The MOVIES thread

mistasparkle* · Post by mistasparkle* » Wed Jul 30, 2003 8:29 pm

Head of State - Saw it on my flight back from NY, and my god.... what the hell happened to Chris Rock!?!?? This is by far the most unfunny comedy i've ever seen. Even if you dismiss the horribly implausible premise, it's full of uncreative and uncleverly done political "comedy" and even more poorly done racial (e.g. black/white) comedy. I watched the 1st half of this movie, and turned it off. Mind you I was on a 13 hour flight with nothing better to do than to stare at the back of the seat in front of me. I'd choose the back of the seat in front of me over this movie... it was that bad. Chris Rock was at the top of his game 3 or 4 years ago, but he looks like he dropped the ball big time. I wonder what happened?? In any event, Avoid this movie at all costs.

Post by **enderzero** » Thu Jul 31, 2003 2:22 am

Whew! That sounds bad. I almost watched that on my business class flight to NY, but opted for Grand Canyon instead.

Seabiscuit Great feel-good film. Wonderful performances by Tobey Maguire (anyone else notice he is turning into one of the best actors in Hollywood?), Jeff Bridges, Chris Carter, and especially William H. Macy. The story is captivating and inspirational and it is filmed absolutely beautifully. Still, the movie is very formulaic, and it has a distinct feel that it is trying to do everything right for a trip to the Oscar podium. But the fact is that makes for a well made and extremely enjoyable film.

Post by **enderzero** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 1:48 am

Knockaround Guys There are a number of realistic mafia flicks out there...but this is not one of them. It was mediocre, somewhat enjoyable, but definitely not realistic. Barry Pepper (the stockbroker in 25th Hour) stars as the son and nephew of Dennis Hopper and John Malkovich respectively, who are the top mobsters I guess. When his buddy loses a bunch of mob money, he heads to Hicksville, Montana with Seth Green, Vin Diesel and some other guy to try to get it back. But it doesn't go as planned and ... blah blah blah. Typical Hollywood. Not bad but not great.

Just Married Whoa, you don't catch me watching too many romantic comedies by myself on a Thursday night... But I have actually had a desire to see this one for a while. Kutcher is so so, but I really like Brittany Murphy. They are a good team though and their love is pretty believeable. I enjoyed the movie, but I wouldn't have paid to see it. Not like many of you guys are gonna catch this one, but man can you believe the nerve of that Peter guy. Ha!

Ocean11 · Post by **Ocean11** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 7:40 am

ender, if you're liking romantic comedies, She's Having a Baby with Kevin Bacon (where has he gone?) was quite enjoyable, and Hear My Song was a bit of a scream. Ancient history now, both of them, but memorable.

Post by **enderzero** » Fri Aug 01, 2003 8:49 am

Who implied I liked romantic comedies?.... I didn't say that did I? Just to make sure everyione knows, I do not like romantic comedies... unless they are really good.... like Sweet Home Alabama...

Post by **enderzero** » Sun Aug 03, 2003 11:51 am

Northfork I have been doing a lot of reading about Film Schools and whether or not they are worth the time. Apparently film schools can be broken down into 3 categories; Industry, Independent, and Experimental. Until seeing this movie I wasn't sure what a movie would look like from an experimental school. - Think ART. - In fact, I am not really aware if the twin Polish brothers Michael and Mark attended an MFA film school. I haven't really seen either of the other movies the pair is responsible for (Twin Falls Idaho and Jackpot) although I did catch around 20 minutes of Twin Falls Idaho, a story about siamese twins starring the brothers, on IFC a while back. Mark has a well acted role in Northfork as James Woods' son. The acting all around in this movie is superb. Anthony Edwards, Nick Nolte, Daryl Hannah, the young Duel Farnes, and Robin Sachs as Cup of Tea all give captivating performances. This is undoubtedly the best performance I have ever seen by Woods, of whom I am not normally a big fan, as well. But the acting takes a back seat in this film to the artistic glory for the eyes. This is a visual masterpiece. Every shot (I mean every shot!) looks as though it was artistically conceived like a beautiful painting and then captured perfectly. There is a scene in a small church missing the wall behind the preacher. Instead it looks out onto a beautiful plain with livestock grazing. It is also shot with a strange dulling effect. Sometimes certain items appear completely without color. I won't go into too much detail on the story. Watch the trailer and you will get the basic (interesting) premise of Woods and son working to evacuate a small town before it is flooded in a public works project to create a lake. It is definitely slow. Do not expect any fast paced action. But the slow pace allows you to spend plenty of time taking in all of the beauty that these two have created. But at only 100 minutes it does not drag on at all. In fact, I was left wanting more. If you are a fan of film or a fan of art in general, you must see this movie.

spidermonkey · Post by **spidermonkey** » Mon Aug 04, 2003 8:27 pm

Agreed

Post by **enderzero** » Wed Aug 13, 2003 9:41 pm

Far From Heaven Another very artistic movie. This one was directed by a guy named Todd Haynes. He has made a few flicks in the past but this is definitely the first to show up on anybody's radar, and it actually did meet with critical acclaim including a few Academy Award nominations including cinematography and screenplay. It was produced by Steven Soderbergh, which does not surprise me much. Haynes uses a style similar to Soderbergh's use of color and what basically just comes down to a feel that it is possible to film a movie in an artistic way, without detracting from an interesting story. This is an admirable feat to attempt, and one that Haynes certainly succeeds at. The subject matter, focusing on Julianne Moore as a 50's housewife, caught with feelings for a black man, and her husband, played wonderfully by Dennis Quaid, battling with latent homosexuality, is riveting as well. The only negative thing I can point to is the lack of closure the film's ending left me with. But still definitely worth watching, especially for fans of a film making style with a little artistic flare.

Post by **enderzero** » Tue Aug 26, 2003 10:58 am

A Bridge Too Far The star studded war drama takes you through Operation Market Garden in Holland in 1944. Made in 1977 during what is affectionately known as the golden age of cinema. This movie has the same feel of those classics, and many of the same actors, including Hackman, Caan, Hopkins, Redford, Connery and more. Richard Attenborough employs the use of great camera angles made popular at the time. Just overall a great war movie I had never seen from a great time in cinema.

Post by **enderzero** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 12:24 am

Whoops, forgot about this for a while. Haven't watched too many movies anyway.

The Pianist I used to really try to avoid movies about the Holocaust. Now I remember why. But let it be said that this is an excellent movie. Adrian Brody is fantastic and it is beautifully filmed. To its benefit, the gruesomeness was mainly subdued except for a few pointed scenes, and it was offset with a tone of hope. I definitely recommend this one.

Empire of the Sun What is this, like 3 WWII movies in a row, all dramatically different? I hadn't seen Empire of the Sun since I was very young, and I thought that with my interest in Japan I would really enjoy it. It turns out it takes place in China... Well that aside, it really kinda struck me as a typical Steven Spielberg affair. The only interesting stuff happens at the beginning. There is very little conflict. Malkovitch is great but I was a little annoyed by the boy played by Christian Bale. Joe Pantoliano, the best unlikeable actor in Hollywood, has a funny little unlikeable part. It's a good looking movie, but not a classic.

Ocean11 · Post by **Ocean11** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 3:18 am

enderm8, read the book that Empire of the Sun was based on, and your anger at Spielberg will be without measure. How could he make such a bland adventure story out of such a painful book? The book is a real cracker. As a Brit whose forebears were lording it up in the East, when I read this book I was forced to admit that they had not the first clue what they had got themselves in. But of course they weren't the only ones. If you read this and then imagine all the Japanese kids who similarly got 'lost' in Manchuria and Siberia and places, as well as all the kids of those other peoples who were getting shifted about at that time, then you can start to get an extra handle on how much bad shit was going on.

SpeedCricket · Post by **SpeedCricket** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:21 am

About a Boy This one has been out for a while and I was conned into watching the vid by the old lady, but I must say that I did find it interesting and quite humorous in places. The Brits have a tricky sense of humor that at times perplexes me, but this one wasn't so odd. There are some scenes where Hugh Grant is spot on with his character, a hollow and emotionless man who does nothing, but that may be because he wasn't acting (this is the guy who cheated on Elizabeth Hurley). Check it out if you have some time to kill and want something a little different or check it out when it is on HBO six months from now.

Post by **enderzero** » Thu Sep 18, 2003 11:10 pm

Lost In Translation I went and saw it! Fantastic! Sofia Coppola's movie is beautifully made and I would have enjoyed the hell out of it even if it didn't take place in Tokyo. But listen up...it takes place in Tokyo!! Most of the scenes are in the Park Hyatt in Shinjuku. That is where Dustin stayed on my first trip to Tokyo. Exactly like it (which I guess is to be expected since it is it). There are a ton of scenes on the Tokyo streets. It is pretty easy to pick out where they are. There weren't even any glaring mistakes like someone rounding a corner in Shibuya and ending up at the Imperial Palace. The lack of effort of Japanese to speak English is a bit exaggerated, but it makes for some extremely funny moments as Bill Murray's character just stares dumbfounded (a position most of us have found ourselves in at least once or twice). The story itself is extremely well done. Murray somehow finds himself in Tokyo endorsing Suntory Whiskey where he meets Charlotte, played by the relatively unknown but captivating Scarlett Johansson, who is equally as lost as he. It is a very subtle story of how the two's lives intertwine and the completely realistic emotion they share. It isn't a love story, but more of a story of two confused and lonely people. One of the best and certainly most realistic movies I have seen in a while.

.... · Post by **....** » Sat Sep 20, 2003 10:52 pm

mistasparkle* · Post by mistasparkle* » Sun Sep 21, 2003 3:42 am

Akira Kurosawa's - Ran
Akira Kurosawa's japanese version of Shakespear's tragedy, King Lear. Epic and moving story layered with meaning. It's an incredible movie visually, showcasing landscapes of grass covered rolling hills in southern Japan which looked totally different from the kind of steep mountanous landscapes I'm used to seeing in northern honshu. Contrasting with the landcapes and plain japanese architecture are characters clothed in vividly colored kimono. Ran Has a certain weight and seriousness that only certain movies are able to pull off. I've read it's regarded as one of Kurosawa's masterpieces, and was an academy award winner when it was released in 1985. Definitely worth seeing....

Post by **enderzero** » Mon Oct 06, 2003 4:53 pm

Close Encounters of the Third Kind Somehow I managed to never catch this one. Mark it off the list. It is made by Spielberg, but I enjoyed it more than the last couple of his I saw. Dreyfuss plays a good crazy man and the shots of Wyoming are nice. The last half hour of the movie is certainly the most interesting. Once again, though, in typical Spielberg style nothing really bad happens throughout the movie.

Bruce Almighty Airplane Movie! I really enjoyed this Jim Carey movie co-starring Jennifer Aniston. I started to watch it last spring but couldn't watch more than the first 20 minutes because the sound quality on my copy was so low. I am glad I got a chance to see it in stunning 747 hi-fi. The scene where Steven Carell (of Daily Show fame) is stumbling through his telepromter cues had both Jonathan and I almost crying with laughter. It does have kind of a formulaic plot, but it is well worth it for some of the funnier scenes.

Dogtown and Z-Boys Fascinating look at the bad boys (and girls) from the mean streets of Southern California that in the 70's made skateboarding what it is today. These kids took a passing fad (akin to hoola hoops and yo-yos) and turned it into a vigilante game of hunting for empty pools and running from the police. I really enjoyed seeing the way this bunch of surfers took moves from the waves to the pavement creating an entirely new way to ride. Certainly worth checking out for anyone that has an interest in the subject matter.

Murray · Post by **Murray** » Tue Nov 04, 2003 10:42 am

I've seen quite a few movies lately

Gangs of New York
I never got swept up in the story. The way the movie started with the climax scene right at the beginning, it's as if Scorcese was assuming you were already very familiar with the history of New York between 1840 and 1862, which I am sure very few of us are. A little background on the times and who the characters were, and how they got to be so murderous, would have been nice. Given that, I liked the film. It was an epic in every sense, the sets and costumes were meticulously detailed, and the acting uniformly excellent, especially Daniel Day-Lewis. Not as consistently engaging as Goodfellas, but well worth seeing. B+

Adaptation
Like a Mobius strip or an M.C. Escher piece, a film about the making of itself. Being John Malkovich's Spike Jonze creates a movie unlike any I've ever seen, and I loved it. Nicholas Cage plays two roles, obviously as identical twin brothers, but that's where the similarities end. Usually the cliche for that type of plot twist is that one twin stands in for the other in a crucial moment in the film causing the plot to veer off in an 'unexpected' direction. In this film, that never happens - well OK in one scene but it could have been handled with the other twin just fine. Cage and Chris Cooper are brilliant, Meryl Streep comes alive for a change, and the whole affair made me want to rewind it and watch it again right away. A

Mystic River
Solid performances from three reliably excellent actors, in a very dark film. The plot has some twists and turns but is pretty standard fare for the most part. Eastwood was more interested in crafting each scene as its own event rather than a cog in a storyline. One in particular stands out to me, the scene in the bar when Sean Penn and his gang of toughs are supposedly shooting the shit with Tim Robbins, except that everyone including Robbins knows that their banter is just a prelude to exploding violence. The tension in that scene is so real it makes your skin crawl. A-

Intolerable Cruelty
Crap from Hollywood. I was thinking during it that if this film had been made in France with Audrey Toutou and Gerard Depardieu, it would have been so much better. A good set-up, Catherine Zeta-Jones and George Clooney battling wits in a double-cross divorce comedy falls flat on its face with pointless slapstick and ridiculous over-blown characters. About all I can recommend it for is Zeta-Jones, who looks better than ever. D+

Post by **enderzero** » Sun Nov 09, 2003 1:48 am

Let's see...

The School of Rock The dream team responsible for this one consists of director Richard Linklater, one of my favorites in the biz (Dazed & Confused, Waking Life), writer Mike White, the man that brought us The Good Girl, my favorite movie of 2002, and lead actor funnyman Jack Black. How could they go wrong? Well...I don't know if I would say they went wrong, but this picture just didn't quite have what it took to live up to my admittedly high expectations. There are certainly some funny scenes, but it all feels a bit formulaic. While it is worth a rental, it didn't have any of the cult classic potential, creativity, or great storytelling and acting that the 3 movies I mentioned earlier (respectively) did.

Reign of Fire Well I saw it so I guess I will put it down here. Christan Bale is pretty good. I didn't particularly like McConaughey. umm...It has dragons.

The Object of My Affection 1998 romantic drama starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd. I enjoyed the mixed up plot of man gets dumped by man, man moves in with woman, woman falls for man, woman gets pregnant with other man's baby, woman asks first man to raise child with her, woman realizes man likes men, etc. It is, of course, a bit predictable, but enjoyable none the less. Aniston and Rudd both give good performances.

The Matrix Revolutions I certainly enjoyed the conclusion to the Matrix trilogy. I haven't read any reviews yet, but I thought it was well handled. There are no gaping holes at all. The whole thing is action, but what do you expect? The fight scene between Neo and Smith is really, REALLY awesome. This is probably not a "great" movie, but it is one that just has to be seen. The Matrix was a great movie. It invented a rich, immense sci-fi world and created a kind of movie making that will be around for quite a while. These follow ups don't have what the first did, but they progress both that world, and that kind of special effects film making. It is a good example of where big budget cinema is at this day and age, and if that is all you expect you will not be disappointed.

Post by **enderzero** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 6:50 am

Kill Bill The latest movie by Quentin Tarantino lives up to his overwhelming reputation. It certainly isn't as groundbreaking as Pulp Fiction but it is entertaining and very stylish. Some have criticized the way Tarantino uses Japanese stereotypes, but I found most to be done in a pretty tasteful way. The action is definitely first rate. It is, of course, extremely violent, but again it is stylish. My only negative criticism is the way the movie was broken up into two parts. For all I can tell it is meant to be one long movie and it just reeks of Hollywood marketing.

The Quiet American Michael Caine stars in this story about a British journalist in Vietnam during the French war in the late 1950s. The plot revolves around an American, played by Brendan Fraser, that shows up in Saigon and starts courting Caine's Vietnamese mistress. Caine is excellent and Do Thi Hai Yen is amsolutely gorgeous. I thought that Fraser was a little over the top though. I am sure it is hard for him to play a role other than a caveman or jungle baby that is brought into present day society. But overall it is a well made movie, although I imagine the book is a bit better.

Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life Plane movie. Lara Croft is turning into a bit of a female James Bond. There are some good scenes with her high tech gadgets. Of course the plot line is way too predictable, but I enjoyed it marginally none the less. If you are on an airplane and you have a choice between this and Reign of Fire, I say choose Lara Croft.

R3C · Post by **R3C** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 11:19 am

That someone agrees with me that the last Matrix movie was good. All the things that people are trying to pick apart, are absolutely ridiculous and remind me of hecklers that compain when someone shoots too many bullets out of their gun or things like this. It's a good, entertaining movie. In one forum I was in, someone said "The W. brothers don't come anywhere near the quality that someone like Kubrick can create." And then goes on to list Kubrick movies. I told him, that if I went to the Matrix expecting Kubrick level I would have been upset too. WHO THE HELL WOULD HOLD THE MATRIX TO KUBRICK STANDARDS? Our man Stanley isn't infallable either. (Anyone see Eyes Wide Shut?)

Post by **enderzero** » Thu Nov 13, 2003 6:10 pm

Here Here!

It is all about expectations. Revolutions had everything I had hoped for and more. It might not have been as groundbreaking of a movie as the first Matrix, but hey, I never expected a 2nd and 3rd movie at all. I think they did an excellent job of "tying up" the loose ends, and turning one crazy concept special effects show piece into a whole sci-fi universe. I am not going to say whether or not the Matrix as a franchise would have been better off without all the extra stuff, but if it was going to be done, at least they did it well.

R3C · Post by **R3C** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 2:04 pm

... up the extended edition of The Two Towers tomorrow. Should be splendid. What day does Return of the King start playing?

R3C · Post by **R3C** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 2:07 pm

... some of the other posts in here. I saw Seabiscuit and have to agree. I thought I was going to hate it when I went. Not because it wasn't a good movie, but because it's not really my style of movie. I like it anyway though. William H Macy's character was quite entertaining.

Post by **enderzero** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 5:59 pm

It was because you are afraid of horses isn't it?

SpeedCricket · Post by **SpeedCricket** » Mon Nov 17, 2003 11:00 pm

Who ever saw the Lord of the Rings cartoon movie from the late 70s? It scarred me for life...first cartoon I ever saw where people died. The scene where Borimir tries to take the ring from Frodo in the new movie is almost identical to the old 70s cartoon version. INTENSITY!!!

Am I a hoser for knowing the names of the characters? For using the word hoser?

Goemon · Post by **Goemon** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 12:40 am

I remember the old LOTR cartoon version. The funniest part is the horrible "Frodo of the Nine Fingers" song performed by this guy (I can't believe I just geeked his picture off the Net ):

Ocean11 · Post by **Ocean11** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 12:47 am

Goemon wrote:(I can't believe I just geeked his picture off the Net ):

Heheh, nor will your employer. EVIDENCE LOGGED.

Goemon · Post by **Goemon** » Tue Nov 18, 2003 1:08 am

Did I mention that part of my job entails assessing pop culture phenomenon through web research?

Just doing my job!:uhh:

Post by **enderzero** » Wed Nov 19, 2003 5:55 am

Ghost World Can't get enough Scarlett Johansson? Check out Ghost World. But while she has a good role, Thora Birch really steals the show. Of course, Steve Buscemi isn't bad either. These 3 great actors, along with an interesting story and excellent directing by Terry Zwigoff make it obvious why this movie made something like 100 critics' top 10 lists for 2000. It is certainly not a teenager movie, even though it happens to be about teens... and don't expect a hollywood ending either. But check this one out if you like good movies. Now I want to go find the comic books it was based on.

SpeedCricket · Post by **SpeedCricket** » Sat Nov 22, 2003 4:27 pm

FRODO OF THE NINE FINGERS!!!! AHGHRGHGH! I didn't get that shitty song out of my head until 1996! Seriously, as soon as I read that, I knew all the words again....

Here's the lyrics for all who like to be cursed with this song! http://www.angelfire.com/az/pforeman/9fingers.html

Be sure to check out the song, "Where there's whip (insert whipping noise) there's a way." This one is stuck in my head for eternity.

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