The Movie Thread

[Steve1977]

Film : Kick Ass
Watched : 10/02/12
Format : Blu-Ray
Score : 7/10

Well Donna suprised me by giving me an early Valentines present...and my very first Blu-Ray film in Kick Ass!

Loved it! Hope they dont make another as the main joke was that the costmes were silly and some of the things were outlandish...they were always going to be given how it's set in the real world. But juxtaposed with every day life and a crackign social commentary in how people these days would rather watch something than get involved (such as innocent people getting mugged/beaten up etc.). If I was looking for negatives it would be that the Soundtrack, although it had a cracking main theme, a lot of the other music seemed a bit copy and paste. You had a copy of the song from the beginning of 28 Weeks later and in other scenes they seem to have done 'alternative' versions of well known tunes. Dunno if this was just me though.
Far more to enjoy than not and Im just being picky.

Dont think they should do another and all us Brits should feel proud that the main Talent involved were British too! Sure, we needed the cash from the American audiences but this film proves we can do big action cinema with an unmistakable wry British wit...even if it is dressed up in the American flag.

[alkis21]

I totally agree with your review, Steve. I even had an argument with Stainy when I called the soundtrack "gay music" on Facebook. I love that little girl Chloë Grace Moretz (watch her on "Let me In", too) and I think she's going to grow up to be a great actress.

[Steve1977]

Nice one Alkis! I was reading that when this was shown to test audiences, the bit at the end played to 'Bad Reputation' was originally set to 'November Rain' by Guns and Roses! Unsure if they had to do rework the edit as they'r two completely different tempo's.

The film is called Kick Ass but really it's about Big Daddy and Hit Girl really with Kick Ass holding up a window to their world which is very much in the comic book universe.

Have you seen Xmen First Class Alkis? Want to see this one and it's done by the same director too.

[alkis21]

Have you seen Xmen First Class Alkis?

I'm generally not into superhero movies, Kick Ass was the exception to the rule.

I love that little girl Chloë Grace Moretz (watch her on "Let me In", too) and I think she's going to grow up to be a great actress.

I just watched her again in Hugo and I'm even more confident. It is a blessing that she is not that attractive, she may escape the inevitable route of romantic comedies and slutty roles all cute little girls end up with (Dakota Fanning is already there). Unless of course the image makers jump all over her and turn the ugly duckling into a semi-acceptable swan to brainwash-sell like a sex symbol like they did with Scarlett Johansson.

[Steve1977]

Have you seen Xmen First Class Alkis?

I'm generally not into superhero movies, Kick Ass was the exception to the rule.

That'l be a no then.
About to re-visit Stargate soon. Really enjoyed this back in the day along with the other Emmerick/Devlin partnership, Independance Day.
What's everyones opion of 3D here? I saw a few 3D films before Avatar and thought it looked a bit blurry and then waited for Avatar - expecting it to be better - and that was blurry too. Spent a bit of the movie swapping 3D glasses over to see if they were too dirty or something. Maybe Im one of those who just doesent see it too good. Didnt help that the second 3D film I saw was Clash of the Titans and this disappointed me greatly! The best bits in 3D were for Street Dance in the trailers.
I only ask because The Phantom Menace came out recently in 3D...I tried to enjoy the film when it first came out but the annoying things REALLY annoy me. The production design is fantastic and it's Star Wars. But for some reason it never clicks for me. Anyways, I'm a regulary visitor to http://www.originaltrilogy.com and so have chosen a particular segment to re-edit before deciding on doing the whole film. For this I chose a section of the movie that despite the subject matter - has very little tension. Namely the Pod Race.
Must admit that in it's early stage, stripping it down to the basics getting rid of the faff - (I'v tried to emulate the same way they got rid of the superflours stuff when editing Episode 4) it dont half have have more energy! Quite pleased with it to be honest.

Wonder what peoples views are on the prequels in question? I think a lot of it is the time we watched it and being older (wiser? hehe), we focus more on the things that bother us. Whereas when we'r kids we have no quality control and just enjoy the good bits. Lots of cringe worthy moments in the original films but I dont seem to dwell on them like I do in the prequels. Maybe reading lots of message boards slating them skews your perspective as well.

[alkis21]

My opinion on 3D:

-Avatar was awesome.
-2-3 films had a few seconds of quality scenes, but there was absolutely no point in them being 3D.
-About a dozen more movies were blurry pieces of shit.

I have now given up on 3D.

My opinion on prequels:

Most of them suck. Rise of the Planet of the Apes was AWESOME.

[Stainy]

Film : Another Earth
Watched : 10/02/12
Format : Eh_Vee_eye
Score : 9/10

Superb movie.. very thought provoking without going to heavy on the physics and space time stuff regarding the `other` earth.

Ending was great!.. which got me thinking

[alkis21]

Do elaborate, Darren. I loved the idea when I first heard about it but then I watched the trailer and decided I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. The trailer has absolutely no sci-fi elements about it, it depicts a sappy film with sappy romantic music about a woman who would or would not go to that other earth... it looked like it wasn't going to show that other earth at all, it was just some philosophical dilemma or something. Is there more to it?

[Robert]

Film : Battleship
Watched : 21/4/12
Format : Cinema
Score : 8/10

This is a really entertaining film! Obviously, don't take it seriously. It's tightly-paced and the characters are well-introduced. This is what Battle: LA should have been. And so much better than crap like Independence Day.


Film : The Hunger Games
Watched : 27/4/12
Format : Cinema
Score : 8/10

Loved it, despite the hype! Debate will rage about the extent to which this is a rip off of Battle Royale. I have seen both and there are huge similarities. This said, it reminds me a lot of The Running Man too. Never mind, it's a really good film. An interesting premise that's executed well.


Film : Margin Call
Watched : 27/4/12
Format : Cinema
Score : 8/10

Another great film with a great cast. You probably don't know what it's about - a bank (closely modelled on Lehman Brothers) at the time of the financial crisis breaking. It's more interesting and better done than it sounds. The cast is simply superb and the drama is excellent. Anyone who has ever worked for a corporate in a crisis or faced redundancy will find familiarity in this.

[Tripod]

Film: The Dark Knight Rises
Format: Cinema
Score: 5/10

Review: I know, I know, I tend to give low scores but really, I didn't think much of this end to the trilogy. It's lacking... Batman doing batmany things, for a start. Apparently, he retired after the end of the last movie and ten years have passed and so it takes forever for him to don the costume again, it probably didn't take him as long in the first movie. And the only new gadget he's got is an underwhelming helicopter. I thought the opening scene, which sets up the new villain, was really weak and I didn't think much of the villain anyway. Nor of the general story. For sure, the movie has some really cool scenes and ideas, but overall the previous two movies were a lot better.

Film: Prometheus
Format: Cinema (3D)
Score: 5/10

Review: Well... a bit of a mess. It's a pretty cool scifi flic as you'd expect. I loved the spaceship (Prometheus), very reminiscent of the Nostromo from Alien. But like so many such movies the first half is great and then the story deteriorates rapidly. Problems already start earlier, the characters are a bit weird and behave strangely. The geologist who says he's not here to make friends, but earn some cash - yeah, right, great career choice, mate. The other scientist who is seriously depressed for no reason (well, he has a reason which makes little sense). And a very laid back captain who's not much in control for most of the movie. I could add to that list. It wouldn't be a problem if the story wasn't so... I dunno, broken? the pacing is all wrong, things happen much too fast towards the end, little is explained, a lot left unanswered.

[gdh82]

Film: The Dark Knight Rises
Format: Cinema
Score: 5/10

Review: I know, I know, I tend to give low scores but really, I didn't think much of this end to the trilogy. It's lacking... Batman doing batmany things, for a start. Apparently, he retired after the end of the last movie and ten years have passed and so it takes forever for him to don the costume again, it probably didn't take him as long in the first movie. And the only new gadget he's got is an underwhelming helicopter. I thought the opening scene, which sets up the new villain, was really weak and I didn't think much of the villain anyway. Nor of the general story. For sure, the movie has some really cool scenes and ideas, but overall the previous two movies were a lot better.

Yeah, have to say we too found the film underwhelming, an inferior mish-mash of the first two, failing to add to the trilogy imo, when I had hoped for more.

[Freshmaker]

Quality review Alex, I was very disappointed with TDKR as well. I'd give it a 2/10 though.

[mmike]

My opinion on 3D:

-Avatar was awesome.
-2-3 films had a few seconds of quality scenes, but there was absolutely no point in them being 3D.
-About a dozen more movies were blurry pieces of shit.

I have now given up on 3D.

My opinion on prequels:

Most of them suck. Rise of the Planet of the Apes was AWESOME.

and what about Prometheus and How to Train Your Dragon?