackson. But I think that may have something to do with the fact that a) I am not so much a Tarantino fan nd b) I'd just seen Resevoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction a few nights before, and they are both much better movies.


----------



## mmp

I finally saw Batman Begins tonight. This film is so good that it begs for all of the other Batman movies to be redone. No glitz or campiness in this one just a well thought out and exectuted movie. Special effects took a backseat to a strong storyline and a pervasive mood throught the film.

I didn't know what to expect but I would rate this movie as higly as I can for the genre.


----------



## PosterBoy

For what it's worth Batman Begins isn't a prequel it's a franchise re-start. And everyone but Katie Holmes is signed up for whatever sequels are made.


----------



## DoNotPokeTheScreen

audiodan said:


> Harold and Kumar go to Whit Caste! SOO FUNNY!!! Recommended


my goodness... I hated myself and the friend who made me go waste money on that film for 2 weeks...

Anyway... Lately I've seen very few movies, but the good ones that I recall are...

*Kingdom of Heaven* - About the Crusades. War between Islam and Christians.
*Lord of War* - So good, I'm going to buy the DVD.

Some pretty bad ones are...
*Hostel* - I thought it was a porno for the first half hour, then later I realized I was watching crap.
*Legend of Zorro* - Catherine Zeta Jones kept me awake, but the movie still sucked.


----------



## lreynolds

Recently saw Hotel Rwanda. Had heard good things, and picked it up from Blockbuster previously viewed. It sat on our shelf while I worked up the nerve to watch what I thought would be a pretty horrific movie.

I was pleasantly suprised. They did a really good job of conveying the horror of the situation without dwelling on the gore, etc. Very tasteful. Overall, I thought it was a fabulous movie. Great story, very well acted, something to take away at the end. I highly recommend it.


----------



## lpkmckenna

lreynolds said:


> Recently saw Hotel Rwanda. Had heard good things, and picked it up from Blockbuster previously viewed. It sat on our shelf while I worked up the nerve to watch what I thought would be a pretty horrific movie.
> 
> I was pleasantly suprised. They did a really good job of conveying the horror of the situation without dwelling on the gore, etc. Very tasteful. Overall, I thought it was a fabulous movie. Great story, very well acted, something to take away at the end. I highly recommend it.


Yes, I loved Hotel Rwanda. But I can't understand why they used such a fictionalized stand-in for LGen Dallaire.  

I found the whole "Canadian general confiding in a hotel manager" to be very unrealistic, especially since I don't think the two men ever met.

Actually, I just flipped thru Romeo Dallaire's book. The hotel manager is only mentioned in passing, for aiding Major Moigny to persuade some RGF militia to leave without harming the hidden Tutsis. The phrase is "-aided by the hotel manager's deft and generous gift of many bottles from the hotel wine cellar."

Still, great movie with strong angle on a recent event.


----------



## MacDoc

The event could use two movies ( or more ) - the existing one without the D'Allaire over involvement and a similar docu on Shake Hands itself.
I suspect the writers/directors recognised the two themes rarely intersected in real life.
Still movie and book are quite a powerful complement to each other even if the fiction sometimes intrudes in the movie.


----------



## MacDoc

I'm still puzzling about this one. Brownian motion in human affairs perhaps.
A bleak well crafted stylized set of cultural collisions - big well chosen cast - amazing score.
No easy theme......


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

*Crash* premiered on TMN tonite.
Some of the acting was great.
The "ripple" effect of one stupid act can really affect more people and with bigger effect.

Also big commentary about ease of obtaining guns negatively impacting safety

very good examination of race/ethnic issues in America

film had a 'Traffic' feel to it without the always annoying Catherine Zeta Jones


----------



## fellfromtree

I had one big problem with Crash- Don Cheadle. I was not convinced at all. I don't think he suited that role- and he was really a bad smoker. He didn't look like he had ever smoked a cigarette in his life.


----------



## Vandave

MacDoc said:


> I'm still puzzling about this one. Brownian motion in human affairs perhaps.
> A bleak well crafted stylized set of cultural collisions - big well chosen cast - amazing score.
> No easy theme......


Crash was really good because it tacked some big issues and showed many sides to an intertwined story. Most characters had a good side and a bad side. The one character where I don't recall this holding true was the young Mexican guy (the locksmith). He didn't do anything bad, did he?


----------



## MacDoc

I think you are all over reading this - it's a stylized comedy ( in the Greek sense - Romeo and Juliet is also a comedy ).

Unlikely coincidences are a feature of this style of writing/entertainment and characters and interactions are iconic not lifelike so everything is "over the top".

It just happens to be using modern urban LA as a source, could easily be any age ie A Passage to India has some of the same iconic aspects ( West Side story too ) - critical, sarcastic, blackly comedic at times, outright funny at times, tearful at times - the skill is in blending the icons and themes into a story and yanking our emotional chains this way and that.

This is Tim Burton with real people and the irony........it looks like normal LA. 

If there is an underlying message it may that despite appearances you can't really see all that goes on with a person but I think that's just a subtle modern twist on what really is a stylized Greek comedy.
It's not meant to be "real" - it's crafted to entertain.


----------



## fellfromtree

_It's not meant to be "real" - it's crafted to entertain._
I wonder if that was the intent. If it were not an American film, I would accept that.

Throughout Crash, I was thinking of Do The Right Thing, and The Bad Lieutenant. Do The Right Thing was much more successful at making you pay emotionally for the comedy. The Bad Leiutenant was successful at not being an 'American' film, where an ending is hopeful.


----------



## MacDoc

Well didn't Crash surprise everyone???  It WAS a Hollywood insiders project so goes to show the power of connections - not the Best Picture calibre tho in my mind.

•••••









Starring: Tim McIntire, Laraine Newman, Jay Leno, Fran Drescher, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis



> This is the true story of Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed, who introduced rock'n'roll to teenage American radio audiences in the 1950's. Freed was a source of great controversy: criticized by conservatives for corrupting youth with the "devil's music"; hated by racists for promoting African American music for white consumption; persecuted by law enforcement officials and finally brought down by the "payola" scandals.


A sadly neglected small gem of a movie about th e early days of roll n roll that really comes to life in HiDef and a good sound system.



> This exuberant 1978 film about Alan Freed, the Cleveland disc jockey who reputedly invented the term "rock and roll," and his efforts to bring this wild music to the masses both on the air and in a big live show at the Brooklyn Paramount, is a bit short on historical accuracy but has a lot of heart. McIntire plays Freed with spirit, Newman is a Carole King-like teen songwriter, and Jay Leno is terrific as Freed's gopher putting the makes on kewpie cute Fran Drescher. There's lots of 50s and early 60s music on the screen and the soundtrack, of course, and Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Chuck Berry appear as themselves in the concert sequence. A hint of threat and historical reality comes with the government investigators and authorities who try to shut the show and Freed down, although they're mostly played for laughs here. (The real Freed was discredited in the payola scandals and died broke and unknown in the mid 1960s.) Trivia notes: author of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and future director of "Jerry Maguire" and "Almost Famous" Cameron Crowe does a cameo as a delivery boy; and that black kid banging on garbage cans and singing to himself is Maurice Starr, who would found and manage New Edition and New Kids on the Block.
> --David Loftus, Resident American Hot Wax Scholar


If you love rock and roll - especially the early stuff with all the harmonies and energy this a good movie - I've enjoyed it every time.

Fast paced overlay writing far ahead of it's time catches the frantic excitement of the boomers coming of age in the repressed social environment of the 50s. I think many reviewers when it came out missed this aspect of the chaotic style that we are so used to now.

Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry playing themselves give us a glimmer of what the excitement must have been and compliment an energetic musical cast and really strong performance by the lead playing Alan Freed

The spontaneity of recordings produced by "hot wax" and the remerging power of youth culture are captured in quick paced vignettes.
Not a great movie by any means but a fun one and many memories in the music. :clap: Enjoy.

Playing on MoviePix


----------



## PosterBoy

I watched "Crash" last night. I thought it was extremely well put together, and if nothing else shows that you can still make a fantastic movie for not a lot of money (yay $7.5 million total production budget).

I also watched "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" which was surprisingly funny. Maybe not if you're not a fan of the Ben Stiller/Vince Vaughan/Wilson Brothers gang, but it was a lot better than I was expecting.


----------



## MacDoc

'm a sucker for subtitled films as I figure they often have to be exceptional to be in wider circulation.

I caught a winner last night in the *The Outlander* ( *Le Survenant *properly )

















A film I am sure will be continued in circulation for years and years quietly working it's magic.

Remarkably it placed in the Top Ten in Quebec against the likes of Potter and Star Wars etc.

Phenomenal cast and settings and a score I could listen to 24/7.
It was nominated for the Genie awards for Best Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay, Original Song, Costume and Sound Editing.

One time I REALLY wish I knew French  
Lovely even for non Francophones tho. Setting is just glorious.


----------



## MacDoc

Deserves a BIG image. 

What an enjoyable film. Warren Miller has been shooting ski films every year now for 54 years and he just keeps getting better.

It's both spectacular and at times laugh out loud funny. The combination of music editing and unreal skiing, snowboarding and ...other things ( I won't spoil the surprises ) makes a wonderful film experience.

Highly recommended - good match for *Step into Liquid* or *Billabong Odyssey* as films you can watch over and over. Rare that.


----------



## Vandave

MacDoc said:


> What an enjoyable film. Warren Miller has been shooting ski films every year now for 54 years and he just keeps getting better.
> 
> It's both spectacular and at times laugh out loud funny. The combination of music editing and unreal skiing, snowboarding and ...other things ( I won't spoil the surprises ) makes a wonderful film experience.


A couple years ago I had a hellish helicopter flight through a storm (60 knot winds) with a pilot that does work for Warren Miller films.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah you gotta wonder who the crazies - are the filmees or filmers ??  Just breathtaking scenery from all over the world and skiing and snowboarding that is nothing short of unbelievable.

Here's just the tinest hint


----------



## DoNotPokeTheScreen

The latest film I saw was _*Before Sunset*_ with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.

It's a :love2: :-( romance, and surprisingly I enjoyed it A LOT.

It's a four clap out of five.

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


----------



## CubaMark

For those who didn't catch it in theatres, Deepa Mehta's <b>Water</b> is now in video stores. Beautiful, tragic, heartbreaking, wonderful (plus it stars <b><i>Lisa Ray</i></b>)
<br>
<img src="http://z.about.com/d/worldfilm/1/7/V/W/water_poster.jpg">


----------



## MacDoc

Isn't that part of a series of related films. I for one love Bollywood films for their energy and creativity. *Bride and Prejudice* was hilarious and entertaining and moving all at once.
On the flip side I say a very dark film about the separation of Pakisan from India and it's impact on families and communities. Terrific cast and acting.

Now that I check it was *Earth*..I thought this rang a bell.
http://www.filmeducation.org/secondary/Earth/

So all three Earth Fire and Water are now out. :clap:. Excellent film making.


----------



## CubaMark

Yes, Deepa Mehta's "trilogy" films are Earth, Fire and now Water. But it is important to note that they are not related by plot or character - each stands alone.

After seeing <b>Water</b>, I rented <b>Bollywood, Hollywood</b>. Hilarious... (and also starring <b><i>Lisa Ray</i></b>)

M


----------



## MacDoc

Yep - *Bollywood Hollywood* is a fav of mine as well. Like *Moulin Rouge* it's a film that can be watched many times with enjoyment.

CM you may really enjoy *Lagaan*

http://www.lagaan.com/










Remarkable film......and you'll actually understand how cricket is played. 
Worth the effort as it's a classic tale and superb cast and setting.


----------



## CubaMark

Thanks for the tip, Dave. I'll see if my local video store has it.

Also, on the weekend I rented the Oscar-nominated <a href="http://www.hustleandflow.com/"><b>Hustle and Flow</b></a>. A very good film. Still can't believe the theme song won an Oscar <i>("It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp")</i>, but the making of that song within the film is delicious. You will find yourself questioning your sympathies for the protagonist, I mean, he <i>is</i> a pimp, after all, but it's well worth seeing. <b>Terence Howard</b> is a very good actor who you may remember from <b>Four Brothers</b> and <b>Crash</b>, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005024/">among many others</a>. <b>Taraji Henson</b>, as his pregnant wife, deserves much more recognition for her very, very convincing performance (I love the moment when she hears her own voice in the song).

M.


----------



## m_gear

I've been renting more movies now than before, as I've actually got a TV worth watching now.

As some others mentioned, and some new ones:
Crash - I thought it very good, especially liked the "she was saved... by angels!" scene
Carlito's Way - "when you got'em on the meat hook, they tell you everything" I guess it's a typical gangster film
Serenity - WOW. Very nice take on some tired sci-fi themes.
Darkness - Unstoppable evil is about to be unleashed, can you find the final piece to the puzzle?

And some that weren't so good:
Date Movie - "from 2 out of 6 writers of scare movie" which ones? I guess the ones who suggested all the blatant rip-offs of other moves, 'cause that's the ENTIRETY of date movie, I swear there isn't an original word in there.
Hills Have Eyes - Jumpy, but the plot was SO weak. Kinda like Fallout meets House of 1000 Corpses.


----------



## MacDoc

Another incredible movie and Canadian true story - thanks CBC :clap:



> *Mother Trucker: The Diana Kilmury Story*
> 
> About the true life story of Diana Kilmury, an extraordinary Canadian truck driver that fights to end the corruption in her Union, The International Brotherhood of Teamsters. She rallies support and gains respect of the rank and file, becoming Vice President of the Union.
> 
> Along the way she counters sexism in the traditionally male occupation she has chosen. Her personal life, much of it focused on helping her son deal with his disability, is drawn into the struggle as she must fight the union for his long-term disability.
> 
> "While the election was won, I'm sure her union battles aren't over. When the film's publicist tried to reach Kilmury for an interview, she was busy on the other line sorting out fire bomb threats in l.a. Our Labour Relations Board hearings positively pale by comparison."
> ••••••
> Playback Magazine
> Gemini Awards 1997:
> Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program - Barbara Williams
> 
> Gemini Awards 1997 Nominations:
> Best Direction in a Dramatic Program - Sturla Gunnarsson
> Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program - Stuart Margolin
> Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Program - Nicholas Campbell
> Best Picture Editing in a Dramatic Program or Series - Jeff Warren
> Best TV Movie - Laszlo Barna, Anne Wheeler, Christine Shipton
> Best Writing in a Dramatic Program - J.W. Meadowfield, Anne Wheeler
> 
> CableACE Awards 1997: International Dramatic Special or Series/Movie or Miniseries - Laszlo Barna, Anne Wheeler, Christine Shipton


----------



## MacDoc

Whew that was quite the unintentional Double Feature. 

Happened to follow up with *North Country * another emotional roller coaster based on a true story. 



















Theron is a fav actor and the cast is excellent.

High rating at RT. Theron was deservedly nominated for an Oscar for her performance.

Good review from Roger Ebert here. Five stars from him.
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051020/REVIEWS/51005002/1023


----------



## LaurieR

Watched a couple of good ones on the weekend...

Murderball...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436613/
Not the best documentary ever made, but still very good. I definitely learned a few things watching it!

Bread & Tulips...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0237539/
This one is so charming! I loved it.


----------



## PosterBoy

I watched a couple of Nick Broomfield documentaries over the last week or two.

First, "Aileen: The Life and Death of a Serial Killer" and then Biggie & Tupac.


----------



## yatko

Cache
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
Transamerica
Nochnoi Dozor (nightwatch)
Water
Syriyana
Matchpoint


----------



## MacDoc

*Dr. G one for you......you'll enjoy it I think*

Hmmmm seems to be my week for social action films.

'Nother true story. Good cast including Edward James Olmos.










Worth catching



> A film with a powerful message that resonates 38 years after the events it depicts occurred, Walkout is the stirring true story of the Chicano students of East LA, who in 1968 staged several dramatic walkouts in their high schools to protest academic prejudice and dire school conditions. Aided by a popular and progressive young teacher, Sal Castro, Paula Crisostomo and a group of young Chicano activists battle parents, teachers, bureaucrats, the police and public opinion to make their point. Along the way, the students learn profound lessons about embracing their own identity and standing up for what they believe in. Set in 1968, a tumultuous year that shook America to its foundation, Walkout is a vivid reminder that people can change the world.
> 
> The producers of Walkout have a very personal reason for bringing the drama to the screen. Edward James Olmos was born and raised in East LA, and has long been a strong and supportive advocate for reform among the Mexican-American community. Executive producer Moctesuma Esparza was one of the original 1968 protesters; he is portrayed in this film by Bodie Olmos, Edward James Olmos' son. Several cast members are children of the original protesters, including Esparza's daughter Tonantzin.
> 
> A high-profile producer, director, actor and community activist, Edward James Olmos (who directed and appears briefly in the film) has a long history of being involved in film and TV projects that tackle themes of diversity, especially in the Latino community.


 :clap:

http://www.hbo.com/films/walkout/synopsis/


----------



## CubaMark

Anything with Edward James Olmos is worth watching, IMHO. If you're looking for a very good drama series, see if you can find the PBS (?) series, "American Family", in which Olmos is the head of a Mexican-American household. Very, very good writing, top-notch acting, and loads of social commentary.

As for movies, last night I saw <b>Capote</b>. Well... Philip Seymour Hoffman definitely deserved to win the Oscar for Best Actor. Excellent job... what a despicable character! This is a very quiet movie (not a car chase in sight), and we made the mistake of not starting it until 11:00pm. I was the only one to last until the (very good) end. Definitely worth seeing, but be sure you're up for the long haul (lots of caffeine and chocolate).

M


----------



## PosterBoy

I watched V for Vendetta last night. It's not great art, but if you just sit back and let yourself be entertained it's good watching.


----------



## MacDoc

I really want to see V in iMax - just can't break loose the time 

••

CM I've been tempted to watch *American Family* - wish it was on Rogers on demand. Hate to drop in part way through a cycle tho. Looks very good. He's certainly a fav actor even in Miami Vice ( the series ) which I thoroughly enjoyed for it's music and stylized action.

I was inspiring to watch the actual people involved in *Walkout* being interviewed at the end of the film.


----------



## MacDoc

Movie weekend 

Finally got off the social program onto one of the more rarified sports.

Very enjoyable well done movie.











> A heart-hammering sensation at the Cannes Film Festival, FASTER is an electrifying tribute to the white-knuckle world of the Motorcycle Grand Prix the fastest sport on two wheels where only the most audacious competitors race at speeds over 200mph and crash at over 100mph.
> 
> Narrated by Ewan McGregor (Big Fish, Star Wars: Episodes I-III), FASTER chases two seasons™ worth of the super track tour, featuring revealing interviews with riders, mechanics, doctors, commentators and fans.


You will NOT be disappointed.


----------



## SINC

I sat down on the weekend and watched










I found it to be quite enjoyable. Too bad it had not come out first as the basis for the rest of the series.


----------



## PosterBoy

SINC said:


> I sat down on the weekend and watched [Batman Begins].
> 
> I found it to be quite enjoyable. Too bad it had not come out first as the basis for the rest of the series.


Well, at least it's the basis for a new series  

Remember, it's not a prequel it's a re-start of the franchise.


----------



## Carex

A History of Violence.

I am not a fan of Cronenberg, but i thought this movie was well done. Yes there are people getting killed, but it is short, sweet and to the point.


----------



## iNeedhelp

Last good movie I saw was Scent of a Woman. I'm not into dramatic films that much, but I heard Al Pacino gave a great performance at the end when he gave his speech.


----------



## MacDoc

I'm on a movie kick 










RT wasn't so kind ( mixed reviews 53% positive ) but I like the energy in the movie. Nice double header for me tonight with the incredible *Riding Giants.* :yikes: 

I enjoyed *Lords of Dogtown* :nice: 

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/lordsofdogtown/index.html

Riding Giants is NOT to missed if you get the chance.

••••

Also saw









Fun kids movie - RT liked it 75% and should be an enduring generational move.


----------



## MaxPower

I enjoyed Lords of Dogtown as well. Being a former Skate Punk, I can relate to the story and it brought me back.

Fact: Tony Alba is the uncle of Jessica Alba.


----------



## Gerbill

*Mrs. Henderson Presents* is pretty good - some excellent acting. Aside from a very small amount of bad language, it's practically appropriate for grade-schoolers - a really wholesome movie. The nudity does not detract from this wholesomeness - the producers managed to make the depiction of on-stage nudity in front of horny soldiers morally uplifting.


----------



## guytoronto

I'm just waiting for Snakes on a Plane
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/snakes_on_a_plane/


----------



## iNeedhelp

I'm waiting for Clerks 2! If you haven't seen the first one, it's a classic. Go for it.


----------



## Sonal

I'd have to agree with MaxPower about Mrs. Henderson Presents. I saw it last night--beautiful costuming too.

I would not recommend The Inside Man. It sounds good, and the story is not bad, but the movie fell apart in pacing and directing. It started off well, but it lost momentum at some point and didn't get it back. Done better, it could have been another Usual Suspects, but it was kind of blech.


----------



## MacDoc

Odd double header yesterday - neither did much for me despite good casts.

I had high hopes for *Jarhead* but it left me completely flat.








Very uneven movie with little point to it which I suspect, WAS the point.
RT gave it 60% - can't see why.

The other was *Domino* where at least RT and I are in agreement - 17% 










Ebert showing his age I assume given the cover thumbs up, I like Keira Knightly and Mickey Rourke too but this was B movie at best.

Maybe these are both "Murican thangs".


----------



## MBD

I saw Memoirs of a Geisha and Walk the Line this week. Both were quite good and I recognized a lot of the quotes and songs in Walk the Line. I've always liked Johnny Cash as a person.

Memoirs of a Geisha I actually bought because I listened to the audiobook from Audible.com and it was so captivating! I think the movie was well casted as the characters were pretty much just as I imagined (although I think the "mother" and "auntie" characters were not developed very well and were much crueller in the book). The scenery was just as I imagined it from the narrative as well.

I wish they had taken the time to explain more about the life of a geisha though - if you are not familiar with geisha or the book, you might not know why Mameha isn't wearing white make up or what the red fabric on the back of the hair do of a "little sister" geisha is or even what the relationship between "big sister" and "little sister" is. Still, it was well done.


----------



## LaurieR

Watched Grizzly Man last night. What a strange, fascinating, disturbing documentary. Wow...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427312...xsbT01MDB8Y289MXxodG1sPTF8bm09MQ__;fc=1;ft=22


----------



## fellfromtree

I watched Grizzy Man this week too. I liked Herzog's perspective on Treadwell as a filmmaker. This added another dimension to Treadwell, complicated some of his actions and motives. I think Herzog saw some Kinski in Treadwell. The film uses Treadwells own video footage of his naturalist ventures to protect the Grizzly Bears in Alaska. Some of the interviews were bizarre to say the least, beyond camp. The featurette on the making of the soundtrack is worth a look. 

Also watched In The Realms Of The Unreal, a doc about the work and life of Henry Darger. Darger was an unsocialized man who spent all of his adult life working menial jobs by day and holed up in a rented room by night writing a 15000 page novel, and illustrating it with paintings and drawings. His life's work was unknown until days before his death. Dargers paintings are interesting in that he was without training and appropriated all his images from popular culture/advertising/comics of the 20's-50's, using them over and over. He invented and lived in his own world.


----------



## MacDoc

I really enjoyed Memoirs in the book format - highly recommended and I've got just enough direct experience with Japan to add some extra to the read. Fascinating.
Have not seen the movie but I like the lead and the costumes look incredible.
Looking forward to it. One of those I think will "come alive" in DVD HD if and when we ever get there.
Thanks for the nudge.

Gonna catch *Walk the Line* too......Reese is quite the versatile actor and I've followed her career from early on.
Incredible work load she undertakes for a "mom".
An actual "can sing, can dance, can act" performers rarely seen these times.

Her filmography is mind blowing given her age
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000702/


----------



## MacDoc

Well THAT was an enjoyable movie. :clap:

Well constructed, edited and cast........Phoenix was scary at times catching the timbre of the orginal Johnny Cash.

The first audition was a masterful bit of acting -you could hear the future.

Good tale, well told and while I'm far from a country fan it was great to see that storm starting to sweep out Lubbock.
Caught the energy.

Nicely set up with the kick off scene at Folsom......

Watch it - the performances were indeed Oscar level.
Good on Phoenix - not one of my fav actors but he sure earned my respect in this one.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

been meaning to watch it several times and tonite made an appt. to do so
excellent film
so much great music back before "formula music" took over
never knew that "At Folsom" sold more than the Beatles

they don't make 'em like Johnny Cash and June Carter anymore


----------



## MacDoc

Leave it to Ridley Scott to manage to pull off a small miracle from an enormous sweep of history.

Orlando Bloom an unlikely choice but there is a Joan of Arc aspect of the warrior saint that worked for me.

Tremendous sets of the early WMDs there is lyrical quality to most of of Ridley's films and it carries this one.

Social commentary in the form of epic film making.......Scott paints a sweeping canvas.

RT wasn't thrilled but I'd give it :clap::clap: .....just cuz it's my kind of film.
Score, casting, sets and ellyptical Scott editing with a cinematic eye almost that of David Lean.
I doubt any other director could have pulled it together.

Scott biased?.....yep. No apologies. 

Good to see Saladin get his due as a mythic level leader and strategist.

••••

MS and others watching Walk the Line, close attention to the audition... a memorable performance. Reese won the Oscar......Phoenix should have.


----------



## overkill

"Dot the I"


----------



## MacDoc

My what a treat and a pleasant surprise tho not entirely unexpected from a rising star.

Like Reese Witherspoon who I've been following and enjoying as an actress for years, Kiera Knightly is another who continues to amaze.

Brilliant casting and acting. RT gives this sumptuous Austen delight 85%...... restoring my faith in critics.

From sets to scenery to all the subtle direction to get Victorian nuances of manners just right, this is a wonderful film. 

A pleasure to see Donald Sutherland work his magic in a perfectly cast and acted role.

Matthew MacFadyen the lead opposite Knightly perhaps has the more difficult role which he plays to perfection.

The score simply makes a top notch gem of a fim sparkle even more. Highly, highly recommended. 

What a debut for Director Joe Wright. :clap:


----------



## overkill

i highly recommend everyone go and see "Thank You For Smoking". I think it is one of the best movies of the year so far.


----------



## used to be jwoodget

overkill said:


> i highly recommend everyone go and see "Thank You For Smoking". I think it is one of the best movies of the year so far.


Took my kids (18 and 20) to see it. Very clever movie with a lot of pauses for thought. Some great lines (the MOD squad, especially). I liked the ethical canary that allows big tobacco lobbyists to make the point that there should be freedom of choice, even if it means killing yourself slowly. Excellent film (and this from an avid anti-smoking guy who works in cancer research).


----------



## PenguinBoy

MacDoc said:


> I enjoyed *Lords of Dogtown* :nice:


I've been meaing to see "Lords of Dogtown", but I haven't got around to it yet.

If you liked LoD, I expect you might also like "Dogtown and the Z Boys": http://imdb.com/title/tt0275309/


----------



## ComputerIdiot

Just rented and watched _The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe_ -- few minor quibbles but overall it was fan_TAS_tic! The odds may not be good, but I hope they give serious thought to putting the rest of the books on the big screen.


----------



## Beej

ComputerIdiot said:


> Just rented and watched _The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe_ -- few minor quibbles but overall it was fan_TAS_tic! The odds may not be good, but I hope they give serious thought to putting the rest of the books on the big screen.


I agree. I was quite impressed in how they got the feel right and blended the book vs movie problem very nicely. Snow Queen...:heybaby:


----------



## wonderings

I heard on the radio a while ago that they are in production of Prince Caspian, the only other book with all 4 kids in it.


----------



## MacDoc

Wonder if it'll get banned in schools ala Potter and Co.
Witches etc tsch tsch


----------



## overkill

used to be jwoodget said:


> Took my kids (18 and 20) to see it. Very clever movie with a lot of pauses for thought. Some great lines (the MOD squad, especially). I liked the ethical canary that allows big tobacco lobbyists to make the point that there should be freedom of choice, even if it means killing yourself slowly. Excellent film (and this from an avid anti-smoking guy who works in cancer research).


i just love the fact that you do not see one person through the course of the movie light up a single cigarette! brilliant film.


----------



## MacDoc

Anyone with HBP Movies may want to catch Elizabeth the I

Sterling cast leads Hellen Mirren and Jeremy Irons.










Interesting history wonderfully evoked.Not for the faint of heart - some bloody scenes.

In HiDef if you have it = even sweeter. Two parts.


----------



## gastonbuffet

Saw "The rocket". The story of Maurice Richards. Nicely done.


----------



## MacDoc

Moody twisty thriller - I thoughtit better than the 59% RT gave it.

Kidman's a chameleon and it works here and Penn gets betteras tiem goes by. Honest performances by both in my mind.
Loved the score and the settings in New York.
Yank version of Constant Gardener. :clap:


----------



## overkill

Watched "Office Space" for the first time in a while last weekend. Good laughs once again


----------



## overkill

Just finished watching 'Derailed' starring Clive Owen and Jennifer Aniston. Good movie. Had a slow start to it and took a while for the movie plot to come into light, but came out with a solid ending which I enjoyed. Clive Owen was very good in it, and it was nice to see Aniston out of her 'Friends' typecast character.


----------



## MacDoc

Hmmm that sounds like an interesting pairing. I'll keep an eye open for that, thanks :clap:


----------



## Rob

I just finished watching the DVD of Festival Express. The dinosaurs amoung us will recall this as the famous series of rock concerts across Canada in 1970 that had all the bands travelling on one train. It features Janis Joplin, Greatful Dead, The Band, Ian & Sylvia, Buddy Guy, Sha Na Na, and more.

I was surprised by the high quality of the concert footage and sound. Unfortunately, you only get a taste of one or two songs by each band. What you do get is pretty amazing, but you're left wanting for more, much more.

I've always been a fan of Janis and you can certainly see why she was bigger than life in that era.

The biggest surprise was Buddy Guy. I didn't know much at all about him other than he was blues guitarist. He did a version of Money that was absolutely frickin fantastic. Take a mix of Little Richard vocal stylings, some smokin blues rock guitar, a rythm section with sax and guitars, terrific showmanship, and all I can say is "Please, Please, Please, I wanna see the rest of the show"


----------



## LaurieR

I saw the Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio on the weekend and thought it was wonderful. Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson both did an excellent job, as did the 10 actors that played their children.

It's a true story and, wow, what a story it is.

http://www.gofishpictures.com/prizewinner/

Apparently the book is very good too.


----------



## overkill

Watched the Oscar nominated documentary "Street Fight" on CBC Newsworld this evening. Very interesting story of the political machine that runs in the States...Very eye opening for me in many instances. Great video and I highly recommend it.

http://www.cbc.ca/passionateeyesunday/feature_070506.html


----------



## The Doug

They ran Street Fight a few months ago as well -- I agree it's eye-opening. Very good.


----------



## Vexel

Great movie for the family - Hoodwinked

This movie was hilarious. I actually just watched it with the GF.. and we thought it was in line with movies like Shrek and Finding Nemo. Some great jokes which kids wouldn't get, which I believe were put there for the parents who HAVE to watch the movie. 

2 Thumbs Up.


----------



## MacDoc

I want to catch *Prize Winner*.....sounds terrific ....love true stories....always stranger than fiction.

••










I can see why people and some reviewers were mixed on this film.
It's like getting a chapter synopsis by way of film.
Without reading the book the texture and flow of the story is lost even tho certain highlights are retained.
I'm not sure the book can be translated to the screen much better - it's the nature of the story and how it's told that makes it daunting as so many nuances and stresses and violent beneath the gorgeous exterior of the Geisha are impossible.

Casting choice WAS very good as were costumes and settings.

To truly do the amazing book justice it would need a multiple segment HBO series with a very strong cast.
If Japan intrigues you read the book THEN see the movie...it then becomes a reasonable adventure. Without the book I'm sure it must seem fragmented and oddly paced.
The section with the lead as a young girl torn from home is the best for me and one of my favs Ziyi Zhang from Crouching Tiger....carries the role through beautifully.
People have said it's remote and impersonal.....I think that's the point. The Geisha is that tho underneath the reality is far different. The contrast between the gorgeous controlled, stylized exterior and the violence and passions beneath is a central theme.

Read the book.....highly recommended......then tackle the movie...best combo in my mind. Good attempt by director Rob Marshall on a tough work to bring to screen.


----------



## MacDoc

This is still showing on Movie Network this month. The section on Portland is an ideal model for the GTA.

I wrote a note about this to Mayor Miller asking where our "office of sustainable development is"....I encourage everyone in the GTA to do the same

http://www.sustainableportland.org/ 

This is worth reading if you are interested in sustainable cities.

BTW those that get the Movie Network should catch thehour long *Too Hot not to Handle* docu on global climate change.
Well done, encouraging and inspiring.

Another superb HBO documentary offering
http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/toohot/index.html


----------



## MacDoc

prize winner is wonderful.....dr. g sinc others.... you gotta catch it -many many memories ...my mum won a car ...life changing in thr 50s ...and the million kids in thr neighbourhood...wonderful settings and details.


----------



## MacDoc

I'm a big Daniel Day Lewis fan and he finds and an interesting co-star in the darkly erotic Camilla Belle.
Not to everyone's taste but I certainly enjoyed the acting and strange twists. Day is brilliant and finds a worthy foil.










hard to square the innocent Rose with this fox a year later  










Quite the chameleon..one to watch.

••

Caught King Kong .....not bad - has it's moments - many restrictions on the director and very long.
Terrific CG worth it for that alone.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, the Prize Winner does look like a unique movie.


----------



## MBD

MacDoc said:


> I want to catch *Prize Winner*.....sounds terrific ....love true stories....always stranger than fiction.
> 
> ••
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I can see why people and some reviewers were mixed on this film.
> It's like getting a chapter synopsis by way of film.


MacDoc, I'm glad you felt the same as I did when watching the movie. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the audience didn't get a chance to experience all the book gives the reader and were left really skimming the surface. I too would have liked to see it as a series. I agree though - nicely cast!


----------



## yatko

Saw hardcany last weekend. Very interesting
http://hardcandymovie.com/


----------



## Dr.G.

"Dr. G one for you......you'll enjoy it I think". Thanks for the tip, MacDoc re "Walkout". Having substitute taught in the south Bronx and Harlem back in 1972, I can appreciate the conditions that these students confronted back in East LA, circa 1968. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## overkill

MI:III - although JJ Abrams liked to put a little bit of his 'LOST' touch in certain scenes of the film, it was a well put together story line and Phillip Seymour Hoffman as a bad guy was amazing to see. He played the part perfectly. Its a good action film and the best of the three IMO. No kicking the sand to catch a gun in this film


----------



## MacDoc

Tried *Brokeback* today. Didn't get into it. Maybe needs a second run at it.
I'll reserve judgement. Pacing was very slow - likely on purpose but......set detail was terrific.....another reminder of how things changed in the 60s so suddenly.
I'll give it another shot as I like Jake G as an actor and the scenery was spectacular.


----------



## MacNutt

MacDoc said:


> Tried *Brokeback* today. Didn't get into it. Maybe needs a second run at it.
> I'll reserve judgement. Pacing was very slow - likely on purpose but......set detail was terrific.....another reminder of how things changed in the 60s so suddenly.
> I'll give it another shot as I like Jake G as an actor and the scenery was spectacular.


I'm waiting for the sequel. Apparently it will be called "Brokeback 2:The other side of the mountain"

It will have an all-girl cast. MMMMM yummy....


----------



## Kosh

Da Vinci Code - interesting mystery. Don't see what all the contraversy is about. The movie proposes an interesting idea about Jesus (don't want to spoil it for those that haven't seen it), but it's just a movie/story.


----------



## MacDoc

There was a good interview with Da Vinci director Ron Howard on CBC.
So far the critics mostly hate it- the public apparently with the box office numbers love it. $77,000,000.

RT has DaVinci in the 22% range.... with the top critics at an appalling 9%...wow.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/da_vinci_code/


----------



## Vandave

MacDoc said:


> There was a good interview with Da Vinci director Ron Howard on CBC.
> So far the critics mostly hate it- the public apparently with the box office numbers love it. $77,000,000.
> 
> RT has DaVinci in the 22% range.... with the top critics at an appalling 9%...wow.
> http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/da_vinci_code/


I thought it was pretty good.

I don't know what the critics were expecting.


----------



## Kosh

Vandave said:


> I don't know what the critics were expecting.


I've learned never to trust critics. I think they spend too much time looking at the artistic value and not the entertainment value of some movies. The Da Vinci Code was a good mystery. They had me on a couple of the puzzles. I also thought Robert Langdon was going to be the descendant of Jesus, but got it wrong.


Have any of you seen the trailer to the second Pirate of the Carribean. Hopefully it will be just as good as the first. It loooks good.


----------



## MacDoc

Kosh RT is often a reasonable guide as it accesses a very wide range of opinion.
It's rare they get demand and opinion this far out of whack with each other.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/

I'd say they are rarely wrong for me when they give high positives.
Sometimes off base for me when they diss a movie.


----------



## cavemanatlarge

I liked the Davinci Code. It was not the best movie I have seen lately, (that was "Thank you for smoking") but I don't regret seeing it.

So did Ebert and Roeper

Caveman


----------



## Beej

I just saw The Ringer. Better than I expected. When in the mood for dumb-arse brain candy it's sort of nice to get something with a little effort put into it. When you feel like a simple movie, this one's a little bit of a surprise. A good popcorn movie with a little feel added in free of charge.


----------



## overkill

Saw X-Men 3 last night...it was good, but i dont think great for myself. You could definently tell that Brian Singer was not directing this episode of the franchise. I think if he did do the finale to their trilogy, we would have seen a little more character interaction and less "blow up and kill everyone in site" action scenes...but still work the watch.


----------



## MacDoc

On American Experience PBS stations *Two Days in October*

Simply one of THE best documentaries I've eer seen. Heart rending and very very relevant to NOW in Canada vis a vie Afghanistan.

For those not around at the time - you'll learn what tore the US and in many cases Canadians apart.....and the tears and anger linger some 40 years later. 90 minutes of some of the best TV you'll ever experience.

DR G, MacSpectrum a must see. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/twodays/


----------



## MacDoc

An unlikely story with Disney's over the top schmaltz BUT that's all forgiven in it happens to be true. :clap: 

RT gives is a 60% plus and I'd agree - if only that the story itself deserves to live on, much like Sea Biscuit and other inspiring tales.
Very well cast.
Paxton's gentle touch works here and it truly is an incredible yarn.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, re "Two Days in October", I recall seeing this around my birthday (in October) back in 2005. Was this not based on the book "They Marched Into Sunlight" by David Maraniss?


----------



## MacDoc

I don't know the book Dr.G but the docu was incredible. All the tears so many years later.


----------



## Dr.G.

True. The War in Vietnam left a great many of us crying and angered.


----------



## JCCanuck

Just saw "Birth" which my wife had rented. One of the worst movies I have ever seen. Terrible acting, directing and writing. I had really felt I had wasted my time watching this movie.


----------



## overkill

JCCanuck said:


> Just saw "Birth" which my wife had rented. One of the worst movies I have ever seen. Terrible acting, directing and writing. I had really felt I had wasted my time watching this movie.


Too bad this thread is for good movies that you have seen


----------



## JCCanuck

*Read the Griller's first thread!*



overkill said:


> Too bad this thread is for good movies that you have seen


And from the very first thread....
"Anyone have recommendations/ WARNINGS for any fairly recent movies"
tptptptp


----------



## MacDoc

Must be my schmaltz movie week. 










"nother one that is unlikely but again based on a true story.
Iconic casting - enjoyable - not in Seabiscuit range at all but worth watching.
RT gave it a bit more than 60% which I would agree with. :clap:


----------



## JCCanuck

That young girl in Dreamer is an excellent actress. I have seen her in other movies and she has a bright future in acting.


----------



## overkill

JCCanuck said:


> That young girl in Dreamer is an excellent actress. I have seen her in other movies and she has a bright future in acting.


Dakota Fanning is her name. Excellent young actress. http://imdb.com/name/nm0266824/


----------



## MacDoc

Future??!! She's got a filmography most actors would die for. 



> Dakota Fanning
> Date of birth (location)
> 23 February 1994
> Conyers, Georgia, USA
> Mini biography
> Hannah Dakota Fanning was born on the 23rd of February 1994, in Conyers... (show more)
> 
> Filmography as: Actress, Miscellaneous Crew, Herself, Archive Footage
> 
> Actress - filmography
> (In Production) (2000s) (1980s)
> 
> Hounddog (2006) (announced) .... Lewellen
> The Secret Life of Bees (2006) (announced) .... Lily Melissa Owens
> Coraline (2007) (filming) (voice) .... Coraline
> Charlotte's Web (2006) (post-production) .... Fern
> 
> Dreamer (2005) .... Cale Crane
> Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story (2005) .... Cale Crane
> Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005) (V) .... Lilo
> War of the Worlds (2005) .... Rachel Ferrier
> Hide and Seek (2005) .... Emily Callaway
> Nine Lives (2005) .... Maria
> "Justice League"
> ... aka JL (USA: promotional abbreviation)
> ... aka Justice League Unlimited (USA: new title)
> - Kid Stuff (2004) TV Episode (voice) .... Young Wonder Woman
> Man on Fire (2004) .... Pita
> "Friends"
> - The One with Princess Consuela (2004) TV Episode .... Mackenzie
> Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time (2003) (TV) (voice) .... Preschool Kim
> ... aka Disney's Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time (USA: complete title)
> The Cat in the Hat (2003) .... Sally
> ... aka Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat (USA: complete title)
> Uptown Girls (2003) .... Lorraine "Ray" Schleine
> Hansel & Gretel (2002) .... Katie
> "Taken" (2002/I) (mini) TV Series .... Allison 'Allie' Clarke/Keys
> ... aka Steven Spielberg Presents Taken (USA: complete title)
> Sweet Home Alabama (2002) .... Young Melanie
> Trapped (2002) .... Abigail Jennings
> ... aka 24 Stunden Angst (Germany)
> I Am Sam (2001) .... Lucy Diamond Dawson
> "The Ellen Show"
> - Missing the Bus (2001) TV Episode .... Young Ellen
> "Family Guy"
> ... aka Padre de familia (USA: Spanish title)
> - To Live and Die in Dixie (2001) TV Episode (voice) .... Little Girl
> Tomcats (2001) .... Little Girl in Park
> "The Fighting Fitzgeralds"
> - Pilot (2001) TV Episode .... Marie
> "Malcolm in the Middle"
> - New Neighbors (2001) TV Episode .... Emily
> Father Xmas (2001) .... Clairee
> "Spin City"
> - Toy Story (2000) TV Episode .... Cindy
> "The Practice"
> - The Deal (2000) TV Episode .... Alessa Engel
> "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"
> ... aka C.S.I. (USA: short title)
> ... aka CSI: Las Vegas (USA: syndication title)
> ... aka CSI: Weekends (USA: promotional title)
> ... aka Experts, Les (Canada: French title)
> - Blood Drops (2000) TV Episode .... Brenda Collins
> "Strong Medicine"
> - Misconceptions (2000) TV Episode .... Edie's Girl
> "Ally McBeal"
> - Ally McBeal: The Musical, Almost (2000) TV Episode .... 5 Year Old Ally
> "ER"
> - The Fastest Year (2000) TV Episode .... Delia Chadsey
> 
> Tonari no Totoro (1988) (voice: English version) .... Satsuki (2005 Disney version)
> ... aka My Neighbor Totoro (USA)


 Can we say workaholic and many of those are big production films.


----------



## MacDoc

Those in the World Cup mode may want to catch this.












> Brazil's great secret for dominating world football is hardly a secret. Brazilian football players have 'ginga' - a fluid style of movement that raises ball skill to an art form. This documentary, presented by Fernanco Meirelles (City of God, Constant Gardener), takes the viewer all over the country of Brazil, following development of young football players. Along the way, we discover Robinho, a youngster who is a key part of the team that will play Australia in the 2006 competition.


Very enjoyable and some of these kids just do outright magic with the ball :clap:


----------



## mrjimmy

Just saw Mission Impossible III.

You pay for the whole seat but you only use the edge!


----------



## Beej

X-Men 3 is a good end to the series. 

One of the better recent hollywood franchises, in my opinion.


----------



## CubaMark

Re: X-Men III: Be sure to sit through the credits for the surprise ending! 

M


----------



## acc30

CubaMark said:


> Re: X-Men III: Be sure to sit through the credits for the surprise ending!
> 
> M



what there was a surprise ending!  Missed that one, I wouldn't have, if some annoying people didn't start a freakin fight inside the theatre.

X-Men III is one of the good series movies I've seen


----------



## MacDoc

Enjoyable and inspiring movie.
Man those kids from Dominican parents are just gorgeous - some of the best looking tweens on the planet and they sure can dance.
Incredible after only a few weeks.
Gawky adolescents to .......well you'll see. Catch it if you can.
A well deserved 83% on RT - real kids - exemplary documentary.


----------



## iNeedhelp

I recently saw both X-Men: The Last Stand, and Mission Impossible III. Both of them are worth paying for. Very, very, entertaining.


----------



## MacDoc

Kudos for Alliance Atlantis for taking on this incredibly iconic story based on the actual event in Quebec in the 1920s..
Heart breaking, true....don't miss it but be prepared for a heart rending experience. 

Superbly cast and scored..........


----------



## MacDoc

Thank you telefilm Canada for a sweet gem of a movie.
*Conquest*

soooooooo Canadian. Catch it - you'll be entertained.

http://efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=6174



> What follows is a sweet little quirky Canadian flick about big city ideals and little town blues. It’s a love story set in a dying hamlet, amidst the usual collection of eccentric Canuck characters, with plenty of humor and a little nostalgic introspection thrown in. It’s also a somewhat fascinating look at the variety of accents and backgrounds and landscape that Canada has on offer, but for the most part it’s about a woman who can’t leave, a man who won’t, and a whole bunch of others who find appeal in the simple things.


...bout right - nice antidote to the grim Aurore :clap:


----------



## UnleashedLive

overkill said:


> i highly recommend everyone go and see "Thank You For Smoking". I think it is one of the best movies of the year so far.



I just saw this movie the other week and I also recommend it. Great flick.


----------



## overkill

iNeedhelp said:


> I recently saw both X-Men: The Last Stand, and Mission Impossible III. Both of them are worth paying for. Very, very, entertaining.


Agreed. I believe MI3 was the best of the series so far, but I would still put X-Men 2 in front on the third one, but its a close race on that one.


----------



## cavemanatlarge

Thank you for smoking was a gas. Also enjoyed Xmen three

Caveman


----------



## MacDoc

Quirky luscious and long mystery tale carried by a strong caste. The luminous Audrey Tautou at the centre of it all.

Superb cinematography and enjoyable scoring. A film from another age.
Not sure why it was rated 18a  
Similar in feel to The English Patient. Top notch work and a deserved 78% from RT :clap:


----------



## overkill

Watched "Spellbound", a documentary that was made about the 1999 Scripps US National Spelling Bee championship. It followed the paths of 8 participants, one of which went on to win. Interesting to see the different techniques that the kids used to prepare them for this challenge.


----------



## Beej

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: Quite good. The blend of action and a sense of humour makes for good fun. Moderate gritty-violence, some nudity and swearing, so maybe not for the kiddies.


----------



## overkill

Lord of War starring Nicholas Cage. Thought that it would have been a terrible movie, but had some good scenes in it and story line was actually quite good.


----------



## MacDoc

One of the more unlikely films to stumble across....completely mesmerizing visual and score.
Credit to RT for a 95%% score :clap:

One I would love to see in HD.


----------



## Dr.G.

Overkill, I watched that movie with my son the other day. He was amazed that such things happen in reality. He is so naive.


----------



## rodneyjb

*Syriana*

Hi, I watched Syriana last week....it was quite good...takes a bit to get set up...but tthe story was good and the acting was superb. 4 out of 5 stars

Rod


----------



## overkill

Went to see Superman this past Wednesday and it was well put together. Spacey as Lex Luthor was brilliant. Some great scenes with Superman in full action but don't want to give too much away.


----------



## MacDoc

I've been wanting to see this and finally got a chance and in HD no less.
I'm such a sucker for true stories - especially the unlikely akin to Sea Biscuit and this a fine compliment to that Depression era - lift the spirits - tale. :clap:

Most enjoyable - I enjoy Crowe as an actor and the 80+ % from RT was well deserved. If you haven't seen it........you're in a for a treat.

Dr. G - you'll love it.


----------



## capitalK

My old apartment was featured as a storefront in it, MD. Right across the street from Carbon.


----------



## Dr.G.

Watched Cinderella Man last night. Great flick.


----------



## MacDoc

Dr. G - thought you'd enjoy it. :clap:
The Depression must have been soul destroying for many. I thought Crowe did an excellent job of portraying that frustration.
I found the "empty" luxurious apartment scene particularly poignant...his manager "keeping up appearances".
I also enjoyed the style of the film - the re-creation of the era was so good I "suspended my disbelief" very early in the film and was completely engrossed in time and place.


----------



## overkill

Just finished watching Crash for the second time...I agree with the Academy in awarding it the Oscar for Best Picture of 2005. So many good actors in the movie and Matt Dillon was a fantastic surprise the first time I saw the movie, and more respected for his abilities this time around.


----------



## DoNotPokeTheScreen

Watched The Lake House, starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, a few nights ago with my girlfriend. I saw the trailer on FrontRow : ) and thought it was going to be not as good as it seems, but it is better than expected. It's the kind that you should watch with a date.


----------



## Jason H

I just rented "The Hills Have Eyes"
It was entertaining, extremely graphic, and much better than the original! I'd recommend watching the original first though!


----------



## NBiBooker

Just saw Superman Returns this weekend. 

Fantastic. It's the best one done of the Man of Steel. If there's one movie to see this summer, this is it. 

That's my humble recommendation at least.


----------



## bryanc

*Cars*

I saw Cars with my 5-year-old son and my wife this weekend, and we all really enjoyed it. More Pixar Magic.

Interestingly, we also saw the competing Dreamworks production - Over the Hedge - a couple of weeks ago, and found it 'pretty good' but not memorable. I'd certainly say that Pixar still makes better movies: better story, better voice acting, and better animation.

I wonder how long Pixar will be able to keep their standards so high. Eventually, the temptation to produce second-rate material that will continue to sell like crazy because of their name has got to become overwhelming. 

At any rate, for those of you with kids, Cars was a great evening of entertainment.

Cheers


----------



## MaxPower

I just saw Superman as well.

Action packed, but at times it felt like a rehash of the original Superman with the whole Lois Lane flying sequence.

But Kevin Spacy really hit the mark with Lex Luthor. No question the best character portrayal in the movie. He was Lex Luthor.

In all I would give it 8 out of 10.


----------



## overkill

MaxPower said:


> But Kevin Spacy really hit the mark with Lex Luthor. No question the best character portrayal in the movie. He was Lex Luthor.


Best casting done for that movie.


----------



## dona83

Just saw Crash for the first time (bought the DVD knowing that it was not gonna be just a rent watch once and never watch it again) and wow... really thought provoking, seriously the best movie I've seen in awhile. 

Spiderman 2 gets a oookkk, and Da Vinci Code gets just a thumb up because Dan Brown is awesome I love his books though to me Angels & Demons was way better than Da Vinci Code. but it was just a really rushed movie and I'd need a whole army of fingers to count how many important scenes they missed.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, I liked the scene where R.Crowe returns the relief money and the little smile he gives to the person who accepts this return. The most vivid scene was when he was at Madison Square Garden begging for money to get his kids back. This, and the flashback scenes of his kids freezing and the "past due" bill on the milk bottle as he struggles to get up off of the mat, were very memorable for me.


----------



## The Doug

*From My Big Ol' Box Of VHS Tapes...*

Watched *Mr. Smith Goes To Washington* last Saturday evening. This 1939 Frank Capra film is rightly regarded as a true _classic_. Great script and performances throughout. Being a 67 year old film, its story now seems to alternate between brilliant, and simplistic & naive -- however its basic theme (political corruption) still resonates today. And makes you wonder...


----------



## Dr.G.

Doug, I would have to say that this is one of my top 10 movies of all time. I have seen it dozens of times. The best scene is when he is shown all of the telegrams and begins his classic line "I guess this is just another lost cause, Mr. Paine. All you people don't know about lost causes, but Mr. Paine does. He said once that they are they are the only things worth fighting for."


----------



## Alex Sanders

Dr G/ Doug I couldn't agree more... Been trying to get this on DVD for my collection but keep putting it off. Nice to know others enjoyed it as much as I did. Stewart played a great role as always and a close tie with It's A Wonderful Life as one of my all time faves.


----------



## Dr.G.

Alex, I heard Frank Capra speak at the University of Georgia, and he contended that "It's a Wonderful Life" was his favorite movie, and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" was his most meaningful movie, regardless of what the critics thought.


----------



## Dr.G.

"Rocky Balboa" (aka Rocky 6) coming this Christmas. In the true Christmas spirit, Rocky will defend his pride and honor against Mason Dixon, the reigning champion. Guess who is going to win???


----------



## MacDoc

Have not even turned HD on since World Cup - too much to do. 

Dr. G those scenes were incredible and Crowe played them wonderfully - the fine line between unleashing anger and remaining principled and willingness to swallow his pride for his family. Terrific bits of thespian art. :clap:

•••
The Doug if you've not seen * The Best Years of our Lives* it would be a brilliant followup.
There IS a naive "truth and honesty will prevail" in Mr. Smith........it's much much fainter just a few war years later. It also features phenomenal performances and won an astonishing number of Academy awards.
It is my top pick for B&W films and high up in top pick overall.
And as with Mr. Smith still has power and relevance today.


----------



## overkill

Saw Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest last week, and it was a good movie although I did enjoy the first one more. Knowing that there is another one coming out next summer to conclude this one, I think took away from the movie a bit, in the same respect that Matrix 2 and 3 were done.

I enjoy movies like Batman Begins and Spiderman which have hints at the end of their movies that a sequel is possible, but not having to carry on the same story line.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, amazingly, "The Best Years of our Lives" dealt with post-traumatic stress for the first time in a movie.


----------



## MacDoc

I didn't realize that but of course it makes sense.

It was brilliantly cast and acted.
One scene that haunts me is the row upon row of empty gutted bombers. 

The other the interview between the bomber squad commander coming home to his "old job"......as a soda jerk .....and the interaction with the "stay at home" department manager......and on the opposite coin the corporal resuming his "town banker" role.
Remarkable film.

Here's the original NYT review
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/movies/bestpictures/years-re.html

a more detailed study - with many images and even MP3 clips. :clap:
http://www.reelclassics.com/Movies/BestYears/bestyears.htm

Interesting this current reviewer, Don Freeman of the Sandiego Tribune ranks it as his best all time period. He too mentions the bomber scene yet I cannot find a photo of it on line .



> April 8, 2006
> 
> “The Best Years of Our Lives” ranks as my all-time favorite movie. Other films have won my admiration, among them “The Godfather” and “Patton” and “The Maltese Falcon,” but “The Best Years” was, to me, the most touching. Speaking personally, I am so moved by several key scenes that I find myself dabbing at my eyes and that is, believe me, a conspicuous rarity.
> 
> It is easy for me now to recall hearing from an old friend who saw the movie when it first emerged. He knew about the impact of war, this friend, for he had been a bomber pilot in the 8th Air Force. He had volunteered for one of his 21 missions, on D-Day.
> 
> Now the war was done and my friend was telling me about “The Best Years.” This is what he said: “I have seen a lot of movies but none this truthful. It is the best movie I have ever seen, ever.”
> 
> I recall seeing “Best Years” not long after the guns had turned silent in World War II. And just recently I saw it again. I learned once more that the emotions that were once bestirred have a curious way of reappearing. You think now of the scene wherein Dana Andrews, portraying a former wartime pilot, examines a row of bombers that were essential to the conflict but now have no purpose. He is compelled to remember the feelings that consumed him in that time when death was everywhere.


http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/freeman/20060408-9999-1c08freeman.html


----------



## modsuperstar

I saw an unexpectedly decent movie over the weekend. My girlfriend picked out this quebecois movie C.R.A.Z.Y. It's a french language family drama that spans from 1960 to present. It follows the story of the 4th born son in the family Zak and his struggles with finding his sexual identity. I found the characters were really well developed and the movie featured lots of cool music from the 50's, 60's and 70's. While this movie wouldn't be one I would have picked in a million years, it was quite enjoyable. Definitely better then the other 2 movies we rented Match Point and Failure To Launch, stinkers both of them.


----------



## MacDoc

I'm looking forward to CRAZY - won all sorts of awards.


----------



## Blain_132

I saw Lords of War last night, it is about a man(Nicholas Cage) who becomes a gun runner and becomes one of the largest gun suppliers for all the third world countries and african and what not. it shows how it tears him apart it is a great movie if you havent seen it you should!


----------



## overkill

Blain_132 said:


> I saw Lords of War last night, it is about a man(Nicholas Cage) who becomes a gun runner and becomes one of the largest gun suppliers for all the third world countries and african and what not. it shows how it tears him apart it is a great movie if you havent seen it you should!


I agree that this was a great movie, and not one that a lot of people talked about unfortunately.


----------



## iMatt

modsuperstar said:


> While this movie wouldn't be one I would have picked in a million years, it was quite enjoyable.


Oh man, have you been living in a cave?  _C.R.A.Z.Y._ was *the* Canadian movie of last year, and is arguably the best of all time. It was also, IMO, way better than the other big "sexual identity" movie of 2005, _Brokeback Mountain_. Just wait: I bet _C.R.A.Z.Y._ gets "Hollywoodized" within a year or two. It will be a pale imitation.


----------



## modsuperstar

iMatt said:


> Oh man, have you been living in a cave?  _C.R.A.Z.Y._ was *the* Canadian movie of last year, and is arguably the best of all time. It was also, IMO, way better than the other big "sexual identity" movie of 2005, _Brokeback Mountain_. Just wait: I bet _C.R.A.Z.Y._ gets "Hollywoodized" within a year or two. It will be a pale imitation.


It must have slipped under my radar. I typically keep an eye out for critically acclaimed stuff and pass on the big budget crap. After reading an article on CBC.ca I think I do recall hearing some buzz about it last year, but obviously didn't remember the name.


----------



## MaxPower

I just finished watching "American History X" for about the third or fourth time.

Every time I watch it, it is still a very powerful, moving film.


----------



## SINC

Watched a flick called "Criminal" last night. an entertaining flick with a big twist at the end. Enjoyed it more than most.


----------



## Jason H

Just watched clerks 2. 

I'll give it 4 stars. I really enjoyed it!


----------



## overkill

Watched "The Island", "Four Brothers" and "Mall Rats" last weekend and made for a nice day of movie watching. Really enjoyed Four Brothers, John Singleton did a nice job directing the movie.


----------



## ErnstNL

Bought Lord of War, Goodnight and Good Luck and Munich last week used at Blockbuster. (3 for $24) 

Lord of War is a very good movie. Nicholas Cage _can _act. The story was engrossing and his talkovers were appropriate. A good supporting cast.

Good Night is a great movie. Not for everyone, it's better if you prime yourself with some background about the McCarthy hearings and not jump in. Otherwise, It would just bore you. It's in balck and white, which gives period atmosphere. Geez, everyone smokes in the film!

Munich is good, not great. Great acting, scenery and sets are superb.


----------



## Beej

Mirror Mask was fun.


----------



## MacDoc

Hey Beej - ur normally voluble - how about applying it here 
y'know mini review etc.


----------



## Beej

It's Saturday morning and I've got Shreddies in my nose (Shang story), go easy on me.

Mirror Mask was a fun teenage/sureal fantasy movie with good visual design. The plot is decent (recover something, save the world, forces of light and dark etc.) and the acting works for the setting. 

In too many scenes it's got that "Sky Captain" cheap gloss feel, but generally the movie does come close to really drawing you in to its world. It's no Princess Bride, but still worth the rental.


----------



## MacDoc

There we go thanks. :clap:

I actually enjoyed the *Sky Captain * conceit and style - I thought all the actors had fun and it was true to the genre.
I thought the British Fleet to the rescue was perfect. Very Tom Swiftian in pace and feel.


----------



## MacDoc

I'm halfway through this sweeping epic. A well deserved 95% on RT :clap:
This probably got it right from one of those critics.



> This is the sort of movie you'll recommend to friends and they'll go, 'Six hours! Are you nuts?' and then call you up and thank you in the middle of the night."


A treat for those with Rogers on Demand as you can break it up. Engaging and evocative......it covers the same time period/age for my life but from an Italian perspective rather than North American.

Dr. G - highly recommended tho a marathon to watch. One critic compared it to the intricacy and character development of a novel which the long running time allowed.



> "I dropped outside of time and was carried along by the narrative flow; when the film was over, I had no particular desire to leave the theater, and would happily have stayed another three hours."
> 
> -- Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES


I'm looking forward to second half.


----------



## SINC

Watched The Edge for the first time last night. Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin. Pretty good yarn with many twists and turns Very enjoyable.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, a short synopsis of this long film might be helpful for those with little time to spare (at least until Aug.17th). I always look forward to your suggestions, since we seem to be "landsmen" (a Yiddish term). Merci, mon ami.


----------



## Max

I watched _The Island_ last week. Not what I expected but a good time-waster all the same. I like watching Sean Bean and Euan McGregor - and the luminous Scarlet Johansen is always fun to watch, even when the movie ain't so great and her acting chops aren't really being tested.

Watched _Syriana_ last night. An interesting, ambitous effort lacking the clarity of connections underlying _Traffic_. Worth catching nonetheless. George Clooney thirty pounds heavier and with a heavy grey beard - well, let's just say he wasn't annoying. A pleasant surprise to me, that.


----------



## MacDoc

Dr. G you'll have to read the reviews

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/best_of_youth/

here's a sample



> "After all the observations on heartache, politics, art, commerce, passion, identity, mortality, even mental health, six hours begin to seem downright compact."
> 
> -- Jami Bernard, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
> * "A slowly flowering miracle: an epic of normal life."*
> 
> -- Ty Burr, BOSTON GLOBE
> "When the movie concludes, you can talk about these characters as if you actually know them -- which won't be far from the truth."
> 
> -- Robert Denerstein, DENVER ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS
> "I dropped outside of time and was carried along by the narrative flow; when the film was over, I had no particular desire to leave the theater, and would happily have stayed another three hours."
> 
> -- Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
> "An impassioned epic that sweeps up its characters in nearly 40 years of human drama and social history, intertwining the two with a master seamstress' delicacy."
> 
> -- Scott Foundas, VARIETY
> 
> "In the end, you'll be savouring an emotion not often engendered by film: tranquillity, a calm acceptance, tinged with joy and flecked with sadness, of life's up-and-down journey."
> 
> -- Rick Groen, GLOBE AND MAIL
> "A family that seems as real as your own relatives."
> 
> -- Stephen Hunter, WASHINGTON POST
> "Unfolds like a novel full of characters we can't help but care about."
> 
> -- Lisa Kennedy, DENVER POST
> "The Best of Youth runs, though never dawdles, for an easy six hours, with barely a false note."
> 
> -- Anthony Lane, NEW YORKER
> "So in-depth, so appealing, so easy to sit through and so anomalously grand scale that few who see it will ever forget it."
> 
> -- Mick LaSalle, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
> ( More... )
> 
> "It's a vast, sweeping epic that thrillingly sets its characters' lives against a wider backdrop of profound political, historical, and cultural change."


a) not finished watching
b) hands too sore for extensive typing.

Rest assured you'll enjoy it.


----------



## Gilles

A film based on a novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, "*The Remains of the Day*" directed by James Ivory, with Antony Hopkins, Emma Thompson and Christopher Reeve. _A butler who sacrificed body and soul to service realizes too late how misguided his loyalty has been_. His employer, Lord Darlington, was working with the nazis.


----------



## MacDoc

Oh to be thirteen and able to outshine the likes of Russel Crowe and Charlottel Rampling. :clap:










Unlikely treat I stumbled over this afternoon. I sweet honest coming of age movie whose young lead just glows with life.
Watched for Crowe and Rampling.......clapped for young Alexander Outhred - his only movie and that's a shame.


----------



## used to be jwoodget

Saw Miami Vice yesterday. It's another re-hash of drug smuggling but the cinematography is typically Michael Mann edgy. It has none of the kitchiness of the TV series (which was cool at the time) and is not "all action". Some lame parts and Foxx doesn't do a lot but it was one of the better movies I've seen lately (caught the Island on cable and thought it was a complete waste of time).

Am still trying to put some of the parts of Syriana together although this is a film that works at various levels and doesn't require absolute concentration unless you really want to follow the political and commercial intricacies. 

Am looking forward to "The Children of Men". But do yourself a favour and read the book by PD James first!!


----------



## MacDoc

Such a sappy romantic movie but I'm a sucker for the HD eye candy and a good cast. A throwback to Hollywood's great musicals. Lush score and settings - reflects the immediate post WWII exuberance that it is set in.......before the noir set in. 

Lifted my spirits ( moving is stressful and this was a good antidote )

•••

Looking forward to Syriana


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, my wife an I saw Syriana when it was in the movies. You shall like it I believe. We shall see.


----------



## overkill

Dr.G. said:


> MacDoc, my wife an I saw Syriana when it was in the movies. You shall like it I believe. We shall see.


I have also been wanting to see this movie. Maybe a weekend rental.


----------



## winwintoo

*HEEE HAW!*

I think I might be a Nascar fan  










Margaret


----------



## Dr.G.

Rewatched "The Postman" with Kevin Costner again this evening. My wife hates it, but I enjoyed it due to the genre.


----------



## MacDoc

I thought the book The Postman better than the movie - if you have not read the book the movie is a tough sled.

I am currently Rogerless tho we are getting set up tonight in the new place. Watched a couple of Superbit movies - 7 years in Tibet and Legends of the Fall


----------



## overkill

Watched the latest version of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory with Jonny Depp as Willy Wonka. I am still a fan of the original with Gene Wilder. Though Tim Burton's version added a nice twist to the Wonka character. Good movie overall.


----------



## fellfromtree

Just to pickup on MacDoc's 7 Years In Tibet-

A good companion to that is Scorcese's film, Kundun. Beautifully shot, excellent Phillip Glass score. I think Kundun was pretty much denounced as a pro-Dalai Lama propoganda film on its release, but it is visually spectacular and I like the contrast between Kundun and 7 Years. Hienrich is literally a cameo appearance in Kundun. I watch bits of both films on a regular basis. 

The actress in 7 years (Lhapka Tsamchoe) was also the only professional actress in Himalaya (Kino video), another interesting film (Eric Valli, first film shot in Nepal) with great vistas of that region.

I have not seen the docu 'Saltmen of Tibet', but that would be fifth pick for that world region. The fourth pick is Michael Palin's bbc travel adventure docu, Himalaya. Just finished watching that adventure. I wish it had been a 3 disc set rather than 2. Even the extras were just a teaser for what ended up on the cutting room floor.


----------



## MacDoc

I enjoyed Kundun as well. :clap: Think I caught it on Rogers on Demand.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, I did not realize that there was a book re "The Postman". Author and title??? Merci, mon ami.


----------



## Greenlion

*Underappreciated "Artificial Intelligence: A.I."*

I picked up a previously enjoyed copy of Speilberg's Kubrick homage, A.I.

A very atmospheric, engrossing and cerebral film. A wee bit long, it almost feels like a movie that has more than one ending. The whole extra terrestrial piece on the end can feel a bit tacked on, but less so with multiple viewings.

A top notch sci fi flick for certain.


----------



## MacDoc

By David Brin - one of my fav authors - not his best work by any means but still interesting.
Reviewed here.
http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue60/classic.html
Some elements of a Canticle for Leibowitz in the mundane becoming sacred post apocalypse.

David Brin's Uplift series are very well written and conceived.
As a research scientists his works are very well grounded in biology and physics.

If you enjoy SciFi as a genre this will be enjoyable for you - it's the first in a triology


----------



## overkill

Just watching "Patriot Games" on TV right now. Always liked Ford in the Jack Ryan character. Too bad the franchise has gone down since "The Sum of All Fears".


----------



## Beej

Talladega Nights, if you're a Will Ferrell fan. 

Not as many good belly-laughs as I was hoping for, and a couple uncomfortable moments where the movie fell on its face, but still definitely worth the ticket with its good number of hilarious scenes.

This is one of those rare (very rare) occasions where I recommend a large audience. I remember seeing Last Action Hero right when it came out, and it was hilarious and the audience was loudly laughing through much of it. A couple weeks later, after it had been soundly panned by every critic and their dog, I went with a friend and the quiet audience had a huge impact on enjoying the movie. 

I rarely feel this way, even about comedies, but I'd recommend it for Talladega. It can really benefit from a large audience ready to laugh at those odd moments. 

“98% of people will die sometime in their lives.” 

“I think of Jesus as a ninja fighting off evil samurai.”


----------



## DoNotPokeTheScreen

I rented the *Fight Club* tonight, originally planned to watch it with my girlfriend, but now she's sound asleep and I had just finished it.

The last time I watched this movie was when I was still a kid. like... 11 years old, so the is basically a new movie to me.

The messages and philosophical ideals this movie delivers is amazing. The movie talks a great deal about consumerism, which I have been deeply drowned in lately. I want the new Mac, motorcycle, bicycle, car, clothes, low-rate high-limit credit card, ferrari and more money to get me all of that. After watching this movie I feel *refreshed* and *enlightened*, really. It's amazing how such a pessimistic movie can provide me peace, away from all of the unnecessary material.

I wish everyone can check this movie out, even if it's going to be your second time.


----------



## The Doug

DoNotPokeTheScreen said:


> After watching this movie I feel *refreshed* and *enlightened*, really.


Funny how a good fight will do that for you, every time. 

One of my favourite films, BTW. Not for everyone but it's still a gem.

Someone at work makes homemade soap and each time they ask me if I want some I have to resist the urge to ask them if they've seen FC.


----------



## iMatt

DoNotPokeTheScreen said:


> It's amazing how such a pessimistic movie can provide me peace, away from all of the unnecessary material.


Fight Club is a classic, and IMO immeasurably better than the book it's based on.

I think the reason it works is that the pessimism is balanced with such precise wit and satire. The film is so over-the-top that it's almost impossible to take any of it at face value, even on first viewing. I own a copy, but haven't watched it recently. Time to give it another spin...

BTW, if you like Fight Club, try to dig up a copy of Bliss (not to be confused with other movies of the same name). A surreal gem from Australia, quite disturbing (including a couple of *very* memorable surreal moments featuring insects and fish) but also genuinely touching. Although unlike Fight Club in most ways, it shares the theme of disenchantment with consumerism and other aspects of modern life.

Seems there's no DVD, unfortunately.


----------



## The Doug

Ah yes, Bliss - excellent film! Haven't seen it in years, but I remember liking it very much. Seems it's out of print...


----------



## Beej

I did some flying recently and saw The Sentinel, Over the Hedge and Mission Impossible 3. 

I'm not sure this is the right thread for any of them. 

The Sentinel was close enough to good. Very standard in every design element, but put together well enough to be better than many other options on a plane. It reminded me of The Fugitive in how it seemed to have been designed, written and filmed by equations, but it didn't have that special "X" quality of The Fugitive to take it beyond the sum of its parts.

Bassinger still looks good, and Douglas' butt was nowhere to be seen unless I've gained to ability to automatically supress the memory of seeing it or the plane version was editted for butt-free viewing.


----------



## knightdulac

Is Bliss still available somewhere ? 
I have tried to find it on DVD :-( 
or Download ;-)


----------



## MacDoc

Caught Bill Murray in *Broken Flowers* last night. Not quite sure what to make of it. The critics loved 87% on RT - good cast - worth watching for sure.
:clap:


----------



## modsuperstar

Greenlion said:


> I picked up a previously enjoyed copy of Speilberg's Kubrick homage, A.I.
> 
> A very atmospheric, engrossing and cerebral film. A wee bit long, it almost feels like a movie that has more than one ending. The whole extra terrestrial piece on the end can feel a bit tacked on, but less so with multiple viewings.
> 
> A top notch sci fi flick for certain.


I rank this movie as one of the worst I've ever seen. It's one of the few movies I seriously contemplated walking out of when I saw it in theatres. The 4 or 5 false resolutions at the end of it really killed it for me.

This movie definitely polarizes people. They either love it or think it's horrible. There isn't much of a middle-ground.


----------



## modsuperstar

Beej said:


> This is one of those rare (very rare) occasions where I recommend a large audience. I remember seeing Last Action Hero right when it came out, and it was hilarious and the audience was loudly laughing through much of it. A couple weeks later, after it had been soundly panned by every critic and their dog, I went with a friend and the quiet audience had a huge impact on enjoying the movie.


I agree with this sentiment for most comedies. If you go to the theatre to see a movie it's rarely worth it if you don't go when there is a crowd, which in most cases means opening weekend. People have a tendancy to laugh more when others around them do. I know I've been to movies later in their run and you feel bad laughing when others around you aren't. It just takes away from the experience.

With all that said, I saw Talledega Nights this weekend and thought it was quite funny. The humour was good and reasonably constant throughout. The part I found good was that there was quite a bit a humour that wasn't previewed in the commercials, which I find is always a good thing. I found the movie lacked in the actual driving department. For a movie that was sending up NASCAR they sure didn't focus on the racing. Along the same vein I found it weird how they glossed over how Ricky Bobby got to the top. I think about a 2 minute montage took him from a lowly pit crew guy to king of auto racing and moved forward 10 years into the future, which seemed odd to me. I would have thought they would have spent a little time covering his rise to the top. All the same, it was a good, funny movie, pretty much what you've come to expect from Will Ferrell.


----------



## iMatt

knightdulac said:


> Is Bliss still available somewhere ?
> I have tried to find it on DVD :-(
> or Download ;-)


I still kick myself for not picking up a DVD I saw around 1999 when DVDs were new and I had my first player (in a PowerBook ). It disappeared from the shelves soon after, but it does exist out there somewhere. The only other option would be finding a VHS at a rental place, or ordering a wrong-region copy from Australia, where it's presumably in print.


----------



## Kosh

I saw the Canadian movie Bon Cop, Bad Cop this past weekend and found it to be a great action/comedy. It's a bilingual movie, half in french, hallf in english, constantly changing throughout the movie. The english version has english sub-titles for the french parts. It makes alot of fun at our french/english differences and it's plot is about a murder involving hockey and two cops assigned to solve the murder, one french, one english. It's hilarious. I got a kick out the french cop's explanation of french swear words and how they can be used. Hopefully it will be able to recoup all it's production costs and make a profit.


----------



## MacDoc

I'm a sucker for musicals - this isn't one of the best but it has a good heart and some "moments".
Worth a watch. Mixed reviews on TR 48% - bout right.


----------



## MacDoc

This looks ot be incredible- on Rogers on Demand and likely elsewhere on the movie network.



> Okay so I got home this morning around 7 and I had to watch the HBO special " When the Levee Broke" in it's entirety. so I stayed up and fought back my sleep to make sure I was able to watch it. The first 2 acts had me literally in tears from pretty much the beginning until the end. Now I'm not a real emotional guy, I mean I have emotions, but you know what I mean. I hope... anyway. To see that kind of devastation and hear the testimonials from the people that actually went through it was something else. I must give props to Spike Lee for doing this. No one else could have captured the raw, heartfelt emotion that was displayed. I felt like I had a first hand view of what happened as if I was there. Acts III & IV were about basically " what are we gonna do now?" It showed how strong the culture and people of New Orleans are. You may have crushed their homes, cars and material things... But you can't crush their spirit!!!
> New Orleans is big business. Dick and his Haliburton buddies are getting rich(er) off of the devastation. This was something that we needed to see. If you haven't seen it yet, get your TIVO, DVR, VCR or whatever type of recording device and record it when it re-airs on the 29th when they will replay acts I-IV together. This is must see TV.


Good review here

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/21/a...0e7cc2f8f&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss


----------



## The Doug

Watched *The Hunt For Red October* for the first time in a while last evening. Taut, well done, entertaining, most enjoyable (despite the fact that it stars one of those _Baldwin_ creatures) - and given the state of the world today, it makes the Cold War era seem like the good ol' days that you wish were still here. If you know what I mean.


----------



## MacDoc

Red October is one of my fav action movies and the score is excellent - I have YET to see a good DVD version of it tho. Always seems grainy which is a shame as some of the visuals are terrific.
Maybe they'll do a fresh one for HDDVD - deserves it. Love the shot of the hunter sub playing gray whale into the air.


----------



## SINC

Watched this one last night and really enjoyed it. Great acting by Pacino.


----------



## MacDoc

As good a piece of film making as exists on the planet. :clap:

From score to casting to visuals rivaling David Lean...absolutely brilliant.

This reviewer got it right.



> Mehta has made a film of jaw-dropping beauty and eye-opening insight. It's not to be missed.


The handgame scene with only the music....and the joy.....just breathtaking.

Mehta is a genius.

The critics loved it but very few had the words to even begin to describe it.

:clap: :clap: :clap:


----------



## Beej

The War Within

As a movie, the artistry was limited and relatively bland. As a relevant piece of film for today's politics, and a good precursor to an evening of discussion, it was good. The script and acting were solid, and major issues were touched upon to encourage a good after-movie talk. In and of itself there wasn't much there beyond the topical, but still worth watching with someone who you know likes to talk about a movie's issues after the film.


----------



## SINC

Watched "Man of the House" with Tommy Lee Jones as a Texas Ranger guarding some college cheerleaders who witnessed a murder.

Showed a softer side of Jones character and all in all, a pretty good action flick filled with humour.


----------



## CubaMark

Hey MacDoc, glad you finally got to see <b>Water</b>. Amazing film, beautiful, sad, tragic... I feel sorry for people who avoid foreign-language films "because you have to read"...

After Water, I decided to check out "Bollywood, Hollywood" (another Deepa Mehta film, also starring <b>Lisa Ray</b>) - hilarious, especially if you've had any exposure to Indian culture.

Down here in México, I've only had time to catch a couple of flicks (and, oddly, not the one we've all wanted to see: Sam Jackson's "Snakes on a Plane"  ). I caught "Click" (Adam Sandler and *sigh* Kate Beckinsale) which wasn't half bad (though the aforementioned Kate had tragically little screen time... though what she did have was mostly short shorts and little T's  ). The other was "You, Me and Dupree" (Matt Dillon, Owen Wilson and *sigh* Kate Hudson). Had its moments - I certainly laughed enough. But neither are "high art"!

M


----------



## MacDoc

I love Bollywood films and many subtitled films. *Water* was so incredible I completely lost track that it WAS subtitled at all about half way through.
I believe I've seen one other of the trilogy.

To get into distribution in NA subtitled films most often must be phenomenal pieces of art and rarely have I been disappointed.


----------



## SINC

Odd how everyone is different, but I simply lose any enjoyment of a subtitled film. I get so engrossed in the text, I miss the emotion on screen which always ruins the experience.


----------



## Beej

SINC said:


> Odd how everyone is different, but I simply lose any enjoyment of a subtitled film. I get so engrossed in the text, I miss the emotion on screen which always ruins the experience.


Movies are not meant to be read by the basic nature of the medium. The experience can be enjoyable and a good movie can easily overcome the matter, but basics remain. Sort of like audio books. I'm sure there are some excellent examples but, at their very basic level, do not match their medium.

I watch a lot of Japanese animation and some foreign live-action movies and, except in the most extreme cases of bad voice-acting, I find the dubs to provide a better movie experience.


----------



## MacDoc

Oh boy I don't...... dubs are horrid...... 
I find subtitles effortless and hearing and seeing the correct expressions and emotion in the voice in the original film is critical.

I'll disagree on audio books as well having a pretty wide experience of them.
All the expression and language comes through.
Same with listening to David Niven narrate his. The images come alive - very much the way radio plays are so more vivid than reading.

Now yes it must be done well.
There is a list of "golden voices" here.
http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/gvpages/short_profile.shtml

Like top notch actors these people can make a story come alive vividly just in their narrating ability.
I do love reading but audio books are in some ways the better experience.
Human history and prehistory have an illustrious galaxy of great story tellers - and they were doing long before the printer came around.
They still do. :clap:


----------



## Vexel

Speaking of Subs:

Just saw Jet Li's Fearless this evening. Ronny Wu did a great job with this movie.. it was quite an enjoyable experience. Based on true events as well.. definitely worth the watch.


----------



## Garry

I've seen 15 movies in the past 10 days at CIFF, and they've been blurring together, but the films that stick out are:

*BLESSED BY FIRE* - Film from Argentina that covers the Falklands War. It isn't an action film, more a psychological film with some action peppered throughout. When there ARE war Scenes, they are more horrific than anything Spielbrg threw at everyone in Saving Private Ryan (subtitles)

*THE COMPANION* - Film from India, shot in black and white (unlike todays movies where they are shot in colour then converted to black and white after). The movie is a rarity from India, since it isn't a Bollywood type film, and deals with subjects like Infidelity. (subtitles)

*SNOW CAKE* - one of the 4 films that closed the festival. Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver star in this Canadian/UK co production that didn't leave a dry eye in the house.

Oh, and the British remake of LASSIE. It was a good family movie, and had Peter O'Toole in it. Even in his 80's, he's got a commanding presence!

Those are the ones that stuck out in my mind right away


----------



## cheshire_cat

I saw *Water* last year...beautiful movie.

I recently saw *Lucky Number Slevin*, really good. Abit confusing at first but when they explain everything it all makes sense. I watched it with one of my cousins. When the movie was doen he loved it so much he said he will buy it. LOL

Also saw the new *Russell Peters* dvd...so ****ing funny! I saw with a group of people, we couldn't stop laughing. 
NOTE: You need to be open-minded when watching it cos of the references it makes.


----------



## Kosh

Vexel said:


> Speaking of Subs:
> 
> Just saw Jet Li's Fearless this evening. Ronny Wu did a great job with this movie.. it was quite an enjoyable experience. Based on true events as well.. definitely worth the watch.


Yes, I saw Fearless as well and found it quite interesting. Gives a bit of history about China...


----------



## modsuperstar

I saw Clerks II on the weekend and found it to be a really puzzling movie. I say puzzling mainly because I don't know why I liked it. The story was pretty weak, it wasn't that funny, but somehow the story came off oddly satisfying. I think the moral of the movie seems to be that you don't have to live your life by other people's standards. If you're content to work at a Joe job that affords you the ability to hang out with your friends all day, more power to you. It comes off in a way that isn't preachy or Disney-like either.


----------



## Alex Sanders

Saw the pre screening of The Departed last night and was pleasantly suprised. Decent movie, good storyline and good acting. Typical Donnie Brasco type fare with good action, twists and so forth. 2 1/2 hours long, which seemed to go by fairly quickly. A sign of a decent film I think. 
Apparently a remake of an Asian film, which I was unaware of until this morning. My fiance thought it was ok, but had a bit too much blood and pretty harsh lingo. Couldn't disagree, but the comedic elements help to alleviate the gore a bit.


----------



## Beej

Freedomland: Quite good. Julianne Moore puts in an excellent performance and Samuel Jackson's is up to his standard, although not stellar. It is a very dialogue-intensive movie in parts (improvised?) and it works well. Not as well as in Secrets and Lies, but still good.

Pirates of the...2: Ok. Much like the first one in that it has too many slow parts or overly extended action scenes mixed with some imaginative and fun scenes. A good popcorn movie. There's something inherently funny about shooting an undead monkey to release frustration.


----------



## Deep Blue

I saw a promo short for Shortbus on TV yesterday and it killed off any interest I had in watching the movie. I don't need to see Sook Yin Lee get naked and have an orgasm (the movie's apparent main selling point) and the short I saw really made it look weird and flaky.

I'm sure Showcase will pick it up in a few years and if I'm home late on a Friday night I'll give it another try.


----------



## Beej

modsuperstar said:


> I saw Clerks II on the weekend and found it to be a really puzzling movie. I say puzzling mainly because I don't know why I liked it. The story was pretty weak, it wasn't that funny, but somehow the story came off oddly satisfying. I think the moral of the movie seems to be that you don't have to live your life by other people's standards. If you're content to work at a Joe job that affords you the ability to hang out with your friends all day, more power to you. It comes off in a way that isn't preachy or Disney-like either.


I just saw it and feel pretty much the same way. Not much in the way of plot, but enough trademark strange conversations and over-the-top offensiveness to make it worthwhile.


----------



## Beej

Corner Gas season 3: If you like the series, get it. If not, don't. It's that simple.

Game 6: An interesting movie. Good and worth a rental, but not great. The issues dealt with are done well and the acting fits the script. It doesn't have that element of greatness or the magical factor X, but a good rental for a night alone or with one or two other movie lovers (as opposed to movie talkers  ).


----------



## HowEver

She was naked, and "flaky"?

There's an image I don't need.




Deep Blue said:


> I saw a promo short for Shortbus on TV yesterday and it killed off any interest I had in watching the movie. I don't need to see Sook Yin Lee get naked and have an orgasm (the movie's apparent main selling point) and the short I saw really made it look weird and flaky.
> 
> I'm sure Showcase will pick it up in a few years and if I'm home late on a Friday night I'll give it another try.


----------



## cavemanatlarge

I saw "the Departed" and rather liked it. could have been a few minutes shorter. Glad I went to see it. Better than wasting my whole evening watching TV

Cheers

Caveman


----------



## modsuperstar

Deep Blue said:


> I saw a promo short for Shortbus on TV yesterday and it killed off any interest I had in watching the movie. I don't need to see Sook Yin Lee get naked and have an orgasm (the movie's apparent main selling point) and the short I saw really made it look weird and flaky.
> 
> I'm sure Showcase will pick it up in a few years and if I'm home late on a Friday night I'll give it another try.


There are lots of MuchMusic VJs I've wanted to see naked over the years and Sook Yin Lee was never one of them.


----------



## SINC

Watched it last night and I haven't seen anything this funny in a long, long time:


----------



## LaurieR

We watched Howl's Moving Castle a couple of weeks ago with our niece and nephew. I'm not usually much for animated movies but this one is wonderful - I really loved it! Amazing animation - the castle is one of the coolest things ever!

And it doesn't hurt that Christian Bale does one of the characters' voices...


----------



## HowEver

So... big fan of the movie *American Psycho*?



LaurieR said:


> We watched Howl's Moving Castle a couple of weeks ago with our niece and nephew. I'm not usually much for animated movies but this one is wonderful - I really loved it! Amazing animation - the castle is one of the coolest things ever!
> 
> And it doesn't hurt that Christian Bale does one of the characters' voices...


----------



## LaurieR

Well...yeah. I thought it was very good, although not really my type of movie. There was a lesser known movie called All The Little Animals that really got me interested...and, of course, he's my favourite Batman.  




HowEver said:


> So... big fan of the movie *American Psycho*?


----------



## MacDoc

Poignant movie walking a fine line. Incredible cast given their ages. 90% on RT well deserved.


----------



## Beej

The Break Up was a good rental. Aniston and Vaughn carry a good cast with them with a decent script. Standard popcorn/couples movie, but better than most. Note that, for the DVD, the alternate ending is worth watching. It's better than the established ending. Not in any "wow, that was completely different" way, but in how it matched the tone and events of the movie.

American Dreamz was also worth a rent. It reminded me of a mild Drop Dead Gorgeous. On the surface, all the standard comedic elements with some blatant commentary but more going on than is immediately obvious. The "more" was not in the pretentious sense of various acts of high-school symbolism coating the movie like some acclaimed flicks (the list is too contentious to mention  ).

It was just there in an honest and accessible manner done, in my opinion, using the tradition of good comedians. Sit back and enjoy or perk up your ears; either way, its there. Still, the movie is no great commentary like Life of Brian, it's just a good rental.


----------



## Dr.G.

I am trying to convince my wife to see "Flags of my Father". She was a bit disturbed by the first half hour of "Saving Private Ryan". I had to tell her the truth of the bloody battle of Iwo Jima. Thus, I might have to see this movie by myself.


----------



## MacDoc

It's one movie I might go out to see. Good reviews by reviewers whose opinion I respect.


----------



## MaxPower

Dr.G. said:


> I am trying to convince my wife to see "Flags of my Father". She was a bit disturbed by the first half hour of "Saving Private Ryan". I had to tell her the truth of the bloody battle of Iwo Jima. Thus, I might have to see this movie by myself.


If we lived closer Dr.G, I would go and see it with you.


----------



## Dr.G.

That you, MP. Let's say we meet at a movie theater half way between the two of us?


----------



## MacDoc

You guys get here - I'll pay for the movie......Three Amigos redux 

....from the centre of the universe.....


----------



## Strimkind

I saw Man of the Year last week, it was definately worth seeing IMO.


----------



## MacDoc

a very strange and unsettling movie from the Cold War era. RT critics gave it very high ratings. 82% It's the weirdest mix of black comedy and cinema noir with a dose of stage play overlaid.
Don't be fooled by the first 1/2 hour......I'm not sure what to think of it. It's either a horridly bad cult movie or an auteur's blackest visions come to the screen. Has Dr. Strangelove feel to it...and not just because of the subject matter.

••••••








an early Tom Cruise movie - far too formula but good if early/awkward but appropriate performances from the leads including Leah Thompson.










Worth watching if you have the time and nothing else around but that's about all. It's been done better elsewhere. 62% on RT is a stretch.


----------



## Jacklar

Death of President 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0853096/

Five Fingers

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0428541/

Both were good.


----------



## Max

Saw Mehta's _Water_ last night. Very good stuff... love to get my hands on the soundtrack. Ecellent casting and direction.

Saw _Sideways_ last night. Again, great casting and great performances. Not at all what I'd come to expect but it was definitely worth the trip. Sort of a road movie with vino... some parts were a tad over the top but in the end it was a successful slice of life. Kudos to Paul Giamatti for a wonderful character - he turned a nebbish guy into a dignified person with a credible and compelling story.

Last but not least, _TransAmerica._ Another road movie with a twist. It was fun to watch her meeting her wacko parents in Arizona. Felicity Huffman really shows off her acting chops in this one - it was a pleasant surprise. The kid playing her delinquent, bored with the world son was also very good.


----------



## The Doug

My Hallowe'en horror movie-fest...

*Bram Stoker's Dracula*: Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 movie stays truer to the novel than most. Overall it's a solid, visually rich & inventive production with a superb and absolutely creepy performance by Gary Oldman in the title role. Tom Waits does a nice job. Winona Ryder is passable, but barely. The remainder of the cast is weak (even Anthony Hopkins); Keanu Reeves is in _way_ over his head.

*Interview With The Vampire*: I'm not a fan of Anne Rice, I don't like Tom Cruise - but I like this film. I can think of worse ways to spend a couple of hours. 

*The Ninth Gate*: Roman Polanski's foray into Euro-trash occultism is an utter and often laughable failure in many ways but I'll keep it on my guilty pleasures list. Great soundtrack.

*The Frighteners*: Long before tackling the LOTR films, Peter Jackson delivered this uneven but often brilliant little gem. Nice script. Jeffrey Combs is a hoot in his role.


----------



## MacDoc

I enjoyed both of your first two. Stokers in particular. Reminds me of an earlier movie age and the CG is fits the period style well without being intrusive.
Both movies well cast.


----------



## LaurieR

We watched Nacho Libre on the weekend...it was pretty much what I expected - kind of dumb but good for a few cheap laughs. Doesn't compare to Napoleon Dynamite. The acting was pretty bad, but Jack Black is still amusing to me. Overall, it was a good concept but not very well executed.


We also watch Hard Candy and I think this movie is worth seeing. In the end, it was pretty far-fetched but it sure made me think a lot!


----------



## MacDoc

- quite the double header.


----------



## MacDoc

RT cuts Woodie Allen too much slack in this. 79% - 

79% is undeserved. Way too much formulaic a stiffness. Never did like Allen and he can't even get Scarlett Johanssen cast or directed well here.
Over rated.


----------



## mrjimmy

Just saw Borat at a matinee. Laughed from beginning to end. I think it's hard to be ambivalent with this one. I loved it!


----------



## The Doug

Watched *A Bridge Too Far* this evening. Sprawling WWII blockbuster with an all-star cast. Quite good overall. 

Gene Hackman's Polish accent was quite bad.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah Bridge is a good flick - what a bunch of $$ that would cost to do now. Guess the hardware would be all CG. Quite the cast.

*Force 10 from Navarone* is on HD tonight - might be okay.

Pretty fine print on HD - forgot Harrison Ford was in it - damn - he goes on forever.


----------



## MissGulch

United 93 was the best picture I saw all year. It will leave you shaken up -- and you will probably not want to see it again -- but it was an amazing journey on a plane headed for doom. I think it should be nominated for best picture, but there are no big stars in the film, so I don't know if Hollywood would embrace this one.


----------



## MacDoc

What a treat :clap: :clap:

I like Anthony Hopkins and I LOVE quirky stories that are entirely and totally unlikely but just happen to be TRUE ! 


I'mm not going to give anything way but do stay for the credits.
Very very enjoyable. Hopkins at his finest and a fine true tall tale.


----------



## MannyP Design

The Mrs. and I caught _Stranger than Fiction_ this weekend--we both really enjoyed it. Interesting characters, decent acting, and also a very interesting visual accent used at the beginning of the movie.


----------



## yatko

Babel


----------



## MacDoc

I despair at times at what was and what too often still IS but this is a good movie. :clap: :clap:

Once more - unlikely..........but true.


----------



## Gerbill

Flushed Away. Excellent Aardman animations - fresher than Wallace and Gromit. Highly recommended - take the kids.


----------



## The Doug

I'm glad to see that *Casino Royale* is getting excellent reviews - I'm definitely going to see it. I'm also glad that Daniel Craig is also being praised as Bond; there was a lot of criticism after he was cast in the role but from what I've read, it seems he's proved the naysayers wrong. :clap:


----------



## MacDoc

Better I thought than the reviewers gave it credit for.
HD helped - the production values were very good.
I did not know the story so that also helped.

Worth a watch for those romantics like me - big set well cast and well crafted. :clap:


----------



## rodneyjb

*Casino Royale- Brings life back to Bond*

Hi all...I saw the new 007 movie last night...and it was fun...brought life back to the stale Bond franchise.

I really enjoyed Pierce as Bond in the last 4 movies...but this new one brings a life back.

It is different than the others..no gadgets...all new cast except for Judi Dench as M...car is cool...newest Aston Martin...and of course...great Bond girls.

Go see it....grab some overpriced popcorn..and love this movie for what it is...2 1/2 hours of excelent entertainment.

Rod


----------



## MacDoc

Interesting very urban movie. Big cast, good score. Another quirky true story.

The real thing










http://www.basquiat.com/


----------



## MBD

MacDoc said:


> Better I thought than the reviewers gave it credit for.
> HD helped - the production values were very good.
> I did not know the story so that also helped.
> 
> Worth a watch for those romantics like me - big set well cast and well crafted. :clap:


Good ol' medieval love stories. The original adhered to the idea of unrequited love - does this one?


----------



## MacDoc

Well - not unrequited in the physical sense - carnal knowledge is rampant  Sexy gurrrrl.
No happily ever after tho....


----------



## jicon

Just saw Casino Royale - very well done.


----------



## MacDoc

Looking forward to the new Bond flick - might actually go to a theatre for once.

•••

Just watching










enjoyable... excellent caste.

Dr. G I think you'd enjoy it.

I enjoyed that movie very much. :clap: :clap:


----------



## Beej

MaxPower said:


> I just saw Superman as well.
> 
> Action packed, but at times it felt like a rehash of the original Superman with the whole Lois Lane flying sequence.
> 
> But Kevin Spacy really hit the mark with Lex Luthor. No question the best character portrayal in the movie. He was Lex Luthor.
> 
> In all I would give it 8 out of 10.


Just watched it. Well made and it didn't try to be something it couldn't be. It was anabashedly simple in its telling and meaning. It was good to see a grand tale of a hero and a villain with a reasonable amount of filler to make it a personal story.


----------



## MacDoc

Phenomenal movie....just watch it.

A true story, brilliantly cast.
Out to get the book tomorrow. :clap: :clap:

Dr. G treat yourself and your family.


----------



## The Doug

*Watching More Oldies*

*Papillon*: Somewhat uneven, maybe it's not all true, maybe it is - but gripping, entertaining, and well done. 

*Murder On The Orient Express*: All-star cast, great stuff.


----------



## MacDoc

Gorgeously set and photographed, a superb cast, witty writing YET no my cuppa even tho Helen Hunt and Scarlett Johansson are fav actresses.

Just a bit too stagy - RT concurs with 38% - still gorgeously done.
I'm really questioning if HD DVD is going to add much .

The upscale on the OPPO with this movie is superb.

Guess I'll wait until SED and a bigger 1080P screen might be a step up.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Stranger Then Fiction. 

Will Ferrell in a semi serious role - and fantastic! Who woulda thunk it.

Fabulous highly stylized production design and flawless direction. The only flaw? Dustin Hoffman and his 'acting'.


----------



## MacDoc

Forgotten how much Vangelis score adds to this movie.
One film I'd look forward to seeing in HD. Hope the transition is top notch.

Superb caste - Anthony Hopkins at his best as Blythe. and a young Mel Gibson as his foil
Worth a re-visit :clap: :clap:

a well deserved 92% on RT


----------



## Vandave

Pretty good and funny.


----------



## Beej

Vandave said:


> Pretty good and funny.


Little Miss Sunshine

I quite liked it. An excellent portrayal of the importance of family over the rest of the "stuff" that comes our way. Some funny scenes, and a truly disturbing/funny/uplifting set of sequences at the end.

No top-notch performances, just good actors implementing a solid script and direction.


----------



## MacDoc

:clap: :clap:

Excellent family movie - hey excellent movie period.
Emma Thompson is brilliant.
A small scale Mary Poppins.

Well cast and well crafted. Thoroughly enjoyable.


----------



## MacDoc

Disney has gotten a bit off track on it's film making in the last few years for my taste but this Frank Marshall film based on actual events is certainly an exception.

Well received by the RT reviewers at 70% and I concur - enjoyable film and magnificent landscapes.

Oh yeah what a team of mutts. :clap:

Gorgeous animals.


----------



## Vandave

Beej said:


> Little Miss Sunshine
> 
> I quite liked it. An excellent portrayal of the importance of family over the rest of the "stuff" that comes our way. Some funny scenes, and a truly disturbing/funny/uplifting set of sequences at the end.
> 
> No top-notch performances, just good actors implementing a solid script and direction.


I could relate to the VW van. When I was in high school I had a VW bug. On my way to school in the morning I would push it down a hill to get it started. At the end of the day, my friends would give me a push start to get it going again.

One day the throttle cable broke on my way home, so the gas peddle was unresponsive. Rather than tow it, I sat on the rear bumper and controlled the throttle by using the valve on the carb while another friend took the wheel from the passenger seat. At the top of hills, I would run back into the car.

Good times.


----------



## MacDoc

Spectacular in iMax. Much fun. :clap: :clap:


----------



## mrjimmy

It wouldn't be Christmas without watching A Christmas Story. Love that film. I would call it flawless. Everything works. The cinematography and art direction create a misty look reminiscent of old photographs and the simple story combined with campy acting and fabulous direction make it a classic.

Watched Goodfellas last night on the History channel. I haven't seen it in years. Another fabulous period piece. Every film student has tried the dolly zoom shot in one of their films.


----------



## modsuperstar

MacDoc said:


> :clap: :clap:
> 
> Excellent family movie - hey excellent movie period.
> Emma Thompson is brilliant.
> A small scale Mary Poppins.
> 
> Well cast and well crafted. Thoroughly enjoyable.


I haven't seen the movie, but I noticed something odd about how it was marketed. Looking at the movie poster you see the title character, downplayed to the point of being a silhouette in a doorway. Seems they didn't want a snaggle toothed, warty main character to be the focal point of its promotion, even though they named the movie after her. They were so leery of putting the character's ugly mug on the cover that they were willing to put a donkey wearing a hat as one of the focal points of the movie.


----------



## mrjimmy

I think it was done to create an element of mystery and intigue. The theatrical trailer had her 'ugly mug' all over it.


----------



## MacDoc

And something happens to that ugly mug so I suggest you go watch it instead of speculating.


----------



## cheshire_cat

Saw *Memoirs of a Geisha* and *Fire*.

Both great movies...especially *Memoirs of a Geisha*.


----------



## MacDoc

Ches have you seen Water??.....a real cut above Fire which was interesting but Water is world class plus.

Geisha was gorgeous but reading the book helps. I thought a good job on a difficult task.


----------



## cheshire_cat

Yep...saw *Water* last year. Beautiful movie as well. 

I have yet to read *Memoirs of a Geisha* but I will.


----------



## MacDoc

Rough for me given my grim mood but an incredible movie and deserving all the awards. 82% on RT well warranted

Glad I'm heading to Cape Town instead of Joberg ;(


----------



## mrjimmy

Nothing quite like the holidays to revisit some old favourites. Watched Searching For Bobby Fischer last night. What a great film. Max Pomeranc who played Josh was fabulous. Joe Mantegna reminded me of a serious Ray Romano. Must of had something in my eye at the end...


----------



## MacDoc

Tough subject matter - more poignant as I'll be in the heart of it in a couple of weeks.


Binoche is incredible - RT be damned ....I suspect the subject was NOT an American fav.

I am learning tho.

Fair comment here



> BERLIN -- In "Country of My Skull," John Boorman, never a director to shy away from a challenge, tries to understand the crimes of South Africa's apartheid system by creating a fictional drama out of that country's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
> 
> The TRC was South Africa's substitute for a war crimes tribunal. Over many months, this commission took testimony directly from victims and perpetrators. A full and honest confession could result in amnesty for white oppressors, yet the commission's goal -- deemed successful by some but not all South Africans -- was to reach peace and understanding through forgiveness. Such material does not yield easily to dramatic storytelling.
> 
> The script by South African-born Ann Peacock, based on a book by Antjie Krog, an Afrikaan poet who covered the trial for radio and print, imagines two fictional characters through whose eyes we witness and react to the testimony. The movie never completely succeeds with this clumsy contrivance.
> 
> With Samuel L. Jackson and Juliette Binoche as sparring reporters, Sony Pictures Classics has a fighting chance to reach adult audiences in specialty venues. But clearly, the marketing department has a chore on its hands to inspire moviegoing interest in a topic that may feel remote to many Americans.


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2086704

Worth watching if only for a microcosm of what much of the world faces as population and tensions grow.....and a possible route to some peace.

Book next.


----------



## zoziw

Currently watching Miami Vice, I'm a big Michael Mann fan and this one doesn't disappoint.


----------



## MacDoc

Looooooove Michael Mann :clap: Gotta rent Vice.

•••










Marginal fare. Too many cliches. Decent cast. Set in South Africa it surely does illuminate the contrasts in landscape.
Needed much defter editing and a better budget but some of the scenery is incredible and the film has it's moments.
Needs a Michael Mann or Ridley Scott to tell the tale and engage the viewer. This review mirrors my take.
http://www.villagevoice.com/film/0539,kenigsberg,68232,20.html


----------



## overkill

I also just watched 'Little Miss Sunshine' and enjoyed it very much. Well put together cast and a well written script. Some really funny scenes in there as well which I was surprised about.


----------



## Vandave

MacDoc said:


> Well received by the RT reviewers at 70% and I concur - enjoyable film and magnificent landscapes.


Some or all of it was filmed in northern BC, near Smithers. I hiked to the top of one mountain in the film. I want to rent the movie just to see the scenery.


----------



## MacDoc

Movie making on a scale rarely seen these days. Fiennes is brilliant. The loss of the Merchant Ivory partnership to the world arts is immeasurable.

This is a fine film carefully wrought. RT well off base with a 52% tho some of the top reviewers understood the small bits of magic. :clap: :clap:

I need a new review site.......


----------



## i<3myiBookg4

I liked The Holiday.


----------



## MacDoc

A haunting and unusual film out of Brazil.

Remarkable landscape.


----------



## MacDoc

Better than I expected. Pretty tight thriller that winds up as it goes.
Well cast.

80% on RT - well deserved. Miami Vice sounds like a good followup.


----------



## i<3myiBookg4

I think you are an avid movie watcher.:heybaby:


----------



## HowEver

i<3myiBookg4 said:


> I think you are an avid movie watcher.:heybaby:


Yes, the way that Peter Mansbridge is an "avid" newsreader and Tiger Woods is an "avid" golfer and--you get the idea.


----------



## MissGulch

overkill said:


> I also just watched 'Little Miss Sunshine' and enjoyed it very much. Well put together cast and a well written script. Some really funny scenes in there as well which I was surprised about.


I just saw that one as well, and it was a very creative turn on the road movie genre. The film reminded me a bit of the kinds of movies that were made in the 1970s, such as Harry and Tonto.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

MacDoc said:


> Better than I expected. Pretty tight thriller that winds up as it goes.
> Well cast.
> 
> 80% on RT - well deserved. Miami Vice sounds like a good followup.


i fell asleep 30 min. in


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

just saw clerks 2 and thoroughly enjoyed it


----------



## MacDoc

Not a bad attempt. 47% on RT but the top critics 70% - worth the watch - score good, caste decent - pacing a bit uneven but close enough for a :clap:

The Directors Cut said "more scenes" - not sure what they cut for the theatrical release but maybe Michael Mann had the final say on this.

Requisite amount of stylized sex, violence and fast cars, boats and planes.

Foxx a bit forbidding but Farrell a good Sonny. Much darker than the series, befits the times I guess.

••

Next up.....V


----------



## MacDoc

Excellent way to finish off the movie binge...for the moment.

:clap: :clap:

Wonder how THAT played in Peoria..... edgy, brilliant.


----------



## modsuperstar

*Rocky Balboa*









I'll give Rocky Balboa a thumbs up. If you're a fan of the Rocky movies and were disappointed by Rocky V, this movie makes amends for where that movie went horribly wrong. It sends the Rocky character off in a much more satisfying fashion. It features all the corny Rocky moments you've come to expect from the series, though it did seem to be noticably short on Robot Butler characters.


----------



## i<3myiBookg4

I never seen any of the Rocky movies before until Christmas Day at work, we watched them on mute with a projector. I'm sure they are better with the volume on.


----------



## MacDoc

Highly rated by RT and critics in general.

Very British, very dystopian.
Works better than it should. Star power helps as does a Brit sense of humour.

Ya gotta wonder if "fugi" ( pronounced fuji) will hit the slang rounds and stay.
Nice double feature with V for Vendetta.


----------



## ErnstNL

We saw We Are Marshall this week. Good all round film with Matthew McConaughey in a juicy role where he doesn't have his shirt off.
Good acting all round and a great story which is fulfilling.
Good shots on the field playing football.


----------



## Greenlion

Children of Men was exceptional. Riveted for 90% of the film. Quite powerful.


----------



## zoziw

Saw Children of Men on Saturday night. Dark and dreary yet compellingly hopeful.

I wish Universal would put a bit more into promoting this film.


----------



## MacDoc

Geez, I could almost believe in synchronicity 

First I get given a novel to read. *My Name is Asher Lev* - which I'm enjoying immensely and know nothing about going in.

then a visual aspect of the same universe

*A Price Above Rubies* :clap: :clap:

Not a big fan of Renee Zellweger but she is perfectly cast in this gem of a a movie. Pun intended.

I'm not going to tell you a damn thing other than watch and enjoy small scale movie making at it's very very best.

Dr. G a movie for you.


----------



## talonracer

Just watched "The Last Kiss" last night. A very good movie, if moderately depressing. Didn't really know what to expect before I watched it, but it was very good all the way through. Probably not a first-fifth date movie though, that's for sure.


----------



## Beej

Having fun with on-demand options...

Benchwarmers: Funnier than expected. Worth a rental if nothing else catches your eye.

Derailed: Quite good. Not at all what I was expecting and more interesting than many movies with high praise. Worth moving up the "maybe I'll rent it" list.


----------



## Gerbill

Just caught _*The Triplets of Belleville*_ on DVD. This animated feature is such a breathtakingly original vision that any given person is likely to either hate it or love it to death. My reaction is the latter. 

http://imdb.com/title/tt0286244/

Maybe you would like it too, maybe not. It's very much worth a look, though.


----------



## Vexel

The Departed.










Definitely worth a watch. Maybe 2. I'm not a Leonardo DiCaprio fan.. but, this movie actually made me not mind him.

All star line-up, including - Matt Damon, Mark Wahlburg, Jack Nicholson and Leonardo, mentioned earlier. Directed by Martin Scorsese.

:clap:


----------



## The Doug

*Rummaging Through My DVD Collection...*

*Gosford Park*: Most enjoyable from start to finish - terrific cast, terrific screenplay, terrific production. Definitely one of the late Robert Altman's best movies. :clap: :clap: :clap:


----------



## Greenlion

*Pan's Labyrinth*

A dark and fantastical tale intermingling stark brutality with uncommon beauty. I loved this film!

Avoid if you can't be bothered reading subtitles.

Definitely not for kids.


----------



## wonderings

+1 for Pan's Labryinth. I watched it with 3 of my guy friends, and we all squeemed at a few parts. Great movie, interested story and visuals


----------



## MacDoc

Andy Garcia's opus - I enjoyed it - RT didn't 24% - perhaps the US anti-Cuba slant spilled over to the critics.

Good music - terrific cast - Bill Murray out of place - the king's jester ..loooooooong movie.

This is about right



> Throbbing with music, seething with anger and romance, The Lost City is a film that breaks your heart, bewilders, alienates and ravishes you by turns.


----------



## MacDoc

Oh my what a treat :clap:










Proof positive you don't need a big budget or famous actors to make a very good movie.
RT agreed 94% positive reviews.
Rogers Cable - it's On-demand

Very sweet and the scenery in Bhutan is glorious. Make yourself feel good and revisit a bit of innocence.


----------



## MacDoc

Okay me n RT agree.. this ones a stinker......expensive stinker - it's ALMOST so bad it's going to be a cult movie.










8% on RT - some poor sod actually approved of it 

Ray Bradbury was never my fav authour and this hilarious rendition does not improve my opinion.
.........at your peril....but damn they spend on the CG.


----------



## MacDoc

Fascinating. :clap:



> For over a half a century, only one man in Hollywood had the absolute power to run the town, own the unions, and even control Washington. There will never be another like him. Lew Wasserman was "The Last Mogul."
> 
> Wasserman was an empire builder and visionary who used politics, the mafia, and the enduring allure of talent to first build an industry and then keep it on a tight leash. As Chairman and CEO of MCA and then Universal, Wasserman was the undisputed king of Hollywood. During his 59-year career at MCA, he worked with everyone from Alfred Hitchcock to Steven Spielberg, and James Stewart to Kevin Costner. His deal-making was as legendary as his temper, but his ability to predict future trends and unprecedented use of power, made him a billionaire and defined the business of entertainment as we know it.
> 
> This is the rags-to-riches story of a tall, skinny hustler who went from the mob-controlled speakeasies of 1920's Cleveland to the top of Hollywood's A-List. This is also the story of a poor band booker who would become the greatest kingmaker that Hollywood would ever know. Powerful men, ranging from mob lawyer Sidney Korshak and union chief James Petrillo, to key political players like Jack Valenti and Ronald Reagan, were all in Wasserman's thrall, and they all pale by comparison.
> 
> "The Last Mogul" follows Lew Wasserman's meteoric rise to power and his tragic final days, complete with candid stories about corruption, mafia scandals, political maneuvers, and power-brokering on a legendary scale.
> 
> Featuring interviews with such members of the entertainment elite as Robert Evans, Jack Valenti, Dominick Dunne, Richard Zanuck, Alan Ladd, Jr., Mike Ovitz, Frank Price, Jimmy Carter, David Brown, Suzanne Pleshette, and many others, "The Last Mogul" provides a rare and fascinating look at the largest of the many larger-than-life men who made Hollywood what it is today.


Very informative and enjoyable. Well executed.
On the Movie Network and Rogers on Demand.
RT loved to too. 81% approval rating.

Perhaps a bit of rose glasses but nonetheless a real life tale of power, glamour, the mob, the feds, big money and movie stars. Most enjoyable.


----------



## MaxPower

Casino Royale.

Daniel Craig makes all the other Bonds look like P******, but without the class oof the other Bonds. He is not yet as refined.

It was a good action flick that is more believable than any other Bond movie.


----------



## Vexel

*Fast Food Nation*

WOW  










This movie was extremely well done. Amazing cast. There is a lot of stuff in this movie that is not for the faint of heart. You may never want to eat hamburger again.. it's that harsh. But, WOW. Incredibly well done.


----------



## MacDoc

Very enjoyable. Banderas is terrific. True story too :clap:
Dr. G - don't miss it. Really truly..

You know you could NOT find a better movie to dispel the winter blahs

Watch the WHOLE movie -the credits are incredible.

:clap: :clap: :clap:


----------



## Max

Finally got around to seeing _The Departed._ I really don't know what the all the fuss is. I found it loose and formulaic, especially considering the director's previous achievements. It was a star-studded cast and it was reasonably fun to watch but by no means was it brilliant. Lots of gratuitous bloodshed, especially right at the end, but captured in a graceless, by the numbers manner - by contrast, the slaughter scene in _Taxi Driver_ was much, much more accomplished in its tightly choreographed, wonderfully lensed manner.

This movie felt as if Scorcese had finally lost his chops and was doing it all for the money.


----------



## Canuckmakem

Finally got to see Casino Royale and it blew me away, what a great new direction for the series to move to.

Looking forwards to much more.


----------



## MacDoc

Not a movie but running on National Geo HD- kayaking on the Zambesi

Wow

http://broadbandsports.com/node/1329&term=homepage

BIG water










Program called Nomads


----------



## Vexel

MacDoc said:


> Not a movie but running on National Geo HD- kayaking on the Zambesi
> 
> Wow
> 
> http://broadbandsports.com/node/1329&term=homepage
> 
> BIG water
> 
> Program called Nomads


Watched that myself last night. Great show.


----------



## mrjimmy

Max said:


> This movie felt as if Scorcese had finally lost his chops and was doing it all for the money.


Funny that this was the one that won him the Academy Award.

Now what does that say about Hollywood?


----------



## The Doug

*The Hudsucker Proxy*: You know, for _kids!_ I love this film, but I hate it. Such a quirky and screwball-funny fairy tale, such a pointless and stupid waste of time. Jennifer Jason Leigh does such a terrific bad job of imitating Kate Hepburn that you end up wanting to jump out a window. 

I think I'll watch it again!


----------



## Max

mrjimmy said:


> Funny that this was the one that won him the Academy Award.
> 
> Now what does that say about Hollywood?


What it says about Hollywood is that Hollywood is not exactly immune to politics. Nothing against Marty Scorcese but this one just wasn't what it has been jacked up to be.

Also saw _World Trade Center_ a few nights ago. A pleasantly restrained turn by director Oliver Stone - no politics, just humanity. Surprisingly taut and focussed. Not a brilliant movie by any means, and it's not going to be the definitive flick on 911, but he kept mawkish sentiment to a minimum. Very nice work from Nick Cage, Maria Bello and Michael Peña. An admirable job of reducing the scope of that day to the lives of a handful of people and making it both intimate and credible. I often find Stone's movies manipulative and painfully steeped in propaganda. Not so this one.

Another one I just finished watching tonight is _Babel._ I'm a fan of this kind of elliptical story-telling, as long as the casting is good and the intersecting stories ring true. This one was well served by excellent casting. The scoring was impeccable; it drapes over the film like a sensuous second skin. The final hypnotic, masterfully stylized crane shot is a technical tour de force, supported by the rhythmic repetition of a series of chilling, yet deepy moving piano movements... well, let's just say it was mesmerizing. I can see how many people wouldn't like this kind of fare. It's too serious and complex to ever be a blockbuster, there's little to no gratuitous sex and violence, and it's not so much an epic morality tale as it is a sombre meditation on how truly small and fragile our world views are. In short, it's a niche film. But man, what a niche.


----------



## Vexel

Max said:


> Another one I just finished watching tonight is _Babel._ I'm a fan of this kind of elliptical story-telling, as long as the casting is good and the intersecting stories ring true. This one was well served by excellent casting. The scoring was impeccable; it drapes over the film like a sensuous second skin. The final hypnotic, masterfully stylized crane shot is a technical tour de force, supported by the rhythmic repetition of a series of chilling, yet deepy moving piano movements... well, let's just say it was mesmerizing. I can see how many people wouldn't like this kind of fare. It's too serious and complex to ever be a blockbuster, there's little to no gratuitous sex and violence, and it's not so much an epic morality tale as it is a sombre meditation on how truly small and fragile our world views are. In short, it's a niche film. But man, what a niche.


Great summative. :clap:

Having recently seen the movie myself, I have to say I agree with everything you mentioned.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

Max said:


> What it says about Hollywood is that Hollywood is not exactly immune to politics. Nothing against Marty Scorcese but this one just wasn't what it has been jacked up to be.
> 
> Also saw _World Trade Center_ a few nights ago. A pleasantly restrained turn by director Oliver Stone - no politics, just humanity. Surprisingly taut and focussed. Not a brilliant movie by any means, and it's not going to be the definitive flick on 911, but he kept mawkish sentiment to a minimum. Very nice work from Nick Cage, Maria Bello and Michael Peña. An admirable job of reducing the scope of that day to the lives of a handful of people and making it both intimate and credible. I often find Stone's movies manipulative and painfully steeped in propaganda. Not so this one.
> 
> Another one I just finished watching tonight is _Babel._ I'm a fan of this kind of elliptical story-telling, as long as the casting is good and the intersecting stories ring true. This one was well served by excellent casting. The scoring was impeccable; it drapes over the film like a sensuous second skin. The final hypnotic, masterfully stylized crane shot is a technical tour de force, supported by the rhythmic repetition of a series of chilling, yet deepy moving piano movements... well, let's just say it was mesmerizing. I can see how many people wouldn't like this kind of fare. It's too serious and complex to ever be a blockbuster, there's little to no gratuitous sex and violence, and it's not so much an epic morality tale as it is a sombre meditation on how truly small and fragile our world views are. In short, it's a niche film. But man, what a niche.


sounds like one to put on my "to see" list


----------



## MacDoc

Geez Max - you really can write when you turn the cynic switch off :clap:
Good commentary.


----------



## Max

Thanks gents, but your mileage may vary. To me, WTC is more of a straight-up tale that, taken down a few notches (OK, several), could pass for a weekly TV movie. It's got the characters and story-lines which almost immediately seize the viewers, drags 'em in... it's a disaster movie with cleaner lines and doesn't suffer from a common dependency on SFX to to be the vehicle's sole salvation.

Whereas the second one might disappoint you more - there's no conflict resolution, not much of a character arc... you are granted permission to watch teensy slices of these intersecting lives and sense each agent's personal challenges and tragedies, but very swiftly it is all over. Looked at from one viewpoint it could seem that this is a draining plunge into an immensity of sadness and loss; from another it offers redemption and grace. But in either case the themes of randomness yet human connections resonate.

I was utterly blown away by _Babel_. Such a non-Hollywood vehicle, but what a fantastic _film_. This director, Alejandro González Iñárritu, is definitely ratcheting up his powers as he goes.


----------



## Vexel

Yup, with Babel. You're either going to absolutely LOVE, or, absolutely HATE this movie. It doesn't really leave a middle ground in that regard.

If there's any description I could put on it.. it would be that it's the ultimate reflection of "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly." One little harmless choice can turn into the worst decision a person can make.

What it's not - A popcorn movie. Don't expect to be 'entertained.' Not in the normal sense anyway.


----------



## MacDoc

Max - Babel on my list for sure but how would you compare it to Syriana??


----------



## Max

As complex as _Syriana_ but somehow better - perhaps because it doesn't strain quite as much to divulge a moral for its audience. It struggles to say _something_, that much is certain; and it's not terribly clear what it wants to say, perhaps because it's really about a multiplicity of characters, each with their own tragedies to live through and survive... or not. But I do think it's a tad less heavy-handed. Its elements feel more gracefully interwoven. It's more about being empathetic than obliquely lecturing us on how war, economics and politics intersect and what we might do to address some of the uglier aspects of those frequent clashes.

That said, I enjoyed _Syriana_. Clooney did a great job, as did Damon (the more of Damon I see the more I find myself respecting his abilities and presence). Certainly their hearts were in the right place, even if the message sometimes got a little too muddled for the film's own good.

I think you could loosely lump it, _Babel, Traffic_ (both versions) and _Crash_ in together as being indicative of a certain approach in story-telling. All of those films also feature compelling, refreshingly different scoring... a bit of abstract ambience here, a spartan guitar or repeating string pattern there. Feels more like real life to me.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoy variety in film and too much of one style or thematic approach is simply that - too much.


----------



## MacDoc

I was left head scratching on Syriana which may well have been the point.
Found Crash too obvious.

Traffic I'd tend to agree with your assessment .
Look forward to Babel.

This "neutral observer auteur/little or no discernable stance" approach I enjoy- Ken Kesey in literature comes to mind.

Great respect for Clooney - clearly he HAS an agenda yet allows insight by the audience as opposed to being obvious ala Crash.
I thought Good Night, Good Luck brilliant.

Were I on the wrong side of Clooney's view looking to negate him.... I'd consider him a "dangerous man".


----------



## Max

Agreed on _Good Night, Good Luck._ Never been a fan of David Strathairn's acting particularly but his Edward R. Murrow was impeccable. He really inhabited the personality.

Agreed too that _Crash_, however well intended, came off as preachy and a tad smug in the lines it drew regarding race, class, power and fear in LA. That said, I have a lot of respect for Paul Haggis and look forward to new projects bearing his stamp.


----------



## MacDoc

> however well intended


 ....there in lay the problem in my mind.....too much intended message too little believable story to hang it off of.
Became an expensive - well cast morality play.
Perhaps had he drifted into a more surreal space ( ala David Lynch but with a different "bent" ) then the "too many coincidences" would work fine.
As it was it became maudlin in parts.

I enjoyed the gritty almost newreel feel for parts of Syriana - from the trailers looks like Babel has that as well.
One aspect I liked in Children of Men.

••••

Speaking of cinematography.

This was










a) Splendid in high def
b) waster of a great cast

RTs 40% was a stretch in my mind. Over long - stagey - self indulgent for Shepard.



> y the time we get to the point where the camera is endlessly circling Shepard sitting on a sofa in the middle of the street, it feels as if he and his director were making things up as they went along.


'bout right.

But truly top notch visuals. Quite the cast for a groaner. You've likely got better things to watch tho if you're HiDef the eye candy might appeal.


----------



## MaxPower

For those of you with kids, Flushed Away was pretty cute.

A few inside jokes that want you to watch for more. It keeps you amused after the umteenth time watching it. I like the one where the main character (played by Hugh Jackman) is deciding what to wear - an Elvis jumper or a Wolverine costume.

Any body know of any others?


----------



## Max

When I heard that the first of the inevitable tide of films focusing on 911 were coming out, I had thought that it was still too early - that these initial vehicles were all going to be doomed to be nothing more than superficial exercises in exploitation and sensationalism. In the case of _United 93_, I couldn't have been more mistaken. This one should have taken the Oscar for best film. Director Paul Greengrass is to be commended for what he and his crew accomplished. I was mesmerized.

An unvarnished, spartan tale told in as straightforward a manner as one could ever conceive... almost like an unusually clear-eyed documentary. Even the scoring was spare, which made it all the more effective when the most dramatic moments were unfolding on the screen. My heart was actually racing in the minutes leading up to the highjacking itself, and the scenes in the air traffic control and military centres were just so taut... wow, hats off to whomever did the casting, too. Everyone was just so [email protected] credible. Kudos to Greengrass for his wisdom in reining in those moments which would most easily lent themselves to sentimental manipulation... he made me completely identify with the people aboard that plane without making me aware that was precisely his idea in the first place... if that makes any sense. In short, his craft lay in making himself, and his directions, utterly transparent.

That was the most haunting, disturbing, memorable film I've seen in a long while. I am glad I finally forced myself to confront it.


----------



## MacDoc

Enjoyable, understated and a wonderful dreamy score. I've liked Pascale Bussieres in other work.


----------



## CubaMark

MacDoc said:


>


One of my favourite Canadian films. Pascal, apart from being immensely talented, is... well... YUM! Ditto Rachel Crawford.

M


----------



## MacDoc

Caught this unexpectedly - a wonderfully sardonic take on Little Red Riding Hood.

Not up to Ice Age standards ( same folks ) but good for some laughs.

On Rogers on Demand just now. Good time for cheap.


----------



## Vexel

Picked up Eragon last night. I personally liked it more than the LOTR (Any of them.). I'm loving the fact that there's probably going to be sequels.


----------



## MacDoc

Incredible guy - so young to write that 
Glad you enjoyed it - critics really nailed it - my staff enjoyed it as well. Maybe I'll take an evening and see it. Thanks for that positive reveiw.


----------



## MacDoc

Enjoyed this tho RT declared it a poor choice......sort of a Tom Clancy potboiler with RED CHINA....subbing in for THE SOVIETS........... I.must have been in the mood for escapist movie tonight.  Pretty cartoony in hindsight and not even a good HD transfer...oh well.

Making up for it by watching the incredible Nomads series about kayaking around the world - shot is realllllly good HD and marvelous settings. China this time...real not cartoon.

Highly recommended series.


----------



## MacGuiver

MacDoc said:


> Caught this unexpectedly - a wonderfully sardonic take on Little Red Riding Hood.
> 
> Not up to Ice Age standards ( same folks ) but good for some laughs.
> 
> On Rogers on Demand just now. Good time for cheap.


I second your opinion on this flick. I love so many of the new digital animation movies and not just for the incredible artwork and extreme creativity but many of them are rife with witty adult humor. My kids often look at me wondering what the heck dad finds so funny. The Shrek series is also among my favorites especially for the subtle adult humor.
As for my favorite characters in Hoodwinked, I'd have to pick the banjo playing mountain goat, the "Arnold" like woodsman and the hyperactive squirrel. I look forward to renting these movies as much as my kids.

Cheers
MacGuiver


----------



## mrjimmy

Watched Christopher Guest's 'For Your Consideration' last night.

In a word, ugh.

In a few words, same old schtick and delivery. His films are becoming repackaged versions of themselves. Self referential and parodying.

Also, enough of the self important movies about movie making. Really, it's not that interesting.

I like Guest but I think he needs a new approach. Watch this one if you're about to have surgury and they've run out of anesthetic.


----------



## The Doug

*From My Big Box O' VHS Tapes...*

*L.A. Confidential*: Damn fine from start to finish. Smart screenplay, great cast. :clap:


----------



## Max

Saw _The Good Shepherd_ last night. A failed attempt by director Robert De Niro. Great cast (all in all) but something was missing. Pacing was leaden and there was simply far too much contrivance. Scene after scene remorselessly giving way to more scenes and too little dramatic tension. Too bad. Angelina Jolie was miscast.... her age made no sense in the first half of the film and there was no connection between her first appearance and what she would later become... holy discontinuity Batman. John Turturro was a uni-dimensional goon, a cartoon character run amok. Alec Baldwin was another hurried sketch of a human being. As for the film's protagonist, Matt Damon's tremendous talents were largely wasted. Only the hugely underrated Michael Gambon walked away unscathed.

A very ambitious film laid to waste by directorial inexperience... and collapsing from its own unsupportable, terribly sombre weight. A real shame, too - it coulda been a contendah.

I hope De Niro tackles another one and applies the lessons he learns from this one.


----------



## monokitty

I watched Eragon a few weeks ago, and I can't say I was impressed. The biggest problem I had with the movie was the extremely poor action scenes, and the lack of detail. I'll admit - I'm a gore/blood junky when it comes to movies, but unlike LOTR, Eragon lacked blood and gore of any kind, which I find really annoying. If you're sliced across the chest, or otherwise decapitated with a sword, there's going to be flying blood. Action where you can't see details is boring action in my books. They probably left the gore out to get a PG rating - poor move. I can understand they wanted kids and young teens to see it, and therefore had to get that rating accordingly, but nonetheless, it seriously restricted the quality of the movie because of it. On top of lacking gore details, a lot of the fighting itself looked very fake, and flat-out terrible in comparison to LOTR or Kingdom of Heaven.

The other problem I had with the film is that some actors, especially the evil king guy, acted terribly. The entire movie was put together in a tacky manner and it seemed very 'rushed.' I think it would have been better if the first movie in the Eragon was closer to 3 hours, versus how long it really was.


----------



## capitalK

The Doug said:


> *L.A. Confidential*: Damn fine from start to finish. Smart screenplay, great cast. :clap:


Yah that's a must see. The shootout at the end is probably my favorite all-time movie shootout, and that's saying a lot.


----------



## MaxPower

capitalK said:


> Yah that's a must see. The shootout at the end is probably my favorite all-time movie shootout, and that's saying a lot.


I still remember the shootout during Heat. When I left the theater my jaw was hanging. It's still awesome watching it on the home theater.


----------



## Vexel

Lars said:


> I watched Eragon a few weeks ago, and I can't say I was impressed. The biggest problem I had with the movie was the extremely poor action scenes, and the lack of detail. I'll admit - I'm a gore/blood junky when it comes to movies, but unlike LOTR, Eragon lacked blood and gore of any kind, which I find really annoying. If you're sliced across the chest, or otherwise decapitated with a sword, there's going to be flying blood. Action where you can't see details is boring action in my books. They probably left the gore out to get a PG rating - poor move. I can understand they wanted kids and young teens to see it, and therefore had to get that rating accordingly, but nonetheless, it seriously restricted the quality of the movie because of it. On top of lacking gore details, a lot of the fighting itself looked very fake, and flat-out terrible in comparison to LOTR or Kingdom of Heaven.
> 
> The other problem I had with the film is that some actors, especially the evil king guy, acted terribly. The entire movie was put together in a tacky manner and it seemed very 'rushed.' I think it would have been better if the first movie in the Eragon was closer to 3 hours, versus how long it really was.


I have to agree, I'm a gore junky myself.  (you should catch, 300.)

But, it was nice to see such a great story laid out for everyone to see. It's a movie I would recommend to anyone. I think the acting was quite well done, actually.

I do think you're right in that, it should have been a longer movie. But, that's because the story was so good. It kept you wanting more. And, in a longer movie I do believe character building would have been a lot stronger.. I think we'll possibly see that in the sequel (if there is one.).

All in all, the movie was well cast. And, I think the director captured the story quite well. I just don't agree that adding blood to the movie would have added to the quality.


----------



## MacDoc

Inside Man DVD . Inside Man The Movie . Inside Man

Not normally a Spike Lee fan but this a gem.
Unreal cast and very well paced. Yikes Jodie Denzel Clive Dafoe....even Christopher Plummer... 
Score is terrific too.

Enjoyable big movie. :clap: :clap: a deserved 87% on RT


----------



## MacDoc

Waste of a good caste  46 on RT is a stretch.


----------



## Ants

Watching The Devil and Daniel Johnston, a documentary about a manic-depressive singer/songwriter/artist. If you liked Crumb, you may like this...

The Devil and Daniel Johnston


----------



## MacDoc

Just saw Eragon in HD - BlueRay.

I can see why the critics had trouble.
The book is paced very differently and they they did a decent job no single movie could pick up the entire novel and anyone not reading the novel first might find it confusing.

It was an okay attempt.....LOTR scale subject without LOTR budget or directing.
Some good scenes but could easily have used another 45 minutes to fleshout.


----------



## MacDoc

Terrific cast meets Pulitzer prize winning play. :clap: :clap:

Tour de force by Gwyenth Paltrow. Anthony Hopkins and Jake Gyllenhaal two of my fav actors.

If you liked *A Beautiful Mind* this may be your cuppa.

••••••











Twists and turns galore. Good cast - wild plot. Enjoyable....pay attention.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Blades Of Glory the other day.

I must admit, we didn't have high hopes. We were actually more excited by the popcorn.

Nice surprise! It actually was pretty funny and the costumes were fantastic. Will Arnett was great.

I really like Will Ferrell but he's always a bit of a crapshoot movie wise. I found Anchorman to be intolerable. Talledaga Nights was shut off half way through. Old School? Fabulous.


----------



## MissGulch

Does a great old movie count? I just rewatched The Godfather, and was astounded all over again by the filmmaking prowess and the writing and acting. I recently bought this one from Half.com, and the GF II is going to be added to the collection next. 

Four stars all around. I am one with Fredo the weak one.


----------



## Wolfshead

Okay, I haven't seen it yet, but it's my "most anticipated" movie. I only hope that the movies live up to the books, which is rare.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=58X4o_41Frc&mode=related&search=


----------



## MacDoc

Just caught *300* in iMax. Good venue for it. Remarkable technology behind the film and well paced movie.
Not for everyone but my duaghter and I enjoyed it on the iMax screen.


----------



## MBD

MacDoc said:


> Just caught *300* in iMax. Good venue for it. Remarkable technology behind the film and well paced movie.
> Not for everyone but my duaghter and I enjoyed it on the iMax screen.


I can't suspend judgement to see 300. One of my degrees is in Classics so I just can't stand to watch their version of Perikles or King Leonidas or to ignore all the Athenians that fought at Salamis at the same time in the same war. Damn my weak mental abilities - it kept me from Troy too!


----------



## MacDoc

THe Greek contribution is covered off if it helps.


----------



## MacDoc

One of those unlikely true stories that must have been heart wrenching for the author to write. 
Wonderful cast and a inspiring debut for the director.

Pulled particular heart strongs for me as my sister lived through the same period with similar pressures of massive change and British amibivalence to independence.
And really 40 years later how I ended up in South Africa. Bittersweet and worth watching.


----------



## CubaMark

Well, "The Fountain" finally arrived here in Zacatecas (Hugh Jackman & Rachel Weisz) - I loved it. Extremely ambitious, trying to tell a love story through flash-backs and flash-forwards as the protagonist journeys through time, and I imagine it didn't quite gel with some members of the audience. It's certainly not standard Hollywood fare. Acting is top-notch, and Hugh (in a role far removed from his Wolverine persona) will bring a tear to your eye in a pivotal scene. Rachel is lovely as ever, and the special effects are truly top-notch (particularly the climax).








The challenging part? Finding a date who appreciates Sci-Fi with the mushy stuff!  

M


----------



## zoziw

My wife and I went to see Blades of Glory tonight and got a lot of laughs out of the lowbrow humour. I'm glad we saw it.

Last night I caught United 93 on Movie Central, that was tough to watch and left a pit in my stomach for the rest of the night (I'm glad I watched the late showing). A well done movie but too real and too intense.


----------



## MacDoc

-- one very scary doc.

These are NOT tree huggers.

http://www.oilcrashmovie.com/index2.html

http://efilmcritic.com/feature.php?feature=1952

I had a pretty good feel for the scale of the energy problems coming up but this sure hammers it home.

One explanation struck me



> 2. How Much Human Energy Is Contained in One
> Barrel of Oil?
> 
> 1 Barrel of Oil = 5,800,000 BTUs
> Source: Louisiana Oil and Gas Association
> 
> 1 Gallon of Gas = 125,000 BTUs
> Source: US Department of Energy
> 
> 1 Barrel of Oil thus contains the energy contained in 46.4 gallons of gas
> (5,800,000 divided by 125,000 = 46.4 )
> 
> 1 Gallon of Gas = 500 hours of human work output
> Source: Calculations Done Above.
> 
> 1 Barrel of Oil = 23,200 Hours of Human Work Output
> (Energy equivalent of 46.4 gallons of gas per barrel of oil x 500 hours of human work ouput per gallon of gas = 23,2000 hours)


 see it.

••••••










Just bloody brilliant.


----------



## guytoronto

My wife and I just saw 'Hot Fuzz'. Very funny, very violent, the editing is a little manic, but a decent see none-the-less.


----------



## MissGulch

"The Queen" was very good. Helen Mirren gave a very subtle performance.


----------



## MacDoc

I'm looking forward to the Queen as well. Love Helen M :clap:

•••

Just watching *Man to Man*










Very odd a Ralph Fiennes, Kristen Scott Thomas film has almost zero coverage at all.... I suspect the topic of evolution and indigene relations are still too stupidly uncomfortable in the US.

A tricky time and topic. Worth watching.


----------



## Monkeyman eh?

I want to see Hot Fuzz.

The last good movie I saw was "Dr. Strangelove", because of a discussion about the cold war in social class.


----------



## MaxPower

I just watched Borat.

I wasn't too sure going into it, but I haven't laughed so hard in quite some time. Sure, most of the movie was scripted, but very believable none the less.


----------



## Vexel

MaxPower said:


> I just watched Borat.
> 
> I wasn't too sure going into it, but I haven't laughed so hard in quite some time. Sure, most of the movie was scripted, but very believable none the less.


I was in exactly the same position, going in and going out.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Taxi Driver the other night on the late-late show. I forgot just how good that film is. NYC at it's grittiest.

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


----------



## Dr.G.

mrjimmy, "are you looking at me?". There is no one else here, so are you looking at me???


----------



## mrjimmy

Dr.G. said:


> mrjimmy, "are you looking at me?". There is no one else here, so are you looking at me???


Dr.G., did you ever see the SCTV version of this? Sid Dithers (Eugene Levy) playing Travis. Hysterical!


----------



## MacDoc

I'd argue for this as the best Pixar offering yet. :clap:

Hope it comes around in HD. Very enjoyable, well crafted, kitschy and loveable.

The score and actor choice for voices makes a big difference.

You gotta watch the credits..right... to.... the.... end......


----------



## mrjimmy

Rented a triple bill yesterday:

Mean Streets
Casino and
Leon, The Professional

Seen all three but ages ago. 

Watched Casino last night. Such solid film making. Also, I love Vegas and Casinos in general so it was total eye candy (Sharon Stone...). Man, I forgot about the Joe Pesci 'hit' scene at the end. Talk about the marriage of picture and sound - yikes!


----------



## Beej

Thumbsucker: Worth a rental. Some good acting and a nice story, but missing that X factor to take it from being much more than a worthwhile time filler.


----------



## zoziw

The digital cable box was heavily used this weekend with my wife and I watching:

Nacho Libre - quirky and funny but I'm glad I didn't pay for it. Seemed to try to get into the same feeling as Napoleon Dynamite but didn't quite get there.

The Lake House - a reasonably enjoyable chick flick, again, glad I didn't pay for it.

Stranger Than Fiction - We watched this on VoD and I really liked it. Will Ferrell and Emma Thompson were great.

Also watched Mission Impossible 3, An Inconvenient Truth, House of the Flying Daggers and Star Wars Episode III, but I had already seen those.


----------



## SINC

I watched Paul Newman and George Kennedy this morning in "Cool Hand Luke". Hadn't seen it in years and had forgotten how powerful this movie was as I enjoyed it again.


----------



## MissGulch

Beej said:


> Thumbsucker: Worth a rental. Some good acting and a nice story, but missing that X factor to take it from being much more than a worthwhile time filler.


Saw it, and I give it a six. The film had possibilities, but the script needed a couple more drafts.

Recommended film: The Kid Stays in the Picture, an autobiography documentary on producer Bob Evans.


----------



## MacDoc

Enjoyable action ......perhaps not quite up to the first one but good fun this morning. Depp and Kiera always favs to watch.

Lead into in the third on on iMax on the 24th.


----------



## MacDoc

Dr. G I think you'd enjoy this....










More than Kevin Bacon's coming out party. Feel good modern morality play.
And yes the man can dance.

Lot of stars to be involved ..one reviewer got it in one....



> After a while you kind of go, 'Y'know, this isn't actually all that bad


 :clap:
...and hey the music's okay too.

What I needed tonight...in HD on Rogers.


----------



## kps

I always enjoyed WW2 history and tonight I watched Leni Riefenstahl's "Triumph of the Will" DVD, considered one of the greatest propaganda films ever made. Incredible imagery and a phenomenal historical record. Fascinating. 

Olympia, is next.


----------



## MacDoc

http://www.hbo.com/films/burymyheart/


HBO has another terrific movie. :clap:

Phenomenal cast......and a very very difficult movie to watch. 

Not to be missed.


----------



## Beej

Deja Vu: A well played movie placed in the present with inserted sci-fi technology driving the difficult decisions for the characters. Recommended.

The Fountain: Okay. The imagery and feel was done right, so I do not consider it a waste, but it was not "sharpened". I liked Solaris, so for those that did too, this movie may work but, for those that did not like Solaris, keep this one as a possible safety for a dull evening.


----------



## overkill

Hot Fuzz - Bristish comedy about a top of line city cop being moved out to a rural town to police. Very funny moments and some nice action at the end as well 

Starring the two guys from "Sean of the Dead"


----------



## cheshire_cat

My Mom just got a bunch of PPV channels so on the weekend I got to watch *The Last King of Scotland*, AMAZING movie. Also watched *The Queen*, an Ok movie, *The Constant Gardener*, a very good movie and *The Da Vinci Code*.

Time well wasted


----------



## MacDoc

Jaws in HD wears pretty well. Seems a bit different cut than I recall.
Maybe they showed the 30th anniversary edition.










Up next Jaws 2 - - On Rogers HD


----------



## MissGulch

An oldie French action flick, "The Wages of Fear." It has stuff you see much-imitated today, but not equaled.


----------



## gwillikers

*Once the Movie*

Looking forward to seeing "Once", a low budget film that people are raving about. Undoubtedly a real gem.

Anyone seen it yet?

http://oncethemovie.com/


----------



## MaxPower

The Fountain.

Biggest piece of crap I have ever seen. Enough Said.


----------



## John Clay

Just saw Shooter (2007) - good movie with a mix of action and suspense.

I agree about The Fountain.... terrible movie.


----------



## MacDoc

Really enjoy some of the edgier stuff out of Australia. Unexpected treat - 81% from RT well deserved.










Quite a debut statement for director Kate Shortland. AS you'd likely like this. :clap:


----------



## MacDoc

Not bad - very Canadian if much cliche....actors and language carry it.


----------



## Vexel

Ended up seeing this last weekend. Very well done. It's exactly how a thriller should be. Kept me entertained throughout, which a lot of movies haven't been doing lately.

Trailer


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, nothing can replace the first viewing of Jaws on the silver screen ..... or the opening credits of the original Star Wars. Sadly, we have become jaded by special effects now. But, back then, .......... wow!!!


----------



## MacDoc

Keep the faith Dr. G - JAWS in HD with a small rewrite to keep you guessing still has the thrill to chill.

Obelisk scene in 2001 and the mothership coming up behind the dome in Close Encounters count as my jaw droppers.










Close Encounters has Francois Truffaut playing a bit part but more importantly sharing his unreal ability to photograph kids the way they really are when adults aren't around with Spielberg.
Two of my fav auteurs involved the same movie... :clap:


----------



## cheshire_cat

Watched *The Namesake* and *Partition*.

Good movies.


----------



## MissGulch

"Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her" was a superior chick flick that I recommend. I'm not a J-Lo fan, but "Selena" was pretty good and she did a nice job in the lead.


----------



## Ants

Watched Pal Joey (1957) a week or so ago, starring Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak and Rita Hayworth. I just loved it. The music is what I loved the most, courtesy of Rogers & Hart. Originally a stage play, starring Gene Kelley in the late '30's.

Pal Joey (Rodgers / Hart)
Pal Joey (1957)

Also checked out Who Killed The Electric Car on one of the TM channels last weekend, not Michael Moore territory but entertaining and informative.


----------



## MacDoc

Cocaine Cowboys

Very well done documentary...hard to beleive the tale but certainly one of the best crafted and intriguing docs I've ever seen :clap: :clap:

well received by RT as well....decent score too.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Knocked Up yesterday at the theatre. I gave Judd Apatow a second chance after the anger causing disaster that was Anchor Man with the 40 Year Old Virgin and I loved it. I assumed his abilities would have at least maintained with this one. I believe I am back to the beginning. Perhaps peaks and valleys are his style.

BTW, am I the only person on this board that still loves going to the movie theatre?


----------



## MacDoc

I'll go to iMax -not much else.


----------



## Beej

Die Hard 4. Better than 2 but an uninteresting villain kept it down. I guess they couldn't make up yet another Gruber brother. Pity. Somehow the guy-next-door looking uber-geek is not as fun. Good action scenes, and more cohesive than the Bond/Die Hard hybrid attempted with Casino Royale. 

Yippee-ki-yay.


----------



## MacDoc

I've caught this a couple of times as a filler 'tween movie channel flicks.
Enjoyable.

The Tulpa

When combined with the "reality" maybe isn't speculation going on....

Quantum physics says goodbye to reality (April 2007) - News - PhysicsWeb

Interesting times.....


----------



## MaxPower

Little Miss Sunshine. Had me laughing out loud many times.


----------



## SINC

I discovered this one quite by accident. A real entertaining film noir.

“John Dahl directed and co-wrote (along with his brother Rick Dahl) this quirky and energetic film noir that, after a well-received screening at the Toronto Film Festival, was consigned to oblivion before resurfacing on cable television. When the owner of a San Francisco movie theater, who was a big fan of the film, arranged for a theatrical release, the film clicked and toured the country as an art house hit. The film concerns eternal loser Michael (Nicolas Cage), down to his last five dollars and looking for work. He finds himself at a bar in the town of Red Rock.”


----------



## MasterBlaster

.


----------



## Vexel

Saw Transformers. Wow. <-- enough said.


----------



## MacDoc

Oh my cinema noir wrapped around an Asian consciousness 

Incredible cast and score.....84% on RT well deserved.

This guy got it right



> Wong composes shots as if he were squeezing drops of liquid narcotic into the viewer's eyes.


Mesmerizing in the original use of the phrase.

Even if you are not into subtitles, music and visuals are incredible. Of course anything with Ziyi Zhang.... :clap:


----------



## MacDoc

;( 










Brilliant....depressing. 90% on RT

On the Movie Network this week.

Totally, completely 100% DISGUSTING TALE.


----------



## wonderings

I just saw the movie "Once" last night










Best movie I have seen in the last few years, its a musical in a sense. Filmed and set in Dublin, a beautiful must see movie in my opinion.

Apple - Trailers - Once


----------



## MacDoc

I'll second the *Transformers* WOW!!!

Fast paced, funny, well cast and incredible CG. Place was packed. They got a winnah!!!


----------



## MacDoc

Hmmph - enjoyed this in HD - RT only rates it at 50% but I thought it better than that.

Great cast, perhaps a bit much on the cliche end but suitably lit and paced, good score and of course Uma is yummy - dressed or otherwise 

A good summary from one reviewer - I would agree with it



> Conrad Hall's distinguished cinematography, that captures the luminous beauty of Uma Thurman and her surroundings, can elevate this thriller up to a point; director Robinson is better in establishing mood than tension or suspense


----------



## Beej

Lonesome Jim. An interesting tale, quite subdued but it progresses well. Not great, but good and worth a rental.


----------



## zoziw

Saw the latest Harry Potter flick last night. One of my favourites but I think I enjoyed the last one a little better.

They are right when they say this one is a darker one.

Seemed to set up quite a bit for the next one.

Despite opening on Wednesday, my wife and I had to line up an hour and a half before the movie started to get a seat. We sat on the floor in the hallway and ate overpriced hot dogs and french fries while waiting. I reminded her what a romantic guy I am.


----------



## zoziw

Took my wife and son to see Ratatouille last weekend.

My wife and I really liked it but my 4 year old son was not impressed. Good story, nice character development and a good message for kids.

I'd give Cars the edge over this one though.

They had a strange preview of next years Pixar movie called "Wall-E". They had one of the developers come on and talk about how back in 1994 "Toy Story" was just wrapping up and how if they wanted to make another movie that they would need to start right away. They had a brainstorming session and from that we got "Monsters Inc.", "A Bug's Life" and "Finding Nemo", and that "Wall-E" was the only idea from that brainstorming session that had not made it's way to the big screen yet.

It was an interesting bit of Pixar trivia but it came off sounding almost like an apology for Ratatouille, as in "if you think this stinks our next film was based from the brainstorming session that all of your favourites came from".

I know that wasn't how it was meant, but that is how it felt. Anyways, Pixar doesn't need an excuse for Ratatouille, it was a really enjoyable film.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

watched a great double feature this afternoon

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
I just loved to hate Nurse Ratchett. Such a good personification of the powers that be. 
and

The Godfather III
played out like an opera which was in the movie at the end
my favourite of the 3


----------



## Dr.G.

Michael, this was on Bravo yesterday. Saw OFOTCN again. Jack N. is great in this role.


----------



## MacDoc

Pixar just keeps getting better and better. 96% score on RT and well deserved.
You'll not spend a better couple hours at the movie theater. :clap:



> Pixar succeeds again with *Ratatouille*, a stunningly animated film with fast pacing, memorable characters, and overall good humor


----------



## MacDoc

Very fey and intriguing movie from down under.
Terrific cast and high end production values. :clap:
Fiennes and Blanchett notch the tale up - better than the 62 rating RT gave it.

The NYT Times loved it giving it a 90% rating and I concur.

The Aussies are showing incredible innovation and making a commercial success of it. Good on them


----------



## MacDoc

Just a reminder for those that have not seen it. *Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee* - the HBO movie has now been nominated for 17 Emmys.
Well deserved recognition. Try and catch it and see why.

TheStar.com - entertainment - Wounded Knee tops Emmy nominations


----------



## MannyP Design

I've finally been able to get some free time to see some movies:

_Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End_: Pretty good. Long. Very much a different beast than the first two, but good. A nice bookend to the trilogy.

_Live Free or Die Hard_: Better than I thought it would be; brainless techno-writing. All ur w3bz Bel0ngz to M3!

_Transformers_: What a sh!tbomb. So disappointing--bad story propped up with good acting and superb special effects. The continuity/plot holes were so big you could fit the planet earth through it. How could Spielberg allow this monstrosity of a movie be made?

_Premonition_: Better than what I was expecting... but still a so-so movie regardless.

_Donnie Darko_: Yeah, I know, a little late in the game but I finally got around to it. It was okay... interesting story--it reminded me of some sort of episode of Star Trek: TNG or something, but set in the present-day and is about a depressed kid. I might get the director's cut.


----------



## The Doug

I haven't had time for any movies lately - just been too busy. However a buddy lent me his DVD of *The Bourne Supremacy*, and I watched it last evening.

Now, I've always known of the late Robert Ludlum's Bourne books, and the two Bourne flicks, but I've never been that interested. So I was pleasantly surprised by _Supremacy_ - very taut & suspenseful, well crafted, and enjoyable. Two thumbs up. I guess I'll have to get a copy of _The Bourne Identity_ on DVD, and also catch the new movie that's supposed to come out this year sometime. Might be worth reading the books too, eh?

My only gripe is that the pervasive arty hand-held camera work combined with the arty non-stop quick cuts during the action sequences yield results that often tread the fine line between _amazing!_ and _incomprehensible!_


----------



## MissGulch

"The Illusionist." Well worth seeing. Rent it!


----------



## wonderings

MannyP Design said:


> _Live Free or Die Hard_: Better than I thought it would be; brainless techno-writing. All ur w3bz Bel0ngz to M3!
> 
> _Transformers_: What a sh!tbomb. So disappointing--bad story propped up with good acting and superb special effects. The continuity/plot holes were so big you could fit the planet earth through it. How could Spielberg allow this monstrosity of a movie be made?


Couldnt agree more with both of those reviews. I kept looking at my watch hoping transformers would end soon. The CG was incredible, but the story was horrible. I dont need an amazing story for every movie, some movies are just fun, but Transformers was unbearable. 

Now Die Hard was a great fun blow up movie.


----------



## guytoronto

Okay, I just have to jump in here now.

*Live Free or Die Hard* was absolute crap! I loved Die Hard 1 & 3. This one was terrible. Talk about plot holes...
1) The bad guys can remotely _ARM_ the bomb in Mac Guy's apartment, but can't remotely detonate? That would be too easy, and then you couldn't have a big shoot out.

2) The entire cellular network gets taken down, but somehow OnStar in the car still works? I think not!

3) The tunnel accident - how fast do cars have to be travelling to NOT see each other come towards each other, and to cause accidents that send cars flying?

4) Multitudes of networks are down, but one guy in a basement with his backup generators still has access? Unlikely.

5) How many parking garages have ramp accesses to building interiors? There is no way John could have driven up through the parking garage, and smashed through a thin wall into the main building.

Now *Transformers* was a totally fun popcorn movie. Plot holes? They are massive robots from space. I think you need to suspend disbelief a little on this one. Yes, there were minor things, but overall it was 2 1/2 hours of action fun. I want to see it again!

*Harry Potter* was enjoyable. Worth seeing.

*Premonition* was terrible. Massive plot holes, poorly paced.

*Pirates 3*. Waste of time. Overly long, complicated, no fun.

*The Bourne Supremacy*. Fantastic movie. I've seen it many times, along with *The Bourne Identity*. Can't wait for *The Bourne Ultimatum* in a few weeks.

*The Illlusionist*. Watchable, but not as entertaining as *The Prestige*.


----------



## FeXL

The Doug said:


> Might be worth reading the books too, eh?


Huge Ludlum fan. Read the books, they make the movies look like ****e.


----------



## MannyP Design

guytoronto said:


> Now *Transformers* was a totally fun popcorn movie. Plot holes? They are massive robots from space. I think you need to suspend disbelief a little on this one. Yes, there were minor things, but overall it was 2 1/2 hours of action fun. I want to see it again!


It's possible to make a fantasy/sci-fi movie that requires a suspension of disblief and still have a solid script, acting, direction and continuity that works into a cohesive story. Transformers is not one of them. I'm not talking about nitpicking little details--there are a lot of _big_ problems with this movie and it's obvious to me that Michael Bay tries to cover his inadequacies with huge budgets.


----------



## CubaMark

I was dragged to Transformers. Oy vey (with apologies to Dr. G.). I will give it credit for excellent special effects work. But the dialogue? Anyone over the age of 15 will be seriously cringing. It's odd, actually. It feels like a much more adult film until someone opens their mouth...


----------



## MacDoc

Christian Slater ; Molly Parker ; Stephen Rea ; Gordon Pinsent ; Colin Glazer

THIS version - 2004 - enjoyable thriller with a great cast.

••

I thought Transformers okay - an animated comic book with very fast pacing a sense of humour.
No Blade Runner but there have been worse I've endured with the kids.

•••

*Harry Potter iMAX 3D* - disappointing - very dark - running out of steam - some good moments and some parts of the 3D were worth the admission.

Fortunately it was not all in HD - clearly IMAX felt there were some issues that precluded a full length conversion. Did end with a bit of a headache tho the 3D effects were mostly just about perfect and not intrusive...new style glasses helped.

Emma Watson's a fox. I do like to see the change in the lead cast over the period and Rowlings use of that.










Good series here showing the transition over time from young students to dark warriors.

Harry Potter Cast - Stages of Stardom on KOL Style

Two more to come apparently and they've signed on.
I'll go just for that alone.


----------



## Max

I caught the latter half of _Proof_ on the telly the other night. What I saw made me want to go back and catch it all. Usually I don't care for Gwyneth Paltrow but this one was different. Great casting, too, in Jake Gyllenhaal and Anthony Hopkins. Mesmerizing scoring too, even if it did sound very Glass-esque... I look forward to catching it in its entirety one day.


----------



## MacDoc

Proof - Good movie - a bit uneven but carried by a superb cast.

If you like that movie - this is the real thing

Paul Kedrosky: Fermat's Last Theorem, the Documentary

Amazing story - the entire docu on online.


----------



## MaxPower

The World's Fastest Indian. A highly enjoyable film that will have you chuckling at Anthony Hopkin's lovable character Burt Munro. A story about a New Zealand man's quest to take his Indian Motorcycle to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah for speed weeks.



From Amazon said:


> A movie that exudes affection and goodwill, The World's Fastest Indian is an unabashed mash note to a lovely character from New Zealand's recent past. Burt Munro, played by Anthony Hopkins, is a cantankerous Kiwi with an obsession: he's been tinkering with his 1920s-era Indian brand motorcycle for years, pushing it to ever-faster speeds. It's the 1960s, and Burt has the utterly mad idea of taking the bike to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, site of world records for speed racing. The movie takes a while to get to the journey--and then the journey takes a while--but the genial atmosphere prevails. (People of a certain age, for whom the word "Bonneville" evokes pleasant associations with hotrods and world-speed records, will not be disappointed in the film's location shooting, or its sense of awe.) Hopkins is not quite on-the-money casting for the jovial, happy-go-lucky Munro, and his accent wavers, but he nails the emotional scenes and the fascination with speed. Smaller bits are well-filled by Diane Ladd and Christopher Lawford (son of Peter), who looks uncannily of the era. New Zealand director Roger Donaldson doesn't take any chances here, but the story clearly means something to him, and that sense of commitment carries the film through its sleepier moments.


----------



## MacDoc

Burt Munro ?? Not a "character" nor a "story".....a real person and a real event.



















Burt Munro - A New Zealand Legend, The Munro Special

That it actually occurred raises it's level as a wonderfully crafted piece of entertainment inestimably. :clap:

catch it.


----------



## MaxPower

I understand that Burt Munro was not a "Character"and the movie was based on real events. Sometimes MacDoc, you don't need to be so particular and correct everything.


----------



## Beej

Hot Fuzz: Highly recommended. 

Funny and quite a bit of action. I did not expect the road the movie went down and was quite happy with it. Particularly good for fans of big-budget hollywood action movies.

Keep your eye on the swan.


----------



## MacDoc

One of my fav actresses in a complete Bollywood/Hollywood crossover.
Wonderful and Aishwarya Rai is one of the world's most beautiful women.

Enjoy this interesting tale....terrific cinematography...delight your senses.

Superb music - has a feel like Chocolat. :clap:


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw The Bourne Ultimatum last night. Great ride. Very well done. Also, it's been awhile since I lined up for a film.


----------



## K_OS

Caught The Simpsons on the weekend and I still can't stop laughing at some of the scenes in the movie. It's like watching 4 good Simpson episodes from around seasons 4-7 straight and without commercials it's even better.

"Spider Pig, Spider Pig does whatever a Spider Pig does, can he swing from a web? no he can't he's just a pig, here comes the spider pig" 

Laterz


----------



## HowEver

mrjimmy said:


> Saw The Bourne Ultimatum last night. Great ride. Very well done. Also, it's been awhile since I lined up for a film.


I couldn't agree more, but thankfully did not have to line up.

And watched the first two films during the week prior, in anticipation and for a refresher.

I can't wait for The Bourne Legacy (or whatever the next one is). Unfortunately, the Supremacy was the last Ludlum-written Bourne novel; two that follow are by another author. But if there is another film, which seems likely, it doesn't have to follow the novels--it's just that the first three did, and worked very well.

Now, about finding the director a steadicam...


----------



## The Doug

HowEver said:


> Now, about finding the director a steadicam...


And reducing the editor's caffeine consumption too. The _documentary style_ hand-held camerawork and the incessant blink-of-an-eye cuts are my only gripes. But that's the style, I guess - and despite my gripes I finds these films are superior and highly enjoyable entertainment.


----------



## jjhennigan

i saw the Simpson's Movie and it was awesome! i couldn't stop laughing most of the movie. my only complaint was that it was too short!

-------------


----------



## The Doug

Hitchcock's *Rear Window*. Superb.


----------



## SINC

Agreed.


----------



## CubaMark

I caught Anthony Hopkins' *The Perfect Crime* tonight. Very nice, well acted and executed. A standard courtroom drama, and an ending that, while not too hard to guess, is nonetheless satisfying. The only problem is this kind of movie makes it difficult to see Hopkins as any character other than Hannibal...


----------



## camla

After seeing the preview many, many times, finally watched _Dear Frankie_ a quiet, well acted and heart-warming Scottish film from 2004. Starring Emily Mortimer and Gerald Butler.


----------



## JeJe

Loved The Simpsons.


----------



## Harvey

*Stardust*

Saw Stardust on the weekend; the book’s by my favorite author, Neil Gaiman (he normally writes dark fantasy). 
It’s a Romance/Fantasy (perfect date movie). Both my wife and I loved it AND the performance by Robert De Niro is worth the price of admission itself, even if your tastes doesn’t run to romances.
Regards
From Ottawa
Harvey


----------



## cheshire_cat

Saw The Bourne Ultimanium and The Simpsons, both great movies.


----------



## iMatt

New releases seen this summer...

Ratatouille - loved this movie. I hope to see it once more on the big screen and will be buying the DVD. Stunning and incredibly detailed visuals, sweet but fluffy story complete with tried and true "above all, follow your dreams" moral, good characters, some good slapstick (but maybe not quite enough?). The story is the weak link, but it's still a strong achievement overall.

Knocked Up - pretty good. I'm not sure I'm completely comfortable with the "male loser lands beautiful overachieving woman" trend in romantic comedies, and the film carries some potentially disturbing messages if you overanalyse it... so just have fun and don't overanalyse it.

Superbad - raunchy as all hell (whatever expectations you have on that score, double them), but lots of fun. A movie by and for Gen Xers, cleverly disguised as teen gross-out fare. However, it does have elements of the "dorks and goddesses" trend. I guess that's what happens when dorks become Hollywood moguls.

Harry Potter - OK, I guess. A fun bit of fluff for a Tuesday special, but the Potter movies all seem more or less the same after a while. 

Evan Almighty - where's that "worst movies" thread again? This is a stinker in every respect. A complete waste of money, talent, everything.


----------



## Dr.G.

I agree with mrjimmy that the Bourne Ultimatum was a "great ride", although the use of a steadicam, as HowEver suggests, might have taken away from some of the effects .......... but it would have gone a long way to prevent sea sickness-like feelings.


----------



## MacDoc

fares well in HiDef widescreen. :clap:

well deserved 100% on RT


----------



## The Doug

I was _made to watch_ *The Da Vinci Code* this evening. I had (and still have) absolutely no interest in ever reading the book, but I found this film to be moderately entertaining, somewhat long-winded poppycock. The biggest surprise for me is that I was expecting to hate it, but I ended up almost liking it.


----------



## capitalK

The Simpsons movie had no edge, to me it was like watching 4 mediocre episodes from later seasons back-to-back. (minor spoilers) why the hell did they use Arnold as president but give him the same voice as McBain? If they had actually gotten Arnold's real voice I'd understand but they didn't. Also the whole vision with the Inuit woman was basically the same thing they did on TV with Johnny Cash as the coyote after Homer ate the chili. Spider Pig was the funniest thing, and to be honest I didn't find it that funny. A chuckle at best.

I liked Zodiac a lot, no real action but a lot of suspense and you really feel the frustration of the cops from that unsolved case. My wife thought it was a little long but I didn't mind it at all. Great soundtrack.


----------



## MissGulch

I rewatched an oldie but goodie: "Sullivan's Travels" with Joel McCrea. So good I want it for my permanent collection. I really like dat one! A French film I rented from the Blockbuster store, 'l'Enfant," was very good getting started, but shut down in the middle of the film, so I ordered it from the online service to see the rest of it. Recommended drama with excellent acting and compelling story, even half done.

Edited to add: "l'Enfant" may be Belgian. I'm not sure.


----------



## Dr.G.

Doug, the book is far better than the movie, and I thought the movie was very good.


----------



## MacDoc

> I was made to watch The Da Vinci Code this evening. I had (and still have) absolutely no interest in ever reading the book, but I found this film to be moderately entertaining, somewhat long-winded poppycock.


Given the acting horsepower it not surprising it's tolerable..... I had the same reaction and your gut instinct on the book is dead on....waste of time...longer winded and written to be a movie. 
••••










I was interested to see this months HD Guide was praising *Weight of Water *which I thought quite good and yet was poorly supported by the studios after debuting at the Toronto Film Festival ( just coming up yay)

Excellent acting and cast do take time to watch it but pay attention as entwined stories can make it hard to follow. It is an art film and Anita Shreve whose book the film is based on expects a bit of intelligence applied....maybe why the RT critics gave it a 32%,
Actually requires sitting still and thinking a bit


----------



## MacDoc

What a brilliant movie and bit of acting by Mirren ( a fav of mine).
Walked a delicate line between comedy of manners and docudrama.

Laugh and cry and shake your head.
I thought the Blair portrayal an equally strong and enjoyable bit of acting.
Very well cast across the board and the mix of drama and news reel footage worked well for me.

Quite frankly I had not known the extent of national thunderstorms Diana's death engendered in Merrie Olde.

Very well done and highly recommended. :clap: :clap:


----------



## The Doug

*Treasure of the Sierra Madre*: Picked up the two-disc special edition of this film at a local HMV for a great price recently, along with a few other great oldies. _Treasure of the Sierra Madre_ is a superb film in every respect.


----------



## MacDoc

Doug I've found the upscaling HD works wonders on the B&W treasures both from DVD and in HD cable.
Remarkable detail comes through and there is a certain element that makes B&W more dramatic anyways as Citizen Kane and Best Days of our Lives and other classics show.

Tell me was it presented in 4:3 or orginal movie format??


----------



## guytoronto

The Doug said:


> *Treasure of the Sierra Madre*: Picked up the two-disc special edition of this film at a local HMV for a great price recently, along with a few other great oldies. _Treasure of the Sierra Madre_ is a superb film in every respect.


Badges? We don't need no stickin' badges!


----------



## The Doug

MacDoc said:


> Tell me was it presented in 4:3 or orginal movie format??


Full-screen. I don't think it was shot in wide-screen format.


----------



## MaxPower

Clerks 2. In your face and shocking. I laughed my head off. Not for the faint of heart.

Spider-man 3. Busy and confusing, but came together nicely in the end. Not the best of the three, but an enjoyable popcorn movie.


----------



## gwillikers

I just watched *The Shawshank Redemption* for the third time. I hadn't intended on watching it again, but once I started I couldn't stop. 
Great movie.
:clap:


----------



## SINC

I ran across this in a clearance bin for $4.99:










Is was every bit as good as the last time I saw it 50 long years ago.


----------



## MaxPower

A classic for sure SINC. I remember watching that in my english class back in High School.


----------



## Beej

Shoot 'Em Up: Way over the top, gratuitous guns, action and violence; idiotic dialogue, blaring music and requiring heaps of suspended disbelief. 'Twas a thing of beauty.

Giamatti was great, Owen was okay.


----------



## MacDoc

Terrific cast.
Translates well to HD. Looks like it was filmed in 70 mm.

Widescreen really helps the movie. :clap:

A young Candice always a cutie. Hackman never ages it seems - glowers the same now.

James Coburn and a very young Jan-Michael Vincent. Shows how well and movie can age. HD makes it come alive. Incredibly good detail.


----------



## SilverMaple

Just saw "Stranger Than Fiction" the other evening. A very different role for Will Ferrell but he did a great job. Totally recommend this flick. :clap:


----------



## gwillikers

Zodiac, a very good true crime drama, with good acting all around. I found the first half a bit slow, but all in all I definitely recommend it.


----------



## Beej

Greenlion said:


> Children of Men was exceptional. Riveted for 90% of the film. Quite powerful.


Exceptional: I second that (third including zoz's post). A couple parts fell flat with very cheesy visuals but the movie was almost always top-notch cinema. The camera-work and sound throw the viewer deep into most of the scenes. In that way it reminded me of Das Boot.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Superbad last night.

We were a bit skeptical at first but were pleasantly surprised. It was quite funny and charming and those kids gave seriously good performances.


----------



## MacDoc

Well SOME old movies benefit from HD - but BAD old movies just are more annoying.

What a waste of a caste. 

Gregory Peck

Omar Sharif

Keenan Wynn

Telly Savalas

Julie Newmar

Lee J. Cobb

Camilla Sparv

Raymond Massey

Burgess Meredith

Anthony Quayle

Edward G. Robinson

Eli Wallach

Detail pretty good but I understand why it has not been remastered. Some BIG movies are just plain BAD..this is one. tptptptp tptptptp


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

SilverMaple said:


> Just saw "Stranger Than Fiction" the other evening. A very different role for Will Ferrell but he did a great job. Totally recommend this flick. :clap:


just saw it recently as well
recommended

reminded me of Punch Drunk Love


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

MacDoc said:


> Well SOME old movies benefit from HD - but BAD old movies just are more annoying.
> 
> What a waste of a caste.
> 
> Detail pretty good but I understand why it has not been remastered. Some BIG movies are just plain BAD..this is one. tptptptp tptptptp


oh c'mon it's a cowboy classic
i watch it each chance i get


----------



## The Doug

*The Big Sleep*: Way, way good.


----------



## MacDoc

not sure why RT was lukewarm

Well done in my view and what a cast !!!


----------



## MacDoc

What Crash might have been but wasn't. Brilliant film, excellent cast and score.
Cinematography superb tho a tighter pace might have helped but would alter the mood too much.

This reviewer gets it right



> Makes Crash, another recent film with converging stories and a multicultural cast, look like an undergraduate term paper on race relations.


Dr. G I think you'll enjoy it.


----------



## Max

I'd put _Crash_ and _Babel_ roughly on par. Loved the scoring in the former... fantastic stuff that was refreshingly different from the usual supportive role... the music felt like an additional character to me, it was that vivid. Both films had thier share of somewhat obtuse moments that were meant to be more artistic and significant than their realization, but all in all they are neat essays on chance, happenstance and subtle connections.

Saw _Pan's Labyrinth_ in full recently - we watched it in spurt over the period of a few weeks then decided to go back and sit through the thing properly. Very good... dark, sad, creepy, hallucinatory. Strong mix of surrealism and fantasy with a conventional war tale featuring a real monster of a man. Not for the squeamish and definitely not for young children, although if you only saw certain spots you'd be forgiven for thinking your kids would love it. Some pretty harrowing scenes in there. Still, very strong art direction and casting. I'll be watching it again and again.


----------



## MacDoc

Ah lack of fine detail discrimination ....sorry to hear about your condition 

••

Looking forward to Pan - would like to see it in HD. Will watch Babel again...unfortunately missed the first 10 minutes.


----------



## Max

I'll try to not let it get to me Macdoc, provided you can signal your willingness to take corrective remedies for your RT and emoticrutch dependencies. Fair enough?

By all means, watch _Pan_ - doubtless your mileage will vary.

Another film looming on the horizon for me is _Fugitive Pieces_ - was just reading in the DGC's trade mag a big article on Jeremy Podeswa's career and the attention he's been getting lately. He's also directed some episodes of some of my favourite television series over the past few years (_Rome, Six Feet Under, Carnevale_ among others) and I'm interested in seeing one or two of his features to better understand what he brings to the table.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

I thought Crash was a very good film outlining the obvious, but I don't think I was the target audience.

Babel was very good.
Excellent score.


----------



## Max

True, they were both scored very nicely.


----------



## overkill

'3:10 to Yuma' was an excellent movie. Great performances by both Bale and Crowe. Highly recommend this one.


----------



## MacDoc

> Revolution OS - an award winning documentary which traverses the path of Free Software, Open Source and Linux
> This is one of the finest documentaries created which traces the path taken by GNU, Free Software, Open Source and Linux. The whole documentary all of 1 hour and 10 minutes long consists of bits and pieces of conversation with various leaders of the community which of course includes Linus Torvalds, Eric Raymond, Richard M Stallman, Bruce Perens and many others.


All about Linux: Revolution OS - an award winning documentary which traverses the path of Free Software, Open Source and Linux

Good documentary..lots to learn......much to think about in where we take our society and the distribution of human knowledge and tools. :clap :clap:


----------



## Dr.G.

Saw "Flags of our Fathers". Very moving in that I knew certain things about the battle and the raising of the American flag. However, the way the brutality of war was depicted was, as in "Saving Private Ryan", very accurate.


----------



## overkill

Just came in from watching 'The Kingdom' with Jamie Foxx, last 30 minutes were intense! 7/10 for me if anything.


----------



## MacDoc

Yay - a cleaned up and finalized Blade Runner. Good story about it - interview with Ridley.

Q&A: Ridley Scott Has Finally Created the Blade Runner He Always Imagined

Coming to theatres soon. :clap:


----------



## MacDoc

Okay what is with Kris Kris - waste a decent caste and gorgeous cinematography.


----------



## The Doug

Hitchcock's *North By Northwest*. Terrific film, one of my favourites - but I find Bernard Herrman's score a wee bit tiresome nowadays.


----------



## MissGulch

Half Nelson with Ryan Gosling. Worth seeing for the great acting.


----------



## MacDoc

Somehow managed to miss this for about a decade 

Classy movie, classy cast, classy direction and cinematography, even a good score but ultimately......so so. 
And I'm a Spacey fan too.

Bon Fire of the Vanities Confederacy edition. 
•••

on the other hand - try and catch * On a Wing and a Prayer* a fascinating and very well crafted documentary on the incredible migration of the Monarch butterfly.

Very enjoyable, informative and spectacular. :clap: :clap:


----------



## MaxPower

We are Marshall. A true story about the 1970/71 Marshall University football team that was killed in a plane crash and how they rebuilt the team.

Not enough character development for the teammates, but then again you only have two hours to tell the story.

Overall, a good watch.


----------



## rgray

Live Free or Die Hard. They knock down a helicopter with a car!!!! :clap: What more do I need to say??


----------



## MaxPower

rgray said:


> Live Free or Die Hard. They knock down a helicopter with a car!!!! :clap: What more do I need to say??


That John McClane is the man?


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

MacDoc said:


> Somehow managed to miss this for about a decade
> 
> Classy movie, classy cast, classy direction and cinematography, even a good score but ultimately......so so.
> And I'm a Spacey fan too.


i found spacey a bit over the top
preferred the john cusack character
was a bit like a good long book
good character development and you feel like you have visited georgia

seen it 3 times
well worth renting

and here's a surprise I didn't recall until I looked it up - directed by Clint Eastwood


----------



## The Doug

Had my annual viewing of *The Shawshank Redemption* this evening. What a pleasure, it's such a good film.


----------



## MacDoc

Quite the debut for a rookie director.

Do the film you wrote and have two top notch directors, one of whom is the lead AND the producer in your cast. 

Tony Gilroy did a terrific job in 










American film gets good again. :clap:

Clooney's influence all over this. 94% from the top critics well deserved. :clap: :clap:


----------



## The Doug

That's the only flick currently in theatres that I want to see...


----------



## MacDoc

Clooney is a force in cinema for sure ...and he has not a lot good to say about America post millenia in the process.
There is something a tad Shakespearan about this tale. Echoes of the "I want OUT" Bourne series that the writer/director for Clayton also wrote.
The jarring thing for me that was a bit distracting was seeing Sydney Pollack at the other end of the shoot tho i should be used to that by now given all the actors turned director.

That must have been quite a collaboration. 

I might go see 3:10 to Yuma in the theatres.


----------



## MacDoc

Wears well in HD tho the croc looks a bit dodgy.
Good score, cute girl. :clap:
••

Watched *Babel* again seriously last night. HD helps as the texture of the terrain becomes all that more dire.
Still think it better than Crash but twin near disasters to the same family struck a wrong note for me this time.
The Japan, Egypt connecton rang true.
Might have been better sans star power at all.

••
Watched *Apocalypta*

The Blues Bros car chase pre Columbian 
Could have been MUCH better.
Kudos to the local actors. but way too soap opera.


----------



## MacDoc

Mix my fav director Ridley Scott, two of my fav actors, Russel Crowe and Albert Finney AND one of my fav spots on the planet.....Provence...

and get a romantic comedy that RT hated and I loved. 

Just the right mood for me and a few sweet twists. :clap:

Dr. G you may enjoy this.


----------



## SINC

MacDoc said:


> Wears well in HD tho the croc looks a bit dodgy.
> Good score, cute girl. :clap:


Agreed. I watched the HD version just last week and found it thoroughly enjoyable. And you're right about the gal too. :heybaby:


----------



## scoobydude

the last decent flick i saw was Jackie Brown on TV. it was pretty entertaining with a wicked soundtrack.


----------



## i<3myiBookg4

My mom and I went to the theatre this week to see "The Heartbreak Kid". I was planning to go alone but she "wanted to spend time" with me. I'm not sure who was more embarrassed...


----------



## MacDoc

*Pan's Labrynth* :clap:










96 on RT well deserved. A very unique vision.

Brilliant.....don't take the kids. 

Grimm trumped.


----------



## MacDoc

Very nice in HD. Cute girls, great performances and spectacular cinematography.

I think orginally in 70mm and it shows. 92 on RT well deserved.

Terrific score. :clap: :clap:

Movie making at its VERY best. What HD was meant for.....great movies re-discovered. What a treat.


----------



## The Doug

*Patton*: Believe it or not, I'd never seen this film before. I've always been curious about it though. Wow... just wow. Truly excellent film from opening to end credits. George C. Scott... :clap: 

*Hard Boiled*: One of John Woo's very best films in my humble opinion, it's the last one he made before leaving Hong Kong. This "heroic bloodshed" genre is not for everyone, it's full of highly stylised and sublimely choreographed action and unrelenting violence (where Tarantino has found much inspiration). I was *so* pleased to stumble upon Hard Boiled on DVD at HMV this past weekend - I'd not seen it in years. Each time I visit HMV I'll have to keep my eyes open for another Woo favourite of mine, The Killer.


----------



## SINC

Just watched "COLORS" (1988) again today for the first time in years. Duvall and Penn were superb and Hopper always does a great directing job on venues like this set in LA.


----------



## MacDoc

*Patton* in my top 10 not least for acting and score. While Scott was terrific I thought Karl Malden also offered a terrific effort.
Patton's sense of being the eternal warrior was very spooky.

••

Bittersweet Canadian film * A Paper Moon Affair*.
Nicely cast and shot on the west coast.
Not a commercial film, never the less a very satisfying film.
More please..


----------



## The Doug

*Blue Velvet*. _Hello baby._ 



Heh heh. Love it.

This film is twenty years old _already?_


----------



## ArtistSeries

Heineken? **** that ****! Pabst Blue Ribbon!


----------



## da_jonesy

I just saw "Across the Universe"...

Wow what a fun movie. Great music (all Beatles tunes) with lots of dance scenes.


----------



## The Doug

Dance scenes? **** that ****! Pabst Blue Ribbon!


----------



## wonderings

MacDoc said:


> Very nice in HD. Cute girls, great performances and spectacular cinematography.
> 
> I think orginally in 70mm and it shows. 92 on RT well deserved.
> 
> Terrific score. :clap: :clap:
> 
> Movie making at its VERY best. What HD was meant for.....great movies re-discovered. What a treat.


Loved that movie as well. I have always wanted to visit Pitcairn Island. Not easy to get to though.

Saw The Darjeeling Limited on Saturday. Fantastic movie, and I am huge fan of Wes Anderson. It was funny, had a great soundtrack. It you liked Wes Andersons previous movies you will definitely like this movie.


----------



## hungryhouse

*Dajeeling Limited*

The newest Wes Anderson movie did not disapoint. You should all go see it right now.


----------



## MacDoc

Hilary Swank delivers a terrific performance, once more an unlikely true story that thrills the heart. :clap: :clap:

It would be way over the top if it didn't happen to be true.

Dr. G...this one's for you....

•••

Next up....Oliver Stone's









Great score, eye candy HD.....totally irreverent....quite a gear shift, glad the music is good. 

James Woods mostly offsets a tiresome Belushi.


----------



## MacDoc

Seems my weekend for third world - even if part of is in South LA.










Brilliant acting, crazy story, true too..........the road to hell indeed.



> The movie's real power, and true greatness, comes from Whitaker. Whether or not it's forgotten at awards season, it's guaranteed to be remembered for a long time to come.
> 
> .....
> 
> The Last King of Scotland, fitting its brutal subject, is not an easy film. Yet in the realm of movies that depict seductive, evil men of power who easily smile as they kill, it's a bloodstained achievement.


Both bang on - 92% from the top RT critics.....well deserved.


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

dunno if i were to agree
personally, i found whitaker's performance over rated

now watching Eyes Wide Shut - great movie and great to see tom and nicole made fun of by a master


----------



## MacDoc

Great movie??!!!!!.....aside from introducing LeeLee and the always gorgeous Nicole in her most adorable birthday suit what a dreadful piece of junk.

The Village Voice nailed that one....



> For most people, though, a single viewing will be more than enough.
> J. Hoberman
> Village Voice


----------



## MACSPECTRUM

MacDoc said:


> Great movie??!!!!!.....aside from introducing LeeLee and the always gorgeous Nicole in her most adorable birthday suit what a dreadful piece of junk.
> 
> The Village Voice nailed that one....


great score and great to see tom's and nicole's, especially nicole's, bad acting and reduced to a common house frau

i think the director used the film to make them both look like idiots, all self absorbed and self important

that's the real genius of kubrick


----------



## MacDoc

Well I must admit I watched to leer at Demi and actually enjoyed the movie. 

HD helps with a glitter flick and the modern morality play amused me.

Redfords touch and surprising performances from Harrelson and Moore nudged it off the feature soap opera.

This RT reviewer nailed it..



> It pulls us in on the nudge-nudge-wink-wink strength of its premise, but what it does with that premise is more than Hollywood usually manages.


movie weekend continues.....fire up the Playstation soon for some predicatable HD. That time of year.


----------



## MacDoc

Enjoyed the film always liked Connolly and she nailed the very desirable/hard hitting journalist role very well.

Young man lead Di Caprio graduates to leading man role...almost.....well crafted character he pulls off.

Not filmed in Sierra Leone, so no memories viewed for me tho they did a good job of getting it close to the Freetown I recall.

63% on RT - about right - not quite up to the 84% level of The Constant Gardener.
Both Fiennes and Weisz a notch up on Connolly and Dicaprio tho not by much.

Better story by master LeCarre made the difference.
Blood Diamond perhaps a bit too long and in need fo tighter editing. Still a BIG movie in a positive way.......and a message too.

Academy award nominee DJIMON HOUNSOU almost overpowering the role but effective easily holds his own against Dicaprio.


----------



## MacDoc

Quirky movie - Bonham Carter is a force of nature. Amazing performance in a difficult role.

Movie just okay - carried by the choice of Branaugh and Bonham Carter.

••••

Bond movies in HD are fun......some sure show their age. On all week on Rogers HD


----------



## da_jonesy

Across the Universe

This is my favorite movie of the year and the Soundtrack is awesome.


----------



## mrjimmy

Paris Je t'aime

http://www.firstlookstudios.com/pjt/

Fabulous film. A series of shorts by different directors inspired by neighbourhoods in Paris. A few of them were profoundly moving. Many were interesting. A few sucked. Well worth it!

Really looking forward to No Country For Old Men! Next week for sure.


----------



## MacDoc

Anyone else watching the Bond in HD series on Rogers??
Kinda of fun.
2 movies a night 
6:45 pm start times.

Missed Goldfinger but caught the rest so far.
I must say Diamonds was pretty awful.
Nice see Diana Rigg looking sexy in the On Her Majesty's Secret Service 

Just into Live and Let Die...a cut up from the earlier ones so far. Good print too. :clap: and Jane Seymour is always luscious.
Of course the opening credits are always much fun.


----------



## MacDoc

What an enjoyable double header for Saturday Night at the movies.

















Casino Royale clearly the top Bond movie but Licence also very good considering almost 20 years old and Dalton very good as Bond.

Daniel Craig was an excellent choice as well - by far the most power as a "blunt instrument" - good movie end to end. :clap: :clap:

..both excellent in HD - brings a big plus to the films.


----------



## hhk

Expressvu has been running Bond movies continuously for the past week or so. Most of the Roger Moore movies were pretty bad with the exception of Live and Let Die. I watched Octopussy and the only redeeming feature of that movie was Maud Adams. I never realized how truly gorgeous she was.


----------



## hhk

MacDoc said:


> Seems my weekend for third world - even if part of is in South LA.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Brilliant acting, crazy story, true too..........the road to hell indeed.
> 
> 
> 
> Both bang on - 92% from the top RT critics.....well deserved.


Not much of that story was true. 

From Slate.com:


> We found that the character of the young doctor was loosely based on a fellow named Bob Astles, who was neither Scottish nor a doctor.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah I read that...still a better basis than 13 Days  even tho th elatter was a bvery good movie the conceit was a bit much.


----------



## map-backpacker

Hi all, I'm new and I love cinema! Goldfinger is one of the best but the last beautiful film that I saw was Little Miss Sunshine, Transamerica and Marie Antonietta!!!


----------



## MacDoc

Unexpected surprise. 73 from RT is well deserved.


----------



## MacDoc

Not a Zellwieger fan but she's right for the part ( cast overall is excellent ). Ewen McGregor to notch.

I thought it deserved higher than 65 from RT. A very very enjoyable movie in my view. :clap: :clap:

It reminds me of Chocolat in the style - not sure what the critics were looking for.


----------



## i<3myiBookg4

I really liked Enchanted.


----------



## MacDoc

My my - the poor jades on RT that that are too cynical to enjoy this minor masterpiece.
Still the other 76% got it right.
Marvelous entertainment. :clap: :clap:

Mesmer indeed. 
Dr. G - one for you if you've not seen it.


----------



## Dr.G.

I have seen parts of this movie, MacDoc, but not straight through from beginning to end. Someday some, maybe. We shall see.


----------



## MacDoc

I was the same way - bits and pieces - it's worth the effort. All is revealed


----------



## guytoronto

My wife and I recently saw Enchanted. Not a bad movie at all. Recommended for families.


----------



## MacDoc

Must be a lot of baseball fans in the RT reviewer pool. 88% was a bit much tho the movie was well cast and paced.

Sayles perhaps is the deciding factor.
Decent period piece and the details well portrayed. I like true stories but this one did not turn my crank all that much.
"Murican thang maybe.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, good acting in the bits that I saw of this movie.


----------



## Gerbill

i<3myiBookg4 said:


> I really liked Enchanted.


Amen. I expected to hate it, but it was very entertaining and funny. Bravo Disney for being able to kid their own franchises.


----------



## MacDoc

:clap: :clap:

Unexpected treat on a cold November evening. Hoskins and Dench are brilliant.

I'm a sucker for tales based on true stories anyway....and populated with pretty girls.....oh my.  Very enjoyable.

'Nother one for you Dr. G.

Gee some good movies coming up on Rogers HD this December.


----------



## MacDoc

:clap:

Perhaps the best blend of the feel of the comic into a movie.

Trivia question for future Pursuits.

_Who was the actor that played the Shuttle engineer in Superman returns?_

Big movie, a bit heavy on the symbolic imagery, great cast and score.

Enjoyable- too bad I overlooked it earlier. A well deserved 77 on RT.


----------



## The Doug

Finally watched Spiderman 3 on DVD. Brainless eye candy for sure, but I found parts of it boring (the whole Mary Jane on Broadway thing - highly unconvincing) and / or laughable (Parker strutting down the sidewalk + his Hitler hairstyle when he's in "evil" mode etc.). Overall it's an uneven and disappointing sequel but I suppose in comparison to something like Batman and Robin it's a masterwork.


----------



## MacDoc

Hmmm Binoche is MY fav actor and Jude Law I enjoy but this did not quite work.

Similar in pace a feel the The Hours but never close to the level of haunting emotion that reached.

This about right



> A smart, well-mannered film that could use a little more juice and fire.


Lots of Macs..I suppose some saving grace  Binoche is always a joy to watch tho.

Only 32 on RT and that's perhaps correct for most viewers.

Good score, good visuals, good acting.....does not quite gel. Maybe a role unpowered for Binoche...Law is cast okay.


----------



## The Doug

MacDoc said:


> _Who was the actor that played the Shuttle engineer in Superman returns?_


Why, that's the man who stiffed my friend's cousin for a $900 lunch years ago.


----------



## K_OS

I just caught The Transformers on PPV and all I can is that I want my childhood back Michael Bay. The only saving grace out of the whole movie were the special effects which were executed very well and thank god that they managed to get the original voice of Optimus Prime(Peter Cullen) other than that the whole story about them and the All Spark pretty much ruined it for me along with the love story.

Laterz


----------



## iMatt

The new cut of *Blade Runner* is stunning.

Tweaked special effects: unobtrusive.

Remixed audio: beautiful.

Additions/subtractions etc.: seamless and positive. Unless you've only seen the voiceover version, in which case you're in for a treat: IMO this movie is leagues better without the voiceovers. I know there are people who disagree...but they're just wrong.  

Visually, the film is still an incredible achievement. What's really amazing is that after 25 years it still looks futuristic, plausibly so in many respects, and does not look cheesy or stale except for a few details like computer/tv screens. There's also a lot of smoking, but, hey, maybe on a future filthy, depopulated Earth where mainly losers are left behind, nobody will worry about smoking indoors anymore. 

Scott really did put this final version together with admirable restraint, and it is not superfluous. It's noticeably better than the Director's Cut.

Above all, see it on the big screen if you have a chance to.

Also: no love for *No Country For Old Men* in this thread? A top-notch flick, that, and probably the best literary adaptation I've ever seen.


----------



## CubaMark

Hmmm. Looking forward to seeing the new Blade Runner cut...

Tonight we saw *I Am Legend* with Will Smith. The third (?) remake, past versions include Omega Man (Charleton Heston). One reviewer noted that this could be the third parter in the UK film series "28 Days Later" and "28 weeks later" - this could be "2.8 years later"

Surprisingly, though I knew the basic storyline and wasn't expecting a fabulous film, it turned out to be very, very good. A couple of plot lines left dangling, but Smith's acting is, as always top-notch. Not bad for a kid who began as the "Fresh Prince". The scene with his dog is simply heartbreaking....


----------



## Dr.G.

CubaMark, I am told that dog lovers should avoid this movie unless they are prepared for a tearjerker. I like the premise and would like to see the scenes of my old hometown -- New York City.


----------



## The Doug

*Logan's Run*: Cultish sci-fi disco cheese from the mid '70s. Just a bit boring here & there.

I'm really looking forward to getting the new Blade Runner on DVD - it's supposed to come out on the 18th I think. Yes, oh _yes_...


----------



## MacDoc

66 on RT..I thought it was better........superb cast - Ricci and Jackson work. Worth it for the music alone. :clap: :clap:

Dr. G you might like this...


----------



## overkill

Saw 'Awake' the other night and was not really impressed much with it. For some reason the audio dubbing of mental thoughts throughout the movie did not work well.


----------



## MacDoc

Geez Spielberg, YoYo Ma, John Williams and a radiant Zhi Zang, Gong Li and Michelle Yeoh with Rob Marshall directing. 

What wasn't to like about this wonderful film  RT with 35%
Another rating showed 71% from viewers so...critics be damned.

I guess maybe you did need to read the book - which I thought the movie was faithful to and excellent cast and sets.
Second time around was an even better delight.

I suspect this will have a long tail and a future "reassessment".....I mean Yoyo Ma ..c'mon that's worth 50% on a film alone 

and it merely wins THREE Oscars including Best Cinematography. Oh just watch it, ignore RT on this one.

Running on the Movie Network - this one I might rent on HD again in a few months. I like a movie that gets better second time around.


----------



## MacDoc

Somewhere in there was a good movie. 

RT gives it 55% I would say about right.


----------



## Dr.G.

"Dr. G you might like this..." MacDoc, so long as it does not have actual snakes in the movie. I hate snakes!!!!!!!


----------



## MacDoc

No not THAT kind of snake either.


----------



## MacDoc

almost impossible to realize on film one would think - a BOOK that counts breathless pacing as a virtue...the movie still manages to stay with the book and outdo ones' own imagination.

Not for the kiddies - some of the scenes are pretty wild and dark- Never Ending Story with 2007 CGI.
Superbly cast lead......just the right mix of rowdy brat and heroine.

Looks to be set up for 3 or more sequels 



> Weitz's film is short, punchy and efficient, and it's full of engaging spectacle.


that's about right. :clap:

Critics were mixed - I suspect those that did not like it had not read the book.....something that may be advisable.

•••

Oh yeah we watched in a digital theatre and were very impressed. Vibrant and crisp - excellent detail and lots of dynamic range in the lighting.
It was a Kodak Digital Theatre at the new Silver City in Burlington.
They are FINALLY turning movie going into worthwhile night out.


----------



## Macfury

Doc: The film did very disappointing business in NA. If it does OK in Europe, the sequels might be made.


----------



## MacDoc

It's at $180 million worldwide - just shows the religious dunderhead head count in the US. It was only $4 million off the predicted $30 million NA release anyways so not exactly a face plant.
It'll have a long tail and sequels.


----------



## Macfury

Doc: The problem with numbers is that they often fail to include marketing costs in the total accounting. Still, a strong European showing will help. They probably filmed half the next sequel without the actors knowing it!


----------



## MacDoc

Not my usual cuppa but in iMax it's a pretty wild ride and few real "make you jump" scenes.
Weak ending.
RT gives it 64% which I'd say is about right.


----------



## MissGulch

"Sicko," which was devastating true, and I learned about Tommy Douglas, "the greatest Canadian." Got a spare Tommy?


----------



## Dr.G.

Miss G., sadly, there was only one Tommy Douglas.


----------



## Dr.G.

Saw "National Treasures" last night. If you liked the first movie of this series, you shall really like this movie. A bit too many car chases in this one, but my wife liked these sorts of actions, so we both liked the movie.


----------



## Macfury

Did not like _I am Legend_ too much. I'm always sorry to see such great source material being squandered. In this case, it's more of a remake of _The Omega Man_, than a take on the classic novel.


----------



## JumboJones

I thought the Golden Compass was alright, a bit slow at times, and unfortunately "to be continued" could be predicted from the start. Make one good movie, instead of 3 or 4 alright ones.

I liked "I Am Legend" but thought it was quite short by todays Hollywood standards. Plot holes out to ying yang, but it's a Zombie movie, people need to see it as it is.

On a side note, the new theatre in Burlington/Oakville has new VIP theatres I'd like to check out. $5 extra for leather recliners, over 19 only access, alchohol and in seat service. Id pay $5 just for the no kiddies part. Although the regular theatre seating was a real let down, seating was narrow, arm rests are half the length of normal, seats are shallow and dig into your sciatica, and the cup holder location digs into your thighs. I'm not overwieght either, 6' 2" 230lbs I consider myself fairly average, it seems they are either going cheap or catering to kids/teens. I don't know but I will not see another movie in their regular theatres.


----------



## Macfury

Jumbo: But the source material is not at all like a zombie film. I find it unfortunate that they chose to make these critters look like The Bat Boy from _Weekly World News_. Also tired of plots in which mutated or diseased humans will not attack each other (_28 Days Later_). Even the mutated dogs in _Legend_ seemed happy to co-exist with their mutated human masters.


----------



## Max

Just watched "Perfume" last night. Odd flick. Strangely compelling and disturbing. Lots of lovely then shocking surreal bits; stomach churning in its peculiar and oft-explicit horrors. Weirdest Dustin Hoffman casting ever, even though it amounts to little more than a cameo. Alan Rickman fares better, and the woman playing his daughter is mesmerizing in her youthful beauty. Lead actor is excellent. Beautiful and repugnant. A trail of dead women, left naked in odd places, strewn about like some amoral contemporary fashion layout. 

But kee-ripes - what great art direction, wardrobe and narrative oddness. Too, the cinematrography is nothing less than luxuriant. I'll be seeing it again sometime, methinks, but it's very dark and very strange.


----------



## iLabmAn

Macfury said:


> Did not like _I am Legend_ too much. I'm always sorry to see such great source material being squandered. In this case, it's more of a remake of _The Omega Man_, than a take on the classic novel.


I actually feel that this current release is far more truer to the story than Omega Man ever was. IAM was entertaining and I felt that I got my money's worth, although I could have thought of a better ending.

Why must everything be solved with a grenade?


----------



## mrjimmy

Just saw No Country For Old Men. Fantastic film. It's interesting to see the Coen Brothers, who have essentially created their own genre of filmmaking, break free from this and return to the style they began with. A difficult feat to say the least. Without reading the book, it began to dawn on me half way through how allegorical the film was. The ending, surprising, unsatisfying and completely appropriate. It explains the entire film. A must see.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah Perfume was very odd.... actually forgot to review it.
Caution advised.
Disturbing on a number of levels but a very effective movie - I'll not say entertaining.










Bit of Tim Burton mindset come alive. 

Reviewers puzzled as well...56% on RT

Pretty close this



> The film is downright repulsive in places, and otherwise pushes the envelope for an art film, but it's a dazzling piece of filmmaking that wins us over with its boldness and artistry.


I agree - Hoffman miscast and distracting in my view.


----------



## Macfury

iLabmann: _The Last Man on Earth_ with Vincent Price was far closer to _I am Legend_, but not a great film. I want a definitive film of the book, so this detour will see it delayed by many years. Avoid like the plague: "I am Omega" a direct-to-DVD mess.

Max: Perfume did boffo box office in Germany but not so well here. The book is brilliant.


----------



## iLabmAn

Macfury said:


> iLabmann: _The Last Man on Earth_ with Vincent Price was far closer to _I am Legend_, but not a great film. I want a definitive film of the book, so this detour will see it delayed by many years. Avoid like the plague: "I am Omega" a direct-to-DVD mess.
> 
> Max: Perfume did boffo box office in Germany but not so well here. The book is brilliant.


Yup. You are quite right. Just caught "Last Man..." on YouTube and also read up on the story on Wiki. I stand corrected.

I must say that Will Smith deserves some kudos for his acting, but his dog stole the show. I almost wept at the dog cuddling scene in the lab...

Just wished for a more darker, thought provoking ending.


----------



## JumboJones

I loved at the end when they pulled up in her nice shiney Ford at the camp, especially since the equivalent of Hiroshima went off beside it the night before. She must have parked around the corner 

iLabman, Will Smith acting, come on, he plays the same character, with the same look, with the same accent in every movie.

Purfume, yes very odd movie, but I liked it, not a movie to be watching on family night.


----------



## Max

Just watched _ Letters from Iwo Jima._ Probably Clint Eastwood's top directorial achievement, I think - certainly one of the very best accomplishments of a long and storied career. Now I feel compelled to revisit (and this time, watch in its entirety) the companion film. This one was extremely well shot... a boldly desaturated palette, with wonderfully dramatic and effective use of light and shadow. _Wow._ Looked as crisply rich and economically elegant as a graphic novel in some scenes.

Years ago I read a riveting nonfiction book called _Surgeon on Iwo Jima_, by James Vedder, an American who served in that role during that horrific campaign. The same unsparing, crystal clear reportage applied in Eastwood's tale, though perhaps his is imbued with greater pathos in that it gives you some back story on the principal characters. An excellent film.


----------



## Max

MF: I will have to look _Perfume,_ the book, up. I am not surprised that it did well in Germany and not so well here. Different cultures appreciate different things - and I'll just leave it at that.


----------



## JumboJones

Just watched Eastern Promises, I thought it was a good watch but violent so beware. It reminded me of a Russian Donnie Brasco.


----------



## legendz

2 of the latest movies I have seen are: 1) I Am Legend and 2) National Treasure Book of Secrets.

1) I Am Legend was a decent movie, although it seemed a lot like Resident Evil, airborne virus turns people into zombies. I am legend is a lot more nerve racking though and the ending also isn't that good. I would give this movie a 7/10 because there are some parts in this movie which are really cool.

2) National Treasure was a pretty good movie aswell. I felt the first part of the national treasure movies was better then the sequel because it seemed like there was more treasure and the excitement was there for a longer period of time. The 2nd movie you could somewhat predict what was going to happen. I am going to give this movie a 8/10.

I would suggest watching both the movies because they both have good scenes which make the movie interesting/worth watching.


----------



## The Doug

Finally watched *Pan's Labyrinth* on DVD last evening. Hmm. After all the talk & hype, I was expecting to love it. But I don't. I merely _like_ it. 

I'm still processing and trying to understand my mild sense of disappointment over this film - I think this review sums up my feelings after one viewing.


----------



## iLabmAn

JumboJones said:


> I loved at the end when they pulled up in her nice shiney Ford at the camp, especially since the equivalent of Hiroshima went off beside it the night before. She must have parked around the corner
> 
> iLabman, Will Smith acting, come on, he plays the same character, with the same look, with the same accent in every movie.
> 
> Purfume, yes very odd movie, but I liked it, not a movie to be watching on family night.


Ok, ok, ok! I've had a night to mull over this movie and realized that my initial reactions could be best described as "...knee jerk". Sorry!  

Shiny Ford. Yeah. Mustang was shiny as well, but SUV was battered. A message there?

I'm going to have to redeem myself in everyone's eyes and see some of the other films you people have noted. Going to see 3:10 to Yuma this afternoon...


----------



## MissGulch

The Doug said:


> Finally watched *Pan's Labyrinth* on DVD last evening. Hmm. After all the talk & hype, I was expecting to love it. But I don't. I merely _like_ it.
> 
> I'm still processing and trying to understand my mild sense of disappointment over this film - I think this review sums up my feelings after one viewing.


I agree in one area of the review: that the ending was a cop-out, but the film was very artful and affecting for me. Blending genres, such as political thriller, fantasy and action, is very difficult and they pulled it off. I don't think it was overrated.


----------



## Doctor P

Last night I re-watched Amelie, the French film from 1999 or so. It really is one of my favorite films - it's about shy, whimsical girl who finds a child's box of toys from around 1950 in her apartment and decides she's going to try to return it to its owner. Basically, she watches the people around her and changes their lives by subtly pulling the strings from outside of their view. It's charming, heartwarming, and absolutely beautiful, and you should watch it. If you don't like subtitles, watch it anyway, it's absolutely worth it.


----------



## The Doug

*Catching Up On My DVD Purchases...*

Little Miss Sunshine: Gawd, what a hoot. Loved every combustible moment. :clap:

Tonight I'll watch Blade Runner: The Final Cut. Looking forward to it...


----------



## chas_m

I'm a huge movie buff, but as I've been traveling for several months I haven't seen many films of late. I caught _Blade Runner_ final cut in Portland and really liked it. The film holds up very well, particularly with this version which no longer insults the audience. 

Also saw _Control_, the biopic about the late Ian Curtis, singer of Joy Division (later New Order). Performances were top notch, cinematography was really good, but the forced flatness started to wear on you about 2/3rds in.

Mainstream movies by and large suck, mostly because the material is subservient to the vehicle for the star(s). Since Doug mentioned _Little Miss Sunshine_, I'll mention that I finally saw it about six months ago and enjoyed it very much, proof that "name" actors can do good work if you really try to challenge them. Also saw _Lost Skeleton of Cadavra_ again recently and just laughed all the way through, very rare for a non-MST'd film (this film MSTs itself!).


----------



## Macfury

chas_m said:


> Also saw _Lost Skeleton of Cadavra_ again recently and just laughed all the way through, very rare for a non-MST'd film (this film MSTs itself!).


"I sleep now....!"


----------



## Max

Just caught a bit of _Holiday,_ a 1938 flick with Cary Grant and the imperious, delcious Katherine Hepburn. A light-hearted but brilliantly conceived romp which reminds me of _The Philadelphia Story_. Films of this era tend to quite contrived in their plotlines and but I find I don't mind that at all - it's the swift, sure dialogue that I am impressed by, every time. Superb banter with rapier wit. Watching the principals in key scenes is like watching a good close tennis match. The direction, as well, is snappy and incisive - everything moves brilliantly along. Kate was one fierce beauty, too.

I used to ignore pretty much every film that was black and white, as if they were somehow mired in it. Now I know better. Turner Classics has me thinking differently. What a treasure trove of golden Americana. What a gold mine.


----------



## Macfury

Max: I'm truly sorry that nobody is making films like this. Perhaps they can't. That sort of snappy dialogue is worth it not only for the content but for the careful choice of actor and the sheer art of carrying it off. Also note the very careful casting off secondary characters--particularly Edward Everett Horton--who are also brilliant.


----------



## Max

Absolutely, MF... I agree, and thought I hate to sound like an old fuddy duddy, well, what can you do? I find I am hard pressed to find a similar calibre of script-writing in contemporary films. And yes, the secondary characters are great foils for the primary movers - someone sharp to bounce off of. I don't know why we have to go all the way back to the late 30s/early 40s to get this kind of thing. Sure, there are excellent writers out there now but I find I inevitably tire of the elliptical laconic nature of David Mamet... actually, aside from Paul Haggis (whose work I enjoy more than Mamet's but still doesn't quite cut it for me) I can't think of any writers who can pull of the kind of fast and furious verbal footwork these writers and directors were capable of exploting to their fullest.


----------



## Macfury

Max: The only time I've experienced anything close to that is while watching the early films of Hal Hartley--_The Unbelieveable Truth_ for example. The characters are speaking not as actual people speak but expressing themselves succinctly in a manner in which you hope real people might speak.


----------



## Max

Been too long since I've seen one of his. Almost 20 years, I'm guessing. I'll have to look him up again. I like some of the people he routinely cast - Martin Donovan, for example, and Elena Lowensohn.


----------



## chas_m

Just wanted to add that much of the "sparkling dialogue" that these great old films are noted for was the product of great writers and directors as well. The studio system did have some advantages, just as Tin Pan Alley seems to have produced many a memorable song.

FWIW, I think there's a lot of snappy dialogue about these days, it's just not in the movies so much anymore. At the risk of sounding fanboyish, check out a good episode of the current _Doctor Who_ sometime. Loads of great dialogue abounding. They've come a long way from "what's that, Doctor?" and "AYIEEE!"


----------



## Macfury

Have a jelly baby?


----------



## MacDoc

:clap: :clap: Phillip Seymour Hoffman for sure an Oscar top pick. He just gets better and better.
Catches just the right tone - part Dallas, part West Wing, part Tom Clancy.and best of all it's true ...Hanks a great choice for lead.

Top notch work by director Mike Nichols.....could have gone wrong any number of ways. Well deserved 82 on RT.


----------



## Sonal

Saw _Lars and the Real Doll_ the other day. Terrific. Given the subject matter, it could have easily been ridiculous, but instead it was both funny and even heartwarming.


----------



## Max

chas_m said:


> FWIW, I think there's a lot of snappy dialogue about these days, it's just not in the movies so much anymore. At the risk of sounding fanboyish, check out a good episode of the current _Doctor Who_ sometime. Loads of great dialogue abounding. They've come a long way from "what's that, Doctor?" and "AYIEEE!"


Agreed. I thought we were talking about movies however - TV is another game entirely and yeah, there's lots of snappy dialogue there for sure. I'm thinking the best dozen episodes of _Seinfeld_ would qualify, as would several episodes of _Frasier_ or _The Sopranos_. Don't personally know about _Dr. Who..._ it's been a long time since I've watched any iteration of that venerable vehicle. I think I always had a hard time taking the Daleks seriously. That's it. But I like the idea of Christopher Eccleston playing the good doctor... I'm a big fan of his work in film (_Shallow Grave_ comes to mind) and series like _Cracker_.

The studio system did indeed have its advantages, although I'm not sure it conferred all that much on directors or writers. Those companies were mills and the people working there had to conform to the rules and get product out - not that much different from today, in a way. Then as now, formula rules. Make movies referencing earlier, successful movies. Hire actors who happen to channel others preceding them. But the one thing I can see that happened was that good solid teams were produced and they'd tackle one project after another. Do that enough and a very lean and mean team can develop, one with tons of experience and can-do bravado - especially after years of working miracles within exceedingly stingy budgets.


----------



## MacDoc

1939

versus








2007

Corrupt Senators seem timeless..just.... more guns... less talk.


Hollywood's dislike of Washington has gotten quite, deservedly, decidedly... virulent.


----------



## Macfury

I "saw" _Shooter_ on an plane flight--refused to pay for the earphones. It was so simplistic, you could understand it through pantomime alone. _Mr. Smith_ actually relied on dialogue.


----------



## chas_m

Max said:


> But I like the idea of Christopher Eccleston playing the good doctor... I'm a big fan of his work in film (_Shallow Grave_ comes to mind) and series like _Cracker_.
> 
> _<snippage>_
> 
> Do that enough and a very lean and mean team can develop, one with tons of experience and can-do bravado - especially after years of working miracles within exceedingly stingy budgets.


1. Definitely check out the 2005 series of Doctor Who then -- it's Chris at his most brilliant, opening up his comedic side (rarely seen) and really giving a bravura performance throughout. A great pity he only lasted a year.

2. "Working miracles within exceedingly stingy budgets"? Then we ARE talking about (classic) Doctor Who! 

PS. Didn't mean to hijack the thread -- 2007 was an "medium" year for movies, with some select very good ones but mostly either "good" or less ... 2008 may shape up better ...


----------



## chas_m

Another thought ...

I had forgotten to mention that I did see one "mainstream" film recently, _The Golden Compass_. Bearing in mind that I haven't read ONE WORD of the book, the film left me strangely empty. The most direct comparison would be to last year's _Narnia_ film, and TGC really suffers by comparison. Sure it was gorgeous looking, but it really went not much of anywhere, too compressed and hasty, afraid to linger on anything like character or detail.

There was enough imagination in there to make a full-length epic (ie 2.5 to 3 hours), so why didn't they? Strangely disappointing, and I was really expecting to like it. _Narnia_ beat it by a country mile.


----------



## MacDoc

It's part of a trilogy and I figured it might be tough sledding without reading the series.

Also the book itself gallops along at an astonishing pace and scope so even the first novel could have been 2 films.

That said, I thought the film kept quite true to the novel and there were small touches that would mean nothing to the film viewer but much to the reader - then viewer.

For instance on leaving England you just catch a glimpse of marshes ( fenns) off to the right which evokes an entire episode from the book that is compressed to the onboard sequences while they sail north.
Then the scene in the town with the drunk armoured bear was very well done in a short film period that covered an extensive episode in the novel.

Overall, as with LOTR, GC was in synch with how I imagined scenes when reading and the lead heroine was just perfectly cast - brat and hero.

I thought casting and staying close to the book were both excellent but can see it being a bit impenetrable. The author's books are staples in Europe - not so in North America and the box office shows the difference.

Narnia was "okay" visually but Lewis is not my cuppa and the allegories a bit cloying.


----------



## MacDoc

Dr. G catch this. A well deserved 84 on RT. Brilliantly cast and executed.

A new year's treat for me.

An upcoming Keira Knightly










quite a filmography and she's only 15!!!!



> Witch Mountain (2009) (pre-production)
> Sleepwalking (2008) (completed) .... Tara
> Jumper (2008) (completed) .... Young Millie
> Doubting Thomas (2008) (completed) .... Jackie Hoffman
> 
> Have Dreams, Will Travel (2007) .... Cassie
> The Reaping (2007) .... Loren McConnell
> Bridge to Terabithia (2007) .... Leslie Burke
> "Danny Phantom" .... Danielle Fenton (1 episode, 2006)
> - Kindred Spirits (2006) TV episode (voice) .... Danielle Fenton
> Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) .... Violet Beauregarde
> ... aka Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The IMAX Experience (USA: IMAX version)
> Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) (VG) (voice) .... Violet Beauregarde
> Because of Winn-Dixie (2005) .... Opal
> Samantha: An American Girl Holiday (2004) (TV) .... Samantha
> "Drake & Josh" .... Liza (1 episode, 2004)
> - Number One Fan (2004) TV episode .... Liza


----------



## Doctor P

I watched "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch" last night; they're a pair of Guy Ritchie films that are basically the English equivalent of the American heist film (like Ocean's Eleven or The Italian Job). Two Smoking Barrels is about four guys who end up owing a loan shark half a million pounds, and Snatch is about an organizer of illegal boxing matches who is forced to sponsor a boxer in a fixed match without being confident that he will go down when he is supposed to. Both were fantastic, though Snatch was the better one; they both had a lot of great dialogue, inventive direction and great plot twists; I guarantee that you will not be able to predict the ending of either one until it's about to happen.


----------



## Macfury

Those LOTR films left me absolutely cold.


----------



## CubaMark

Caught "No Country for Old Men" tonight. Exceptional. The depth given to the ancillary characters alone is worth watching the film. Bardem is more than convincing as a sociopathic killer....


----------



## SINC

Macfury said:


> Those LOTR films left me absolutely cold.


MF: Good to hear. For a while there, I thought it was just me. My son brought 'em over to view one night last summer. (He has the set.) I headed for the BR about 15 minutes in and then escaped out the back door to the motor home where I watched Transporter. Again. Great drivin' and all, ya know.


----------



## MacDoc

Ethan Hawke night on HD.

Two very enjoyable movies.

I FINALLY got to watch the marvelous Snow Falling of Cedars.

Max Von Sydow gives a terrific performance. I loved it as I loved the book. Remarkable lighting and atmosphere highly abetted by score and setting.










Dr. G I think you'd likeboth if you have not seen them.










Loved them both - RT be damned.


----------



## Max

Two films I can recommend:

_ Factory Girl_. NYC counter-culture decadence of the late 60s brought to vivid life, captivatingly shot in the same surreal gritty style of Andy Warhol's own film style. The chameleonic Guy Pearce simply disappears into the strange fey figure of Warhol. Sienna Miller is also sadly brilliant in the portrayal of giddy messed up trust kid/it girl Edie Sedgewick. What a seedy glamorous world... disgusting and infinitely tragic. A world where banality is celebrated and there is no moral compass, just the sticky lure of toxic surfaces.

_Zodiac._ A great period piece that leaves the viewer with a nasty clutch of unsettling questions. David Fincher again displaying a spine-tingling penchant for serial killers and creeptastic moments, but this time it's a somewhat more mature and restrained take on the subject; here we are examining a true life event of a string of remorseless murders on the left coast of America. More of a pot boiling police procedural than anything else we've seen Fincher do previously, with utterly credible characters struggling against improbably brutal odds. Falls down a bit in terms of pacing and tension two thirds of the way through but the principal characters never let the audience down. Excellent performances by Mark Ruffalo, Chloe Sevigny and Jake Gyllenhaal. Great work... guess now I'll have to read the book.


----------



## MacDoc

I liked Zodiac as well - lead is one of my fav actors anyway and he does a good job with it. So did RT with 89%
Always love those based on a true storymovies as thre are always quirks that are hard to mimic in fiction.

••••

I'll check out Factory Girl since it's been floating on the MovieNetwork.


----------



## chas_m

SINC said:


> MF: Good to hear. For a while there, I thought it was just me. My son brought 'em over to view one night last summer. (He has the set.) I headed for the BR about 15 minutes in and then escaped out the back door to the motor home where I watched Transporter. Again. Great drivin' and all, ya know.


In defense of LOTR I think it should be noted that watching them on a regular TV is like trying to see the fall of Rome on a portable DVD player. You miss out on a *lot.*

I'm not sure even upscaled on an HDTV does any justice to the films unless the lighting and 5.1 surround are well done ...

The HD-DVD (or Blu-Ray, whichever wins) version on a 52" with surround ought to JUST ABOUT recreate the cinema experience. Spray the room with burnt popcorn smell just to be sure.


----------



## MacDoc

> In defense of LOTR I think it should be noted that watching them on a regular TV is like trying to see the fall of Rome on a portable DVD player. You miss out on a *lot.*


ya think maybe 

••••••










Speaking of BIG movies in HD - Dances with Wolves is on Rogers HD and in full 70 mm width. It's a treat.

Part of the problem is that most don't know or follow the correct distance for movie experience on an HD screen to cover the field of vision correctly.

For 50" the MAXIMUM distance is 7.9' and the optimum 6'

Viewing Distance Calculator

Can't wait for 4k at home.


----------



## Macfury

chas_m said:


> In defense of LOTR I think it should be noted that watching them on a regular TV is like trying to see the fall of Rome on a portable DVD player. You miss out on a *lot.*


I did go to the theatre, but still found it only middling entertainment. Broad, but empty spectacle.


----------



## Ryan1524

Spiderman 3
- A lot of people said this movie sucked, and the reviews might have said the same. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. Even the part where Peter went all cheese and danced around in the jazz club. It actually feels like watching a comic book. The surrealism of that particular part. The rest is just plain good action. I love it when a hero goes dark. 

Blood Diamond
- Insane amount of action. An honest and brutal portrait of the conflict. I'm glad they didn't pull any punches. I'm quite desensitized by House, Rome, and Dexter, but even then, I still get a bit unnerved by what these people do to each other. 

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
- I felt high after watching this movie. nuff said. 

Shortbus
- Interesting art sketch about sexuality. 

Reign Over Me
- Honest portrayal of the devastation a man must suffer through because of 9/11. I actually went in not knowing it was about 9/11. Surprising performance by Adam Sandler. The pain and internalized despair was so real. 

Man on Fire
- Fun movie to watch. Denzel is excellent as always, and the storyline is pretty decent. Good portrait of the local situation. 

Ratatouille
- I love this movie. Such a feel good movie. Pixar did it again. 

Golden Compass
- I think this has the potential to become as Epic as Narnia, while not being as boring as LOTR. Great execution, amazing graphics. Love the concept blend between religion and science.


----------



## chas_m

Macfury said:


> I did go to the theatre, but still found it only middling entertainment. Broad, but empty spectacle.


In that case, I urge you NOT to go see The Golden Compass. It's 10 TIMES as "empty" as LOTR, and surprisingly unbroad (and strangely not that entertaining, either!).


----------



## chas_m

Ryan1524 said:


> Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
> - I felt high after watching this movie. nuff said.


Terry Gilliam = genius. Nuff said.  



> Shortbus
> - Interesting art sketch about sexuality.


Will keep an eye out for it.



> Ratatouille
> - I love this movie. Such a feel good movie. Pixar did it again.


Pixar have a track record that will probably never be equaled again.



> Golden Compass
> - I think this has the potential to become as Epic as Narnia, while not being as boring as LOTR. Great execution, amazing graphics. Love the concept blend between religion and science.


You probably saw my slam of TGC above, but I will say that the visuals are superb in this movie. Too bad they didn't bother infusing it with more of the plot of the book, and in those bits they DID, they changed characters, motivations and objectives. They blew through complicated story points and backgrounds WAY too fast (where they bothered to explain things at all). If you hadn't read the book prior to the movie, you'll be hopelessly lost by the insanely large cast, and to top it off the movie doesn't end anywhere near where the book does. After the "climactic" battle, you realise that the best action sequence happened 20 minutes earlier (the bears face-off). It really leaves you feeling empty, and doubting they will bother with a sequel, nevermind two.

That's on top of the very "rushed" feeling you get, and the dawning realisation that they've taken this lovely and imaginative book and structured it as though it was a VIDEO GAME, complete with "bosses" who have be defeated at the end of each "level" (set piece).

Finally, as someone who has no use for any kind of organised religion, I have to say that even *I* felt the film was rabidly anti-Catholic. If they do try to adapt the second and third books, you can expect the Catholic League to literally organise an army of torch-bearing faithful to BURN DOWN any theatre that dare show them.

Quite the ANTI-Narnia is our _Golden Compass_.


----------



## MacDoc

Let's have a GC discussion in another thread as I think the movie did fine with a book that goes 110 mph all the time.

••••










Black and White movies are incredible on HD. 1964 vintage
Enjoyed this.



> Directed by John Frankenheimer; written by Rose Valland, Franklin Coen, and Frank Davis, based on the book by Ms. Valland; cinematographers, Jean Tournier and Walter Wottitz; edited by David Bretherton; music by Maurice Jarre; production designer, Willy Holt; produced by Jules Bricken; released by United Artists. Black and white. Running time: 133 minutes.


Engaging - does not feel like a 2 hour+ movie. Some classic movie making, shots, score etc.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, saw "The Train" about 30 times when it was released (I was an usher in a movie theater). I would now understand the juxtaposition of the the value of art versus the value of life, but back then, I like the action and intrigue.


----------



## MacDoc

It was an odd film for the mid 60s. Almost a 1939 or 1942 film with a 1952 cinema noir mind set.

Perhaps it was an early anti-war bubble.


----------



## MacDoc

Kubrick fans celebrate. January is Kubrick uncut on Rogers.

•••••

Just watching 










88% on RT - I hear it's Ron Pauls favourite film


----------



## hbp

Charlie Wilson's War

Stardust


----------



## The Doug

*Richard III*: Excellent film. Shakespeare's Richard III retold, set in an imaginary, fascist England. An unusual tour de force. :clap:


----------



## sadd3j

The Kingdom, Juno.


----------



## hbp

Pulp Fiction (again)


----------



## i<3myiBookg4

Juno & P.S. I Love you just started here Friday--finally!
My friend and I are planning to see both tomorrow night, because it is "cheap night". Lots of popcorn for me!


----------



## MACinist

Danny Boyle's Sunshine on Blu-Ray. 

CRITICAL CONSENSUS

Dazzling visuals and intelligent action make Sunshine a successful stretch into the genre of sci-fi by director Danny Boyle.

SYNOPSIS

Danny Boyle has excelled in nearly every genre he’s touched from the family film (MILLIONS) to the zombie movie (28 DAYS LATER) to the drug-fuelled drama (TRAINSPOTTING). With SUNSHINE, he brings his style and verve to the futuristic world of science fiction to great success. In a mere five decades in the future, the sun is dying, and Earth is running out of time. After the failure of a previous mission, it’s up to the crew of the Icarus II to reignite the star with a stellar bomb. But the crew faces more than just the blistering heat of the sun and the freezing cold of space as they grapple with the limits of the human mind and heart.

As in Boyle’s previous work, the visuals in SUNSHINE are stunning. It’s a beautifully shot film filled with contrasts, juxtaposing light and dark, sound and silence, and life and death. SUNSHINE resides in the respected realm of smart science fiction films such as 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY and SOLARIS. Alex Garland’s fine script never dwells on the specifics of the technology, but instead spends its time on the characters. For these roles, Boyle has assembled an excellent cast that includes Cillian Murphy, Chris Evans, Michelle Yeoh, and Cliff Curtis. Like the classic 2001, SUNSHINE’s appeal extends beyond its genre. Though it’s packed with special effects and heart-stopping action, it’s an intelligent film that should be enjoyed by everyone who loves movies, not just those who like science fiction.


----------



## CubaMark

The Doug said:


> *Richard III*: Excellent film. Shakespeare's Richard III retold, set in an imaginary, fascist England. An unusual tour de force. :clap:


TD, thank for this. I remember seeing this at Halifax's WormWood cinema back in the 90's - a brilliant film. Highly recommended.


----------



## ciaochiao

*how about...*

I loved this movie almost 15 years ago and still love it today: The Fisher King with Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges, and Mercedes Ruehl. It's one of the times I saw Williams out of his 'Mork and Mindy' mindset and realized that he can actually act. Good thing for those movies because Williams, like a few other decent actors out there, can't seem to grab a good role right now. More recent movies that I've HEARD were good are American Gangster and Eastern Promises. Haven't seen them yet but have been told they were very good. Happy Watching.
CC


----------



## Black

A good movie is Juno, Canadian and very smart.


----------



## MaxPower

3:10 to Yuma.

Westerns don't get made much any more and it is always a treat to watch a good western.

A good popcorn movie.


----------



## MacDoc

Delicious 

Caught it in the VIP lounge in digital 4k. 
Well cast - Bonham Carter is perfect with Depp in the lead role and the kids are amazing, almost an anime look to them

Rolling Stone review here matches my experience. ( may be a spoiler but note movie may be too gory for some...18+ rating. )

Sweeney Todd : Review : Rolling Stone


----------



## iLabmAn

Black said:


> A good movie is Juno, Canadian and very smart.


Second that.

Loved this movie from beginning to end. Christian Bale is my all time favourite character actor.


----------



## Max

Finally got around to seeing the last Bourne flick last night. A disappointment. All of the amped-up pacing, jump-cut edits and technically brilliant fight and car chase scenes could not disguise the fact that the movie had no soul nor depth of narrative. Whereas the first two were brilliantly woven together and worked well on a number of levels, this one felt rushed and contrived in its relentlessly staccato pacing, as if we were expected to hurry along and not ask some pertinent questions. Joan Allen was her usual solid self as the good, principled spook, but David Strathairn, as the series' latest corrupt spook, was weak and lacked credibility. As for Julia Stiles, she was expected to do far too much with too little script to work with - she's a very capable actor but both the script and its frenetic direction worked to crush her. Matt Damon did his best but this one felt like a real lightweight compared to its predecessors. Even the menacing, wonderfully compressed scoring could not save this thing.

Fantastic location shooting, however, and the technical achievements in many of the action sequences was state of the art.


----------



## SINC

3:10 To Yuma

I'm a western fan and this one may be the best ever.

Had it all, drama, humour, fun, compassion and love.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Juno and really enjoyed it. Wonderful performances by all. Nice and tight and felt very youthful. It was nice to get pulled into that world rather than letting stodginess push you out.

Later on watched Goldfinger at home. Love that movie! Hilariously high tech! Bleep bleep bleep - there they are! - bleep bleep bleep.


----------



## chas_m

Gold-FINGAH!!!!

I still love this film and will watch it at any opportunity.

I'm going to be attending some (or perhaps all) of the Victoria Film Festival, Feb 2-10, and really looking forward to some of the films. I'll let you know if I find any gems.


----------



## MacDoc

Cop pot boiler that has precursors and cast from the current crop of cop shows.
Quite a cast tho over the top melodrama.

Not one of Sydney Lumet's best - RT gave it a 65% - I'd concur...cast raiaes the standard..... Andy Garcia, Richard Dreyfuss, Lena Olin, Ian Holm, James Gandolfini, Ron Leibman, Colm Feore and a any number of other familiar faces from the past decade of cop shows and even a few current ones.


----------



## titans88

I watched The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford last night. What it lacked in content at times it made up for in visuals. The cinematography is breathtaking. Casey Affleck was great as Robert Ford.

I watched Barry Lyndon again a few days ago. Remains one of my favourite films.


----------



## MACinist

*BBC's Planet Earth Complete Series on Blu-Ray*

WOW! Bought the entire series on Blu-Ray and I'm totally blown away. Aside from it being completely shot in full HD, this is the best nature documentary I have ever seen. It's also available on HD-DVD and regular DVD but is a bit pricey. However, it's totally worth it and luckily the DVD is the UK version narrated by David Attenborough. The time lapse photography is nothing like I have ever seen before.



> Planet Earth is an Emmy Award-winning BBC nature documentary series narrated by David Attenborough and produced by Alastair Fothergill. It was first broadcast in the UK from 5 March 2006. The American version is narrated by Sigourney Weaver.
> The series was co-produced with Discovery Channel and the NHK in association with the CBC, and was described by its makers as "the definitive look at the diversity of our planet". It was also the first of its kind to be filmed almost entirely in high-definition.[1] The series was nominated for the Pioneer Audience Award for Best Programme at the 2007 BAFTA TV awards.[2]


Planet Earth (TV series) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Watch the DVD trailer here.

Totally recommend it to anyone.


----------



## bembol

I rented EASTERN PROMISES on HD DVD. I love it, amazing performance by Viggo Mortensen.

I just picked up CRIMSON TIDE on Blu-ray Disc. Washington & Hackman.


----------



## Black

I just saw No Country for old Men and did not understand the reasoning behind the seemingly blunted ending, can someone explain the significance? I am missing something important about the movie.


----------



## chas_m

I've seen quite a few decent films at the Victoria Film Festival so far this week, but I'll highlight my two favourites thus far:

1. Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox
Victoria Film Festival 2008 Presents : Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox
Wow. If you've never heard of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap, you must not be part of the health-store/hippy set. Now meet the man behind the most effective product (and by far the most bizarre labeling) on earth, the real Dr. Bronner. Imagine if Hitler had been a force for good rather than evil, a kindly but strict religious nut instead of a dictator, and you may start to understand Dr. Bronner and his family.

2. The Band's Visit
Victoria Film Festival 2008 Presents : Band's Visit, The
A dysfunctional team of Egyptian musicians -- the Alexandria Police Force Orchestra -- are making a rather nervous visit to Israel to play at the opening of an Arab Culture Centre, a show of goodwill between two tense "friends." They get off at the wrong place and find themselves stranded for a night. They befriend some locals and each group finds the other enlightening. This was a little winner of a movie and the song at the end makes you dare to hope that someday these two cultures will truly become friends. A playful and skillfully done film from Egypt that skates close to a lot of cultural lines but its humour keep the audience firmly charmed.


----------



## MacDoc

Every once in a while I'd shake my head and mutter.....over the top....pulp fiction...50s crime magazine....then I'd remind myself.....it was true 

Chris Cooper is brilliant - the dark underpinning of the cold war and deaths grimly set against the tawdry miasma of the FBI.

Not sure where fiction and reality met but worth watching.


----------



## fellfromtree

I recently watched Breach , and The Good Shepherd.
Hard to argue with the casting of Cooper, he is Hanssen.

There are 2 good 1/2 hour podcasts from SpyCast (the podcast of the International Spy Museum, spymuseum.org) on these 2 films. The March 2007 podcast is an interview with Eric O'Neill (the Ryan Phyllippe character) about the film. From what he says, Breach is quite factual, he cites only 2 incidents that are either over dramatized or fictional. The January 2007 podcast deals with The Good Shepherd, a decidely more Hollywood spy tale, but still full of interesting factual spy junk. The SpyCast podcasts are a monthly interview series with retired CIA and other spies.

Anyway, these 2 films made me nostalgic for one of my favourite spy films, so I dug up a DVD copy. My only wish is that it had included all 6 days, as per the original novel.


----------



## The Doug

*Rummaging Through My Big Box O' VHS Tapes*

*Get Shorty* - been ages since I watched this. Good cast, good screenplay. Quite enjoyable.


----------



## MacDoc

Well deserved 94 on RT. Those in the GTA can catch it in 4K digital VIP lounge.

Move over Dr. Lecter ...there's a new bad man in town.......mesmerizing Coen and


----------



## MacDoc

forgotten how good Ghandi is. Hope it comes around in HD but still totally engaging in SD.
Kingsley is brilliant. :clap:

.....a remind too.


----------



## chas_m

MacDoc:

Can't see the image above, what movie are you talking about?


----------



## iMatt

Black said:


> I just saw No Country for old Men and did not understand the reasoning behind the seemingly blunted ending, can someone explain the significance? I am missing something important about the movie.



Here's my take on the movie as a whole. I did read the book a few months before I saw it (and that was a while ago now), but I think you can get this from the movie without having read the book (the adaptation is *extremely* faithful and complete):

Edit: *Possible spoilers*

The sheriff's belief that he's living in a uniquely dangerous time and place (making his Texas "no country for old men") is mistaken; in fact evil is eternal, capricious and quasi-random (think of Chigurh's fondness for the toss of the coin, for example). Not only that, but "good people" either have some evil in them (Moss) or are completely powerless (the sheriff).

I don't remember a whole lot of details at this point, but I hope that helps you make sense of it...


----------



## MacDoc

Careful about No Country- a discussion might be a spoiler so I'd suggest a separate thread with an appropriate warning in the title.


----------



## iMatt

MacDoc said:


> Careful about No Country- a discussion might be a spoiler so I'd suggest a separate thread with an appropriate warning in the title.


Fair enough... but rather than start a thread I just added a spoiler warning.


----------



## MacDoc

Kinda hard to see a spoiler warning if it's not a separate thread
no big deal unless the discussion is detailed.


----------



## iMatt

MacDoc said:


> Kinda hard to see a spoiler warning if it's not a separate thread
> no big deal unless the discussion is detailed.


How about we leave it to the person who asked the question?

Black, if you want to go into more detail about the movie, please consider starting a new thread. You'll probably get more interesting answers that way too; there are no doubt plenty of members who've seen the movie and/or read the book but aren't checking in on this thread.


----------



## MacDoc

Well I've avoided this movie all theses years as I'm not a fan of Nicholson or MacLaine or even Jeff Daniels.
Winger I enjoy and she just sparkles in this and of course once I knew it was based on a Larry McMurtry work then that put it on the must see list.
Worth it too...an even a grudging bit of admiration for MacLaine.
90% on RT - well maybe.

Why Nicholson won an Oscar for a dumb role and Winger was not awarded the statue is a black eye on the Oscar awards crowd. 

At least the National Society of Film Critics got it correct with Best Actress award for the year. Enduring movie - McMurty is magic.


----------



## Black

iMatt said:


> Here's my take on the movie as a whole. I did read the book a few months before I saw it (and that was a while ago now), but I think you can get this from the movie without having read the book (the adaptation is *extremely* faithful and complete):
> 
> Edit: *Possible spoilers*
> 
> The sheriff's *belief* that he's living in a uniquely dangerous time and place (making his Texas "no country for old men") is mistaken; in fact *evil is eternal*, capricious and quasi-random (think of Chigurh's fondness for the toss of the coin, for example). Not only that, but "good people" either have some *evil *in them (Moss) or are completely powerless (the sheriff).
> 
> I don't remember a whole lot of details at this point, but I hope that helps you make sense of it...


Oh, if those were the hidden points in the movie then i don't like it anymore. Too revolved around society's perception of good and evil.


----------



## MacDoc

Had I known it was Upton Sinclair.....

Lurid....over the top....as Sinclairs prose isand was supposed to be..and Daniel Day Lewis delivers the performance to match.

I'd call No Country the better movie.....Lewis a pretty good shot for best actor..

What's with the gritty desert movies??......

••••••










....talk about gritty movies. Interesting score underneath a realllllly star studded case.

I mean,,,,: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Vera Farmiga, Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg, Ray Winstone, Alec Baldwin 

Scorcese directing and Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston as producers ??

How he harnessed all the prima donnas .....92% on RT well deserved.
What an amazing score......


----------



## MacDoc

Remains one of my favourite movies. Great cast and story.
Charlize just glows.
Very nice in HD as the textures of the Maine countryside are enhanced.
Catch it again.


----------



## bembol

American Gangster.

Not sure why I skipped this considering Denzel Washingston is my favorite Actor. LOL Denzel and Crowe were unbelievable,amazing performances and clearly they deserved Best Actor/Supporting and Ridley Scott for Best Picture!

Anyways, I placed the UK HD DVD (SS-DL) in my amazon.co.uk cart.


----------



## mc3251

I saw American Gangster last night. Really good movie, although I'm not sure I'd give it best picture.-personally I'd give that to the coens


----------



## MacDoc

That's on my must see list as well.

I'd over looked 











as I'm not a Spacek or country music fan but damn it is a fine movie and once more HD enhances the experience.
A young Tommy Lee Jones is terrific.


----------



## mc3251

Doc, I'm with you on Coal Miner's Daughter. I had forgotten about that-it's a great movie.
You come up with some great classics, I must say.

I'd like to add a couple of old favourites in the small gems category.

Harold and Maude-Ruth Gordon is remarkable
Local Hero


----------



## mrjimmy

MacDoc said:


> Remains one of my favourite movies. Great cast and story.
> Charlize just glows.
> Very nice in HD as the textures of the Maine countryside are enhanced.
> Catch it again.


I completely agree. This is an excellent film. Technically well done as well.


----------



## mc3251

Absolutely, although must really read the book as well. Irving is just way too dense and sprawling to be totally captured in a film.


----------



## MacDoc

*Dystopia*

oops


----------



## The Doug

*From My Big Box of VHS Tapes*

This evening I watched *Witness* for the first time in years. I still love this movie. It's stood up well, but the synth score by Maurice Jarre, which I remember being quite fond of, doesn't work for me anymore and seems jarring and amateurish (as I suppose a lot of mid-'80s synth scores might). I was surprised to see a young looking Viggo Mortensen in a tertiary role.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw The Savages last night. Very well acted but very depressing. Even the 'hopeful ending' still left me slightly cold. 

It didn't help that it was in a dingy little worn out theatre in downtown Toronto. Also, it was dark outside when we left only to walk out into February....

Perhaps rent the DVD in the summer.


----------



## SINC

I used to enjoy Ben Stiller comedies. 

Then last night, I watched "The Heartbreak Kid".

I don't like them much anymore.


----------



## smilecentral

I've seen several already mentioned in this thread, but I must put in a word for:

The Host (2006). I watched it last week on HD-DVD

A South Korean film by Bong Joon-ho. A monster movie that's more drama than terror.

Excellent performance by Song Kang-ho, who is so emotional and desperate to get his daughter back. Watch also for Ko Ah-seong who is remarkable as the daughter - brave and terrified simultaneously.

I find many Asian movies do things that Hollywood wouldn't dare, or can no longer do. Beautiful, and on a small budget compared to many Hollywood flicks! ($11 mil US).

As for sub-titles, I know many don't like them, but I don't watch movies without them. You'd be surprised how much soft dialogue you miss in English-spoken movies (let alone foreign films), and how much extra subtitles tell you about the story. It really enhances the movie experience I find!


----------



## titans88

I watched Rendition last night.










Some decent acting and an odd role for Reese Witherspoon. She is distant through most of the picture and her role is seemingly inconsequential to the plot. Coming off an Oscar, I assumed she would do something more in line with that success.

There was an obvious political tone to the film - but it didn't go too far. I find in this "post 9/11" cinematic world, we see a bit too much of that melodramatic exploitation of political issues like torture. Rendition seemed to balance that well.


----------



## MacDoc

Star heavy French who dun it......many twists and turns..perhaps too many but 92% on RT - smacks of the Fugitive with many overlays.
Great cast, interesting score. worth the watch if you are okay with subtitles or French..

Had me completely engaged I must admit. Not Hollywood which is "good thing". :clap:


----------



## chas_m

smilecentral said:


> The Host (2006). I watched it last week on HD-DVD
> 
> A South Korean film by Bong Joon-ho. A monster movie that's more drama than terror.


Certainly the best "monster" movie that came out that year IMO. I'm not a big fan of horror movies, but I liked that one.


----------



## The Doug

*The Sixth Sense*: Watched this for the first time about five years ago; liked it. Watched it again this evening (I'd forgotten I had the tape). I still like it. As with all Shyamalan flicks there's a central gimmick or conceit that's supposed to surprise you; this one works well enough. The only thing that sullies the film for me is Osment's somewhat precious and unnaturally mannered acting style. Bruce Willis puts in an admirably understated performance though.

I like Shyamalan's Unbreakable quite a bit despite its flaws. Signs was ok, The Village stank. Haven't seen Lady in the Water (and likely won't). His newest film, The Happening, looks interesting...


----------



## MACinist

The Doug said:


> I like Shyamalan's Unbreakable quite a bit despite its flaws. Signs was ok, The Village stank. Haven't seen Lady in the Water (and likely won't). His newest film, The Happening, looks interesting...


I must be the only person on earth that really likes "The Village". The film's (perhaps purposely) deceptive ad campaign portrayed it as a horror film instead of the drama/love story that it was, something that may have added to the film's negative word of mouth. There are cultural/society themes explored that I really liked. However, Lady In The Water really stunk. One of my biggest disappointments of all time. Save yourself the hour and a half and don't bother. Can't wait for his new on though...


----------



## titans88

MACinist said:


> I must be the only person on earth that really likes "The Village". The film's (perhaps purposely) deceptive ad campaign portrayed it as a horror film instead of the drama/love story that it was, something that may have added to the film's negative word of mouth. There are cultural/society themes explored that I really liked. However, Lady In The Water really stunk. One of my biggest disappointments of all time. Save yourself the hour and a half and don't bother. Can't wait for his new on though...


I remember seeing The Sixth Sense and thought to myself this guy is going to be the next big director in Hollywood. I guess I was right to a certain degree, but his reputation is somewhat tarnished at this point.

Anyway, i've enjoyed most of his films, including The Village. I went to see it with my girlfriend at the time (who is now my fiancee) and after the film she said, "if this is the kind of crap you like there is no way we are going to last!" in a joking manner. Little did she know....


----------



## cap10subtext

Saw "we own the night" last night. If you have to chose between this or "the departed" and gritty disturbing cop shows are your thing I think latter was better. Maybe it's just me. There were parts of "we own..." that were great but Wahlberg and Phoenix (normally amazing) weren't nearly as good as they were in other performances. Duvall was the best of the three.


----------



## SINC

Watched "In the Valley of Elah " today with Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron and Susan Sarandon.

Lee plays a father who seeks his son's killers. I could feel his pain every moment of the movie. RT 71, but should be higher IMO.

:clap:


----------



## MacDoc

Reviewed this already but those on Rogers HD should try and catch this gem.
http://www.ehmac.ca/everything-else...t-good-movie-s-youve-seen-138.html#post500130

Rare movie making. *White Countess.*


----------



## MacDoc

Enjoyed this....









the mix for tech and fantasy and wonder worked for me....the right mix of goofy and suspenseful and the kids were incredible.

Reminded me of a small scale version of the Close Encounters in the feel of the movie.

Emma - Rhiannon Leigh Wryn - age 7 already has quite the filmography. She would have been 6 at the time of filming.....she did a wonderful bit of acting.










The Last Mimzy (2007) .... Emma Wilder
"The King of Queens" .... Little Simone (1 episode, 2005)
- Raygin' Bulls (2005) TV episode .... Little Simone
Hulk (2003) .... Betty Ross as Child


----------



## MacDoc

*Rollerball* - I love this movie and it reaaallllly comes alive in HD. Some of the more subtle film techniques with reflections and textures jump out.
Nice treat. Playing on MpixHD


----------



## MACinist

Caught "Fido" today and loved it. 

Synopsis:
Lying somewhere between PLEASANTVILLE and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, FIDO is a zombie buddy pic/love story set in a picture-perfect, technicolored 1950s suburb. With the world still recovering from a zombie war that broke out several decades prior, the town of Willard has found a way to keep the peace. The world beyond the gates may be overrun by zombies, but fortunately a huge corporation called ZomCom has managed to domesticate the undead, turning them into faithful servants of the human race. Director Andrew Currie's movie follows a young boy named Timmy (K’Sun Ray) as he develops a friendship with the zombie (Billy Connolly) his mother purchases to impress the new neighbors, Mr. and Mrs. Bottoms, when she finds out Mr. Bottoms (Henry Czerny) just happens to be the head of ZomCom itself. Naming his new friend Fido and initially treating him like a poorly-behaved dog, Timmy soon confirms what he always secretly suspected – that zombies can have feelings too. No one is more surprised by this than Timmy’s mom, Helen (Carrie-Anne Moss), who, as an escape from of her rude, zombie-phobic husband (Dylan Baker), develops some very human feelings for the household zombie help. The best part about Fido are the zombies themselves, with Billy Connolly giving a great performance as Fido. Even though he’s never given an opportunity to speak, Connolly convincingly comes across as kind and life-loving despite his zombie-ness. In creating the look of the 1950s, the film boasts impressively bright colors and neat furniture design. This, combined with elaborate costumes, provides a surreal backdrop for a fantastical plot. Thankfully Currie never gets too sentimental with his script, and maintains a satirical tone throughout, throwing in a severed limb whenever things risk getting to weepy.


----------



## chas_m

MacDoc said:


> I love this movie and it reaaallllly comes alive in HD.


Now look you -- 

I and a few of the other cinephiles on here will recognise _Rollerball_ just from the pic, but would it have killed ya to actually mention the title of the film? It's not _Beetlejuice_, you know ...


----------



## chas_m

MACinist said:


> Caught "Fido" today and loved it.


I mentioned this film previous in this thread, but did I happen to mention it was shot in BC (specifically Okanagan)?


----------



## overkill

Watched 'Hitman' the other day and was not very impressed.


----------



## MacDoc

*Rollerball* original - oops - usually post the DVD box up.

Running out of movies on Rogers - maybe try *Barry Lyndon* on the PS3 tonight - see how well the upscale works - staff were organizing and came across a Kubrick set.


----------



## titans88

MacDoc said:


> *Rollerball* original - oops - usually post the DVD box up.
> 
> Running out of movies on Rogers - maybe try *Barry Lyndon* on the PS3 tonight - see how well the upscale works - staff were organizing and came across a Kubrick set.


One of my favourite films. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful.

On another note, I saw 10 000 BC last night. That film is a historical wreck. There is absolutely nothing accurate about that film in anyway. On top of that, it had some of the worst acting I have ever experienced. I guess I should start a new thread: "What's the Latest BAD Movie(s) You've Seen Lately."


----------



## MacDoc

There is a bad movie thread somewhere

there it is...

http://www.ehmac.ca/everything-else-eh/40096-seen-any-bad-movies-lately-9.html#post546336


----------



## MannyP Design

Rented Disney's _Meet the Robinsons_ over cable for my son. What a treat. Excellent animation, beautiful visuals, good story. I can see why Jobs ditched Disney's in-house digital department when he sold Pixar for majority shares--clearly Disney was looking to meet (or beat) Pixar at their own game. They succeeded with this movie. I hope they absorbed the talent pool into Pixar because it's a very well done flick.


----------



## dona83

10,000 B.C. was pretty good. I have a few minor quibbles over the ending and there were these two inbred loudmouths from Surrey sitting behind us who made me realize that they should throw out the age rating for movies and implement a new minimum IQ rating. Your IQ must be above 130 to watch this movie. Gee-Dubya might be opposed to the new rating system. As for the Surrey couple... someone else decided it was better to speak in dumbed down language they could understand... "Shut up back there!"

Overall the movie was really good, very few holes in the plot. I give it 3 out of 4 stars.


----------



## gr67

overkill said:


> Watched 'Hitman' the other day and was not very impressed.


somehow they always manage to bugger up game movie adaptations (cough uwe boll tptptptp ) 

I recently saw There Will be Blood and the Darjeeling limited. 

There will be blood was interesting to say the least and if nothing else was good based on pure cinematography. 

Being a fan of Wes Anderson films i found the Darjeeling Limited to be another good film. The on screen trio of Wilson, Brody and Schwartzman was amazing. The film was good although not as good as Tenebaums or The Life Aquatic.


----------



## fellfromtree

My Kid Could Paint That.
Documentary by Amir Bar-lev about 4 yr old Marla Olmstead, the painting phenom.
The DVD extras are an important addendum to the film, and worth watching. Fascinating story that takes you up and down, turns around, and leaves you to decide what is or is not. I suspect this story will not resolve itself until Marla is old enough to speak for herself, or maybe not...


----------



## MacDoc

HD adds quite a bit to this already good flick. Running on HDNet. Great cast.


----------



## Isight

American Gangster is really good. Highly suggest it!


----------



## chas_m

I had an interesting discussion with a friend about The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (and other Gilliam films).

He *hated* it. At first I was quite taken aback, this is one of my favourite films.

As he talked about why he disliked it so, it became clear that fantastical and non-linear (not that AoBM is non-linear, but that it does jump from one scenario to another quite wildly) stuff just doesn't appeal to him. I was still aghast, but intrigued. It's true that most of Gilliam's films do shift locations willy-nilly, but in this case that's all part of the (beloved European kids) story.

After some probing questions, I uncovered the problem: he doesn't watch movies in a cinema, he watches them on TV. Now that's not so bad in and of itself as MacDoc will tell you, but we're not talking HDTV or even LCD TV. We're talking small old TV. Worse, he watches the films while working on other stuff (computer stuff).

To me, this is like having Stevie Wonder -- with cotton stuffed in his ears -- call a baseball game.

If you're mentally only "dropping in" on a film every so often, of course a movie like AoBM is going to look a disjointed, helter-skelter mess with an impossible-to-follow plot ... you're not concentrating on it!

GAHHHH!

This message brought to you by the If You're Not Going to Watch It Properly Don't Watch It At All Society.


----------



## The Doug

chas_m said:


> ...this is one of my favourite films...


One of my faves as well.


----------



## MacDoc

Was not aware of this movie. Good sound track from Johnny C - Appalachian cinema noir.
Delectable Tuesday Weld - fallen Gregory Peck. Interesting well cast.
Subtle social commentary at the end.....fitting for a Peck movie.

Enjoyed this too.


----------



## mrjimmy

MacDoc said:


> HD adds quite a bit to this already good flick. Running on HDNet. Great cast.


One of my top ten favourites.


----------



## Dr.G.

mrjimmy, it was a good book as well.


----------



## MacDoc

Yes the book was very well done. I'm so glad to see Chuck Yeager get some of the acclaim he truly deserves.

One wonders how different space might have played out had the X series continued.

••••

Dr. G you may enjoy this.
Hopkin at his finest.


----------



## MacDoc

Entertaining "Made in Canada" movie called *Mistaken*


----------



## cap10subtext

Just saw "The Bank Job". I enjoyed it.


----------



## MacDoc

Good to know - that's on my "night out" list at the VIP cinema.


----------



## MacDoc

very enjoyable true story - big cast for a TV movie starring William Hurt and Julia Ormond.



> William Hurt at his, by turns, most mannered and somnambulistic plays Varian Fry, a Harvard-educated journalist and member of the chattering classes, moved to form the Emergency Rescue Committee (ERC) after a trip to Berlin in 1938 reveals the extent of Nazi intentions. Being an elitist, his plan is to raise money and find a way to smuggle elite Jewish artists and intellectuals out of Vichy France, in order to, as he puts it, "save the soul of Europe."
> 
> On the list? The likes of painter Marc Chagall, historical writer Heinrich Mann, political philosopher Hannah Arendt, novelists Leon Feuchtwanger and Franz Werfel, as well as Werfel's wife Alma (an imperious Lynn Redgrave) who happened to have been married previously to Walter Gropius and Gustav Mahler.


----------



## MacDoc

Well that was an unlikely treat. :clap:
76% on RT well deserved.
Just a brilliantly and quirkily chosen cast with a fair bit of star power for a light movie.
A bit on the melodramatic but also enough tongue in cheek to be fun and Kieran Culkin just glows. A nice bit of work by his side kick Elden Henson.

••









BTW anyone who enjoys historical drama the HBO series John Adams is very good.

HBO Films: John Adams


----------



## MacDoc

a total delight :clap:


----------



## chas_m

MacDoc said:


> a total delight :clap:


Even better:


----------



## MacDoc

I enjoyed Spellbound. Somewhat different reasons for appreciating/promoting Akeelah. 

gladwell dot com - blink ... https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/


----------



## MacDoc

On the Doc channel



> *THE PRICE OF SUGAR *
> 
> This documentary profiles the courageous Father Christopher Hartley, a Spanish priest who travels to the Dominican Republic to stop a modern-day slavery operation. Thousands of Haitian men are forced to work in inhumane conditions to harvest sugar cane for obscenely rich sugar barons. Standing up in the face of multiple death threats, Father Hartley bravely teaches these dispossessed workers to stand up for themselves and improve their lives.


----------



## overkill

Just watched 'Dan in Real Life'. Not bad at all.


----------



## MACinist

overkill said:


> Just watched 'Dan in Real Life'. Not bad at all.


Soundtrack is good too...


----------



## MacDoc

My goodness the *John Adams* series is just terrific. Very poignant given what is going on in the US just now.
It is a really well done series for any who enjoys historical productions and this one is of a very very high order.
The casting is just superb.
Dr. G I think you'll very very much enjoy this.

Such a near thing even getting the Declaration of Independence passed in the first place.

Highly recommended. Runs weekly on HD -I think it's in the On Demand series as well on Rogers.

••

Watched *Miami Vice* again last night - loud and in HD.
Just love the soundtrack and the pacing. Casting gets better each time I watch and I pick out extra details. Lot of attention to lighting, sound and visceral sounds like big engines, gun fire etc. One of the those movies I can drop into at any point.

When I first saw it I was always comparing to the original...NOW - about 3 or viewings later THIS is the standard and the original seems light weight.
Good job :clap:


----------



## MACinist

I thought it was good as well even though critically unsuccessful. However, definitely the worst of Mann's work (Collateral and Heat). The casting of Colin Farrell was not a convincing choice for me. He has had some bad choices in scripts throughout his career which is too bad.


----------



## MacDoc

I thought the same about Farrell at first....but several viewings has changed my mind.

I don't think it should be compared to Heat and Collateral - this is far more stylized - not quite to the extent of Moulin Rouge but maybe in a non animated vein like 300, Sin City, Beowulf etc.

I think the critics missed Mann's point.
This is an extended music video, it's all iconic.


----------



## The Doug

*From My Big Box O' VHS Tapes*

*Dead Again*.

I remember liking this movie quite a bit when I first saw it years ago. Been a decade since I last viewed it; thought I'd pop it in the VHS player this evening.

Well... I don't think it deserves anywhere near the 83% shown on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Kenneth Branagh! Emma Thompson! Branagh! Thompson! Amnesia! Mystery! Scissors! Murder! Branagh! Music! Derek Jacobi! Thompson! Mystery! Reincarnation! Music! Colour! Black & White! Music! Jacobi! Branagh! Colour! Music! Mystery! Murder! Thompson! Editing! Black & White! Music! Suspense! Derek Jacobi Stuttering! Scissors! Scissors! _Scissors!_

Stylish, but overwrought and silly. Would have been much better methinks, had Branagh not directed.


----------



## MacDoc

Quite the cast  - I'm getting set to do a run through the DVD collection on the pS3.

••••

Anyways HD adds to this fine movie. 










:clap:


----------



## fellfromtree

I just re-acquired this (lend, no return) and watched it again. Excellent contemporary views of affects of growth on China, including the 3 Gorges Damn Project. Also images of the shipwrecking yards in Bangladesh. 

This is a doc about the (Canadian) photographer Edward Burtynsky, by Jennifer Baichwal, who previously made a great doc on the controversial American photographer Shelby Adams (Secret Life Of Pictures, Appalachian family portraits)

Although Burtynsky is the subject, his photos are not really the object of the doc. Rather, the film uses his photos as the basis for background and foreground footage. Excellent field study for photographer types, fascinating views for everyone. The DVD extras are worthwhile too. Rentable, priced cheap for owning, good for repeated viewings, lending (and re-acquiring).

This film has been mentioned previously in different threads on ehMac.

I've seen some of Burtynsky's prints, They were mostly +24", photos of the 3 Gorges. There are a few books on his photos also. The latest book deals with his mining photos, there is a short prelude to these in the film.


----------



## titans88

MacDoc said:


> Quite the cast  - I'm getting set to do a run through the DVD collection on the pS3.
> 
> ••••
> 
> Anyways HD adds to this fine movie.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :clap:


I remember watching this film for the first time when I was younger and really feeling confronted by racism and its true effects. Prior to that, I never really understood what racism was and meant to people.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah a few tears in my eyes. I lived through that vicariously - racially oriented riots ( street fights on a large scale ) were pretty common in Crystal Beach in the 50s' still remember many sirens in the night.
Still brewing here and there


----------



## MacDoc

what a raw movie....elemental mesmerizing....incredible score....86 on RT ...an unrecognizable Guy Pearce

Australia takes frontier movie to .........wow....

maybe read the reviews.... Australian outback - stylized raw landscape....what Clint might have done....had he dared...

how's these for a couple zingers........



> .blends the classic existential Western with the violence of a Sam Peckinpah sage saga | Comment 06/16/06 07:42 AM
> 
> In the end, it feels like Nihilism for Newcomers or maybe Sartre With Six-Shooters.


----------



## cap10subtext

On a lighter note, I saw Run, Fatboy. Run. If you like Simon Pegg's brand of slapstick a la Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz and if you like those Liar Liar sort of comedies you'll probably love this one. I laughed until my face hurt.


----------



## Macfury

_Let's Scare Jessica to Death_ a really well-done and unsettling film from the early '70s. Incredibly creepy film without the use of special effects.


----------



## mrjimmy

cap10subtext said:


> On a lighter note, I saw Run, Fatboy. Run. If you like Simon Pegg's brand of slapstick a la Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz and if you like those Liar Liar sort of comedies you'll probably love this one. I laughed until my face hurt.


Glad to hear it! I'm looking forward to seeing it this weekend.


----------



## MACinist

Just watched Spies Like Us for the first time since childhood. It was one of my favourite Chase/Aykroyd movies back then and still is. 

Spies Like Us Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes


----------



## Macfury

MACinist said:


> Just watched Spies Like Us for the first time since childhood. It was one of my favourite Chase/Aykroyd movies back then and still is.


Donna Dixon was a babe.


----------



## cap10subtext

Macfury said:


> Donna Dixon was a babe.


True, but it was the Russian girl (Vanessa Angel?) that Akyroyd hooked up with I was crazy about. :love2: 

That was a great movie. I want to watch it again now.


----------



## skinnyboy

*Watch It Alone - Trust Me*

*IRREVERSIBLE* directed by Gespar Noe

A foreign flick with subtitles (I don't mind, you might) that will test your cringe level and tempt you not to watch. No, it's not over the top gore, but rather it deals with subject matter that has been dealt with in thousands of movies but with an intensity that I've never experienced before.

After watching it I was thinking I shouldn't have. Now, several days later I see it for the masterpiece that it is. The script, direction and acting is stellar. If it wasn't then it wouldn't grab you by the balls like it does, right from the start. But don't worry, it releases it's grip slowly as the movie progresses without losing your attention.

And I'm serious about watching it alone. Unless you're sitting with someone who can deal with strong subject matter that is jacked up several notches then you'll likely feel judged and hit "stop" before it gets a chance to draw you in.

Then again, as others have suggested, if you want to clear your house of unwanted guests pop this DVD in and watch it work it's magic. Now that I've seen it I sometimes wonder what it would be like to see it in a packed theatre. I'm almost certain it'd be less than half full by the time the lights came back on  

I have Gespar's other movie "I Stand Alone" as well. Haven't seen it yet. Apparently it pushes the envelope even further. Hmmmm...


----------



## MacDoc

Brilliant :clap: ..even RT got it right. 93%  and well deserved.

What a horror in the US  The 911 workers situation was disturbing and heart breaking.

and WE can do better too.....

••

Hook-A-Canuck.com


----------



## MacDoc

What an unexpected treat :clap: Unreal acting from a little guy as lead. 91% on RT - they got it right. A bright gem from a bleak Russian setting.


----------



## MacDoc

Much on on Earth Day

two notables










National Geographic Live! - Six Degrees witih Mark Lynas

and a good looking Frontline tonight on PBS as well and AL Gore's Inconvenient Truth in HD on the Movie network.


----------



## skinnyboy

*She Wolf Of The SS*

Watched this _made for the drive-in B movie_ today. It was filmed in 1975 and is tagged as a "nazi exploitation movie". Kinda like a blackploitation movie but with nazi's - did anyone really need me to explain that?.

Going in you know this movie is going to blow like grandpa after Thanksgiving dinner but that's not why you watch it (the movie, not grandpa). You watch it to see just how bad they can make an already guaranteed bad movie. It's like eating insanely hot food. You don't eat it to see if it's hot but rather to see just how damn hot it can be. Well, this one is so bad it could easily win a WWF Slammy Award. Do they still have those awards kicking around - I've been outta the rasslin' loop for about 20 years?

Anyway the setting takes place in WWII at what looks like the same POW camp as used in Hogan's Hero's. The mature and buxom lead "actress" plays the commandant at this Nazi run camp where tortureous experiments are performed on both the male and female prisoners to prove that women are tougher than men. With this scientific evidence the commandant will prove to her countrymen that women should be allowed to fight on the front lines. I salute her! And with my hands  I applaud her :clap: 

Speaking of the clap... This female commandant has use for the male prisoners for things other than torture. I won't give it away completely and in case there's minors reading this post let's just say if you make the "OK" sign with one hand... and now point with the other hand... and bring the two together... and then pull apart... together... and apart... now faster... You get the idea.

In conclusion *She Wolf Of The SS* is guaranteed to suck. But if you're looking for something to suck then look no further. Of course, I'm talking about the movie  

Ciao.


----------



## chas_m

The correct title of the above film is Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS. There were two sequels as well.

Or so I'm told.


----------



## overkill

Saw 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' = very funny and well written movie

Saw '88 Minutes' = meh at best


----------



## skinnyboy

chas_m said:


> *The correct title of the above film is Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS.* There were two sequels as well.
> 
> Or so I'm told.


Damn, I hope the dozens of members who are now searching for that movie after reading my review don't have trouble finding it :lmao: 

Yes, a trilogy was made. But after viewing one I'm not too tempted to view the others.

I'd rather re-watch an old Pam Grier flick instead


----------



## chas_m

When it comes to laughably awful movies, I am L33T.


----------



## Marc.k

FRONTIER(S)
The sickest movie ever
XX) XX) XX) 

YouTube - Frontier(s) UK Trailer


----------



## eggman

chas_m said:


> When it comes to laughably awful movies, I am L33T.


PWNED! (just kidding!)  after all - is this the kind of L33T competition that anyone would gloat about winning? 

There are 4 "Ilsa" movies Chas:

Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS
Ilsa, Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks
Ilsa, The Wicked Warden
Ilsa, Tigress of Siberia

I have yet to see any of them... you all believe me, right?...


----------



## HJS

I have the DVD  

Soft-core pre Eli Roth torture porn; totally politically incorrect, very reminiscent of "Men's Adventure Magazines" of 50's, 60's- and though sickening at times, funny as f* to these jaundiced eyes beejacon 

You vill zign zee papers!!!

:heybaby: 



skinnyboy said:


> *She Wolf Of The SS*
> 
> Watched this _made for the drive-in B movie_ today. It was filmed in 1975 and is tagged as a "nazi exploitation movie". Kinda like a blackploitation movie but with nazi's - did anyone really need me to explain that?.
> 
> Going in you know this movie is going to blow like grandpa after Thanksgiving dinner but that's not why you watch it (the movie, not grandpa). You watch it to see just how bad they can make an already guaranteed bad movie. It's like eating insanely hot food. You don't eat it to see if it's hot but rather to see just how damn hot it can be. Well, this one is so bad it could easily win a WWF Slammy Award. Do they still have those awards kicking around - I've been outta the rasslin' loop for about 20 years?
> 
> Anyway the setting takes place in WWII at what looks like the same POW camp as used in Hogan's Hero's. The mature and buxom lead "actress" plays the commandant at this Nazi run camp where tortureous experiments are performed on both the male and female prisoners to prove that women are tougher than men. With this scientific evidence the commandant will prove to her countrymen that women should be allowed to fight on the front lines. I salute her! And with my hands  I applaud her :clap:
> 
> Speaking of the clap... This female commandant has use for the male prisoners for things other than torture. I won't give it away completely and in case there's minors reading this post let's just say if you make the "OK" sign with one hand... and now point with the other hand... and bring the two together... and then pull apart... together... and apart... now faster... You get the idea.
> 
> In conclusion *She Wolf Of The SS* is guaranteed to suck. But if you're looking for something to suck then look no further. Of course, I'm talking about the movie
> 
> Ciao.


----------



## eggman

HJS said:


> ...
> 
> You vill zign zee papers!!!
> 
> :heybaby:


Ha!

That line still works! 
according to the IMDB:
Dyanne Thorne - Biography -
_In real life Dyanne Thorne is the total radical opposite of her cruel and formidable screen persona: She's a very kind and sweet woman who's an ordained minister and co-founder of the International Science of Mind Prayer Circle and *runs her own private wedding chapel service* with her actor/musician husband Howard Maurer in Las Vegas, Nevada._


----------



## cap10subtext

Saw Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay. Hadn't seen the first one (I wrote it off along with Dude, Where's My Car?). I figure that this movie deserves a review, though I may not be entirely qualified since I didn't see the first one:

Harold and Kumar is a shining example that the kind of gross out humour that peaked in Hollywood after Something About Mary, is alive and well. I can be used cleverly. It can also make what would otherwise be an intelligent movie, nearly unwatchable for the audiences that, ironically, would probably stand to gain the most from its satire.

As far as the squirm factor goes this one has it all, including over the top full frontal nudity (male and female), references to every kind of substance abuse known to mankind, every kind of bodily secretion you can imagine (in full cinematic glory), and let's not forget the violence. It also has the most callously racist and homophobic stereotyping, um... let's go with , EVER in film history. (Trey Parker and Matt Stone would be so proud). This later point is the part that the makers of Harold and Kumar handle adeptly and poignantly despite always falling back on the cheap gags. One scene in particular involving their encounter with "scary looking" basket ball players illustrates that while on one level Harold and Kumar are underdog crusaders against racism, they are also victims of the absurd reality we deal with that puts us all on the defensive.

There are scenes that use the gross out schtick well to drive home or lighten some of the more intense messages. But for the most part it's needlessly over the top. The fact that Corddry wipes his button with the bill of rights is funny, the fact that we are shown the result is, as you may agree, too much. So why bother with the critique? Because this movie had some of the most genuinely funny moments I've seen in film... but they may be mired in too much bodily waste for most people. See with caution, you may laugh despite yourself.


----------



## screature

MacDoc said:


> Brilliant :clap: ..even RT got it right. 93%  and well deserved.
> 
> What a horror in the US  The 911 workers situation was disturbing and heart breaking.
> 
> and WE can do better too.....
> 
> ••
> 
> Hook-A-Canuck.com


*Manufacturing Dissent* is a very interesting study of Michael Moore, the man and his methods. How well does he stand up when he is scrutinized and put under the microscope? Here is a quick wiki synopsis:

_Manufacturing Dissent is a 2007 documentary that asserts that filmmaker and polemicist Michael Moore has misleading tactics. The documentary exposes what the creators say are Moore's misleading tactics and mimics Moore's style of small documentary makers seeking and badgering their target for an interview to receive answers to their charges. The film was made over the course of two years by Canadians Debbie Melnyk and Rick Caine after they viewed Fahrenheit 9/11, Moore's controversial film attacking the Bush administration and its policies. Melnyk and Caine have stated that when they first sought to make a film about Moore, they held great admiration for what he had done for the documentary genre and set out to make a biography of him. During the course of their research, they became disenchanted with Moore's tactics. The title is a pun on the title of the book Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky, and the film it inspired, Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media. _


----------



## MacDoc

and review of said film concludes



> A Canadian filmmaking duo give Michael Moore a dose of his own medicine by following him around the world, failing to secure an interview and then doing everything they can to assassinate his character
> Husband and wife filmmaking team Debbie Melnyk and Rick Caine claim to be "progressive liberals" who originally wanted to make a straightforward biographical film about a man they much admired: Michael Moore. They would also have us believe that it was subsequent events that convinced them to turn on him: namely, Michael Moore's refusal to co-operate with them and their discovery of so much evidence to suggest he is not the mythical, pure white knight of the left.
> 
> There's no external reason to doubt them. *However, this documentary is such a straightforward piece of attack journalism, and frequently so rabid in its tone that it's hard to believe they didn't set out to do for Moore from the off. Even if they aren't exactly lying, it certainly appears that, just as they accuse their subject of doing, Melnyk and Caine have stretched the truth to make it fit a more interesting story. Unlike Moore, they've failed to make a good film.*


Manufacturing Dissent Movie Review (2007) from Channel 4 Film


----------



## screature

MacDoc said:


> and review of said film concludes
> 
> 
> 
> Manufacturing Dissent Movie Review (2007) from Channel 4 Film



Based on one review I wouldn't be so quick dismiss the film. I have seen it and it raises several important questions. Here is part of what Variety has to say:

"An intelligent, provocative and, arguably, even necessary examination of the phenomenon of Michael Moore -- the man, his movies and his methods -- "Manufacturing Dissent" is not an assault by right-wing ideologues but a dissection by two self-described "progressive liberals," and has all the more impact for it. Canadian documentarians Debbie Melnyk and Rick Caine draw heavily upon interviews with Moore’s critics, acquaintances, former colleagues and longtime observers to fashion an even-handed but largely unflattering warts-and-all portrait of a firebrand filmmaker who’s described here even by a purported friend as "a bit megalomaniacal at times, with a paranoid tinge." 

Elsewhere at Hotdocs they comment:

"...Seeking to separate the fact, fiction and legend that surrounds Moore, Melnyk and Caine ultimately offer a balanced portrait and an effective starting point for further discussion of Moore's contentious work and political filmmaking in general."

I don't think we should be afraid to look at "dissenting" opinions, no matter who they are held by either on the right or the left. "St. Michael" shouldn't be immune to the same sort of scrutiny that he subjects others to and has made a career from. He does no service to his causes *if* his documentary practices are questionable. Watch the movie and then you can decide for yourself.


----------



## MacDoc

I don't disagree - you just didn't provide one.


----------



## screature

MacDoc said:


> I don't disagree - you just didn't provide one.


Say what? A dissenting opinion? Uh yah I think I did.


----------



## screature

Very good thriller. Not David Cronenberg's best, but an entertaining effort in one of his more mainstream forays. IMDb gives it a 7.9. I would say that is about right.


----------



## screature

Far from great but does provide for some good laughs. Light fair for those nights when you've had a bad day. IMDb rating 7.3.


----------



## screature

In the vein of a Shakespearean tragedy delving into the dark realm of human sexuality, love, hate, repulsion and attraction. IMDB rating 7.8. Worth the time when you are in the mood for something heavy.


----------



## screature

Incredibly beautiful to look at, simply outstanding cinematography. Well acted, however the story leaves a little something to be desired, for all the emotional potential in the end it left me a little cold. I *should* have felt more. Maybe I'm just not enough of a romantic. My wife loved it. Still all in all worth a look. IMDb rating 7.9.


----------



## screature

Waayy better than I ever would have imagined based on the title alone. Seth Rogen is a pure delight in his portrayal of a smart slacker pothead with a great whit and a good heart despite his obvious flaws. Provides for some really good laughs and is actually a very smart funny movie. Recommended for a comedy night after the kids have gone to bed. IMDb rating 7.6.


----------



## MacDoc

Managed NOT to see this in it's entirety for a mere 2 decades plus 

Much fun.....love the score....cue girl too. 83% on RT well earned.


----------



## screature

MacDoc said:


> Managed NOT to see this in it's entirety for a mere 2 decades plus
> 
> Much fun.....love the score....cue girl too. 83% on RT well earned.


Yeah a great fun movie, best of it's ilk.


----------



## JumboJones

screature said:


> Incredibly beautiful to look at, simply outstanding cinematography. Well acted, however the story leaves a little something to be desired, for all the emotional potential in the end it left me a little cold. I *should* have felt more. Maybe I'm just not enough of a romantic. My wife loved it. Still all in all worth a look. IMDb rating 7.9.


I liked the movie when it first came out as "The Notebook."


----------



## skinnyboy

*Lone Wolf And Cub - Baby Cart Series*

1970's kick-ass sumarai movies based on a Japanese comic book of the same name. I remember seeing the American release called _Shogun's Assassin_ which is parts of the first 2 movies combined into one. Never forgot that movie and that was almost 20 years ago - whew! There are six movies in the original series and I finally got my hands on them. Giddy like a school girl.

If the only "samurai" flick you've seen is _The Last Samurai_ tptptptp or whathisname's _Shogun_ TV series :yawn: then you're in for a serious treat if you get to see one of these blood spurting gems. While the violence is over the top the sword play isn't (unlike Hollywood flicks). It's closer to the ideal of what a well-trained swordsman is supposed to do - draw his sword and within a second or 2 it's over!

Not the cerebral quality of _The Seven Samurai_ but if you want fast and furious instead of slow and serious, then these movies can not be beat!


----------



## SINC

One of the best movies I have ever seen. Compelling. RT 94. Don't miss it:


----------



## mc3251

No Country for Old Men:liked it a lot, although my real appreciation for it didn't happen until repeat viewings. It's dark, boy is it dark, and that is attributable to the Cormack McCarthy source material IMHO-has anyone read The Road? Yikes-what a dismal picture.


----------



## screature

*
Ghost Dog - The Way of the Samurai*, probably the most commercially accessible of all Jim Jarmusch's films. For the non-Jarmusch fan this is probably a good thing, for the fan, you need not be alarmed. It is still a great piece of work, with the typical off beat pacing and eccentricities for the genre; to my knowledge it is his only "gangster" film.

Forest Whitaker is fabulous as always (has this guy ever given a bad performance) and the story is great. IMDb only gives it a 7.5, RT is more generous and gives it an 81. For me RT has it right, I would even be inclined to give it an 8.5. :clap:


----------



## screature

SINC said:


> One of the best movies I have ever seen. Compelling. RT 94. Don't miss it:


A Best Picture that actually deserves the attribute.


----------



## MissGulch

I saw Lars and the Real Girl last night. It was bizarre, totally improbable and lots of fun.


----------



## mrjimmy

MissGulch said:


> I saw Lars and the Real Girl last night. It was bizarre, totally improbable and lots of fun.


I heard it's very good. It was shot here in Toronto.


----------



## titans88

MissGulch said:


> I saw Lars and the Real Girl last night. It was bizarre, totally improbable and lots of fun.


I watched it a few days ago as well. It was such an interesting experience to watch, as I always always on the verge of laughing hysterically or squirming in embarrassment. 

I highly recommend this to anyone looking for something different.

Another note of interest was the performance of Ryan Gosling. He was excellent in Fracture, and obviously stood out in Lars and the Real Girl.


----------



## chas_m

I don't think I've mentioned this before, forgive me if I have.

Ghost World is one of the few movies I have ever seen that I hoped would never end. It is an amazing journey with some outstanding characters -- more light than dark but both are definitely there. I don't know that there's a lot of "laugh lines" but it's definitely amusing in many places. If you were ever a "rebel" amongst your peers, you might find a treasure in this.

92% RT score. If you're in the mood for an intellectual teen comedy (three words that almost never go together), or just something really different, check this out.


----------



## medic03

Lions For Lambs. I Just watched this Robert Redford movie that has himself, Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise as leads. Great movie, not an entertaining movie but one that will evoke conversations on politics and what you are willing to do to change things. For some it is the journey and others the destination. Highly recommend it.:clap:


----------



## CubaMark

Caught "Iron Man" tonight - the reviews are pretty much spot-on. A good superhero flick, with Downey Jr. delivering a great performance. Totally cringeworthy for the first half-hour as the flag-waving is nauseating, but once he finds his conscience... and it's also very, very funny in places.


----------



## MacDoc

What he said 
Good to see Downey back and Daddy Warbucks incarnate aka Jeff Bridges as his side kick. Paltrow reprises her Sky Captain role.









On at the new gen VIP theatre in Oakville for the GTAers.

Theatres - SilverCity Oakville and SilverCity Oakville VIP

You can book seats and print your tickets at home and saunter right in. Terrific digital projection and very comfy leather seats with stadium seating. Most enjoyable.

I'm usually pretty strict about watching through the credits out of respect for the creators and occasionally as with Blow Up and Wild Things there are critical plot bits that surface. Blew it this time 



> ‘Iron Man’ Scene After the End Credits
> 
> Went to see Iron Man tonight and, as expected, it was awesome! A review will be posted by our own Wordslinger, so be on the lookout for it soon.
> 
> *Just wanted to warn you all to stay put until after the film’s end credits have finished, because there’s an extra scene.*
> 
> I don’t want to go into anymore detail, because if this is the first you’re hearing of this extra scene, that means you haven’t read all of the spoilers about it yet.
> 
> Trust me, just stay in your seat!
> 
> Ok, if you MUST know, see the SPOILER at the end of this post.
> 
> After seeing the movie, I can say: 1) way to make a comeback Robert Downey, Jr.!; 2) starting off a movie with an AC/DC song is one way to hook me in immediately; 3) Jon Favreau, you sir, are officially trustworthy; 4) Shaun Toub, oh the things you can do with a car battery — if I’m ever in captivity, I’d want you to be there to have my back; 5) Gwyneth Paltrow, bravo for a performance that made me forget that you’re only in it for the paycheck; 6) Terrence Howard, sorry, but aside from your one foreshadowing line, I just wasn’t feeling you; 7) Jeff Bridges, thank you for not Nick Nolte-ing your role — you were totally badass!; and 8) Clark Gregg, you are my new favorite “Hey, I know that guy. Where do I know that guy?” guy.


----------



## MaxPower

I watched Cloverfield last night.

At first I wasn't that impressed, but after thinking about how the film was written, I enjoyed the story. aside from the 30 story monster, it was very realistic in the sense that there wasn't a happy feeling, America saves the day flag waving ending.

The possibility of a sequel from another vantage point is interesting.


----------



## cap10subtext

MaxPower said:


> The possibility of a sequel from another vantage point is interesting.


Preferably shot with a steady cam... XX)
I was totally disappointed by this movie, just because it was poorly executed. The handy cam thing was so nauseatingly shaky it looked deliberate and therefore was totally distracting. Plus I couldn't get it out of my head that they ripped off the plot of this movie.

I do feel that this movie could lead to sequels of a higher caliber but I'm not getting my hopes up.


----------



## overkill

Also saw Iron Man on the weekend and thought it was well executed. Great start to the summer movie season.

Did anyone else stay to the end of the credits to see the small clip?


----------



## chas_m

Not that anyone needs my approval to go see something, but I will add that_ Iron Man_ did a good job of encapsulating and updating the story. Mr Downey did a really sterling job and the film is really well executed.

A superhero movie for people who love them, and one that works for people who don't. Like the first Superman movie.

As someone who is officially middle-aged (at least chronologically), it's kind of fun to watch these action movies over the decades and see how the enemy changes. As a point of reference, in the original comic book all the events in the first third of the film happened in Vietnam. How times have changed. 

The clip at the end (and I mean VERY end) of the credits is short and MEANINGLESS to non-comic book fans, but it's a fun cameo. The real (name of character in the short clip) in the comics *I* grew up with would be APPALLED!!! at the casting, but hey it's the aughts.


----------



## bembol

Iron Man, I've seen it 4x now.

I also love Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2x).


----------



## Macfury

chas-M: I loved the little ditty that the band broke into at the awards ceremony in _Iron Man_.


----------



## Max

mc3251 said:


> No Country for Old Men:liked it a lot, although my real appreciation for it didn't happen until repeat viewings. It's dark, boy is it dark, and that is attributable to the Cormack McCarthy source material IMHO-has anyone read The Road? Yikes-what a dismal picture.


Read _The Road_ a couple of months ago. My first McCarthy. Best book I've read in years. Now two-thirds of the way through _No Country..._ more harrowing than the admittedly fine Coen Bros. flick, in that Chighur is infinitely more frightening and robotic in the novel. He is relentless evil personified... in the flick he is the embodiment of the Coens' trademark quirky, arch sense of humour.

But the way that flick was lensed... and the casting... well, there was nothing to criticize there.


----------



## Macfury

I read _The Road_ pretty carefully and I think one has to be pretty careful trusting the narrator here. Lots of clues to suggest that things aren't as they seem.


----------



## skinnyboy

*Cannibal Holocaust (aka Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal)*

This film... Here read this:

_



The most controversial movie ever made has finally arrived on DVD! Banned and heavily censored throughout the world, here is a film that surpasses its reputation as a shotgun blast to the senses. CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST presents the "found footage" of four documentary filmmakers who experience brutal death at the hands of a savage South American tribe of flesh-eaters. This footage is so intense, so graphic and so unflinching in its realism that the director and producer of CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST were arrested upon its original release and the film seized. 
Widely acknowledged as the uncredited inspiration for THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST has been both praised and vilified for its portrait of savagery. Ruggero Deodato's nihilistic masterwork critiques the implications of Mondo-style filmmaking, even as it explores the most disturbing extremes of cruelty and exploitation. Not for the weak of stomach, the film's horrifying power cannot be denied. 

Grindhouse Releasing's 25th Anniverary collector's edition DVD stands as the definitive release of CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST. The deluxe 2-disc set boasts a brand-new, hi-definition digital restoration of the uncensored director's cut, an exhaustive menu of bonus features and sensational packaging. 

Be forewarned: This is the one that goes ALL THE WAY!

Click to expand...

_The most controversial movie ever made? I think "A Hundred and Ten Days Of Sodom" could give it a run for that title.

Meh, it's like a typical B horror movie with A+ gore. No skimping on the gore here. I thought I kicked the gore flick habit many, many years ago but these titles come my way and my curiosity gets the best of me. If you like a movie that makes you squint a little then it's worth a watch.


----------



## Max

Macfury said:


> I read _The Road_ pretty carefully and I think one has to be pretty careful trusting the narrator here. Lots of clues to suggest that things aren't as they seem.


That's part of what makes it such a great read - whether you are ''careful" or not; it works on any number of levels.


----------



## chas_m

Macfury said:


> chas-M: I loved the little ditty that the band broke into at the awards ceremony in _Iron Man_.


I only saw the film once, but I do remember my ears perking up at that point -- can you remind me what the song was?


----------



## Catchlight

*JUNO worked for me . . .*

. . . when I drove our 16-year old daughter and two of her friends to it last fall (and couldn't go to see the other movie in the complex because it was an hour longer).

Fresh, witty dialogue, free of cliches, and Ellen Page is a delight.

Also, The Lives of Others is a superb drama, giving a chilling glimpse into the last days of the Soviet regime in Germany.


----------



## Griller

Add me in as a positive review for Iron Man.

I really enjoyed that it was set in a contemporary time encompassing and lightly touching on modern issues and a current area of conflict. It made me wish there was actually an Iron Man who could create immediate results without all the authorization, bureaucracy, and concern for corporate interests.

The cameo at the end was excellent. Leaves the open the possibility for a bunch of characters. I'd love to see Capt. America and Thor. The Batman was pretty cool and the Hulk trailer was not as cool as the Batman one.

I'm looking forward to checking out the new Chronicles or Narnia movie.


----------



## MacDaddy

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon
Great little flick, well shot, well written and well planned!


----------



## John Pryor

Add another to the list for IRON MAN though I will be going to Indiana Jones 4 on monday. I'm looking forward to the other Avenger movies that are planned i.e. Thor , Ant Man& Wasp, Captain America, Incredible Hulk.


----------



## MannyP Design

Saw Indiana Jones last night... I'm not sure what I think of it. I love the nostalgic storyline with the 50's (Commies, Area 51, etc.) but there was something about it that I can't place my finger on that bothers me. I guess it was the general oddities that bugged me: Marion would disappear during a chase and then suddenly reappear when it was convenient.

The jungle that they were chasing through was untraveled, yet there were paths.

The reunion of Indy and Marion seemed downplayed. I was expecting her to meet Indy in this movie with the same spunk as she did in the first--a haymaker to the chin. 

The dark catacombs they were traversing never really needed torches to cast any light... a lot of the time there was some sort of light anyway.

Generally it didn't really feel like an Indy movie, it just had him in it.

It wasn't a bad movie, just different. Harrison was good, Shia was good, Kate was good --although her character didn't seem right. Ray Winstone's character was completely unnecessary, in my opinion. They could have removed him and just have the Reds come after Indy and further emphasize Kate's character's abilities (which I think were really underplayed to the point that it almost didn't matter.)

There's a lot of suspension of disbelief that goes with these types of movies--which I'm okay with, they're popcorn movies--but it was missing something. I love a movie with a lot of imagination. Maybe it needed a little trimming or polishing with the final cut or something. It just seemed like a work in progress. The action scenes didn't seem as frenetic as they could be... or should be, like the previous Indy movies. Just because Jones is a little slower doesn't mean the editing should be.

...

Was it me or did they really try hard to make the movie look old... the image looked like they were really trying to give it an old-style feel to it with image enhancement with the colour, etc.?

Anyway, if I had to rate it, I'd give it a B- out of 10. 

It wasn't the best Indy movie... but I'll leave it at that. Maybe a second viewing is in order.


----------



## mrjimmy

Another to add to the list.... Saw Iron Man and loved it. Robert Downey jr. is an excellent actor. Very natural. Makes suspending one's disbelief that much easier.

Off to see Indiana Jones this week. Good couple of summer flicks right out of the gate.


----------



## MannyP Design

Got tickets to an advanced screening of Kung Fu Panda. Lots of fun; the kids will love it. The intro is especially cool--a modern version of stylized 2-D animation.


----------



## CubaMark

Iron Man: Very, very good. Looking forward to #2 and Sam Jackson! 

Indy: Good, but odd. You're right, MannyP: something was just...off....

And when it comes to the inevitable 'chick flick' that we fellows sometimes have to sit through, let me recommend "Made of Honor" (aka "Quiero Robarme La Novia" here in Mexico) with those two stars of Grey's Anatomy, Michelle Monaghan and Patrick Dempsey. A fairly standard romantic comedy, this one has some nice acting, a good supporting cast, and the surprise of the night that makes it worth seeing, a major role by one of the stars of HBO's "Rome" - Kevin McKidd with great visuals from Scotland, where the last half of the film takes place. Very, very funny in spots.


----------



## MasterBlaster

.


----------



## lookitsmarc

Any other Pixar fans looking forward to Wall-e?


----------



## Max

Rented _There will be blood_ the other night. Started off promisingly enough, with a great sense of deliberate, well-paced forboding that built and built and built... and then plateaued halfway through the film and inexplicably fizzled off into a nihilistic whimper of an ending. Kind of a senseless movie. Great technical aspects, yet a story that was strangely hollow at its core. Kudos to Daniel Day Lewis for again disappearing into a mesmering, unsavoury role, but man... what a wasted opportunity. Worth watching all the same I suppose... very original score; neurotic and nervous with a lot of atonal dissonance on top of all these gorgeously-lensed vistas... unsettling.


----------



## MacDoc

I'm really looking forward to Wall E. :clap:

•••










An excellent followup to Ironman. There is clearly a plot afoot.
Do try and catch Ironman FIRST then Hulk.
Otherwise excellent athletic performance by Edward Norton...one of my fav actors, Tim Roth unusually villainous, Liv Tyler lovely as ever.
Rocks along for a movie just a shade under 2 hours.
Very satisfying at the Silver City VIP digital cinema.

Several interesting movies coming up this summer.


----------



## chas_m

MasterBlaster said:


> Orgazmo
> 
> orgazmo movie trailer
> ​


I'm with MB -- Orgazmo is one of the best movies EVAH! 

(seriously. I loved it. Not for everyone, though ...)


----------



## chas_m

If you could have fused this latest Indy movie with the look of Sky Captain ... ah, I can but dream ....


----------



## cap10subtext

lookitsmarc said:


> Any other Pixar fans looking forward to Wall-e?


Well, I can think of one...  

I did see Kung Fu Panda. I loved it. It still wasn't quite Pixar. It started out pitch perfect, but then they dropped the ball on character development for "the 5". Action scenes were some of the best I've seen in any animated movie, and you have to give props to any movie that can still get laughs out of a training montage). If Ratatouille was 5 stars Kung Fu Panda is about 4 1/2.


----------



## Max

Saw _Into the Wild_ just now. Makes me want to read Krakauer's book; I've only read _Into Thin Air_, years ago now, but it was a gripping read. This film is the best directorial effort I've ever seen Sean Penn undertake; subtle, understated, moving and deeply tragic. The scoring is brilliant. Really takes you on a young man's journey and makes you feel the strength of the bonds he forges as he winds across America and ultimately maroons himself in the wilderness, where he learns his most sacred truths too late.

By comparison, it makes _National Treasure II,_ which we saw last night, a hollow, coarse exercise in formulaic moviemaking.


----------



## screature

Max said:


> Saw _Into the Wild_ just now. Makes me want to read Krakauer's book; I've only read _Into Thin Air_, years ago now, but it was a gripping read. This film is the best directorial effort I've ever seen Sean Penn undertake; subtle, understated, moving and deeply tragic. The scoring is brilliant. Really takes you on a young man's journey and makes you feel the strength of the bonds he forges as he winds across America and ultimately maroons himself in the wilderness, where he learns his most sacred truths too late.
> 
> By comparison, it makes _National Treasure II,_ which we saw last night, a hollow, coarse exercise in formulaic moviemaking.


I agree Max, Into the Wild is avery good film. Very tragic yet paradoxically inspiring.


----------



## titans88

Max said:


> Saw _Into the Wild_ just now. Makes me want to read Krakauer's book; I've only read _Into Thin Air_, years ago now, but it was a gripping read. This film is the best directorial effort I've ever seen Sean Penn undertake; subtle, understated, moving and deeply tragic. The scoring is brilliant. Really takes you on a young man's journey and makes you feel the strength of the bonds he forges as he winds across America and ultimately maroons himself in the wilderness, where he learns his most sacred truths too late.
> 
> By comparison, it makes _National Treasure II,_ which we saw last night, a hollow, coarse exercise in formulaic moviemaking.


That was all very well said!

I thought Eddie Vedder did a brilliant job with the soundtrack as well. He helped create some really emotional moments in the film.


----------



## titans88

Max said:


> Rented _There will be blood_ the other night. Started off promisingly enough, with a great sense of deliberate, well-paced forboding that built and built and built... and then plateaued halfway through the film and inexplicably fizzled off into a nihilistic whimper of an ending. Kind of a senseless movie. Great technical aspects, yet a story that was strangely hollow at its core. Kudos to Daniel Day Lewis for again disappearing into a mesmering, unsavoury role, but man... what a wasted opportunity. Worth watching all the same I suppose... very original score; neurotic and nervous with a lot of atonal dissonance on top of all these gorgeously-lensed vistas... unsettling.


It was definitely a beautifully shot film. I think i'm a sucker for cinematography sometimes, and allow that to influence my opinion of a film as a whole. I've watched There Will Be Blood 3 times now - with each viewing I find myself more and more disappointed with the story, enthralled by the visuals, and blessed to be able to see Daniel Day Lewis work. He is most certainly one of the finest actors ever, in my opinion.


----------



## Max

I'm a sucker for great cinematography as well, which is why I found _There Will Be Blood_ such a disappointment in the end... it was technically brilliant but it lacked a soul. But wow, what vistas... reminded me of Wim Wenders' _Paris, Texas_ or _No Country For Old Men._ Superbly empty, spartan yet wildly organic landscapes that dwarf the human figures against them.

As for Eddie Vedder, he's one of the best vocalists out there. I don't even care for Pearl Jam but I've always had great respect for his ability as a singer - very emotive, very confident and powerful. There's a strong element of the folklorist in him... he's a bit of an elemental soothsayer, and the choice of his vox for the soundtrack to _Into The Wild_ was a wise one... his quiet, pensive songs really added to the film.


----------



## MacDoc

> fizzled off into a nihilistic whimper of an ending. Kind of a senseless


sort of the point 

••

Watched a double header of Shrek III and The Ant Bully.

I thought Cars superior to both but each were fun. Shrek III was a tad uneven.

Ant Bully was too much morality play and taking itself too seriously but marvelously expressive characters.

...Shrek delightfully irreverent with countless send ups. Light entertainment for all.


----------



## chas_m

MacDoc said:


> Watched a double header of Shrek III and The Ant Bully.
> 
> I thought Cars superior to both but each were fun. Shrek III was a tad uneven.


A "tad?"

How about WILDLY uneven. On all three Shrek movies, I have alternated between laughing and grimacing. 

I think your reviews of the non-Pixar animated films are on the mark, but this is why I hate them compared to Pixar stuff: because Pixar always goes for MORE than "light entertainment."

All of their films have more depth, more emotional resonance, more texture, and require considerably less suspension of disbelief. _Cars_, for example, was as much a paean to the lost art of driving for pleasure, the old Route 66 and the stunning colour palette of the American West as it was about "cars and racing and small town stuff." Maybe not everyone notices it, but Pixar films grow with repeated viewing; things like the _Drek_ sorry _Shrek_ franchise and that gawd-AWFUL _Shark Tale_ don't. 

*ADDED*: _Out of sheer curiosity I added up the receipts for all but the latest entries from Dreamworks versus Pixar as reported by Wikipedia. Pixar comes out ahead on both worldwide receipts (~$5.25B vs ~ $4.25B) and higher "appreciation index" from places like Rotten Tomatoes and MetaCritic._

There's a good analogy of Pixar-versus-other computer-based animation outfits and Apple-versus-other computer makers. There's more art in Pixar/Apple stuff that their competitors always seem to miss. The competitors just copy the settings and throw in a lot of laughs and pop-culture references to wallpaper over the fact that they lack the heart and soul of a Pixar movie.*

*I'm not saying Pixar is the only company that puts out great animated movies; many of Disney "traditional" animation films have both done well commercially AND had plenty of the same "magic" Pixar taps into, and there have been others over the years.


----------



## Max

Sorry MacDoc, your "sort of the point" point sort of falls short of making the point... the flick in question seemed to be attempting some sort of morality tale but ended up choking in the clotted dust of its own arrested momentum.

As for _Shrek III,_ just caught that now. Methinks Mike Myers has too great a love for himself. This one again has all the technical brilliance we've come to expect, at the service of... what? More fart jokes? Even the fusillade of scattershot popcult references, coming in all the more fast and furious, cannot save this vehicle from its own vapid redundancy. Mike truly is a great and powerful Hollywood ogre. All hail the ogre!


----------



## titans88

Max said:


> Sorry MacDoc, your "sort of the point" point sort of falls short of making the point... the flick in question seemed to be attempting some sort of morality tale but ended up choking the clotted dust of its own arrested momentum.
> 
> As for _Shrek III,_ just caught that now. Methinks Mike Myers has too great a love for himself. This one again has all the technical brilliance we've come to expect, at the service of... what? More fart jokes? Even the fusillade of scattershot popcult references, coming in all the more fast and furious, cannot save this vehicle from its own vapid redundancy. Mike truly is a great and powerful Hollywood ogre. All hail the ogre!


I guess Paul Thomas Anderson's only "excuse" would be he was working with an adapted screenplay. They story was already in place, and I somehow get the impression he knew well before hand how the movie's plot would play out (if that sounds sarcastic it was not meant to be!).


----------



## Max

I've liked other stuff Anderson's done - _Boogie Nights_ comes to mind. I can't say for certain as I haven't read the book, but Wikepedia claims that Anderson's reading of _There Will Be Blood_ was fairly loose. Whether that's true or not, the flick itself just stalled out for my gal and I... the first third was terrific in its pacing and we felt it was really leading up to something dreadful and terribly climactic and then... it flatlined.

As the saying goes, your mileage may vary.


----------



## MacDoc

Sure Max - don't unlike untidy random things??...offends your "writer's" sensibility of nicely wrapped plotlines?


----------



## MacDoc

> How about WILDLY uneven. On all three Shrek movies, I have alternated between laughing and grimacing


That perhaps is switching target mode adult/kid - top notch animations like Toy Story overlay the "adult" story lines and send ups seamlessly on top of the "kids" version without the two intersecting much.

Shrek - keeps busting the line between the two..lots of groaners...I mean what else has Eddie Murphy EVER done but that. 

I thought the first the best, perhaps due to the "then" fresh approach.

Looking forward to Wall E.









Apple - Trailers - WALL&#149;E


----------



## titans88

Max said:


> I've liked other stuff Anderson's done - _Boogie Nights_ comes to mind. I can't say for certain as I haven't read the book, but Wikepedia claims that Anderson's reading of _There Will Be Blood_ was fairly loose. Whether that's true or not, the flick itself just stalled out for my gal and I... the first third was terrific in its pacing and we felt it was really leading up to something dreadful and terribly climactic and then... it flatlined.
> 
> As the saying goes, your mileage may vary.


I agree on all counts. I guess what I may be getting at is I wonder if the film was meant to play out like that? Either way, if it was intentional, it did not play out well.

Magnolia is my favourite PTA flick, but Boogie Nights is fantastic!


----------



## titans88

MacDoc said:


> That perhaps is switching target mode adult/kid - top notch animations like Toy Story overlay the "adult" story lines and send ups seamlessly on top of the "kids" version without the two intersecting much.
> 
> Shrek - keeps busting the line between the two..lots of groaners...I mean what else has Eddie Murphy EVER done but that.
> 
> I thought the first the best, perhaps due to the "then" fresh approach.
> 
> Looking forward to Wall E.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Apple - Trailers - WALL•E


Once again it looks lime Pixar has a winner. You were hitting on this idea already, but I thought it would apply here. I think Wall E could easily be re imagined as a film aimed towards older audiences, perhaps not animated. The story of this lonely robot finding its way relates to so many of the basic stories and universal truths we see in film today (i.e. the coming-of-age story). Pixar creates these wonderful, intricate characters that anyone can love, and they throw them into these great stories that you can't get enough of.


----------



## Max

MacDoc said:


> Sure Max - don't unlike untidy random things??...offends your "writer's" sensibility of nicely wrapped plotlines?


MacDoc... you've confused me with someone else. Best roll up your little blue emoti-ball and pitch it at the whoever you really meant to insult. Run along now!

Titan: yeah, I too suspect it was all deliberate, but that it simply didn't work out as planned in that the punch it was supposed to deliver never quite materialized. The murder at the end was perhaps intended to be that punch but it didn't feel that way to me; it was an anticlimatic blip, nothing more. Maybe something got lost on the cutting room floor.

Day-Lewis did a bang-up job with his role however, no matter what else went off the rails.


----------



## Max

titans88 said:


> Magnolia is my favourite PTA flick, but Boogie Nights is fantastic!


I forgot about _Magnolia..._ good flick... quirky but good. I liked the scoring - it felt like they were taking a risk with a number of things. I also liked the casting. No doubt, Anderson's his own man and he directs things his way. I did appreciate how he treated the landscape as very nearly a character in its own right in his last film... there was a luxuriant sense of space and pacing; I just found it uneven.


----------



## titans88

Max said:


> MacDoc... you've confused me with someone else. Best roll up your little blue emoti-ball and pitch it at the whoever you really meant to insult. Run along now!
> 
> Titan: yeah, I too suspect it was all deliberate, but that it simply didn't work out as planned in that the punch it was supposed to deliver never quite materialized. The murder at the end was perhaps intended to be that punch but it didn't feel that way to me; it was an anticlimatic blip, nothing more. Maybe something got lost on the cutting room floor.
> 
> Day-Lewis did a bang-up job with his role however, no matter what else went off the rails.


The progression of the film certainly lacked balance and you are right, the bowling alley murder seemed out of place with the development of the storyline. It just didn't fit!

Rarely do I enjoy the work of Tom Cruise, but he was superbly cast in Magnolia. Loved his performance.


----------



## Max

Same here. Cruise generally bugs me with his performances, but I respect his more physical roles like the MI stuff - guy does his own stunts and that's impressive. But in _Magnolia_ he was magnificient. Come to think of it, I enjoyed him in _The Firm_ too... I guess there are a few in which I really enjoy his work rather than be annoyed by all the mugging.


----------



## titans88

Max said:


> Same here. Cruise generally bugs me with his performances, but I respect his more physical roles like the MI stuff - guy does his own stunts and that's impressive. But in _Magnolia_ he was magnificient. Come to think of it, I enjoyed him in _The Firm_ too... I guess there are a few in which I really enjoy his work rather than be annoyed by all the mugging.


A guilty pleasure of mine is A Few Good Men...

I remember reading about his MI stunts and what not, and being totally amazed he was committed to his role like that. I assumed a blockbuster movie star like him wouldn't be interested in taking those kind of risks for the sake of the movie. Good on him!


----------



## Max

Yeah, I feel the same way. Says a lot about the man's drive. I've a hunch he harnesses that energy in his involvement with Scientology. A little off the rails with his effusive couch-hopping proclamations of love and all the obsessive secrecy but you can't deny his commitment to his various projects.

I like how "you can't handle the truth!" has become such a popcult reference. 'course, it was Jack's line, not Tom's. Tom just wanted the truth... strange how that has less sticking power.

But back to film...


----------



## skinnyboy

*Ichi The Killer*

Directed by Takashi Miike this 2002 Japanese release is Reservoir Dogs jacked up on crack while free falling from the CN Tower - WOOOOOOOOW!!!

If you like to take a trip on the wild side of movie making and want to see something shocking and bold with loads of style then check this sick puppy of a movie out.

Features an eclectic collection of some of the most whacked psycho paths ever put on celluloid. Be prepared after it ends (if you get that far) with some back to back episodes of something wholesome to watch like Touched By An Angel to help take the edge off  

The only negative aspect to this English version is the seriously bad dubbing. If you can get a version with English subtitles instead, do it.


----------



## NBiBooker

Incredible Hulk - way better than Ang Lee's abomination. Indiana Jones - a fun romp and tribute to 1950s sci-fi and adventure flicks. Iron Man - put's Spider-Man series to shame. 

Looking forward to: 
Batman Begins
Hancock
Wall.E

D.


----------



## chas_m

NBiBooker said:


> Looking forward to:
> Batman Begins
> Hancock
> Wall.E
> 
> D.


I think you mean "The Dark Knight," inasmuch as "Batman Begins" has been out for over a year. 

Just a reminder: a well-balanced diet of movies includes "small" films as well as the big "blockbusters." History shows that most of the really big-name summer films are actually rather stupid and quickly forgotten. Not saying "big" entertainment isn't good (I enjoyed "Iron Man" a lot and look forward to "Wall•E" and "Dark Knight" etc), but the less-moneyswamped films can be just (if not more) satisfying too.

So far, "The Band's Visit" and "Persopolis" have made far bigger impacts on me than most of the "Hollywood" films. I've heard good things about "Run Fat Boy Run," "Up the Yangtze" and "Young People F-cking." I'm looking forward to "Stop-Loss" and "Shine a Light."*

*Please remember that I'm out on Vancouver Island and we are a little behind the bigger cities in terms of movies playing here. 

It's all about variety, people!


----------



## MacDoc

Set up for 









at the VIP screen Friday night. Booked online yesterday for the 4.30 show and still got seats pretty far forward :-( - looks like this might be a winner.

Nice to have a companion with a liking for sci-fi genre movies to indulge with. 
She's over dosing on Stargate on demand every night. Poor media deprived South African


----------



## MacDoc

Hmmmm RT gave it a 74% - both of us were "puzzled" by the movie....

Jolie is anorexic - no really  - good cast - cross of Matrix, Crouching Tiger with an odd dystopian overlay.
Interesting cinematic effects.


----------



## MannyP Design

Hancock was a surprisingly good movie--the funny parts as well as the dramatic parts. RT shows a 36%, but this is one movie I think the critics clearly got way wrong. Some people came in expecting a satirical comedy, but this movie has a fair amount of dramatic moments with a plot twist.

Lots of heart, character, a strong cast... and cool visual effects.


----------



## eMacMan

MacDoc said:


> Set up for
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> at the VIP screen Friday night. Booked online yesterday for the 4.30 show and still got seats pretty far forward :-( - looks like this might be a winner.
> 
> Nice to have a companion with a liking for sci-fi genre movies to indulge with.
> She's over dosing on Stargate on demand every night. Poor media deprived South African


We saw this one in Fernie while we waited for the Mounties to clean-up an accident blocking Highway 3. It was marginally better than sitting and waiting for traffic to clear. Under any other circumstances it would not have been worth the price of admission. BTW lots of empty seats.


----------



## CubaMark

We went to see Wall•E last night - a nice film, certainly. Something there for all ages - lots of subtext that is 'way too deep for the kiddies, so adults will enjoy it too. 

One suggestion, however, for an enjoyable experience: See it on the largest possible screen. Some of the scenes cry out for an IMAX treatment. 

I also was a little put off - and this is a sniggling thing - by the inconsistency in animated detail. In places it is incredibly detailed, while in others it ventures into 1950s Disney cartoonishism. 

The space-with-a-fire-extinguisher bit, though, is very memorable. 

M


----------



## MacDoc

Been a while...

In reverse order










HBO's *Recount* reprising the post 2000 US election drama in played out in Florida- terrific cast and well paced. No accident it's been put on now.  75% positive on RT well deserved. :clap:

Spacey is brilliant as usual.
••










oh hell just go see the damn thing  :clap: :clap:

88 on RT is likely understated. Much fun. Del Toro's imagination is outstanding. One wants the film to slow down to see all the detail.
Star Wars bar is a pale shadow of the troll market. 

••

I've never been to a Stratford play before to my everlasting regret.....but at least I picked a terrific one to kick off a late start.
I'm a big fan of the movie Cabaret and while the female lead was nowhere up to Minelli - the EmCee for which Joel Grey won a well deserved Academy award was delightfully matched by Bruce Gow.










good review here 4.5 Stars awarded.

CABARET - Stratford Shakespeare Festival Of Canada 2008 | Cabaret, Berlin, Musical, Love, Theatre | A 'n' E Vibe

a full house even on a Tuesday night. 

and The Toronto Star weighs in 



> "the most provocative and brilliantly staged musical in Stratford history."
> - The Toronto Star


make sure you catch a bite at *Down the Street.*
Down The Street | 30 Ontario St. | Stratford ON












> "Owner Susan Dunfield has somehow figured out how to run a bar and restaurant that pleases tourists, theatre people and locals -- all at once. No mean feat. Sort of the Stratford version of Rick's from Casablanca."


Much fun and good food.- marvellous atmosphere. Been a long while since I've been in Stratford and two trips in a week left me very impressed. Sophistication with small town friendly.
Treat yourself.


----------



## titans88

Just watched Young People F*cking - absolutely hilarious! Tons of lighthearted fun, and a Canadian film to boot.


----------



## screature

I loved the first Hellboy, can't wait to see Hellboy II.


----------



## MacDoc

Ony 57% on RT  - not sure WHAT they expected but I found it charming, well cast, gorgeous presentation and Hathaway as Jane just glows.

A treat for any who enjoy well crafted historical dramas.


----------



## skinnyboy

*A Scanner Darkly*

Seen this movie about a week ago - loved it!

Keanu Reeves, Woody Harrelson, Robert Downey Jr., Wionna Ryder and others were hilarious yet at the same time the movie had a serious undertone (sacrifice the good of the one for the good of the many).

The cartoonish special effects seem to divide most people into "love or hate" categories. For me? I liked it, gave the movie a fresh look and IMO added to the drug haze atmosphere that most of the characters walked around in.

Something a little different, but good different.


----------



## NBiBooker

The Dark Knight. Absolutely amazing. Ledger truly deserves an Oscar. I can't wait to see Bale in T4.


----------



## MacDoc

Chris Cooper's imprimatur on this attracted me in the first place....a bit of Syriana feel.

The last minute tidies it up for me...maybe too cliched overall to work as I wold guess it was intended.


----------



## MacDoc

Nothing like a rainy weekend to catch up on movies.

Unexpected treat I stumbled on...











very dire....
Two of my fav leads and 88 on RT......a triumph for Cronenburg.


----------



## Max

Coincidence! I just was going to write about that one, MD. Here goes anyway:

OK, saw Cronenberg's _Eastern Promises_ last night. This guy gets better with age... more restrained, less overt plot points and silly, runaway effects... just a good story. Felt more complete and leaner than _A history of violence._... sterling performances from Naomi Watts, Viggo Mortenson and Armin Mueller-Stahl - and a solid performance by Vincent Cassel as Kirill, an unbalanced gangster with a terrible secret. Great tale... Mortenson just dissapears into his menacing, laconic character. A few extreme, grisly moments but definitely reined in compared to many of the director's earlier works. Great scoring, too. Lots of subtle touches in a film with excellent pacing and a fairly plausible plot.


----------



## MacDoc

Good analysis - my only caveat was the casting of Watts ( yes she did a great job with it ) - but while Viggo submerged his star power to the point of almost being unrecognizeable...it's hard to damp Watts "glow" ..and for an otherwise gritty "darkside" movie it just seemed a bit off - while her uncle and aunt and the remainder of the Russian community was wonderfully cast.

A minor caveat on a terrific film - did not recognize it as Cronenberg until the credits and that speaks to the "maturity" factor you mention.


----------



## Dr.G.

Is there a new X Files movie being released this Friday???


----------



## fjnmusic

Only a mystery this big could bring them back together. Uh, yeah…bring who again? The X-Files is so, like, _90's_, man.


----------



## fellfromtree

I wasn't sold on Eastern Promises. Seems to me Cronenberg made a typical American film that tried to pass as 'foreign'. Instead of an Eastern country/language film, he only steps part way out of the west, setting down in an English speaking country, and puts a typical American movie ending/outcome on a 'foreign' looking film. I kept hearing Tim Robbins in the background, a la The Player- give me a happy ending, and we have a deal.


----------



## Max

Gotta disagree, fellfromtree... seems to me one thing Cronenberg is utterly incapable of is making a typical American film (whatever that is). I think he'd almost rather disembowel himself.

As for the ending, I don't consider it storybook-optimistic at all... Mortensen's character faces an uncertain outcome - he appears deeply compromised morally and his serving two masters makes it all the more dubious. Nor does he get the girl. Yeah, the big bad guy gets put away (we can assume, though we don't see it) and the girl gets her baby... but there was no up-swell of glorious strings, no Capra-esque moment of triumph. It all seemed much more equivocal than that. But it's an ending I found myself trusting. It sure as heck wasn't a feel-good film. That fight scene in the sauna pretty much negated any possibility for Disney appeal... though short, it was too gruesome and messy... not at all stylized, like a superbly choreographed John Woo take on the poetry and dance of deadly violence. It was far darker.

Speaking of the girl, MacDoc, I think Watts was fine... she is a lovely woman but neither her makeup nor wardrobe seemed calculated to throw things askew, at least as far as I was concerned. Certainly, her character was made to symbolize all that is good and just in the rotten world, and to a certain degree Watts therefore had less to chew on than her fellow actors playing the villains.


----------



## MacDoc

I guess what bothered me about Watts was she was a bit of a cliche whereas other characters had some uncertainty ( 'cept her mum of course ). Her motives with the baby and with Vigo tho perhaps nullifies the "too perfect" aspect.

The line about "to be King" made it alien to American movies in my view....it felt like a non Brit - covering a Brit movie style...and doing it very well.


----------



## guytoronto

"Get Smart" = much better than the reviews made it out to be. A lot of laugh out loud moments.


----------



## Max

Yeah MacDoc, no question - she was a bit of a cliché... she had the least to work with and though she availed of herself quite well, that performance remains a bit thin compared to the juicier principal male roles. How much of that was Cronenburg reining her in, I wonder (if any)?

My friend who just got back from trekking across Scotland watched _Get Smart_ the night she landed back home and pronounced _Get Smart_ positively hilarious. I'll have to catch it some time. I grew up with the perpetually moronic Cone of Silence and I have a soft spot for the show which spawned it.


----------



## screature

MacDoc said:


> Chris Cooper's imprimatur on this attracted me in the first place....a bit of Syriana feel.
> 
> The last minute tidies it up for me...maybe too cliched overall to work as I wold guess it was intended.


I love Chris Cooper but this thing was machismo overload and cliche right from the get go. Didn't even come close to Syriana in feel for me. 

Now if you want to see a good relatively recent Chris Cooper flic see _Breach_, a way better movie all around. IMHO










Or if you want to see a great old Chris Cooper film watch Lone Star (1996) a really good John Sayles work, great story with a twist at the end.


----------



## MacDoc

For sure I want to see *Get Smart* when my friend gets back. Hathaway is rapidly climbing in my fav actors list.

••

The machismo in TK was a was what the entire thing was all about and without the last couple of lines in my view would

a) not had CC in it
b) turned it into a B movie.
c) that was where the Syriana aspect came in....it was no where near as subtle a piece

The FBI team verged on parody.


----------



## Max

Screature, I saw _Breach_ some months back. yeah, pretty good. Cooper seems to excel at playing gruff, emotionally distant guys hiding big secrets. He's a great actor with a lot of versatility. Because he lacks leading man looks he's often sidelined from the main event, and that's a shame. I think he can carry a lot.


----------



## screature

Max said:


> Screature, I saw _Breach_ some months backl yeah, pretty good. Cooper seems to excel at playing gruff, emotionally distant guys hiding big secrets. He's a great actor with a lot of versatility. Because he lacks leading man looks he's often sidelined from the main event, and that's a shame. I think he can carry a lot.


That's one of the reasons why I receommend _Lone Star_ where he is the lead and does an outstanding job. Actually it was _Lone Star_ that turned me on to Chris Cooper.

However he doesn't play the "emotionally distant guys hiding big secrets"; in _Lone Star_, quite the contrary, he plays the emotionally open and sensitive guy seeking the truth. If you haven't seen it I highly receommend it. It isn't perfect and some of the supporting roles don't live up to his standard but it is a very richly layered story that is well directed and acted.


----------



## titans88

MacDoc said:


> For sure I want to see *Get Smart* when my friend gets back. Hathaway is rapidly climbing in my fav actors list.
> 
> ••
> 
> The machismo in TK was a was what the entire thing was all about and without the last couple of lines in my view would
> 
> a) not had CC in it
> b) turned it into a B movie.
> c) that was where the Syriana aspect came in....it was no where near as subtle a piece
> 
> The FBI team verged on parody.


I thought The Kingdom was an adequate step back to late 80's, early 90's action films, obviously with modern twists. While attempting to tackle modern issues (poorly at that) it provided the visuals and actions sequences we don't see as often anymore. I saw The Kingdom more as an enjoyable action film with little thought necessary, as opposed to Syriana, which was obviously far more dramatic.


----------



## Max

screature said:


> However he doesn't play the "emotionally distant guys hiding big secrets"; in _Lone Star_, quite the contrary, he plays the emotionally open and sensitive guy seeking the truth.


I'll have to check out _Lone Star_ for sure. When I made my comments about Cooper, I was thinking of his rogue role in the Bourne series, and, more pointedly, his tortured, self-loathing role as Col. Frank Fitts in _American Beauty_. But yeah, he's versatile. I also liked his bit in _Adaptation_. I get the impression the dude knows his way around the human psyche.


----------



## MacDoc

Yes - Cooper's grown in appeal for me - a variety of the Tommy Lee Jones style with a wider range.

Detested Lone Star....nothing to do with Cooper tho.

He has an amazing filmography

Chris Cooper (I)


----------



## Max

You know, I used to think Tommy Lee Jones was a bit of a one-note wonder. But my respect for him jumped a few notches with _No country for old men._ I think he tends to be typecast, but there's a lot under that rugged surface.


----------



## screature

MacDoc said:


> Detested Lone Star....nothing to do with Cooper tho.
> Chris Cooper (I)


What was it about Lone Star that you detested  I cant' imagine what it would be?


----------



## CubaMark

I saw Batman: Dark Knight last night... y'know how sometimes people will rave about a film, you get all hyped up about, and then the movie itself is a real let-down?

Not this one.

Very nice....with caveats. Although I have little faith in Oscar coming Batman' way for Heath Ledger's Joker, I have to say that he would deserve it. Brilliant. Of all the characters, Ledger's Joker was the only one for which I did not see the actor behind the role. Engrossing. Creepy. Totally believable. The only thing that detracted from my full enjoyment of the Joker was my stupid brain bringing up visual comparisons with Jack Nicholson's cartoon character...

Among the sniggling little things that bugged me....

- What is the deal with Christian Bale's "Batman voice"? In small doses, I can handle it, but there's a point near the end of the film where it just really bugs me.
- Maggie Gyllenhall. Not to be unkind, but... *she's* the one that Bruce Wayne is all ga-ga over? With the Russian ballet chicks falling off of him? Believability meter dropped off the scale.
- The whole "I'm gonna make you cross the line" bit... a little too simplistic as the core plot hook...

Things that I found cool / hilarious:

- the 'sky hook' 
- the Joker as he leaves a building that has just blown up (kinda).  

Overall, a 9/10. Well worth seeing - with a second visit to the theatre a big-screen encore.

M


----------



## titans88

CubaMark said:


> I saw Batman: Dark Knight last night... y'know how sometimes people will rave about a film, you get all hyped up about, and then the movie itself is a real let-down?
> 
> Not this one.
> 
> Very nice....with caveats. Although I have little faith in Oscar coming Batman' way for Heath Ledger's Joker, I have to say that he would deserve it. Brilliant. Of all the characters, Ledger's Joker was the only one for which I did not see the actor behind the role. Engrossing. Creepy. Totally believable. The only thing that detracted from my full enjoyment of the Joker was my stupid brain bringing up visual comparisons with Jack Nicholson's cartoon character...
> 
> Among the sniggling little things that bugged me....
> 
> - What is the deal with Christian Bale's "Batman voice"? In small doses, I can handle it, but there's a point near the end of the film where it just really bugs me.
> - Maggie Gyllenhall. Not to be unkind, but... *she's* the one that Bruce Wayne is all ga-ga over? With the Russian ballet chicks falling off of him? Believability meter dropped off the scale.
> - The whole "I'm gonna make you cross the line" bit... a little too simplistic as the core plot hook...
> 
> Things that I found cool / hilarious:
> 
> - the 'sky hook'
> - the Joker as he leaves a building that has just blown up (kinda).
> 
> Overall, a 9/10. Well worth seeing - with a second visit to the theatre a big-screen encore.
> 
> M


Extremely well said! 

Were you referring to the Joker leaving the hospital dressed as a nurse? One of the funniest things i've seen in a long time!


----------



## CubaMark

titans88 said:


> Were you referring to the Joker leaving the hospital dressed as a nurse? One of the funniest things i've seen in a long time!


Yes, exactly, but I was trying not to be spoilery...  F-ing Hilarious!


----------



## titans88

CubaMark said:


> Yes, exactly, but I was trying not to be spoilery...  F-ing Hilarious!


Ahhhhhh sorry! I wasn't thinking!


----------



## fellfromtree

Paddle To The Sea, on Criterion (Janus) DVD.

The 1966 Bill Mason NFB classic, a classroom 16mm staple, complete with a speck of fluff in the corner of the picture. I would have liked a second version with the projector sound, the odd frame slipping, and a few sound drags, but this is a good 28 minutes of Canadian film history.


----------



## chas_m

For those of you with Ameri-friends, DeepDiscountDVD (who's prices are amazing, but who DO NOT SHIP to Canada -- bastiches!) is having a two-for-one Criterion sale at the moment (till July 29, so hurry).

The actual Criterion version of _Paddle to the Sea_ is a mere $12.11US, so pair it up with any other great Criterion DVD and save yourself a bundle!

Needless to say, many other great Criterion films in the collection as well. Treat yourself!


----------



## MacDoc

I like LeeLee - not powerhouse actress but she and Albert Brooke carry this. 53 on RT about right. A bit too cliched but Brookes and Leelee DO dance.

Caught most of *Ghandi* again in HD - just plain terrific. Running on Roger Movie channels this month - glorious in HiDef.


----------



## titans88

Just saw The Wackness. RT gives it 63%, which I would say is harsh. Film takes place in 1994, uses early 90's hip hop as a soundtrack, and features Ben Kingsley as a pot smoking therapist. Olivia Thirlby, Juno's best friend in the film Juno, shines.


----------



## MacDoc

Somehow over the years I've wanted to see this and had never managed until tonight.

What a brilliant movie.... a well deserved Academy for Matlin, wow movie debut across from Hurt and wins an Academy award. 
Hurt is terrific as well...movie making at it's very best.


----------



## MacDoc

'nother classic I'd never watched completely. 

Sonderbergh is brilliant and the young lead,Jesse Bradford, is just incredible, 
Highly highly recommended. Dr. G you'll love it if you've not seen it.

Most enjoyable movie making. :clap:


----------



## Max

Okay, just watched _Gone Baby Gone_. Never been a fan of Ben Afleck the actor but his directing abilities? Wow, different story. If this is any indication of what he can do, I'm forced to revise my opinion of him in a hurry. Great, gritty contemporary Boston tale of your typical triumvirate of cops, crime and corruption. Fantastic supporting roles with Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman and Amy Madigan, but hats off to Casey Affleck for pulling off a very powerful star turn. I suppose the film has some flaws but none that stuck in my craw... it felt authentic and terribly tragic and though peppered with plot twists, it was weighted with a relentless inevitability that was by turns amoral and supremely moral in its conclusion. Man, we were very pleasantly surprised. I don't know what I was expecting with that title but it sure wasn't this.... nicely shot, too. Nice grainy film stock feel... great pools of darks and slightly over-saturated hues, with thick Bostonian accents and down and out settings... I felt hypnotized by it.


----------



## titans88

I strongly agree Max. Casey Affleck's performance was a nice turn from his usual comedy routine in the Oceans films. After watching the Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, and now Gone Baby Gone, I have a new respect for Casey Affleck and his acting ability - he certainly appears to be a star on the rise.

Ben Affleck also impressed me with his direction, but you have to admit he was working with can't miss material. Denis Lehane has a wealth of material that really is, for the most part, fantastic. He wrote a few episodes of The Wire, which in my opinion, was the best show on television.


----------



## fellfromtree

Control.
Samantha Morton, Sam Riley, Alexandra Maria Lara.

This is the biopic on Joy Division's Ian Curtis. I'm not much for music bios or concert films, but this is exceptional. Sam Riley does a great job being Ian Curtis, and the music performances are very convincing, very well performed.

I didn't know anything about the film/director, except for an interview on CBC (Q) with Riley. Throughout the picture, I kept thinking it looked like a series of still shots as much as a moving picture. There was more than smattering of Greenaway and Herzog throughout the film. The photography/framing is fantastic, to the point that it was taking me out of the film. At first I found the aspect ratio a little odd, but it is clearly deliberate and calculated, considering the photography/ framing. Ditto the black & white. I can't imagine this film in colour. After viewing, I looked into Anton Corbin (director), and it all pretty much made perfect sense.

A blip of one review chastised the film (and R&R films) for perpetuating the R&R romance of suicide, but there was very little romantic portrayal of either suicide, or rock & roll- a few Spinal Tap moments, but mostly it made R&R seem like just another job. I'd say it made being the fan look much more rewarding than being the band.
I'll be interested to listen to the commentary track with Anton Corbin,


----------



## MacDoc

Just returned from Dark Knight in iMax.

Quite frankly aside from Keith Leger's performance and rather cool bat vehicles I thought the movie tried too hard on the "moral ambiguity" front  - what was with the ferries..???

Too long - would have made two movies in my view and Gotham was too much New York.....yeah yeah I know.
Titanic it's not but good on Leger - liked the bank job in the initial 5 minutes.

There were SOME strong iconic shots but perhaps too convoluted to keep the pacing crisp tho it does at times.

I don't think it will disappoint - maybe too much hype now. The 6.30 iMax show was sold out 24 hours earlier on a long weekend 

I suspect there may be a "Directors Cut" in there that might be very cool...Ridley?????


----------



## Max

titans88 said:


> Ben Affleck also impressed me with his direction, but you have to admit he was working with can't miss material. Denis Lehane has a wealth of material that really is, for the most part, fantastic. He wrote a few episodes of The Wire, which in my opinion, was the best show on television.


Yes, Affleck deserves kudos for his direction, big time. As for _The Wire,_ we've only caught the last, final season. It made us sorry to have missed the first - what - four? In any case, great show. It made me love Baltimore all over again; _Homicide_ was the first series to brilliantly reveal to me the many stained and complex facets of that storied city. That too was a great series.

The best stuff on television is the more adult-themed, late-night cable fare... I can't handle any more CSI/Criminal Minds/hospital show stuff anymore. We've been watching the first season of _Dexter_ and grooving to its perverse suspense and strange moral compass... wowsers. I love great television; it almost makes up for all the schlocky crap that's long been flooding the airwaves.

Sorry for the diversion... back to movies.


----------



## Glipt

Just caught Dark Night in IMAX too. Enjoyed the film but will restrict my comments to technical for now. In particular aspect ratio. I was interested to see if the constant aspect ratio change would be distracting. To my surprise I found it very effective in immersing the viewer into the action. Especially during motion scenes where instead of just bringing the action closer it added to the feel of 'being there' by extending the upper and lower view. I was looking for it so I did notice each time it changed but the other people with me did not. In fact I was surprised at how much it did change. Most wide shots of the cities were in full IMAX even if they were just a few seconds long.

What will this mean for video now I wonder? For years we have been watching letterboxed movies to 'experience what the director intended'. Now perhaps with a shift to some movies being filmed in IMAX (which is 'old style TV 1.33:1) and the wholesale adoption of widescreen TVs, will we have vertical letterboxed versions available to 'experience what the director intended'? Will a version of The Dark Knight be available with a constantly changing aspect ratio? I think this would be more distracting than the film exhibition.

IMAX has spoiled me. I find I'm loth to go out to a movie now unless it is IMAX and The Dark Knight proved to be very satisfying.


----------



## MacDoc

Have you tried the 2K digital Cinemas? - in some ways I prefer them over iMax for dynamic range of image and detail tho the iMax field of vision is outstanding.

Dark Knight is upscaled I assume - not shot in iMax format.


----------



## Glipt

I saw Star Wars III in digital and there was something wrong with the projector. Looked like VGA and they had it installed in a smaller auditorium. Star Wars II looked good, but again small auditorium and low sound volume. For years there were only 2 digital projectors in the GTA, both permanently installed in smaller auditoriums. but there now appears to be more. I would love to see one in a larger auditorium such as #9 or #10 at the Mississauga Colosseum.

For the most part Dark Night is IMAX DMR which is upscaled and usually letterboxed for the screen. Star Wars II was not letterboxed but everything else I have seen in IMAX DMR has been. The parts of Dark Night where the whole screen is used however were shot with IMAX cameras. The bank robbery at the beginning, most wide shots of the cities, particularly Hong Kong. This marks the first time a fictional hollywood movie was shot even partially with IMAX cameras.


----------



## Max

Saw _The Kingdom_ a couple of nights ago. Peter Berg directs this intense actioner set primarily in Saudi Arabia. Wow, what suspenseful pacing and direction. Well shot, with lots of fast cuts and staccato rhythms... more of an adventure than a political commentary but the politics is still very much there. Very well done. Superb performances by Chris Cooper, Jamie Fox, Jason Bateman... and hats off to Jennifer Garner for pulling off an amazingly physical yet farily credible role... there's an excruciatingly tense scene in the film's breathless last quarter that has her character in a vicious fight to the death; the way it was cut together was damn near perfect. I was spellbound by the frenzied violence and the urgency of the sequences. A final kudos to Ali Suliman, whose character played the American's FBI team's Saudi military liaison on their mission... a lower-cadre soldier whose loyalties expand over the course of the fim.... wonderful performance.

Lots of explosions and stunts for those who like that sort of thing, but to my way of thinking, the actors more than carried the day here.


----------



## MacDoc

Glipt thanks = your explanation accounts for some of the detail shifts I noticed.
THat's perhaps why the opening scenes and some of the iconic vistas made me sit up.
It's tough watching just about everything in HD these days at home and also 2k at the cinema and then adjusting back to a some lesser detail and texture.
That's interesting to have full iMax in the cinematic process. Gives do it in one take a whole new level of urgency. 

Just wait a sec while we spool up another 5 miles of film for take 2 

You really should try the Weycroft VIP cinema - designed all around for top notch immersion including curving the screen slightly and full stadium seating.

Right on the Go line too. It's where Cinema is going.


----------



## iJohnHenry

Well, I Googled, and I failed.

Link, please??


----------



## MacDoc

Link to what??


----------



## iJohnHenry

MacDoc said:


> You really should try the Weycroft VIP cinema - designed all around for top notch immersion including curving the screen slightly and full stadium seating.


This.


----------



## chas_m

For future reference, the late gentleman's name was Heath Ledger.


----------



## titans88

Max said:


> Saw _The Kingdom_ a couple of nights ago. Peter Berg directs this intense actioner set primarily in Saudi Arabia. Wow, what suspenseful pacing and direction. Well shot, with lots of fast cuts and staccato rhythms... more of an adventure than a political commentary but the politics is still very much there. Very well done. Superb performances by Chris Cooper, Jamie Fox, Jason Bateman... and hats off to Jennifer Garner for pulling off an amazingly physical yet farily credible role... *there's an excruciatingly tense scene in the film's breathless last quarter* that has her character in a vicious fight to the death; the way it was cut together was damn near perfect. I was spellbound by the frenzied violence and the urgency of the sequences. A final kudos to Ali Suliman, whose character played the American's FBI team's Saudi military liaison on their mission... a lower-cadre soldier whose loyalties expand over the course of the fim.... wonderful performance.
> 
> Lots of explosions and stunts for those who like that sort of thing, but to my way of thinking, the actors more than carried the day here.


That last quarter of the movie is insanely intense!!! I remember squirming in my chair a couple times, i'm sure you know which moments i'm referring to (to avoid any spoilers!).


----------



## titans88

Max said:


> Yes, Affleck deserves kudos for his direction, big time. As for _The Wire,_ we've only caught the last, final season. It made us sorry to have missed the first - what - four? In any case, great show. It made me love Baltimore all over again; _Homicide_ was the first series to brilliantly reveal to me the many stained and complex facets of that storied city. That too was a great series.
> 
> The best stuff on television is the more adult-themed, late-night cable fare... I can't handle any more CSI/Criminal Minds/hospital show stuff anymore. We've been watching the first season of _Dexter_ and grooving to its perverse suspense and strange moral compass... wowsers. I love great television; it almost makes up for all the schlocky crap that's long been flooding the airwaves.
> 
> Sorry for the diversion... back to movies.


I find myself preaching to people, literally begging them to watch The Wire, from season one and on. With the amount of trash on television these days, I get excited when a series like The Wire takes off, especially when one considers all of the adversity it faced. There was a great article in The New Yorker, which talks about the difficulty the writers and producers of The Wire dealt with in order to make the show a success. Check it out: Profiles: Stealing Life: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker

Also, I believe a few of the staff on The Wire were involved with Homicide as well!


----------



## Max

There was some casting overlap. Clark Johston (brother to Molly and Taborah, part of a very talented Toronto family) played a detective on _Homicide,_ then played Gus, the newsroom floor honcho in _The Wire..._ one of the reptilian politicos in the mayor's office of that show, played by a really cold, emotionally featureless character actor (name escapes me at the moment), was more or less replicated by the same fellow as a reptilian politico on the older show. I'm betting there was overlap in the writing department, too. 

Johnston also stepped in as director on _The Wire,_ if I recall.


----------



## nice&easy mac&cheesey

*The Wire*

Glad I'm not the only one who urges people to watch this fantastic show! I think it may be the best show I've ever seen on television.

I burned all of the episodes to DVD recently and just lent them to a friend last night. I got an email from him today; I think he's already hooked.

As for the title of this thread, the last good movie I saw was Juno. Finally got around to renting and watching it. It was good. Cute movie. Some funny lines in it. Nothing outstanding, but good. Worth renting to be sure.

Cheers,
n&e, m&c


----------



## fellfromtree

Terrible!!!!
The Tomatometer is no more. I just tried to use my Tomatometer widget... nothing. 

From Big Bucket- Upon the request of IGN Entertainment, The Tomatometer Dashboard Widget and iPhone web app have been taken down."

That was my most used widget. Now I'll have to get to RT the old fashioned way- bookmarks and browser navigation.


----------



## eggman

*Movie: The Machinist - but otherwise a Wire/Homicide me too post!*



Max said:


> There was some casting overlap. Clark Johston (brother to Molly and Taborah, part of a very talented Toronto family) played a detective on _Homicide,_ then played Gus, the newsroom floor honcho in _The Wire..._ one of the reptilian politicos in the mayor's office of that show, played by a really cold, emotionally featureless character actor (name escapes me at the moment), was more or less replicated by the same fellow as a reptilian politico on the older show. *I'm betting there was overlap in the writing department, too.
> *
> Johnston also stepped in as director on _The Wire,_ if I recall.


In a big way - David Simon wrote the original book that "Homicide" the series was based on, and he wrote most of its episodes and The Wire's too. (credits on 117 and 60 respectively)

His book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets is very good and elements of it show up in both series.

On a movie related note: Just watched "The Machinist" with Christian Bale - it went in a few places that surprised me, and I thought it was pretty good - but very bleak. (D'Angelo Barksdale (Larry Gillard Jr.) has a small part (well - Mr. Gillard does - but I can't see that actor now without thinking of the "The Wire")


----------



## titans88

eggman said:


> In a big way - David Simon wrote the original book that "Homicide" the series was based on, and he wrote most of its episodes and The Wire's too. (credits on 117 and 60 respectively)
> 
> His book Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets is very good and elements of it show up in both series.
> 
> On a movie related note: Just watched "The Machinist" with Christian Bale - it went in a few places that surprised me, and I thought it was pretty good - but very bleak. (D'Angelo Barksdale (Larry Gillard Jr.) has a small part (well - Mr. Gillard does - *but I can't see that actor now without thinking of the "The Wire")*


It's funny - I seem to see actors from The Wire everywhere these days. Generally they have small parts, but they are all over the place.

On another note, I just picked up Earth: The Biography on Blu-Ray, a BBC produced documentary for National Geographic. While it does not compare to Planet Earth, its more than enjoyable to watch, informative, and beautifully shot.


----------



## eMacMan

*Mama Mia*

Saw Mama Mia last night. Meryl Streep is more than adequate compensation for the presence of Pierce Brosnan. 

This is one of those movies that just makes you feel good despite any flaws.


----------



## prijikn

The Dark Knight is a very good movie . Dark Knight was filmed using IMAX cameras so the picture quality would be sooo much more better.


----------



## MacDoc

Saw Dark Knight again in iMax - perhaps enjoyed more the second time. Terrific performance by Leger 

•••

Pleasant surprise










I like Brendan Fraser - good sense of humour. The 3D was  - incredible. 3D now is not headache producing ( at least for me ) and they give out fresh glasses so it's always a good experience.
The movie was most fun, a tad over the top at times but the humour made it worthwhile and few jump out of your seat 3d effects made it a worthwhile adventure.

61% on RT actually was a surprise -


----------



## iJohnHenry

I was wondering why you held-back in the weather thread. 



Did they have a female lead anywhere near as voluptuous at Arlene Dahl?? :heybaby:


----------



## titans88

I finally saw Iron Man - and I was thoroughly impressed! I really enjoyed Robert Downey as Tony Stark, and thought most of the supporting roles were well acted.

The action was there, there was a great comedic element, and the film seemed to adhere to the comic book history of Iron Man/Tony Stark.


----------



## SINC

I watched "August Rush" last night with Robin Williams.

A fine tale with a splendid finish. A bit of a tear jerker at times, but Williams turns in a fine performance as a villain, a departure from his comic roles.


----------



## MacDoc

Haunting movie - true story well told and cast. Marvelous score. :clap:


----------



## MacDoc

Terrific cast - dark subject.


----------



## Sonal

Just saw "Outsourced."

It's a light film, but pretty good. I thought it stumbled a bit in the end, but the first 75% or so hit the right notes.


----------



## MacDoc

Well that was wonderful....*NOT* ......how RT found a 70% rating on this Shrek meets the Mummy is beyond me. What a utter mess.


----------



## chas_m

MacDoc said:


> Well that was wonderful....*NOT* ......how RT found a 70% rating on this Shrek meets the Mummy is beyond me. What a utter mess.


What part of "Angelina Jolie naked" are you having trouble with??


----------



## MaxPower

The animation in Beowulf was stunning at times, ant the rest meh.

As far as Angelina Jolie naked, well, I would prefer the real thing, not computer animation.


----------



## MacDoc

75% on RT likely well deserved - odd movie. Stylized psychological period piece.


----------



## SINC

I tired to watch that movie and died of boredom by the half way point.

Worst western ever made. XX)


----------



## iJohnHenry

Not new, by any means, but *Oh Brother Where Art Thou??*

What a hoot.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah great movie - very funny with a sharp stick underneath. :clap:

•••










Finally got to see this big romantic epic -with such a caste  no matter how florid it's worth the watch. 
Good one for HD as the scale and detail come out. Depardeu is always good for many laughs. Good score too.

Movie weekend - too cold for much else.


----------



## iJohnHenry

Too "pretty" for me.

I still can remember the one with Louis Hayward, in 1939 (my birth year).

Very chilling, in B&W. IMO.


----------



## MacDoc

Depardeu pretty...??










.....strange taste there boyo  

•••

Shifting centuries...intriguing movie...*Arlington Road* - Jeff Bridges and Tim Robbins cross swords..


----------



## MacDoc

Surprising treat.
91% on RT and well deserved, a crafted crime thriller.

Worth it for the score alone. :clap:


----------



## fellfromtree

Up The Yangtze.
A film by Yung Chang, co-production of the Nation Film Board.

Excellent doc about the displacement of people and culture caused by the Three Gorges Damn project.
This was uncomfortable to watch in some sections, maddening in others. A couple of scenes felt like a bit of a set-up, but in context, they were appropriate.
This also says a lot about Western tourists- sadly hilarious. I don't think the filmmaker tried to represent them in a bad light- I just don't think there was a way to represent them in any other light.


----------



## MacDoc

I was only watching that casually and regret doing so.... will pay more attention when it comes around again and watch it properly.


----------



## titans88

RT gives it a 91%

Watching this right now. Reminds me of my grandfather. One of my favourite films.


----------



## MacDoc

Kids home for the long weekend so a movie run.










My son's first exposure to Coen Bros odd sense of humour. Some puzzlement, some big smiles. Perfectly Kafkaesque. Modern slapstick writ black and well cast.
An acquired taste I'm not certain I have quite acquired yet.
My daughter loved it. 

••••••










Hard to go entirely wrong given cast and director. Pacing and score are terrific.
Sufficient twists - a bit trite on the love play but worth the time for the general tech eye candy and DiCaprio as "no longer a kid".
Might have had more impact had it not had a variety of similar themes Syriana etc preceding it.

The editing shows what Dark Knight really could have been.


----------



## MACinist

Saw "The Visitor" last week. Great movie. 

The Visitor Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes


----------



## Dr.G.

Just got back from seeing "W". I was disappointed at the end, but I generally liked the movie. It helps if you know the players before hand. It also helps one put how America got into the mess called Iraq. It also helps to put the days before the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, and the advice that was given to LBJ, into perspective.


----------



## MacDoc

Wow going to comment in the Books versus Movie thread but in may case the movie is better than the book.

While the book does flesh out the Afghan mind set the movie makes the entire tale just come alive.
Terrific work by the screenwriter. A very very good tale. Tightly paced and subtle when it needs to be. :clap: :clpa:


----------



## MacDoc

Brilliant - documentary movie making at it's best.... :clap:












> Runtime: 90 mins
> Genre: Education/General Interest
> Theatrical Release: Mar 9, 2007 Limited
> 
> Synopsis: Author and filmmaker James D. Scurlock takes on the powerful financial industry in an insightful and infuriating documentary about credit card debt in America. As he crisscrosses the United States, Scurlock interviews average Americans whose lives have been ruined by predatory financial lenders. His subjects are from all walks of life--everyone from retired widows in the Midwest, to poverty-stricken Southerners, to two college students who commit suicide due to their insurmountable bills.* Scurlock exposes the extortionate rates of the credit card companies, and reveals their practice of preying upon the very people who are least likely to be able to pay their debts*. His interviews with a Harvard law professor, debt collectors, and self-help "financial gurus" further expose* the shocking corruption within the financial system and the toxic ties between the corporations and the United States government*. The subject matter is gripping enough, but Scurlock ups the entertainment value with a pop-music soundtrack and by splicing in archival footage from educational films. MAXED OUT carries an urgent message for the future of America. Scurlock's battle cry is: grab the scissors and destroy your plastic--before it destroys yo


what was Bush's dictum...."get out there and shop" 

The first few minutes are the economic disaster in a nutshell....


----------



## MacDoc

wow......:clap: - remarkable cast and movie making.

Dr. G - one you want to watch.


----------



## titans88

MacDoc said:


> Kids home for the long weekend so a movie run.


I love the Saul Bass inspired movie poster. I recently purchased some of his work!


----------



## MacDoc

Enjoyable western. Top notch cast 88 on RT well deserved.

•••
an about as far away on the spectrum as one can get ...










Remarkable true story. :clap:* The Diving Bell and the Butterfly*. 94 on RT.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, does the film’s title refer to the biblical valley in which David is said to have fought and killed Goliath?


----------



## MacDoc

Yes - that tale is a part of the story...very very well done. You'll enjoy it no matter how unlikely the start is.


----------



## SINC

I can clearly remember a Friday night at age 13 in Swift Current Saskatchewan sitting in the Lyric theatre watching the newly released movie "3:10 To Yuma".

It starred two of my favourite childhood actors, Glenn Ford and Van Heflin.

I did not realize at the time that the author of the original story, Elmore Leonard would become my favourite read as an adult.

His novels have entertained me for many years and his movies like "Get Shorty" have made me laugh. 

I bought a copy of the new version of "3:10 To Yuma" with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale.

I have to admit it surpasses the original by a mile and if you have yet to see it, do yourself a favour and indulge yourself in a western one more time. You will not regret it.


----------



## MacDoc

Brilliant. I'm a fan of Japanese animation. A terrific story wrapped up in superbly imaginative graphics and imagery.
Very enjoyable. :clap: :clap:


----------



## MacDoc

If ever a movie was carried by its score....haunting music that absolutely complements the movie.

Not my usual fare and I'm no fan of Woody Harrelson but this moody southern US mystery works pretty well - only 52 on RT - suspect it deserves more - might appeal on a grey November evening.


----------



## MacDoc

This it had a lot of potential and I recommend it for the music.
Had been a bit more cleverly set up .....a dream sequence with a twist at the end it might have been a real treat.

As it is, it tries just a bit too hard and despite the excellent cast strays into mawdlin.

Needed to have more a Molly McPhee tease to it. But still some superb performances and the music will at times be a thrill. A gentle evenings entertainment.

This is one that NEEDED to be based on a true story to ground it.


----------



## chas_m

SINC said:


> I have to admit it surpasses the original by a mile and if you have yet to see it, do yourself a favour and indulge yourself in a western one more time. You will not regret it.[/QUOTE]
> 
> It's so nice to hear about a remake that is actually better than the original. Rare indeed.
> 
> I'm ashamed to say I haven't gotten out to any new movies in a while, but here's a couple I recently re-watched and re-enjoyed:
> 
> [IMG]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51GYZNFEVZL._SL500_AA280_.jpg
> 
> Truly one of my all-time favourite movies, I drag this one out every few years for another viewing, usually with children, and they never fail to be captivated, particularly if they are just old enough to have heard some of the greek myths. I love a lot of Harryhausen's stuff, but this one (from 1963) just had great casting all around and a wonderful Bernard Hermann score. A little slow to start, but once it gets going it's just grand.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I had totally forgotten about this one, but TCM was running a whole night of Charles Laughton movies, including _The Private Life of Henry VIII_ (1933) and right after that they showed 1953's _Young Bess_, where Laughton reprised the role 20 years on. Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, Miklos Roza score -- what else do you need to know? Historically inaccurate but beautifully done.


----------



## MacDoc

Riveting true story



> *The Beckoning Silence*
> 
> Louise Osmond, 2007
> Star Review
> 
> n this fascinating documentary charting Joe Simpson's obsession with mountaineering, the beckoning silence is the long drop from the top of the mountain.
> 
> The film was made on location at the North Face of the Eiger with a re-enactment of the ill fated 1936 attempt on the face by modern mountaineers with period equipment. This is the story from Heinrich Harrer's mountaineering classic 'The White Spider' which inspired Joe to climb. Interwoven with the history, Joe climbs selected pitches with modern gear.
> 
> This part of the film is spectacular and worth the viewing, but the voiceovers and Joe's talking head, as he discusses the role of fear and the motivations for taking such extreme risks, is really excellent. Joe's cold unflinching analysis of some areas intimately linked with obvious self deception in others is absolutely absorbing.


----------



## MacDoc

Wow my favourite kind of movie - a true story that blows me away.

Dr G if you've not see this yet please do. Terrific cast and a superb story given it IS post November 4 2008. :clap: :clap:

Clearly a story dear to Denzel Washington's heart - marvelous acting and directing from him.


----------



## MacDoc

Not sure why RT was hard this ....true story - well cast, well acted and marvelous score.

Dr. G another for your enjoyment.










•••••

and on the other end of the spectrum a rather campy and fun bit of fluff.


----------



## MACinist

MacDoc said:


> Wow my favourite kind of movie - a true story that blows me away.
> 
> Dr G if you've not see this yet please do. Terrific cast and a superb story given it IS post November 4 2008. :clap: :clap:
> 
> Clearly a story dear to Denzel Washington's heart - marvelous acting and directing from him.


Really? I thought it felt like a typical watered down Disney movie.


----------



## MacDoc

Ummm just how watered down is explicit lynching?? 

It's a true story - IF it was written as fiction - then you would say >nah too far fetched. Just as with Sea Biscuit, it's the "fairy tale" in real life that gives it it's power ( along with a great caste ).

It would schmaltzy as hell.....except it's TRUE.

Did you watch the credits and see where those real people ended up?? Remarkable tale.

Did you think you were watching fiction?? If so - your reaction is pretty much correct - over saturated Disney?? - yeah feel good but not real. - 

That it's true!!!, puts it into black America legend as it was intended.

One wonders when the Obama movie will be made  Legend already.


----------



## SINC

When browsing the HDTV channels tonight, I stumbled across "The Wizard Of Oz" on the Treasure channel, likely due to the US holiday.

I still marvel at this movie from the day I saw it for the very first time in a theatre in 1952.

The colours and sets are so vivid in HD. Every bit as impressive as on the big screen with a wonderful cast and score.

I'm staying up to watch to the very end. I guess I am being a kid again, but I am thoroughly enjoying it.


----------



## chas_m

Just got back earlier this evening from seeing BOLT in 3D. Here's my two-sentence review:

FINALLY there's some real competition to Pixar!! And ironically, it's from Disney and John Lasseter himself!










In short, Bolt is *TERRIFIC*, particularly in 3-D. It's not without some minor flaws -- I didn't care much for the centerpiece song, the minor characters are disappointingly two-dimensional (a little in-joke for ya there!) and the ending is rather contrived to fans of old movies like me -- but the art design is exceptional, the animation and voice performances are top-notch, the basic plot is strong, the major characters are strong and the hampster steals the whole damn movie. Your kids are SO going to love this. 

See it in 3-D if at all possible. It *really* adds to the movie in a big way. This could almost be a sequel to _The Incredibles_ -- it's THAT good.


----------



## chas_m

And this week's "old movie I can never resist watching again" is:









_The Golden Voyage of Sinbad_. Arguably the best of the Sinbad movies, mostly due to the mesmerising presence of future _Doctor Who_ star Tom Baker as the baddie. Exceptional amounts of visual imagination and effects that, while out of date, are still charmingly effective make this one a winner.


----------



## The Doug

I've long been a fan of Harryhausen's work. A couple of years ago I bought this set - quite good. Hmm, I think I'll be watching a DVD this afternoon...


----------



## MacDoc

> FINALLY there's some real competition to Pixar!! And ironically, it's from Disney and John Lasseter himself!


Since Disney BOUGHT Pixar one would hope there is some cross pollination. 

My friend from S Africa adores 3D - I'll have to go see it and make her jealous.....then she'll come visit again. 

•••

Watched Cloverfield.....not my cuppa.... not helped by a lousy movie channel feed that kept locking up. RT liked it. 77%


----------



## mc3251

chas_m said:


> And this week's "old movie I can never resist watching again" is:
> 
> _The Golden Voyage of Sinbad_. Arguably the best of the Sinbad movies, mostly due to the mesmerising presence of future _Doctor Who_ star Tom Baker as the baddie. Exceptional amounts of visual imagination and effects that, while out of date, are still charmingly effective make this one a winner.


My wife LOVES these sword and sandal movies. I never really understood the appeal, personally.


----------



## MACinist

MacDoc said:


> Since Disney BOUGHT Pixar one would hope there is some cross pollination.
> 
> •••
> 
> Watched Cloverfield.....not my cuppa.... not helped by a lousy movie channel feed that kept locking up. RT liked it. 77%


Pixar and Disney have been cross pollinating more and more past couple features. It will get to the point where you can't tell them apart. Wondering why Disney doesn't just drop the Pixar branding or brand all of their computer animated features by Pixar. 

I will admit, I'm a Pixar fanatic! And I hope Disney never drops the branding nor do they cross pollinate too much to keep it's edge. Can't wait for their next release. The only animated feature I saw lately that comes close to a Pixar quality was Kung Fu Panda. That was surprisingly a great movie. 

I really liked Cloverfield. First one of it's kind I believe.


----------



## eggman

MACinist said:


> ...
> I really liked Cloverfield. First one of it's kind I believe.


Only if you overlook - 

The Last Broadcast (1998)

and

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

and

Open Water (2003)

all of which used various plot techniques to justify "artfully bad", "found" footage.

Cloverfield (2008)

Did it well though, and with a bigger budget than the others. 

For the most part (in my opinion) it all hung together. I did enjoy the way that it pretty much explained nothing. The viewer is given a few clues here and there but ends up having to build their own "reasons" for the goings on in the film. Sometimes what you don't really see is scarier that what you are explicitly shown - "Cloverfield" had a bit of both, and some nice detail buried in the film - no Hollywood underlining and explaining in "big print" for some aspects of it.


----------



## MACinist

eggman said:


> Only if you overlook -
> 
> The Last Broadcast (1998)
> 
> and
> 
> The Blair Witch Project (1999)
> 
> and
> 
> Open Water (2003)
> 
> all of which used various plot techniques to justify "artfully bad", "found" footage.
> 
> Cloverfield (2008)
> 
> Did it well though, and with a bigger budget than the others.
> 
> For the most part (in my opinion) it all hung together. I did enjoy the way that it pretty much explained nothing. The viewer is given a few clues here and there but ends up having to build their own "reasons" for the goings on in the film. Sometimes what you don't really see is scarier that what you are explicitly shown - "Cloverfield" had a bit of both, and some nice detail buried in the film - no Hollywood underlining and explaining in "big print" for some aspects of it.


Maybe I should of explained what I meant by "first of it's kind": first of it's kind in the sense of using CGI so well in a movie shot with a hand held camera. Yes, the hand held camera first person effect/use has been used before but not with so much CGI effects. I've seen BW and Open Water which has no CGI from what I recall. Not sure about Broadcast as I haven't seen that one. In fact, the Cloverfield script has been around a long time but was impossible to do because the technology wasn't there. This was also considered a low budget film with funding of 30 Million. So the combination of the use of so much realistic CGI on hand held camera footage and such a low budget, is what made me say that.


----------



## eggman

MACinist said:


> Maybe I should of explained what I meant by "first of it's kind": first of it's kind in the sense of using CGI so well in a movie shot with a hand held camera. Yes, the hand held camera first person effect/use has been used before but not with so much CGI effects. I've seen BW and Open Water which has no CGI from what I recall. Not sure about Broadcast as I haven't seen that one. In fact, the Cloverfield script has been around a long time but was impossible to do because the technology wasn't there. This was also considered a low budget film with funding of 30 Million. So the combination of the use of so much realistic CGI on hand held camera footage and such a low budget, is what made me say that.


On that I would have to agree MACinist. I don't believe any of the others used CGI. The CGI did integrate with the cinematography well - and the shakey/dirty/fast aspects of the hand-held camerawork probably helped the CGI work within the story. In any case it was well integrated enough that it became part of the story telling for me - not a moment of "wow - look at the cool CGI!". 

I'm probably just jealous that all these previous films beat me to the story/trick of "why does your footage look like crap"  

Though it appears that the market will support more than one of these every 3 - 5 years... I should get writing!


----------



## MACinist

eggman said:


> On that I would have to agree MACinist. I don't believe any of the others used CGI. The CGI did integrate with the cinematography well - and the shakey/dirty/fast aspects of the hand-held camerawork probably helped the CGI work within the story. In any case it was well integrated enough that it became part of the story telling for me - not a moment of "wow - look at the cool CGI!".
> 
> I'm probably just jealous that all these previous films beat me to the story/trick of "why does your footage look like crap"
> 
> Though it appears that the market will support more than one of these every 3 - 5 years... I should get writing!


Another one may have beat you to it  . Haven't seen it yet but will once it's released on DVD which should be soon.


----------



## chas_m

MACinist said:


> I really liked Cloverfield. First one of it's kind I believe.


Not at all.

The Host

Better than Cloverfield, IMHO.


----------



## CubaMark

My first iTunes rental is... Run, Fat Boy, Run! 










A British comedy about love lost and redemption. Funny as hell. And with Thandie Newton as the co-lead, how can you go wrong? 








M


----------



## chas_m

CubaMark said:


> My first iTunes rental is... Run, Fat Boy, Run!


If you liked that, you'll probably like Simon Pegg's other movies, such as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. I worked with him a couple of times (before he was so well-known) on some Doctor Who stuff, he's a very nice fellow.


----------



## MACinist

chas_m said:


> Not at all.
> 
> The Host
> 
> Better than Cloverfield, IMHO.


The Host is similar in subject matter, but as I already explained, first of it's kind is referring to hand-held camera shooting in first person perspective combined with CGI. The Host is shot in classic perspective and not with hand held cameras. Although a great movie in it's own, not even close in the amount of CGI work done in Cloverfield (understandably as it only had a 11 million dollar budget in South Korea).


----------



## chas_m

MACinist said:


> The Host is similar in subject matter, but as I already explained, first of it's kind is referring to hand-held camera shooting in first person perspective combined with CGI. The Host is shot in classic perspective and not with hand held cameras.


Either you or I are misremembering the opening sequence, which as I recall was done entirely with hand-held mixed with CGI.

And while you're quite right that _The Host_ didn't have anywhere near the amount of CGI due to the budget, I found it more effective. Big budget movies don't really impress me much, particularly when the bulk of it is spent on the effects. See the first Star Trek movie as a classic example.


----------



## MACinist

chas_m said:


> Either you or I are misremembering the opening sequence, which as I recall was done entirely with hand-held mixed with CGI.


I don't remember that. 



chas_m said:


> And while you're quite right that _The Host_ didn't have anywhere near the amount of CGI due to the budget, I found it more effective. Big budget movies don't really impress me much, particularly when the bulk of it is spent on the effects. See the first Star Trek movie as a classic example.


Not debating The Host's effectiveness or even saying which one is better but let's be real, Cloverfields' 30 million dollar budget was incredibly small. The movie easily looked like it had a 150 million dollar budget. I would also assume, cost of filming is much more expensive in Hollywood states side then it is in South Korea. Making it an incredible feat on mere production value and return on invested capital (first 100 million profit of 08). 

As far as which was a better movie in my opinion, The Host hands down, but aside from the subject matter, not similar. The Host was a real character driven movie that had drama and comedy. The monster was not too large and hard to find. Cloverfield was an obvious homage to King Kong with several still frames from the original movie. It was an attempt at making an American version of Godzilla. 

The Host 2 is apparently comin...


----------



## MacDoc

Well RT didn't like it but I did. Sumptuous - far ranging and gorgeous.
Soft pacing for a wintery November. RT might not like art films but I do. :clap:


----------



## MacDoc

Damn - don't know how I missed this.....always caught a bit of it part way through.

Very enjoyable movie ...classic Clooney. :clap:

*Three KIngs.*










93 % on RT much deserved.


----------



## Max

_Three Kings_ was indeed great. That man can direct... fresh camerawork and real zip in the pacing and tension.

Just watched _The Lives of Others_ tonight. Very, very good stuff. Poignant, understated, bleak, utterly credible. The GDR and its Stasi operating to "protect" the socialist state from its own people, scant years before the wall came down. Hard-hitting stuff. Worth the subtitles.


----------



## SINC

I dug this one out of my collection and watched it last night. Even though it's 38 years old and I've seen it a half dozen times, I enjoyed it thoroughly again.

It is a classic western comedy with Jimmy Stewart playing a cowpoke whose brother left him a brothel in the city. His sidekick, played by Henry Fonda is a perfect "opposite" to the bumbling new, but reluctant "pimp".

A perfect break from the language and violence of too many of today's movies. It's a laugh a minute and should be available to rent.


----------



## mc3251

Max said:


> _Three Kings_ was indeed great. That man can direct... fresh camerawork and real zip in the pacing and tension.
> 
> Just watched _The Lives of Others_ tonight. Very, very good stuff. Poignant, understated, bleak, utterly credible. The GDR and its Stasi operating to "protect" the socialist state from its own people, scant years before the wall came down. Hard-hitting stuff. Worth the subtitles.


Lives of Others is totally amazing. Depressing, but real depth in the characters.


----------



## eggman

Max said:


> _Three Kings_ ...
> 
> Just watched _The Lives of Others_ tonight. Very, very good stuff. Poignant, understated, bleak, utterly credible. The GDR and its Stasi operating to "protect" the socialist state from its own people, scant years before the wall came down. Hard-hitting stuff. Worth the subtitles.





mc3251 said:


> Lives of Others is totally amazing. Depressing, but real depth in the characters.


I left "The Lives of Others" thinking - <expletive>... that guy (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck) has made an uplifting film about the Stasi. I was floored.
An amazing accomplishment.

Interesting follow up reading can be found in Stasiland by Anna Funder - she's an Australian who worked in Germany for a time after the reunification and collected a bunch of stories from the eastern side of life there.


----------



## chas_m

If you're willing to "go there," The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl (1993) is a fascinating documentary about a truly fascinating person. The film is a full two hours longer than was originally commissioned, but every bit of that time is needed to even begin to capture the subject and her full, incredible and ever-changing story.


----------



## SINC

This movie does not enjoy good reviews, but I can't believe that Deniro and Pacino can be that bad. My son loaned me his copy and I will give it a spin tonight:


----------



## MacDoc

MPIXHD has been running Clooney movies all day - :clap: Always fun.

Watched *Perfect Storm* and now *Out of Sight*


----------



## Sualocin

I only just saw Righteous Kill tonight, it has a really unnecessary plot twist that is only carried by the way the opening of the movie is shot. Still an enjoyable movie, but maybe that's because I find the vigilante justice debate so intriguing.


----------



## SINC

I agree on the Righteous Kill plot twist, but I don't understand the bad ratings (RT 21). I liked the movie just fine.


----------



## MazterCBlazter

.


----------



## Dr.G.

MCB, the scene as the boat tries to ride over the cresting wave is an amazing scene. I watch the waves of the North Atlantic crash into the coastline here in NL, and wonder how anyone can have the courage to take on the North Atlantic in a fishing boat. Those men and women have far more courage than I. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## titans88

Max said:


> _Three Kings_ was indeed great. That man can direct... fresh camerawork and real zip in the pacing and tension.
> 
> Just watched _The Lives of Others_ tonight. Very, very good stuff. Poignant, understated, bleak, utterly credible. The GDR and its Stasi operating to "protect" the socialist state from its own people, scant years before the wall came down. Hard-hitting stuff. Worth the subtitles.


I think Lives of Others was my best dvd purchase of the year. Great film!


----------



## MazterCBlazter

.


----------



## MacDoc

> MCB, the scene as the boat tries to ride over the cresting wave is an amazing scene. I watch the waves of the North Atlantic crash into the coastline here in NL, and wonder how anyone can have the courage to take on the North Atlantic in a fishing boat. Those men and women have far more courage than I. Paix, mon ami.


There is a painting by David Blackwood that shows a young girl standing in a fishing skiff holding her lunch box being rowed to school.

The skiff is angled up about 40 degrees and she is standing, comfortably holding the edge of the boat, dressed in boots and a yellow sou'wester, as easily as if she were on a school bus. 

Blew me away as it captured the casual ease of the outport people on in a sea that would scare the living daylights out of most.

It's similar to this work.










People say his paintings are haunting and I concur. I forever regret not buying some of his artists proofs when I had the chance


----------



## Dr.G.

MCB, you are far more courageous than I. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## Dr.G.

I know of that print by Blackwood, MacDoc. I have had students when I first came to teach at Memorial tell me of relatives that died at sea.

The North Atlantic is a stern teacher who does not accept failure.


----------



## Jason H

I watched Zach and Miri make a porno last night. I went into this movie knowing nothing more than what the trailer and tv commercials had in them. I had no idea that it was written and directed by Kevin Smith!!! I'm a huge Kevin Smith fan and loved the movie. It was extremely vulgar, moreso than either of the clerks movies. The dialog however moved along pretty quick, and I ended up really enjoying it!


----------



## Adrian.

I watched "Illusion" earlier this evening. Absolutely fantastic movie. Really well done!

Here is a write up:

Illusion (2006) - Movie Info - Yahoo! Movies


----------



## mc3251

> the scene as the boat tries to ride over the cresting wave is an amazing scene.


I used to work in the video game industry, and I was talking with someone who attended a CGI conference with some of the Perfect Storm team.

Apparently they took the data from the real event-wind speed and other meteorological data, and used it to build the first CG models of the movie storm, waves, and such. When they looked at what the real data produced, it was too extreme to be believed. The real data produced a movie storm that no one would have believed occurred....so they had to scale it back.

Interesting story, I thought.....


----------



## iJohnHenry

Dr.G. said:


> MCB, you are far more courageous than I.


He is also more full of .... than you. :lmao:


----------



## MacDoc

What a sweet movie and a HUGE cast. Worth it for the score alone.

Norah Jones holds her own against Jude Law, David Strathairn, Natalie Portman and Rachel Weitzman - 

Not for everyone, RT was mixed on it but Portman actaully has decolletage  - excellent bit of acting by her in a minor part.
Jones as lead was effortless against the big names who I suspect just plain loved the script.

and an acting debut for Jones :clap: ....the girl has talent.


----------



## Adrian.

iJohnHenry said:


> He is also more full of .... than you. :lmao:


Whether what he has done is true or not is irrelevant if he has a story to tell...geesh, go watch Big Fish. Now that is a good movie.:-(


----------



## mc3251

Adrian. said:


> Whether what he has done is true or not is irrelevant if he has a story to tell...geesh, go watch Big Fish. Now that is a good movie.:-(


Big Fish is one of my favourites of all time. Funny, magical, though provoking and moving. Goes to the heart of both father son relationships and the difference between something being accurate and something being true.


----------



## MacDoc

Good movie making....










:clap: - just go watch it.


•••

Revisited Twister -









most enjoyable. Helen Hunt one of my fav actors. Have not heard much from her lately 
Forgot how long the damn thing was.
Excellent in HD.
Funny to see Philip Seymour Hoffman ..not listed in the top stars.....yet.

•••
Nother classic - movie making at a whole other level










also benefits from the detail of HD. Great performances.

Love the holidays for movies. Kids home - gonna watch lots in and at the theatre.


----------



## Adrian.

mc3251 said:


> Big Fish is one of my favourites of all time. Funny, magical, though provoking and moving. Goes to the heart of both father son relationships and the difference between something being accurate and something being true.


Did you cry? I cried. I have only ever cried for Pinoqio (sp?) and Big Fish...:-(


----------



## chas_m

I resisted seeing Big Fish in the theatres -- didn't need a morality play on dads & sons at the time.

Saw in HD much later on cable. Loved it.


----------



## mc3251

> I resisted seeing Big Fish in the theatres -- didn't need a morality play on dads & sons at the time.
> 
> Saw in HD much later on cable. Loved it.


One of the things that I really like about great films is that they operate on so many levels. Big Fish can be seen as a story of dads and sons, although I don't know if I'd call it a morality play. But it is also about the difference between facts and truth. I know a few people who always want to know, before they see a movie, if it's a "true story". I always find that a strange question, because I don't think that whether or not something is historically factual has to be related at all to whether or not it is "true".

I know some critics didn't like it. Oh well.


----------



## mc3251

> Did you cry? I cried. I have only ever cried for Pinoqio (sp?) and Big Fish...


 I did. Hard.
I love movies that make me cry.


----------



## screature

mc3251 said:


> Big Fish is one of my favourites of all time. Funny, magical, though provoking and moving. Goes to the heart of both father son relationships and the difference between something being accurate and something being true.


I watched Big Fish the year my father died. I really enjoyed the movie, that being said when it came to the end I bawled like a baby, I mean really sobbed. 

The film spoke to me directly and even though my relationship with my father had been just great for several years and didn't reflect the relationship in the movie exactly by any means, there was a truth in their relationship that went to the core of the relationship I had with my Dad. It is rare to find a movie that speaks to you so deeply (at least for me). It moved me in a way that no film had before or since. Excellent piece of writing and film making. :clap:  :lmao: :-(


----------



## MacDoc

Albert Finney is one of my all time favs actors. He can portray ANYTHING.

Burton and the rest of the really whacky cast :clap:

Ewan McGregor .... Young Edward Bloom 
Billy Crudup .... William Bloom 
Jessica Lange .... Sandy Bloom 
Helena Bonham Carter .... Jenny 
Steve Buscemi .... Norther Winslow 
Danny DeVito .... Amos 

are all just a tad off the wall.....with McGregor as straight man for them. - not like his humour isn't a bit warped as well. 

Interesting review
Big Fish - A film by Tim Burton


----------



## screature

mc3251 said:


> One of the things that I really like about great films is that they operate on so many levels. Big Fish can be seen as a story of dads and sons, although I don't know if I'd call it a morality play. But it is also about the difference between facts and truth. I know a few people who always want to know, before they see a movie, if it's a "true story". I always find that a strange question, because I don't think that whether or not something is historically factual has to be related at all to whether or not it is "true".
> 
> I know some critics didn't like it. Oh well.


Excellent points mc3251, you hit the nail on the head. 

As for the critics, there is no accounting for taste, but that being said, some critics only sense of taste is in their mouths.


----------



## mc3251

> It is rare to find a movie that speaks to you so deeply (at least for me). It moved me in a way that no film had before or since.


Reading your post has my eyes stinging-weird, huh? Screature your comments illustrate exactly what I am talking about-there is a level of emotional truth that this film operates on for you (and others, obviously) that transcends fact and accuracy by a country mile. 

what was the line? All of the facts, none of the flavour?


----------



## screature

mc3251 said:


> what was the line? All of the facts, none of the flavour?


And therein lies the art. Taking the "factual" and making it "truthful", elevating the specific to the universal, making the sum greater than the parts.


----------



## mc3251

Watched Burn After Reading last night....the Coens can be hit and miss, but I really like this movie. Deliciously strange.


----------



## screature

mc3251 said:


> Watched Burn After Reading last night....the Coens can be hit and miss, but I really like this movie. Deliciously strange.


We watched it just last Sunday. While it wasn't my favorite Coen's film by any means (pretty light weight following on the heals of No Country for Old Men, and perhaps that is the point) it was for a Coens fan (as I am) still thoroughly enjoyable.


----------



## mc3251

screature said:


> We watched it just last Sunday. While it wasn't my favorite Coen's film by any means (pretty light weight following on the heals of No Country for Old Men, and perhaps that is the point) it was for a Coens fan (as I am) still thoroughly enjoyable.


I'm a big Coen Brothers fan. NCfOM is magnificent, if not "enjoyable". It's also based on Cormac McCarthy source material (yikes, how much darkness can one guy create-they are making a movie from The Road).

I think that Burn After Reading is prob'ly their best comedy. They haven't done well with comedy, IMO. I am a sucker for Francis McDormand though, ever since Fargo blew me out of my shoes.


----------



## screature

mc3251 said:


> I think that Burn After Reading is prob'ly their best comedy.


Don't forget _O Brother, Where Art Thou?_, much more than just a comedy, but brilliant IMHO.


----------



## mc3251

I was thinking of that one as I was typing my post, and decided that it's not really a comedy, or at least I don't include it in that category in this context. Part of the Coen magic is that many of their movies defy classification.


----------



## mc3251

I was thinking of that one as I was typing my post, and decided that it's not really a comedy, or at least I don't include it in that category in this context. Part of the Coen magic is that many of their movies defy classification.


----------



## MacDoc

A David Lean has SUCH an eye for the landscape :clap:
Nice to see fully remastered on HD - gets the sweep of the movie. Schmaltzy but fun to revisit once a decade or so 

Remarkable print for 1965 movie.

Oasis channel sure has a terrific feed.

Movie binge time


----------



## overkill

Dont Mess With The Zohan - um yeah......


----------



## The Doug

Bought the (latest) Indiana Jones movie, and also WALL-E last week on a whim.

Indiana Jones: There are some fun moments here & there but overall the film was sad, dreary, and lackluster. :yawn: 

WALL-E: Wonderful from start to finish. :clap:


----------



## screature

Wall-E is an instant classic!! Probably all around the best animated film ever made with The Incredibles coming close behind IMHO.


----------



## eggman

MacDoc said:


> A David Lean has SUCH an eye for the landscape :clap:


It might have been Mr. Lean's eye, it might also have been Freddie Young or even (maybe) Nicholas Roeg. Depending on how the team works together sometimes the cinematographer has a lot of input - not "just" the director. (though it seems that the director usually gets the credit/blame for it!)

Didn't see it recently - but "Visions of Light" is an excellent film that deals with the art of cinematography.
Visions of Light (1992)


----------



## MacDoc

Lean made his reputation on his cinematography then moved to director and the longscapes are his trade mark ( Passage to India with the train steaming across the plain is iconic for Lean work )


----------



## chas_m

David Lean, Nick Meyer, John Lasseter and Terry Gilliam = my four favourite directors


----------



## Jason H

Its not a movie, but I've been watching Rescue me starting with season 1. Its an amazing show.


----------



## SINC

Just finished watching Appaloosa directed by Ed Harris who also plays Marshal Virgil Cole. An absolutely stunning performance by Viggo Mortensen as Everett Hitch, Cole’s long time deputy.

A powerful western that rivals, if not betters 3:10 To Yuma.

If you even remotely like a western, don’t miss this one!


----------



## eggman

MacDoc said:


> Lean made his reputation on his cinematography then moved to director and the longscapes are his trade mark ( Passage to India with the train steaming across the plain is iconic for Lean work )


No disputing he was a visual director MacDoc - but one credit he never got, nor is it mentioned in his admittedly abbreviated imdb bio - was cinematographer. (see below - *bold* text is my addition)



> Mini Biography
> An important British filmmaker, David Lean was born in Croydon in 1908 and brought up in a strict Quaker family. Ironically, as a child, he wasn't allowed to go to the movies. During the twenties, he briefly considered the possibility of becoming an accountant like his father before finding a job in a cinema studio in 1927. He worked as tea boy, clapper boy, messenger, then newsreel cutter and finally feature film editor, notably for Anthony Asquith, Paul Czinner and Michael Powell. By the end of the thirties, *Lean's reputation as editor was very well established.*


To link back to another thread where Pan and Scan was discussed with Widescreen - anyone ever try to watch a P&S version of "Lawrence of Arabia"?
Some of the dialogue is presented by two actors at opposite ends of a 2.35:1 aspect ratio image - very difficult to present coherently in P&S.


----------



## SINC

T'was my night for movies and I also just saw "Gran Torino". If Clint Eastwod doesn't win an Oscar for this one, no one ever will.

A gritty performance with a heart. 

I hate it when a tough guy brings a tear to my eye. And generously sprinkled with real humour.

Fantastic movie. :clap:


----------



## mc3251

> Just finished watching Appaloosa directed by Ed Harris who also plays Marshal Virgil Cole. An absolutely stunning performance by Viggo Mortensen as Everett Hitch, Cole’s long time deputy.
> 
> A powerful western that rivals, if not betters 3:10 To Yuma.
> 
> If you even remotely like a western, don’t miss this one


Love good westerns, Sinc, I'll catch this for sure.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41JX6FJ5MEL._SS500_.jpg

I love this western....Val Kilmer's Doc Halliday is worth the price alone. So MANY classic lines.


----------



## MacDoc

Eggman I stand corrected - had it in my head he was cine - was editor then director. 

••

I'm glad westerns are returning - I enjoy the genre - funny or serious.

••

Finally got to see *Quantum of Solace* last night.

Warn your friends if they have not seen Casino Royale, Quantum will be a tough sled.

Royale I think the better movie by far. Solace a decent extension and perhaps a set up to reprise the "shadowy world organization" themes in some of the other Bonds due for remakes.

The blond Bond is a very very good Bond. 

Reminds me of the Miami Vice reprise - grittier less stylized than the orginal.
A welcome update on both.


----------



## EvanPitts

One of the last movies we went to see - and it is a must see if it is playing at a film festival near you, is Metropolis, the 1927 classic by Fritz Lang.

The artwork is awesome, not the CGI garbage they flog these days, but cool things, like biplanes, giant art deco buildings, the first ever television, monorails, giant Tesla coils, boiling fluids in Pyrex beakers and a wicked traffic jam on the ringstrasse.

The fight scene is the one by which all other fight scenes are derived from. And the crazy robot chick, far better than anything these days, and cool industrial machines featuring operators that used the choreography that was later used in Kylie Minogue videos. It is also jam packed with enough socialist ideals to keep even the hard core socialists enthralled.

But be prepared, it is a long movie, 150 minutes, and that is without the missing quarter of the footage. The full length will weigh in at probably three and a half hours, once the full copy that was discovered in the summer is restored and reprinted...


----------



## MACinist

Saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button last week and it was good. Very long, but good. Brad Pitt is probably the Robert Redford of my time. Before seeing it, I thought the story was kind of quirky but they pulled it off I thought.


----------



## MacDoc

Oh good I might go tonight on the VIP seating.

Ack -









on for free - looks good.

••

Our fav I'm a Mac does well across from Bruce Willis










much fun in HD - 81% on RT well deserved.


----------



## Shabbah

just saw 
-the dark knight
-transformers
-ironman

my impressions after watching all of them is that the dark knight was AMAZING, transformers was overrated and ironman was great!


----------



## MacDoc

aaaaah much fun chop socky..... :clap:


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, watch the Kingdom of Heaven if you want to see socks, arms and heads chopped off.


----------



## CubaMark

I saw *Quantum of Solace* on the weekend - and I agree with MacDoc - a decent extension, but *Casino Royale* is still the high point. Craig is certainly filling the Bond role nicely.

Also, I caught *Australia*. Far, _far_ better than I thought it would be. I was expecting a sort of *Out of Africa*, white people save the natives sort of thing... but for a Hollywood flick, with two major white Hollywood actors, they did alright. The first half hour had me thinking I walked into the wrong theatre - it was _funny_! Not the romantic drama I had been expecting.

The kid who plays the half-caste aborigine steals the show... "bloody big ship" - hilarious!

 (Vogue Feature)


----------



## overkill

Just watched Lakeview Terrace...wish I had those hours back.


----------



## MacDoc

I can't believe they blew off Australia so quickly in theatres - have to trek over to Queensway -  really wanted it in a digital screen.


----------



## Lawrence

I downloaded "Burn after reading" from the iTunes store (I got an iTunes card for Xmas)
It was a bit of a "Pulp Fiction" type movie, Loved it still, Worth the buy or rent.

I also downloaded three T.V. episodes of Wallace and Grommet,
Well worth the price, I just love "Claymation".


----------



## wonderings

just saw slumdog millionaire. Great story, another fantastic movie by Boyle. Really a must see


----------



## mc3251

dolawren said:


> I downloaded "Burn after reading" from the iTunes store (I got an iTunes card for Xmas)
> It was a bit of a "Pulp Fiction" type movie, Loved it still, Worth the buy or rent.


 Not the best of the Coens, but still a very good comedy. It may be their best comedy, but so many of their films defy classification. Seeing "burn" inspired me to revisit The Big Lebowski-lots of fun that.


----------



## Dr.G.

Just saw "Marley and Me". If you have ever owned a dog and really loved this dog, bring lots of tissues to this movie if you go to see it soon.


----------



## Dr.G.

I am waiting for "Gran Torino" to open up here in St.John's. The trailers seem to put Sinc's post into a proper perspective.


----------



## Jason H

Dr.G. said:


> I am waiting for "Gran Torino" to open up here in St.John's. The trailers seem to put Sinc's post into a proper perspective.


I'm super excited to go see it at the Ottawa premier on Monday! I won tickets from Tribute.ca! I know its going to be great.


----------



## mc3251

My wife and I watched The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe on Blu Ray last night. Good transfer. Very good film...I had forgotten how much I enjoyed it.


----------



## Dr.G.

I agree, mc3251. I think that "The Last Samurai" was one of TC's best performances.


----------



## mc3251

I am very anti violence and anti war. Nonetheless, I really found the film's theme resonated with me-a man who is frankly deeply shamed at what he has done and seen, and who becomes deeply connected to another culture where "honor" is deeply revered. 
Tom Cruise is a very good actor...like Brad Pitt he has suffered from being too good looking to be taken seriously.
Ken Watanabe also turned in a powerhouse performance, IMO.


----------



## MacDoc

Again one of those "unlikely but true" tales that I most enjoy. :clap:
Nicely done.


----------



## MACinist

Dr.G. said:


> I agree, mc3251. I think that "The Last Samurai" was one of TC's best performances.


Really? Vanilla Sky, Collateral and a Few Good Men come to mind for me. The Last Samurai was fulfilling and a decent performance but for me, Ken Watanabe's performance made that movie. IMO, to be honest, I thought it was borderline mockery of an ancient Japanese tradition. I loved his cameo in Tropic Thunder though... so out of his norm and he needed a role like that.


----------



## MacDoc

I don't have a lot of time for Cruise but I enjoyed Top Gun - fit Cruise's arrogance in a positive way for the movie.

I don't see him as a serious actor. Seems a fit for the latest role tho - will go see it.


----------



## MACinist

mc3251 said:


> Tom Cruise is a very good actor...like Brad Pitt he has suffered from being too good looking to be taken seriously.


I think they are very different from each other. Brad Pitt is taken very seriously IMO. His movie choices early on set the pace with gritty and challenging performances (Se7en, Twelve Monkeys, Snatch). Tom Cruise is a big budget blockbuster type actor that started it out in Americana "fluff" movies. I would compare him more to Will Smith (except with better movie choices). Let's not forget that Tom Cruise's personal life has probably affected his career more than anything. Association with Scientology, his weird "Oprah" episode, comments about other actors children bearing tactics etc..


----------



## MacDoc

I like Pitt in everything except a comedy  

Seven Years and Legends of the Fall were excellent - he's a leading man actor - a bit type cast.

I prefer Matt Damon as an actor with a wider range.

Crowe and the likes of Kevin Spacey and Clooney are my preference.

Ah Vanilla Sky on shortly = have wanted to see that in HD - time to settle into a movie.

Anyone up for a fav actors thread chit chat?


----------



## MacDoc

Will Hollywood EVER learn that Hayden Christensen CANNOT act. 

What a waste of time. Cute girl with even less acting ability than Hayden. 
They should have put Jamie Bell in the lead.


----------



## MacDoc

FINALLY caught Juno. Like Paige a bunch - saw her first in ReGenesis.

Terrific writing and cast choice. :clap:


----------



## Dr.G.

I got my wife "Juno" as a Christmas gift. An interesting flick.


----------



## MacDoc

only 39% on RT - longish - interesting.


----------



## mc3251

> Anyone up for a fav actors thread chit chat?


 Good idea!


----------



## MACinist

MacDoc said:


> I like Pitt in everything except a comedy


I thought so as well until I saw Burn After Reading. Have you seen it?


----------



## MACinist

MacDoc said:


> FINALLY caught Juno. Like Paige a bunch - saw her first in ReGenesis.
> 
> Terrific writing and cast choice. :clap:


Saw her first in the original season of Trailer Park Boys.


----------



## mc3251

MACinist said:


> I thought so as well until I saw Burn After Reading. Have you seen it?


I have. He was delightful in that movie. I also liked him in Interview with the vampire...which was comedic for sure.


----------



## iMatt

MACinist said:


> Saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button last week and it was good. Very long, but good. Brad Pitt is probably the Robert Redford of my time. Before seeing it, I thought the story was kind of quirky but they pulled it off I thought.


I was mildly disappointed. Beautiful visuals, good performances, some very strong segments, but too much treacle and fortune-cookie philosophy -- surprising for Fincher, but it turns out the screenwriter has Forrest Gump on his résumé. 

I'd love to see a version minus the voiceovers (almost always a storytelling crutch, and this is no exception), minus the present-day framing device, and overall trimmed down by a half hour or so.


----------



## SINC

I too watched The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button and IMHO Pitt has laid another egg, just as he did with The Outlaw Jesse James.

Two stinkers in a row that are far too long and utterly boring.


----------



## mc3251

MACinist said:


> Saw her first in the original season of Trailer Park Boys.


Ellen Page absolutely rocks! If you haven't seen it, catch Hard Candy..amazing.


----------



## Jason H

Just got back from the Ottawa sneak preview of Gran Torino. That movie is going to win a couple awards. It was incredible.


----------



## mc3251

Jason H said:


> Just got back from the Ottawa sneak preview of Gran Torino. That movie is going to win a couple awards. It was incredible.


We should all hope to be so productive, creative and vibrant when we hit Clint's age....Reminds me of the painter Lucien Freud who at 82 said that he wasn't afraid of dying, but that his only fear is that is "work would go off".


----------



## SINC

Jason H said:


> Just got back from the Ottawa sneak preview of Gran Torino. That movie is going to win a couple awards. It was incredible.


Which is exactly why I wrote back on Dec. 27th:



SINC said:


> T'was my night for movies and I also just saw "Gran Torino". If Clint Eastwod doesn't win an Oscar for this one, no one ever will.
> 
> A gritty performance with a heart.
> 
> I hate it when a tough guy brings a tear to my eye. And generously sprinkled with real humour.
> 
> Fantastic movie. :clap:


----------



## MacDoc

Caught* Vanilla Sky* - so so.


----------



## So-Phia

Stardust. I thought it was one of the better fantasy movies. Loved the performance by Robert DeNiro


----------



## MacDoc

There are 3 Stardust movies  - this one has De Niro and I agree completely - enchanting and De Niro is an absolute hoot :clap:

I like Claire Danes - good to see her in a lead again.










The book is much fun as well - very engaging and the movie stays true to it. Nice to see the imagination of the author come to life :clap:


----------



## mc3251

liked Startdust too...had some good tongue in cheek elements....kind of reminded me of Princess Bride in parts.


----------



## chas_m

I prefer the Woody Allen Stardust Memories.


----------



## eMacMan

Australia

Warmed over horse opera but worth seeing just for the scenery and the the kid. He is so good he makes the big names look like bumbling amateurs.


----------



## mrjimmy

Just saw The Wrestler. In a word, wow.

An absolutely incredible performance from Mickey Rourke. I can't recommend this film enough.


----------



## MacDoc

I like Rourke - thanks for the heads up.

••••

and now for something completely different....










Very intriguing Russian film that does not take itself seriously. :clap:
Some clever Bond take offs.

Worth it for the Moscow vignettes alone. Much fun. Interesting review.

Night Watch Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes

coming up - the next installment


----------



## chas_m

IF you are into the low-budget horror genre, this overlooked film (came out in limited release a few months ago) might be right up your alley:










It's VERY well-written, with some nice twists. Full disclosure: I know the director, but that is not what's motivating me to mention it. It's nice to see someone do good work in this genre for a change, and the acting and direction on top of the very good script make this a standout in this field.

As someone else on IMDB said about the film: _Alien + The Thing + Hidden + Assault on Precinct 13._

I am usually pretty cynical about horror films, but I was surprised at the amount of suspense created and how I couldn't guess what was coming next.


----------



## MACinist

Or checkout this one: Nightwatch Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes

Not the best reviews, but I thought it was creepy enough to give me some good chills and reminded me of doing security at night at old abandoned warehouses downtown TO in my summer jobs during school. Liked MacGregor in it and Nolte had a pretty good performance. This was the beginning of MacGregor's career, right off his cult hits with Trainspotting and Shallow Grave.


----------



## MacDoc

Gone with the Wind for Vietnam. Huge sprawling film - amazing work from a newcomer as lead. Big ticket Tommy Lee Jones and Joan Chen are draws tho relatively with minor parts.

That it's based on memoirs throws a spin into what would otherwise have a credibility problem... 

Stone gets heavy handed with the irony at times. Still some terrific visuals....there is almost a brilliant film buried in there.


----------



## Isight

It is not reasent but I love the Lethal Weapons eaven though the fourth one is a little out there. Mel Gibson was such a good actor, to bad...


----------



## agreenapple

*The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button*

I recently watched The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. It was a very, very good movie. I am one of those people whom are just as interested in the making of movies, CGI, special effects, make-up, stunts as the actual story or plot itself. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out how they did certain effects in movies, but this one baffles me. I don't understand how they made Brad Pitt look so small compared to the other actors in the beginning part of the film. 

All in all it was a great film, it was filled with fantastic acting, emotional dialogue, beautiful imagery and music. 
If you haven't seen it I can't stress how much you should. 

I also really enjoyed Burn After Reading as well (another film with Brad Pitt).


----------



## SINC

And I on the other hand watched the first half of Button and gave up. The most boring and awful Pitt performance since the Outlaw Jesse James.

I guess it is each to his own in the case of this movie. 

It will be interesting to see as more view it and report on it, whether or not they agree with either opinion.


----------



## MacDoc

talk about late to the party  










100% on RT likely well deserved. Much fun.


----------



## SINC

Saw Body of Lies last night. A violent look at the dirty underbelly of the world of terrorism in the middle east. A solid performance by Leonardo Decaprio supported by Russell Crowe.


----------



## agreenapple

*Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy!*

I think Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is one of my new fav movies. It's sweet. I like how they even brought back the original Marvin in it.


----------



## chas_m

*re: Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy*

I wrote a really long, complicated review of it for a national (US) publication some years back. The long-time fans HATED IT. I liked it for the most part. I knew Douglas Adams pretty well: I interviewed him many times, contributed to his biography, ate dinner and drank with him. We only saw each other on his US tours, but we always enjoyed our time together, especially when I bought the round. 

Anyway, bottom line:

1. A lot of the jokes from the book are short-circuited for no apparent reason.

2. Mos Def was just not right for the part of Ford Prefect. You need a "Doctor Who" type actor in that role.

3. Zooey Deschanel was DEFINITELY not right for her role.

4. OTOH, the new material (much of it written by Douglas himself) was great. DNA *intended* for each version of HHG to be very different from the previous ones. He saw what happened to Monty Python.

5. I'm not sure the Zaphod-as-Bush thing quite worked, but I'll live with it.

6. Most of the casting was excellent, I thought.

7. The look of the film was grand, no problems there at all. Love the Vogons!

and

8. On the whole, and despite some areas where it really shone, the BBC TV series was better.


----------



## CubaMark

My girlfriend is a fanatic of all things Italian... she's fluent, just back from her second trip to Italy, and whenever we find an Italian-language film at the local video store, we rent it.

I had some trepidation about picking up *Divorzio all’italiana*, released in 1961. But it turned out to be one of the funniest films about murdering your wife that I've ever seen...


----------



## ComputerIdiot

Wall-E.

As usual with Pixar productions, it was great.


----------



## agreenapple

*to be honest..*

To be honest, I have never seen the original Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy. I understand how long time fans could feel the re-make wasn't true to the legacy as I know myself and a million others feel this way when it comes to the Star Wars expansion.
But I still think the re-make is one of my fav movies! I absolutely loved the casting, it was nice to see such great acting by someone other than A-Listers. Obviously the material in which they had to work with was nothing but brilliant, but I still think it will remain golden to me. And I think Mos Def was amazing, and YES!! the Vogons were so good. 
I also really liked Marvin!!!! 

I watched Drug Store Cowboy yesterday.. wasn't impressed. Matt Dillon was terrible. How he managed to keep a career after that is beyond me. Great story, garbage acting.


----------



## Dr.G.

Going to see "Defiance" with my wife in a couple of hours. Wish us luck.


----------



## chas_m

CubaMark said:


> My girlfriend is a fanatic of all things Italian... she's fluent, just back from her second trip to Italy, and whenever we find an Italian-language film at the local video store, we rent it.


When she breaks up with you, can I have her number? :heybaby: 



> I had some trepidation about picking up *Divorzio all’italiana*, released in 1961. But it turned out to be one of the funniest films about murdering your wife that I've ever seen...


A *great* movie, no doubt.

As for you, if you'd like to grow your appreciation of Italian cinema (which I'm sure would be beneficial if you get my drift and I think you do), here's a GREAT crash course for you:









Martin Scorsese leads you through the history of Italian cinema. For once, the blurb on the box is right: it WILL forever change the way you look at movies. This DVD should come complete with a college credit for film history. Highly recommended for all cinephiles.


----------



## Dr.G.

Just got back from seeing "Defiance". I really liked the movie, and my wife thought it was good.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Let The Right One In last night at a rep cinema downtown.

What a beautiful film. From the design to the cinematography to the amazing performances by the two young leads. Touching and incredibly intimate.

And it's a vampire flick. 

If you get the chance, do yourself a favour and see this remarkable film.

Låt den rätte komma in (2008)


----------



## agreenapple

*Sb*

HAHAHA... I watched Step Brothers finally... some people told me they didn't like it very much, & others loved it. I have to say it was amazingly funny...
I don't see how anyone into the "Will Ferrell" type comedy couldn't **** themselves watching this..

"the only reason your living here is cuz me and my dad thought you mom was really hot and we're both gonna bang her & put up with the retard in the mean time"
"who's the retard"
"you are"
"YOU DON't SAY THAT!"


HAHAHAH


----------



## MacDoc

Remarkable.....my fav kind of movie... true story well crafted. :clap:


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, an oldie but a goodie. Scared the hell out of me the first time I saw it, especially when I was hitch hiking around Europe. Got as far as Greece and no closer to Turkey.


----------



## MacDoc

I had heard about as a legend and probably caught bits but in full HD it is a remarkable work and very vivid.


----------



## ryerman

I started a thread on this, but The Wrestler. I hope it wins the Oscar.

I also really want to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.


----------



## overkill

Taken

I was really surprised by this film and Liam Neeson was even more surprising in his role.


----------



## MacDoc

Long- intriguing conceit carried off reasonably well.
Gonna win an Oscar for make up for sure. 13 Nominations  72 on RT about correct.
My socially conscious partner was not amused.....I told him he needs to get out more..


----------



## Sonal

Surprised it hasn't been mentioned already (though I maybe I missed it), but I saw *Slumdog Millionaire* recently.

Quite honestly, one of the best movies I've seen in some time.

I laughed. I cried. I came out with a warm fuzzy feeling, and the whole audience applauded.


----------



## agreenapple

*MOviEs*

The Bourne Trilogy.

Watched part 1 last night, gonna watch part 2 tonight and part 3 on sunday.

I've seen em before but so good I gotta hit em up again.


----------



## Dr.G.

Sonal, that movie might just take Best Picture at this year's Oscars. We shall see.


----------



## iPetie

*Frost/Nixon*

I completely enjoyed this movie. In Particular the portrayal of Nixon. I recommend this movie for any history or political buff.


----------



## Dr.G.

I was going to see this movie this evening. Having lived through this period, it should be interesting. We shall see.


----------



## Dr.G.

My wife and I saw "Michael Clayton" this evening. An interesting movie with a good ending.


----------



## agreenapple

*True Romance*

I saw True Romance. AMAZING FILM! 
I think it was written by Quentin Tarantino, and there are soooo many famous actors... and most of them are A-list actors now.

I couldn't recommend it more!. Check it everyone.


----------



## MacDoc

Very enjoyable movie and based on a true story - have to get the book if there is one. Naughtiness and intrigue in high places.....
:clap: :clap:


----------



## SINC

Agreed. Watched The Bank Job last fall on PPV. Great movie.


----------



## mc3251

agreenapple said:


> I saw True Romance. AMAZING FILM!
> I think it was written by Quentin Tarantino, and there are soooo many famous actors... and most of them are A-list actors now.
> 
> I couldn't recommend it more!. Check it everyone.


It's very Tarantino-and while I don't think it is one of his best, I really enjoyed it. You can always tell when it's Tarantino from the way he does dialogue-very characteristic.
Loved Gary Oldman and Dennis Hopper particularly.


----------



## MannyP Design

MacDoc said:


> Very enjoyable movie and based on a true story - have to get the book if there is one. Naughtiness and intrigue in high places.....
> :clap: :clap:


The wife got a copy on Blu-Ray via Zip.ca for $10 and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.


----------



## agreenapple

*.*

Gary Oldman has definitely one of the best characters in True Romance. But there are so many good actors in it. Brad Pitt, Christian Slater, Patrica Arquette, James Gandolphini, Michael Madsen, Christoper Walken, AND!!! did you know that the ELVIS... that you barely see due to the dim lighting and his hidden nature is actually Val Kilmer?? I thought that was pretty neat.

And THE BANK JOB?? ya'll actually thought that was a great movie? Don't get me wrong here, but I didn't think it was fantastic at all. I totally dig Jason Statham and it was a good movie but nothing special. I personally liked everyone of the Transporter films better.


----------



## MacDoc

You know I really never watched this marvel seriously until tonight. Big error. 

Christian Bale is absolutely incredible and I did not realize the move was based on an autobiography of J G Ballard.

I do think this one is going to have a very long tail and rank as one of Spielberg's greatest movies.

HD ups the impact dramatically Speilberg's eye for detail and Bale's wonderful performance ...he was only 12 :clap: :clap:

Time to find the book I think.
I do like Ballard's writing.


----------



## overkill

MacDoc said:


> You know I really never watched this marvel seriously until tonight. Big error.


This has been in my top 3 for a very long time!


----------



## overkill

*Swing Vote*

It did not get my vote.


----------



## MacDoc

> This has been in my top 3 for a very long time!


Y'know it's certainly in my to 10 now.
What are your other two??


----------



## overkill

MacDoc said:


> Y'know it's certainly in my to 10 now.
> What are your other two??


Shawshank Redemption is #1
Casablanca is #2


----------



## chas_m

Overkill:

I couldn't possibly pin down my list of top films so specifically, but all three you mentioned are definitely worthy. Good taste there, lad.


----------



## SINC

While I find it hard to pin down my top ten in any specific order, it does include:

Vertigo
Citizen Kane
Casablanca
The Godfather
Psycho
The Searchers
The Wizard of Oz
Singin’ In The Rain
Schindler’s List
The Graduate

Honourable mentions go to:

The Grapes Of Wrath
High Noon
To Kill A Mockingbird
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
The African Queen
The Bridge On The River Kwai
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
American Graffiti
The Wild Bunch
Pulp Fiction


----------



## overkill

chas_m said:


> Overkill:
> 
> I couldn't possibly pin down my list of top films so specifically, but all three you mentioned are definitely worthy. Good taste there, lad.


Thanks chas_m, I do watch a lot of movies but my top 3 has been solidified for a while now. Waiting to see if something else can sneak in there.


----------



## agreenapple

*Tr*

Hey guys, I suggest you check out True Romance (pretty sure it'll get on your at least top 10 list. 
I also loved The Nines... very trippy and hard to wrap your head around. I've watched it literally 4 times in one week just to take it all in.


----------



## chas_m

A little bit of a curveball here, but if there's an IMAX cinema near you still playing "The Alps," treat yourself to a bit of BLOODY SPECTACULAR landscape and mountain views, oh and the story of a guy with serious father issues facing the north face of the Eiger. From the heights the matterhorn to the depths of a mountaineer's wife's bottom, the view is simply breathtaking.


----------



## agreenapple

*Hmm*

I've actually never been to one of the IMAX films. Always wanted to check out the nature type IMAX films. 

Maybe next weekend!

Are there IMAX 3D films?


----------



## MacDoc

Yes there are iMax 3d that are incredible - Polar Express was one - a flop in standard theatres and a hit in iMax.

IMax in the last few years has been able to upscale commercial films - alos the last Batman was filmed in both iMax and standard film - it's pretty easy to see the difference in the iMax theatre.

Here is a list of iMax films with the 3D ones noted.
List of IMAX films - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Equator HD is alos featuring original iMax films and it certainly is a terrific showcase for your home cinema.

Until the 2k digital theatres arrived I would not go near a theatre other than iMax.


----------



## MacDoc

Frost/Nixon should get the Nixon lead an academy award.










Quite the experience having an entire VIP digital theatre to our exclusive benefit. 

Nice to chat without guilt. 

91% on RT perhaps a bit high but Kudos for top notch re-creation of the era and subtle but powerful performances on the part of both leads.


----------



## MacDoc

Gritty dark movie from Richard Gere and Claire Danes. There must be a back story on this. No reviews on RT - not surprised. Teamed up with Andy Lau as director.

Warning - not for the faint of heart.

Gere is an interesting character offscreen as well.



> Off screen, Gere is an accomplished pianist and music writer. He is also actively involved in developing projects and has executive produced FINAL ANALYSIS, MR. JONES and SOMMERSBY.
> 
> A student and friend of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Gere has made numerous journeys throughout India, Nepal, Zanskar and Tibet, Mongolia and China for over twenty years. He is an accomplished photographer who has worked extensively within these regions.
> 
> His first book, Pilgrim, published in 1997 by Little, Brown and Company, is a collection of images that represent his twenty-five year journey into Buddhism. With a foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the book is Gere's personal vision of this ancient and spiritual world.
> 
> An outspoken human rights advocate, Gere has done much to draw attention to the tragedy that has been unfolding in Tibet under Chinese occupation.
> 
> He is the founder of the Gere Foundation, which contributes to numerous health education and human rights projects and is especially dedicated to promoting awareness of Tibet and her endangered culture. The Foundation contributes directly to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan community-in-exile and to aid in the cultural survival of the Tibetan people. In 1987 Gere was the founding chairman of the Tibet House in New York. After leaving Tibet House in New York in 1991, he became an active member of the Board of Directors of the International Campaign for Tibet based in Washington D.C., and in 1996 became Chairman. Gere has testified on Tibet's behalf before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Congressional Human Rights Caucus, the European Parliament, and House International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee.
> 
> Gere currently lives in New York with his wife Carey Lowell and their son Homer.


Richard Gere @ Filmbug


----------



## CubaMark

I can't believe I (and no one else) haven't posted this one....

IL POSTINO - perhaps one of the best films EVER! 










Currently has a 93% favourable rate on the Tomatometer.



> "Bittersweet Italian comedy about the friendship between exiled Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (Philippe Noiret) and his shy postman (Troisi). British director Michael Radford's film works on so many different levels--as a tribute to the power and beauty of poetry; as a tale of brotherhood; and as a charmingly quirky romance (between Troisi and barmaid Maria Grazia Cucinotta). The highest grossing foreign language film of 1995"
> (Source)


And another review that captures the film perfectly, and which notes: _"Poignancy is added by the fact that Massimo Troisi died the day after filming ended (due to his postponing heart surgery) but Il Postino should not be held up as a great film because of this. Instead, this affecting film stands tall in its own right as a 'must see' movie. There can be no finer epitaph."_

This film is in Italian, with English subtitles.


----------



## MacDoc

Oscar finally for Winslet?? Long overdue.


----------



## chas_m

I enthusiastically endorse CubaMark's review of Il Postino -- one of the great movies of all time, and part of a huge collection of great Italian movies.

Here's one of my faves, an early Fellini work:









(the title loosely translates to "The Slackers" or "The Idlers")

It's a great movie about the day you finally decide to stop being a kid and get on with your life. Goodfellas, American Graffiti and countless other films borrow from this one. Shot as it was in post-war but pre-television Italy, it's a universal coming-of-age film wrapped in a very revealing look at a particular time and place.


----------



## SINC

I'm looking forward to watching "Taken" tonight.


----------



## CubaMark

SINC, a very entertaining film. Bond-like in action and the superhuman character. Liam Neeson remains one of my top-5 actors...

chas_m, thanks for the heads-up - will see if I can find it here in Mexico. My girlfriend is always jonesing for Italian content...


----------



## SINC

CM, sadly the screening is on hold for tonight as something came up. I will seek to view "Taken" tomorrow instead.


----------



## chas_m

The mini-review of "Taken" (not written by me): "Liam Neeson can kill you WITH HIS FACE!" 

I'm going to break one of my own rules and give you guys a heads-up, because this is a good film I think a lot of Canadians will enjoy and it may not be in your town for very long, so catch it when it comes out (starting Feb. 20th I believe):









The Stone of Destiny is by Vancouver-based actor/director Charles Martin Smith (best known for "American Graffitti" and "The Untouchables" and perhaps "Snowwalkers") and while I don't want to say too much about it (as I'll be reviewing it for an industry website), suffice to say it's good and everyone in this thread would probably like it very much, particularly any of you with any Scottish heritage.


----------



## chasMac

"Stone of Destiny" looks like a good flick. I hope they make a sequel about English college students taking it back!


----------



## MissGulch

"There Will Be Blood" was the last film that made a big impression on me, although I found the ending a bit disappointing. I haven't seen any new movies in quite a long time.


----------



## CubaMark

Agreed on TWBB - the ending flat-out left me... well... flat! Great performances all the way through, but perhaps it's my 40+ years of suffering hollywood pap (albeit with great efforts taken to diversify) that left me waiting for resolution...


----------



## CubaMark

For those who have yet to see Mickey Rourke's *"The Wrestler"*, here's one of the better reviews I have come across.

Saul Laundau on "The Wrestler"


----------



## MacDoc

Want to see that - maybe on this nice long weekend.

•••

Revisited Sling Blade after being utterly blown away when it first came out.
Even more of a tour de force on a second visit.

Thorton is flat out brilliant.










Shows what an indie film can do. Written, acted and directed by Thornton to two Academy Award nominations, winning for Best Writing and a Best Actor nomination for Thornton.

The score deserves mention too.......what a superbly crafted piece of work.....brings home the concept of auteur big time :clap:

Launched Thornton's career and made me a fan for life. 95% on RT well deserved.

•••

My weekend for dark movies.










Not well received by RT - Theron continues her dark period - it is grim - I suspect it will have a long tail as a well crafted work. The usually bubbly AnnaSophia Robb (Bridge to Terabithia, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) easily holds her own against a top cast in cluding Nick Stahl and scarey as hell Dennis Hopper.

Quite the pair of dire tales to kick off "family weekend" 

You end up going out and hugging your kids......


----------



## MacDoc

Ah that was a better trip. Love those totally improbable true stories.

Good cast and a very different Dennis Hopper and a very effective Gene Hackman. :clap: Managed to miss this one when it came out.
90% on RT well deserved - feel good movie and true. The best kind.










caught this the other night - excellent. 95% on RT and again well deserved - from cast to settings - an enjoyable and engaging movie to get lost in.



> Centering on a lesser-known chapter in the reign of Queen Victoria, this richly detailed drama about her intimate relationship with her servant that scandalized the country is extremely well-acted; Judi Dench deserves an Oscar nomination


 - could not agree more.










On to Legends of the Fall - excellent movie - show off for an HD set. I'll likely fall asleep - terrific score.










I actually stayed awake on the damn thing. Julia Ormond is one of my fav actors and the cast and setting all around it superb..


----------



## Dr.G.

Hoosiers is a great movie, MacDoc. That, along with Rudy, are great movies for motivation.


----------



## Dr.G.

Gave my son the DVD of "The Motorcycle Diaries". Great flick, especially if you speak Spanish. 

"The dramatization of a motorcycle road trip Che Guevara went on in his youth that showed him his life's calling."


----------



## MacDoc

I enjoyed that as well. You can see where the radicalization arises.


----------



## Dr.G.

"I enjoyed that as well. You can see where the radicalization arises." True, and I was impressed that his friend chose to come and stay in Cuba after he had established himself as a doctor.


----------



## Kitcar

I saw Caroline the other day - a stop-motion animated film that isn't getting much press... it was amazing though - a good take on the alice-in-wonder story (although it's based on a novel, it is basically alice-in-wonderland)


----------



## ryerman

I caught a sneak preview of The Stone Of Destiny. Awesome. It's like a historical UK heist movie with Robert Carlyle. Funny too.


----------



## z1pher

I went to see Valkyrie last week. It was a pretty good movie.


----------



## chasMac

z1pher said:


> I went to see Valkyrie last week. It was a pretty good movie.


The similarities in appearance between Cruise and von Stauffenberg are remarkable. Perhaps this is what prompted Cruise to take the role. On a similar theme, I rather liked "Sophie Scholl: The Final Days".


----------



## MacDoc

Wow dark movie on a sunny day 

Big caste - big director.....88 on RT.....perhaps too tangled


----------



## keebler27

I recently saw The Pineapple Express and was surprised at how funny it was. The reviews weren't great; it didn't stay long in theatres and the I thought the clips I had seen were the funniest parts, but it was fantastic.

maybe it was the mood I was in, but I laughed hard a bunch of times.

cheers,
keebler


----------



## overkill

Just watched Transporter 3, and yup it was like watching 1 and 2.


----------



## overkill

Also just watched Seven Pounds...very predictable for me.


----------



## monokitty

overkill said:


> Also just watched Seven Pounds...very predictable for me.


I loved that movie.


----------



## KC4

Kitcar said:


> I saw Caroline the other day -


Do you mean Coraline? Based on Neil Gaiman's novel? I haven't seen the movie yet, but the book was brilliant. Yes, I guess there may be some Alice IW parallels, but I thought the book was way more than that.


----------



## DDKD726

I just watched Sneakers


I love this movie! It was a suggestion from What to Rent! - Great DVD/Movie Rental Recommendations - a good site that will ask you questions that can determine what movies you will enjoy. I answered honestly and was pleased with the suggestions. Give it a try if you're wondering what to rent next.


----------



## MacDoc

Forgot to post up.

Watchman in iMax enjoyable, immersive....too long - should have been two movies.

Some memorable characters worth continuing Rorschach in a particular....


----------



## eMacMan

Enjoyed "Knowing". Not sure who wrote it but the ending is pure Arthur Clarke.


----------



## chas_m

My latest review on my film blog: Stone of Destiny.


----------



## SINC

I had a couple hours to kill yesterday and caught "White Hunter Black Heart" in high def on Oasis HD. I had never seen this movie before and was blown away by Eastwood's performance as film director John Houston based on the true story of his journey to Africa to film, "The African Queen".

Rotten Tomato scores it as a 90. I would put it slightly higher. A great flick and stunningly beautiful in HD on the plains of Africa.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah I like the scene at the restaurant....pure John H at his most acidulous.

I'll catch it again as I was half asleep. Again one of the "true stories" that have strange twists.


----------



## MacDoc

Not sure how I missed this....gripping...Ford and Pitt are top notch set off against each other.......


----------



## SINC

Been a while since I watched 3:10 to Yuma, the recent version with Russell Crowe.

Just dug out my copy of the original with Glenn Ford and Van Heflin and stuck it in the player.

Oddly enough, RT scores it higher than the remake and I have to agree.


----------



## CubaMark

Finally got around to seeing _Gran Torino_. OMFG. Nobody told me it was a comedy! We _laughed_ (uncomfortably, of course, at the appropriate moments).


----------



## Dr.G.

Just saw State of Play with my wife. An interesting movie, but I would not run out to see it again.


----------



## MannyP Design

SINC said:


> Been a while since I watched 3:10 to Yuma, the recent version with Russell Crowe.
> 
> Just dug out my copy of the original with Glenn Ford and Van Heflin and stuck it in the player.
> 
> Oddly enough, RT scores it higher than the remake and I have to agree.


That's just the critics, though. If you look at the RT community (regular folk's reviews) the remake has a 92% approval rating where the original has an 88%.


----------



## MacDoc

What a treat. :clap: Don't know how I missed this. Incredible cast and the personal experience of the director ( semi- autobiographical ) just glows throughout the film. Dr. G you'll enjoy it if you haven't seen it yet.

Do catch the last bit - it really caps a sterling film so watch through the credits.


----------



## Dr.G.

My wife and I are going to see The Soloist tonight. It looks like good acting in the promo clips. We shall see.


----------



## Max

Saw _Changeling_ last night. One of Eastwood's less impressive directorial outings. I'm getting sick of the adoration of Angelina Jolie... this movie and _A Mighty Heart_ seemed to be all about capturing the epic beauty of her characters' angst. _Yeesh._ Started off like a TV movie with maudlin, heavy-handed piano scoring and banal, episodic, drily expository scenes... got better as we moved along. Great supporting actors and a gripping story in theory, but something was off. It felt quite affected whenever the attention was on Jolie's character. I'll say this: excellent cinematography... super saturated colours and lots of moody, high-contrast shots. Great period art direction too and we loved the wardrobe stuff. But all in all it felt flawed, incomplete.

Much better but terribly sad was watching _The Wrestler_ straight after that. Not a very redeeming film but honest and heartfelt. Mickey Rourke was right at home. Wonderful supporting work by the sizzling yet vulnerable Marisa Tomei. Bummer of a film, though. No wonder Hollywood passed it up for an Oscar... just not a typical ending suitable for reaping the big accolades. But man, great stuff. It often had the feel of a gritty, bare-bones doc. Spare, evocative scoring, too. A tightly cohesive effort from start to finish.


----------



## Dr.G.

"Dr. G you'll enjoy it if you haven't seen it yet." No, MacDoc, I have not seen this yet. Thanks for the headsup.


----------



## Ants

*Guy Ritchie's RocknRolla*

I must admit, the music in this film made it more fun but not a bad movie at all. I really enjoyed watching RocknRolla. The over-the-top gangsters reminds me of his earlier film - Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels. It did get mixed reviews but a funny gangster movie.

RocknRolla Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes

As a side note, did I mention that the soundtrack is quite good. A little old, a little new and some obscure music.


----------



## Max

Okay, just saw _Gran Torino._ It really worked for us. Powerful, straight up.... Eastwood at his finest. A much tighter, leaner vehicle than _Changeling_. He even got to reprise his tough hombre persona, but mixed it in some much-needed levity and more than a hint of grace. Well done Mr. Eastwood.


----------



## MacDoc

*Vantage Point*....what a momumental waste of time..... ..and talent.


----------



## chas_m

MacDoc said:


> *Vantage Point*....what a momumental waste of time..... ..and talent.


AHEM ... sir, this is the "GOOD" movies thread ... we don't let that sort of trash in here. Please proceed to the "BAD" movies thread, which I have conveniently started for you.


----------



## chas_m

PS. I have written a long and spoiler-riffic review of the new Star Trek movie (short version: it's VERY good unless you start to think about it too much) at my film blog.

If you'd like to read what a highly-conflicted long-time Star Trek fan thinks of it, click here.

Generally speaking, if you have an interest in Star Trek at all, you should make the effort to see this one in the cinema. It's good fun, pretty well done, has some flaws but overall a breath of fresh air.


----------



## MacDoc

It's on at the VIP in Oakville - looking forward to it. MacDoc staff movie night tonight.

Looking forward to the new Pixar 3D as well. Hope it's in iMax.


----------



## Max

So to cap off my weekend I watched _Million Dollar Baby_ again. It's the best of the three I've recently mentioned in this thread. It's the purest distillation of the classic themes Eastwood pursues and conveys the greatest emotional wallop. It makes _Gran Torino_ look merely competent, and that's no mean feat.

Another pleasant surprise was Woody Allen's _Vicki Christina Barcelona_. It's been a long time since I enjoyed an Allen flick, much less understood what he was getting at. Lots of fun. Great existentialist ending too - hey, this is Woody Allen we're talking about. Stellar casting and lots of eye-candy; beautiful settings and scenery-chewing women. I think the ladies like the male lead, too.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah Million Dollar Baby √√√ brilliant all around. atmosphere and cinematography all work as does casting. Clint knows his craft.


----------



## Dr.G.

Saw "The Reader" last night. Very good movie. Shocked my wife when I walked away from watching "Slumdog Millionaire" which we were watching at home on DVD. Just could not get in to the movie.


----------



## Max

Thumbs up for _The Reader_ here, too. Nice work on Ms. Winslet's part, although the young german playing her character's lover was very good too. Tough subject, well handled. Lots of nuance and complexity of motivation.

I liked _Slumdog _myself. Not a big fan of musicals however. But it was a classic feel-good tale. The film looked lovely - all that brilliant, high-key colour and contrast-saturated shooting.


----------



## MacDoc

The Reader was terrific - just part way through the just now book and the movie tracks very well so far. No dissonance. Casting against the book is terrific.....Winslet ideal as is the kid.

Awaiting Slum Dog - I'm a Bollywood junkie anyways long before it got popular so I'm eager to see it.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, I agree with your views about The Reader. I just could not get into the idea of Slumdog Millionaire.


----------



## PosterBoy

Effing Fantastic.


----------



## chuckster

Monsters Vs. Aliens. I took my seven year old (who didn't even stay until the end of CARS) and between the quite good 3D and recognizable character types, he loved it. I'm much harder to please, but it was a Good flick.


----------



## chas_m

PosterBoy said:


> Effing Fantastic.


See if you feel the same way after reading my review. 

Overall I like the film a lot, don't get me wrong -- but after the boom-crash opera comes to an end and you think about it ... um .... a few flaws start to emerge.*

*I know, "thinking about it" is the entire problem. I really shouldn't do that. Oh well ...


----------



## KC4

Would y'all believe...Paul Blart, Mall Cop? 
:lmao::lmao::lmao::lmao:
We took a pack of teens/tweens to the movies last weekend.
I really didn't want to go to this one- but this was their pick (and believe me - movie choices for their age range are very limited)- I had such low expectations, I pictured myself taking many mid movie trips to the snack bar, washroom, wherever...

But they howled with laughter through most of it...and it must have been contagious because I found myself laughing too - I just accepted this movie as nonsense going in and I actually enjoyed it.


----------



## MacDoc

I was pleasantly surprised at the laughter and engagement in Star Trek given it was an upper end venue 19+ and late night showing.

Lots of honest interaction and surprised hilarity especially at the beginning where I think the strength of the film lay.


----------



## PosterBoy

chas_m said:


> See if you feel the same way after reading my review.
> 
> Overall I like the film a lot, don't get me wrong -- but after the boom-crash opera comes to an end and you think about it ... um .... a few flaws start to emerge.*
> 
> *I know, "thinking about it" is the entire problem. I really shouldn't do that. Oh well ...


I just read your review and I think you were looking a bit hard for the flaws. Just sayin'.


----------



## chas_m

MacDoc said:


> I was pleasantly surprised at the laughter and engagement in Star Trek given it was an upper end venue 19+ and late night showing.
> 
> Lots of honest interaction and surprised hilarity especially at the beginning where I think the strength of the film lay.


I completely agree with you, the humour REALLY helped this film rise above being just another sfx fest.


----------



## chas_m

PosterBoy said:


> I just read your review and I think you were looking a bit hard for the flaws. Just sayin'.


First, I appreciate you getting all the way through all that. 

Second, I don't know how old you happen to be (and it doesn't matter 99% of the time) but I'm old enough that I watched the original show on the first run. Came of age as teen during the animated series and early Star Trek conventions. Stood in line for that first movie.

This isn't "just an old TV show that I have fond memories of." I have a *relationship* with Kirk, Spock, McCoy etc.

By this I don't mean I'm one of those nerds who thinks they are real or knows every stat or bit of trivia. I'm far more of a Doctor Who person than I am a Star Trek person, but that said these characters are very old friends (forty years now!) who, unlike almost everything else of my childhood, has remained a significant source of entertainment and presence.

So "Star Trek" is not just another "franchise" to be exploited. It's important that they get it right, at least to us old fans.

This is certainly doable (see "Doctor Who") and I want to see that happen again, so yes I'm absolutely hyper-critical.

But actually, that's a Good Thing.


----------



## MacDoc

We had a huge argument with the Heavy Trekker on staff who did not like it - I was looking for a reprise of 30 years with some fun and it worked for me.

He was looking for a magnum opus original - for me this is what the promise of Star Trek was way back then but did not have the technical capacity to express and it did not suffer from character being submerged by the tech.

Tough balance - for the first time I would watch Star Trek based on that group with that tech level. Lots of energy and fun and very fast paced.

Had a Stargate balance of tech and character on a somewhat ( not a lot ) larger space opera stage with top notch props.


----------



## PosterBoy

chas_m said:


> First, I appreciate you getting all the way through all that.
> 
> Second, I don't know how old you happen to be (and it doesn't matter 99% of the time) but I'm old enough that I watched the original show on the first run. Came of age as teen during the animated series and early Star Trek conventions. Stood in line for that first movie.
> 
> This isn't "just an old TV show that I have fond memories of." I have a *relationship* with Kirk, Spock, McCoy etc.


Then there's no pleasing you, so I won't bother trying, regardless of the fact that while I'm not old enough to have seen the original run of the original series, but have seen every episode of every series (and all the movies) several times.

But just a nitpick of your review, they space jumped because the transporters were offline


----------



## chas_m

PosterBoy said:


> But just a nitpick of your review, they space jumped because the transporters were offline


You're absolutely right and I should change that, but then -- why didn't they burn up the moment they hit the atmosphere?

And no, "magic space suits" is not an acceptable answer.


----------



## PosterBoy

chas_m said:


> You're absolutely right and I should change that, but then -- why didn't they burn up the moment they hit the atmosphere?
> 
> And no, "magic space suits" is not an acceptable answer.


If you get caught up in the minutiae, a problem which Star Trek and many of it's fans have had in the last decade or so, you'll never enjoy it.

They're not magic, they have inertial dampeners, or some other way of compensating. Use your imagination! That's what it's there for!


----------



## MannyP Design

God, if we really wanted to nitpick, we could tear apart the original series to death. I just hope the new Trek doesn't have the crew of the Enterprise visit the Nazi planets, or do battle with long-dead historical figures.


----------



## MannyP Design

chas_m said:


> You're absolutely right and I should change that, but then -- why didn't they burn up the moment they hit the atmosphere?
> 
> And no, "magic space suits" is not an acceptable answer.


Gee... and yet Transporters are so plausible.


----------



## ertman

MannyP Design said:


> Gee... and yet Transporters are so plausible.


Technically it is possible, even plausible, but that does not necessarilly mean it will ever be invented. At our level of technology we have no idea how to do this, but it doesn't make it impossible.


----------



## MacDoc

For those looking for movie reviews....the layout at 










CTV.ca | CTV News, Shows and Sports - Canadian Television

is very easy to navigate.


----------



## chas_m

PosterBoy said:


> If you get caught up in the minutiae, a problem which Star Trek and many of it's fans have had in the last decade or so, you'll never enjoy it.
> 
> They're not magic, they have inertial dampeners, or some other way of compensating. Use your imagination! That's what it's there for!





MannyP Design said:


> God, if we really wanted to nitpick, we could tear apart the original series to death.


Sorry, but this hardly qualifies as "nitpicking." It's a fundamental law of physics.

"Inertial dampeners" is total nonsense. Did you see them slow down in any way when they hit the atmosphere? No you did not.

It's one thing to ESTABLISH a "magical" premise in a story (Superman can fly) and quite another to pretend that you're a SCIENCE-based fantasy and just ignore the laws of physics.

Maybe you should talk with NASA about your magical "inertial dampeners." They're sure going to feel stupid when you tell them that all they had to do was slow down the shuttle Columbia and it wouldn't have burned up upon re-entry, killing those astronauts!

It's fundamental ignorance of scientific principles like this that is dumbing down both movies and general education. Next time you shake your head at an evolution or climate-change denier, you might want to re-examine your belief that people can skydive from outside a planet's atmosphere into it without changing their external temperature.


----------



## SINC

Hmm, dropped in to read a review of a recent movie and ran into a bunch of scientific gobblygook. That's enough for me.


----------



## mc3251

It is kind of like (at least for me) looking at highly realistic vs abstracted or distorted art works. The question isn't "is it real? or is it true?" but rather "is it convincing?" This starts to take it more into the realm of personal opinion and individual judgment, because whether or not a person is convinced by something is their decision.


----------



## PosterBoy

chas_m said:


> It's fundamental ignorance of scientific principles like this that is dumbing down both movies and general education. Next time you shake your head at an evolution or climate-change denier, you might want to re-examine your belief that people can skydive from outside a planet's atmosphere into it without changing their external temperature.


And maybe next time you watch a movie you should just sit back and enjoy it rather than getting hung up on details you don't really need to know.

It's Science Fiction. In the future they've figured a way to do it. That's all you should need to know to enjoy the movie. If you can suspend disbelief for warp drive, which is also currently not possible the way Star Trek presents it, why not this?


----------



## macintosh doctor

Gray Gardens... amazing - incredible.. then i watch the orginal right after ( '75) - really good.

i wish i watched the documentary first. but either way it was amazing..


it is on Rogers on Demand...
sorry - i do not go to movies.. hate people talking, phones ringing.. line ups and the cost is not worth it
so i built a tiny theare in the basement with dobly digital surrond sound.. 
is all good - Plus i have a pause button. LOL


----------



## MacDoc

Go to the VIP Silver City in Oakville then....none of the above distractions, 2k digital projection and it will be a while before home theatre gets there in experience.
Worth the $5


----------



## chas_m

macintosh doctor said:


> sorry - i do not go to movies.. hate people talking, phones ringing.. line ups and the cost is not worth it


I understand all that, but there really is something special and different about seeing a movie with a group. It's a totally different experience.

A quick example: a couple of years ago it was my pleasure to introduce a screening of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (the Gene Wilder original) at an outdoor event. Now who hasn't seen this thing 20 times or more? 

But that night it was totally different. There were laughs, gasps, squeals of delight and applause at various points (even a spontaneous singalong to "I've Got a Golden Ticket") that really restored the "magic" the film originally brought to audiences. The kids in the crowd (this was a city park, so everyone was seated on blankets, lawn chairs etc) who hadn't seen this fifty times were utterly captivated, and the adults were awash in fond memories.

NO resemblance to a viewing at home. Sheer delight.


----------



## SINC

chas_m said:


> I understand all that, but there really is something special and different about seeing a movie with a group. It's a totally different experience.
> 
> A quick example: a couple of years ago it was my pleasure to introduce a screening of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (the Gene Wilder original) at an outdoor event. Now who hasn't seen this thing 20 times or more?
> 
> But that night it was totally different. There were laughs, gasps, squeals of delight and applause at various points (even a spontaneous singalong to "I've Got a Golden Ticket") that really restored the "magic" the film originally brought to audiences. The kids in the crowd (this was a city park, so everyone was seated on blankets, lawn chairs etc) who hadn't seen this fifty times were utterly captivated, and the adults were awash in fond memories.
> 
> NO resemblance to a viewing at home. Sheer delight.


Some people never will understand that there are those among you who detest the crowds and the noise and the "squeals of delight" and much prefer the peace and quiet of a home theatre.

The reason we do so is that there truly is "NO resemblance to a viewing at home", when we suffer the interruptions of public performances. And thank God for that.

The man prefers his viewing at home, to the often wrongly touted "crowd experience". And he's right from my experience. Let's leave it at that, shall we?


----------



## mc3251

I think it was merely a discussion. Are we going to decide that we can't disagree on anything now, because people are entitled to their own thoughts?


----------



## hdh607

Miracle at St. Anna. 

Spike Lee does it again.


----------



## darkscot

Underworld Rise of the Lycans. Loved it. I ignored all the scientific implausibilities and was rewarded with an action-packed, fast-paced good story.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah that whole series was better than I expected and I'm not into the genre.


----------



## MacDoc

*Amazing Grace (2007)*

Wonderful film and an incredible cast. Dr. G you want to track this down.

This is truly a work of art on many levels including Malick's eye and Albert Finney even in a minor role is marvelous as ever - one of my fav actors.
A pleasure to see the resources and cast put to this incredible story....:clap:
This synopsis does little justice....hell just watch it....



> Synopsis: Michael Apted, whose claim to fame till now has been the respected 7 UP documentary series, directs this lavish costume drama whose heart is as big as its budget. Though a marked departure, Apted's idealistic interests are well served by the story, which is based on the true tale of the 18th-century British politician William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd, who played Horatio Hornblower in the HORNBLOWER series). Though as a young man Wilberforce is torn between politics and the church, he is inspired to action by John Newton (Albert Finney), a penitent monk who is haunted by his past as a slave-ship captain. Wilberforce makes it his mission to end slavery in the British Empire, and, aided by a small band of radical thinkers and unlikely supporters, he annually presents a bill for abolition to Parliament. When the war with France generates a patriotism in the people that makes opposition to slavery seem seditious, Wilberforce becomes disillusioned, and he retires to his cousin's (Nicholas Farrell) house, physically ill and emotionally destroyed by his perceived failure. When he meets the beautiful and righteous Barbara Spooner (Romola Garai, AS YOU LIKE IT), however, he gains new determination to pursue his dream of abolition. The talented cast includes Michael Gambon as Lord Fox, an old gent who turns out to be more lucid than anyone would have guessed, as well as Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour as Oloudaqh Equiano, a regal former slave turned activist. Terrence Malick (BADLANDS), who produced the film, leaves his mark in the stunning visuals.


----------



## chas_m

SINC said:


> Some people never will understand that there are those among you who detest the crowds and the noise and the "squeals of delight" and much prefer the peace and quiet of a home theatre.


a. I wasn't talking to you.
b. It wasn't a commandment or a challenge, merely the sharing of perspective in the hope of offering some insight. Like you do ALL THE TIME here.

I don't like obnoxious audiences any more than you do, but not all audiences are obnoxious. Most are great, and give you a different experience than watching a movie home alone (which, btw, is the opposite of what the filmmaker intended). That's all.


----------



## Dr.G.

"Amazing Grace (2007) Wonderful film and an incredible cast. Dr. G you want to track this down." I shall, MacDoc. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## SINC

chas_m said:


> a. I wasn't talking to you.
> b. It wasn't a commandment or a challenge, merely the sharing of perspective in the hope of offering some insight. Like you do ALL THE TIME here.
> 
> I don't like obnoxious audiences any more than you do, but not all audiences are obnoxious. Most are great, and give you a different experience than watching a movie home alone (which, btw, is the opposite of what the filmmaker intended). That's all.


Staying home to watch a movie is a matter of personal choice. I've been in enough obnoxious audiences in my day to convince me it happens far more often that I like. Thus my decision, and that of many others to watch movies in the peace, quiet and comfort of my own home. I could give a damn what the filmmaker intended. It is I who shell out the cash to buy his product and I will view it as I see fit.


----------



## chasMac

I saw Valkyrie over the weekend. Perhaps "Good Movies" is not the correct thread in this instance. It is very well made, but it is a straight up action/thriller flick. Not sure if such a genre fits this particular subject.


----------



## macintosh doctor

chas_m said:


> I understand all that, but there really is something special and different about seeing a movie with a group. It's a totally different experience.
> NO resemblance to a viewing at home. Sheer delight.


Chas... I have done it with groups and with out.. when my wife is in the movie with Mark Whaleberg and Chow Yung Fat - not jet li...- we paid extra at the manulife centre to see it in the private type theatre big comfy couches and still there were those "others"

I have been invited with friends to private screenings and other movie galas(have lots of friends in the movie biz)... from TIFF to BIFF ( Bermudian film festivals ) - never really like it except for the after parties.. 

not debating here, just my preference... I just have my friends over... and we watch in dolby digital on the 50" Panasonic Plasma / Blu - Ray - every house we have owned we made a pro theatre ( every time we sold the house - new owners buy the equipment off us. )

nothing beats it.. - no nuts in the crowds or sticky floors and nasty smells or HVACs that are not working properly.. 

I do appreciate your concern ( $60 bucks a night is hard to justify on a movie )
rather spend that at the Keg..

okay now back on topic.


----------



## eMacMan

$60 YIKES 

One thing I love about living in a small town; Tuesday is movie night. Yeah it takes awhile but the good movies do eventually come to town and when they do, $10 for the family on Sunday or $4/head on Tuesday. 

Love the big screen. Come-on I know people that have paid up to $5000 for that puny 50 inch screen and the surround sound set-up. Only real advantage that I can see is that you can turn the volume down a bit from 100+ db levels found in a typical theatre. 

As to rowdies. The theatre owner here weighs about 90 pounds and I have seen her on one occasion toss half a dozen drunk high schoolers out on their ear. To the applause of the rest of the audience I should add. Most of the time it is a non-issue. The rowdies are more likely to pay full price on Friday or Saturday.


----------



## chas_m

SINC said:


> Staying home to watch a movie is a matter of personal choice. I've been in enough obnoxious audiences in my day to convince me it happens far more often that I like. Thus my decision, and that of many others to watch movies in the peace, quiet and comfort of my own home. I could give a damn what the filmmaker intended. It is I who shell out the cash to buy his product and I will view it as I see fit.


Which is all perfectly fine. You do whatever you want, nobody's questioning or challenging that. Some movies, indeed, benefit from the quiet, contemplative screenings -- I was watching Bergman's WILD STRAWBERRIES the other day ... not something you need a crowd to enjoy.

I'm just saying that it can be a lot of fun to see a movie with an audience too.

PS. Love the Keg!


----------



## macintosh doctor

eMacMan said:


> $60 YIKES


parking $10
Movie tickets for 2 $25
Pop and Popcorn for 2 $25

after sitting a sticky movie chair for 2 hours, returning to your car to notice, it was scratched and dented by a close parker $ priceless


----------



## monokitty

macintosh doctor said:


> nothing beats it.. - no nuts in the crowds or sticky floors and nasty smells or HVACs that are not working properly..


+1; I'd prefer an in house movie theater any day over a public theater.


----------



## eMacMan

macintosh doctor said:


> parking $10
> Movie tickets for 2 $25
> Pop and Popcorn for 2 $25
> 
> after sitting a sticky movie chair for 2 hours, returning to your car to notice, it was scratched and dented by a close parker $ priceless


LOL. We usually walk, but should we chose to drive, parking is free and less than a 30 second walk to the theatre. We usually pass on the pop and popcorn and treat ourselves to a special desert when we get home. Oh and the seats are well maintained not at all sticky.


----------



## chas_m

eMacMan said:


> LOL. We usually walk, but should we chose to drive, parking is free and less than a 30 second walk to the theatre. We usually pass on the pop and popcorn and treat ourselves to a special desert when we get home. Oh and the seats are well maintained not at all sticky.


Exactly.

Wife and I went to _Star Trek_ recently. Tix were $10 (plus tax); we split a $10 combo (large popcorn w/real butter + large root beer). Total cost = a bit over $30.

Given how much it costs to create a really top-quality home theatre, from equipment to lighting to sound to furniture, plus cable (of course) and blu-ray movies, I think I'm ahead of the game on the 4-5 times a year I will go out to a special movie.*

(*I'm talking about mainstream blockbusters like Star Trek here; I go to film festivals all the time, but I get paid to do that)


----------



## macintosh doctor

chas_m said:


> Given how much it costs to create a really top-quality home theatre, from equipment to lighting to sound to furniture, plus cable (of course) and blu-ray movies, I think I'm ahead of the game on the 4-5 times a year I will go out to a special movie.*


Ah, but you are missing out the experience of watching U-571 - when I turn the volume up high and bass, sub woofers are turned up... they start dropping the depth charges...
it feels like your kidneys are going to rupture. ( and my couches , feel like they bouncing )
or when we watch Gladiator - and he yells "attack!" - then the arrows and fire balls are flying - i find myself ducking my head - thinking it is coming from behind me or beside me...

no $10 coupon cutting to $60 movie experience will ever compare to that experience. THAT IS LIKE MASTER CARD SAYS "PRICELESS" best money ever spent - oh and it was all bought on my Master Card so I can collect points :greedy:

to each his own.

PS.. also when i watch a girly movie with wife, and find myself crying like a 12 year old... at least at home, no one will judge me. :baby:


----------



## jlcinc

chas_m said:


> Exactly.
> Wife and I went to _Star Trek_ recently. Tix were $10 (plus tax); we split a $10 combo (large popcorn w/real butter + large root beer). Total cost = a bit over $30.


Went to see Star Trek on the weekend. When the credits rolled the audience applauded I was shocked. I thought it was a really good ride but in Toronto an audience that applauds. Star Trek was a lot of fun.

John


----------



## chasMac

Really, really good movie: Taken.

Much of the media dismissed it, in particular for its scenes of, shall we say 'graphic vengence'.

But I ask you if your daughter were in a similar position, and it was within your power, would you not do the same?


----------



## SINC

chasMac said:


> Really, really good movie: Taken.
> 
> Much of the media dismissed it, in particular for its scenes of, shall we say 'graphic vengence'.
> 
> But I ask you if your daughter were in a similar position, and it was within your power, would you not do the same?


Agreed, I enjoyed it too.


----------



## chas_m

macintosh doctor said:


> Ah, but you are missing out the experience of watching U-571 - when I turn the volume up high and bass, sub woofers are turned up... they start dropping the depth charges...
> it feels like your kidneys are going to rupture. ( and my couches , feel like they bouncing )
> or when we watch Gladiator - and he yells "attack!" - then the arrows and fire balls are flying - i find myself ducking my head - thinking it is coming from behind me or beside me...
> 
> no $10 coupon cutting to $60 movie experience will ever compare to that experience. THAT IS LIKE MASTER CARD SAYS "PRICELESS" best money ever spent - oh and it was all bought on my Master Card so I can collect points :greedy:
> 
> to each his own.
> 
> PS.. also when i watch a girly movie with wife, and find myself crying like a 12 year old... at least at home, no one will judge me. :baby:


To this entire post I say "touche!" and don't disagree with a word of it. Well put, and my only rebuttal is that my chances of ever living in a place with so much privacy that I could set the speakers to "stun" like that are extremely remote ... except inside a movie theatre! 

Yeah, I've been in a "beaucoup bucks" home theatre and had Top Gun played for me -- the surround sound really saves that picture, I'll tell you whut -- but I didn't disparage home theatres en masse, I just made the point that the group experience (which you don't generally get unless you've built a White-House-class home theatre) is fun too, and with some movies is an inherent part of the process.

Example: as much fun as _Iron Man_ is, seeing it with a group of comic-book lovers is even better. The after-film discussion is generally as much fun as the movie (and that movie was pretty fun).

So yay for home theatres, but yay for classy cinemas as well (and I'm kind of spoiled on this point -- while I don't have access to MacDoc's particular VIP SilverCity thing, my old "home" cinema was this one, and it's not your typical popcorn palace).


----------



## chas_m

jlcinc said:


> Went to see Star Trek on the weekend. When the credits rolled the audience applauded I was shocked. I thought it was a really good ride but in Toronto an audience that applauds. Star Trek was a lot of fun.


It is getting more rare for audiences to applaud movies, which is kind of a shame. Admittedly, none of the stars or artists involved can "hear" you, but the staff can -- and not only do they appreciate it, they pass that info on to the studios. If one is really moved/blown away/enthralled with a film, they SHOULD applaud. IMO.


----------



## eMacMan

chas_m said:


> It is getting more rare for audiences to applaud movies, which is kind of a shame. Admittedly, none of the stars or artists involved can "hear" you, but the staff can -- and not only do they appreciate it, they pass that info on to the studios. If one is really moved/blown away/enthralled with a film, they SHOULD applaud. IMO.


Soooooo True! 

That said studios are more than a little reluctant to break away from the basic formulae which more often than not leaves one with the feeling; "Nice presentation but I've seen it before."


----------



## MacDoc

I was pleased and amazed at the very real engagement with Star Trek....now this was all over 19 audience in a $$ threatre in stodgy Oakville.
Lots of in movie laughter and delight and scattered applause at the end which was rare in the usually reserved VIP crowd.

••

Speaking of audience engagement....when Hotel Rwanda premiered in Toronto Film Festival there was stunned silence at the end...an understandably so....tough movie.

Into that silence it was announced that in the audience was the real manager of the Hotel who then stood up.......the standing ovation went on and on and on......wish I'd been there.....quite the moment.....
There was a top notch review of the night in one of the papers and you could tell the reviewer was blown away at the whole experience.

There are many movies that benefit from an audience and some do just fine or better on home theatre.

Pixar and such as Ratatouille really benefit from shared experience and the iMax 3D movies as well....aside from being something you cannot yet reproduce.

The reaction to Polar Express from the critics was illuminating. Those that watched in the normal theatres had little praise - those that watched in 3D iMax as I did were generally very impressed - as I was as well and audience reaction was part of that break through technique - yet it did not translate well to a smaller venue.

I'm waiting for 120-200" 2K front projection to move up from my DLP RP which I find more than adequate.
It will likely have to be by subscription high speed delivery so it's a ways away.
The foundations are laid by the Christie and Kodak technologies in the high end theatres.
*ANYONE in the GTA who is interested in HD and high def future should truck down to the Oakville VIP to see the future both in theatre and home theatre....it's right on the GO and easy access from the TV.*
Theatres - SilverCity Oakville and SilverCity Oakville VIP

They pulled out the stops with stadium seating, slightly curved screens and thicker walls and a lovely sound system that has dynamic range without being overwhelming.
Nice to see real attention being paid to the experience and all for a $5 premium and you can pick your seats online. It is where theatres HAVE to go to overcome the resistance.

Like others I was fed up with out of focus projectors, poor sound and sticky floors for too much money. I just flat out quit going for a while even tho surrounded by theatres. There was too much too good on HD without the hassles.

The 2K VIP experience takes it up a real notch tho - as good and sometimes far better than any home HD in detail and resolution with fantastic seating and sound.....and a night out with friends....makes it worth it.
If you think your home theatre can rival a 2K VIP experience you are in for a surprise and the 19+ rule plus extra costs keeps the rowdies away as far as we've experienced.
One small caveat - don't sit on the aisle as the low LED stair guidance lights ( right on the floor ) are distracting from ( only from those seats ). 

The whole facility is geared around it being a socializing occasion beyond just the movie, with decent restaurants just outside the theatre, a step up food choice and drinks at the bar amongst other amenities.

iMax and the VIP theatres has made a MacDoc staff movie night a looked for adventure now where there is little or nothing to fault with the technological production.
The fights about the movie afterward amongst opinionated staff are however EPIC


----------



## chas_m

Brilliant post MD.

Wish we had a VIP cinema here -- one of our "art house" cinemas closed, though the other cinemas have admirably taken up the slack -- and we do at least have an IMAX but it's in the museum so we don't get all the possible IMAX features (for example, the IMAX version of "Watchmen" was nixed for being R-rated).


----------



## MacDoc

Thanks - aw gee shucks 

The Oakville theatre is supposed to be the template for all but when it occurs in this economy who knows....and where?? an other guess.


----------



## Dr.G.

While this was a movie that was from last year, I liked Daniel Craig's performance in "Defiance", which was about the Bielski Partisans in Poland.


----------



## SINC

I re-watched the "Cheyenne Social Club" again last night for the umpteenth time. Enjoy Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda in this bawdy comedy each time I replay it.


----------



## MacDoc

Really looking forward to a MacDoc Movie night for staff with










98% on RT - and we have a 3D iMax just a 5 minute drive :clap: Yippee...

urk - not in iMax


----------



## DR Hannon

Macdoc, just saw Up in 3D, it was GREEEEEAAAAATTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!:clap:


----------



## mc3251

I watched "The Last Word" on DVD last night. I thought it was a great little dark comedy...a tiny gem. Ray Romano steals the show.


----------



## overkill

Dr.G. said:


> While this was a movie that was from last year, I liked Daniel Craig's performance in "Defiance", which was about the Bielski Partisans in Poland.


Completely agree. Watched it a couple weeks ago and really enjoyed some of the performances in this movie.


----------



## Dr.G.

overkill said:


> Completely agree. Watched it a couple weeks ago and really enjoyed some of the performances in this movie.


I liked the fact that it was based on real people.


----------



## MacDoc

Mre of the HBO Winston Churchill Series is on tonight.

Brilliant cast and execution on a par with John Adams....

HBO Online


----------



## Dr.G.

Churchill was a man for his time and country. Sad how he was treated once the war was over.


----------



## MacDoc

I think it came around.....consider that funeral.


----------



## Dr.G.

I live near Churchill Park here in St.John's, and there is a huge bust of WC at the entrance to the park.


----------



## chas_m

Just putting another word in for UP. Movie of the year so far. Brilliant on a number of levels, not least of which FINALLY we get a 3D film that doesn't dangle a carrot in front of you just to show off the gimmick.


----------



## MacDoc

Two superb actresses willing to take on a quirky story....:clap: Stranger than fiction indeed..... 100% on RT and unusual tribute.
Bittersweet. Good on HBO

Now for the original.


----------



## fjnmusic

Star Trek in the theatres. Great fun. On the small screen, however, I've been quite attached to the mini-series In Treatment starring Gabriel Byrne as a therapist. Fascinating stuff. 43 episodes in the first season and 35 in the second, at 30 minutes apiece, let's see, that makes…39 hours of solid viewing, filmed cinematically like a movie, but in a My Dinner With Andre sort of way. Great character development. Highly recommend.


----------



## MacDoc

I like Gabriel as an actor - have been tempted but thought it might be too depressing....thanks for the review.


----------



## MacDoc

> *Amba: Forest of the Tiger God*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Udege people of the Russian Far East call the tiger Amba, god of the forest. In the remote Bikin River basin, the native Udege and the Amur tiger live alongside each other in a vast expanse of forest known as the taiga. Anatoly Petrov, a Russian film maker, spent more than a year living in this rich forest. Through the changing seasons he filmed the forest and its wildlife, including the mighty Amur tiger. Through encounters with an old hunter he learnt about the rich traditions of the Udege people, and about the respect and reverence they have for the forest they depend on.


One of the best docs on the wild in a while :clap: highly recommended ....ON Oasis HD this week,
Phenomenal photography, excellent pacing and insight into the culture. Most enjoyable.


----------



## mc3251

fjnmusic said:


> Star Trek in the theatres. Great fun. On the small screen, however, I've been quite attached to the mini-series In Treatment starring Gabriel Byrne as a therapist. Fascinating stuff. 43 episodes in the first season and 35 in the second, at 30 minutes apiece, let's see, that makes…39 hours of solid viewing, filmed cinematically like a movie, but in a My Dinner With Andre sort of way. Great character development. Highly recommend.


+1 I have found the acting to be absolutely superb in this series. Some of the patients I feel a lot more engagement and empathy with than others, but life is like that.


----------



## jicon

I grew up in Manitoba, moving to Winnipeg after a number of years up north. One movie I hadn't seen when it was released in 96(?) was Fargo. So, saw it last week.

Eight years removed from the cold, and the accents/gestures... loved it. Now I just have to look at my shoes, and control my laughter when I go to Minneapolis this summer.

I have no idea why the Coen's put in the lie that the movie is based upon a true story, but certainly a memorable film.

Oh yah? Yah.


----------



## PrinceMS

Star Trek was pretty good

Terminator has amazing action - everything else sucks


----------



## Dr.G.

Check out "Paperclips". Very moving and about real students/teachers/people. Shalom.

YouTube - Paper Clips


----------



## eMacMan

Another vote for Star Trek.


----------



## MacDoc

Don't know what RT didn't like about this film - unreal cast and a nicely wrought staging of a story based in reality..

I mean yikes to assemble this cast for a small movie....



> Cast
> 
> Gabriel Byrne as Christopher Lewis
> Roy Dupuis as Benjamin Winters
> Dakota Goyo as Timmy Winters
> Christopher Plummer as David Winters
> Susan Sarandon as Melanie Lansing Winters
> Max von Sydow as Jakob Bronski


Well done in my view - critics be damned .....hearts too hardened...they were looking for something that SHOULDN'T be there.. bah humbug,
It carries a sweep of time and place in little touches - just the late night frig raid was the kind of echo that worked without words.

Not fond of Sarandon generally but her acting in this is superb against a lot of power in Von Syndhow, Plummer and Byrne....Roy Dupuis is no light weight either...

Dr. G you might enjoy this...

One wonders what the author of the novel felt about the movie.


----------



## Dr.G.

"Dr. G you might enjoy this..." MacDoc, what is the basic plot?


----------



## MacDoc

> Emotional Arithmetic focuses primarily on three people who formed a bond in the Drancy internment camp, where they were imprisoned by the Nazis during World War II: Jakob Bronski (Sydow), who saw goodness in two orphaned children in the camp, Melanie (Sarandon) and Christopher (Byrne), and who helped them to survive. Decades after their release from Drancy, their emotional wounds still affect their lives in different ways when they meet again.


It does have a Bergman feel to it - even the setting and dark but effective black and white reprises of memories. Sydow is an ideal anchor for the story. Hey I'm a small film fan and this cast in that setting works for me. Clearly the actors saw the material in a positive light to group that much horsepower in a Canadian film.

This is the camp the novel was based out of
Drancy internment camp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


----------



## Dr.G.

Merci for the synopsis, MacDoc. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## eglockling

Has anyone seen the movie Idiocracy?
Justin Long is hilarious in the whole 5 minutes he's in the movie.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Star Trek yesterday on a big screen downtown. What a wild ride! Worth the admission and even the obscene concession prices!

The visual effects were the best I've ever seen in a film. The lighting was magnificent. Truly believable.

What was unbelievable was that Winona Ryder was in the film. When I saw her name in the credits I was shocked. I didn't recognize her as Spock's mother at all.


----------



## MACenstein'sMonster

I enjoyed this flick so much I'm going to watch it again tonight which makes it twice in three days. The last time I did that? Never.

Nicolas Winding Refn has recently become my favorite director bar none. I've seen 4 of his films - the *Puhser* trilogy and *Bleeder*. Bleeder wasn't as strong as the previous mentioned trilogy but still is a movie worth watching. *Bronson*, starring Tom Hardy, is the based-on-a-true-story tale about Britain's most violent inmate - Charles Bronson. Not his real name but he eventually changes it when he embarks on a bare-knuckle fighting career (sometimes against 2 opponents and even dogs ).
Tom Hardy isn't an actor I'm very familiar with but I understand he's been in some other big movies. Well, all I can say is, this Hardy guy is brilliant! If you thought Ledger's "Joker" or Daniel Day-Lewis's "Bob The Butcher" was special then you'll be equally impressed with Hardy's "Bronson". He's like a jacked-up NFL lineman on a 24/7 'roid rage before steroids became common in society. Pure aggression with minimal restraint and a dash of humor.
In case some of you are a little squimish about violence and full frontal male nudity then beware. In my opinion, this movie is easy to watch compared to some flicks I've seen but it does have it's moments.


----------



## KC4

Just watched "He's Just Not That in to You" on PPV with the family. When Justin Long appeared on the screen - we almost simultaneously said, "Hey, THAT's the MAC guy!" 
Never saw him anywhere else but the MAC/PC ads before this.

The movie itself was alright - glad I didn't pay the big bucks to see it in the big screen theaters though.


----------



## mmp

I'm sure this one's been commented on but we rented Taken with Liam Neeson on BluRay and it is easily the best movie I have seen in 10-15 years. Great film and I have to buy it as it is one I will watch on a real regular basis. Heard it was great and it surpassed the hype for me.


----------



## chas_m

Over the weekend, I enjoyed TCM (ie uncut and uninterrupted) versions of "Ben-Hur," "Roman Holiday," "Captain Blood" and "The Legend of Robin Hood."

Oddly, the one I enjoyed the most was "Roman Holiday," even though it's in B&W, has something of a ludicrous romantic matching, and I've seen it several times before (but not for many years). Rome of the late 50s/early 60s is just such a rich location, and Audrey Hepburn is undoubtedly the most beautiful woman to have ever graced a film camera. Beautiful B&W photography, but how could you go wrong there?










Of course "Robin Hood" is a lot of fun for me, not least because of that eye-bleeding Technicolor and Basil Rathbone and Claude Rains. It's a pity that Errol Flynn and many of the other cast couldn't be bothered to do English accents, but don't let that stop you from seeing this. I would imagine the Blu-Ray release would be retina-burning glory.


----------



## chasMac

chas_m said:


> Oddly, the one I enjoyed the most was "Roman Holiday," even though it's in B&W, has something of a ludicrous romantic matching, and I've seen it several times before (but not for many years). Rome of the late 50s/early 60s is just such a rich location, and Audrey Hepburn is undoubtedly the most beautiful woman to have ever graced a film camera. Beautiful B&W photography, but how could you go wrong there?


Roman Holiday is a great flick, and I don't generally go for 1950's romance/comedies. Apparently Hepburn's reaction at Peck's missing hand during the bocca della veritas scene was genuine and unscripted.


----------



## KC4

mmp said:


> I'm sure this one's been commented on but we rented Taken with Liam Neeson on BluRay and it is easily the best movie I have seen in 10-15 years. Great film and I have to buy it as it is one I will watch on a real regular basis. Heard it was great and it surpassed the hype for me.


Agreed - we were surprised how good Taken was....it was also unusual but great to see Liam Neeson in such a role.


----------



## SINC

Agreed. Taken got a lot of bad reviews, but we enjoyed it immensely too.


----------



## chasMac

You'd never have thought so, but the role suited him hugely.


----------



## MannyP Design

Checked out _Terminator Salvation_ and _UP_ (in 3-D) this weekend. Enjoyed both of them a great deal. _TS_ was a pretty decent action movie in spite of it's flaws.

_Up_ had a nice story, great visuals (although I disagree about Chas_m's dangling carrot criticism: Pixar used a few in this flick to play up the 3D aspect), but is it me or is Pixar stuck on the whole storytelling trick of including a broadcast or film footage to give the audience context or backstory? They've used it for Up, The Incredibles, Wall•E, Ratatouille and (somewhat) Toy Story 2. It's almost as if they say: _Hey, how do we give the audience some context? I know! We'll show him watching one of those old news reels. Done!_

Anyway, I highly recommend both movies--very entertaining.


----------



## chas_m

MannyP:

You forgot "Cars," where they use newspapers and newsreel to fill in "Doc's" story.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc might be interested in this news item --

"HBO's much-touted miniseries John Adams has won the grand jury prize and the best drama award at the Banff World Television Festival in Alberta.

The acclaimed historical drama, which depicts the life and times of the second president of the United States, was the big winner in the second night of a two-night award ceremony Monday. John Adams picked up a prize for best miniseries on Sunday."


----------



## MannyP Design

chas_m said:


> MannyP:
> 
> You forgot "Cars," where they use newspapers and newsreel to fill in "Doc's" story.


Actually The Incredibles and Cars resort to using the "wall of fame" device featuring news clippings--I wouldn't be surprised if the props were the same. But I don't recall a newsreel for Doc Hudson, though.


----------



## MacDoc

Interesting Doc....haunting with interspersing of the families in current time....



> Synopsis: DEEP WATER is the stunning true story of the first solo, non-stop, round-the-world boat race, and the psychological toll it took on its competitors. Sponsored by the Sunday Times of London, the much-ballyhooed event attracted a field of nine, including amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst, who set out to circumnavigate the globe in late 1968. Battling treacherous seas and his own demons, Crowhurst almost immediately comes apart as he faces the isolation of nine months on the high seas. Part adventure yarn and part metaphysical mystery, DEEP WATER is an unforgettable journey into one man’s heart of darkness. --© IFC Film
















+
YouTube Video









ERROR: If you can see this, then YouTube is down or you don't have Flash installed.






Some of the sub stories are also fascinating...

96% on RT likely deserved.


----------



## MacDoc

> "HBO's much-touted miniseries John Adams has won the grand jury prize and the best drama award at the Banff World Television Festival in Alberta.


well deserved :clap:

ANYONE interested in top notch film making and informative engaging history all rolled into one should make an effort to see this.


----------



## MacDoc

For the UP fans....poignant.... :clap: 

Pixar grants girl’s dying wish with home viewing of 'Up' | pixar, up, movie, home, show, girl, cancer, die, huntington, beach - News - OCRegister.com


----------



## chas_m

MacDoc said:


> For the UP fans....poignant.... :clap:
> 
> Pixar grants girl’s dying wish with home viewing of 'Up' | pixar, up, movie, home, show, girl, cancer, die, huntington, beach - News - OCRegister.com


Very moving.


----------



## MacDoc

Interesting movie.....I suspect you have to have lived a bit of it......

I like musicals and much of this works..trip down memory lance and not all them rose coloured..the movie manages to walk the line well....damn the late 60s and early 70s were violent...

Only part way through but ....

Dr. G might be of interest to you......the draft aspect...

Not a Beatles fan but some of the songs really work in the setting..

decent description



> Synopsis: The Beatles' songs may have provided the soundtrack for the lives of those coming of age in the 1960s, but their extensive catalogue acts as the literal soundtrack in this romantic musical from visionary director Julie Taymor. Newcomer Jim Sturgess stars as Jude, a young man working on the docks in Liverpool. Eager to escape, he travels to Princeton where he meets Max (Joe Anderson). But it's his meeting with Max's younger sister Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood) that changes him. They quickly fall in love, but their relationship is tested by the chaos of the late 1960s and Max's unwilling tour in Vietnam. Throughout the film, characters burst into classics from the Beatles: frat boys sing "With a Little Help from My Friends," while Uncle Sam bursts from a recruitment poster with strains of "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." U2's Bono makes a cameo as a counterculture leader and croons "I Am the Walrus," and actor-comedian Eddie Izzard provides a trippy rendition of "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite." Sturgess has the voice, charm, and good looks to fill Shea Stadium with hordes of screaming young women. As Jude, he's earnest and certainly capable of carrying the film. Wood capably balances Lucy's naiveté and knowledge, easily moving between her love for Jude and her passion for her cause. Though the performances are strong, it's Taymor's gifted direction that makes ACROSS THE UNIVERSE so fascinating to watch. As in FRIDA and Broadway's THE LION KING, she proves herself an artist with creativity few can match. Director of photography Bruno Delbonnel also deserves praise for his contribution to the striking visuals. He has worked with Jean-Pierre Jeunet on AMELIE and A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT, and he brings the same sense of romance and whimsy to this unique musical.


----------



## Dr.G.

"Dr. G might be of interest to you......the draft aspect..." Merci, mon ami.


----------



## MacDoc

Pretty moving in many ways.....not sure it works if you didn't live it....

Funny at times as well .....good mix...

damn what memory roller coaster..... :clap:


----------



## icemasta

Saw Transformers 2 last week. Was better than I thought, but was kinda long.

I guess I can throw it in there, I've been watching Burn Notice tv show, really good, recommended.


----------



## ertman

icemasta said:


> Saw Transformers 2 last week. Was better than I thought, but was kinda long.
> 
> I guess I can throw it in there, I've been watching Burn Notice tv show, really good, recommended.


Ya, I also saw Transformers 2 last weekend. As an action movie it was pretty decent, minus some lame scenes. As for an epic story, it has some significant glaring holes to be polite, but can be enjoyable if you don't look past the surface.


----------



## icemasta

ertman said:


> Ya, I also saw Transformers 2 last weekend. As an action movie it was pretty decent, minus some lame scenes. As for an epic story, it has some significant glaring holes to be polite, but can be enjoyable if you don't look past the surface.


Very true, but thats expected with a really general movie like Transformers. If I went with those expectations then I'd be disappointed, but as an enjoyable movie goes it was good.


----------



## ertman

icemasta said:


> Very true, but thats expected with a really general movie like Transformers. If I went with those expectations then I'd be disappointed, but as an enjoyable movie goes it was good.


I know, it was more of a comment about how it wasn't really that bad and can be quite enjoyable. As a note the "lame" scenes in #2 are better than the "lame" scenes in #1.


----------



## Niteshooter

The Hurt Locker, if your genre is war films than this one will work.

K


----------



## MacDoc

a movie I did not know about and story I did not know about.....

Another excellent production from HBO



> Synopsis: The troubled life of Dorothy Dandridge, the first African-American woman to garner an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress (for CARMEN JONES) is dramatized in this fine made-for-HBO film from director Coolidge (RAMBLING ROSE).
> Gorgeous Berry shines as Dandridge in a role she seems born to play. Dandridge's close relationship with her manager (Spiner) is examined, as is her affair with director Otto Preminger, along with her first marriage to dancer Harold Nicholas, with whom she gave birth to a mentally disabled daughter. Aside from her personal struggles, the film also demonstrates the rampant racism of 1950's Hollywood which she had to endure throughout her short career


recommended :clap:


----------



## chas_m

Thank the stars she's back to doing respectable movies again. After Catwoman and that awful AWFUL horror movie I'm trying to blank out I was sure she'd never work again.


----------



## SINC

Not to worry, she'll always find work with that frame of hers.


----------



## KC4

Recently saw UP. Just great fun and a good story. Pixar's animations never fail to amaze and delight me.


----------



## screature

Recently saw 2 Days in Paris.










Very funny, a great little movie, if you like Adam Goldberg's dry sarcastic humour, you should love this movie. Julie Delpy is great, literally her movie, she wrote, directed, produced and wrote the original music for it.


----------



## The Doug

Watched *The Verdict* last evening. Somehow I'd never managed to see this 1982 film until now. Good courtroom drama / character redemption flick directed by Sidney Lumet and scripted by David Mamet. Paul Newman is excellent (of course) in the lead role, and the supporting actors are all great as well. :clap:


----------



## SINC

I got a Blue-Ray copy of the Bucket List for my birthday last month and sat down to watch it last night on my new 40" Samsung via a Samsung Blue-Ray player. I had only seen it on a conventional TV before and man what a difference.











Great fun, but it still left me with a bit of a lump in my throat near the end though.


----------



## chas_m

I don't think I mentioned it here, so I will: the latest Harry Potter film works much better *as a film* than some of the previous outings. The key thing they did this time was instead of trying to cram the book into two-plus hours, they just rewrote the story FOR FILM. Really made a big difference to me, though the cries of "but they left so much out!" are pretty deafening from the book readers. I haven't read the books past the first one, so I can only judge these films as movies, whether they make sense or seem confusing, whether the pace is natural or rushed, etc.

"The Half Blood Prince" seemed much more coherent to me, and I hope they keep this approach for the two-part finale.


----------



## mrjimmy

chas_m said:


> I don't think I mentioned it here, so I will: the latest Harry Potter film works much better *as a film* than some of the previous outings. The key thing they did this time was instead of trying to cram the book into two-plus hours, they just rewrote the story FOR FILM. Really made a big difference to me, though the cries of "but they left so much out!" are pretty deafening from the book readers. I haven't read the books past the first one, so I can only judge these films as movies, whether they make sense or seem confusing, whether the pace is natural or rushed, etc.
> 
> "The Half Blood Prince" seemed much more coherent to me, and I hope they keep this approach for the two-part finale.


I agree. I saw it yesterday and enjoyed it very much. For those not in the know (read the books), it can be vague at times but generally, it introduces characters well and follows a general plot line.

What fabulous cinematography and production design this time round. Always good but this time better.


----------



## Max

I went and caught the latest Harry Potter on my birthday the other day. I have to say that it was the best one since the debut of the series. Agreed, it felt more expertly handled and balanced. It possessed more character-driven nuance. I was pleasantly surprised by how deft and understated it felt. The pacing was great, the visuals and scoring sumptuous as ever, but never at the expense of telling the tale. I think much has to do with the characters becoming adults - it adds a certain _frisson_ the earlier installments lacked.

A flick equally gorgeous for its cinematography and grand vistas is _Mongol._ Just saw that yesterday; one of the best foreign films I've seen in years. Those in love with period films that are sweeping epics involving war, fierce love and a landscape that contended for being a leading character will dig it. You have to be able to tolerate subtitles but if you can get beyond that, you're golden. Excellent casting, timeless tale - the story of a young Ghengis Khan before he became a major historical figure. Yes, there's some dramatic license - we're talking about something which unfolded many centuries ago - but on the whole it was brilliant. Epic battle scenes that didn't go over the top with CGI wizardry. By turns vicious and hauntingly beautiful.

Also just saw _Watchmen._ Always wanted to catch this one; I was introduced to the graphic novel by a comic book fiend of a friend back when it first came out. It's a very entertaining flick but I found the pacing a bit uneven. That said, it was quite faithful to the original material and it was lit like a graphic novel - inky-dark pools of shadow, lots of harsh light and a certain saturated feel for colour. The lead characters were pretty compelling but unless you'd read the book first you might need a scorecard to understand who's who. Great way to kill a couple of hours, though.


----------



## eMacMan

Rented Benjamin Button awhile back and quite liked it.


----------



## MacDoc

Wears well over time...decent print in HD, :clap:


----------



## chas_m

Just re-watched Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country this evening. Today's filmmakers could chop this down by half to speed the pacing up and give it more "zazz" (or cater it to the twitchy ADD types that constitute today's movie audiences, depending on your view), but I found at its heart it was a very good story on all levels, sparked by some really high-quality acting in places (as well as some indulgent WTF moments).

I still like it better than any of the TNG movies, the current Star Trek film, or most of the old ones (except for ST2, which was imho the *perfect* Star Trek movie from start to finish; it's no coincidence, methinks, that #2 and #6 share the same director, Nicholas Meyer).

How I wish Meyer had directed this new film instead of Abrams ...


----------



## MacDoc

Dystopian vision with a bit of 21st century Swiftian black humour given both its setting and its host film set.......well done.....sequel to follow...

Unique..:clap:

On at the VIP Theatre for those that value the experience
Theatre Details


----------



## chas_m

It should be noted that for Outer Limits fans, District 9 isn't as "original" as it may seem to younger viewers ...


----------



## Dennis Nedry

[deleted]


----------



## esquilo22

Not sure if I'm getting old but I can't stand 99% of the newly released movies... LOTR probably was the last good one.


----------



## MacDoc

My fav kind of movie - true story :clap: Good cast. 61 on RT well deserved..



> Synopsis: As the first African American to receive college football's prestigious Heisman trophy, Ernie Davis (Rob Brown) is one of the most inspiring--and tragic--figures in the game (he died of leukemia at 23, before his first NFL game) His rise to athletic stardom coincides with the birth of the civil rights movement, and despite setbacks like a speech impediment, biased referees, and fear of white mob reprisals, Davis grabs the glory for a better America. Dennis Quaid plays Davis's coach and mentor, Ben Schwartzwalder, who lays on the discipline and training, first yielding to racist pressures, then supporting and spurring Davis to his peerless heights for Syracuse University's Orangemen. THE EXPRESS would need to work hard to fumble this ball, and it doesn't, making a smooth cinematic touchdown with heart, intelligence, guts, rapid-fire editing, and a minimum of cliché. The gridiron action is vividly and excitingly rendered as is a superb supporting cast, most notably Omar Benson Miller as Davis's wisecracking teammate. Plus, one can't go wrong with having seasoned sports movie go-to guy Quaid as Schwartzwalder; he's got this stuff so down, he could get an audience to stand up and cheer just by reading a grocery list. What sticks in the mind later though is the joy in watching these characters grow, as athletes and as people. And as they mature, they take all of America with them.


Dr. G catch this one....


----------



## Griz

I don't know if these got mentioned.


But for the Sci-Fi fans out there (I'm one), I found a real gem or two!

The first is kind of the 'Breakfast Club' of Sci-Fi.

It's called '*The Man From Earth*'.

If you like to think and can stand not having things blow up or ray-guns, etc. (much like a BreakyClub kind of thing) then you will love this movie!

I was so completely and utterly SUCKED INTO IT!

Also, another that deserves a mention in the Sci-Fi Category is '*Primer*' and again, is a low-budget movie. However it is TRUE Sci-Fi in how it is put together. A very real, very human look at scientific discovery/time travel/etc.

Frankly, I've become bored with the explosions, computer graphics, music sweetened 'suspense' scenes, and other high-priced Hollywood glitz lately.

I watch ALOT of movies...TONS. Of late though, I find myself becoming discriminating and watching less and less (or old favorites). Unless they really grab me, I just have become tired of being dissapointed and let down. Originality I think is an ingredient that's missing most of the time and what may be missing.

Neither of the two movies above could be considered un-original (yes, they've been done, but not 'to death').

There's a difference between a different take on a theme, a different perspective by a director, writer, actor, etc. and using a standardized formula.

Anyway - Sci-Fi folks - give those two a try. Quite frankly they are a good litmus test for whether you just want to be purely entertained, or enlightened... 

Some folks don't like to think too much during a movie. I think it's important.


----------



## chas_m

Griz said:


> Some folks don't like to think too much during a movie. I think it's important.


To be fair, I don't know many people who ONLY like "no thinking" movies. It's a mood for most people, one they probably indulge too much but "serious" films do get their due from time to time. I love films that "make you think" (documentaries and arthouse films, et al) but I also love "Airplane!", possibly one of the silliest movies ever made but deeply enjoyable to me.


----------



## Mach2billy

The last two I saw in a theatre were UP and Ice Age 3, both in 3D. Up was gorgeous in 3D, Ice Age was a little less so. Btw, both films are entirely in 3D, not just a few quick scenes here and there. Up was very good, Ice Age was good. The opening scene in Up, which shows a montage of the main character's life to that point is a beautiful piece of film that would match up against any movie, animated or not.


----------



## Griz

chas_m said:


> To be fair, I don't know many people who ONLY like "no thinking" movies. It's a mood for most people, one they probably indulge too much but "serious" films do get their due from time to time. I love films that "make you think" (documentaries and arthouse films, et al) but I also love "Airplane!", possibly one of the silliest movies ever made but deeply enjoyable to me.


Sadly, no...I actually know people who dump on movies that require your brain cells fire more than once a minute....really... I won't name _their _favourite movies lest I offend someone by doing so.

But I can admit, I guess, that I like a good dumb comedy too...sometimes. 

I actually do like those "40 Year Old Virgin/Knocked Up/Superbad/Zach and Miri" genre. But there is some humourus thought involved. More socially oriented, but thought nonetheless.

Same goes for Kevin Smith movies. LOVE "Clerks", "Dogma", "Chasing Amy", and a few others.

I can appreciate acting and character development. It's the meat and bones of acting. Meryl Streep for instance. Or Tom Hanks. Or Ralph Feinnes (sp?). These folks take their talent and stretch it beyond it's capacity on a regular basis. 

For me that beats much of the more popular movies by a mile.

But hey, thats just me.

I have an ars..er..opinion like everyone.


----------



## overkill

District 9 - best summer movie for me so far.


----------



## MacDoc

Wow - incredible Indie production....:clap:

Dr. G I think you would like this poignant film...what a remarkable directorial debut....made on a shoe string a well deserved 88 on RT 96% from the Top Critics. 



> Consensus: Veteran character actress Melissa Leo delivers a stunning performance in this powerful -- if grim -- indie film.


Goes to show you can craft a complex gripping tale even without the big dollars. Fine film making - even more remarkable as a debut film.


----------



## chas_m

MacDoc (and Dr. G), I'm getting the impression that you guys should check out your local film festivals ... I think you'd find a LOT of good, indie, small-budget but high quality stuff.

Indeed, a lot of "big name" stars also do these "little" films for scale or less sometimes, to get a chance to really flex their acting muscles. I met Famke Jansen for example while she was promoting "Love & Sex" but she'd also just finished another, bigger film ... "X-" something  ... but the "X" movie was just a paycheque, the indie film was the one she wanted to/enjoyed talking about. Film fests are full of that (good) stuff.

(Maybe you already do go to filmfests, but I just thought I'd mention it.)


----------



## chas_m

Oh BTW, recently got a chance to watch THIS again after a 25-year pause:










This, my friends, is a CLASSIC. One of the greatest films ever made, and don't take my word for it on that:


Ranked #3 of the world's greatest movies by a survey of thousands of film critics at the Brussels World's Fair in 1952, just four years after it was released.

Every decade, the British film monthly _Sight & Sound_ asks an international group of film professionals to vote for their greatest film of all time. The Sight & Sound accolade has come to be regarded as one of the most important of the "greatest ever film" lists. Roger Ebert described it as "by far the most respected of the countless polls of great movies--the only one most serious movie people take seriously." The first poll, in 1952, was topped by _The Bicycle Thief_ (the mistranslated English title -- it's now been corrected to _Bicycle Thieves_). It's now ranked at #45, but think about that -- in the fifty years between the first poll and the latest, ONLY 44 films have come out that are considered _better_.

Ranked #22 on Entertainment Weekly's "100 Greatest Movies of All Time."
Anyway, it's terrific, though I'm sure a lot of casual film viewers would be turned away by the fact that it's in B&W, that it's in Italian, that it's "old." But its content is as relevant today as ever -- possibly more so for a lot of people.

The 60th anniversary print is making the rounds -- Victoria might have been the last to get it, but if by chance you see it advertised or available for rent, you should treat yourself.

My full review of the film is here, and an ode to the CineCenta where I was overjoyed to revisit it is here. I'm going back to catch a second viewing of "Up" and a first (finally!) viewing of "Moon" this weekend.


----------



## MacDoc

Chas - I'm too fussy about image quality so the festivals don't really attract - I'll wait til they come around on the movie networks.
Always been an art film lover since university.


----------



## MacDoc

Terrific movie.....wonderful casting....not a Beyoncé fan but she does a great job here and the lead for Leonard Chess, Adrienne Brody was a brilliant choice....
more here but just watch it..

Cadillac Records Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes


----------



## chas_m

MacDoc said:


> Chas - I'm too fussy about image quality so the festivals don't really attract - I'll wait til they come around on the movie networks.
> Always been an art film lover since university.


And that's why they created Criterion (formerly Laserdiscs, now DVDs), but either way I hope you get a chance to enjoy the film at some point (though I would assume you've seen it already).


----------



## MacDoc

Even Laser which I have a quite a few around and Criterion does not equal HD at home or 2k at the Kodak screens so I'm spoiled.
Pretty sure I caught it but will have an eye out. Really enjoyed Cadillac records.....apparently *American Hot Wax i*s playing on the Oasis channels - love the movie for the rock n roll history some superb vignettes.


----------



## Clockwork

I just watched The Boy in The Striped Pajamas recently, and it was a very good movie highly recommended. Not sure if anyone mentioned it, but it is about a German boy that becomes friends with a Jewish boy in a work camp during WWII. 

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)


----------



## MacDoc

Just watched it....well done......viciously ironic :-(


----------



## MacDoc

Might have mentioned this before but a fine enjoyable movie and Norah Jones holds her own against a A List cast.










Sweet and evocative.:clap:


----------



## mc3251

chas_m said:


> To be fair, I don't know many people who ONLY like "no thinking" movies. It's a mood for most people, one they probably indulge too much but "serious" films do get their due from time to time. I love films that "make you think" (documentaries and arthouse films, et al) but I also love "Airplane!", possibly one of the silliest movies ever made but deeply enjoyable to me.


I agree with you, Chas-it's a mood for people. I have kind of a literary/analytical bent so I enjoy films that make you think, but I also love to just be entertained. I am particularly impressed when a movie lets you do both.

I get frustrated with people who act like snobs around film. Mostly, movies are not really an art form IMO, because they are so often driven by market, by focus group endings, by what will put bums in seats, by the topic or issue du jour.

What I want from a movie is to be MOVED-to laughter, to tears, to cries of outrage. The best movies live on in my head for weeks or months because they also helped me see or think about the world in new ways.

Three most recent movies are a case in point:

1. District 9-mostly made me think-I found it a little heavy handed in the parallels with racism and it was unrelievedly grim, I thought, but good film.
2. Star Trek at the Imax-hugely entertaining, big, great, fairly mindless fun.
3. Inglourious Basterds-once again Trantino is entertaining and brilliant-hilarious, visceral and thought provoking. This film gave me both.


----------



## Rps

Clockwork said:


> I just watched The Boy in The Striped Pajamas recently, and it was a very good movie highly recommended. Not sure if anyone mentioned it, but it is about a German boy that becomes friends with a Jewish boy in a work camp during WWII.
> 
> The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)


Must say I agree with you on this one, it was a very good movie. I just finished watching Hounddog with Dakota Fanning. I thought it was a very good movie, well written and supremely well acted, she certainly could carry the film. However my wife thought it was dull and well very well acted, found it boring. I guess if you like movies which are like "books" you would like this one.


----------



## MacDoc

> Originally Posted by *chas_m*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _To be fair, I don't know many people who ONLY like "no thinking" movies. It's a mood for most people, one they probably indulge too much but "serious" films do get their due from time to time. I love films that "make you think" (documentaries and arthouse films, et al) but I also love "Airplane!", possibly one of the silliest movies ever made but deeply enjoyable to me._


The *Usual Suspects *comes to mind as one of the best of both....a wonderful intrigue and wonderful entertainment. *The Sting* from a previous era.

I generally cannot stand movies made as comedies tho I enjoy some of the byplay and innuendo in the Bond series.

My best category are movies based on real events - you cannot script reality as no one would believe a fictional version of what actually occurred in these cases. That's WHY - *The Informant* works...

My "perfect" movie was *Chariots of Fire* and I was thrilled when it won best Picture. A perfect gem of a film from casting to the underlying reality to score to cinematography.



> The biggest surprise in the form of a Best Picture Oscar in the last twenty years definitely came in 1981 when Chariots of Fire upset Atlantic City, On Golden Pond, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Reds to capture the Academy's highest honour.


Chariots of Fire (1981)


----------



## MacDoc

Superb cinematography and cast.....and a true story to boot. :clap:



> Synopsis: Based on real events, The Children of Huang Shi is a story set against war-torn China in the 1930’s. The film centers on a young English journalist (JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS), an American nurse (RADHA MITCHELL) and the leader of a Chinese parti- san group (CHOW YUN FAT) who meet in desperate and unexpected circumstances. Together they rescue 60-orphaned, children leading them on an extraordinary journey, across hundreds of miles of treacherous terrain, through snow-covered mountains and an unforgiving desert. Along the way they discover the true meaning of love, responsibility and courage. --© Sony Pictures Classics


----------



## chas_m

On my film blog, I recently reviewed the double-feature Toy Story/Toy Story 2 in 3D and Michael Moore's film Capitalism: A Love Story.

I'd appreciate it if people could resist the urge to hijack THIS thread into a political discussion on Moore -- happy to chat with you about him if you want, but over in the appropriate forum please and thank you.


----------



## MacDoc

One of my fav niche movies - good caste - amazing sound track and performance never to be repeated running now on Oasis channels 












> This unassuming celebration of the early days of rock 'n' roll manages to recreate the excitement of similar movies from the late 1950s. The plot concerns the efforts of Alan Freed (Tim McIntire), a disk jockey credited with popularizing "rock and roll," garnering acceptance for this new form of popular music despite the efforts of local police to quell it. McIntire's portrayal is particularly energetic. The music dominates the movie with especially enjoyable guest appearances b*y Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Screamin' Jay Hawkins*.


Fran Drescher, Jay Leno long before later fame are hilarious. The entire caste including musicians are superb and creates the lively excitement and clashes of the era......been there.

It's a fine enjoyable movie that has a long tail ....:clap:


----------



## chas_m

I think "caste" only applies to Bollywood movies. You mean "cast."


----------



## MacDoc

Tho early rock n rollers must have felt just about as ostracized.


----------



## MacDoc

Twilight..liked the pacing and music.










Never much on this genre but music and ambience and some dark humour mixed okay for me.


----------



## MacDoc

80% on RT well deserved....fine performances all around Alan Alda does a fine job and heart felt power in his presentation to the supreme court.

Gripping and troubling. Dr. G have an eye out for it.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> 80% on RT well deserved....fine performances all around Alan Alda does a fine job and heart felt power in his presentation to the supreme court.
> 
> Gripping and troubling. Dr. G have an eye out for it.


I shall be on the look out for this movie, MacDoc. Merci, mon ami.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> 80% on RT well deserved....fine performances all around Alan Alda does a fine job and heart felt power in his presentation to the supreme court.
> 
> Gripping and troubling. Dr. G have an eye out for it.


Looks really interesting, MacDoc.

Apple - Movie Trailers - Nothing but the Truth


----------



## fellfromtree

Chop Shop
Man Push Cart

Both films by Ramin Bahrani. I watched Chop Shop last week, Man Push Cart this week.
Both very real gritty New York slice of life dramas. Chop Shop almost looks like a documentary. I particularly liked the way both of these films ended. I had to check to make sure the director was American.
They reminded me of A Taste Of Cherry, but with more of a guerilla style.


----------



## chas_m

MacDoc said:


> Twilight..liked the pacing and music.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Never much on this genre but music and ambience and some dark humour mixed okay for me.


MacDoc is a 13-year-old girl????


----------



## chas_m

I'm not sure if this counts as a movie, but I saw it in a theatre:








This was a cut-down two-hour version of the six-hour documentary, with some additional footage of the Pythons (and so forth) being interviewed on their way into the NYC premiere.

As a lifelong student of the Pythons, I found the most interesting parts were the bits I was less familiar with -- their lives growing up and their work prior to joining together to form the Circus. The use of clips to illustrate their stories was handled with more aplomb than we have seen in the previous documentaries, and you got more info about their interpersonal relationships. I was particularly pleased to see more footage of their Canadian tour featured, as that was quite a pivotal event in the group's history on a variety of levels but has until now been little more than a footnote.

But, even after watching the "full Monty" as it were (the six-hour version shown on Bravo here), I'm left quite dissatisfied. With all that time, you'd think we'd get a bit more insight into each members' own creative process, ie WHERE many of their brilliant inventions came from, or how things went from basic idea to polished script. I was surprised that other successful troupe comedians clearly influenced by Python, such as the SCTV crew or the Kids in the Hall, were not involved in this, instead featuring a run of mostly-mediocre British comedians (not nearly enough Eddie Izzard, a spiritual Python if ever there was one, and way too much drugged-up Russell Brand, sounding more than a little like the UK's Sarah Palin).

I was also annoyed that only VERY selective attention was paid to the post-Python careers of the members, given that having been in Python played a huge role in much of what they did after that. No mention at all of Rutland Weekend Television, Ripping Yarns, Dr. Fegg, Out of the Trees (with Douglas Adams, no less!), the Odd Job Man, Video Arts and so forth.

Barely any mention of Fawlty Towers, Michael's travel programmes, or the many films released under the Handmade Films banner, most of which featured at least two Pythons if not more (I still can't believe there was no mention of Jabberwocky, the film that launched Gilliam as a serious film director!). Nothing about Yellowbeard either, which is a shame since Graham is (naturally) underrepresented. They didn't even use that famous "final shot" of him in the closet with the rest of the Pythons at the end of the Showtime Documentary Parrot Sketch Not Included, though I must give the makers (and broadcasters) credit for including the full-frontal nude shot he did for Life of Brian.

Overall, this is an excellent addition to the considerable amount of documentary work done on Python, but still unsatisfyingly short on minutia. Still, as Monty Python are considerably full of awesome, there is plenty to enjoy here. In the theatre I still found myself laughing, even at stuff I've seen a thousand times (literally). There's not a lot of things in the world you can say that about.


----------



## MacDoc

A few too many roller coaster rides but the music and 3D use was superb.

Disney is back...post Eisner and the creative crew he stifled are having much fun.

A bit pagan and certainly marginal for kids in terms of scare factor.

iMax is glorious for the music and often seamless 3D.

I DO want a 3d flight simulator.

Not a Carey fan but he does very well in this.


----------



## Dr.G.

I hear that it might be a bit too scary for young children.


----------



## MannyP Design

Zemeckis has apparently learned nothing from Polar Express and Beowulf. He's done nothing to improve the technology to capture the actor's performances and once again we're stuck with puppeted mannequins giving carbon copy performances. The eyes are a big issue--never quite working with the actor.

That aside, it's a very beautiful movie--gorgeous production and looks amazing with 3D projection. And that's about it.

Definitely not a kids' movie--lots of creepy, dark and scary moments.



MacDoc said:


> A few too many roller coaster rides but the music and 3D use was superb.
> 
> Disney is back...post Eisner and the creative crew he stifled are having much fun.
> 
> A bit pagan and certainly marginal for kids in terms of scare factor.
> 
> iMax is glorious for the music and often seamless 3D.
> 
> I DO want a 3d flight simulator.
> 
> Not a Carey fan but he does very well in this.


----------



## MacDoc

I disagree a little bit - I thought Scrooge was the best yet for the technique - the scene at the dinner table toward the end showed up the differences between Scrooge animation and the others clearly.

I thought there was less woodenness overall but the valley remains. Does not bother me all the much.... I view it as a variation on a cartoon.

RT gave it 55% - just about correct in my view.

Oddly I was not quite as immersed as Polar...maybe the nature of the settings.


----------



## hazedragon45

Paranormal Activity.

==> finally a horror movie that is actually kinda scary.


----------



## MacDoc

impressive - enjoyable movie - great cast and sound - well deserved 87% on RT



> Synopsis: Award-winning Russian filmmaker Sergei Bodrov (Prisoner of the Mountains) illuminates the life and legend of Genghis Khan in his stunning historical epic, Mongol. Based on leading scholarly accounts and written by Bodrov and Arif Aliyev, Mongol delves into the dramatic and harrowing early years of the ruler who was born as Temudgin in 1162. As it follows Temudgin from his perilous childhood to the battle that sealed his destiny, the film paints a multidimensional portrait of the future conqueror, revealing him not as the evil brute of hoary stereotype, but as an inspiring, fearless and visionary leader. Mongol shows us the making of an extraordinary man, and the foundation on which so much of his greatness rested: his relationship with his wife, Borte, his lifelong love and most trusted advisor.
> 
> Filmed in the very lands that gave birth to Genghis Khan, Mongol transports us back to a distant and exotic period in world history; to a nomad's landscape of endless space, climatic extremes and ever-present danger. In a performance of powerful stillness and subtlety, celebrated young Japanese actor Asano Tadanobu (Zatoichi, Last Life in the Universe) captures the inner fire that enabled a hunted boy to become a legendary conqueror. Asano's achievement is matched by those of his co-stars, including the radiant newcomer Khulan Chuluun as Temudgin's courageous, spirited wife Borte, and the Chinese actor Honglei Sun (The Road Home) as the Mongol chieftain Jamukha, Temudgin's dearest friend and deadliest enemy. Masterfully blending action and emotion against some of the most arresting terrain on earth, Bodrov delivers an exciting and awe-inspiring tale of survival and triumph, and a love story for the ages. --© Picturehouse [Less]


:clap:


----------



## ComputerIdiot

The Men Who Stare at Goats Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes

Whoa, I wanted to see this one, but ... 

The reviewers in general certainly didn't care for it. Has anybody here seen it?


----------



## CubaMark

Can't find the "worst movies you've seen" thread... so let me hijack for a moment. * 2012*: Worst Disaster Movie Ever. I mean, **EVER**.










_Not even "so bad, it's good" bad._ Just Bad.


----------



## chas_m

A few thoughts on some recent outings:

*Christmas Carol*: I'm quite conflicted about this one. I dislike Zemeckis' "style" of computer animation because it beats you over the head with how obviously computer-animated it is. Pixar movies make you forget it's computer animated, Dreamworks films can achieve that on occasion (but then drop the ball on substance), but Zemeckis seems proud of his strange, stylised video-game look. Weird, but it's possible to get past.

I'm also not much of a fan of Jim Carrey. There are moments here when he hits it, when he captures Scrooge, but he and Zemeckis just HAVE to go for lots (and lots ... and LOTS) of extra and completely unneeded slapstick so that Jim Carrey's avatar can make the requisite number of Funny Jim Carrey faces. He occasionally wanders into Ace Ventura territory visually, and folks, that's not good.

That said, the basic STORY is pretty well done if you ignore the slapstick digressions, using more actual dialogue from the book than any previous version. High marks and a certain amount of forgiveness for that.

As for all the warnings about kids: tish tosh!! Old fogeys who've forgotten that kids LIKE to be scared, I say. Maybe you'd want to keep the four-year-old at home, but any kid above seven will probably enjoy this greatly, even if they DO get scared (briefly). Indeed, that's probably why the dumb slapstick is in there, to soften the darker moments. This thing has been a kids classic for 150 years, and it didn't get that way by being tame and boring.

Overall, I give it a "B." It's too bad Zemeckis didn't have enough faith in the magic of the original tale to resist embellishing it, but OTOH he stuck reasonably faithfully to the book, and Carrey isn't the worst choice for the role. I still think the 1951 Alastair Sim version reigns supreme.

*Mongol* -- sounds right up my alley.

*2012* -- Comedy of the year. It's about time SOMEONE took the overuse/abuse of CGI to its logical extreme and gave us Irwin Allen's Wet Dream. An earthquake that FOLLOWS you ... oh my sides are splitting. Hopefully this will shame a few filmmakers into scaling back and remembering that "less is more" sometimes, but sadly I doubt it.


----------



## MacDoc

Did you see iMax 3D or standard theatre 3D?
The impact as with Polar Express is quite at variance and shows in the reviews.


----------



## MannyP Design

chas_m said:


> As for all the warnings about kids: tish tosh!! Old fogeys who've forgotten that kids LIKE to be scared, I say. Maybe you'd want to keep the four-year-old at home, but any kid above seven will probably enjoy this greatly, even if they DO get scared (briefly). Indeed, that's probably why the dumb slapstick is in there, to soften the darker moments. This thing has been a kids classic for 150 years, and it didn't get that way by being tame and boring.


Whatever you say. 

Obviously you would know better than everyone else.


----------



## mc3251

I'm with Chas on the kids issue. Obviously parents can choose as they see fit, but I do think we get all wound up about whether little Billy or Sally will get traumatized. Childhood is filled with fear (among other things, obviously), and learning to experience and deal with it is an important part of growing up.
It is THE classic tale of redemption, and Scrooge is such a mean-ass at the beginning that even though it's scary, as a kid I remember thinking he was getting what he deserved.


----------



## MannyP Design

This has nothing to do with being over protective. I fail to see why people feel the need to shove as much trauma at a child before they're ten ears old. Some kids, like adults, have no desire to see such things. That's all there is to it.


----------



## MannyP Design

Besides this version is not your father's Christmas Carol. Zemeckis ramped up a lot of scenes compared to other versions. And they're not brief, either.


----------



## mc3251

It's an individual decision, obviously. 
I know with both of my kids I felt my way through it. They were very different and their tolerance was different. If they saw something that disturbed them, then I adjusted what I showed them accordingly. If they wanted to see something that could potentially be scary or intense then we talked about it and I watched it with them, and paid attention to the effect.
It's all about paying attention to your kids, I think-that and recognizing that kids like the adults they grow up to be, are different.


----------



## MacDoc

Remastered in HD this is just plain glorious.....running on Treasure HD this week. This is what HD was MADE for.

Hard to believe 30 years and this glitters brighter than ever, sound, cinematography and editing.........:clap:

97% on RT very well deserved. Got me hooked on HD concerts again.


----------



## chas_m

MacDoc said:


> Did you see iMax 3D or standard theatre 3D?


Neither. My wife has a vision problem that precludes her seeing 3D so we went to a 2D screening. I will at some point see it at the IMAX in 3D most likely.


----------



## chas_m

MannyP Design said:


> Whatever you say.
> 
> Obviously you would know better than everyone else.


You are apparently one of the old fogeys I was speaking of. 

I have extensive experience in BEING a kid. And unlike some people (it seems), I remember it well. Like almost all of my friends and classmates at the time, I really enjoyed being scared from time to time, whether it was a haunted house or a campfire ghost story, a new thrill ride at the theme park or an engrossing film/tv show/radio play.

The intense emotions of surprise and discovery, fear and delight are an IMPORTANT part of growing into a well-rounded human being, IMHO. Kids who are too sheltered from these experiences often, in my observation, grow up to be adults with difficulties coping with reality or enjoying life fully.


----------



## MannyP Design

chas_m said:


> You are apparently one of the old fogeys I was speaking of.
> 
> I have extensive experience in BEING a kid. And unlike some people (it seems), I remember it well. Like almost all of my friends and classmates at the time, I really enjoyed being scared from time to time, whether it was a haunted house or a campfire ghost story, a new thrill ride at the theme park or an engrossing film/tv show/radio play.
> 
> The intense emotions of surprise and discovery, fear and delight are an IMPORTANT part of growing into a well-rounded human being, IMHO. Kids who are too sheltered from these experiences often, in my observation, grow up to be adults with difficulties coping with reality or enjoying life fully.


Maybe you've yet to mature enough to realize that YOUR experiences are yours and yours alone. They do not necessarily fit with everyone else. EVERYONE has extensive experience being a kid and they do not necessarily fit within your parameters of what, apparently, makes you the well-adjusted person you are today.


----------



## mc3251

MacDoc said:


> Remastered in HD this is just plain glorious.....running on Treasure HD this week. This is what HD was MADE for.
> 
> Hard to believe 30 years and this glitters brighter than ever, sound, cinematography and editing.........:clap:
> 
> 97% on RT very well deserved. Got me hooked on HD concerts again.


This is such an absolute classic. I'll have to find the HD version
thanks Doc


----------



## MacDoc

Rolling Stone concert coming up next Friday night.

This is the Treasure HD schedule

Treasure HD - Create. Find. Share

Anyone with these 4 channels available and an HD set should be buying them....best sawbuck value in history
Rush HD - How to Subscribe to Rush HD?

Oasis HD - Love Nature!
Equator HD - How Do You Live?
Rush HD - Feel It!

Quality delivery, quality programming and commercial free.


----------



## chas_m

MannyP Design said:


> Maybe you've yet to mature enough to realize that YOUR experiences are yours and yours alone.


First of all, I explicitly mentioned my peer group growing up in my post, so I was speaking well beyond my own experience. Secondly, unlike (apparently) some, I have the ability to observe and empathize with the emotional experiences of people around me, and always have. Haven't you ever been to a haunted house, or a fireworks display, played in the snow or participated in (or at least watched) an exciting sporting event? Do you really think you were the only person there who had the reactions you had? Sorry, but I think I can tell when others are happy/excited/amazed/moved/awed/scared. Maybe that's just me. 

Finally, my adult friends who have young children LOVE for me to "babysit" them, knowing the kids will be entertained with interesting experiences either from the world around them, or by showing them great entertainment (live or film/video) that amazes, challenges, amuses or, yes scares the willies out of them. Whether we're stargazing at the Centre of the Universe or visiting the Beacon Hill Park children's zoo, enjoying a play or watching a terrifying episode of _Doctor Who_, kids know visiting my house is never dull and never predictable. They're going to learn something new and interesting by the time they leave.

I'll put my knowledge of what kids enjoy up against your parental snobbery any day. 

PS. Maturity -- tptptptp


----------



## MacDoc

I do believe it is called empathy. A VERY important human trait.
There are also mirror neurons.



> *Mirror neuron - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia*
> 
> A _mirror neuron_ is a _neuron_ that fires both when an animal acts and _*when the animal observes the same action performed by another*_. *...*


more

NOVA | scienceNOW | Mirror Neurons | PBS


we ARE animals after despite some superstitions to the contrary....

Let the kids roam widely
Follow their lead
Be there when they need a hug and reassurance
Don't over protect
...Mine seem to have done okay under those general approaches


----------



## chas_m

MacDoc said:


> ...Mine seem to have done okay under those general approaches


Hear hear!

And now, to try and un-hijack this thread and get it back on track, I saw UP again last night (probably my forth viewing) with a mixed audience of kids, adults, and immature adults  , and I have to say I think this one is, genuinely, Pixar's best or second-best film of the whole outstanding lot. Might need to rent Monsters Inc and watch it again just to be sure, but I think I'm on pretty firm ground. UP is a genuine cinema classic, and goes even further in making the audience forget that it's computer-generated at all. A couple of tears, a fair few laughs, and a lot of smiles of satisfaction at the end. Everything a good movie ought to be.

Or, as Dug the dog might say, "I just met this film but ... I love it ... SQUIRREL!" :lmao:


----------



## MannyP Design

Ya just don't get it. Ya still don't. Paragraphs upon paragraphs of chatter and it's apparent that you can't or won't. It has nothing to do with you, your friends or whether or not you're a humorless fogey. Or whether your friends do whatever... it really isn't that complex of a concept. Some kids may not like parts of this movie. Period. Full stop. It has nothing to do with being humorless. It's about knowing YOUR child. Not sheltering them. Is it that esoteric that it just flies over head?


chas_m said:


> First of all, I explicitly mentioned my peer group growing up in my post, so I was speaking well beyond my own experience. Secondly, unlike (apparently) some, I have the ability to observe and empathize with the emotional experiences of people around me, and always have. Haven't you ever been to a haunted house, or a fireworks display, played in the snow or participated in (or at least watched) an exciting sporting event? Do you really think you were the only person there who had the reactions you had? Sorry, but I think I can tell when others are happy/excited/amazed/moved/awed/scared. Maybe that's just me.
> 
> Finally, my adult friends who have young children LOVE for me to "babysit" them, knowing the kids will be entertained with interesting experiences either from the world around them, or by showing them great entertainment (live or film/video) that amazes, challenges, amuses or, yes scares the willies out of them. Whether we're stargazing at the Centre of the Universe or visiting the Beacon Hill Park children's zoo, enjoying a play or watching a terrifying episode of _Doctor Who_, kids know visiting my house is never dull and never predictable. They're going to learn something new and interesting by the time they leave.
> 
> I'll put my knowledge of what kids enjoy up against your parental snobbery any day.
> 
> PS. Maturity -- tptptptp


----------



## rgray

MacDoc said:


> Let the kids roam widely
> Follow their lead
> Be there when they need a hug and reassurance
> Don't over protect
> ...Mine seem to have done okay under those general approaches


Excellent, excellent advice. Much the way I raised my own kids. Kudos to you, MD. :clap:

I could wax long and lyrical on this subject but won't except to say the overprotection is a poison to intellect and creativity for which we all will pay dearly but the victims will pay most of all.


----------



## MannyP Design

Imagine... Dr. G asks that it might be a bit too scary for young children and now people are walking about overprotection (which somehow stifles intellect and creativity?).

Sheesh.


----------



## mrjimmy

Oliver Stone's JFK was on TV Ontario's Saturday Night At The Movies last night. Really excellent film and well done period piece. Fires up all those old conspiracy theory juices!


----------



## Dr.G.

MannyP Design said:


> Imagine... Dr. G asks that it might be a bit too scary for young children and now people are walking about overprotection (which somehow stifles intellect and creativity?).
> 
> Sheesh.


MannyP, I am not sure what point you are trying to make. All I said was "I hear that it might be a bit too scary for young children." I spoke to two parents who took a 4 and a 5 year old child to see the movie, and felt that there were parts that scared them.


----------



## mc3251

With all respect, how about taking this discussion to a fresh thread elsewhere in the community? Some of us are grateful not to have to decide anymore what to show the kids.


----------



## SINC

mc3251 said:


> With all respect, how about taking this discussion to a fresh thread elsewhere in the community? Some of us are grateful not to have to decide anymore what to show the kids.


:clap:


----------



## MacDoc

I agree it might be best elsewhere - easy enough to move.

With this I concur tho



> It's about knowing YOUR child. Not sheltering them.


Some kids need closer fences for their own safety and parents are in the best position to judge that. ( my kid and the size of his first motorcycle for instance ).


----------



## MannyP Design

Dr.G. said:


> MannyP, I am not sure what point you are trying to make. All I said was "I hear that it might be a bit too scary for young children." I spoke to two parents who took a 4 and a 5 year old child to see the movie, and felt that there were parts that scared them.


And you heard right. There are some parts that may be scary for young children.

The point I guess I was making is that a seemingly common (and perfectly normal) question that parents ask suddenly sparks a diatribe about how "some" people are sheltering their kids (as well as being a humorless old fogey, etc.).

Had this question been asked outside of the internet, the conversation would have been:

*Person A): *I hear there's some moments in the movie that might be scary for kids, is this true?
*Person B): *Yeah, there's a couple.
*Person A): *Okay. Cool.​
And _that_ would have been about it.

But for some reason there's no such thing as a yes or no answer on ehMac. beejacon

If the Mayor would like to move these messages to another thread I'd more than happy to talk about it there.


----------



## mc3251

sometimes ehMac reminds me of the Argument clinic in Monty Python.


----------



## MacDoc

For those deep in to cinema PBS is running this now










Independent Lens . NO SUBTITLES NECESSARY . The Film | PBS

Very enjoyable...:clap:


----------



## BigDL

mc3251 said:


> sometimes ehMac reminds me of the Argument clinic in Monty Python.


No it's NOT!


----------



## mc3251




----------



## SINC

Struck gold last night when I caught Yul Brynner in The Magnificent Seven on Treasure HD and once again tonight as I watch Clint Eastwood in A Fistful Of Dollars on HD Net. Wonderful old westerns and sterling in HD. :clap:


----------



## Griz

MacDoc said:


> I do believe it is called empathy. A VERY important human trait.
> There are also mirror neurons.
> 
> more
> 
> NOVA | scienceNOW | Mirror Neurons | PBS


NOVA *ROCKS!!*

Best damned show on TV bar none!!

(I always tell people they can make an hour's episode on dandruff interesting!)


----------



## Dr.G.

Yul Brynner in The Magnificent Seven -- a classic. I have seen it at least 20 times, and I still don't tire of watching it.

Great choice, Sinc.


----------



## CubaMark

We really need to have a "stinkers" thread to compliment the Good Movies thread...

My wife and I landed at the cinema unexpectedly last night (don't ask), and the only film that was starting soon (an hour wait for the others) was *Twilight: New Moon.*

I have an open mind... I'm into sci-fi, and can even handle fantasy. But this was one of the worst piles of ****e I have ever been subjected too. I was literally screaming silently "For the love of god, somebody kill somebody!" "Boring" is not a sufficiently weighty adjective. *Outright b-a-d.*


----------



## ertman

CubaMark said:


> We really need to have a "stinkers" thread to compliment the Good Movies thread...
> 
> My wife and I landed at the cinema unexpectedly last night (don't ask), and the only film that was starting soon (an hour wait for the others) was *Twilight: New Moon.*
> 
> I have an open mind... I'm into sci-fi, and can even handle fantasy. But this was one of the worst piles of ****e I have ever been subjected too. I was literally screaming silently "For the love of god, somebody kill somebody!" "Boring" is not a sufficiently weighty adjective. *Outright b-a-d.*


Ha...Ha. I might be laughing at you pain, but I am not laughing at you.

I would never see any of those movies. Generally I like many of the popular films, blockbusters and the such, however, knowing what I know about this movie I would never see it. I can even watch movies that make no real sense, but this movie is based on a fad. And not like the comic-movie fad, but you have to watch or you won't be popular kind of one.

Mindless entertainment can be fun, but having to watch a film and feel like I am getting dumber.... Thats where I draw the line.




Griz said:


> NOVA *ROCKS!!*
> 
> Best damned show on TV bar none!!
> 
> (I always tell people they can make an hour's episode on dandruff interesting!)


I have always like nova.


----------



## MacDoc

*Let's Spend the Night Together....*

that was come down after* Last Waltz....*

Ebert gets it correct....



> At the beginning of the film I was caught up in the Stones' waves of sound energy, and fascinated by Jagger's exhilarating, limitless onstage energy.* By the end of the film I was simply stunned,*


Let's Spend the Night Together :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews



next pulllllleease ....all it did was confirm my wonderment at what people see in the Stones...


----------



## MacDoc

HBO HD is running the 25th Anniversary RocknRoll concert...very enjoyable. On now.

4 hours so don't be afraid to drop in.... Well presented.











> *Running Time: 246 minutes*
> Genre: Concert-Music
> 
> It's the concert event of 2009! Many of the music world's most luminous stars take the stage at New York's Madison Square Garden to celebrate a quarter century of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Featuring performances from two groundbreaking concerts to be held this October at Madison Square Garden, the special will be anchored by iconic musicians that include Jeff Beck Band, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Aretha Franklin, Metallica, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, U2 and Stevie Wonder, among others. Each of the artists overseeing the different segments of the show will be joined by special guests to create unique performances representing the music that has inspired them. (TVG) ()
> Actors: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, ERIC CLAPTON, U2, PAUL SIMON, SIMON AND GARFUNKEL, ARETHA FRANKLIN, LITTLE RICHARD, CROSBY STILLS & NASH, METALLICA, STEVIE WONDER


and unreal - Jerry Lee Lewis does Great Balls of Fire live....

Damn clipping my headphones again U2 and Springsteen - *Still Haven't Found* :clap:

too pumped to go bed now....then Jagger shows up - *Just a Shot Away *with Bono

The place rocked....

I am soooooooo pumped..this is what HD was made for.......topping out my headphones all the time...I want it LOUDER!!!!!!!

Wow that was fun....kudos to Tom Hanks as producer...catch it if you love rock and music.
Damn they had fun...so did I.


----------



## MacDoc

Friday at the rock concert....

Not quite up to the PBS Rock Hall of Fame special ( what could be ) but still a terrific concert from a sound standpoint.

Remastered in 2008 the sound is good - the movie itself not so much in quality or cinematography. Much fun tho.


----------



## MacDoc

Playing on HBO - 



> Remnants of Everest: The 1996 Tragedy (2007)
> PG
> 
> Genre: Documentary
> 106min
> Mountaineer and Documentarian David Breashears further explores mount Everest, this time telling the story of the great 1996 tragedy in which three teams of explorers were struck by a terrible storm leaving many of them dead.
> Directed By: David Breashears


an excellent followup to the *Into Thin Air* book and movie both of which I highly recommend...
Talking to the survivors 10 years on.....

Breashears is perhaps THE best person to do this film



> *David Breashears*
> From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
> 
> David Breashears (born December 20, 1955) is an American mountaineer and filmmaker. He is known for being the first American man to reach the summit of Everest twice in 1985. However, he is perhaps most famous for guiding Richard Bass to the summit of Everest, thus completing Bass' ascent of the Seven Summits.
> 
> Breashears is a filmmaker, adventurer, and mountaineer whose work has taken him to remote locations throughout Tibet, China, Nepal, India, Pakistan, South America, and East Africa. He has worked on such feature films as Seven Years in Tibet and Cliffhanger, as well as the award-winning documentary Red Flag over Tibet. In 1983 he transmitted the first live pictures from the summit of Mount Everest and in 1985 became the first American to twice reach its summit. He is the recipient of four Emmy awards for achievement in cinematography. In 1996 he co-directed, photographed, and co-produced the acclaimed IMAX film Everest and contributed his still photos to the best selling book Everest: Mountain Without Mercy. He is the author of several books, including an autobiography, High Exposure: An Enduring Passion for Everest and Unforgiving Places.
> 
> Breashears has made eight expeditions to Everest, five successful. He has climbed to the summit of 24,494' Ama Dablam in the Himalayas, and is known in climbing circles for free climbing some of the most technically challenging rock walls in Colorado as a young man.
> 
> Breashears's latest documentary film "Storm over Everest" was released (broadcast) by PBS/FRONTLINE on Tuesday May 13. It features photography on the mountain and interviews with survivors of the three climbing teams that were caught in the 1996 storm. During the filming of the documentary in 2006, Breashears summited Everest once again, his 5th summit of Everest. He continues to actively pursue Himalayan climbing, lecturing around the world and working on new film projects.


All of the tales around this event are both incredibly sad and inspiring all at once. That there was an iMax team on the mountain during this tradegy was beyond belief.

Highly highly recommended...
Human endurance, human ambition, human foolishness in equal measures.....


----------



## MacDoc

Much fun...I like Miller's narration and choice of music. The master of ski movies....this one is good.:clap:


----------



## Griz

MacDoc said:


> Playing on HBO -
> 
> 
> 
> an excellent followup to the *Into Thin Air* book and movie both of which I highly recommend...
> Talking to the survivors 10 years on.....
> 
> Breashears is perhaps THE best person to do this film
> 
> 
> 
> All of the tales around this event are both incredibly sad and inspiring all at once. That there was an iMax team on the mountain during this tradegy was beyond belief.
> 
> Highly highly recommended...
> Human endurance, human ambition, human foolishness in equal measures.....



The story of Beck Weathers just blows my mind. Talk about tough! Something deep in his brain almost reptilian turned on and got him moving again... like WOW! Left for dead - how many times?

That and of course Rob Hall's sad, sad, story! Good God, and there he lay on the path to the summit. Was he ever taken off? I know they tried.


----------



## MacDoc

Yeah Beck is one tough Texan

In the Death Zone without a tent over night in 80 mph winds....he lives.

The left for dead inside a tent with both ends of the tent open in even higher winds another night.....the Sherpa that heard him thought he was a ghost and would not enter.

finally the last guy leaving hears him call out....

Truly incredible will to survive......apparently he quipped _"what does a guy have to do to get a little service around here"....._

50 years old - was climbing Everest effectively blind as his eye surgery was coming apart
He was a surgeon and he was so attached to his hands he would not allow amputation until they started falling to bits around the house. 

One tough SOB.

Have you read I*nto Thin Air* and/or seen the movie.

Tough to keep a dry eye in any of them... especially Rob and his wife being patched through and the girl in the tent hardly able to keep the two handsets together as she was crying so hard.....:-(


----------



## MacDoc

INVICTUS

Very enyoyable....go see it..:clap:


----------



## KC4

Saw *The Blind Side* yesterday. 

Based upon the true story of Michael Oher, an homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.

My whole family enjoyed it - Not epic by most standards but some genuinely funny human moments, good football action, some cameo appearances by real college football coaches and of course a rather inspiring story.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> INVICTUS
> 
> Very enyoyable....go see it..:clap:


I hope to, MacDoc. Looks like a winner. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## MacDoc

Another for you...true story, heartbreaking but magnificent all at once..










Hell you may have come across some of them and the over 10,000 children of the survivors in NYC Dr. G
The last minute as the photos of the actual people involved and where they ended up is worth the long watch.....exceptionally engaging.

Terrific cast ...poignant movie :-(



> Synopsis: DEFIANCE is a different kind of World War II movie, one that looks at the Holocaust from a unique angle--telling the true story of a group of Jews in Eastern Europe who fought back. On the run from the Germans and the local police, the three Russian Bielski brothers--Tuvia (Daniel Craig), Zus (Liev Schreiber), and Asael (Jamie Bell)--hide out deep in the forest. Their numbers swell as more and more refugees join them, coming together to form a community while also patrolling with guns and shooting the enemy to stay alive. But Tuvia and Zus have a falling-out over what future direction to take: Tuvia thinks it best to remain in the forest despite the coming vicious winter, but Zus wants to join the Russian resistance, which is aggressively attacking the Nazis. Complicating the situation are the women in their lives, known as forest wives--Lilka (Alexa Davalos) shows interest in Tuvia, Bella (Iben Hjelje) grows close to Zus, and young Chaya (Mia Wasikowska) and Asael flirt with the tingles of first love. As food grows scarce, diseases increase, and the Nazis become determined to find and kill them, the Bielski Otriad struggles to survive, battling back when necessary, including taking up arms. Directed by Edward Zwick (GLORY, BLOOD DIAMOND) and based on the nonfiction book by Dr. Nechama Tec, DEFIANCE is a powerful thriller filled with tense human emotion, a gripping story about brotherly love and the basic human instinct to survive against all odds. Craig (LAYER CAKE, CASINO ROYALE), Schreiber (EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED), and Bell (BILLY ELLIOTT) are terrific as the Bielski brothers, three very different individuals who simply refuse to just lie down and die


----------



## MannyP Design

I saw Avatar tonight in Real3D. I really enjoyed it. Not an overly original story as it draws from a lot of wells, but overall it's a remarkable film.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> Another for you...true story, heartbreaking but magnificent all at once..
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hell you may have come across some of them and the over 10,000 children of the survivors in NYC Dr. G
> The last minute as the photos of the actual people involved and where they ended up is worth the long watch.....exceptionally engaging.
> 
> Terrific cast ...poignant movie :-(


Saw this when it first came out, MacDoc. My wife thought it was an OK movie, but I truly liked it. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## MacDoc

The reviewers side with your wife. I side with you


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> The reviewers side with your wife. I side with you


Great minds think alike. Shalom, mon ami.


----------



## MacDoc

HBO Films: Empire Falls

Bittersweet :clap:

What cast!!!!....how does HBO pull this off - and Ed Harris more than holds his own against those luminairies. Confirms my very high opinion of him as top notch actor.

*Cast (in credits order)*

Ed Harris ... Miles Roby

Philip Seymour Hoffman ... Charlie Mayne

Helen Hunt ... Janine Roby

Paul Newman ... Max Roby

Robin Wright Penn ... Grace Roby

Aidan Quinn ... David Roby

Joanne Woodward ... Francine Whiting


----------



## SINC

MacDoc said:


> and Ed Harris more than holds his own against those luminairies. Confirms my very high opinion of him as top notch actor.


If you haven't seen him in Appaloosa, you haven't seen one of the best westerns ever. His work on the movie is superb. I too am a big fan of Harris.


----------



## mrjimmy

Just saw Sherlock Holmes.

I enjoyed it so much more than it's two stars would have led me to believe.

Nice tight story. Well acted and in my opinion, not miscast.

Absolutely brilliant Production Design and CG. It_ was _late Victorian London. Also, the props and attention to small detail was excellent.

Highly recommend it for a nice winter escape.


----------



## MacDoc

Thanks - we want to see that tomorrow.


----------



## Dr.G.

MannyP Design said:


> I saw Avatar tonight in Real3D. I really enjoyed it. Not an overly original story as it draws from a lot of wells, but overall it's a remarkable film.


My son saw Avatar over the weekend. He said that words can't describe the 3-D experience.


----------



## Dr.G.

Saw "Julie and Julia" with my wife on Boxing Day. We had a fire going in the woodstove, sipping a nice French wine, and snacking on some cheese. A good movie to watch with someone who is into French cooking and/or who likes Meryl Streep (who should win an Oscar, in my opinion, for her role as Julia Child).


----------



## MacDoc

I want to see that - love Streep - glad she is back into acting again after that midlife hiatus.

Putting off Avatar until the kids go back to school - then catch in iMax 3d - right now two hour line ups for decent seats are a tad too daunting.

Off to Sherlock and a Mandarin pig out tonight with kids.


----------



## Macfury

MacDoc said:


> Off to Sherlock and a Mandarin pig out tonight with kids.


Be sure to eat only those buffet items sourced within a 50-mile radius of home!


----------



## Dr.G.

"I want to see that - love Streep - glad she is back into acting again after that midlife hiatus." MacDoc, if you have ever seen and heard the real Julia Child on TV, you will be amazed at how Streep sounds like her and even looks a bit like her back then.


----------



## mc3251

I was interested to see that they included the SNL skit with Dan Akroyd as Julia Child-bleeding to death. I liked the movie a lot. I found it went on a bit longer than necessary, but it was still a good film.


----------



## Macfury

mc3251 said:


> I was interested to see that they included the SNL skit with Dan Akroyd as Julia Child-bleeding to death. I liked the movie a lot. I found it went on a bit longer than necessary, but it was still a good film.


Would have preferred a film entirely about Julia Child. Julie was not so interesting.


----------



## mc3251

+1


----------



## Dr.G.

mc3251 said:


> I was interested to see that they included the SNL skit with Dan Akroyd as Julia Child-bleeding to death. I liked the movie a lot. I found it went on a bit longer than necessary, but it was still a good film.


Yes, that was a classic SNL skit, all with fake blood. Still, we liked the movie.


----------



## MACinist

MacDoc said:


> I want to see that - love Streep - glad she is back into acting again after that midlife hiatus.
> 
> Putting off Avatar until the kids go back to school - then catch in iMax 3d - right now two hour line ups for decent seats are a tad too daunting.
> 
> Off to Sherlock and a Mandarin pig out tonight with kids.


Not so bad of a line last night at the Beaches theatres for late show. Got there 15mins before movie and was still able to get prime seating. I guess premier of Sherlock Holmes took some of the attention. 

As far as the movie is concerned, WOW! I did not expect what I saw. Revolutionary to say the least. The detail in the environment is mind blowing (both CGI and real). I don't think this movie can be watched in 2D. It kinda reminded me what the 1st Matrix did for cinema with regards to game changing effects. This has to be Cameron's legacy tech masterpiece and I'm sure there will be a second one.


----------



## Dr.G.

I get the feeling that this might be some form of SPAM. We shall see.


----------



## SINC

It is and I reported it.  One in the Shang too.


----------



## screature

Dr.G. said:


> I get the feeling that this might be some form of SPAM. We shall see.


Definitely SPAM... I just reported it...


----------



## screature

SINC said:


> If you haven't seen him in Appaloosa, you haven't seen one of the best westerns ever. His work on the movie is superb. I too am a big fan of Harris.


Appaloosa is great... well worth the time... a very low key sense of humour runs through out... not what some might expect.


----------



## SINC

screature said:


> Appaloosa is great... well worth the time... a very low key sense of humour runs through out... not what some might expect.


Yeah his partner really cracked me up with some of his lines. :lmao:


----------



## screature

MacDoc said:


> Might have mentioned this before but a fine enjoyable movie and Norah Jones holds her own against a A List cast.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sweet and evocative.:clap:


Beautifully shot movie... definitely watch it when you aren't tired though... it put me to sleep. Good movie nonetheless.


----------



## screature

Just saw it last night. A great bit of fun. One of Tarantino's best. I had read reviews where some people saw it as revisionist.... I guess those people can't read as the movie begins with the text.. "Once upon a time in Nazi Germany..." so you know right away it is nothing more than purely fiction.

A great story, good cast and Pitt as the protagonist completely looses the show to the villain played by Christoph Waltz whose performance is fantastic. Not at all what I expected... Better :clap: 8.5 on IMDb... Well deserved.


----------



## screature

Destined to become a classic... at least a cult classic. So many points of reference yet very original in its rendering. 

My wife was a bit turned off at the first because of the high level of violence but I convinced her to stick it out and she was happy she did. Definitely lots of room (even foreshadowed) for a sequel (which Jackson has plenty of experience with) so I am looking forward to the next chapter... 8.4 on IMDb... again well deserved.


----------



## Macfury

screature said:


> Just saw it last night. A great bit of fun. One of Tarantino's best. I had read reviews where some people saw it as revisionist.... I guess those people can't read as the movie begins with the text.. "Once upon a time in Nazi Germany..." so you know right away it is nothing more than purely fiction.


Large numbers of people are unaware that this is a loose remake of _The Inglorious Bastards_ (properly spelled) a 70s Italian action pic.

Quel maledetto treno blindato (1978)


----------



## screature

Macfury said:


> Large numbers of people are unaware that this is a loose remake of _The Inglorious Bastards_ (properly spelled) a 70s Italian action pic.
> 
> Quel maledetto treno blindato (1978)


I didn't know that either MF.... Thanks for sharing.


----------



## John Pryor

Just saw Avatar in Real 3D and it was great. 4 out of 5 for plot/story and a 5 out of 5 for visual experience!:clap:


----------



## MACenstein'sMonster

Seen _Avatar_ with the kids tonight, nobody was impressed. Back in the day it was made for a lot less money and it was called "Dances With Wolves". But if you like video games a whole lot then maybe you'll like this film. By the way, at the very least I found it humorous that the human "bad guys" were only one-dimensional and yet it was a 3D movie (if Jimmy Cameron doesn't get sued for doing a direct rip-off of Sgt. Rock then wassup wit dat?).


A good movie that I seen recently? _*Dead Man's Shoes*_. An absolutely brilliant little movie made over in Ireland for probably the same amount of money as Jimmy Cameron's catering bill while on the set of _Avatar._ A gritty, rough, no BS revenge flick with a well executed surprise near the end. This is film-making at it's best that Hollywood has for the most part long since forgotten.


----------



## HowEver

Larger numbers of people are completely unaware that this "remake" could not be looser, that it has virtually nothing to do with the "original."

Here is the plot summary from your IMDB link for the "original" version:



IMDB said:


> Set in Europe during WWII, a group of American soldiers are in the process of being shipped off to military prison for a variety of infractions, ranging from desertion to murder. While they're being transported, a German artillery attack hits the convoy, killing the MPs and enabling four of the prisoners to escape. The group decides their best bet is to head to neutral Switzerland where they can avoid the fighting and prison. As they make their way to what they think will be freedom, they end up volunteering for a commando mission to steal a V2 warhead for the French Underground. Somehow, the team must sneak into the most heavily guarded base in German territory, steal the Nazi's most precious military hardware, and bring it back to the allies without getting arrested again by their own side.







Macfury said:


> Large numbers of people are unaware that this is a loose remake of _The Inglorious Bastards_ (properly spelled) a 70s Italian action pic.
> 
> Quel maledetto treno blindato (1978)


----------



## MacDoc

Finally caught Sherlock. 2 hours 8 minutes..... did not feel anywhere near that long tho my sore knee was complaining about lack of stretching.
That was my only clue.

I was mixed on the movie and not sure why yet tho I'd certainly encourage anyone to go.

Very steam punk and I suspect my  revolved around wanting the plot to be* Perdido Station* by China Mielville.

The other aspect was perhaps the sense, maybe carried over from other Holmes films that Doc should be a bit shorter and rounder and Holmes the tall lanky detective.

Canada's luscious Rachel McAdams certainly holds her own against Downey and Law.
Love a hot bod in pinstripes..

:heybaby:










Perhaps it was the same sort jarring that sometimes occurs when the Bard is taken out of traditional settings,,,,DiCaprio and Claire Danes in LA street Hamlet comes to mind.

I would and will watch it again....the pace deserves attention and the settings are magnificent.

Generally the comedy and chemistry work well....I'm soooooo glad to see Downey a force in film acting again :clap:


----------



## MannyP Design

Don't forget the other "standout" Canadian, New Brunswick's gentle giant: Robert Maillet. 












MacDoc said:


> Finally caught Sherlock. 2 hours 8 minutes..... did not feel anywhere near that long tho my sore knee was complaining about lack of stretching.
> That was my only clue.
> 
> I was mixed on the movie and not sure why yet tho I'd certainly encourage anyone to go.
> 
> Very steam punk and I suspect my  revolved around wanting the plot to be* Perdido Station* by China Mielville.
> 
> The other aspect was perhaps the sense, maybe carried over from other Holmes films that Doc should be a bit shorter and rounder and Holmes the tall lanky detective.
> 
> Canada's luscious Rachel McAdams certainly holds her own against Downey and Law.
> Love a hot bod in pinstripes..
> 
> :heybaby:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Perhaps it was the same sort jarring that sometimes occurs when the Bard is taken out of traditional settings,,,,DiCaprio and Claire Danes in LA street Hamlet comes to mind.
> 
> I would and will watch it again....the pace deserves attention and the settings are magnificent.
> 
> Generally the comedy and chemistry work well....I'm soooooo glad to see Downey a force in film acting again :clap:


----------



## chas_m

Dr.G. said:


> Saw "Julie and Julia" with my wife on Boxing Day. We had a fire going in the woodstove, sipping a nice French wine, and snacking on some cheese. A good movie to watch with someone who is into French cooking and/or who likes Meryl Streep (who should win an Oscar, in my opinion, for her role as Julia Child).


A pretty accurate review of the flick, which I saw on a plane flight not too long ago. An inoffensive film with kind of a bland main plot, Streep's performance lifts the material WAY up and without her it would have been dreadfully boring.

Apart from Streep, I was more amused by the similarity of the plot to _Ratatouille_ than anything. 

PS. Dr. G, as you liked J&J, you both would probably enjoy _Ratatouille_ very much. Wonderful warm Pixar movie that reaches for a bit more than its typical family-movie excellence and for the most part succeeds, particularly on the visuals.


----------



## mc3251

chas_m said:


> A pretty accurate review of the flick, which I saw on a plane flight not too long ago. An inoffensive film with kind of a bland main plot, Streep's performance lifts the material WAY up and without her it would have been dreadfully boring.
> 
> Apart from Streep, I was more amused by the similarity of the plot to _Ratatouille_ than anything.
> 
> PS. Dr. G, as you liked J&J, you both would probably enjoy _Ratatouille_ very much. Wonderful warm Pixar movie that reaches for a bit more than its typical family-movie excellence and for the most part succeeds, particularly on the visuals.


My problem with J and J (and I agree with the comments on Streep) is that I frankly couldn't get myself to really give a damn about the other Julie. Her issues felt contrived, she seemed self indulgent to me, and the blog your way through the whole cook book somewhat silly. I say this as a person who is very much a Julia Child fan, and who has spent significant time with the book in question.


----------



## Dr.G.

chas_m said:


> A pretty accurate review of the flick, which I saw on a plane flight not too long ago. An inoffensive film with kind of a bland main plot, Streep's performance lifts the material WAY up and without her it would have been dreadfully boring.
> 
> Apart from Streep, I was more amused by the similarity of the plot to _Ratatouille_ than anything.
> 
> PS. Dr. G, as you liked J&J, you both would probably enjoy _Ratatouille_ very much. Wonderful warm Pixar movie that reaches for a bit more than its typical family-movie excellence and for the most part succeeds, particularly on the visuals.


I have seen parts of Ratatouille, chas_m, but not the whole film. I am not a JC fan as much as a Streep fan. My wife is both, and we had a chance to see it together in our home, with some wine and a fire going in the woodstove. A great moment to share together.


----------



## chas_m

John Pryor said:


> Just saw Avatar in Real 3D and it was great. 4 out of 5 for plot/story and a 5 out of 5 for visual experience!:clap:





MACenstein'sMonster said:


> Seen _Avatar_ with the kids tonight, nobody was impressed. Back in the day it was made for a lot less money and it was called "Dances With Wolves". But if you like video games a whole lot then maybe you'll like this film.


I'm fascinated by these two opposing views of the film (which I've seen mirrored around, I haven't seen the film myself yet).

Roger Ebert (of all people) loved it, despite his well-known dislike of 3D gimmickry, yet I've heard from several friends who've seen it and more-or-less dismissed it as a great big video game with simplistic story and heavy-handed moralising.

I look forward to seeing it, as well as _Sherlock Holmes_ and _Nine, Precious, The Princess and the Frog, The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus, Up in the Air_ and _The Young Victoria._

It's kind of a pity that they've waited till the last weeks of 2009 to put up a solid slate of interesting movies to see. Apart from film-festival type stuff, my "top 10 of 2009" so far consists of about four films (Inglorious, Up, A Serious Man, Public Enemies). And before anyone pipes up, yes I'm aware of other films I didn't get a chance to see that won a lot of raves (Hurt Locker, Fantastic Mr. Fox, etc).


----------



## KC4

MacDoc said:


> ..I'm soooooo glad to see Downey a force in film acting again :clap:


I have very mixed feelings about that....I just saw Sherlock and enjoyed the film (awesome scenery/sets) and for the most part Downey's performance...but I can't seem to ignore the knowledge that in real life, he has been a jerk...It puts a damper on the whole admiration bit. 

Why is it many of these "hot" and high on screen charisma guys are such big jerks in real life? Charlie Sheen also comes to mind. XX) The high price of fame I guess. What was hot becomes ice cold and slimy. Yuck.

Rant over.


----------



## chas_m

KC4 said:


> I have very mixed feelings about that....I just saw Sherlock and enjoyed the film (awesome scenery/sets) and for the most part Downey's performance...but I can't seem to ignore the knowledge that in real life, he has been a jerk...It puts a damper on the whole admiration bit.


My perception (as someone who hasn't followed a lot of his trials and tribulations) is that of a fellow who WAS a big jerk, but has cleaned up his act and is turning in a lot of solid work over the last few years. I've not seen any reports of problems with Downey for several years now.

Charlie Sheen OTOH was never a talent to consider in the first place. Out of his depth in anything more ambitious than _Hot Shots!_, he seems to think he's an actor or something.



> Why is it many of these "hot" and high on screen charisma guys are such big jerks in real life?


A lot of them aren't, really -- but there IS a tendency in society to idolize these people, and that + surrounded by yes-men can lead to inflated ego pretty easily, particularly if you had a strong ego to start with (and of course a strong ego to match one's talent is very key to getting ahead in Hollywood in the first place).


----------



## Macfury

HowEver said:


> Larger numbers of people are completely unaware that this "remake" could not be looser, that it has virtually nothing to do with the "original."


Tarantino has repeatedly stated that the Italian feature was the inspiration for the current film. It also feeds off the "Macaroni Combat" genre, the Italian cousin to the Spaghetti Western. Look for _Inglorious Bastards_ director Enzo G. Castellari in a small part in _Inglourious Basterds_ as part of Tarantino's homage to the original.


----------



## screature

mc3251 said:


> My problem with J and J (and I agree with the comments on Streep) is that I frankly couldn't get myself to really give a damn about the other Julie. Her issues felt contrived, she seemed self indulgent to me, and the blog your way through the whole cook book somewhat silly. I say this as a person who is very much a Julia Child fan, and who has spent significant time with the book in question.


We saw J&J last night. We thought it was a sweet little movie. The thing that my wife and I both liked about about it was the depiction of two couples who despite their obvious differences loved each other intensely.

As for Julie's character I can't say we felt the same way at all. She was a young woman going through somewhat of an identity crisis and found in Julia Childs somewhat of a kindred spirit who inspired her and managed to change her life for the better. I don't think her working her way through Julia's cook book was silly at all. It was a great challenge that few of us would have the tenacity to follow though on (as she had trouble sticking to things previously) this was a personal challenge for her, no different in its own way than someone training for and running a marathon and a marathon it was indeed.

I felt that the movie did end on a bit of sad note with Julie receiving the call that Julia Childs for unknown reasons didn't appreciate her efforts. I find that sad indeed that she could not appreciate the flattery that Julie was expressing for her work. Perhaps it was because it took Julia eight hard years of work to get her book published and that Julie worked through it in a year and received notoriety for her actions in such a short time span that turned her off... who knows. 

At any rate we enjoyed it very much.


----------



## screature

KC4 said:


> I have very mixed feelings about that....I just saw Sherlock and enjoyed the film (awesome scenery/sets) and for the most part Downey's performance...but I can't seem to ignore the knowledge that in real life, he has been a jerk...It puts a damper on the whole admiration bit.
> 
> Why is it many of these "hot" and high on screen charisma guys are such big jerks in real life? Charlie Sheen also comes to mind. XX) The high price of fame I guess. What was hot becomes ice cold and slimy. Yuck.
> 
> Rant over.


Ahh yes KC4 but you "have to sin to be saved". I think Downey is beginning to make up for past errs, much like Colin Firth... who freely admits he was an a-hole in the past, but now being a father, he is endeavouring to redeem himself.


----------



## screature

MacDoc said:


> ...I'm soooooo glad to see Downey a force in film acting again :clap:


Don't forget about Iron Man... he was terrific in that...


----------



## Dr.G.

An interesting concluding comment, screature. I wondered as to JC's motivation as well.

"I felt that the movie did end on a bit of sad note with Julie receiving the call that Julia Childs for unknown reasons didn't appreciate her efforts. I find that sad indeed that she could not appreciate the flattery that Julie was expressing for her work. Perhaps it was because it took Julia eight hard years of work to get her book published and that Julie worked through it in a year and received notary for her actions in such a short time span that turned her off... who knows."


----------



## CubaMark

My wife and I saw *Avatar* a week or so ago.... some thoughts:


Liked it in 3D
Not sure if my 3D experience was up to snuff. Were the first 3/4 of the film very dark to you?
Agreed on the 2D characters and the "Dances with Wolves" reference. Couldn't Jimmy have put a bit more effort into developing the alien culture rather than painting indigenous North Americans blue?
Had hoped that by the time frame of this flick, we would be beyond the capitalist exploitation mode. So sad.
Could have been much darker...
Early hopes for a "Titanic" emotional buy-in with the love interest I think are solidly dashed. There was no_ hugging on the prow of the ship_ scene that comes to mind...
To borrow from another review I read, it appears that humanity in that era is predominantly white (with token latina). Did anyone see any blacks? Asians? Indigenous?


----------



## screature

^^^ I don't know why I didn't comment on this before.... CM how can one person be in three places at once...

Location: Halifax & Oxford, N.S.; Zacatecas, México


----------



## CubaMark

screature said:


> ^^^ I don't know why I didn't comment on this before.... CM how can one person be in three places at once...
> 
> Location: Halifax & Oxford, N.S.; Zacatecas, México


Sorry, amigo. Until EhMax upgrades this site with location-aware logins, I don't have time to set it every time I fly...


----------



## screature

CubaMark said:


> Sorry, amigo. Until EhMax upgrades this site with location-aware logins, I don't have time to set it every time I fly...


So you commute between these three locations regularly?... Just curious, what brings about such a situation?


----------



## CubaMark

Been here in Mexico three years, and now married here. But "home" is Nova Scotia, where I regularly bounced (between Halifax and Oxford. When we move to Canada in 2010, I'll try to set something more permanent, so you aren't disturbed by my multispatialness...


----------



## RatsOnMacAttack

Sacco e Vanzetti (1971)

"Sacco e Vanzetti (1971)


In 1920, the anarchist Italian immigrants Niccola Sacco (Riccardo Cucciolla) and Bartolomeo Vanzetti (Gian Maria Volonté) are sentenced to death, falsely accused of a robbery and murder. Indeed they are condemned due to their political beliefs, in one of the most shameful and hypocrite judgments of the human history. "


I recently became a little obsessed with the music of Ennio Morricone, and ended up seeing this movie due to the soundtrack. Great film. :clap::clap::clap:


----------



## mc3251

screature said:


> We saw J&J last night. We thought it was a sweet little movie. The thing that my wife and I both liked about about it was the depiction of two couples who despite their obvious differences loved each other intensely.
> 
> As for Julie's character I can't say we felt the same way at all. She was a young woman going through somewhat of an identity crisis and found in Julia Childs somewhat of a kindred spirit who inspired her and managed to change her life for the better. I don't think her working her way through Julia's cook book was silly at all. It was a great challenge that few of us would have the tenacity to follow though on (as she had trouble sticking to things previously) this was a personal challenge for her, no different in its own way than someone training for and running a marathon and a marathon it was indeed.
> 
> I felt that the movie did end on a bit of sad note with Julie receiving the call that Julia Childs for unknown reasons didn't appreciate her efforts. I find that sad indeed that she could not appreciate the flattery that Julie was expressing for her work. Perhaps it was because it took Julia eight hard years of work to get her book published and that Julie worked through it in a year and received notoriety for her actions in such a short time span that turned her off... who knows.
> 
> At any rate we enjoyed it very much.


One of the things that I love about these kinds of discussions is the differing viewpoints that get brought into the equation. I can really see where you are coming from on this-I think that at some point I will watch it again. Your comment on the marathon is particularly resonant for me-having embraced that particular challenge. It's really about the process of evolution and change more than anything.


----------



## Dr.G.

Went to see "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" because it was the only movie not sold out. It was OK for a chuckle but not worth the price of admission.


----------



## SINC

Just finished watching the 1967 film "Hombre" with Paul Newman that I bought on iTunes. "Twas as good tonight as it was way back then in the theatre.

The night before, again from iTunes I saw "Once Upon A Time In The West" directed by Sergio Leone and it too was a great movie, albeit long at 2:45.


----------



## mc3251

I love old Paul Newman movies! Hud, Cool Hand Luke, The Hustler....all wonderful.


----------



## fjnmusic

12 Monkeys. Just rented it yesterday on TV. Seen it before, of course, but it's the latest _good_ movie I've seen. Favorite Brad Pitt character, and cool to see Bruce Willis in role that contrasts well with the John Maclane of Diehard fame.


----------



## chas_m

RatsOnMacAttack said:


> Sacco e Vanzetti (1971)
> 
> "Sacco e Vanzetti (1971)


Saw this a few years ago in revival at a film festival. You're right, very good movie about a largely forgotten chapter in US (and world) history.


----------



## MacDoc

Yikes ...did not expect this from the low key description on Rogers on Demand



> *Soderbergh and Che, Provocateurs *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Cannes Film Festival
> Revolutionary fervor: Benicio Del Toro in Steven Soderbergh’s “Che.”
> 
> By A. O. SCOTT
> Published: May 23, 2008
> CANNES, France — On Wednesday morning festivalgoers — or at least the hordes of journalists who stumble into the Salle Lumière every day at 8:30 after a few hours’ sleep and a hasty café au lait — were given a bit of a break. In a departure, there was no competition press screening on the schedule, which provided some of us with an opportunity to glance at the trades, have a second café au lait and rest our eyes in anticipation of a long night of revolutionary struggle
> Starting at 6:30 in the evening there would be two almost simultaneous screenings of “Che,” Steven Soderbergh’s nearly four-and-a-half-hour exploration of the life of Ernesto Guevara, the asthmatic Argentine doctor who became a leader of Castro’s revolution and, posthumously, a boon to the T-shirt vendors of the world.


more
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/23/movies/23cann.html

Hope I can stay awake for Part 2.


----------



## screature

CubaMark said:


> Been here in Mexico three years, and now married here. But "home" is Nova Scotia, where I regularly bounced (between Halifax and Oxford. When we move to Canada in 2010, I'll try to set something more permanent, *so you aren't disturbed by my multispatialness... *


:lmao: Not disturbed, just curious as to how such a thing happens. I know multiple "home" locations is true of politicians who have to be in their riding's and Ottawa on a regular basis... It was really the *3* locations that I found curious... 2 I completely understand... 3 made me think maybe you are a jet setter or something... :lmao:


----------



## KC4

I was dragged by the resident teen into New Moon - the latest Stephanie Meyer Vampire flick...

While it's a heaping helping of eye candy for teens (there were actually teens screaming in the theatre - thankfully not mine - when key characters removed their shirts )
there is not much of anything else substance wise. 

The only admiration I can muster is for Stephanie Meyer's ability to target her audience and make millions from them.


----------



## MaxPower

I saw Inglorious Basterds the other night. I went in not really knowing what to expect except that it would be a gore fest taken that it is a Tarintino flick. What I forgot however, is Tarintino films are usually very dialogue rich and not dependent on special effects which is a nice relief now a days. All in all, I enjoyed the film and loved Pitt as he tried to pass as an Italian stunt man (Loved his Italian in his Tennessee accent "Bonjourno").


----------



## screature

MaxPower said:


> I saw Inglorious Basterds the other night. I went in not really knowing what to expect except that it would be a gore fest taken that it is a Tarintino flick. What I forgot however, is Tarintino films are usually very dialogue rich and not dependent on special effects which is a nice relief now a days. All in all, I enjoyed the film and loved Pitt as he tried to pass as an Italian stunt man (Loved his Italian in his Tennessee accent "Bonjourno").


Yeah we thought it was a hoot! Not even that bloody for Tarintino. We thought the German villain Col. Hans Landa played by Christoph Waltz stole the show though... he was great!


----------



## fellfromtree

Herb & Dorothy
Documentary by Megumi Sasaki about the Vogels, the self made, self styled art collectors who amassed one of the biggest most important collections of contemporary American art with no more than average means. 

Remarkable story about average people doing an extraordinary thing by just living their life.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Up In The Air yesterday. Wonderful film.

Beautifully pieced together and poignant. The visuals and story working in concert which adds so much to the overall experience. The camera and sets mirror the emotional story arcs which when done well, is phenomenal (and it's done well).

The acting was very good as well. Excellently cast. I've read that many of those being fire are real people who were recently fired. A huge gamble that paid off.

Jason Reitman is certainly becoming a force to be reckoned with. The apple hasn't fallen far from the tree.


----------



## mc3251

+1 for the Tarantino Film. Just too funny and original for words.


----------



## Dr.G.

mrjimmy said:


> Saw Up In The Air yesterday. Wonderful film.
> 
> Beautifully pieced together and poignant. The visuals and story working in concert which adds so much to the overall experience. The camera and sets mirror the emotional story arcs which when done well, is phenomenal (and it's done well).
> 
> The acting was very good as well. Excellently cast. I've read that many of those being fire are real people who were recently fired. A huge gamble that paid off.
> 
> Jason Reitman is certainly becoming a force to be reckoned with. The apple hasn't fallen far from the tree.


I have heard the same positive comments re this film, mrj. Thanks for your input, in that I trust your judgment. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw the Coen Brother's 'A Serious Man' at a local rep cinema yesterday.

First off, the theatre experience. This is a theatre in the east end of the city that my Mother used to go to... It has changed very little over the years and upon sitting down, my GF and I were greeted by that very familiar and nostalgic sticky floor. Also, it was freezing through the film. Ah the good old days.... At least the seats were comfortable and semi reclined (or were they broken).

The film was very good and technically excellent. The intimacy the Coens create using closeups and angles is intimate and alarming all at once. So are the tangents they can take you on as either flashbacks, memories or internal dialogues. One really stands out in this film.

From a design/ decoration standpoint, this film was a masterpiece. 1960s suburbia. Not overdone at all. Never beating you over the head with the universal icons everyone associates with the time. Always subtle and sublime. A real masterwork. 

The performances were also good. They tended towards exageration as is the Coens style (think Fargo) but never distracting enough that you lost your suspension of disbelief.

The story? Beneath the humour and the wonder of the film is a darkness that stays with you out to the street and beyond.

Definitely worth a watch when it comes out on DVD. If it's still in the theatre in your area, definitely try to catch it.


----------



## eMacMan

Saw Avatar last night. Even without the 3D the visual impact was absolutely stunning. With a bit of luck I will get a chance to see the 3D version before it leaves the theatres.


----------



## eMacMan

Saw Avatar again today. This time big screen and 3D. By taking in the matinee we got out for under $16, bit of an eye strain and double the cost of the first viewing but certainly worth it.


----------



## CubaMark

Well... it seems everyone else saw this back in August '09... but my wife and I just got around to seeing *District 9.*

We had our doubts going in... it starts off in a '70s kind of documentary format that had my (non-English speaking) wife wondering what I was subjecting her to.

Glad we stuck with it... a *really* good film, worth multiple viewings. The flying pig near the end of the film caused such riotous laughter we had to rewind... several times. Great special effects and you appreciate the format after the fact.

Very well done... recommended.


----------



## jlcinc

A movie that was probably promoted as a sci fi thriller. It was a political thriller as well as a statement about apartheid and the lead actor a Sharlto Copley was great. Certainly worth watching. Oh and he is going to be in another movie this year (The A team, Murdock) which may not be as good a movie as District 9.

John


----------



## CubaMark

I'm so fortunate to have a wife who shares my infantile appreciation of animation... we laugh about, but have finally gotten over, our feeling that we need to "borrow" our friends' kids in order to see anime films...

Last week we caught the 3-D version of "How to Train Your Dragon" - very, very good. Pretty neat animation, a bit beyond the usual fare.


----------



## CubaMark

*Coming up: Independence Day II and III ?*





> Two sequels to 'Independence Day' may shoot as early as 2011, with Will Smith making a comeback as pilot Captain Steve Hiller.


----------



## MannyP Design

Checked out Guy Ritchie's _Rocknrolla_. Didn't have much in the way of expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised.


----------



## MannyP Design

CubaMark said:


> I'm so fortunate to have a wife who shares my infantile appreciation of animation... we laugh about, but have finally gotten over, our feeling that we need to "borrow" our friends' kids in order to see anime films...
> 
> Last week we caught the 3-D version of "How to Train Your Dragon" - very, very good. Pretty neat animation, a bit beyond the usual fare.


I agree. A friend and I took our kids to go see it and everyone had fun.


----------



## Dr.G.

Saw "The Blind Side". Truly an inspirational movie considering it was a real story.


----------



## MaxPower

The latest movies I saw were The Hurt Locker and Old Dogs.

I liked both.

The Hurt Locker was cinematically pleasing. The cinematography was top notch as was the acting and story. I can see why it won best picture.

On the other hand there was Old Dogs. Slapstick comedy, the story has been done to death, but a great turn your head off comedy. The wife and I were laughing through the entire movie.


----------



## chas_m

Turner Classic Movies had a Marx Brothers marathon on the other night. Some of those films -- particularly A Night At the Opera -- are still damn funny.

In the cinema, I recently saw Faust (1926) for the first time in many years, and was amazed at how good it still is. A pinnacle of expressive acting, and absolutely remarkable effects work for the day.

Finally got around to Fantastic Mr. Fox. Not bad, not great. Worth seeing if you're a stop-motion or Roald Dahl fan. There were some "artistic deviations" from the book that annoyed me, but if you never read the book this would not be an issue.


----------



## RatsOnMacAttack

Finally saw Crazy Heart, with Jeff Bridges. Loved it, great writing and acting. Im definitely not a fan of country, but I even liked the music too, I have a song from the movie stuck in my head for the past 2 days. 

Its not a movie, but I recently discovered the 2009 remake of The Prisoner, with Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellen. Very good indeed, now Im looking for the original 60's series.


----------



## eMacMan

Dr.G. said:


> Saw "The Blind Side". Truly an inspirational movie considering it was a real story.


As close to true as mainstream Hollowood is likely to get, still much better than average.


----------



## Jason H

I recently saw Pirate Radio, which was a great flick with a great soundtrack. This got me started on a Philip Seymour Hoffman kick. I watched "Doubt" and "Synecdoche, New York" and both were absolutely excellent. I'll spare everyone from trying to write a review myself.


----------



## chas_m

There are actually two versions of the movie "Pirate Radio." 

The UK original is called "The Boat That Rocked" and has about 20 minutes more footage, including some great songs in the background.


----------



## Jason H

chas_m said:


> There are actually two versions of the movie "Pirate Radio."
> 
> The UK original is called "The Boat That Rocked" and has about 20 minutes more footage, including some great songs in the background.


I might have to track that down.


----------



## Dr.G.

My wife and I just watched "State of Play" once again. Still a good flick.


----------



## Max

Dr. G, I think Rachel McAdam was a bit weak in that flick... she's luscious eye candy and I know she can do TV stuff very well, but I've yet to see her perform in a feature while living up to the hype.


----------



## Dr.G.

Max said:


> Dr. G, I think Rachel McAdam was a bit weak in that flick... she's luscious eye candy and I know she can do TV stuff very well, but I've yet to see her perform in a feature while living up to the hype.


I would have to agree with you on that point, Max. Still, Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck were great in their roles.


----------



## MacDoc

Ha....behind the curve in media poor S Africa










Terrific cast including Helen Mirren....perhaps too convoluted

Reminds me of a modern version of Z but that was a better movie.

84% on RT - perhaps given the sterling cast.
Over weening ambition tho I do think.


----------



## MacDoc

Like Wallace and Darwin one is forgotten the other in the science pantheon.

Brilliantly cast and portrayed. 
A story I did not know and am thrilled to now.
That these two principled world citizens should cross paths in a way that altered all of science's understanding of the universe is an astounding tale. 

Science at it's very best transcending nationalism and with the all the drama this breakthrough deserves.
Well done HBO...another feather in your cap. 

Highly recommended, highly entertaining.:clap::clap:

Dr G you will very much enjoy this film.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> Like Wallace and Darwin one is forgotten the other in the science pantheon.
> 
> Brilliantly cast and portrayed.
> A story I did not know and am thrilled to now.
> That these two principled world citizens should cross paths in a way that altered all of science's understanding of the universe is an astounding tale.
> 
> Science at it's very best transcending nationalism and with the all the drama this breakthrough deserves.
> Well done HBO...another feather in your cap.
> 
> Highly recommended, highly entertaining.:clap::clap:
> 
> Dr G you will very much enjoy this film.


Amazing, MacDoc ............. great minds think alike. Saw this on HBO just the other day. Great flick ............. but I missed the ending. Does Einstein come to see Eddington at the end?


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Date Night yesterday. It's the Steve Carell, Tina Fey 'Romantic thriller'. Lots of fun and some big laughs. Highly reommended popcorn fodder.

Although be warned. Those of you that are married or in long term relationships. Some of the situations can possibly leave you feeling a bit uncomfortable.


----------



## CubaMark

Went to see the Sandra Bullock Oscar-winning film *"The Blind Side"*, based on the true story of a white Tennessee woman who took in a homeless black teen, helped him get a football scholarship, and he eventually became a pro-NFL player. Were it fiction, the film might across as too-good-to-be-true. Be sure to stay through the credits, and catch video & images of the real-life Tuohy family and Michael Oher.

Nicely portrayed, very, very funny in places and overall a good bit of drama. I am surprised, however, that Sandra won best actress - it was a good role, well-acted, but not the kind of role one would expect to lead to the Oscar. More surprising to me is that Quinton Aaron ("Michael Oher") received no Academy nomination - he was excellent. His only nominations (no wins) were at the Black Reel Awards (Best Actor, Best Breakthrough Performance) and the NAACP Image Awards (Best Actor (The Blind Side)).

It's a feel-good movie, good family viewing.


----------



## Dr.G.

CubaMark said:


> Went to see the Sandra Bullock Oscar-winning film *"The Blind Side"*, based on the true story of a white Tennessee woman who took in a homeless black teen, helped him get a football scholarship, and he eventually became a pro-NFL player. Were it fiction, the film might across as too-good-to-be-true. Be sure to stay through the credits, and catch video & images of the real-life Tuohy family and Michael Oher.
> 
> Nicely portrayed, very, very funny in places and overall a good bit of drama. I am surprised, however, that Sandra won best actress - it was a good role, well-acted, but not the kind of role one would expect to lead to the Oscar. More surprising to me is that Quinton Aaron ("Michael Oher") received no Academy nomination - he was excellent. His only nominations (no wins) were at the Black Reel Awards (Best Actor, Best Breakthrough Performance) and the NAACP Image Awards (Best Actor (The Blind Side)).
> 
> It's a feel-good movie, good family viewing.


Agreed, CM. My wife and I saw this a couple of weeks ago. We are in the process of going through the provincial PRIDE training course to become certified foster parents, who are now called "caregivers" rather than foster parents.


----------



## CubaMark

Dr. G., are you sure you weren't born a Newfoundlander? You seem to be fitting in nicely with the renowned culture of shirt-of-their-back kindness and generosity


----------



## Dr.G.

CubaMark said:


> Dr. G., are you sure you weren't born a Newfoundlander? You seem to be fitting in nicely with the renowned culture of shirt-of-their-back kindness and generosity


No, born and raised in New York City. Of course, in the Jewish faith, doing a "mitzvah" (i.e., Yiddish for a "good deed") is somewhat expected of all Jewish people. NL is now a have province, and my wife and I felt that there was such a great need for providing temporary care to at-risk children, that we felt it was our time to do our part to become part of the solution.

I am giving my wife the Blind Side DVD and book as a Mother's Day gift.


----------



## MacDoc

I enjoyed Blindside on the flight home.
Bullock whom I'm normally luke warm about was a superb pick for this.
Amazing story :clap:

•••

On the opposite side of the feeling.....










Grim, good cast. 86% on RT

Relentless.


----------



## eggman

MacDoc said:


> I enjoyed Blindside on the flight home.
> Bullock whom I'm normally luke warm about was a superb pick for this.
> Amazing story :clap:
> 
> •••
> 
> On the opposite side of the feeling.....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Grim, good cast. 86% on RT
> 
> Relentless.


Yes - Donald Sutherland was excellent as the expert bureaucrat within the system, making it work... finally for a good reason, Chris Rea as the investigator and Max von Sydow as the psychiatrist:



> To be a psychiatrist in this country (the Soviet Union) is to be an expert on paranoia, whether you meant to be or not


HBO did an exceptional job gathering talented actors together, and telling a chilling (and true) story. On some levels the story resonates similarly to "M" and the depth and richness of the story and the telling is not what we were used to on TV 15 years ago (though I think we've started to expect more from the big cable channels in the last decade and a half.)

If you can stand the subject matter this is a good story well told. (This is the story of a serial murderer and the team trying to stop him. Over the course of years the killer took the lives of more then 50 people in the old Soviet Union) This is not CSI or some Hollywood thriller - the movie is about people and politics (both at the national and the individual/office level) more then technology and gunfights. Well worth the time.

Disclaimer - I have worked in awful bureaucracies and I wanted to BE Donald Sutherland's character.


----------



## screature

Saw a few movies this week.

First... The Invention Lying, by and starring Ricky Gervais. Not his best work, but definitely has a few funny moments. It only gets 6.5 on IMDb. Humour is always very personal, I would give more a 7 or 7.5.









Second... The Hurt Locker. Not a perfect movie but it was very good. The main character, Sergeant First Class William James at first seems a little stereotypical and clichéd, but as the movie progresses we begin to see the full complexity of his character and he becomes very compelling. 7.9 on IMDb and well deserved. I would have given it an 8.2 or 8.5. 









Third... Angels & Demons (only because my wife wanted to see it). I found it a poor sequel to the DaVinci Code, didn't have half the energy or intrigue and wasn't nearly dark enough for me. Gets 6.7 on IMDb, I would have given it a 6.









Last, and not quite least... The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Starts out well enough and as long as Brad Pit looks like an old man (in a small body or not) he is interesting. Once he becomes "Brad Pit" his character became uninteresting for me. The reverse is true of Cate Blanchett (an acting goddess). When she is young she is stunning and as with everything she does completely believable. When she is in her death bed, the makeup is just plain bad, making her look like a dried up apple, way, way over the top and distracting.

It is a good enough story but goes on for far too long (166 min. ). It could have had a good 40 minutes edited out out of it and would have been a far better movie for it.

8.0 on IMDb, not justified IMHO, I would have given it 7.5 tops.


----------



## SINC

I sat down to watch The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and shut it off about an hour in. Worst movie I have seen in forty years.


----------



## monokitty

SINC said:


> I sat down to watch The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and shut it off about an hour in. Worst movie I have seen in forty years.


Ha, I've never seen it and have no intentions to. It looked terrible from the preview alone.


----------



## screature

Lars said:


> Ha, I've never seen it and have no intentions to. It looked terrible from the preview alone.


I had no intentions of seeing it either, but my wife picked it up. It wasn't as bad as I expected, so maybe that is why I was"kind" to it in my review.


----------



## chas_m

Going back a loooong way, saw 1926's "Dr. Faustus" (aka "Faust") recently. Man the special effects in this thing will STILL blow you away, just incredible for the time and clearly a labour of love. The facial expressionism of silent movies rarely got any more expressionist than this, either. While watching I was reminded of SO. MANY. MOVIES that have stolen visual or effects ideas from this movie.

We saw it with a live, original score (music students at the local university) but I'd suggest the DVD with its own original (orchestal/choral) score. Yeah, it's silent, yeah it's German, yeah it's black and white and yeah, it's 84 years old. But if you are willing to dive in, this film WILL ROCK YOU.


----------



## daniels

The blind side
All about Steve
the proposal 

All Sandra bullock movies


----------



## hayesk

Saw "How to train a dragon" in 3D on the weekend. Pretty good story (if not a bit predictable), 3D was very well done - I recommend it.

The only puzzling part is why the Vikings had Scottish accents. Maybe to make them sound tougher.


----------



## KC4

Just saw Shutter Island. I am a DiCaprio fan and he did not disappoint.

The movie is very dark, twisting and strange...not exactly a feel good flick. 
This is a mess with your head movie - if you like that sort of thing.


----------



## MacDoc

Caught *Girl with the Dragon Tattoo* last night. Well cast and very gritty. Of course much is missing tho the tale hangs together.
Clearly done with the other two books in mind.
Lame ending.
Book is better than the movie but the casting is well done...I would go see the sequel.

It's a shame about the author as this could have been an enduring series










strongly positive reviews for a subtitled movie.
Seeing Sweden in this movie was "interesting".....I found that aspect in the book as well.

Heed the "graphic" warning.


----------



## CubaMark

While in Mexico, I've been catching up on the phenomenon that is Cantinflas. So far my favourite is the "Atomic Fireman" _(Bombero Atomico)_



But last weekend my wife and I couldn't find any of his films in the local shops or video stores, so we went with one by Pedro Infante (60 films in 14 years!), "Los Tres Huastecos". A great, family-friendly film (but what wasn't in 1948?). One actor playing three roles simultaneously. Very, very funny and top-notch production values for the period.


----------



## jimbotelecom

The Yes Men Fix The World. The best piece of corporate-bashing performance art I have ever viewed. I laughed out loud for the full length of the doc.

COMING TO A THEATER NEAR YOU - THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD - The new movie that exposes the world of big business and the outrageous pranks that highlight the ways that corporate greed is destroying the planet. Featuring Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno


----------



## MacDoc

had never seen the whole thing...lots of clips of course....

the restoration is terrific. Donald O'Connor is a genius but the Gene Kelly's dancing is timeless......

Upbeat break after Dragon Tattoo ...so many send ups of Hollywood..


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, GK's dancing in the rain is one of the all-time classic movie scenes. I have seen the movie a few times. "The Bronx is up and the Battery is down ................ The people ride in a hole in the ground. New York, New York ......................." Paix, mon ami.


----------



## SINC

I watched Kelly and O'Connor work their magic in this film in 1952 in the Lyric Theatre in Swift Current Sask. Although I have seen it dozens of times since, that memory of my childhood has been fixed in my mind since that day so long ago. If you haven't seen it, please do so. It is a marvellous performance that will leave you smiling.


----------



## chasMac

'Lovely Bones' - despicable film. I am of the same mind as Roger Ebert who codemns it for depicting the rape and murder of girls and young teenagers as some sort of release for them; the means to attain a better state.


----------



## mrjimmy

Just got home from seeing Roman Polanski's The Ghost Writer.

A fantastic film on so many levels. Incredibly tight screenplay, well acted (and cast), beautifully shot and edited, beautiful production design. Oh yes, and masterfully directed. 

This film does not disappoint. Even the rude talkers behind us fell silent as they were swept up into this film.

A definite must see.


----------



## chasMac

"Daybreakers". The premise is breathtakingly brilliant. The world has succumbed to a vampiric plague; humans are now a tiny minority used as blood farms, and vampires rule.

The execution was not so good. Really a tragedy; when you take such an original idea and end up creating this mess.


----------



## MacDoc

> *Magic & Bird: A Courtship Of Rivals*


Restricted Content - HBO Canada

WOW!!!!

Another winner from HBO - this is really well done and extremely enjoyable :clap::clap:


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> Restricted Content - HBO Canada
> 
> WOW!!!!
> 
> Another winner from HBO - this is really well done and extremely enjoyable :clap::clap:


I recall vividly their classic matchups in the NBA finals.


----------



## MacDoc

Anyone watching the series* Treme?*












> Sundays at 10PM ET/MT
> 
> About The Show
> From David Simon (The Wire, Generation Kill) and Eric Overmyer (Law & Order, New Amsterdam), this new one-hour drama series takes place during the rebuilding of post-Katrina New Orleans, and focuses on how a group of residents rebuild their lives through the enduring music and cultural traditions that make them, and the city, so unique. The title of the series (pronounced “Truh-may”) refers to one of New Orleans’ oldest neighborhoods, an important center of African-American and Creole culture, especially music. Season 1 of Treme begins three months after Katrina, and culminates around the Carnival season. In addition to capturing the flavor and rich heritage of New Orleans, the series highlights the role of the city in the interconnected personal stories of the musicians, teachers, restaurateurs, radio deejays, and community leaders we meet.


more here
Restricted Content - HBO Canada

The music is superb and some solid acting combined with social commentary on the problems New Orleans still faces..


----------



## CubaMark

CubaMark said:


> My wife and I saw *Avatar* a week or so ago.... some thoughts:
> 
> 
> Liked it in 3D
> Not sure if my 3D experience was up to snuff. Were the first 3/4 of the film very dark to you?


Ah-hah! I knew it wasn't just my eyes...



> a typical 3D system can lose as much as 80 percent or more of the light from a 2D system on the same screen, and result in an image projected at only two or three foot-lamberts.
> 
> “I think it’s a major problem for the audience appreciation of 3D,” says Lenny Lipton, a pioneer in the field since the early 1980s. “The principal complaint that audience members and industry people make is that it’s too dark.”


*The Dark Flaw in 3D's Bright Future | TheWrap.com*


----------



## ertman

CubaMark said:


> Ah-hah! I knew it wasn't just my eyes...
> 
> 
> 
> *The Dark Flaw in 3D's Bright Future | TheWrap.com*



Hmm.... That is something to consider. I haven't seen anything in 3-D. After being further informed, I would possibly consider seeing a 3-D film because of this darkness issue. The closest I have seen to 3-D was at a Sony store with the TVs. I found the glasses created a flickering effect and while the 3-D flat images was neat, the flickering was distracting.

One of the problems I could also see is that the 3-D images, is that it really just appears as flat shapes at dynamic distances. Is that how it is in theatres too?



On a side note, about avatar. I was browsing at a Electronics retailer and they were playing Avatar on Bluray. I only have a dvd player and my TV was lesser quality, but I found that Avatar was better on my DVD setup. I found that the higher quality image with all the CG actually was less enjoyable. I found that the characters looked crisper, but also more computer animated and less realistic. I would describe it as almost doll like, it reminded me of some game-engine videos. I guess the compression loss, atleast in my eyes actually made the CG looked better.


----------



## MacDoc

*Inception* last night....worth the mcycle hustle from Erin to Burlington with 5 minutes to spare.

A tricky script - reasonable execution...great to see Ellen Page hold her own with heavyweights.

She is blossoming into a real beauty. Bit of Jane Fonda

















Interesting cast....did not entirely work for me but what a very difficult "story" to carry off.
Money well spent and seems very popular. Took it in at the Silver City digital cinema VIP in Burlington - sold out entirely.

Di Caprio gets past the "kid" stage.


----------



## Macfury

3-D really darkens the image, because you're viewing it through polarized lenses which cut out a set percentage of light.


----------



## Dr.G.

I had a salesperson at our local Futureshop going crazy when I told him that I could not see the 3-D effect on a new TV he was trying to sell me .................. and that I wanted a Samsung model that was two year old.


----------



## MacDoc

Maybe we will get a revival in DLP for home as it scales up in lumens well.
2k coming at some point.

Now if you want to pay.












> The *Sanyo PLV-HD2000N* 7000 ANSI lumen projector employs three high-precision LCD panels of native 2,048 x 1,080 resolutions. They project the high-resolution images of the 2K x 1K digital cinema format in full resolution.
> Intelligent Sharpness Control helps to render sharp, crisp projection images at all times, regardless of the RGB/video input mode.
> SANYO has developed a 12-bit signal processing circuit, providing full 2-3 pulldown compatibility, motion adaptive line interpolation and progressive scanning of 1080i HDTV signals. It helps assure impressive image quality from virtually any source, including HDTV content.
> This advanced optical system achieves high contrast to project high-quality images with rich black reproduction, maximizing the quality of the video signals.
> An advanced system improves the color purity of the three primary colors (red, blue, and green) to deliver an overall color performance that's ideal for digital cinema. A motor-driven lens shift allows the user to position the image easily (up/down and left/right) even after the projector is installed. It is especially useful when aligning images from two stacked units.
> Lens sold separately.


$64,995.00

and Barco is even talking 4k at this point :yikes:

Barco | Find your ideal digital cinema projector

62' in 3d....need a big house










As this converges with 3d any loss of brightness will be overcome

Yes that's 62 FEET not inches


----------



## chas_m

I'm absolutely amazed we haven't gotten much of anything re: summer movies till this week.

I didn't get a chance to go to any, maybe everyone else had the same problem?


----------



## rgray

Saw Alice in 3D. Enjoyed it as a change from my usual diet of action/thriller flicks and definitely enjoyed the 3D effects. However, EVERYONE I know who has been to any 3D flick lately has reported having a headache afterward.... There seems to be a considerable amount of eyestrain involved. Has anyone else noticed this?


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Get Him To The Greek last week. Definitely not rocket science but fun nonetheless. Excellent summertime fare.

Although I think Jonah Hill, much like Michael Cera is getting a bit tired and typecast. I wonder who the next fat kid/ skinny kid is going to be. Hollywood, like the world definitely needs both.


----------



## MacDoc

3d does not cause me headaches but I have heard that from others.

I suspect the kind of eye movement that one uses with binoculars or a stereo microscope is at play and I've been a long time twitcher so it's second nature to merge views.
Those not so used to that kind of "merge" might have strain.


----------



## rgray

MacDoc said:


> 3d does not cause me headaches but I have heard that from others.
> 
> I suspect the kind of eye movement that one uses with binoculars or a stereo microscope is at play and I've been a long time twitcher so it's second nature to merge views.
> Those not so used to that kind of "merge" might have strain.


Interesting analysis. However, I am also a twitcher and the binoculars are never far away. On top of that, years in a physiology lab meant many hours at a stretch staring through stereo microscopes. I have never had any issues in those circumstances although both instruments are/were carefully calibrated. Hmmmm..


----------



## MannyP Design

Never had a headache—the only time I ever had a headache was with the old Red/Blue glasses.


----------



## MacDoc

*









The Client *hmmm soso on Grisham, so so on Sarandon, do like Tommy Lee Jones....and this kid with the lead !!!!!!! :yikes:

Some enjoyable movie making....not sure how I missed this one - recommended.

Movie night at MacDoc's 

too wet and gnarly out for much else....and my chili is tasty tonight.


----------



## eMacMan

rgray said:


> Saw Alice in 3D. Enjoyed it as a change from my usual diet of action/thriller flicks and definitely enjoyed the 3D effects. However, EVERYONE I know who has been to any 3D flick lately has reported having a headache afterward.... There seems to be a considerable amount of eyestrain involved. Has anyone else noticed this?


This is because the left eye and right eye are seeing slightly different images and the brain is then putting it all together. Seems to me it might be a good idea to revive intermissions for 3D movies. Who knows might even allow the theatres to sell a few more oil drums of soda per showing.beejacon


----------



## MacDoc

and now for something COMPLETELY different










:yikes::yikes::clap:


----------



## SINC

MacDoc said:


> and now for something COMPLETELY different
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> :yikes::yikes::clap:


Too bad the image is so small no one has any idea what movie you refer to.


----------



## mrjimmy

SINC said:


> Too bad the image is so small no one has any idea what movie you refer to.


Seemed pretty clear to me:

9 (2009/I)


----------



## cap10subtext

Inception!! 

Loved this movie. Found it had better (more palatable) twists and turns than Shutter Island. Really loved the cast too.


----------



## MacDoc

Hmmm 3" tall and 2" wide with a great big huge 9 in it....seen your optical doc lately 

In case you wonder the movie is called 9 that is the title...full stop.


----------



## RatsOnMacAttack

I saw 9 about a year ago when it first came out. Great movie, amazing animation. :clap:


Not sure if this counts, since its a short film, but I watched 'Plastic Bag' narrated by Werner Herzog. (I just cannot get enough of this man)

Plastic Bag (2009)

Such a beautiful little film, great shots, great message. I suggest everyone take 20 minutes and watch it on youtube. Hopefully someone else here will have seen it.


----------



## MacDoc

Yes - thanks for reminder....cool stuff. I recall catching it between two movies - I like it when they use good shorts for fillers as I catch things I'd not likely see. They should do that at the major theatres too.

•••










I vaguely remember seeing trailers for 9 then nothing. Forgot about it until I saw it available on demand.
Very disturbing in some ways - Burton is often that. Talk about engrossing tho....right from the get go.

The short it was based on apparently won an Oscar.
Review here but hell watch it.

Movie review Tim Burton's 9

this from the review


> The voice actors are excellent. The emotion that many scenes takes must be hard to muster, but these actors all do a great job with Elija Wood being a stand out along with Christopher Plummer as the dictator like leader. It is also wonderful to once again have a film with Crispin Glover as 6


Well done voice work really brings the film up a level..


----------



## RatsOnMacAttack

Tim Burton only produced it. It was directed by a guy named Shane Acker.


----------



## MacDoc

I do like history based movies and this one in my view is exceptional.
Well cast. Most enjoyable.
Top drawer performance from Emily Blunt

Dr.G I suspect you would appreciate this very much.


----------



## eMacMan

Recently saw Salt. Not nearly as bad as expected, however the entire purpose of the movie seemed to be aimed at setting the stage for numerous sequels. Could get as ridiculous as the Rocky series.beejacon

Did not at all begrudge the Tuesday cheap view. Falls a bit short of being worth the full big city ticket prices.beejacon


----------



## ehMax

cap10subtext said:


> Inception!!
> 
> Loved this movie. Found it had better (more palatable) twists and turns than Shutter Island. Really loved the cast too.


Just saw this film. One of the more brilliant films I've ever seen. One of those films that after you watch the first time and get a picture of the whole story, you want to watch it again knowing what you now know.  Really good film, I love it.


----------



## chas_m

If you guys don't mind a REAL oldie -- 72 years ago, to be exact:










Now of course I have seen this before -- many times, loved it as a boy -- but I recently showed this to my wife and to my great delight she loved it. This is STILL the definitive version imho and holds up great, in part because its in glorious technicolour but also for many other reasons. It's the very definition of what makes a really great adventure film.

Let me put it this way: I like it so much I'm not even bothered by the fact that several of Robin's merry men are Americans who don't even *attempt* an English accent, and the whole thing is shot in California doubling for 12th century Nottingham. It's THAT GOOD.

Full review here.


----------



## MacDoc

Since we are on old movies.










Black and White comes through wonderfully on HD.
This was a real transition from the old guard western actors to the newer - with Lee Van Cleef in a bit part in Lee Marvins gang...while an aging Jimmy Stewart and lovely Vera Miles were the white hats.
Hell John Wayne even looked limber in this one


----------



## SINC

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance happens to be one of my favs and is part of my western collection. I recently added it when I purchased it through iTunes. Why rent it at $4.99 when you can buy it for $9.99. I now have well over 100 westerns in my collection and Stewart and Wayne are central to many of them.

I watched another of my favourites again recently, Stewart and Henry Fonda in "The Cheyenne Social Club" an amusing and entertaining romp where Stewart unwittingly inherits a bordello from his brother and he and his long-time pal (Fonda) arrive to run the joint. Many laughs to be had here.


----------



## screature

Big thumbs up... like "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" big thumbs up, for The Cheyenne Social Club. I have seen this movie probably three times now... really great, a classic. :clap:


----------



## Kosh

I saw a few of Errol Flynn's movies in my teen years. The ones that come to mind are Robin Hood and The Sea Hawk. The Sea Hawk's a good movie for those who want to learn more about the privateers of England.

I think I saw a couple other of his movies, but none of the titles come to mind.


----------



## chas_m

List of classic movies (IMO) that feature Errol Flynn:


Captain Blood (1935)
Charge of the Light Brigade (1936)
The Prince and the Pauper (1937)
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
The Sea Hawk (1940)
They Died With Their Boots On (1942)
Gentleman Jim (1942)
Objective, Burma! (1945)
The Adventures of Don Juan (1949)
William Tell (1954, but was never released, financing fell apart. Surviving footage looks pretty great, though ...)
The Sun Also Rises (1957)
Too Much, Too Soon (1958)

There might be others, I haven't seen all of his filmography. Not bad for a career spanning a mere 24 years ...


----------



## bsenka

I finally got around to watching Estela Bravo's "Fidel-The Untold Story". 

Estela Bravo : Fidel


Probably the best documentary I've ever seen. I think that everyone who doesn't have a chance to actually go to Cuba and see how things are there compared to what you hear out of Miami should at least take the time to watch this remarkable film.


----------



## Rps

SINC said:


> . I now have well over 100 westerns in my collection and Stewart and Wayne are central to many of them.


Sinc was never into the C.S.C., but one of my favourite movies of all time is The Big Country .... I watch it at least twice a year since I bought it 10 years ago.

While we're on the subject of Westerns, and not meaning to derail this thread, have you watch any of the Deadwood series? I know it's gone from T,V., but I thought it was excellent and ..... there is rumour of a movie coming out.


----------



## CubaMark

+1 on Estela Bravo's "Fidel". Trivia: I was in Havana when Estela was bringing the film to the Latin American Film Fest. They hadn't finished the spanish-language version, and asked me to do the re-edit. Estela and her husband picked me up at my apartment, took me to the offices of Grupo Domo (a Mexican company that had set up shop) who had a new AVID system. We arrived, went up to the office, and found everything dismantled and in boxes. Huge disappointment for me... She eventually found a another editor at MINED (Ministry of Education) who did the job. Would have been a nice feather in my cap...


----------



## ryerman

chas_m said:


> If you guys don't mind a REAL oldie -- 72 years ago, to be exact:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now of course I have seen this before -- many times, loved it as a boy -- but I recently showed this to my wife and to my great delight she loved it. This is STILL the definitive version imho and holds up great, in part because its in glorious technicolour but also for many other reasons. It's the very definition of what makes a really great adventure film.
> 
> Let me put it this way: I like it so much I'm not even bothered by the fact that several of Robin's merry men are Americans who don't even *attempt* an English accent, and the whole thing is shot in California doubling for 12th century Nottingham. It's THAT GOOD.
> 
> Full review here.



Thank god those Americans didn't attempt the accent. Too bad Kevin Costner couldn't have done the same in Prince of Theives. There's nothing more cringe-worthy than Hollywood accent fails. Have you seen the new Ridley Scott version? I haven't seen it yet but the entire casting is great. Mark Strong I'm sure is especially creepy as Sir Godfrey.

I'm waiting for the Blu Ray release next week.


----------



## monokitty

*Resident Evil 4: Afterlife*.

Great as always. Setup for a 5th film. 


(* Probably applies to the younger crowd only.  )


----------



## MacDoc

Brilliant - Anna Kendrick holds her own against Clooney - the way a movie should be put together.

90% on RT - well deserved. :clap:


----------



## bsenka

CubaMark said:


> +1 on Estela Bravo's "Fidel". Trivia: I was in Havana when Estela was bringing the film to the Latin American Film Fest. They hadn't finished the spanish-language version, and asked me to do the re-edit. Estela and her husband picked me up at my apartment, took me to the offices of Grupo Domo (a Mexican company that had set up shop) who had a new AVID system. We arrived, went up to the office, and found everything dismantled and in boxes. Huge disappointment for me... She eventually found a another editor at MINED (Ministry of Education) who did the job. Would have been a nice feather in my cap...


Someday I hope to have the opportunity to buy you a beer, you have got the coolest stories.

Do you know of any places to watch or buy any of Estela's other Cuba docs? She's got a list on her website, but no actual store. Amazon only carries a couple of them.


----------



## CubaMark

I have few claims to fame, bsenka, and have met some very interesting people...

Some films are available via Amazon

Mongrel Media (USA) has the 2001 film "Fidel"

As for the rest of her work - looks like you'll have to contact Estela, her husband, or Sara, their UK distributor (see the contact page of Estela's website).

Beyond that - YouTube


----------



## MacDoc

Streep still sexy at 60
















Damn Abba tunes are addictive - and what a cast!!
Nice antidote to a rain grey fall day.

This reviewer liked it too
Movie Review - Mamma Mia! - Does Your Mother Know You Sing Abba Tunes? - NYTimes.com

I mean really who the hell is By A. O. SCOTT anyway


----------



## MacDoc

Dr, G - may fascinate you










Lord of the Flies in dark muppet land....not sure I'd inflict it on kids but it is mesmerizing. 73% on RT about correct.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> Dr, G - may fascinate you
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lord of the Flies in dark muppet land....not sure I'd inflict it on kids but it is mesmerizing. 73% on RT about correct.


Looks interesting, MacDoc. Merci, mon ami. Paix.


----------



## MacDoc

Jim Henson studio is the underlying structure.

based on the book


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> Jim Henson studio is the underlying structure.
> 
> based on the book



A children's lit classic, MacDoc.


----------



## hayesk

chas_m said:


> If you guys don't mind a REAL oldie -- 72 years ago, to be exact:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now of course I have seen this before -- many times, loved it as a boy -- but I recently showed this to my wife and to my great delight she loved it. This is STILL the definitive version imho and holds up great, in part because its in glorious technicolour but also for many other reasons. It's the very definition of what makes a really great adventure film.


Technicolour didn't make this film great - the dialogue made this film great. Most of today's adventure films get the cheesy action dialogue treatment. Witty and clever often takes a back seat.


----------



## Macfury

Lars said:


> *Resident Evil 4: Afterlife*.
> 
> Great as always. Setup for a 5th film.
> 
> 
> (* Probably applies to the younger crowd only.  )


I don't hate these films, but they aren't very involving to me. I like the third one better than one or two though.


----------



## Dr.G.

YouTube - Hachi: A Dog's Tale - Official Movie Trailer

Just saw a real tear-jerker of a movie.


----------



## monokitty

Fantastic.


----------



## a4racer

*Loved it.*

Just saw Micmacs.

Rented it from iTunes no less. Loved it. Very "Amelie" and "Delicatessen"...


----------



## CubaMark

Lars said:


> *Resident Evil 4: Afterlife*.
> 
> Great as always. Setup for a 5th film. )


Heh - a friend who is a fanatic needed a pal to see it with, so I caught it on Friday. Enjoyable, lots of action, as thin on plot as all of the RE films but hey, what does one expect from this genre?










I can say that it was the most "video-gamey" of all the films. Whichever is the latest RE game is probably going to have much of these Alice-video-journal clips taken directly from the film.

Milla Jovovich - still has it  and certainly has a cash cow in this franchise.


----------



## Puccasaurus

"An Education" - the story of a British teenager in the 60s whose dull life is changed by an older man. Yes, it is somewhat creepy. But a movie worth watching.

"Timer" - a sci-fi romantic comedy (don't see many of those). A 30-something woman wonders why she hasn't met her soulmate yet -- despite the whole world having a "TiMer" that matches people to their one true love. Cute and quirky, but also thought-provoking.

Both available on netflix


----------



## titans88

I had been meaning to watch this for a while now, and all of the buzz surrounding the American remake forced me to rent it from Rogers. Boy am I glad I did! It is scary, suspenseful, unnerving, sad - such a diverse film for a fairly basic idea.










After hearing how well it was reviewed, I decided to catch the American remake. It was definitely a great film - essentially the same as the original, almost shot for shot. It was disappointing to see it did not fair too well in its opening weekend. You may recognize the young girl in the film from Kick Ass.


----------



## SINC

Sat down and caught Mississippi Burning on Equator HD tonight. Still one of the most powerful movies out there.

Enjoyed every minute of it. Again. 22 years later. :clap:


----------



## Dr.G.

SINC said:


> Sat down and caught Mississippi Burning on Equator HD tonight. Still one of the most powerful movies out there.
> 
> Enjoyed every minute of it. Again. 22 years later. :clap:


The award for Best Actor should have gone to Gene Hackman for his role in this movie. I only appreciated this movie once I lived in the deep south for five years apx. 9 years after this event was to have taken place. Yes, a very powerful movie.


----------



## Max

The director, Alan Parker, came under fire for _Mississippi Burning_ because he made it about the FBI and how a couple of (fictitious but incredibly talented and willful) FBI men solved the mystery of what happened to the missing civil rights workers. In other words, the story got a Hollywood haircut.

Great film but as usual, reality got the short end of the stick.

Just watched _Gran Torino_ for the second time. Now that was a powerful film. Eastwood the actor has had his share of clunkers but his role as proud American citizen Walt Kowalski is indelible. As for Eastwood the director, the man has made an impressive career for himself.

Funny. The first time I watched it, I dismissed it as a second-tier effort by Eastwood. Now I'm scratching my head, wondering how I could ever have thought that.


----------



## Dr.G.

Max, I felt the same way about Eastwood the first time I saw Gran Torino. Great ending. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## Max

Strange that we should have had the same reaction, Dr. G.

I consider Eastwood the director to have long ago eclipsed Eastwood the actor - and that's saying something, considering his many iconic roles. A true American great, that one. Pretty uncompromising vision and the man strikes me as very solidly grounded - no Hollywood-style binge & purge acting-out and flakiness there.


----------



## Dr.G.

Max said:


> Strange that we should have had the same reaction, Dr. G.
> 
> I consider Eastwood the director to have long ago eclipsed Eastwood the actor - and that's saying something, considering his many iconic roles. A true American great, that one. Pretty uncompromising vision and the man strikes me as very solidly grounded - no Hollywood-style binge & purge acting-out and flakiness there.


I still like Eastwood the actor. Liked him in "Unforgiven", but not really in "Million Dollar Baby". Now, I really like Morgan Freeman in just about any movie he is in these days.


----------



## Max

Hey, I still do like Eastwood the actor too. I just think his work as a director is a major contribution to the pantheon of filmic Americana - even more so than his great early roles - which, though rivetingly archetypal, are nowhere near as three-dimensional as the characters and stories he later came to direct. IMO, natch.

I have to differ with you on _Million Dollar Baby_. To me he was very similar to his character in _Gran Torino_. A stand-up guy, totally old school, with a gruff exterior and a heart of gold.


----------



## K2ACP

The Social Network is a good movie


----------



## iphoneottawa

Hp7


----------



## hdh607

Requiem for a Dream (2000).

I don't know how I missed this one. Creative, provocative, edgy, drug laden, and yes, a bit depressing and disturbing. But no Hollywood ending. Great performances, great music.


----------



## screature

hdh607 said:


> Requiem for a Dream (2000).
> 
> I don't know how I missed this one. Creative, provocative, edgy, drug laden, and yes, a bit depressing and disturbing. But no Hollywood ending. Great performances, great music.


+1 A hard film to watch especially for women if my wife's reaction was anything to go by, she was moved to violent tears by one horrific scene. A great movie but certainly not for everyone. Very dark and unpalatable for many.


----------



## titans88

SINC said:


> Sat down and caught Mississippi Burning on Equator HD tonight. Still one of the most powerful movies out there.
> 
> Enjoyed every minute of it. Again. 22 years later. :clap:


I watched this last night as well! Equator HD plays some great films from time to time.


----------



## fjnmusic

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1. These films have definitely gotten darker over the years, and our trio spent a good deal of time going camping in this one. Must be nice to be a wizard and not have to worry about how to set up a tent, build a campfire or forage for food.

And on a related note, the trailer for Aliens vs. Cowboys looked durn interestin'.


----------



## fjnmusic

Dr.G. said:


> I still like Eastwood the actor. Liked him in "Unforgiven", but not really in "Million Dollar Baby". Now, I really like Morgan Freeman in just about any movie he is in these days.


My kids see Morgan Freeman's face or even recognize his voice in an ad and say, Hey, it's God!


----------



## Dr.G.

fjnmusic said:


> My kids see Morgan Freeman's face or even recognize his voice in an ad and say, Hey, it's God!


And he is a wise God.

YouTube - EvanAlmighthy Prayers 2

YouTube - Evan Almighty - A Laugh and A Lesson

YouTube - One Act of Random Kindness - ARK! Evan Almighty


----------



## eMacMan

Just saw the Pat Tillman Story. Well worth watching. 

Stopped short of addressing some of the more extreme conspiracy theories, but even so did a very good job of connecting the dots while backing up with real footage the claims they did make.

Kudos to his family for relentlessly pursuing the truth even if their efforts were only partially successful.


----------



## ryerman

Despicable Me. 

I saw it with my younger cousin, thinking it would be a kids' movie. It was actually very entertaining. There's something in it for everyone.


----------



## mrjimmy

Just saw True Grit, the Coen Brothers remake of the John Wayne classic.

In a word, wow.


----------



## Dr.G.

mrjimmy said:


> Just saw True Grit, the Coen Brothers remake of the John Wayne classic.
> 
> In a word, wow.


Good to know, mrj. I trust your opinion on such matters.

If you are in a "dog mood" and in need of a good cry, watch "Hatchi: A Dog's Tale"

YouTube - Hatchi: A Dog's Tale - HD Trailer - Coming Soon


----------



## mrjimmy

Dr.G. said:


> Good to know, mrj. I trust your opinion on such matters.
> 
> If you are in a "dog mood" and in need of a good cry, watch "Hatchi: A Dog's Tale"
> 
> YouTube - Hatchi: A Dog's Tale - HD Trailer - Coming Soon


Thanks Dr.G. You will not be disappointed, I guarantee it.

Thanks for the recommendation. It looks like a real tearjerker indeed.


----------



## Dr.G.

mrjimmy said:


> Thanks Dr.G. You will not be disappointed, I guarantee it.
> 
> Thanks for the recommendation. It looks like a real tearjerker indeed.


I shall not reveal the ending or even the middle, even though it is based on a true story. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## Andrew Pratt

Just watched Salt...not a bad action flick with a bit of a twist to it (though it was easily seen coming).


----------



## RatsOnMacAttack

Just saw 'Black Swan' last night with my girlfriend. Very good indeed, my only complaint is that it seems too short. I dont think Ive seen anything by Aronofsky that I didnt like. I love his camera work. Near the end it ALMOST has a ridiculous horror movie feel to it, but stops short of it. Kudos to Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis for their training and performance. :clap:


----------



## mrjimmy

RatsOnMacAttack said:


> Just saw 'Black Swan' last night with my girlfriend. Very good indeed, my only complaint is that it seems too short. I dont think Ive seen anything by Aronofsky that I didnt like. I love his camera work. Near the end it ALMOST has a ridiculous horror movie feel to it, but stops short of it. Kudos to Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis for their training and performance. :clap:


Looking forward to seeing this.


----------



## screature

Happy New Year mrj!!!


----------



## Dr.G.

Saw "Public Enemies" a couple of days ago. John Depp was great as Dillinger.


----------



## RiceBoy

RatsOnMacAttack said:


> Just saw 'Black Swan' last night with my girlfriend. Very good indeed, my only complaint is that it seems too short. I dont think Ive seen anything by Aronofsky that I didnt like. I love his camera work. Near the end it ALMOST has a ridiculous horror movie feel to it, but stops short of it. Kudos to Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis for their training and performance. :clap:


I agree. I was quite surprised how good it was, and was impressed with the performances of both Portman and Kunis.


----------



## mrjimmy

screature said:


> Happy New Year mrj!!!


To you also screature.


----------



## mrjimmy

RiceBoy said:


> I agree. I was quite surprised how good it was, and was impressed with the performances of both Portman and Kunis.


Must see this week!


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw The King's Speech last week.

Tremendous performances by Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush.

Firth portray's George VI's plight with painstaking realism. Although never cheapening it to gimmickry. Rush also keeps his character in check just enough to make his performance believable and poignant. Got to hand it to the Brits.

The lighting and production design were fabulous as well. Taking it just to the edge where it makes a large statement without being over the top.

Definitely worth the trip to the theatre.


----------



## Dr.G.

mrjimmy said:


> Saw The King's Speech last week.
> 
> Tremendous performances by Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush.
> 
> Firth portray's George VI's plight with painstaking realism. Although never cheapening it to gimmickry. Rush also keeps his character in check just enough to make his performance believable and poignant. Got to hand it to the Brits.
> 
> The lighting and production design were fabulous as well. Taking it just to the edge where it makes a large statement without being over the top.
> 
> Definitely worth the trip to the theatre.


I strongly agree, mrj. Just got back from seeing "The King's Speech". Excellent movie. See it if you have the opportunity.

YouTube - Trailer: The King's Speech


----------



## The Doug

Finally saw Inception. Dunno, I wasn't blown away. I like this review.


----------



## SINC

The wife and I sat down and watched The Departed last night rated 93% on RT. While the acting of the four lead players was very good, it sickened us both. Why in the world they make movies with so much filthy language and blood and gore is beyond me. It was so graphic, one was at a point of nearly throwing up watching some scenes. If this is modern movie making, no thanks. It sure isn't anything we would intentionally watch again.


----------



## Dr.G.

SINC said:


> The wife and I sat down and watched The Departed last night rated 93% on RT. While the acting of the four lead players was very good, it sickened us both. Why in the world they make movies with so much filthy language and blood and gore is beyond me. It was so graphic, one was at a point of nearly throwing up watching some scenes. If this is modern movie making, no thanks. It sure isn't anything we would intentionally watch again.


Violent, yes, but a great movie if you like this sort of storyline and acting. I have seen it twice, and find the graphic violence less grusome the second time around.


----------



## CubaMark

Finally got around to seeing this hilarious superhero flick. I was planning to put it on to watch after my wife called it a night, not thinking that she'd be into it.... but we both laughed our butts off... despite the very violent, bloody imagery and very foul language. I can see why it generated a bit of controversy.

*BUT... really, really good...* 










*Chloe Moretz, the youngest (and obviously psychopathic) superhero, totally steals the show...
*









Here's one review...


----------



## MannyP Design

^ If The Departed sickened SINC, then KickAss is definitely a movie should pass on.


----------



## CubaMark

True that. Roger Ebert is definitely *not* a fan of this flick - he gave it one star. It's a film that has really divided the critics. But as they say, to each their own.


----------



## monokitty

The Doug said:


> Finally saw Inception. Dunno, I wasn't blown away. I like this review.


Inception appears to be one of those movies that you either love, or can't find any like for whatsoever. That's the impression I'm getting from everyone I know who has seen it.


----------



## tilt

mrjimmy said:


> Got to hand it to the Brits.


Watch "The Infidel". Very well done.

Cheers


----------



## screature

Lars said:


> Inception appears to be one of those movies that you either love, or can't find any like for whatsoever. That's the impression I'm getting from everyone I know who has seen it.


I was "entertained" by Inception while watching it, but upon reflection afterwards a lot of it didn't "add up" for me. That being said my colleague and 30 year friend whose opinion I value greatly, loved it... There is no accounting for taste.


----------



## Jugger Grimrodd

"Buried" was interesting considering the whole thing takes place in a pine box. I enjoyed it.


----------



## MacDoc

finally saw Tim Burton's Alice - flat out loved it. :clap:


----------



## screature

MacDoc said:


> finally saw Tim Burton's Alice - flat out loved it. :clap:


Alice in Wonder Land...? If so, yeah it was great. +1


----------



## monokitty

Great movie. Good action, reasonable enough story. Jason Statham's performance was as good as usual.


----------



## Macfury

I found that Tim Burton_ Alice_ a really forced narrative. Much preferred the Jan Švankmajer version for a truly interesting take on the material.

I watched the Tim Burton-produced _The Cabin Boy_ with Chris Elliot the other day. What can I say? I laughed.


----------



## Max

Burton's take on _Alice_ was visually sumptuous, as usual, but I found the pacing slack and dramatic tension sadly lacking. Not one of his better movies.


----------



## screature

Max said:


> Burton's take on _Alice_ was visually sumptuous, as usual, but I found the pacing slack and dramatic tension sadly lacking. Not one of his better movies.


Having never read Alice in Wonderland I had no expectations, so I can say I thoroughly enjoyed it, obviously especially at a visual level but beyond that my wife and I were both entertained the whole time. Perhaps had we read the book we would have felt differently.

Personally I found what you said about Alice to be true of the Nightmare Before Christmas... It never got out of 2nd gear for me.


----------



## CubaMark

Just caught Agora (Rachel Weisz) - well-acted, very nice cinematography. I'm a sucker for this kind of historical fiction (still lamenting the lack of another season of Rome). Christians are certainly not portrayed in a good light here 












> Agora tells the story of 4th century A.D. Egypt under the Roman Empire. Violent religious upheaval in the streets of Alexandria spills over into the city’s famous Library. Trapped inside its walls, the brilliant astronomer Hypatia (Rachel Weisz) and her disciples fight to save the wisdom of the Ancient World. Among them, the two men competing for her heart: the witty, privileged Orestes (Oscar Isaac) and Davus (Max Minghella), Hypatia’s young slave, who is torn between his secret love for her and the freedom he knows can be his if he chooses to join the unstoppable surge of the Christians. (HeyuGuys.co.uk)


----------



## Max

Looks great, CM. But not all historical dramas are created equal. I share your opinion of_ Rome_ - we couldn't get enough of it. Looks like _Agora_ might have been shot on the same Italian set for _Rome_, judging by that image! Whether it's true or not, I'll be interested. Rachel Weiss is great. We're starting in on_ The Tudors_ and while it's no _Rome_ - something about the palette and the light in that series was so alluring - it's still replete with court intrigues, ambition, betrayal, lust - all the good stuff.

Screature: I never read _Alice in Wonderland_ myself. Just compared one Burton film against several others I've seen. One of my favourites remains _Sleepy Hollow_.... I enjoyed his remake on that. He didn't go over the top with his usual stylistic trademarks and he really let the story do its work.


----------



## Macfury

Max said:


> One of my favourites remains _Sleepy Hollow_.... I enjoyed his remake on that. He didn't go over the top with his usual stylistic trademarks and he really let the story do its work.


I believe that Burton never re-scaled the heights of either _Frankenweenie _or _Pee-Wee's Big Adventure_.


----------



## Max

Never saw either one, so I'll take your word for it.


----------



## egremont

The movie that lingers with me is "Winter's Bone". Indie film. Won at Sundance Film Festival.

Acting, characters, cinematography was so right for the content. Interesting that this year two young women have done such good work in movies. Winter's Bone and True Grit. Enjoyed new True Grit very much. Not a John Wayne fan.


----------



## eMacMan

Do like some of John Wayne's stuff. North to Alaska, The Shootist, True Grit and the follow up with Kate Hepburn are all worth seeing.

Not a western and not easy to find. "The Quiet Man" is far and away the best movie John Wayne ever did.


----------



## Max

Geez, forgot I had watched _Winter's Bone_. Funny I could have forgotten it, since it was so very, very good. Understated, completely authentic-feeling film. Did you watch 'the making of' segment? It was as badly done as the film itself was exceptional.


----------



## screature

egremont said:


> The movie that lingers with me is "Winter's Bone". Indie film. Won at Sundance Film Festival.
> 
> Acting, characters, cinematography was so right for the content. Interesting that this year two young women have done such good work in movies. Winter's Bone and True Grit. Enjoyed new True Grit very much. Not a John Wayne fan.


Yep it was a great movie, I liked the way you really didn't quite know what was going on for a while only to realize it was a "hill billy gangster movie". Jennifer Lawrence was terrific.

I haven't seen the remake of True Grit but I did enjoy the original very much when I saw it many. many years ago now.


----------



## CubaMark

Max said:


> Looks like _Agora_ might have been shot on the same Italian set for _Rome_, judging by that image!


Nope - the sets for *Rome* were unique - the largest EVER built for a tv series. They were also partially destroyed by fire just days after Rome wrapped principal photography (wikipedia).

As for *Agora*, from wikipedia:



> Principal photography began on March 17, 2008, on the island of Malta, and was scheduled to last 15 weeks.[13] Production designer Guy Hendrix Dyas used large sets on location instead of computer generated imagery at Amenábar's direction.[14] The construction of the set employed almost 400 people, and was the largest ever designed on the island.


----------



## Max

I'm betting they took a lot of visual cues from _Rome_, however... that was such a feast for the eyes. At least with Malta they were shooting with the same quality of light. Contrasting _Rome_ with _The Tudors_, the latter seems so grey and desaturated by comparison. Chilly UK light, I suppose.


----------



## iLabmAn

*Monsters*

Just finished watching "Monsters".

Fabulous and well worth the rental.


----------



## The Doug

No. Please, *no*. No, no, no.


----------



## Max

Yep. Good chance it will wreck the tale, drag it into the muck. Oh well. You knew it was going to happen, didn't you?

Saw _Up In The Air_ the other day. Really enjoyed it. Expected "a chick flick," as my wife put it, but it turned out to be something different. Excellent leads roles by George Clooney and Vera Farmiga. Visually splendid - the majestic gliding aerial footage of each city was superb. An adult tale with a sobering, open-ended conclusion.


----------



## whatiwant

Max said:


> it turned out to be something different. Excellent lead roles by George Clooney and Vera Farmiga. Visually splendid - the majestic gliding aerial footage of each city was superb. An adult tale with a sobering, open-ended conclusion.


I felt the same way.


----------



## Macfury

The Doug said:


> No. Please, *no*. No, no, no.


The film was so far removed from the book that the notion of prequels or sequels based on the book is somewhat ludicrous. An accurate rendition of the book might be interesting--featuring an underpopulated world instead of an overpopulated one for starters...


----------



## CubaMark

If you have kids of the appropriate age (or no kids at all), I highly recommend *Rango*.

My wife and I dragged a friend along - he was more than a little embarrassed at being lined up at the theatre to see this with a bunch of moms and dozens of small children. But it soon became apparent that *(a)* these kids were 'waaaay too young for this flick (age ratings aren't really enforced here in Mexico) and *(b)* this was an above-average production.



Excellent animation, a surprisingly philosophical storyline, and rather violent old-west-style gunfights and canyon chases combined in a film we thoroughly enjoyed.

.


----------



## Lawrence

An interesting video clip of a downhill bike race in Chile

VCA 2010 RACE RUN


----------



## screature

jawknee said:


> I felt the same way.


+2 It was was great entertainment all around.


----------



## SINC

dolawren said:


> An interesting video clip of a downhill bike race in Chile
> 
> VCA 2010 RACE RUN


Lots of discussion about this race here:

http://www.ehmac.ca/everything-else...-bike-race-chile-video-helmut-cam-insane.html


----------



## Lawrence

SINC said:


> Lots of discussion about this race here:
> 
> http://www.ehmac.ca/everything-else...-bike-race-chile-video-helmut-cam-insane.html


Sorry about that, Found it on a different site and thought it was new.

Oh well, Gotta read more threads on ehMac.


----------



## The Doug

Had a chuckle this morning when I noticed a story about this.


----------



## MacDoc

*Kings Speech* on the plane. Just brilliant :clap: just see it.

Also *Secretariat* - rollicking good story and true.....


----------



## egremont

*Another Movie-TV online source*

Sony has an offering called : crackle.com which is offering a selection of old movies - newer ones and television series - old and more recent ones. Limited offerings but Free with minimal advertising.

I am going to watch an old movie that I remember being quite good. Probably saw it in a theatre - black and white.

Otto Preminger film with Laurence Olivier, Noel Coward, Carol Lynley .....Hope it is as good as I remember. I expect the acting to be a bit over the top and a moody dark feel.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> *Kings Speech* on the plane. Just brilliant :clap: just see it.
> 
> Also *Secretariat* - rollicking good story and true.....


Saw it in the theater ....... twice. It deserved and received the best picture oscar. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## egremont

Whoops - forgot the title: " Bunny Lake is Missing ". enjoy or maybe not.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw The Lincoln Lawyer a few weeks ago. Surprisingly good performance by Matthew McConaughey. A definite rental.


----------



## Dr.G.

mrjimmy said:


> Saw The Lincoln Lawyer a few weeks ago. Surprisingly good performance by Matthew McConaughey. A definite rental.


Heard the same thing, mrj, and I respect your taste in movies. Merci, mon ami.


----------



## SINC

I was setting up a new back-up drive last night and while I waited for the clone to run, I tossed on Smokey and the Bandit. I had forgotten how much fun that flick was as I hadn't seen it since it was released way back when. Some of the car wrecks are classic. And Jackie Gleason was a hoot in his role as sheriff Buford T. Justice.


----------



## Rps

Saw Hanna yesterday. Would have enjoyed it more if the people beside us would have kept quite. Some holes in the script but an okay time waster, about 2.5 out of 5. Saw Source Code, much better flick, and would also be a good rental.


----------



## rgray

> Hobo With a Shotgun is the second of Quentin Tarantino's fake Grindhouse trailers to be turned into a feature film, the first being Machete which was released in 2010. Jason Eisener, who was at the helm of the trailer, returned to direct the film which stars Rutger Hauer, Gregory Smith and Jeremy Akerman.





> It’s cheap, unapologetic exploitation cinema and it wears that moniker on its sleeve proudly. The violence is graphic and over the top, the language is filthy and the dialogue overall is laughable at times, but that’s precisely the point.


If you need a big dose of cathartic violence, this is the flick for you!!! :clap:


----------



## egremont

Watched "Blazing Saddles" last night. Dumbass good. Alex and the Horse !


----------



## CubaMark

rgray said:


>


Not to mention, it's a Canadian film. The Director lives in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and the film was shot around the Halifax Regional Municipality. 

Metro - Hobo With A Shotgun gets Halifax debut


----------



## rgray

CubaMark said:


> Not to mention, it's a Canadian film. The Director lives in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and the film was shot around the Halifax Regional Municipality.
> 
> Metro - Hobo With A Shotgun gets Halifax debut


Yeah! Forgot to mention the Canadian bit.


----------



## Macfury

Liked _Source Code_. Well thought out and engaging.


----------



## SINC

We watched *$5 A Day* last night with Christopher Walken, one of my favourite actors. He played the role of a penny pinching, conniving Dad to perfection. An easy to take, fun filled romp with some moving moments.


----------



## Dr.G.

SINC said:


> We watched *$5 A Day* last night with Christopher Walken, one of my favourite actors. He played the role of a penny pinching, conniving Dad to perfection. An easy to take, fun filled romp with some moving moments.


Looks interesting, since I too like CW. What is the basic plot line ...... without giving away the ending???


----------



## SINC

Dr.G. said:


> Looks interesting, since I too like CW. What is the basic plot line ...... without giving away the ending???


This sums it up well:

_The conservative son of a thrifty conman begrudgingly joins his father on the road -- after being released from jail for one of his dad's earlier crimes._


----------



## Dr.G.

SINC said:


> This sums it up well:
> 
> _The conservative son of a thrifty conman begrudgingly joins his father on the road -- after being released from jail for one of his dad's earlier crimes._


Looks interesting to me. Might ask if my son wants to watch it with me.  Merci, mon ami.

A movie you might like in this genre, made back in 1967 or 68, is "The Flim-Flam Man" with George C. Scott and Harry Morgan.


----------



## SINC

Dr.G. said:


> Looks interesting to me. Might ask if my son wants to watch it with me.  Merci, mon ami.


It's available on iTunes. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.


----------



## Dr.G.

SINC said:


> It's available on iTunes. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.


We shall see. My son has the iTunes account in our family, so I shall suggest it to him.


----------



## CubaMark

My wife and I, endeavouring to make the most of these last few days before our son arrives, went to the cinema and caught "Salvando Soldado Perez" (Saving Private Perez):










In a nutshell: Mexico's top narco boss (Julian) goes to the U.S. to see his dying (?) mother and ask her forgiveness. She had rejected his life as a crime boss. Her other son, Juan, is a soldier with the U.S. forces in Iraq, and had gone missing four days earlier. The ultimatum: Bring home Juan, and I will forgive you. Otherwise, you are dead to me.

So Julian goes back to Mexico, assembles a team of the best of the worst, and off they go to Iraq to find Juan. Hilarity ensues. Some of the funniest bits come when the local U.S. commander asks who this rogue unit operating in the area could be, and then they find out... "they're Mexicans?"


----------



## MacDoc

Amazon is running on the Equator Channel this week



















iMax is a Canadian gift to humanity :clap: - Breath taking.


----------



## ehMax

Slowly collecting a collection of Blu-ray iMax blurays thanks to Christmas's and Birthdays. Love watching iMac films on the home theatre. 

I guess you could say, ehMax love iMax. 

Haven't seen the Amazon one yet though, I will check it out!


----------



## The Doug

Watched Zombieland in HD on TMN this afternoon. It's a hoot.


----------



## mrjimmy

Watched The Social Network last night. Contrary to what_ I wanted to believe _it was good and generally had very good performances across the board. It's an excellent portrayal of passion and how far a person is willing to go to achieve success.

I still think it's too soon though...


----------



## cap10subtext

Thor: meh, not the worst superhero movie but if you thought Ironman was shallow this will look like a damp sponge. I really liked the character of Loki.

Bridesmaids: the unexpected favourite, can't tell you how much I liked this movie. I'm not sure if it's despite or because of the potty humour but the characters are just spot on.

Rango: still my favourite of the past year. Characters, story, graphics, has it all...

King's speech: was exactly what I expected. Loved the actors, appreciated the historical tidbits, may not be everyones cup of tea.

Source Code: felt short, probably a good sign since I found myself quite engrossed. Felt like the plot was a little frail, leaving scifi geeks to fill in the gaps with their own love of star trek, quantum leap, the matrix... Feel like I need to watch it again before I have a strong opinion about it.


----------



## chas_m

I recently finally got round to seeing _And Everything is Going Fine_, the compilation/homage to Spalding Gray (link in case you have no idea who he is, basically he was the world's finest monologue artist). It was a very cleverly put-together piece that had the effect of having Gray himself tell you his whole life story up to the events that eventually led him to kill himself (Gray had inherited depression and bipolar issues from his mother, but by no means should this suggest that he was a depressing or violent personality; quite the opposite).

Now, for many people the idea of a man sitting and talking in a movie sounds like the utter and complete opposite of what most people go to the movies for. They want 'splosions! Werewolves! Chase scenes! Boobs! 

But you'd be surprised how compelling a monologue can be. Of course it is funny, but it's also very dramatic, emotional, and usually connects with the viewer like good live theatre does (since most of his monologue movies are, of course, filmed stage presentations). If you've not experienced this particular art form, the place to start is the 1987 film _Swimming to Cambodia_, which is about Gray's travels in the country as part of his major role in _The Killing Fields_ (also an excellent, but much more traditional dramatic, movie).










I promise that if you will rent _Swimming to Cambodia_ and really watch it (by which I mean "not half-watch it while surfing the net and eating dinner as too many people do nowadays"), you'll find it remarkable. Gray eventually did three other monologue-based films, all very good, plus this last posthumous one.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Super 8 this afternoon at a matinee.

Wow, I knew it would be good but couldn't imagine it would be that good.

Ridiculously moving performances from the kids. Wonderfully poignant character development intertwined with a fantastical sci-fi story line, one never trumping the other, simply coexisting. 

What a treat and I swear, my red puffy eyes have to do with allergies - I swear...


----------



## Macfury

mrjimmy said:


> Saw Super 8 this afternoon at a matinee.
> 
> Wow, I knew it would be good but couldn't imagine it would be that good.
> 
> Ridiculously moving performances from the kids. Wonderfully poignant character development intertwined with a fantastical sci-fi story line, one never trumping the other, simply coexisting.
> 
> What a treat and I swear, my red puffy eyes have to do with allergies - I swear...


I found this film the entire opposite. Very manipulative and unmoving.


----------



## mrjimmy

Macfury said:


> I found this film the entire opposite. Very manipulative and unmoving.


How fascinating.


----------



## Dr.G.

mrjimmy said:


> Saw Super 8 this afternoon at a matinee.
> 
> Wow, I knew it would be good but couldn't imagine it would be that good.
> 
> Ridiculously moving performances from the kids. Wonderfully poignant character development intertwined with a fantastical sci-fi story line, one never trumping the other, simply coexisting.
> 
> What a treat and I swear, my red puffy eyes have to do with allergies - I swear...


I heard the same thing from someone who just saw it, mrj. Thus, you are not alone. There is a great train scene, or so I am told. What did you think of this scene?


----------



## mrjimmy

Dr.G. said:


> I heard the same thing from someone who just saw it, mrj. Thus, you are not alone. There is a great train scene, or so I am told. What did you think of this scene?


It was very well done Dr.G., although the interaction between the kids is what drives the film. Action is easy; acting and story is difficult.

I definitely recommend it.


----------



## iLabmAn

mrjimmy said:


> It was very well done Dr.G., although the interaction between the kids is what drives the film. Action is easy; acting and story is difficult.
> 
> I definitely recommend it.


Saw this on Tuesday with some of my absolute best friends. We were all kids in the 70s and 80s (same age as the young protagonists portrayed in this film) which made it a fabulous trip down memory lane. Thought the set-pieces including how the young people's rooms were decorated were a tribute to the time period. We all found ourselves saying "Hey...remember THAT toy?". Love the Coleco handheld game!

It made the film more enjoyable, but on its own, not a very good film. Lots of recycled bits from other films I've seen. For me, it was more like a louder, more brazen version of ET.


----------



## Macfury

iLabmAn said:


> It made the film more enjoyable, but on its own, not a very good film. Lots of recycled bits from other films I've seen. For me, it was more like a louder, more brazen version of ET.


This is how I saw it as well. A much meaner ET, but one that could transform into a puppy dog after murdering dozens.

The train crash? Just typical overblown CGI, but not bad of its type.

But considering that it was hearkening to the the year 1978, I was a little surprised to see zero New Wave influence in the design. The kids and adults seemed to be stuck in 1974. Also, the Walkman reference seemed over the top.


----------



## Dr.G.

mrjimmy said:


> It was very well done Dr.G., although the interaction between the kids is what drives the film. Action is easy; acting and story is difficult.
> 
> I definitely recommend it.


Thanks, mrj, since I respect your opinion. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## mrjimmy

iLabmAn said:


> Saw this on Tuesday with some of my absolute best friends. We were all kids in the 70s and 80s (same age as the young protagonists portrayed in this film) which made it a fabulous trip down memory lane. Thought the set-pieces including how the young people's rooms were decorated were a tribute to the time period. We all found ourselves saying "Hey...remember THAT toy?". Love the Coleco handheld game!
> 
> It made the film more enjoyable, but on its own, not a very good film. Lots of recycled bits from other films I've seen. For me, it was more like a louder, more brazen version of ET.


That was also part of the appeal for me. I'm of that generation (and so is the director) and was probably that age in the summer of 1979.

I also made Super 8 films. The appeal was irresistible. 

The Production Design and set dressing were indeed fabulous. The level of detail was excellent and it wasn't overdone. It also was well thought out as a good period piece should always look older than the year it is portraying. Few people have 'new' everything including fashion. It was also small town Ohio, which I'm sure would have at least been 5 years behind the times.

Sure the story was formulaic and reconstituted but what summer blockbuster isn't? Big budget Hollywood fare tends not to stray from traditional story arcs. What I felt separated this from many I've seen was the performances. They really were strong enough to make the CGI etc. take a backseat. That I found to be wonderfully refreshing.


----------



## Macfury

mrjimmy said:


> I also made Super 8 films. The appeal was irresistible.


Super 8 and regular 8 for me--though no sound. Upload them to YouTube mrjimmy, so we can see your cinematic output!


----------



## mrjimmy

Macfury said:


> Super 8 and regular 8 for me--though no sound. Upload them to YouTube mrjimmy, so we can see your cinematic output!


Only if you upload yours.


----------



## Macfury

mrjimmy said:


> Only if you upload yours.


I am in the process of digitizing them. Pretty beastly stuff though.


----------



## Dr.G.

mrjimmy said:


> That was also part of the appeal for me. I'm of that generation (and so is the director) and was probably that age in the summer of 1979.
> 
> I also made Super 8 films. The appeal was irresistible.
> 
> The Production Design and set dressing were indeed fabulous. The level of detail was excellent and it wasn't overdone. It also was well thought out as a good period piece should always look older than the year it is portraying. Few people have 'new' everything including fashion. It was also small town Ohio, which I'm sure would have at least been 5 years behind the times.
> 
> Sure the story was formulaic and reconstituted but what summer blockbuster isn't? Big budget Hollywood fare tends not to stray from traditional story arcs. What I felt separated this from many I've seen was the performances. They really were strong enough to make the CGI etc. take a backseat. That I found to be wonderfully refreshing.


Ah, the Summer of 1979 ............. just a decade over the Summer of 1969 .......... the Summer of Love and Woodstock. 

Well, we might be 10 years apart, mrj, but I passed on your reviews and my son is going to go see that movie tonight. I am swamped with grading, so I shall have to pass.

Paix, mon ami.


----------



## mrjimmy

Macfury said:


> I am in the process of digitizing them. Pretty beastly stuff though.


I'm sure mine will be the same! I haven't watched them in ages. Still have my projector (and camera). I should fire it up.

I recall making similar 'zombie' type epics ala Super 8. Although substitute zombie with kid wearing hooded cape, Halloween mask and plastic fangs. I also recall quite a bit of animation using plasticine.

How are you transferring them?

(please note: apologies in advance for slight derailment)


----------



## mrjimmy

Dr.G. said:


> Ah, the Summer of 1979 ............. just a decade over the Summer of 1969 .......... the Summer of Love and Woodstock.
> 
> Well, we might be 10 years apart, mrj, but I passed on your reviews and my son is going to go see that movie tonight. I am swamped with grading, so I shall have to pass.
> 
> Paix, mon ami.


Hope he enjoys it!


----------



## Macfury

mrjimmy said:


> I'm sure mine will be the same! I haven't watched them in ages. Still have my projector (and camera). I should fire it up.
> 
> I recall making similar 'zombie' type epics ala Super 8. Although substitute zombie with kid wearing hooded cape, Halloween mask and plastic fangs. I also recall quite a bit of animation using plasticine.
> 
> How are you transferring them?
> 
> (please note: apologies in advance for slight derailment)


Just using one of those rear-screen devices with vid-cam capture. I want to see how it looks before I consider professional work. I did some plasticene stop-motion as well. A dreadful spy epic, a story of asylum escapees, and then some black-and-white zombie test footage.


----------



## Dr.G.

mrjimmy said:


> Hope he enjoys it!



I shall let you know when he returns. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## chuckster

Not a new movie, but I just saw Road To Perdition with Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law. I was impressed with everything about this film. The only thing (also found in every American film I've seen in the last few decades) is the lighting in what should be dimly-lit areas is always bright enough to read by. This always seems to make the scene a tad unrealistic. But that's being picky. The acting, direction, storyline, etc., were all excellent.


----------



## The Doug

Watched Hot Fuzz last evening in HD. Brilliant and hilarious. :clap:


----------



## screature

The Doug said:


> Watched Hot Fuzz last evening in HD. Brilliant and hilarious. :clap:


Yep Hot Fuzz is great fun...


----------



## screature

Saw the Cohen brother's take on True Grit the other night. We quite liked it. IMDb gave it a 7.9 and I would say that is about right. I saw the original a few decades ago and loved it, I was younger then so I don't know if I would feel the same way now but it is worth a watch as well as far as I' concerned.


----------



## CubaMark

I watched *On the Beach* this afternoon (Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Anthony Perkins and Fred Astaire).



First - _Fred Astaire_? In a post-apocalyptic drama? Yup - and he's excellent.

I forget where I was tipped off to this film - but it's really, really good. Perkins is a little hard to watch, knowing him as we do for that shower scene, but it's a very well-done drama. One of the descriptions I've read called it "understated tragedy".

Here's the 'blurb:



> The story is set in a then future 1964, in the months following World War III. The conflict has devastated the northern hemisphere, polluting the atmosphere with nuclear fallout and killing all life. While the bombs were confined to the northern hemisphere, air currents are slowly carrying the fallout to south. The only areas still habitable are in the far southern hemisphere, like Australia.
> 
> From Australia, survivors detect an incomprehensible Morse code signal from the United States in San Diego. With hope that someone is alive back home, the last American nuclear submarine, USS Sawfish, under Royal Australian Navy command, is ordered to sail north from Melbourne to try and make contact with the signal sender.


...which doesn't really do it justice. Fine moviemaking... I'm tempted to pick up the novel, if I can ever find time to do some reading for pleasure. The depiction of a nation facing certain death (from fallout) and thinking / planning for 'the end' is very well done... shivers, I tell you... shivers.


----------



## Dr.G.

That's a real classic, CM. Saw it when it first came out and could still watch it a few times a year. It's theme, sadly, does not wear off. "It's not too late". Paix, mon ami.


----------



## Macfury

It's funny, but both the book and that film left me cold. I enjoyed the submarine trip in both versions, but found the surrounding melodrama quite flat. And too much _Waltzing Matilda_!


----------



## The Doug

Macfury said:


> ...And too much _Waltzing Matilda_!


+2 but I really like this flick nonetheless.


----------



## egremont

CubaMark : if you can locate one other of Nevil Shute's books - I suggest you might enjoy "Trustee from the Toolroom".

It has been ages since viewing On the Beach - thanks for the reminder of a good movie to see again.


----------



## Macfury

No HIghway in the Sky is not bad.


----------



## The Doug

*Polar Opposites*

*Barney's Version*: I haven't read Mordecai Richler's novel but I enjoyed this film adaptation. Nicely cast and well acted (but I'm not sure why they cast Mark Addy as the police chief). Fun to see a lot of very familiar Montréal locations & landmarks too.

*Hobo With A Shotgun*: A ridiculous, cheap, cheesy, disappointing, and absolutely pointless homage / send-up. A cult film without a cult, an extremely gory pulp film without a hint of Tarantino's style and savoir faire. Loved it!


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Close Encounters last night at a local indy cinema. It was the early show followed by Super 8. Excellent double bill!

I was looking forward to it for days and it did not disappoint. I last saw it in 1977 at the theatre. When it was finished I walked out in the early twilight and remembered what it felt like to be a kid in the summertime. 

Tonight? Jurassic Park!


----------



## iLabmAn

mrjimmy said:


> Saw Close Encounters last night at a local indy cinema. It was the early show followed by Super 8. Excellent double bill!
> 
> I was looking forward to it for days and it did not disappoint. I last saw it in 1977 at the theatre. When it was finished I walked out in the early twilight and remembered what it felt like to be a kid in the summertime.
> 
> Tonight? Jurassic Park!


Wow. 

That's an awesome double-bill.

Saw "The Adjustment Bureau" and while a little heavy on the cheese-factor, it served as good entertainment.


----------



## Macfury

mrjimmy said:


> Saw Close Encounters last night at a local indy cinema. It was the early show followed by Super 8. Excellent double bill!
> 
> I was looking forward to it for days and it did not disappoint. I last saw it in 1977 at the theatre. When it was finished I walked out in the early twilight and remembered what it felt like to be a kid in the summertime.
> 
> Tonight? Jurassic Park!


Hey, that's no double bill. At the FOX you pay twice.

I remember going to the Coronet on Yonge and seeing 5 films for $3 once.


----------



## mrjimmy

Macfury said:


> Hey, that's no double bill. At the FOX you pay twice.
> 
> I remember going to the Coronet on Yonge and seeing 5 films for $3 once.


Fair enough. My incorrect usage of the terminology. 

But with member prices, the cost of two ($14.00) is almost the same as one film at a megaplex. But I split hairs.

I still had a great time.


----------



## Macfury

mrjimmy said:


> Fair enough. My incorrect usage of the terminology.
> 
> But with member prices, the cost of two ($14.00) is almost the same as one film at a megaplex. But I split hairs.
> 
> I still had a great time.


Just having fun with you. I like going to the FOX, but I miss the Festival Theatre chain.


----------



## mrjimmy

Macfury said:


> Just having fun with you. I like going to the FOX, but I miss the Festival Theatre chain.


As do I. I do have to hand it to the owners of the FOX for giving it a go. It was surprisingly empty last night. I thought for sure it would have more appeal. 

I wish them well. It would be a sad day to see it close.


----------



## SINC

mrjimmy said:


> Saw Close Encounters last night at a local indy cinema. It was the early show followed by Super 8. Excellent double bill!
> 
> I was looking forward to it for days and it did not disappoint. I last saw it in 1977 at the theatre. When it was finished I walked out in the early twilight and remembered what it felt like to be a kid in the summertime.
> 
> Tonight? Jurassic Park!


Although the experience is no longer available, I once watched Close Encounters in a very special way. It is among my favourite movies and on a camping trip in Wyoming, we went to visit Devil's Tower, the site of the filming of CE located in SE Wyoming near the South Dakota border. 

There is a KOA campground located near the base of the tower and they used to have an outdoor theatre set up and every night ran CE on a big screen for their guests. The screen was outside positioned so that you were seated watching the big screen with Devil's Tower rising above it in the background.

It added an eerie dimension to the movie that I will never forget that perfect starlit night. That is also where I bought my collector's three disk DVD of the movie containing many anecdotes of the filming at Devil's Tower.


----------



## mrjimmy

SINC said:


> Although the experience is no longer available, I once watched Close Encounters in a very special way. It is among my favourite movies and on a camping trip in Wyoming, we went to visit Devil's Tower, the site of the filming of CE located in SE Wyoming near the South Dakota border.
> 
> There is a KOA campground located near the base of the tower and they used to have an outdoor theatre set up and every night ran CE on a big screen for their guests. The screen was outside positioned so that you were seated watching the big screen with Devil's Tower rising above it in the background.
> 
> It added an eerie dimension to the movie that I will never forget that perfect starlit night. That is also where I bought my collector's three disk DVD of the movie containing many anecdotes of the filming at Devil's Tower.


That would have been quite an experience! A spooky blending of art and life.


----------



## Macfury

mrjimmy said:


> That would have been quite an experience! A spooky blending of art and life.


A good story!

A similar blend. I once went to see _In the Mouth of Madnes_s, a horror film at the Kingsway Theatre. At some point, where Sam Neill's character goes totally insane, he stumbles into a theatre showing--_In the Mouth of Madness_. The theatre he stumbles into was--the Kingsway Theatre. You could see exactly where he was supposed to be sitting from where I was sitting.


----------



## mrjimmy

Macfury said:


> A good story!
> 
> A similar blend. I once went to see _In the Mouth of Madnes_s, a horror film at the Kingsway Theatre. At some point, where Sam Neill's character goes totally insane, he stumbles into a theatre showing--_In the Mouth of Madness_. The theatre he stumbles into was--the Kingsway Theatre. You could see exactly where he was supposed to be sitting from where I was sitting.


Simulacratastic.


----------



## mrjimmy

Jurassic Park last night at the FOX.

Which came first, the marketing or the movie?


----------



## Dr.G.

mrjimmy said:


> Jurassic Park last night at the FOX.
> 
> Which came first, the marketing or the movie?


The book.


----------



## Macfury

mrjimmy said:


> Jurassic Park last night at the FOX.
> 
> Which came first, the marketing or the movie?


I recall that Universal Pictures attempted to get a copyright on the word "Jurassic."


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Bill Cunningham's New York this weekend. 

An excellent feature length documentary on a fascinating man. His passion for his work seem unparallelled. Really good stuff.


----------



## iLabmAn

Saw "Source Code" with my wife last night (kids are away at my parent's place, so we're catching up on some movie time too!). I thought the movie sparked more thinking (especially the ending) than Inception did. Great acting and on-screen chemistry between all the characters. Another fantastic movie done by "Moon" director Duncan Jones. "Moon", btw is another MUST SEE movie.


----------



## Macfury

iLabmAn said:


> Saw "Source Code" with my wife last night (kids are away at my parent's place, so we're catching up on some movie time too!). I thought the movie sparked more thinking (especially the ending) than Inception did. Great acting and on-screen chemistry between all the characters. Another fantastic movie done by "Moon" director Duncan Jones. "Moon", btw is another MUST SEE movie.


Both those films are good. _Source Code_ was really well handled. Gave me the same pleasure as watching a well-done early episode of _Outer Limits_.


----------



## The Doug

Spotted this little story on Rotten Tomatoes.

Hmm.


----------



## The Doug

Watched the recent release of Jane Eyre on pay per view in HD this evening - excellent.


----------



## jedistemo

Saw Moneyball recently, really enjoyed the story.


----------



## The Doug

*Tron Legacy* - amazing visuals, fun to watch, but despite the glitz it's not that good unfortunately** (especially the CGI face of Flynn's clone - ew that doesn't quite work now does it).

**Pretty well the same way I feel about the original.


----------



## mrjimmy

Great Hallowe'en double bill on TVO's Saturday Night At The Movies.

Roman Polanski's Repulsion at 8 and Tomas Alfredson's Let The Right One in at 10:15.

I hope I can stay awake!


----------



## Dennis Nedry

[deleted]


----------



## screature

We saw Limitless a few weeks back. Great story line and well acted. Well worth a watch.


----------



## RatsOnMacAttack

Just saw Drive on the advice of a friend. First thing I noticed was the synth-y soundtrack, reminded me a little of some of the music in Scarface. Very good movie, not what I was expecting at all.


----------



## iLabmAn

The Doug said:


> *Tron Legacy* - amazing visuals, fun to watch, but despite the glitz it's not that good unfortunately** (especially the CGI face of Flynn's clone - ew that doesn't quite work now does it).
> 
> **Pretty well the same way I feel about the original.


...and that ending?

Wow. Lame, lame, lame.

Great music though. Go Daft Punk!!! And the visuals? Stellar. 

I thought Jeff Bridges was stoned throughout. Must be nice to paid big $$ for acting (um, yeah...acting?) stoned in a feature film.


----------



## MacDoc

*The Ides Of March*










another small masterpiece from Clooney. Very high ratings on RT - a bit mixed on NYT. 

Given the title....what is about to happen at the end.....??

We enjoyed on a digital screen with an almost empty theatre so easy to concentrate. Good caste.
Questions left hanging


----------



## MacDoc

Absolutely bloody hilarious. Count the riffs on famous movies from Mad Max to Apocalypse to Bond and beyond.....










A challenge to Pixar...a good story and stunning animation......

Just get it - - do hang in starts off slow.....

Was superb on Blu-ray - 88% on RT well deserved.


----------



## hayesk

Gran Turino - storytelling at its finest.
Clint Eastwood has a fantastic knack for telling stories, and real insight into showing us interesting, if often flawed, characters.


----------



## CubaMark

MacDoc said:


> Absolutely bloody hilarious. Count the riffs on famous movies from Mad Max to Apocalypse to Bond and beyond.....


Completely agree. Funny, twisted and hilariously deep. When my wife & I caught this in the theatre, it was filled with parents and their *young* children. About a half-hour into the film, I turned to her and said: there are going to be a lot of nightmares tonight!

Fabulously well done. And one of these days, I'll get to see it in English with the "proper" voice actors...


----------



## MacDoc

Well crafted and cast tale of the Facebook explosion

*The Social Network (2010)*










96% on RT

••••

Whether true or not remains a question ....an interesting tale on a broad scope.....










74% on RT about correct and Ed Harris well cast tho perhaps out of place a bit - by necessity.....the book it is based on was written in 1955 and has never gone out of print.
One of those iconic tales.


----------



## MacDoc

How to ruin a wonderful movie.....

The original Dragon Tattoo was perfectly cast in my mind against the characters in the book....

THIS is not.

deer in headlights ?? 











versus








Even tho I really enjoy Daniel Craig he is a far cry from the journalist in the book and the girl cast in the new one is a positive wimp compared to the Swedish version - she was incrediblly well chosen.

stupid seriously to do this remake so soon and with this pairing 

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo | Moviefone


----------



## mrjimmy

I find there are few good remakes. Usually they only work when they achieve something technically (that is necessary to the plot line) that they weren't able to in the original.


----------



## MacDoc

The audience liked it ( 65% ).

We liked it ( 100% )

The reviewers were mixed for reasons unknown and the film festivals loved it......go figure.

Well crafted film, true story and very well cast with a terrific sound track.

Canadian film making too!!!!!

I think the title is purposefully misleading.....there may be more tears than laughter.....you are warned...


----------



## MacDoc

Remarkable :clap:

Not telling you a damn thing....just see it.










hint 94% on RT


----------



## chas_m

I'm with MacDoc ... I'm also not going to spoiler HUGO for anyone, but if you've been missing some really GOOD cinematography then this is one of the ones you will want to see IN A CINEMA. I cannot emphasise that last bit enough.

What I really liked about the film besides the cinematography (and that it's an ACTUAL 3D film and not a FAKE 3D film) was that the story shifts so significantly at just the right moment. Some of you who think you know what the movie's about from the trailer et al may be in for a surprise ...

We also went to see Tintin:










Now I'm quite familiar with Tintin but still approached this with trepidation -- would the selective CGI use be effective or creepy? It was effective, and I think that if you're going to do a comic-book movie THIS is really the way forward, this motion-capture + live actors + CGI mix thing. The film is frequently beautiful, frequently corny, surprisingly funny in spots, eye-rollingly abusive of the laws of physics in others (but you don't care) and particularly in the last third utterly EYE-POPPING. The two leads (Jamie Bell and Andy Serkis) were frankly terrific, Serkis particularly.

I do recommend it very highly even if you're not familiar with Tintin. It's a non-stop roller-coaster that makes Indiana Jones look positively placid and boring (and normally I don't like too much action, but this one got the balance right for that sort of thing IMO). Tintin "purists" should be cautioned that the film's story is actually a mash-up of THREE of the collected books, but it works out fine (unlike, say, Lemony Snicket which tried the same thing).

One other note, we saw MIDNIGHT IN PARIS recently:










It's a truly lovely film, and I recommend it despite how very very much I personally cannot stand Owen Wilson. Man, I really can't stand him. He effectively communicates Woody's neurosis/persona in this film (though I think Ben Stiller to name but one example would have been WAAAAAY better), but I just don't find Wilson at all effective as an actor (I have exactly the same problem with Tom Cruise so it's probably just me -- can't suspend my disbelief when they're on screen).

Anyway, if you don't share my hangup with Owen Wilson (liked him in Zoolander, have hated everything he's done since), definitely go see MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, it's the most effective version of the story Allen's been telling for a long time now since at least STARDUST MEMORIES (1980).


----------



## Dr.G.

My wife and I just saw War Horse. A very good movie, worth the time and money, at least in my opinion.


----------



## Jason H

I just watched "From the Sky Down" a great doc about the making of U2's "Achtung Baby" album, and a bit about the background of the band.


----------



## screature

chas_m said:


> ...It's a truly lovely film, and I recommend it despite how very very much *I personally cannot stand Owen Wilson*. Man, I really can't stand him. He effectively communicates Woody's neurosis/persona in this film (though I think Ben Stiller to name but one example would have been WAAAAAY better), but I just don't find Wilson at all effective as an actor (I have exactly the same problem with Tom Cruise so it's probably just me -- can't suspend my disbelief when they're on screen).
> 
> Anyway, if you don't share my hangup with Owen Wilson (liked him in Zoolander, have hated everything he's done since), definitely go see MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, it's the most effective version of the story Allen's been telling for a long time now since at least STARDUST MEMORIES (1980).


Did you see The Darjeeling Limited... he was great in it, well we thought he was at least. Very good little movie, very quirky. Also with Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman. Recommended if you haven't seen it, despite (for you) Owen Wilson being in it.


----------



## JAMG

My wife and I finally sat down to watch "The King's Speech" last night. When a movie gets so much attention in the theaters, I am usually disappointed. I often find films far more entertaining after the hype has cooled. While I was never in suspense, I found the characters vivid and the plot engaging. I am often drawn to dramas that emphasis dialogue over plot twists.


----------



## Dr.G.

JAMG said:


> My wife and I finally sat down to watch "The King's Speech" last night. When a movie gets so much attention in the theaters, I am usually disappointed. I often find films far more entertaining after the hype has cooled. While I was never in suspense, I found the characters vivid and the plot engaging. I am often drawn to dramas that emphasis dialogue over plot twists.


Glad you liked the King's Speech, JAMG. I agree with your contention of an emphasis upon dialogue over "plot twists" for certain movies.


----------



## chas_m

screature said:


> Did you see The Darjeeling Limited... he was great in it, well we thought he was at least. Very good little movie, very quirky. Also with Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman. Recommended if you haven't seen it, despite (for you) Owen Wilson being in it.


I didn't see it, but Brody is also in MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, I have heard good things about Darjeeling, will have to give it a try someday and hope for the best.


----------



## MacDoc

It's on Netflix in HD - great story.....and true.


----------



## Gerbill

Spielberg fest - Tintin and Super 8 - both excellent movies and very much worth seeing - Super 8 is available on iTunes. 

Also Kung Fu Panda 2 - surprisingly good movie with jaw-droppingly beautiful visuals. The first movie was enjoyable, but this one leaves it in the shade, IMHO. Available on iTunes.


----------



## The Doug

chas_m said:


> ...MIDNIGHT IN PARIS...


I watched this on pay-per-view HD on the weekend. I've long been a fan of Woody Allen's older films but I haven't kept up with his more recent works.

Midnight in Paris lacks a certain sharpness compared with Allen's older stuff (especially the B&W films) but it is still enjoyable and the main plot device makes for a bit of fun. The opening montage of Parisian sights is lovingly done, visually splendid, and reminiscent of the first minutes of Allen's Manhattan.

Brody is a hoot as Salvador Dali.


----------



## jimbotelecom

The Guard (2011) - IMDb

I watched this because I like Don Cheadle as an actor but, Brendan Gleeson steals the show.
Really like this take on coastal Irish life.


----------



## fjnmusic

Shutter Island. Watched it with the family two nights ago and can't stop thinking about the cool plot line. 

Roger Ebert says a good movie engages the right side of your brain while you're watching it and the left side afterwards when you're thinking about it. That would be this movie.


----------



## MACenstein'sMonster

*Sucker Punch* - if you like visually stunning over-the-top acid trip action movies with a story somewhere in the mix then you'll like this.

Scott Pilgrim vs The World is this movie's biological sister.


----------



## screature

chas_m said:


> I didn't see it, but Brody is also in MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, I have heard good things about Darjeeling, will have to give it a try someday and hope for the best.


We watched Midnight in Paris last night... thoroughly enjoyed it. But we will have to agree to disagree about Owen Wilson, we thought he was great. I feel more about Ben Stiller the way you do Owen Wilson, given the right script he can be effective but I find he is always Ben Stiller and predictable as such and this role would not have been appropriate for him.

So there you go to each their own but definitely a good little movie.


----------



## screature

The Doug said:


> I watched this on pay-per-view HD on the weekend. I've long been a fan of Woody Allen's older films but I haven't kept up with his more recent works.
> 
> Midnight in Paris lacks a certain sharpness compared with Allen's older stuff (especially the B&W films) but it is still enjoyable and the main plot device makes for a bit of fun. The opening montage of Parisian sights is lovingly done, visually splendid, and reminiscent of the first minutes of Allen's Manhattan.
> 
> *Brody is a hoot as Salvador Dali.*


It was definitely a "Woody lite" movie but as you say still very enjoyable and Brody as Dali was definitely the funniest part of the movie.... 
*
"Rhinoceroses!"*


----------



## screature

jimbotelecom said:


> The Guard (2011) - IMDb
> 
> I watched this because I like Don Cheadle as an actor but, Brendan Gleeson steals the show.
> Really like this take on coastal Irish life.


Not surprised that Brendan Gleeson steals the show, he is great... really enjoyed him as Alastor 'Mad-*Eye' Moody in the Potter movies.


----------



## chas_m

Saw TINTIN for the second time tonight. Both times in non-IMAX 3D.

Man this is a good movie, but of course it's because a) it's drawn from strong source material and b) the ability of the performers and digital artists to capture a living version of the character is just astonishing.


----------



## screature

Watched The Trip (2011) a couple of nights ago with my wife... absolutely hilarious, exhaustingly so, haven't laughed so much at a movie in ages.

Extremely intelligent with great dialogue and repartee... simple story line but brilliantly performed.

Gets 89% at Rotten Tomatoes, well deserved and I highly recommend it for anyone who likes great English humour.












> Playing loose versions of themselves, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon reprise their hilariously fictionalized roles from Tristam Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story and reunite with acclaimed director Michael Winterbottom for an acerbically witty, largely improvised ride through the English countryside. Tapped by The Observer to review fine restaurants throughout the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, Steve finds himself without a traveling companion after his girlfriend decides not to go at the last minute. After being turned down by everyone else he knows, Steve extends an invitation to Rob, and together the pair attempt to navigate the winding back roads of rural England, impersonating popular celebrities such as Michael Caine, Woody Allen and Liam Neeson (among many others) and bickering along the way


----------



## chas_m

Yes, "The Trip" is VERY high on my "to watch soon" list. I'm kicking myself I didn't see it when it was (very briefly) in the cinema here.


----------



## screature

chas_m said:


> Yes, "The Trip" is VERY high on my "to watch soon" list. I'm kicking myself I didn't see it when it was (very briefly) in the cinema here.


No worries about not seeing it on the big screen chas_m except for the glorious landscape which would have been stunning on the big screen... aside from that aspect it translates well to a "small" screen.

When you do see it I would be interested in hearing your comments chas_m.


----------



## Macfury

Finally saw Midnight in Paris. Owen Wilson was simply awful, but the portrayals of Hemingway, Picasso, Dali, Fitzgerald, Porter, etc. were a lot of fun. Paris was also attractively filmed.


----------



## screature

Macfury said:


> Finally saw Midnight in Paris. *Owen Wilson was simply awful*, but the portrayals of Hemingway, Picasso, Dali, Fitzgerald, Porter, etc. were a lot of fun. Paris was also attractively filmed.


Gotta agree to disagree... he was simply perfect... naive, clumsy and a very bad liar but still obviously talented and passionate despite his obvious failings and in the end quite self aware... a revelation at the end... just what the role called for. To each their own.


----------



## Macfury

screature said:


> Gotta agree to disagree... he was simply perfect... naive, clumsy and a very bad liar but still obviously talented and passionate despite his obvious failings and in the end quite self aware... a revelation at the end... just what the role called for. To each their own.


Well, if you were one of the female leads, screature, you would have fallen in love with him!


----------



## screature

Macfury said:


> Well, if you were one of the female leads, screature, you would have fallen in love with him!


Not really... but I could see how some would... lots of women appreciate a sensitive soul and want to take care of their men. The mothering instinct and all and shaping them....


----------



## Sonal

Macfury said:


> Finally saw Midnight in Paris. Owen Wilson was simply awful, but the portrayals of Hemingway, Picasso, Dali, Fitzgerald, Porter, etc. were a lot of fun. Paris was also attractively filmed.


I really liked that movie.

I don't think Owen Wilson was awful, but I do think he was miscast. I can't point to a single thing he did (not that I'm an expert on acting) that was wrong, but he looked wrong to me.


----------



## Macfury

Sonal said:


> I really liked that movie.
> 
> I don't think Owen Wilson was awful, but I do think he was miscast. I can't point to a single thing he did (not that I'm an expert on acting) that was wrong, but he looked wrong to me.


Woody Allen forces at least one person per film--sometimes a woman--to shoehorn his mannerisms into. Owen Wilson simply wasn't the right kind of container.


----------



## Sonal

Macfury said:


> Woody Allen forces at least one person per film--sometimes a woman--to shoehorn his mannerisms into. Owen Wilson simply wasn't the right kind of container.


That makes sense.

Owen Wilson has too much of a relaxed California easy-going air about him for me to fully believe that he's tortured by his literary aspirations and romantic notions of writing a novel in an unheated garret in Paris. He just seems to happy.


----------



## screature

Sonal said:


> That makes sense.
> 
> Owen Wilson has too much of a relaxed California easy-going air about him for me to *fully believe that he's tortured *by his literary aspirations and romantic notions of writing a novel in an unheated garret in Paris. He just seems to happy.


Who said he supposed to be tortured? He was merely ambivalent towards the life he was leading, one the one hand he made a great living at something he did well and was engaged to a woman he found to be beautiful and sexy, but neither were quite completely fulfilling...

I didn't get any sense from the movie that he was supposed to be tortured, he was what the character was supposed to be. Don' forget the in laws and eventually the fiancée said that he had "something missing" and I think he portrayed that perfectly. He always has at least one very awkward character in his comedies and Owen Wilson was about as awkward as you can get without being a caricature.

Allen has enough actors who clamour to work with him that he doesn't have to choose someone who does not adequately represent the character he has written and if they didn't you can rest assured they would be fired in short order.


----------



## Macfury

screature said:


> Allen has enough actors who clamour to work with him that he doesn't have to choose someone who does not adequately represent the character he has written and if they didn't you can rest assured they would be fired in short order.


I think this is part of the problem.


----------



## RobotGuy

William Shatner's 2011 documentary on Star Trek Captains.


----------



## monokitty

Disneynature's *Oceans* - a visually stunning and beautiful exploration of our plant's oceans. Not one you'll want to view in anything less than HD.

IMDb: Oceans (2009) - IMDb.
iTunes: Disneynature: Oceans.


----------



## SINC

I've long been a fan of old westerns and caught "The Texican" last night on iTunes. Audie Murphy as a bounty hunter up against the villain played by Broderick Crawford. A predictable, but enjoyable romp in the old west.

We lost Murphy far too soon. Many do not realize Murphy was declared the bravest soldier in WWII by the US Army, winning every major medal in the campaign.


----------



## eMacMan

More on Audie Murphy here:
Audie Murphy Research Foundation


----------



## The Doug

Watched *The Troll Hunter* yesterday on TMN HD. Loved it - funny, scary, and well done. :clap:


----------



## hbp

You should all watch The Man from Earth if you haven't.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw John Le Carre's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy this afternoon. I went into it with a definite handicap of not having read the book (shameful I know). 

Some films are like roller coasters. You sit down, get comfortable and get taken for a ride. This was not that film. This film was a march through the forest, sometimes at night. Just as you get acclimatized with the terrain, you pause to take in the beauty of your surroundings and suddenly you're off track. You let your guard down at your peril.

As the lights came up, instead of the usual chatter about drinks, dinner and parking, the questions poured forth:

"Was he a double agent also?" 

"It was impossible for him not to have known!"

"Why was the affair important?"

(no worry, no spoilers there)

When I arrived home, I checked out the plot summary on wikipedia and had a few 'a-ha' moments.

Now don't let this at all dissuade you from seeing the film. A sumptuously bleak 1970's period piece; It was superbly written, directed, acted, filmed and designed. It had intriguing pauses and shift in your seat tension.

All in all a must see. I recommend seeing it at the theatre if you're able, but then, I always do.


----------



## Dr.G.

mrjimmy said:


> Saw John Le Carre's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy this afternoon. I went into it with a definite handicap of not having read the book (shameful I know).
> 
> Some films are like roller coasters. You sit down, get comfortable and get taken for a ride. This was not that film. This film was a march through the forest, sometimes at night. Just as you get acclimatized with the terrain, you pause to take in the beauty of your surroundings and suddenly you're off track. You let your guard down at your peril.
> 
> As the lights came up, instead of the usual chatter about drinks, dinner and parking, the questions poured forth:
> 
> "Was he a double agent also?"
> 
> "It was impossible for him not to have known!"
> 
> "Why was the affair important?"
> 
> (no worry, no spoilers there)
> 
> When I arrived home, I checked out the plot summary on wikipedia and had a few 'a-ha' moments.
> 
> Now don't let this at all dissuade you from seeing the film. A sumptuously bleak 1970's period piece; It was superbly written, directed, acted, filmed and designed. It had intriguing pauses and shift in your seat tension.
> 
> All in all a must see. I recommend seeing it at the theatre if you're able, but then, I always do.


I was going to ask you if the movie was as good as the book, but I reread your intro. My suggestion, go read the book as well. Time well spent.


----------



## The Doug

Watched On The Waterfront on MPix last evening. Been ages since I last saw it; just as gritty and powerful as I remembered it to be. Boy they don't make 'em like this anymore.


----------



## Dr.G.

The Doug said:


> Watched On The Waterfront on MPix last evening. Been ages since I last saw it; just as gritty and powerful as I remembered it to be. Boy they don't make 'em like this anymore.


Great movie, Doug. This is the classic Brando line -- On The Waterfront "I could have been a contender" - YouTube


----------



## Aceline

Castaway


----------



## The Doug

Hugo: A bit inert during the first half but Scorcese's loving paean to his industry and his cinematic forebears, based on the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, is a real treat on many levels. There are elements of fact in the book & movie; after Georges Méliès left the industry he did run a small candy & toy store in the Montparnasse train station in the 1920s until interest in his pioneering work grew again and he was returned to the honour and recognition he deserved (but sadly without financial reward - he died in poverty).

In a completely different vein, Attack The Block is not for everyone however I thought it was terrific.


----------



## mrjimmy

Wanted to watch High Fidelity last night as I haven't seen it in awhile. It was far too cold to go out into the night on the hunt so I fired up Rogers On Demand...

Now I have no intention of turning this into an anti-Rogers rant but...

The selection is truly pathetic. It feels as though they purchased all their selections from the delete bin in a WalMart.

With video stores fast disappearing they had better step up their game. There is a vast market there who don't use Netflix or other _methods of downloading_ and there is real potential to make scads of money but not with the dreck they currently warehouse.

Today, I will venture out in the cold on the hunt. It's either that or wade through countless crappy titles most of which star Jeff Wincott.


----------



## dallan

*Birth*

I watched this movie late at night on 'Netflix' because I couldn't get to sleep. It stars Nicole Kidman. A very very interesting film, with a few surprises and twists.


----------



## fellfromtree

mrjimmy said:


> Wanted to watch High Fidelity last night as I haven't seen it in awhile. It was far too cold to go out into the night on the hunt so I fired up Rogers On Demand...
> There is a vast market there who don't use Netflix


fyi- High Fidelity isn't on Netflix.


----------



## mrjimmy

fellfromtree said:


> fyi- High Fidelity isn't on Netflix.


I saw that today. Luckily my local video store had it. Score one for bricks and mortar.


----------



## MacDoc

Watching *The Girl with the Dragon *Tattoo trilogy in Blu-ray - have absolutely NO interest in the US remake - the casting is just so wrong in that whereas casting is superb in the gritty Swedish films.

Noomi IS the predator Lisbeth is portrayed as in the books...very gripping movies.


----------



## egremont

I agree completely.... I did watch the US remake to give it a chance. That version attempts to work but just leaves out too many important elements of the stories and skews the characters.

I only have the DVD versions at this time. Really do not like the choice of voices that are used for English. Hopefully the Blu-ray are improved or I would rather watch with subtitles. One of my favourites are the mp3 audio books. Listened a few times and always pick up a small missed detail.


----------



## MacDoc

Did not know the originals has been dubbed - subtitles work perfectly. 
The clarity of the Blu-ray enhances the film. True to the books, gritty and raw - just best trilogy in a very long while and stays even through out.

I suspect reading the books helps flesh out the complex story.

•••










I liked it - critics very mixed on it.


----------



## Dr.G.

"I liked it - critics very mixed on it." So did I, MacDoc. I guess great minds do think alike. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## screature

We saw Hugo last night. Very different for Scorsese, not my favourite of his but worth watching, not sure it was worth all the hype though. It gets a 7.9 om IMDb. Personally I would give it a 7.5.


----------



## MacDoc

*Revolutionary Road *- Winslet likes tough movies and this one rings that bell hard. Not so fond memories of the late 50s early 60s for me - will likely resonate with you Dr. G - bleak comes to mind.....as were the times. Attention to the detail of the settings took my breath away.

•••

I thought *Hugo* brilliant and the 3D added but was not intrusive - kid shoulda got an award.
Highly recommended.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> *Revolutionary Road *- Winslet likes tough movies and this one rings that bell hard. Not so fond memories of the late 50s early 60s for me - will likely resonate with you Dr. G - bleak comes to mind.....as were the times. Attention to the detail of the settings took my breath away.


MacDoc, saw that movie a few years ago. I have to admit that life in a Connecticut suburb was as far from my growing up experience as where you are right now from where I am right now (geographically speaking). Still, it was very well acted by Leonardo and Kate.


----------



## fellfromtree

MacDoc said:


> Watching *The Girl with the Dragon *Tattoo trilogy in Blu-ray - have absolutely NO interest in the US remake - the casting is just so wrong in that whereas casting is superb in the gritty Swedish films.
> 
> Noomi IS the predator Lisbeth is portrayed as in the books...very gripping movies.


I like the original Swedish version. I'm just watching the US (or UK) version- awful. Just awful. So disjointed. I'm half way through and am completely uninterested. There is no continuity, barely any relationship between the 2 main characters until now, and as usual for the domestic market, every nuance is spelled out to the n'th degree, extra obviously, with flashing lights, just in case you are in the single digit IQ range..

The original film told so much more story without dialogue, and the accents weren't fake when there was dialogue.
And the soundtrack- I was looking forward to this but it is totally distracting and ridiculous (although I did like the cover version of Immigrant Song in the opening credits).


----------



## MacDoc

Good - glad I'm not alone in my assessment. Nother guy on a different forum trying to claim since i have not seen it I'm not in a position to comment. 

•••

Three/four Musketeers - latest round - Jules Verne meets Mission Impossible meets Count of Monte Christ......seriously tongue in cheek - Versailles in Blu-ray is 
Movie is "okay" -


----------



## MacDoc

Very enjoyable - spare yet true to the book, good cast, great score.
One of the more satisfying bits of entertainment in a while and looking forward to the second.


----------



## The Doug

Watched The Illusionist in HD on MPix this evening - enjoyed it very much.


----------



## JCCanuck

Aceline said:


> Castaway


Always liked Cast Away and really like the movie in Blu-ray. That plane crash was just breath taking and kudos for FedEx showing there name on the plane that crashed. Tom Hanks was exceptional in his acting and his physique (the actual losing and gaining of weight to suit the role). Right Wilson? Wilson? Wilson????


----------



## Macfury

Saw _Cabin in the Woods_, written by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard, the guy who wrote _Cloverfield_. Really enjoyed the Whedon-inspired stuff, but not so much the Goddard stuff. Pretty engaging though. An interesting idea that eventually collapses on itself by the end of the film.


----------



## MacDoc

*War Horse* on a plane - soppy pablum - few redeeming virtues beyond pulling strings on emotions...a movie from another time appealing to another time .....Lassie anyone??
*
Mission Impossible Ghost Recon * on a plane - milding entertaining action film over acted by Cruise. Whatever happened to the sex to go with the violence 

*Oil Sands Docu.* on a plane
Nasty stuff - Harper should be pilloried - its not so much the carbon release which is bad enough tho nothing compared to coal, but the hydrocarbon pollution of an incredibly important waterway with a huge watershed area downstream.








:nono: 

15 MORE hours of movie watching on the way back to Toronto - glad I have my big cans with me.


----------



## Dr.G.

"War Horse on a plane - soppy pablum - few redeeming virtues beyond pulling strings on emotions...a movie from another time appealing to another time .....Lassie anyone??" Here we disagree, MacDoc. My wife agrees with you, but I certainly don't. Keep in mind that my wife raised horses and wanted to become a professional rider ............... whereas I have been on all of two horses. Still, I think it was a great movie.

Paix, mon ami. Bon voyage.


----------



## MacDoc

You and she may really enjoy 










One of the most inspiring and moving books I've read. Laugh and cry all through it.

My problem with warhorse was too many cliched heart string pullers and predictable outcomes. Have you seen Exotic Hotel yet?


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> You and she may really enjoy
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One of the most inspiring and moving books I've read. Laugh and cry all through it.
> 
> My problem with warhorse was too many cliched heart string pullers and predictable outcomes. Have you seen Exotic Hotel yet?


I shall pass on the citation, MacDoc. No, I have not seen "Exotic Hotel". Basic plot, SVP. Merci, mon ami.


----------



## MacDoc

Maggie Smith deserves an Oscar.

In here as well there are predictable outcomes but the cast rises above it - and what a cast.!!!! It's not for everyone and actually would make a very good stage play as well given the dialogue.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> Maggie Smith deserves an Oscar.
> 
> In here as well there are predictable outcomes but the cast rises above it - and what a cast.!!!! It's not for everyone and actually would make a very good stage play as well given the dialogue.


I shall look into this, MacDoc. Merci, mon ami.


----------



## MacDoc

Prepare for lifted spirits


----------



## chasMac

_The Thing (1982)_ - as I had just suffered through _The Thing (2011)_, and had to get the bad taste out of my mouth.


----------



## eMacMan

*My Week With Marilyn*

My week with Marilyn. Michelle Williams is certainly up to the part. Judi Dench and Emma Watson are excellent as well.

Not sure who played Olivier but he was the weak link in my mind.

Well worth the price of admission.


----------



## chas_m

While not a new movie, or even new to me, I got a chance to revisit this one in the cinema today:










Parts of this (read: Mickey Rooney) haven't aged well, but most of it is a lovely valentine to New York in 1960-61. Audrey Hepburn, THE most beautiful woman to ever grace the screen, is stellar. George Peppard kinda smirks his way through the beginning but finally does some acting in the second half. Martin Balsam is great, John McGiver completely steals the scene he's in (John Cleese for the inevitable remake!), Patricia Neal is quite memorable, etc.

I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I love all the bits of "business" that go in the party scenes and such. Reminds you that we're not so "madcap" anymore.

The screening I went to was well-attended, with a gaggle of middle-aged ladies who had dressed up (black dress and pearls) for it and who were passing the Kleenex at the end, and kind of laughing about how they were crying (if you get what I mean) when the lights came up.

If you haven't seen it in a decade or two, it's certainly worth renting again. I was delighted to see it on the big screen again.


----------



## MacDoc

15 hours straight over the Pacific.....too many movies to recall. Couple stood out.

*We bought a Zoo* very enjoyable - Scarlett J and Matt Damon - good chemistry and another cute Fanning struts her way into your heart. Again a true story - my favs. Suspect you'd enjoy this Dr. G.

*Hyabusa* incredible story - ( docu - true ) about the Japanese mission to an asteroid . geek fare.

*Iron Lady * - interesting approach and Streep is marvelous as usual.


----------



## MacDoc

Fun - 69% on RT about correct. Pretty good in iMax 3D


----------



## MacDoc

Movie weekend for Dad

*Breach* - good acting and casting - one of those movies that would never fly as a fictional screen play....'cept that it happened.

*Water for Elephants* - like Reese per usual- fantastic elephant. Interesting look at the times and not very flattering on human nature.

*Stone Cold* always like Selleck - and some good humour and cute girls partially dressed.

earlier -* Avengers* in iMax 3d - over the top as it should be and Downey remains funny :clap: Very little Gwyn in this Screenwriters had fun.

very good.


----------



## Gerbill

John Carter. I ignored the poor reviews because the movie was based on a teriffic book that I enjoyed as a kid, "A Princess of Mars" by Edgar Rice Burroughs. It turned out to be quite a good movie - certainly much better than those reviews said.


----------



## monokitty

Flows well with the other two AvP films, though with fewer 'aliens' and gore and the like. It really wasn't like the original Alien movies from the 70's and 80's (those are still the best, bar none) but it was fun to watch nevertheless, particularly if you are a fan of the Alien, AvP or Predator films. Had a decent mix of tension, suspense and one or two scenes that made you jump for a second. Oh, and it also had some stunning visuals to boot.


----------



## shanebrit3003

Pirhana's sequel is too good to see. I love this movie.


----------



## MacDoc

Damn is this ever good. PBS AND Ken Burns rock.... :clap:

THE WAR | PBS

Editing, sound and visuals all superb and unlike Band of Brothers which is also superb - this is only original footage and photos and interviews with those who lived it.
Take the time....it's very very good.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> Damn is this ever good. PBS AND Ken Burns rock.... :clap:
> 
> THE WAR | PBS
> 
> Editing, sound and visuals all superb and unlike Band of Brothers which is also superb - this is only original footage and photos and interviews with those who lived it.
> Take the time....it's very very good.


Was watching part of this last night. Classic Ken Burns.

Have you watched "Pacific", a 10-part HBO series?


----------



## MacDoc

Yes - did not enjoy Pacific as much as Band of Brothers which was just gripping.
I did read several of the memoirs the Pacific was based on on. The one by the doctor's son was most intense and harrowing and considered the most accurate portrayal of life as a foot soldier. 

•••

Just watched Bridge at Remagen based on a true story.
10 days after they took the bridge it collapsed into the Rhine.
Grim movie.


----------



## Dr.G.

I acutally liked Pacific more than Band of Brothers. My father and uncle were in the Pacific during WWII and growing up we heard more from about those conflicts than what was taking place in Europe.


----------



## MacDoc

It was the consistent tale from eager recruits to war weary veterans that captivated me - as well as the odds that this one unit would end in so many critical events.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> It was the consistent tale from eager recruits to war weary veterans that captivated me - as well as the odds that this one unit would end in so many critical events.


True. Sadly, the events on the Pacific front were somewhat overshadowed by what was taking place in Europe.


----------



## MacDoc

and I would say the details on the Pacific were not anywhere near as extensively covered as the European War.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> and I would say the details on the Pacific were not anywhere near as extensively covered as the European War.


All too true, MacDoc.


----------



## MacDoc

Oh damn is this good :clap: Wonderfully shot in HiDef - it's on Netflix now - winner of many awards and a well deserved 97% on RT.

Just watch it.


----------



## chas_m

We went to see FINDING NEMO 3D because we were already familiar with the film from its original release.










The 3D-ification was wonderful (as you would expect, much more successful with computer-animated movies than with live-action films shot originally shot in 2D) and emotionally powerful as ever. People who can't connect with this movie should seek counselling, they have something wrong with their soul.

Fantastic performances by the voice cast all round, the film and its message have aged well (hard to believe this movie's now nearly a decade old!), the "dude" turtles grate a little on me but the seagulls make up for it.

Really, this (along with most of the rest of Pixar's output) is one of the best family films I've ever seen, and I would gladly watch it again. Beats those awful "pop-culture/consumerist/pratfalls and fart jokes" Dreamworks 3D films with an ugly stick. A few tears, lots of laughs. The only part I found hard to swallow was the idea that I had to pay $15 a head (!!!) to see a 10-year-old film just because its in 3D. Outrageous. Never going to an Odeon theatre again without a Costco discount coupon, that's just ridiculous.*

*and odd, given that they show $6 "classic" movies once a month and no-longer-live HD cultural events for $10 ...

Looking forward to seeing "Monsters Inc." in 3D ... coming soon, they said ...


----------



## G-Mo

Starbuck

If you don't speak French, you'll have to read, but, excellent!!!


----------



## JCCanuck

MacDoc said:


> Damn is this ever good. PBS AND Ken Burns rock.... :clap:
> 
> THE WAR | PBS
> 
> Editing, sound and visuals all superb and unlike Band of Brothers which is also superb - this is only original footage and photos and interviews with those who lived it.
> Take the time....it's very very good.


Is this similar to "The Civil War" and "The West"? I found both fascinating and they got me doing more research and interest about those times.


----------



## Dr.G.

JCCanuck said:


> Is this similar to "The Civil War" and "The West"? I found both fascinating and they got me doing more research and interest about those times.


Yes, it focuses upon four communities in the US and the service men and women from those communities who were in Europe or the Pacific.


----------



## chas_m

Since most of the people in this thread have fine tastes in cinema, let me take a moment to point out some upcoming events that are not (technically) movies, but are nonetheless shown in cinemas across the country:

The following will be playing at a Cineplex Odeon movie house near you:

September 27th (local times may vary, check with your local Odeon on use the Cineplex Odeon app or similar movie-finding apps)








The Tempest starring Christopher Plummer

October 18th (again, check for local times)








Also starring Christopher Plummer!

These are both from his appearances in the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Canada.

Oh and what the heck, here are some upcoming "old" movies:

October 1 (check for local showtimes)








Now remastered with additional footage and interviews, with a 5.1 soundtrack!

October 21, 24 and 31 (check for local showtime)








The original Dracula movie AND the original Frankenstein movie on a double bill!! Can't beat THAT!


----------



## johnp

MacDoc said:


> Maggie Smith deserves an Oscar.
> 
> In here as well there are predictable outcomes but the cast rises above it - and what a cast.!!!! It's not for everyone and actually would make a very good stage play as well given the dialogue.


Our "Saturday Night at the Movies" viewing last evening. A pleasure to the senses to watch -- we much-enjoyed it.
A movie that will definitely get another viewing this winter.


----------



## screature

johnp said:


> Our "Saturday Night at the Movies" viewing last evening. A pleasure to the senses to watch -- we much-enjoyed it.
> A movie that will definitely get another viewing this winter.


Looks very interesting indeed johnp... if I see it we will definitely pick it up.


----------



## Macfury

Watched a curious film from the 1970s called _Deafula_--a Dracula story performed in American Sign language. An interesting experience in that all of the characters were played as deaf and presented a world without hearing of any kind. The TV newsman reported in sign language, and police typed messages to each other using a console keyboard. Low budget, and offering amateurish production values, but an interesting experience.


----------



## Garry

Last night I had friends over and we watched Avengers in 3D. Mindless fun. Next week we start to watch the Red Curtain Trilogy.


----------



## MacDoc

This is on Netflix now and highly recommended - every story is informative, dramatic and well executed










BBC - History - British History in depth: Seven Wonders of the Industrial World

Hubiris, intrigue, heartbreak and failures so colossal they bankrupt a nation and stories of courage and tenacity to make your heart soar. Dr. G I think the Brooklyn Bridge segment you will love - was all new info to me.

One that I particularly enjoyed was this tale

watch or read this or both
Lighting the Way: The Light on Bell Rock « "Not Yet Published"










at the turn of the 17th Century you task yourself to build this...on a tiny rock only exposed for 4 hours a day, only accessible 2 months of the year off the wild coast of Scotland. That rock gets covered in up to 16' of water with the violent tides....and all by hand. 
Quite a tale. :clap: 

- all are interesting and a nice length - given no commercials.


----------



## The Doug

*Prometheus*: Superb visuals and production values. I didn't find it scary or even suspenseful though - it left me somewhat underwhelmed and disappointed, and asking myself, _what's the point?_


----------



## Rps

My wife and I watch a lot of movies, in fact, we see one every Tuesday as it is half-price. This years current run have be not very memorable, but from time to time some brain candy slips in and offers a very enjoyable movie experience .... so to this I would like to add ...... wait for it .....

Pitch Perfect.

There are not many films today that are safe "first-date" movies, or can be classed as adult family entertainment, but there is enough humour ( especially from the TV commentators ) and sight gags to appeal to most. Musically it is not over the top as is the case with many of the "sing or dance" films of late.


----------



## MacDoc

A light weight comedy but quite a cast and I do like Steve Martin in his mellower roles but you really do need to be a bit of a twitcher to appreciate it - it was good for some laughs however the real life book it was based on is truly a twitchers delight and a very very laugh filled true story.

Like *Song of the Dodo* you are both entertained and educated all at once.










A quirky sense of humour and an easy going fast paced style - highly recommended read for anyone that enjoys birdwatching and a must read for those of us with life lists. :clap:

An unusual combination of being able to read the book and watch the movie the same day . Good Bday tip from my daughter.


----------



## MacDoc

Rossignol and Dynastar sponsor ‘The Edge Of Never’ documentary film about Kye Petersen - GEAR.com

Moving film - incredible skiiing.


----------



## screature

Moonrise Kingdom










A quirky story, great cast, excellent performances and very funny at times and very interesting in its cinematographic point of view in many parts.

Definitely worth the time.


----------



## screature

The Hunger Games










Really didn't know anything about it before watching, except that it got a lot of hype because of the books. We found it to be thoroughly entertaining and if there was any doubt after Winter's Bone (another very good movie) that Jennifer Lawrence is a star in the making there should be no doubt now after her performance here.


----------



## Rps

My wife and I recently viewed "The Perks of Being a Wallflower". While on the surface it appears to be another coming of age movie it, in fact, traces much deeper sinister roots. Adapted from the book of the same name, I found this to be an excellent film. Script, acting, pacing were right on. I would highly recommend it to anyone ... this isn't a teen first love gendre film, although it does talk about first loves, and social issues ..... easily 4.5/5


----------



## The Doug

*Moonrise Kingdom*: IMHO the 94% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes is too high but nonetheless this film by Wes Anderson is an enjoyable watch.


----------



## JAMG

Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel (2009) - IMDb

Frequently Asked Questions about Time Travel: Lower budget British SciFi Comedy, but not really low budget. Great script and direction, minimal effects but well done. Just Brilliant.


----------



## MacDoc

> The Hunger Games
> 
> Really didn't know anything about it before watching, except that it got a lot of hype because of the books. We found it to be thoroughly entertaining and if there was any doubt after Winter's Bone (another very good movie)* that Jennifer Lawrence is a star in the making there should be no doubt now after her performance here.*


Bleak movie and she was superb - I agree completely - there is another also dark movie *The Burning Plain.
*









Charlize Theron also a strong performance.

Would not know how to handle a movie with her in a light role. Winter's Bone sure is bleak.


----------



## Macfury

Saw _Sinister_ the other day. While flawed, it produced a genuinely diseased aura.


----------



## MacDoc

Looking forward to this

eqhd - Barack Obama: Great Expectations


----------



## JCCanuck

MacDoc said:


>


Great MacDoc, thanks for that info of a movie I didn't know about. My dad was a, dare I say, an extreme birdwatcher and I thoroughly enjoyed joining him on his birding trips alone or with his other birding nuts. My mom would have a heart attack when my dad would stop from 50 mph to 0 in seconds in our car when a unusual bird is spotted off the road. I think I will enjoy this movie especially with Steve Martin.


----------



## MacDoc

Oh good - don't overlook the book either.


----------



## Macfury

MacDoc said:


> Looking forward to this
> 
> eqhd - Barack Obama: Great Expectations


In the meantime you can see this film about Obama's Imperial Presidency, which has already been released:

2016: Obama's America | Official Movie Site


----------



## SINC

Rented Sherlock Holmes - A Game of Shadows on iTunes last night and thoroughly enjoyed this wild and funny romp. Robert Downey Jr. is very entertaining and great fun as he solves a complex mystery that took me a bit to catch on to in the film. Great fun and highly recommended.


----------



## Dr.G.

SINC said:


> Rented Sherlock Holmes on iTunes last night and thoroughly enjoyed this wild and funny romp. Robert Downey Jr. is very entertaining and great fun as he solves a complex mystery that took me a bit to catch on to in the film. Great fun and highly recommended.


Have seen both of these SH movies with RD and JL as Holmes and Watson. A great pair of movies.:clap:


----------



## MacDoc

iMax Beavers is on Oasis .....wonderful










Oasis HD - IMAX Original: Beavers

here's the back story

Beavers | The Stephen Low Company


----------



## SINC

iMax Beavers is a wonderful experience. Oasis is THE channel to watch and folks who don't subscribe are missing the very best of nature TV and that includes National Geographic. It's counterparts in the set of four HD channels are superior as well, including Equator, RadX and HIFI.


----------



## Rps

SINC said:


> iMax Beavers is a wonderful experience. Oasis is THE channel to watch and folks who don't subscribe are missing the very best of nature TV and that includes National Geographic. It's counterparts in the set of four HD channels are superior as well, including Equator, RadX and HIFI.


+1, I used to get those when I lived in Bowmanville, the quality of their broadcasts are definitely superior .... like looking out a window.....well worth the money for Equator ( my fav of the 4 ) and Oasis.


----------



## johnp

The Descendants. Not a new movie, but a first viewing of this movie via dvd last Saturday evening for us, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. 

A big second to this review:
The Descendants : DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video


----------



## Dr.G.

johnp said:


> The Descendants. Not a new movie, but a first viewing of this movie via dvd last Saturday evening for us, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.
> 
> A big second to this review:
> The Descendants : DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video


Saw this movie twice, and liked it both times flying to and from Calgary.


----------



## MacDoc

On this week on Oasis- 



> *Life on Fire: The Surprise Salmon*
> Time and again, over the centuries, Alaskan volcanoes have erupted and poisoned the environment. Scientists have only just begun to piece together what might have happened nearly 2,000 years ago, when one race of salmon faced the death of their natural river and were forced back to the open ocean - on an extraordinary adventure. Navigating between the sulfurous waters, bears, sharks and eagles, the fish escaped the earth’s wrath to give birth to descendants that continue their pioneering journey to the heart of an active volcano.


Oasis HD - Life on Fire: The Surprise Salmon

Photography of a salmon migration that is just stunning.


----------



## MacDoc

*50th anniversary Bond *- and well crafted. 92% on RT - very immersive in iMax. Some campy moments in the mayhem. New director for the franchise Sam Mendes brings his own vision and Craig is certainly vying for best Bond ever. Long movie that movies along quickly.


----------



## MacDoc

> THE DUST BOWL
> Premieres November 18 and 19, 2012
> 8:00–10:00 p.m. ET on PBS
> THE DUST BOWL chronicles the worst man-made ecological disaster in American history, in which the frenzied wheat boom of the "Great Plow-Up," followed by a decade-long drought during the 1930s nearly swept away the breadbasket of the nation. Vivid interviews with twenty-six survivors of those hard times, combined with dramatic photographs and seldom seen movie footage, bring to life stories of incredible human suffering and equally incredible human perseverance. It is also a morality tale about our relationship to the land that sustains us—a lesson we ignore at our peril.


Home | THE DUST BOWL

Mind bending ....looking forward to Part II tonight on PBS


----------



## OldTimeHockey

Watched Looper yesterday. That movie may just have the creepiest kid alive.

6/10


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc said:


> Home | THE DUST BOWL
> 
> Mind bending ....looking forward to Part II tonight on PBS


Watched and taped the series. Amazing ............ and very sad. While only rain brought some relief to the land, FDR was able to bring relief to the farmers who either remained on their farms or who set out for California.


----------



## eMacMan

Dr.G. said:


> Watched and taped the series. Amazing ............ and very sad. While only rain brought some relief to the land, FDR was able to bring relief to the farmers who either remained on their farms or who set out for California.


Do Re Mi - Woody Guthrie - YouTube


----------



## Dr.G.

eMacMan said:


> Do Re Mi - Woody Guthrie - YouTube


A classic ...............

Woody Guthrie - Talkin' Dust Bowl Blues.AVI - YouTube

Surviving The Dust Bowl - YouTube

I recall watching this in public school.

Dust Bowl - A 1950s Documentary - YouTube


----------



## egremont

Flight - Began watching last night on NetFlicks. Began with amazing snowboarding in amazing scenery. But, then a bit later the young fellows began trying out a variety of firearms. I turned it off when they started felling little evergreens with guns/rifles. 

These were small trees that did not need thinning. Duh !

okay, I don't like guns of any type but this just spoilt what had started out as magnificent scenery with skilled snowboarders and good production values. Flight 2 ? Who can tell maybe scud missiles to chop down bigger trees ?


----------



## MacDoc

*Mad Max* uncut and commercial free is on RadX tonight - been long time. 
Good sound with the little tube amp.


----------



## MacDoc

Really interesting docu on *Nature of Things *is running



> About the Film
> Our planet is lit up 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We're addicted to light and we just can’t get enough of it. But like anything else that's addictive, could too much be a bad thing?
> 
> For our entire history we have lived and worked in rhythm with the rising and setting of the sun. But all that changed with the invention of artificial light nearly 130 years ago. Light fixtures, computer screens, television screens – all of these have allowed us more time to live, work, play and extend the length of our days. And shorten our nights. But at what cost? Are we actually putting ourselves at risk?
> 
> 
> Need a better sleep? Read our Q & A.
> Recently scientists have been discovering that exposure to artificial light at night, even the glow of a cell phone or computer screen, can throw our internal body clock out of sync with the planet and may even be leading to serious illnesses like cancer, obesity, heart disease and certain forms of depression.
> 
> With nearly 20 percent of Canadians working night shifts to maintain our 24-hour world, it is now more crucial than ever to find safe and effective answers to what some scientists refer to as an “environmental insult” to our health.
> 
> Lights Out! joins leading scientists in the lab and in the field to discover how much harm light at night may be causing and to learn about the ground-breaking steps being taken to protect ourselves. We work the nightshift at the Bruce Nuclear Power Plant, go for a ridealong with 18-wheeler truckers on a cross continental run, and meet a New Orleans scientist who fights cancer by day and plays trumpet with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band by night! We discover that danger hot spots are everywhere – from the illumination in the hospital ICU to the tiny screens of our mobile devices. What can we do about an environmental hazard that we just can’t seem to live without? Lights Out! ventures into the darker side of light to search for answers.


CBC -The Nature of Things with David Suzuki - - Lights Out!

Bit mind blowing


----------



## tilt

MacDoc said:


> *50th anniversary Bond *- and well crafted. 92% on RT - very immersive in iMax. Some campy moments in the mayhem. New director for the franchise Sam Mendes brings his own vision and Craig is certainly vying for best Bond ever. Long movie that movies along quickly.


I think I am probably the only person in the world who did not like Skyfall. It was completely unlike any Bond movie I have seen. If this is the direction Bond is going in, I am afraid Skyfall will be my last Bond.

Bond is supposed to be over-the-top with gadgets and stunts, being completely invincible, coming out of impossible situations with a casual flick of imaginary dust off his cuff and having a ton of corny retorts etc. I do not want to know if Bond had an unhappy childhood or M had a past or and how all those traumas makes him a broody unshaven cynical tired vulnerable and sensitive person or things like that.

As it is, Batman has been ruined for me with all the dark stuff and psychoanalysis of the character. 

And please, use some lights in the movies - I am sick of all this actual darkness in movies too. All I see are a few moving shadows. Not every blessed movie (other than RomComs) needs to be Film-Noir.

In my opinion superhero movies and Bond should be left alone. We do not need "different", we just need more of the same.

If I want to see vulnerable characters and do the touchy-feely stuff, I will watch movies about real (or could-be-real) people.

Cheers


----------



## MacDoc

I do think you'll be in the minority on that. Many including me appreciated a fuller character and the background this provided - for sure now Craig is in the running for the best Bond tho I dearly love Sean Connery's version

Has Daniel Craig eclipsed Sean Connery as James Bond? | Comment is free | The Observer

•••

Come this Friday I'm up for *The Hobbit* in 3d and iMax opening day, first run of the day, centre seat 
Love that reserve seating. :clap:


----------



## SINC

I'm with tilt. Bring back the campy fun, it was never meant to be dark.


----------



## MacDoc

GoldFinger and few others were pretty "dark". And not one one of the Daniel Craig movies has not had it's very humorous moments....including Skyfall.


----------



## MacDoc

Not quite made up my mind about Hobbit. Certainly some spectacle in 3D and iMax.
A very effective Bilbo tho perhaps a bit frenetic - still I would not have guessed near on 3 hour film.

There almost seems to be the ambition to build the franchise into the Bond version of Middle Earth so offering up various tales which I actually would not mind.


----------



## Macfury

Daniel Craig is the wrong direction for this character. Makes me nostalgic for George Lazenby--and that's saying a lot.

_The Hobbit_ is getting some tough reviews, Looks like the Jackson magic has worn off with critics at least.


----------



## wonderings

Macfury said:


> Daniel Craig is the wrong direction for this character. Makes me nostalgic for George Lazenby--and that's saying a lot.
> 
> _The Hobbit_ is getting some tough reviews, Looks like the Jackson magic has worn off with critics at least.


I saw the Hobbit last night, in 3D with the 48fps. I really really dont like the 48fps, while very sharp and clear, it looked very very strange and it was not something I got used to in this long movie.

They added some things to the story that really did not need to be there, while some things were a nice addition, I wont give anything away.

It definitely did not feel as amazing as when Lord of the Rings came out. An enjoyable movie yes, but not what I was expecting or hoping for.


----------



## egremont

While trying out my iPad mini, I discovered a real treat. Not a movie but a television series on "Crackle", the free feed from Sony movies and television.

"The Prisoner", a series made in the late '60's. British. Patrick MacGoogan. A secret agent's attempt to retire. Became quite a cult classic. I believe they taught courses on the series. I recalled the series this past summer when I moved to a small community that uses golf carts to zip around. It was the noise they make that sounded so familiar and I just could not place it until I was gardening one day and heard the sound in the distance and remembered the series, "The Prisoner". 

This will be enjoyable to watch again. Some of you may remember this one.


----------



## SINC

It was a great show and I too have Crackle, not only on my iPad 2, but on my MBP and Mini too at crackle.com. Wonderful stuff and all free. Mcfury's avatar reminds me of The Prisoner every day.


----------



## Rps

Just finished watching HOT COFFEE. I don't class many films as must see but this is one of them. 5 out of 5.


----------



## egremont

Not a Movie but wasn't sure where to post my positive comments.

On NetFlicks Season 1 of "House of Cards" with Kevin Spacey and a very well chosen supporting cast. If you are able to receive this broadcast (USA), I highly recommend this series. Watched it in two sessions - couldn't stop. Will watch it again in smaller bites. 

Many many iPhones, iMac's, MacBooks, iPads and a very few BB's in sight.

Scary, that this is very likely how many governmental policies are shaped. Omnibus Budget Bills ??


----------



## G-Mo

egremont said:


> On NetFlicks Season 1 of "House of Cards" with Kevin Spacey ...


Netflix


----------



## egremont

okay, Netflix, Netflix, Netflix, Netflix plus 96......mea culpa.......happy now ?


----------



## iMouse

egremont said:


> okay, Netflix, Netflix, Netflix, Netflix plus 96......mea culpa.......happy now ?


How hopeful are you?


----------



## MacDoc

mesmerizing...nothing else does justice. Sit close in 3D - it's razor sharp and you want to lose yourself in it.
I don't know how they will make money on it but it's a treasure and breathtaking. Cirque just continues to push the envelope.


----------



## johnp

It's not a movie ... but for us, this recently-released BBC tv series on dvd, will be enjoyed (and re-enjoyed) for a good while.


----------



## SINC

Caught Django Unchained last night. What a magnificent production. This movie is a must see and it is easy to understand why Christoph Waltz was rewarded by the Academy for his performance. He literally carries the movie with panache, humour and wily guile. Don't miss this one, it's right up there with Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds. It's 2:45 of pure enjoyment.


----------



## Rps

Sinc I saw it at Christmas and still think it was a bit over the top and had some historical flaws in the thing...but that's okay its entertainment not a historical study. While Waltz got huge attention I found his role to be almost exactly that of his in Inglourious Bastards.......which I think is a much better movie in the revisionist genre. That said, I think many ignored Dicaprio's performance...I'm not a big fan of his but I thought the subtlety of his performance was indeed noteworthy. But.....if you are into Pulp Fiction and movies of that ilk, then this one is as good as it gets.


----------



## tilt

If you like Christoph Woltz you should watch "Carnage". In fact everyone there is brilliant.

Cheers


----------



## MacDoc

wow ....tour de force by Affleck - direct it, star in it, win Best Picture and bloody well deserved....good flick.
Once again you can't beat unlikely true stories as top notch film material.

and Yay Canada 

and this will have you grinning - but bittersweet.
Superb in BluRay.


----------



## Dr.G.

MacDoc, I watched Argo a few weeks ago. It kept me on the edge of my seat ................ even though I knew how it all ended. A great movie.


----------



## CubaMark

A very touching, funny film... *The Untouchables* (also marketed as "Untouchable" and "Amigos"):





















> An irreverent, uplifting comedy about friendship, trust and human possibility, The Intouchables has broken box office records in its native France and across Europe. Based on a true story of friendship between a handicap millionaire (Francois Cluzet) and his street smart ex-con caretaker (Omar Sy), The Intouchables depicts an unlikely camaraderie rooted in honesty and humor between two individuals who, on the surface, would seem to have nothing in common. -- (C) Weinstein


(RottenTomatoes)


----------



## egremont

"unlikely true stories" - I sure hope that was tongue in cheek.

Have you checked out the real story. Maybe a good movie but apparently not much about it is the true story.

Check it out. Read what Jimmie Carter said for example.

Have not seen it and do not intend to.


----------



## iMouse

So they Americanized it.

It's well known that History is written by the victors.


----------



## MacDoc

Actually I have heard the interview with the Canadian Ambassador and his wife which is worthwhile.
It is based on a true story and is indeed an unlikely one and perhaps one that need not have been so dramatic.

*The tribute to the Canadians at the end was written by the Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor at the request of the director.*

Your loss Egremont. There is reason for the Academy Best Picture.

I do think there is some truth to the thought that there is a propaganda aspect to the film in terms of timing.

•••

*Prometheus* - promising start and good visuals....too predictable but good to Noomi Rapace ina different role.
Worth the $1 to watch on BR - not much more.









Overrated on RT in my view at 74%

Of course Ridley Scott raises the bar a notch.


----------



## Garry

The last good movies I've seen.. Hmm.. 

Sound City - great doc on the recording studio

Tales From The Script - screenwriters talking about screenwriting.. I want to show this to all my friends who think they've written the next great movie

These Amazing Shadows - story about the US national film registry and the art of film restoration

Side by Side - Keanu Reeves talks to film makers about digital vs. film

Take This Waltz - Sara Polley's second directorial effort

Quartet - Dustin Hoffmans directorial debut

There's been a few independent films I've seen that's impressed me, but probably won't get general release.

I've also seen a few movies that haven't come out yet, that people will like..


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


----------



## screature

Django Unchained... Possibly Quintin's best so far. Great on many levels...










Also Lincoln... A tour de force performance by Daniel Day-Lewis for sure, a richly deserved best actor award... no one else came close. He is simply amazing going all the way back to The Unbearable Lightness of Being, another great movie.


----------



## screature

Dr.G. said:


> MacDoc, I watched Argo a few weeks ago. It kept me on the edge of my seat ................ even though I knew how it all ended. A great movie.


Couldn't get past the historical inaccuracies... and didn't believe Affleck's character, in everything he does he is always Affleck and doesn't become the character he is trying to portray IMO.

I went to bed last night before it was over.


----------



## Garry

I didn't realize ARGO was supposed to be a factual documentary. I just figured it was based on a pretty crappy book about the events written by a guy that was there for 3 days or something.


----------



## screature

Garry said:


> I didn't realize ARGO was supposed to be a factual documentary. I just figured it was based on a pretty crappy book about the events written by a guy that was there for 3 days or something.


And so that is an excuse for saying, the movie is based on actual events...?

It is pure fiction and should not be portrayed as being based on actual events.

That is its fundamental failing, that and Affleck's acting.


----------



## iMouse

Loosely based, very.


----------



## screature

iMouse said:


> Loosely based, very.


Indeed.


----------



## Macfury

_World War Z_ was better than I thought--a bloodless zombie film suitable for older kids.


----------



## screature

Macfury said:


> _World War Z_ was better than I thought--*a bloodless zombie film* suitable for older kids.


Really?! What's the point in making a bloodless zombie movie...


----------



## Macfury

screature said:


> Really?! What's the point in making a bloodless zombie movie...


Increased demographic for ticket sales to minors, I suspect. It's an action movie, not a horror film. You'd see more of the red stuff in any two random minutes of _The Walking Dead_.


----------



## mrjimmy

Just watched National Lampoon's Vacation for the first time in a long time.

Good fun and highly satisfying. A much needed reprieve from the relentless comedic drivel out there.

I highly recommend it!


----------



## bryanc

Went and saw Despicable Me 2 with my son and his friend last night.... didn't have high expectations... but it was actually quite funny in places, and the kids (12-year-olds) loved it.

What this franchise really has going for it are the Minions, and the writers seem to have recognized this and play to their strengths well. Like Wall-E, in which the animators were able to make a kid's movie that didn't need any dialogue for extended periods, the Minions in the Despicable Me movies, with their gibberish-language, are able to appeal to our love of slapstick and other visual humour, but still have enough verbal capacity to convey tone-of-voice and other auditory jokes well. (Actually, come to think of it, I think Angry Birds tapped into the same thing to an extent).


******************** mild spoiler ***********************




There's one scene in which two minions are strapped to chairs, and one is injected with a serum that turns him into a purple monster. As is typical of the minions, the other laughs historically at his fellow's plight, until the same needle-full-of-monster-serum appears beside him. The "Ohhh...." emitted by the second minion at this point was perfect; made me laugh out loud.


----------



## Macfury

I enjoyed the first _Despicable_ the same way. Much better than I would have expected.

I'm laughing at the new film rushed to DVD by film company the Asylum:

Atlantic Rim (2013) - IMDb

These guys have chutzpah!


----------



## MattKel

Has anybody else heard about this? I was reading about Cineplex's SuperTicket -- it seems like a good deal.

SUPERTICKETCINEPLEX.COM


----------



## disberg

*Chasing Ice by Photographed by James Balog*

If you think that Toronto and Calgary have been traumatic, according to this film
this is probably only the beginning of some very dramatic weather happenings but on a worldwide scale.

Some of the information is rather frightening but at the same time denying what is happening is also frightening.

What I can't understand is how can big business control so much of our day to day life's that the necessary actions cannot be taken now to get this climate control under control.

I am busy separating my garbage while the planes are flying overhead constantly. What are they dumping into the atmosphere?

In summary, besides being very informative the photography is absolutely absorbing. Mr. Balog has a real talent for getting to the gist of what he is recording.

It is certainly worth your time to watch. Enjoy!


----------



## mrjimmy

MattKel said:


> Has anybody else heard about this? I was reading about Cineplex's SuperTicket -- it seems like a good deal.
> 
> SUPERTICKETCINEPLEX.COM


Remember when spam wasn't tolerated here at ehMac?


----------



## johnp

Haven't found any 'new' movies to watch, but did do (via dvd) -- "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" (2012) -- again the other night. A British comedy-drama ... that we have found to be fun and very charming ... and this go-around was as enjoyable as it was the first and second times we viewed it!!


----------



## disberg

*2 thumbs up for The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel*

I absolutely agree with you Johnp. This movie is a "Must" watch for good entertainment and some thought provoking too (if you want to get into that side of it as well).

I didn't buy it per se I watched it through NetFlex. I get all of my movies there now and also the TV Series and documentaries and so on.


----------



## SINC

Couldn't agree more. I reviewed it in the Netflix movie thread a while back:

http://www.ehmac.ca/everything-else...reviews-movies-youve-seen-14.html#post1264018


----------



## eMacMan

johnp said:


> Haven't found any 'new' movies to watch, but did do (via dvd) -- "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" (2012) -- again the other night. A British comedy-drama ... that we have found to be fun and very charming ... and this go-around was as enjoyable as it was the first and second times we viewed it!!


Well worth a return or even a second return visit.


----------



## mrjimmy

Going to watch this tonight via iTunes. Wanted to see it in the theatre but it's had such a limited run.

Great band. Great story.





+
YouTube Video









ERROR: If you can see this, then YouTube is down or you don't have Flash installed.


----------



## screature

johnp said:


> Haven't found any 'new' movies to watch, but did do (via dvd) -- "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" (2012) -- again the other night. A British comedy-drama ... that we have found to be fun and very charming ... and this go-around was as enjoyable as it was the first and second times we viewed it!!





disberg said:


> I absolutely agree with you Johnp. This movie is a "Must" watch for good entertainment and some thought provoking too (if you want to get into that side of it as well).
> 
> I didn't buy it per se I watched it through NetFlex. I get all of my movies there now and also the TV Series and documentaries and so on.





SINC said:


> Couldn't agree more. I reviewed it in the Netflix movie thread a while back:
> 
> http://www.ehmac.ca/everything-else...reviews-movies-youve-seen-14.html#post1264018





eMacMan said:


> Well worth a return or even a second return visit.


Yep another thumbs up here! My wife and I watched it several months ago now and we thoroughly enjoyed it.


----------



## johnp

Watched "42 .. The Jackie Robinson Story" last night (via dvd). Much-enjoyed!!! It brought back so many memories. Thought the portrayal, acting, et al, was very well done.
One to watch again some time this winter.


----------



## Dr.G.

johnp said:


> Watched "42 .. The Jackie Robinson Story" last night (via dvd). Much-enjoyed!!! It brought back so many memories. Thought the portrayal, acting, et al, was very well done.
> One to watch again some time this winter.


Good to hear, John. I had the opportunity to watch Jack Robinson play, both at Ebbets Field and in the Polo Grounds. An amazing ballplayer and a great man.


----------



## Macfury

Dr.G. said:


> Good to hear, John. I had the opportunity to watch Jack Robinson play, both at Ebbets Field and in the Polo Grounds. An amazing ballplayer and a great man.


When you were in your sick bed, didn't Robinson hit a homer for you while you listened on the radio? Or was that someone else...


----------



## Dr.G.

Macfury said:


> When you were in your sick bed, didn't Robinson hit a homer for you while you listened on the radio? Or was that someone else...


No, that was either the promise Babe Ruth made to Johnny Sylvester or the one Lou Gehrig made to a boy named Billy. I have never been in a "sick bed". Paix, mon ami.


----------



## johnp

Marc .... the '42' movie took us to 1947. My fondest years where when Jackie was moved to 2'nd base, Gil Hodges came in for 1'st base, Pee Wee at shortstop, and Roy Campanella catching. But always forget who played 3'rd base .. do you recall?
I believe those changes started some time in 1948, and lasted for a good number of years.


----------



## SINC

Was it not Billy Cox, John?


----------



## Dr.G.

johnp said:


> Marc .... the '42' movie took us to 1947. My fondest years where when Jackie was moved to 2'nd base, Gil Hodges came in for 1'st base, Pee Wee at shortstop, and Roy Campanella catching. But always forget who played 3'rd base .. do you recall?
> I believe those changes started some time in 1948, and lasted for a good number of years.


Growing up, the only third basemen that I can remember playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers were Billy Cox, Don Hoak and Don Zimmer. Junior Gilliam used to fill in for Jack Robinson when they moved him around to keep his bat in the lineup.


----------



## johnp

Thanks guys .... I do recall the names Billy Cox, Don Hoak, and Don Zimmer, and remember Junior Gilliam being in the line up at times. I really liked the Brooklyn Dodgers .. but it's odd how 3'rd base never stuck in my memory like most of the other positions ... infield 'and' outfield (with the Duke, and Furillo). 
But for me, the late-40's and 50's were 'the' days!! Yikes .. a good while ago now, eh!!


----------



## Dr.G.

johnp said:


> Thanks guys .... I do recall the names Billy Cox, Don Hoak, and Don Zimmer, and remember Junior Gilliam being in the line up at times. I really liked the Brooklyn Dodgers .. but it's odd how 3'rd base never stuck in my memory like most of the other positions ... infield 'and' outfield (with the Duke, and Furillo).
> But for me, the late-40's and 50's were 'the' days!! Yikes .. a good while ago now, eh!!


For me it was the 50s and the 60s.


----------



## Gerbill

*Searching for Sugar Man. * An absolutely amazing true story - don't want to drop any spoilers for those who haven't seen it. Available on iTunes and NetFlix. Won the 2012 Oscar for best Feature Documentary.


----------



## chas_m

Second on the Searching for Sugar Man doc, and here's another one that's well worth seeing:










A wonderful look at the great (mostly 60s-70s) backup singers of the golden age of actual singing before auto-tune. You will hear some AMAZING performances, and particularly if you like funk and soul music the way it used to be done, you need to see this right away. It's a treasure.


----------



## CubaMark

My wife and I finally took a date night - 2 years, 3 months, 6 days since our son arrived to disrupt our lives. It was a Friday night, we were both totally wiped from a long week of work, and needed something that wouldn't put us to sleep. So we handed the little fella off to his favourite uncle and headed to the brand-new cinema to see..... The Heat.



A totally formula, mismatched buddy-cop comedy, you get pretty much what you expect... maybe even a little more. We were laughing almost constantly, whether due to the skills of McCarthy & Bullock, or our own giddiness at being out of the house... didn't matter. We enjoyed ourselves.


----------



## CubaMark

What's up with this thread? How is it that I'm able to post a follow-up to my own post? Yoikes….

The Mrs. … er, Sra. and I had our second date night in 2 years last evening. This is a Mexican film but it's getting pretty decent North American cinema play - if you can track it down, you may enjoy it. A pretty good comedy-drama…

*"Instructions Not Included" a Hit at The Box Office*



Twelve years ago, Eugenio Derbez, one of Mexico's best-known actors, imagined something different. Not just for himself, but a story he felt was missing from Latin American cinema: A story about an unconditional love, pure and innocent, he love between a father and child.

“I wanted to make a beautiful movie full of light,” Derbez said recently at a Los Angeles screening, “I am tired of seeing Mexican movies full of blood, violence, drugs, poverty...I wanted to show the beautiful part of Mexico—of Latin America—and make a movie for the whole family.”​* * *​The film follows Valentin Bravo, a man terrified of commitment, who spends his days living leisurely in Acapulco and romancing different women until they ask for more—and he runs like the wind. One day, Julie, a former flame, shows up on his doorstep with a child she claims is his. A moment later, she’s gone, and he’s left to raise a daughter on his own.​









(Mom.me and a review at 4moviefreaks.com)


----------



## eMacMan

Gravity.

A few times the science advisor was clearly very sound asleep or completely ignored, but Sandra Bullock and great special effects more than offset those glitches.


----------



## johnp

Quartet ... some 'old' music and stars ... and much-enjoyed seeing/listening to both last evening!!
Quartet - Rotten Tomatoes


----------



## SINC

J. Edgar on Netflix. DiCaprio was fantastic, an enjoyable couple of hours and a peek at history.


----------



## Dr.G.

SINC said:


> J. Edgar on Netflix. DiCaprio was fantastic, an enjoyable couple of hours and a peek at history.


A very interesting movie and accurate on the historical events.


----------



## MacDoc

15 hour flights are good for movie catchups.

*Gravity.*..so so - Bullock still has a good bod. Interesting physics - bit of a stretch of a story line.

*Rush * was terrific - *must see*. All the better as based on the true story and Lada was involved.

*All is Lost*....pretty decent from an aging Redford..

*Captain Phillips*.....better because it was based on a true story. Bit Amerika centric.

*Tinker Tailor.*..etc - kept falling asleep - will watch another time. Good cast.

*Jobs* - interesting tour through some of the history I was directly affected by. Learned a few things. Well done in a short time frame to cover a lot of drama.

*The Butler *...top notch cast and again a movie that is improved by being based on a true story. MIght be very interesting for non-North Americans. *Dr. G - highly recommended*

*Diana* - Naomi Watts takes on an icon pretty well. Never quite "becomes" DIana tho close at times.








Learned a lot - she might still be a positive force were it not for the press.
Landmine Treaty a real legacy - perhaps the best thing a royal has been engaged with in a good while. Engaging despite the "not quite her" aspect.

More here in the synopsis
Movies - Cathay Pacific Australia


----------



## Dr.G.

"The Butler ...top notch cast and again a movie that is improved by being based on a true story. MIght be very interesting for non-North Americans. Dr. G - highly recommended."

Thanks for the heads-up, MacDoc. I wanted to see this one as well. Maybe once the semester is over. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## wonderings

Watched Clear History last week. Great film for anyone who likes Curb Your Enthusiasm, its Larry David doing what Larry David does best. I loved it and laughed the whole way through.


----------



## SINC

I tried to watch, "We're the Millers" last night, but shut it off before half way done. One can only listen to the F Bomb so many times and this piece of crap is peppered with it in every scene. Rubbish.


----------



## mrjimmy

Saw Nebraska last night on the big screen. It was quite remarkable in it's ordinariness. It's bleakness emphasized by the fact it was shot in B&W. 

Bruce Dern's performance was solid and respectful to the character he portrayed. 

His wife, portrayed by June Squibb, was a beacon of brevity throughout. Her matter of fact commentary keeps the film from possibly sliding into a darker place. She's been nominated for an Academy Award for it.

Well worth the price of admission.


----------



## Dr.G.

SINC said:


> J. Edgar on Netflix. DiCaprio was fantastic, an enjoyable couple of hours and a peek at history.


A fine movie especially if you knew some of the history the film depicted.


----------



## Dr.G.

Saw "42" last night. A fine film. I had the opportunity to see Jack Robinson play in both Ebbets Field and The Polo Grounds.


----------



## SINC

I saw '42' a couple of weeks back and really enjoyed it. A good family type movie.


----------



## Dr.G.

SINC said:


> I saw '42' a couple of weeks back and really enjoyed it. A good family type movie.


True. I watched it with my son, who was amazed at how they kept African-Americans out of professional sports for so long.

Although I was born and raised a NY Giants fan, who genetically did not like the Brooklyn Dodgers or their players (and vice versa), I was not allowed to boo Jack Robinson. My mother understood the significance of what he was doing for his race and for America. He was a great player and an even greater person.


----------



## Garry

I saw American Hustle while in San Diego.. The movie was really good, with strong performances. Even better was the fact that I saw it at an AMC theatre, and all the chairs were powered recliners! For regular price


----------



## johnp

"Life of Pi" ... watched for the first time last night (via dvd found at a great "let's go to the movies" price at Wally-Mart). Hadn't read the book, and didn't know much of anything about the story ...... we sure enjoyed the ride!!!


----------



## screature

Seven Psychopaths.










A great ride, great story line, excellent acting all around, fast paced, hilarious, all star cast in not at all an all star cast kind of movie.

For those who watch "Boardwalk Empire" you will see a couple of familiar faces, Michael Stuhlbarg and Michael Pitt.

Sam Rockwell is amazing playing the anti-hero, Colin Farrell and Christopher Walken deliver among the best performances of their careers.

Even Woody Harrelson (of whom I am not generally not a fan) does a great job in his role.

And then there is Tom Waits who, as he always does in every movie he is in plays a really great salty character, his role is small but it certainly adds some spice into the mix.

HIGHLY recommended... definitely adult entertainment though.


----------



## screature

In a very different vein...

The Impossible.










Based on a true story of a tourist family in Thailand caught in the destruction and chaotic aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

The child actors steal the show from the super stars, Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor, not to say that they are bad, they are both great, but the kids are amazing for their age.

A real tear gerker, but in a good way, not a sappy way.

Once again HIGHLY recommended, this time the whole family can watch it.


----------



## Dr.G.

Saw "The Lone Ranger" last night .......... twice ( I love listening to the William Tell Overture). Saw that the movie got horrible reviews, but I enjoyed it.


----------



## SINC

I too was dumbfounded at the reviews, I thought it was very funny and enjoyed it as well. Depp was fantastic as Tonto!


----------



## Dr.G.

SINC said:


> I too was dumbfounded at the reviews, I thought it was very funny and enjoyed it as well. Depp was fantastic as Tonto!


I fully agree, Sinc, especially your comment about Depp.


----------



## johnp

the Descendants ... was our lastest view. Not new, but not very old either .. we missed it when it first came out .. like those bins at Wal-Mart, where I caught it for $5 the other day. George Clooney in a fine performance. A bittesweet drama, and much-enjoyed.


----------



## Dr.G.

johnp said:


> the Descendants ... was our lastest view. Not new, but not very old either .. we missed it when it first came out .. like those bins at Wal-Mart, where I caught it for $5 the other day. George Clooney in a fine performance. A bittesweet drama, and much-enjoyed.


I liked the movie as well. Guessed the ending, but I would have been displeased if it ended differently.


----------



## wonderings

The Grand Budapest is a fantastic movie, funny, witty, stylish. If you like Wes Anderson movies, this one does not let you down. Another fantastic film!


----------



## screature

wonderings said:


> The Grand Budapest is a fantastic movie, funny, witty, stylish. If you like Wes Anderson movies, this one does not let you down. Another fantastic film!


Yes I have good things. Loved Moonrise Kingdom and this gets even better reviews... can hardly wait to see it.


----------



## egremont

*strange*



Dr.G. said:


> Saw "The Lone Ranger" last night .......... twice ( I love listening to the William Tell Overture). Saw that the movie got horrible reviews, but I enjoyed it.


I had been talking earlier today to a neighbour who had watched " Lone Ranger " yesterday and was puzzled why others did not enjoy it as much as he did. Some time later I opened the email message linking to your remarks about the film.

Lent the neighbour "Secret Window" for a different Johnny Depp movie.

...from out of the West comes the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver, The Lone Ranger rides again....... 

One of my favourite radio shows.....much better than the later television show.


----------



## Dr.G.

egremont said:


> I had been talking earlier today to a neighbour who had watched " Lone Ranger " yesterday and was puzzled why others did not enjoy it as much as he did. Some time later I opened the email message linking to your remarks about the film.
> 
> Lent the neighbour "Secret Window" for a different Johnny Depp movie.
> 
> ...from out of the West comes the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver, The Lone Ranger rides again.......
> 
> One of my favourite radio shows.....much better than the later television show.


The movie critics had all sorts of complaints, but your neighbor, Sinc and I liked it, so that is a start.


----------



## MacDoc

That's good as I want to see it and I like Depp in the role. Maybe will rent it this Tuesday ( $1 a movie even for new releases and BlueRay )

Meanwhile down under










It's Anzac Day here in Aus and lots of war movies on ....so far this is good and gets 85% on Rotten Tomato.


----------



## Dr.G.

Looks like an interesting movie, MacDoc. Care to provide a synopsis? Merci, mon ami. Paix.


----------



## SINC

Took in 'The Heat' last night and what a wild romp. Sandra Bullock plays an uptight FBI agent who is teamed up with Melisa McCarthy who plays a really foul-mouthed Boston cop in a joint effort to bring down a drug lord. 

Normally I detest movies that overuse the F bomb, but this is one case where it works. Add to that it is hilarious and it makes for a great ride and a fun time movie.

Gotta give this one full marks. RT gives it 65, the audience 72 and I think it is better than that.

Some fun!


----------



## heavyall

I saw The Heat in theatres when it first came out. I went under duress, but I was pleasantly surprised. I still don't think it was "good", but it wasn't supposed to be. It was supposed to be fun, and it is.


----------



## Aurora

wonderings said:


> The Grand Budapest is a fantastic movie, funny, witty, stylish. If you like Wes Anderson movies, this one does not let you down. Another fantastic film!


I agree. It was definitely weird with weird characters but fascinating. We really enjoyed it.:clap:


----------



## Dr.G.

Gushue: The Grand Seduction and the dignity of work - Newfoundland & Labrador - CBC News

Go see this movie if it ever reaches a theater near you.


----------



## CubaMark

*The Best Offer*



I enjoyed Geoffrey Rush in this (Italian origin but English dialogue) romantic / mystery flick. Reviews are mixed, but I found it quite engaging and - yes - a little odd. Rush playes an Auction house owner / auctioneer / appraiser who is contracted to liquidate the art / furniture / belongings of a young heiress whose parents recently passed away. And she's... different. This is a quiet film, but well-acted and written. It's not perfect, but it was an enjoyable viewing. And hey - Donald Sutherland is in it. So there's that.


----------



## Oakbridge

Rps said:


> My wife and I recently viewed "The Perks of Being a Wallflower". While on the surface it appears to be another coming of age movie it, in fact, traces much deeper sinister roots. Adapted from the book of the same name, I found this to be an excellent film. Script, acting, pacing were right on. I would highly recommend it to anyone ... this isn't a teen first love gendre film, although it does talk about first loves, and social issues ..... easily 4.5/5


Saw this Sunday night. It's currently on special thru Apple TV for $0.99. 

I agree with the above review. Excellent movie.


----------



## screature

Oakbridge said:


> Saw this Sunday night. It's currently on special thru Apple TV for $0.99.
> 
> I agree with the above review. Excellent movie.


We saw it over the summer. My wife and both really enjoyed it.

The characters, the acting, the story line, the script all very good.

Also another very good movie, kind along the same lines in some ways (feel) is *Stuck in Love*.










If you liked Logan Lerman in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" you will like him just as much in this movie.

Not to mention Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connelly, Lily Collins and Kristen Bell are all very good as well.

Even Stephen King has a cameo as himself (just his voice).

Very good movie overall.


----------



## Rps

Just saw The 100 Foot Journey. In a word "charming" it has a wonderful cast, well written, and nothing over the top. What is nice is the growth in human relationships between the two generations. Very worthwhile watching. I have a 5 rate scale ... poor, fair, average, good, excellent. This one is easily in the excellent range. However, it is not a film for young children as they may think it dull and boring. What this film has is character development, subtle humour, and leaves you with a smile.


----------



## CubaMark

It's a heckuva ride... solid acting and visual effects. One of those movies you will be talking about afterward, as you try to figure out what the heck just happened.

Also, at 2:48, you'll want to avail yourself of the RunPee service


----------



## tilt

Yesterday I watched "The Grand Seduction". Shot in Newfoundland & Labrador, about a small fishing harbour fallen on hard times. It's a comedy with great acting by all concerned.

Cheers


----------



## FeXL

Watched "Jack Reacher" a couple days back on Blue-Ray. Big fan of the books by Lee Child. 

While I don't recall the exact numbers, Child's character is well over 6 feet tall & significantly over 200 lbs, well built, muscular, imposing and an ex-MP (military police).

I simply could not reconcile skinny, short, civilian, Tom Cruise in elevator shoes in the role. I think Rutger Hauer would have been far more fitting.

I understand a sequel is planned. I won't be purchasing it.


----------



## Macfury

Hey, FeXL, there's a separate thread for these:

http://www.ehmac.ca/everything-else-eh/76439-whats-latest-bad-movie-youve-seen.html



FeXL said:


> Watched "Jack Reacher" a couple days back on Blue-Ray. Big fan of the books by Lee Child.
> 
> While I don't recall the exact numbers, Child's character is well over 6 feet tall & significantly over 200 lbs, well built, muscular, imposing and an ex-MP (military police).
> 
> I simply could not reconcile skinny, short, civilian, Tom Cruise in elevator shoes in the role. I think Rutger Hauer would have been far more fitting.
> 
> I understand a sequel is planned. I won't be purchasing it.


----------



## FeXL

Thx for the tip.

Actually, I didn't really consider the movie itself that bad. In my opinion it simply would have been much better with an actor of some presence, both physically & perceptually. 

Does that make sense?


----------



## Dr.G.

tilt said:


> Yesterday I watched "The Grand Seduction". Shot in Newfoundland & Labrador, about a small fishing harbour fallen on hard times. It's a comedy with great acting by all concerned.
> 
> Cheers


It is a fairly accurate account of the trials and tribulations of rural NL, Tilt. Paix, mon ami.


----------



## monokitty

Great movie.


----------



## Rps

Dr.G. said:


> It is a fairly accurate account of the trials and tribulations of rural NL, Tilt. Paix, mon ami.


I saw this, and was curious as it was almost a direct lift of the French Canadian version. In some ways I preferred the French version to this English counterpart. It seemed to have more humour and left me with a sense that it was genuine ( as much as a tongue in cheek movie can be ).

What I find disturbing is the limited locations these films were shown in. The Birder was filmed in Windsor and area and yet we never got to see it in the theatre. Say what you will about Quebec's politics but at least they distribute their films for the mass to see. I think the last big Canadian film release was My Big Fat Greek Wedding ( if you could call that a Canadian film ) .


----------



## screature

Rps said:


> Just saw The 100 Foot Journey. In a word "charming" it has a wonderful cast, well written, and nothing over the top. What is nice is the growth in human relationships between the two generations. Very worthwhile watching. I have a 5 rate scale ... poor, fair, average, good, excellent. This one is easily in the excellent range. However, it is not a film for young children as they may think it dull and boring. What this film has is character development, subtle humour, and leaves you with a smile.


I agree Rps.

It was very good... nothing "earth shattering"... Hollywood has that covered. 

It had a very good cast and equally good acting and direction, but the main thing is it was a very interesting/compelling story well told.

The ending was a bit Hollywood (not always a bad thing) but I suspect that it may have been necessary to have the film produced and promoted commercially. But all in all we enjoyed it very much.

Definitely worth watching IMO.










The Hundred-Foot Journey


----------



## CubaMark

Believe the hype. This film was _*outstanding*_.

*Mad Max: Fury Road*









The cinematics are amazing. Charlize Theron is captivating. Tom Hardy is... well... he's there, on the screen, but doesn't say much, nor is he overly central to the film. Kind of odd for the guy in the role of the titular Mad Max. 

It's also got some guys' jockstrap in a bunch, as Theron's character dominates the screen. Or something. Misogyny is rampant in reviews from a certain group....

98% rating at Rotten Tomatoes

They're talking Oscars for a Mad Max film. What?

One critic relays the film review of his 70-year old mother-in-law.

And the New Yorker had more than a few kind words.


----------



## Macfury

I've liked the Mad Max films in descending order. This one doesn't look so good to me, but on CM's recommendation I'll go see it.


----------



## wonderings

Saw Ex Machina last week. Amazing movie both in story and visual effects. Best Sci Fi film in many years in my opinion. Not an action movie, not your hollywood big block buster, just a solid sci fi story that is both beautiful and creepy. 
[ame]https://youtu.be/gyKqHOgMi4g[/ame]


----------



## Macfury

wonderings said:


> Saw Ex Machina last week. Amazing movie both in story and visual effects. Best Sci Fi film in many years in my opinion. Not an action movie, not your hollywood big block buster, just a solid sci fi story that is both beautiful and creepy.
> https://youtu.be/gyKqHOgMi4g


I thought it was pretty interesting. Reminded me in tone of a British film from 2013 _The Machine_. Best scene was the AI asking the fella about his earliest memories.


----------



## screature

Almost Famous.










It is "old" but we watched it again recently.

We liked it the first, second and now the third time around.

Great movie and it is astounding how many people who were in it that were "almost famous" at the time and who are truly famous now.


----------



## screature

CubaMark said:


> Believe the hype. This film was _*outstanding*_.
> 
> *Mad Max: Fury Road*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The cinematics are amazing. Charlize Theron is captivating. Tom Hardy is... well... he's there, on the screen, but doesn't say much, nor is he overly central to the film. Kind of odd for the guy in the role of the titular Mad Max.
> 
> It's also got some guys' jockstrap in a bunch, as Theron's character dominates the screen. Or something. Misogyny is rampant in reviews from a certain group....
> 
> 98% rating at Rotten Tomatoes
> 
> They're talking Oscars for a Mad Max film. What?
> 
> One critic relays the film review of his 70-year old mother-in-law.
> 
> And the New Yorker had more than a few kind words.


Glad to hear it CM, it looks like a good ride, no doubt better than "Thunderdome" (not that it would be hard to better that movie ).

We haven't seen a movie in a theater since the last of the Lord of the Rings movies (none of the Hobbit movies either) but so you think this is worth the cost of a big screen?

For us the only reason to pay the exorbitant price to see a movie in a theater is if it is "big screen worthy", i.e. the experience is worth the price.

For us, as you can tell, there are very few and far in between that fall into that category.


----------



## Macfury

screature said:


> Glad to hear it CM, it looks like a good ride, no doubt better than "Thunderdome" (not that it would be hard to better that movie ).


Does this one have a top 40 theme song?


----------



## fjnmusic

screature said:


> Almost Famous.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It is "old" but we watched it again recently.
> 
> 
> 
> We liked it the first, second and now the third time around.
> 
> 
> 
> Great movie and it is astounding how many people who were in it that were "almost famous" at the time and who are truly famous now.



Loved this film. Saw not again recently too. Something about the bus and everyone singing Tiny Dancer just really brought it home for me. Billy Crudup was as real as it gets. Jason Lee was perfect in a pre-Earl Hickey role. Everything about this movie, even Frances McDormand as the mom, was done perfectly. More than almost.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## bball2

I just saw Nightcrawler and really liked it:

Nightcrawler (2014) - IMDb

Jake Gyllenhaal plays the lead role really well.


----------



## screature

fjnmusic said:


> Loved this film. Saw not again recently too. Something about the bus and everyone singing Tiny Dancer just really brought it home for me. Billy Crudup was as real as it gets. Jason Lee was perfect in a pre-Earl Hickey role. Everything about this movie, even Frances McDormand as the mom, was done perfectly. More than almost.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Even Jimmy Fallon was in the movie... did you catch it? It was a very small part and could easily be missed... His appearance is toward the end.

Also whatever happened to Patrick Fugit, the kid who played the lead and the most significant role in the movie.

His character was, William Miller the teenage writer. This guy:










This is what he looks like now:










He grew out of his boyish looks.

Based on his filmography it seems that Almost Famous was about as famous as he ever got despite his being the lead in the movie other actors who played more minor characters became more famous than he has.

Patrick Fugit

Too bad in a way but so long as he is happy with what he has achieved it really doesn't matter how famous he became.


----------



## Macfury

I found _Almost Famous_ astonishingly irritating! Like _The Big Lebowski_, I just don't get it.


----------



## screature

bball2 said:


> I just saw Nightcrawler and really liked it:
> 
> Nightcrawler (2014) - IMDb
> 
> Jake Gyllenhaal plays the lead role really well.


Thanks bball, we haven't seen that one yet. We pretty much like almost everything Jake Gyllenhaal does so we will have to check it out.


----------



## screature

Macfury said:


> I found _Almost Famous_ astonishingly irritating! Like _The Big Lebowski_, I just don't get it.


To each their own, there is no accounting for taste, either you like it/"get it" or don't.

Kind of like food in that way, that is why it is referred to as "taste".


----------



## Macfury

When I have asked people to tell me what they like about either of the films, they are generally tongue-tied. That usually happens when people identify closely with the main character in the film.



screature said:


> To each their own, there is no accounting for taste, either you like it/"get it" or don't.
> 
> Kind of like food in that way, that is why it is referred to as "taste".


----------



## CubaMark

bball2 said:


> I just saw Nightcrawler and really liked it:
> 
> Nightcrawler (2014) - IMDb
> 
> Jake Gyllenhaal plays the lead role really well.


I saw zero publicity for this film last year... and whenever I saw mention of it, I assumed it was a Marvel movie about this guy:


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## heavyall

CubaMark said:


> I saw zero publicity for this film last year... and whenever I saw mention of it, I assumed it was a Marvel movie about this guy:


That's what I thought too, and I was actually disappointed when I found out otherwise!

------------------


Saw Entourage on monday. Fun movie, better than I expected. Much faster pacing than the TV show had, better character development, and also more Hollywood excess (for good and for bad). The story was self contained, so you did not have to have seen the show to understand everything that was happening. Ronda Rousey was particularly good in it, she had a much bigger role than I thought she would. Seeing Haley Joel Osment as an all grown up, scruffy, not very nice guy was pretty neat. It's not going to win any awards, but it's definitely worth seeing. I did think the ending was gay.


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## screature

Macfury said:


> When I have asked people to tell me what they like about either of the films, they are generally tongue-tied. That usually happens when people identify closely with the main character in the film.


I really don't know what to make of that comment MF...

It certainly isn't the case with either me or my wife. Maybe you need to ask a more literate crowd...

At any rate as I said before there is no accounting for taste. If you feel it is otherwise... give it your best shot. I am all ears. beejacon

If you choose to engage in such a discussion it should become a new thread so as not to derail this one because I for one will be in for the long haul.


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## Macfury

Ha! I don't want to try to dissuade anyone from liking a film. Life's too short for that!


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## polywog

Saw Jupiter Ascending last weekend. It was much better than the reviews made it out to be. I think it qualifies as good (enough) when you watch it in context.

Loved The Theory of Everything. Such a brilliant portrayal, though they could have tightened up the relationships a little.

And although I've seen it a few times, still get a kick out of Guardians of the Galaxy.


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## polywog

bball2 said:


> I just saw Nightcrawler and really liked it:
> 
> Nightcrawler (2014) - IMDb
> 
> Jake Gyllenhaal plays the lead role really well.


Jake Gyllenhaal tends to elevate the appeal of movies he's in. Even the stinkers he's been in are redeemed by his performance.


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## Macfury

polywog said:


> Jake Gyllenhaal tends to elevate the appeal of movies he's in.


I liked _Source Code_. Did you see _Enemy_ where he plays the dual role?


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## CubaMark

polywog said:


> Saw Jupiter Ascending last weekend. It was much better than the reviews made it out to be. I think it qualifies as good (enough) when you watch it in context.


It was a fun romp, but there's a humorous scene that threw me off... apart from that, the special effects were very cool...


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## Macfury

No special effects, but I enjoyed _A Most Violent Year_--a story about a fuel delivery business trying to survive in NYC in 1981. It didn't blow me away, but it was a solid film that drew me in.


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## screature

Macfury said:


> Ha! I don't want to try to dissuade anyone from liking a film. Life's too short for that!


Happy to hear that you think so.


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## screature

polywog said:


> Saw Jupiter Ascending last weekend. It was much better than the reviews made it out to be. I think it qualifies as good (enough) when you watch it in context.
> 
> Loved The Theory of Everything. Such a brilliant portrayal, though they could have tightened up the relationships a little.
> 
> And although I've seen it a few times, still get a kick out of Guardians of the Galaxy.





CubaMark said:


> It was a fun romp, but there's a humorous scene that threw me off... apart from that, the special effects were very cool...


It didn't get a very good rating on IMDb, only a 5.5. I usually don't pay to watch anything under a 7 unless it is on one of the "free" movie channels. When that is the case if a am totally bored and have nothing better to do I will watch a bad movie just to to make fun of it and laugh at how bad it is. So I will wait.

Kind of like watching "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes". A little bit of "camp" in small amounts can be fun.


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## BReligion

screature said:


> Kind of like watching "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes". A little bit of "camp" in small amounts can be fun.


I do love a good B movie. Some of the best movies are the ones that don't take themselves to seriously. 

Check out Tucker and Dale VS Evil. Absolutely hilarious spoof/take on the college kid horror movie genre. (giggling to myself like an idiot watching the trailer again)

BReligion


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## Macfury

No way was that romance gonna happen!



BReligion said:


> I do love a good B movie. Some of the best movies are the ones that don't take themselves to seriously.
> 
> Check out Tucker and Dale VS Evil. Absolutely hilarious spoof/take on the college kid horror movie genre. (giggling to myself like an idiot watching the trailer again)
> 
> BReligion


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## bball2

Tucker and Dale vs Evil was awesome! So many good laughs throughout


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## CubaMark

Oh, man. Want a solid hit to the feels? Try the based-on-the-true story Lion (2016). About the little Indian kid who gets on a train, wakes up 1600km away, gets adopted by Aussies and then finds his way home as an adult via Google Earth.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RNI9o06vqo[/ame]


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## CubaMark

This was pretty much awesome ... confirmed by all of the Mexicans around me, and my lovely wife. Really hit all the right notes, and a whole whack of cultural references that only Mexicans would ever begin to understand. Non-Mexicans will also enjoy it immensely 

There's also a brief appearance by a Macintosh Classic - keep your eye out for it!

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW9DU2481rU[/ame]


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## Macfury

Opening earlier in Mexico?


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## CubaMark

Macfury said:


> Opening earlier in Mexico?


Quite a few films open internationally before the US or Canadian market sees them.

IN the case of Coco, they had to get it into cinemas now, in time for the traditional "Day of the Dead" observances here, which run from the the 28th of October through early November (apologies for the crappy Google translation):

*The celebration of the Day of the Dead does not only last two days.*

According to the grandparents, the tradition begins in this order:


It begins on October 28 and lights the first light (white candle) and a white flower to welcome the singles.
On October 29, another candle is lit and a glass of water is dedicated to the departed forgotten and helpless.
On October 30 a new candle maker is put in place another glass with water and a white bread (bolillo or telera) is put for the deceased who left without eating or those who had an accident.
On October 31 another candle is lit, we put another glass with water, another white bread and place a fruit (mandarin orange or guava) this is for the dead of the dead (ancestors) or the grandparents of your parents that some we had or have the pleasure of meeting them (great-grandparents).
On November 1 is the day that is known as the day of the small dead, children or children on this day put all sweet food, pumpkin, guava, chocolate, honey, flowers.
The day November 2 known as the day of the faithful departed or the large dead that is the day that is placed all food, cigars and their beers and in every day of the obvious celebration put flowers, incense is burned copal of preference
At the end, on November 3, the last white candlestick is burned copal and dismissed asking them to return the following year.

(Source: a FB page that I've since lost)​


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