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Post by KoNeko on Feb 17, 2004 13:38:17 GMT -5
Oooh, yeah. Troy. I saw the trailer for that... it looks bloody awesome. Not to mention that the casting isn't half bad...
Oh, I watched Pearl Harbor just before- my sister got it on DVD- and I have to say that it is ABSOLUTELY the WORST world war 2 film I've ever seen (including Windtalkers- thanks Nic Cage for upstaging the real heroes of that one). It's totally historically inaccurate and I just couldn't sit through all three hours of the drivel. And yeah, it was so pumped with pro-American propaganda... it was almost laughable. So... that one is getting no thumbs from me, and a big raspberry instead.
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Calantha
Gryffindor Alumni
My name is Luck, this is my song, I happened by when you were gone
Posts: 4,493
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Post by Calantha on Feb 18, 2004 13:06:29 GMT -5
Blech. Pearl Harbor. I'll be honest, I liked the beginning when the two main characters were little boys...but after that, I sorta lost interest. I thought it had interesting parts though, more so the love story parts...but the war parts in general, well, I'd rather sit through The Halls of Montezuma (sp?) or Torah, Torah, Torah! *shrugs*
I went to go see The Big Bounce with a friend. It was a waste of my money and reminded me why I don't go see movies with that person. The plot was predictable, Owen Wilson proved to be mildly entertaining, but on the whole it lacked a spark to capture the viewer.
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Post by En on Feb 21, 2004 11:31:24 GMT -5
Pearl Harbor. Yakfest. The history parts were blah, which any good director could have fixed, and the rest of it was like, why do I care? Monstrous historical inaccuracies, weak writing, a lot of histrionics. I rank it #2 on my list of "Historical" (but not really) Films that Made Me Wish I'd Saved My $7. I mean, okay, I know love stories can be made good, but for gosh sakes don't defame one of the most terrifying tragedies in US history by making a half-assed love story set against that background, and whatever you do don't market it as a war flick. Truth in labelling, people!
I just watched Daredevil the other night and failed to be thrilled. I'd really been looking forward to it -- you know how much I dug the X-Men films, and Daredevil is a blind lawyer who uses the rest of his senses to move better than an ordinary person, right? But... I felt like the script was pretty weak, a rehash of the decades-old theme of "am I going to be a vigilante or am I?," and while there were some good moments -- the mustard in the coffee sequence, in particular, and the moment when Elektra opens an umbrella so that Matt can't see her -- it just didn't take me anywhere new, you know? And it could have. There was this great opportunity, and I feel like it was squandered. Has anyone else seen it? Am I missing something? I feel like I am....
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Post by Nie on Feb 21, 2004 11:42:28 GMT -5
I've seen it and I didn't think much of the script either. It was just a little cliche in some parts, and I think they were trying to use symbolism in some parts but it didn't really work. It could have been so much better.
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Post by KoNeko on Feb 23, 2004 9:32:03 GMT -5
Right. If there's one thing you should know before seeing House of Sand and Fog, it's that there are no happy moments in the film. Well, it's not a happy film to start with, so I can't say that I enjoyed it per se, but it is very watchable.
Basically, the story is about a house, and Jennifer Connelly's character gets wrongfully evicted from it by the county, who sell it to Ben Kingsley's character (whose name I can't spell). And so the struggle for the real ownership of the house begins, and it ends far more tragically than I could ever have anticipated. Really puts things into perspective, in a way.
And yeah. I have to say that I'm now a converted Ben Kingsley fan- he is awesome in his role. (The only other time I've seen him in a film was when he was Dhalsim in Street Fighter but yeah. This was great.) He pulls off what he does so well.
So yeah, I'd really recommend this film. There's not much action or romance or anything, but it does make you think a lot about lots of big questions. Bring tissues as well.
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Post by Ritsu on Feb 26, 2004 17:00:47 GMT -5
Okay.
About The Last Samurai, yeah, I guess it was pretty much underrated. Critics kept saying it was more a Cruise-vehicle than a good movie itself. I even read one critic that kept saying how the slow-motion scenes were done perfectly to show Tom Cruise on his best angles. But I went to see the movie nontheless, because I really don't care about what the critics say. Usually the opposite happens... I tend to like what they hate. Anyway, apart from being set in XVIIIth century Japan, everything about Samurai tends to interest me... mostly thanks to my still active craving for Rurouni Kenshin. I ended up really liking the movie. Plus, the place the Samurai village was located was simply beautiful. The movie is not perfect, but comparing it to some other blockbuster type of movies that come up now and then, it tops. Magazines say Cruise was pretty angry when he didn't get the nomination for the Oscar but honestly, I think he didn't deserve it. Okay, he did a very nice job but.. it just isn't enough. I don't know. About the movie, the story isn't true, I'm sure of that. I have this chronology of the Samurai era in one of my Kenshin volumes [and it's a real one, the fiction facts are underlined] and the Americans went there way before the year in which the movie takes place and there wasn't anyone called... erm... I can't remember his name, Kasumoto? But there were some references to the real facts here and there, such as men being forbid to carry swords on the streets. There's even one Kenshin episode when All in all, I pretty much liked the movie. And the guy who played... here I go again, probably making a big mistake, the guy who played Kasumoto was an excellent actor. Excellent.
So, moving on to my recent theatre trips:
- Lost In Translation: overrated. Too overrated, I dare say. I'm not saying the movie is bad, no, but at least here in Portugal it was much acclaimed. Magazines, critics, everyone was saying how good the movie was and how it captured this and captured that and blablabla, you know, professional critics stuff. Even a friend of mine said it was "brilliant". And since I love Scarlett Johansson, I went. Last Saturday, with my mum. I was greatly admiring it at the beginning, the first scenes, a bit of comedy here and there [like the "lip my stockins" bit] but then it just got... dull. The actors did an awesome job, the script was perfect, but the movie was too slow. I don't know. Maybe it was trying to capture how things really went in a day-to-day rythm, not rushing up the action and all but you really felt some gaps between some scenes. Felt like the story was divided into pieces connected with empty... things. Once again, the photography is wonderful. Tokyo looked out of this world and that Kyoto temple was just gorgeous. Does Bill Murray deserve the nomination? My theory is that if Bill is nominated, Tom Cruise should be nominated too. I know I said he didn't deserve it, but I'm just comparing. Bill Murray played a very natural Bob Harris, and that was awesome. Seemed like he was Bob Harris, we didn't notice that gap between the actor and the character. But yet again... Scarlett should be the nominated one. She's just so talented. And I'm so glad she escaped the teen-flick sort of movies.
- Thirteen: with my Evan Rachel Wood. My hopes are really high for this girl, and I do hope she doesn't start making those stupid teenage movies Scarlett Johansson escaped of. I greatly admire Evan, mostly because of her character Jessie in Once and Again ((Tv Series)) with whom I really did identify myself with. It was even frightening, sometimes... I knew what she was up to even before she gave the smaller signs. I just knew. Anyway, about "Thirteen"... it kinda disappointed me. Once again, it's a good movie, with a good actor development ((especially Evan, I knew she was good but she's always surprising me)), but I wish they'd focused more on the shit she did, instead of slightly mentioning it. Not "slightly mentioning" it, showing the stuff but not how it's really done. I believe they didn't want to shock the viewers more than they were supposed to, people kept saying the movie was shocking because they were 13 year old girls doing that sort of stuff but, speaking for myself, I wasn't shocked at all. I know stories of people who were much, much worse than that if possible, such as Christiane F, who even has a book out (it came out a long time ago, though). So I thought that with the whole story it would be more dramatic and all. It's still good. But not true enough, if you know what I mean. One of the highlights is Nikki Reed, the one who plays Evie Zamora. She's 15 I think, and she's the co-writer of the movie. And the story's auto-biographical. So, Nikki Reed was in the situation the girl Evan played was. Now that gave me the creeps.
- Big Fish: Loved it. It's been ages since I saw a movie so beautiful and simple as this one. Not exactly simple, but you know what I mean. I won't go very long in this one, I have nothing to criticize (in a bad sort of way). The whole movie is perfect, the actors are perfect, the script is perfect, the photography is perfect... it's Tim Burton. What were they expecting? I also loved the idea of the movie, the idea behind the man's stories... making reality more acceptable. Making not so "colourful" events better to remember by making them more magical... I don't know. I saw it last Sunday and I can't even describe it properly yet. "Now if I was to choose between the real story of the day you were born and the elaborated version, I think I'd prefer the elaborated version". True. Because it makes a moment much more special than the banality of things. One of the best moments is the ending... when the man [can't remember his name... shame], after constantly repeating that he knew how was going to die and that wasn't the way turns to his son and says "Now.. tell me how I die" "You mean what you saw in the eye? But I don't know..I... tell me how it begins" "It begins like this" It was kinda humiliating because I went with a friend of mine, a guy, and I didn't want to cry in front of him so I was like, avoiding to look at the screen. And Pearl Jam's Man Of The Hour is the cherry on top of the cake. Big Fish is perfect. I highly recommend it.
-Edward Scissorhands: After Big Fish I decided to watch more of Tim Burton's work and this is a classic. I've seen it once, but not the whole thing, so I rented it again. I won't expand. It made me cry a lot. So sad and beautiful.
What's next:
-Girl With a Pearl Earring: read the book, loved it. Scarlett and Colin. The photography's great [and made by a Portuguese guy, nominated for an Oscar ] -Cold Mountain: I hear it's crap. Reasons: Jude Law and Philip Seymour-Hoffman... and I want to see how Anthony Minghella did something crappy, which is a first. -Troy: *maybe* ... only if I'm depressed and in need to see pretty faces.
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Post by En on Feb 28, 2004 0:27:56 GMT -5
I loved Edward Scissorhands. It was so twisted and scary and sad and beautiful, and even the places where it could have been corny, the actors carried through so well. Wow, I need to go rent that, I haven't seen it in ages, but I can still remember whole long scenes out of it -- it was that vivid for me.
*reads Rita's reviews* Okay, I have to see Big Fish now, and ditto wanting to see Girl with the Pearl Earring. And I'll probably rent Last Samurai when it comes out on DVD. I hadn't even considered seeing Thirteen, but maybe I should....
Ko, I think (Sir!) Ben Kingsley was Feste in the Trevor Nunn Twelfth Night, which I'd put in my Top 5 Shakespeare-to-Film-Direct-Adaptations. Yeah... here. He is such a riot -- the scene in the barn between Orsino and "Cesario" is a scream and a half. If you get a chance, check it out. Oh, and he was also in Schindler's List, which despite the Spielbergness of its marketing is still one of the best films I've seen.
In other news... YES! X3 is being cast!
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Post by KoNeko on Feb 28, 2004 1:46:33 GMT -5
Oh, yeah and Sir Kingsley () was also in that movie they did about Ghandi... we watched it at school in RE but this was ages ago and I didn't actually realise until just recently. But... I don't remember him in Schindler's List, who was he?
Oh, Girl with the Pearl Earring!! I want to see that as well! It doesn't come out here for ages though.
Edward Scissorhands. Probably one of the very few movies that I basically cried all of the way through. That scene with the cookie machine and the professor... *tears up*
Pssst, En, about Last Samurai, I want to know what you thought of it after you saw it. I mean, with all the cultural stuff that they put in it and everything,.
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Post by En on Feb 28, 2004 2:05:33 GMT -5
Man, that Gandhi one is almost as old as me, isn't it? Talk about your trip down amnesia lane....
In Schindler's List, he played Itzhak Stern, the accountant.
Anyway... yes, I will report back concerning Mission Samurai, Agent Kitten.
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Post by Simply Panda on Feb 28, 2004 3:42:57 GMT -5
Big Fish is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time... it was so beautiful. And it gave me one of those feelings at then end when I was super sad... but super happy... and crying because of both. (I went with a guy friend to... oh jeez) Lost in Translation... overrated... but still pretty good... just not as good as everyone's saying. I do think Bill was excellent in it though! Love Actually... have we talked about it yet... if yes... oh well... IT'S SO CUTE! lol... aaaand it has all sorts of great british actors in it... I mean... our own Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman(hmmm... i feel like I've talked about it before) Ghandi... watched it last year in my world issues class... it was excellent... didn't recognize him as Ben Kingsley... I was a little occupied by being amazed by how much he looked like my civics teacher... i mean... we're talking AMAZING resembalance here...
*Afterthought* I wonder how many spelling mistakes I made here?
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Calavera Diablos
Ravenclaw Alumni
Draws grown men wearing underpants outside their trousers
Posts: 1,547
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Post by Calavera Diablos on Feb 28, 2004 15:23:58 GMT -5
Lost in Translation- Personally, I enjoyed it. I loved the way the film displayed Japanese traditional culture to their entertainment industry, which is psychotic and frenetic in comparison. I liked it because of the overall theme, that two people are experiencing hardships in their lives (Bill's going through a mid-life crisis and he's having an equally hard time relating to his signifigant other, which is what Scarlett is going through) and how they connect and bring a moment of happiness and reflection to one another.
The Dreamers- Based on Gilbert Adair's novel, "The Holy Innocents". This film tells the story of Matthew, an american student who travels to Paris. He meets Theo and Isabel, highly intellectual twins who are also incestuous and very open with their sexuality. The twins believe that they are two halves that make up one person, so naturally, Matthew falls in love with both of them. It has a fantastic soundtrack (slow, rhythmic, sensuous music by Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Steve Miller Band, The Doors...) and the film itself is visually appealing. The story portrays these three revolutionary youths trying to find truth and meaning in a world spiraling into chaos, but ultimately find none. Matthew is a pacifist who believes the revolution must be an intellectual one, their hearts and minds must come first. Of course, the people revolt and become their oppressors by resorting to violence. I feel that the film really speaks to the intellectuals of varying times, how one cannot stand behind their convictions then proceed to do nothing. In order to change the world, you must be active. The film is a dissapointment because the novel blatantly explores homosexuality, incest, rape and violence, but the film merely brushes up against the idea and runs away.
Club Dread- By the creative minds that produced "Super Troopers" (a comedy team named Broken Lizard), Club Dread is a parody of horror films that involve island resorts. "Scary Movie" already explored a wider range of humor having to do with Slasher flicks, but their humor is pretty juvenile when compared to Broken Lizard's attempt. I felt it was a truly great comedy film with interesting characters.
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Post by guinevere on Mar 3, 2004 14:10:17 GMT -5
I am going to take a stand for Pearl Harbor (please, don*t toss your empty popcorn containers at me I liked the movie. I went into it knowing it wasn*t historically correct (although I don*t think it was that far off the record)--knowing it was just filmed for entertainment purposes--and I liked it fine. It isn*t on my top 10 (or 20) list, but it was fine. I feel as if I have personal ties to the movie since I live up the hill from Pearl Harbor and have been to the memorial many times and saw parts of the shooting of the film.... but I go to the movies for entertainment...strictly....and I find that by going with that thought in mind, I*m rarely disappointed.. I watched Daredevil on HBO the other night...and that was entertaining, too---nothing spectacular, but entertaining.
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Calantha
Gryffindor Alumni
My name is Luck, this is my song, I happened by when you were gone
Posts: 4,493
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Post by Calantha on Mar 3, 2004 17:15:57 GMT -5
I saw Big Fish when it came out (is it still out?) and I loved it...okay, not only do I love Ewan McGregor in just about everything he does (even his polar bear documentary ) but the story just took me away, swept me off my feet. Beautiful storytelling throughout all of it and I felt as though all the characters were excellently played. I broke down at the end when we see the worlds of the realistic and practical son meeting the dreamer father at the funneral. Beautifully made. Beautifully written. Beautifully acted. And so many things that make you think "huh". I would love to go see it again. And one of the movies you can watch again and again and still notice things you didn't catch before. I loved Lost in Translation. I don't pay a whole hecka lot of attention to what people say about mainly because it just never really comes to mind, but I loved it and I found it very interesting, educational, and beautifully woven together. I will admit that you must be in the mood for it, I wanted to watch it because I wanted to get something out of something. *shrugs* but I guess that's the way it is with all movies. It gets both of my thumbs up...
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Post by En on Mar 4, 2004 0:13:16 GMT -5
but I go to the movies for entertainment...strictly....and I find that by going with that thought in mind, I*m rarely disappointed.. I watched Daredevil on HBO the other night...and that was entertaining, too---nothing spectacular, but entertaining. Yeah, ditto on both counts, really. Sometimes I get fed up with critics who pick away at things, because I'm like, if you're not willing to suspend your disbelief sometimes, why are you in this business?
I especially felt like that when fantasy and sci-fi films never got nominated for the big eight Academy Awards (picture, director, screenplay, soundtrack, and the four acting categories). They'd always been pretty fair about handing out technical awards, but it bugged me that 98% of the nominees were love stories and none had any really fantastical elements, for the first 75 years, you know?
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Post by guinevere on Mar 4, 2004 3:00:47 GMT -5
oh, but I do know....I*ve wanted a movie nominated that made me feel--hmm--difficult to find the exact word--empowered. when I was a mere tot and times were different, I went to the saturday matinees with my peers and we could come home and re-enact such films as Johnny Tremaine, Three Musketeers, or a cool western--it would be a race home to see who could find a branch or stick that would make a sword--and we would play until dinner--and sometimes after dinner--and pick up on it the next day. then, come the next Saturday, we*d see yet another film and go off on another tangent...
so I*ve waited all this time for a film to win that would make me want to play all over again....thank you, Lord of the Rings.
guinevere (who feels that adults don*t play enough)
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