Chimaira_Devil_#9 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I can't remember if I posted this already but I will do it again just because i was so annoyed. I watched The Lovely Bones the other day on DVD; I was really enjoying the whole movie, until the last 20 minutes. IMO this movie has the most unsatisfying ending of any movie I have ever seen. Not only that it feels rushed and tries to tie up a million lose ends at once, it fails to conclude any of them in a satisfactory manner. I felt cheated at the end of the movie. I also saw the Kings Speech, which I thought was excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 I watched The Lovely Bones the other day on DVD; I was really enjoying the whole movie, until the last 20 minutes. IMO this movie has the most unsatisfying ending of any movie I have ever seen. Not only that it feels rushed and tries to tie up a million lose ends at once, it fails to conclude any of them in a satisfactory manner. I felt cheated at the end of the movie. Try the movie "Unbreakable".... was a great little movie with Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson.....and then it ends ...... I remember because I blasted this movie 8 ways till Sunday, then the next week my friend from England is out here and she insists on seeing it.... so I'm the good host, so I go.... "I don't see why you hate this movie......" "I don't see why you hate this movie......" "I don't see why you hate this movie......" "I don't see why you hate this movie......" *ending* "oh yes, that was sh!t.... you were right!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepperkorn Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 (edited) I can't remember if I posted this already but I will do it again just because i was so annoyed. I watched The Lovely Bones the other day on DVD; I was really enjoying the whole movie, until the last 20 minutes. IMO this movie has the most unsatisfying ending of any movie I have ever seen. Not only that it feels rushed and tries to tie up a million lose ends at once, it fails to conclude any of them in a satisfactory manner. I felt cheated at the end of the movie. I also saw the Kings Speech, which I thought was excellent. The book was much the same. Stephen King does that sometimes too -- you feel like the author just said -=- WTF! and writes a goofy quick end to this real - PAINFULLY real emotional book. Where do you go when it's so real? Real sucks, so just write in some goofy fairy tale to remove yourself from the whole thing. I'm not sure the movie was like that -- but the book was. The little girl was EXACTLY like my sister in the book - same age and they did the same things and liked the same music and we had just moved at that time too. My sister was soooo important to me (she is 8 yrs older than I) -- I just couldn't imagine if anything happened to her.. The oldest sister is the first line of defence after your parents. My mother couldn't read the book - she started it and then before anything happened even, just said no freaking way and put it down - the character was that much like my sister and that time in our lives. --- Saw Kings Speech too. So cute. It was very actor-y. It made me even more interested to see how Albert really responded. Because Colin Firth was behaving -- like he knew already that he had to loosen up and he just knows how it's got to be done... not to say it wasn't a great performance! Time was an issue too obviously --the story had to move along -- but that initial resistance one encounters.. it really separates the chaff from the wheat and it woudl be so amazing to see the REAL thing!! but I could still see Firth was doing his best to recall how it first was for him -- but he's been there done that so often by now... nonetheless he discovered the freshness of it all as best as anyone could!! And I loved how they made Edward such an ass. They've always glorified this tragic romance whereby he had to abdicate for love. Instead they de-romanticized him - he's a lazy childish self-indulgent fartknocker - as I'd bet he really was! Edited July 13, 2011 by Pepperkorn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njskaguy33 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I saw Horrible Bosses for it's midnight release (not because I was superexcited to go, but my friend works at the movie theater and got off just in time for that to start, so she snuck a bunch of us in). I laughed quite a bit, not gonna lie. Nothing to write home about, but if you're just looking to head to the movies and get a few laughs, definitely go see it. Horrible Bosses has been getting some fine reivews, so I'm curious as to what all the fuss is about. Just worried that if I see it in theaters I'm not going to like it and if it I see it at home, I wont get the audience laughing effect. Will be interesting to see as even the good reviews say it's a pretty meanspirited movie, whihc is fine so long as there is something positive to balance it out. Saw Transformers 3 a few days back. It's a pretty fun popcorn flick. If you're looking to enjoy the AC, turn your brain off and see gratuitous slo-mo shots of the smokin' hottie who replaced Megan Fox and see sh!t blow up for a few hours, this is your movie. But if you're looking for things like plots, character arcs or dialogue ... well ... you probably shouldn't have made it past the first sentence of this post. I mean, it's friggin' Transformers. What do you expect? You know, I could almost forgive the escapism of Transformers if I didn't just have better things to do! I just can't see myself spending $13, ($20 if I saw it in IMAX 3D) on a movie that's touches two and half hours long and has an hour long climax. Just think the whole experience would be mentally exhausting and not in a good way. As for the it's Tranformers, what do you expect argument, I expect all the things you mentioned...plots, character arcs, decent dialouge. No, I don't expect an Oscar winner but I think a competent movie that doesn't beat me over the head with explosions is not a ton to ask. Then again, I've never seen any of the Transformers movies, so I'm just blowing hot air I can't remember if I posted this already but I will do it again just because i was so annoyed. I watched The Lovely Bones the other day on DVD; I was really enjoying the whole movie, until the last 20 minutes. IMO this movie has the most unsatisfying ending of any movie I have ever seen. Not only that it feels rushed and tries to tie up a million lose ends at once, it fails to conclude any of them in a satisfactory manner. I felt cheated at the end of the movie. I also saw the Kings Speech, which I thought was excellent. My brother and I were discussing The Lovely Bones a few days ago and we both feel like it was a just a mistep for Peter Jackson to have a crack at it. While I haven't seen it myself, many people I've spoken to feel the same way about the ending, almost to the point where I need to give it a crack myself, just to see what the fuss is about. As for the Kings Speech, I've been lauding this film for a year now but I agree with you and Pepper as it's still my favorite movie from last year, featuring the best cast of the year. Try the movie "Unbreakable".... was a great little movie with Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson.....and then it ends ...... I remember because I blasted this movie 8 ways till Sunday, then the next week my friend from England is out here and she insists on seeing it.... so I'm the good host, so I go.... "I don't see why you hate this movie......" "I don't see why you hate this movie......" "I don't see why you hate this movie......" "I don't see why you hate this movie......" *ending* "oh yes, that was sh!t.... you were right!" Now, now, let's leave Unbreakable alone. Sure the ending was tacked on but M. Night was suffering from Sixth Sense hangover and felt it needed the big suprise. To be fair, I didn't even mind the ending much when I first saw it and while I realize why people hate it, it's still a very good movie. One of these days I'm going to finish a piece entitled, "What I Would Do To Get M Night Shaymalan Back On Track". Should get cracking on that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 Now, now, let's leave Unbreakable alone. Sure the ending was tacked on but M. Night was suffering from Sixth Sense hangover and felt it needed the big suprise. To be fair, I didn't even mind the ending much when I first saw it and while I realize why people hate it, it's still a very good movie. One of these days I'm going to finish a piece entitled, "What I Would Do To Get M Night Shaymalan Back On Track". Should get cracking on that... It killed the movie what can I say??? For people from two different countries even He's back... go see the trapped in an elevator movie, that was good stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njskaguy33 Posted July 13, 2011 Share Posted July 13, 2011 It killed the movie what can I say??? For people from two different countries even He's back... go see the trapped in an elevator movie, that was good stuff Ehhhh, Devil isn't a tried and true M. Night movie as he had in the writing and produced it, not directed. After the disaster that was The Last Airbender, he needs to go back to his roots, not worry about the sneak endings and start telling quality stories again. He's an amazing storyteller at the core so he should be doing what he does best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted July 13, 2011 Author Share Posted July 13, 2011 Ehhhh, Devil isn't a tried and true M. Night movie as he had in the writing and produced it, not directed. After the disaster that was The Last Airbender, he needs to go back to his roots, not worry about the sneak endings and start telling quality stories again. He's an amazing storyteller at the core so he should be doing what he does best. And he did that in Devil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimaira_Devil_#9 Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Try the movie "Unbreakable".... was a great little movie with Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson.....and then it ends ...... I remember because I blasted this movie 8 ways till Sunday, then the next week my friend from England is out here and she insists on seeing it.... so I'm the good host, so I go.... "I don't see why you hate this movie......" "I don't see why you hate this movie......" "I don't see why you hate this movie......" "I don't see why you hate this movie......" *ending* "oh yes, that was sh!t.... you were right!" I like the movie Unbreakable, although the ending is a slight letdown the rest of the movie has enough in it to carry it through. The book was much the same. Stephen King does that sometimes too -- you feel like the author just said -=- WTF! and writes a goofy quick end to this real - PAINFULLY real emotional book. Where do you go when it's so real? Real sucks, so just write in some goofy fairy tale to remove yourself from the whole thing. I'm not sure the movie was like that -- but the book was. The little girl was EXACTLY like my sister in the book - same age and they did the same things and liked the same music and we had just moved at that time too. My sister was soooo important to me (she is 8 yrs older than I) -- I just couldn't imagine if anything happened to her.. The oldest sister is the first line of defence after your parents. My mother couldn't read the book - she started it and then before anything happened even, just said no freaking way and put it down - the character was that much like my sister and that time in our lives. I can see where the ending was coming from , and if it was done properly then it could have been fine, but it was horribly rushed. The worst part is that all you really want at the end is justice, and all you actually get is fobbed off. As you pointed out the story is painful and emotional, and there are moments of tension which keep you locked on what is happening, and then you just get let down with a load of crap. --- Saw Kings Speech too. So cute. It was very actor-y. It made me even more interested to see how Albert really responded. Because Colin Firth was behaving -- like he knew already that he had to loosen up and he just knows how it's got to be done... not to say it wasn't a great performance! Time was an issue too obviously --the story had to move along -- but that initial resistance one encounters.. it really separates the chaff from the wheat and it woudl be so amazing to see the REAL thing!! but I could still see Firth was doing his best to recall how it first was for him -- but he's been there done that so often by now... nonetheless he discovered the freshness of it all as best as anyone could!! And I loved how they made Edward such an ass. They've always glorified this tragic romance whereby he had to abdicate for love. Instead they de-romanticized him - he's a lazy childish self-indulgent fartknocker - as I'd bet he really was! I loved it considering the actual plot and history of it all they had to work with was very thin and only captures a small space of time. The cast was fantastic, my Nan used to live door next to the little girl who player Princess Margret (she plays a little girl in the BBC comedy series outnumbered) who is an amazing actress for her age. Geoffrey Rush made the movie for me, but everyone was excellent. I agree with the protrayal of the all of the relationships as well, i think it was well known that it was purely selfishness that motivated Edward, he was a cad who used to run around having fun. It just wasn't the done thing to talk about it in the media. My brother and I were discussing The Lovely Bones a few days ago and we both feel like it was a just a mistep for Peter Jackson to have a crack at it. While I haven't seen it myself, many people I've spoken to feel the same way about the ending, almost to the point where I need to give it a crack myself, just to see what the fuss is about. As for the Kings Speech, I've been lauding this film for a year now but I agree with you and Pepper as it's still my favorite movie from last year, featuring the best cast of the year. I would recommend it for the first part of the movie, but I can almost garantee you will end up frustrated with the closing sequence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepperkorn Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 I loved it considering the actual plot and history of it all they had to work with was very thin and only captures a small space of time. I agree completely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njskaguy33 Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Opening This Week – Nationwide Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Also in 3D and IMAX 3D) – The final installment of a what’s arguably one of the most popular film series in history gets released this weekend…and what an ending it looks to be. Harry, Ron and Hermoine have their final epic battle ,the one that was set up in Part 1, culminating in a film that looks to be a two hour ending but an awesome one. For me, my Harry Potter experiences ended with the third one, so I’m too far behind to even bother seeing this one but fans of the series will find a fitting end. Critics have been raving about the film, some because it’s the end of an era, some because it’s taken years of sometimes mediocre entries to get here and some because, in the end, it’s a damn fine movie. No matter what your motivation, if you’ve seen the previous six films, the final part of the seventh is absolutely required viewing. Winnie the Pooh – With the entire living world cramming theatres to see the final Harry Potter installment, those with younger children or simply young at heart will have a fine time at the movie adaptation of Winnie the Pooh. Now, now, before you start cringing at the idea of a childhood favorite being destroyed by the machine, let’s step back a second. 3D versions? None. Bubbly computer animation? None. The characters we love rampaging around New York City, dancing to five year old pop hits? Praise the maker, NONE!. What you get is a 70 minute, hand drawn tale of Pooh, Piglet and Tiger romping around the Hundred Acre Wood, just like you enjoyed when you were a youngin’. Critics have fallen in love with this simply made, simply told story, urging their readers to have a bonding moment with your kids or your inner child along with this film. Opening This Week – Limited Release Life Above All – Story of a South African family torn apart by gossip, drama and prejudice. Critics have been largely positive, saying that despite the after school special plot, the earnest performances newcomer Khomotso Manyaka more than make up for any weaknesses in the narrative. Add to the mix some loving direction by first time director Oliver Schmitz and you have a well made heart render. Showing at Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and the Film Forum Snow Flower and the Secret Fan – Two pairs of friends, separated by centuries of time, search for connection in an increasingly disconnected world. The film is split in two parallel stories, one the tale of two 19th century life friends who communicate in a secret language written on the folds of a fan and their modern descendents. Saw the trailer for this before Midnight In Paris and it almost looked like a fake trailer from Tropic Thunder, all overly melodramatic and heavy handed. Turns out, the critical reception has been just that while the period piece half works pretty well, the modern day side doesn’t hold nearly as much weight. Playing at the Angelika and Lincoln Plaza Cinemas Tabloid – Well received documentary of ex Miss Wyoming Joyce McKinney, a tabloid princess whose single minded pursuit of the man she loved lands her in a number of strange situations. Directed by oddball documentarian Errol Morris (Gates of Heaven, A Brief History of Time), the film is content with simply immersing you in the strange world of McKinney without ever putting a slant on the proceedings. Quick, jaunty and voyeuristically fascinating, Tabloid should be a must see for doc fans. Screening at Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and the IFC Center The Tree – Arty drama about a young child who, after the sudden death of her father, hears her dad’s voice in a tree in their yard. More metaphor than anything else, critics have said that despite some oddly dense dialogue, the performances by both Morgana Davies as the young child and Charlotte Gainsbourg as the girl’s mother keep the film more than afloat. Definitely a good option for those looking for some heavy family drama. Playing at City Cinemas Village East and Beekman Theatre Opening This Week – Indie, Art House and Small Screenings Lucky – Colin Hanks plays Ben Keller, recent winner of the Iowa State Lotto, who has to figure out both the newfound people in his life and the drama of the ticket belonging to a dead girl in his closet. Yep, label this one indie black comedy that’s not all that funny and critics largely agree, labeling the movie as one misfire after another. Avoid! Screening at City Cinemas Village East Salvation Boulevard – How’s this for a cast: Greg Kinnear, Pierce Brosnan, Marisa Tomei, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly…wow, this might have promise! How’s the story? An evangelical preacher captivates a small Midwest town and…eeeh….stuff happens. Critics have said despite some top flight character actors, the story is so thin and laughless, you never know why they are there. Avoid it! Also showing at City Cinemas Village East My 3 To See Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 – The final film in a generation defining series, this is a film not to be missed. Winnie the Pooh – Charming, old school and classic, finally a modern animated film that doesn’t rely on computers and rock music to make audiences smile. Tabloid – Fascinating, weird and edgy, this documentary of an oddball ex-beauty queen has been getting fine reviews. Confused by the colors? Here’s the guide! Green means that reviews are great, the trailer looks great, so this is definitely worth seeing! Orange means reviews have been mixed but there’s enough here for me to say, “See It For Yourself”. Red means this film should be avoided at all costs! Run, Devil fans, run!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atterr Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 Finally dared to see Transformers 3 this weekend. I was surprised that it was actually better than parts one and two, but then what isn't it? Make no mistake, it still is a bad movie with a nonsensical plot, bad dialogue, too many supporting characters, and bad acting (Huntington-Whiteley makes Megan Fox look like Meryl Streep). But at least the childish humour, racist robots and giant robot balls are gone. Together with the overall darker tone, it makes this part almost enjoyable. Too bad the movie takes so long to get to the final action set piece, cause by the time we get there, I actually lost all interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dadds3424 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Its a little premature but I just saw the leaked trailer for the Avengers movie next summer. It looks freakin sweet. I have not been the biggest super hero movie fan but I see a lot of potential in this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njskaguy33 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 (edited) Opening This Week – Nationwide Captain America: The First Avenger (Also showing in 3D) - Joe Johnston (The Wolfman, Hidalgo, Jumangi) directs newcomer Chris Evans, Tommy Lee Jones and Hugo Weaving in this retro adaptation of the classic Marvel hero, Captain America. Much like the other Marvel reboot, X-Men First Class, Captain America rewrites history a bit, creating a world where America is creating super human soldiers and there are secret organizations with crazy names, all of this set in the 1940’s. Critics have been largely positive about this adaptation saying it’s solidly directed and quite fun take on the action adventure genre, with a style and tone much like Johnston’s second film, The Rocketeer. Featuring good performances, a solid story and high flying retro action, Captain America should be a solid bet for those looking for a well made action film this summer. Friends With Benefits – Haven’t we seen this movie at least twice this year already? With films like No Strings Attached and Love and Other Drugs already clogging theaters with similar plotlines, will the latest movie by Will Gluck bring some originality to the, “friends who screw with no emotional consequences” story? According to critics, nope, not really but the sexual chemistry between stars Mia Kunis and Justin Timberlake make up for the retreaded plot. To be fair, I enjoyed Gluck’s previous effort, Easy A, and that aspect alone vaults this to See It For Yourself levels, so if you really need one more adult edged rom com in your life, this just might be it. For my money, however, this is worth seeing on DVD if anything. Opening This Week – Limited Another Earth – Metaphysics, astrology and science fiction combine in Another Earth, an ambitious film about two people who, upon the evening of the discovery of an alternate reality version of Earth, find their live irrevocably changed, have to make a choice: is their current Earthly existence good enough or risk starting over on the New Earth. Critics have mostly praised this movie as being ambitious despite the twists in the screenplay and the contrivance required to make it work. To me, it’s a fairly interesting concept that is definitely worth Seeing For Yourself. Screening at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center and Landmark Sunshine A Little Help – Jenna Fischer, of The Office fame, stars in this little comedy about a young long Island girl who tries to rebuild her post 9-11 life who tries to rebuild her life. Promising poignancy and laughs in equal measures, critics are mixed as to how well the film achieves that goal. While critics say Fischer is affable enough in the starring role, methinks that may just be some Pam Beasley love rubbing off. To me, there are far better comedies new on DVD and in theaters to give this a look but if you like your ha ha’s with a sense of sentimentality, A Little Help may be right up your alley. Showing at City Cinemas 1, 2, 3, AMC Loews Village 7 and AMC Empire 25 The Myth of the American Sleepover – The titles basically say all you need to know about this well received independent film. Taking place in a small Michigan city, four teenage friends spend their last day of summer together, taking turns coming to stark realizations about life, youth and fleetingness of it all. Getting mostly positive reviews from critics, most praise first time director David Robert Mitchell’s ability to honestly tell the coming of age story without glitz or smarm, instead choosing a more honest approach. Saw this trailer last week and while it looked interesting, I was waiting for critical response before making a decision. Now that the reviews are positive, I can make an honest See It recommendation! Screening at the Angelika Sarah’s Key – Story of a modern day journalist who, while investigating the notorious Vel d’Hiv roundup in 1942 Paris, discovers a dark family secret. Another one of those parallel story type films, Sarah’s Key has been said to work when it’s set in the past and fall apart when the modern story takes hold. Getting mixed reviews from critics, this is another one those See It For Yourself type films. Playing at the City Cinemas Paris Theatre and the Angelika Opening This Week –Indie, Art House and Small Screenings World on A Wire – Do you have three hours to stare spellbound at a screen? Then run right out and check out, World on a Wire! Labeled as a dystopic science fiction epic, this rerelease of the rarely seen 1973 German movie has been getting raves from critics, with most saying it’s just as awe inspiring at it was 40 years ago, worth seeing for those who loved 2001, The Tree of life and films of that ilk. Playing at IFC Center My 3 To See Captain America – The First Avenger – Modern day action mixed with old school set pieces make this latest Marvel flick a good one to see for some solid if old fashioned action fun. Another Earth – Despite some Twilight Zone style plot twists, this Sundance favorite is sure to please the science fiction fan looking for something new this summer. The Myth of the American Sleepover – Poignant, funny and brutally honest, this story of four teens having one last gasp at childhood has been labeled as a triumph by critics. Confused by the colors? Here’s the guide! Green means that reviews are great, the trailer looks great, so this is definitely worth seeing! Orange means reviews have been mixed but there’s enough here for me to say, “See It For Yourself”. Red means this film should be avoided at all costs! Run, Devil fans, run!! Edited July 22, 2011 by Bulletproof Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njskaguy33 Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 New Movie Review X-Men: First Class Even been asked, “Sooo…what’s your story?” It’s a hard question, isn’t it. Where do you start? What do you include? More interestingly, what do you omit? Some may think to start at the very beginning but then the story goes on forever, boring the listener to tears. Maybe you include just the important details, the events that impacted you most directly but you then run the risk of sounding like a blowhard, never betraying the missteps that also shaped your psyche. Everything from personal triumphs to momentary setbacks to the minutia that makes us, “us”, all of our stories are much more complex then we realize. Now imagine answering that same question to a theatre full of five hundred people. Some in attendance have never heard of you, some know bits and pieces of your tale, and some have been following your story your entire life. Who do you target? Your long time followers have their own interpretation of your life, bringing a head full of demands as to what you should include. Do you cater to fan service? What about those who know a bit about you and simply need you to fill in the blanks while staying true to what they know. And let’s not forget the newbies who need everything re-explained, much to the chagrin of the veterans of your story. How do you satisfy that entire theatre? How do you keep everybody happy. That is the primary challenge facing director Matthew Vaughn (Kick Ass) in the origins story / franchise reboot X-Men: First Class and while the movie has some issues with character development, plot structure and pacing, the end result is a satisfying first chapter in the long running superhero story. Right off the bat, this review has to assume you, the reader, are a member of the X-Men newbie club, so forgive me if I’m reluctant to give away what most people already know. X-Men: First Class is essentially a tale of two friends, one by the name of Charles Xavier, a professor of mutation with telepathic powers (James McAvoy) and the other a Holocaust survivor with the ability to manipulate metal, played by Michael Fassbender. These two unlikely friends, in conjunction with a team young mutants and a special division of the CIA, look to take down the nefarious Dr. Schmitt (Kevin Bacon), an energy absorbing mutant whose end game is to take the Cold War to a whole new level. Much like Captain America, X-Men: First Class is based in revisionist history and while the new take on events like the Cuban Missile Crisis works as a device to push the story, I couldn’t help but laugh at the generous leaps the film takes to make it all work. The plot is contrived, silly and fairly ridiculous but luckily it knows it, doing its best to stay out of the way. Luckily, like I said at the outset, this is really a film about the relationship between McAvoy and Fassbender and in that respect, the two leads do a great job. McAvoy plays the part with a surprising amount of charm mixed with the empathy comic fans expect from the long standing character. Despite his mutation, Dr Xavier has a strong sense of the human condition and wants nothing more than to co-exist with the dominant species, a drive that is portrayed perfectly by McAvoy. Fassbender, on the other hand, brilliantly balances his desire for revenge with his burgeoning friendship with Xavier. Both McAvoy and Fassbender are fine actors and it’s good to see them in a high profile role that allows them to really get entrenched in some quality characters. Sadly, the same can’t be said for the rest of the cast. Kevin Bacon is fine as the evil doctor but the rest of the young mutants play the parts to type. In this film, we get introduced to many of the classic characters, but rather than examining each story, the film does it all montage style, convenient for time purposes but bad for character development. As a result, these kids, while well acted by the youngsters involved, never rise above their powers, creating characters that are a little difficult to connect with. Luckily, Vaughn, who I thought did a relatively poor job with Kick Ass, directs with a confidence and focus that I haven’t seen in his previous work. While there are characters that just exist for the sake of the action and scenes that look as though half got left on the cutting room floor, Vaughn does the best he can with the script he was given. Although I can’t help but think a more seasoned director could have given the movie a more even flow, Vaughn does an admirable job with the sheer amount of material presented. X-Men: First Class is an enjoyable yet uneven ride that is complimented with fine action, entertaining set pieces and two great performances by the leads. Fassbender and McAvoy both have chops to spare and propel the film past the breakneck pacing, giving the audience something interesting to latch onto. As I mentioned earlier, films of this type are innately difficult, especially given the popularity of the source material. While it could be easy to nitpick the ludicrous story, critique the scenes that end unexpectedly and laugh at the awfulness of the Beast costume (seriously, what the heck was that), the goal of the film was to cement the relationship between the stars of the franchise and tell us how the team got together. To that end, X-Men: First Class is a genuine success, even if it ends up being the ultimate compromise: when you attempt to please everybody, nobody is fully satisfied. An easy film to pick apart but a hard one to provide any insight on how it could have been better, X-Men: First Class is am enjoyable introduction to the world of mutants and men. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HellOnICE Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Quick Reviews from the screening room Crazy Stupid Love - Excellent, one of my favorite films this year so far. Cowboys and Aliens - Big letdown. Boring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devilsfan118 Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Finally saw the last Harry Potter film...although I felt they rushed through some parts..it was a pretty fantastic conclusion to the series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njskaguy33 Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 Quick Reviews from the screening room Crazy Stupid Love - Excellent, one of my favorite films this year so far. Cowboys and Aliens - Big letdown. Boring. If you enjoyed Crazy, Stupid, Love, I'd recommend I Love You, Phillip Morris which was done by the same writer / director team as Crazy. Great flick if you haven't seen it! As for Cowboys, I'm not suprised as inital reviews have been mixed at best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devils731 Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 With Cowboys vs Aliens I liked it, based on the premise, and then saw the first review and wasn't instantly unexcited. I think it's probably an ok movie but the hype machine in the twitterverse is going to have people so pumped up they're going to be unhappy with the actual viewing of it. I enjoyed Captain America more than I thought I would. I've been watching all the Marvel movies though, so I probably got more out of it than someone who was only going to watch just Captain America as a stand alone. To link with Bullet's Xmen review, I probably enjoyed them both equally and that was a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njskaguy33 Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Crazy Stupid Love was absolutely phenomenal. I took a girl to see it, but guys: you definitely don't need to. It's not at all a chick flick. Increadible story, great directing, and steve Carrell is going to win his bodyweight in awards for his preformance. Best film I've seen in the movies in quite a long time. You know, I just may need to see this flick now. Glad to hear it exceeded your expectations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njskaguy33 Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 Review My Collection #6 Adaptation While I know I've been asking a lot of questions in my reviews as of late, allow me the latitude to ask one more. Ever "self narrate"? You know, self narrate. Take the events going on in your day to day life and do a mental narration? Kind of like a self imposed voice over for your daily what nots. Makes life more interesting, doesn't it. Well, here's another question. Ever exaggerate these mental monologues? Maybe you put yourself in more interesting places, surrounded by more interesting people, getting yourself in more compelling situations. Ever conjure a more fascinating you? If not, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Eternal Sunshine, Being John Malkovich) certainly did. In the process of adapting a rambling book called the Orchid Thief, Kaufman not only inserted himself in his movie, he documented his internal struggling in doing so, highlighting fears, ambitions, self doubt and finally creative breakthrough. The result of this experiment is Adaptation, one of the strangest and most compelling filmgoing experiences from the last ten years. Directed once again by Spike Jonze, Adaptation is the story of its writer, Charlie Kaufman, an all of sudden hit of Hollywood who, despite his success, lacks self esteem in nearly every aspect of his life. From the women he fantasizes about to his personal appearance to the screenplay he needs to adapt, Kaufman is man without a direction, ambling his way through the chic world of late nineties Hollywood. Kaufman, in inserting himself into the movie, forces himself to really examine what he is who is and who he wants to be, a task that could have self serving and boring but is brought to life by the fantastic direction of Spike Jonze. Jonze seems to have a knack for pulling of Kaufman's oddball stories and does so with flair and imagination. Of all the tricks in Jonze's arsenal, the most compelling one is the creation of the Kaufman character himself. Nicholas Cage plays both Kaufman and in a feat of camera trickery, his live-in brother Donald. Donald is an aspiring screenwriter who not only mirrors the type of fun, outgoing person Kaufman secretly wants to be, personifies everything he feels is wrong with the Hollywood machine. The result is a playful and near genius wink to the system that brought him fame. Cage is fantastic in both roles, disappearing into both characters seamlessly. If you've ever doubted Cage's skills as an actor, Adaptation will set you the right way. Luckily, Cage has some help as the rest of the ensemble cast is just as fantastic. From Meryl Streep as the author of the book to Chris Cooper as the wild child horticulturalist (in an Oscar winning performance) to Cara Seymour as Kaufman's love interest, this is a perfectly chosen cast. Despite the best efforts of everybody involved, it's the brief turn of famed character actor Brian Cox as screenwriting lecturer Robert McKee that not only steals the show but serves as the catalyst for the films eventual downfall. Two thirds of the way through the movie, Kaufman goes to one of McKee's seminars in a fit of desperation and learns about of all of the teacher's "don'ts of screenwriting", which include lack of voiceover, avoiding acts of God, etc. While the class proves inspirational for the writer, Kaufman goes ahead and peppers the final third of the film with exactly the type of devices McKee warns about. While I'm sure this was done as a wink to the "know-it-all film teachers", the third act suffers greatly for it, coming off contrived, clichéd and bland in comparison to the brilliant two thirds. Luckily, the audience is invested enough with the characters to excuse these flaws in the narrative and while the film ends on a pleasing note, I would have loved to see the story play itself out without the almost corny plot twists of the final frame. Despite my criticisms, Adaptation is a triumph and a success on almost every level. Brimming with originality, self depreciating humor and a startling insight to the pressures of creativity, Kaufman and Jonze have created a lasting film experience that should be seen by anybody who has ever dreamed up a heightened reality for themselves or simply just dreamed. In another writer or directors hands, this could have been a pretentious mess but thanks to some extremely smart decisions, Adaptation isn't just an interesting experiment, it's a wholly realized success. And if you're one of those people who've never done that self narration I mentioned in the opening paragraph, give it a shot sometime. If Charlie Kaufman was able to conjure up Adaptation by doing just that, imagine what's brimming in your own self conscious. **Check out my RT blog entitled "Review My Collection" for the rest of the series!!** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njskaguy33 Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 Review My Collection #7 After Hours One strange Christmas, approximately five years ago, my brother scraped together some cash from his part time supermarket job and bought me a present that would keep on giving. The gift contained a DVD box set entitled "The Martin Scorsese Collection" and like many discount collections of this ilk, packaged two well known films with three obscurities. While I was thrilled that I now owned a better transfer of Goodfellas and was euphoric it threw in the slightly better Mean Streets, the other three films were complete mysteries to me at the time. Even though one of those movies, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, was surprisingly good, the other two remained encased in shrink wrap, forgotten and forlorn in favor of the more popular movies therein. Unwatched and collecting dust, the final two films in the collection became footnotes in my movie-going mind, usurped by more modern Scorsese classics. The first of these films is Who's That Knocking On My Door and the second, unearthed exclusively for this Review My Collection series, is the dark comedy After Hours, a barely satisfying footnote in the storied career of the master filmmaker. Griffin Dune stars as Paul Hackett, an Upper East Side computer consultant who leads a staid existence: he consults Bronson Pinchot on how to use a mid 80's computer terminal, reads Henry Miller and lives in an orderly New York apartment. However, after meeting a quirky but fascinating girl in a New York diner and calling her that evening, Hackett kicks off a series of events that takes him through a very strange night in the City That Never Sleeps. From the first frame, one thing is readily apparent: After Hours is clearly a Martin Scorsese joint. The film is peppered with Scorsese's signature cinematography, full of quick pans, jolting zooms and meticulous pacing, all hallmarks of a director at the height of his craft. Nobody can deny Scorsese's aptitude behind the camera and After Hours highlights that ability in spades. Yet another love letter to the city that Scorsese called home, After Hours serves as a time capsule to a New York that simply doesn't exist anymore, highlighting all the madcap grittiness, weirdness and danger of that place and time. As a current resident of Manhattan, I often wonder how it would have been living here two decades ago and the best Scorsese movies give me a little taste of the New York gone by. Unfortunately for the film, nostalgia and film techniques can only go so far without a competent story to keep it afloat and this is where After Hours takes a turn for the bad. Labeled a "dark comedy", the movie heaps on the satire without ever winking, creating an experience that's more unsettling than humorous. Just like the guy you knew in college that thought Holocaust jokes were funny, After Hours wants to be darkly comic without having an inkling of what the term actually means. People get robbed, talk blandly about rape experiences and attempt suicide, all played for a chuckle that just isn't there. It's not that the performances are bad: Dune plays the hapless fella just trying to get home with sincerity, Rosanna Arquette is at her weirdly comic best as the diner girl and bit parts from Catherine O'Hara, Teri Garr and even Cheech and Chong serve their comedic purpose. Problem is, the comedy just isn't there. Although Scorsese was able to find that comedic balance in his previous film, The King Of Comedy, that movie had the strength of a more interesting story, likable characters and, oh yeah, some guy named Robert DeNiro. After Hours, on the other hand, features a cast of misfits and degenerates, all trying way too hard for your cautious laughter. Sure the movie has its moments, but just as you think Hackett is about to come across a person somewhat normal, the shtick ramps back up, hurling you headlong into the next out of place encounter. The tale is scattershot and for the most part humorless. After Hours, in a word, just isn't funny. Perhaps this was considered a biting farce in 1985, which would explain the mind boggling 92% Fresh rating it currently holds on Rotten Tomatoes, but to me it just fell flat on nearly every level. Well constructed and decently directed, After Hours fails at its primary goal of providing some cringe inducing laughs in the midst of a wild New York night. Although I'll always love viewing NYC through the eyes of a master, good technique only goes so far. Even though the movie doesn't provide much in the way of laughter, it's still worth a watch for the hardcore Scorsese fan, featuring some top notch camerawork and direction. Now all I have to do is give my brother a ring and let him know I finally watched his gift from all those years ago. And, oh yeah, I'm saving that final box set installment for Review My Collection #197. **Check out my RT blog entitled "Review My Collection" for the rest of the series!!** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRASHER Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 I have to say I saw Rise of the Planet of the Apes twice last weekend...it was PHENOMENAL!!!! Highly recommend....it was as good as Burton's mutilation of Planet of the Apes was BAD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaneykoIsGod Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I have to say I saw Rise of the Planet of the Apes twice last weekend...it was PHENOMENAL!!!! Highly recommend....it was as good as Burton's mutilation of Planet of the Apes was BAD I liked it a lot too. That said, I've never actually seen the original ( ) so I don't know if this origin story jibes or not. Fun movie, nonetheless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atterr Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Saw The Tree of Life the other day. As a big Terrence Malick fan I was very disappointed in his latest film. As always, there are moments of true beauty to be found, but at times it almost felt like a parody of Malick's own work (how many times do we have to see the sun through the trees or hear someone whispering to God?). Tree of Life's epic scope has drawn comparisons to 2001: A Space Odyssey but this one is nowhere near Kubrick's classic, and not nearly as transcendent and poetic as some reviews make it out to be. Every image in 2001 supports the story, but Tree of Life's seemingly random scenes just result in a pretentious mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mayday Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I have to say that Cowboys and Alienswas one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.