What movies have you seen recently?
- Thread starter Plainview
- Start date
First part was awesome. Second part was an absolute bore other than "Me love you long time." It has been more than a decade since I've seen the second part so my feeling towards it may have changed over time if I see it again, but, my sentiments of it being a half good and half meh movie are shared by many.
I actually enjoyed the second half. Seeing the deterioration of attitudes formerly shown (Joker) and the breaking of discipline and order in the heat of battle. All of which Culminates to that ending with the sniper and sudden realization of the brutality and horror of war.
There is a scene where Joker finds his new company and one of the fellows says, " You talk the talk, but can you walk the walk." That, to me, is what the second half is all about.
My wife and I were pleasantly surprised watching it. Hell of a lot better than what our expectations were.
Watched Elysium the other night. I liked it, the action and SFX were pretty good. I like Neill Blonkamp's visual style, though it was a lot cleaner(?) in Elysium. I thought Sharlto Copley(sp?) was great in it too.
I' Frankenstein
It is almost like this movie is made for children, it tries to give a rather basic and crude lesson in the morality of our actions. Frankenstein is but a child, needing to be taught the difference between right and wrong. To learn that our actions and choices ultimately decide if we are monsters/evil or good. All the time trying to show how easily it is to fall one side of the line or the other.
Best way to describe the movie would be average. The acting is average. Bill Nighy overacts his part-something I am sure we have all come to expect- as Dark Prince Naberius. Aaron Eckhart plays Frankenstein-or Adam, as he is aptly called by the High Queen Leanore- with a somewhat tame performance. Yvonne Strahovki plays her token role with no real conviction or effort. The Story ponders along from one obvious scene to another, filled with tame action sequences and half decent effects, till you reach a rather obvious and anti-climatic ending.
To me, it is one of those movies that you sit down and just let it run its coarse, but you never really feel entertained, it never makes you pay attention to what is going on.
It is almost like this movie is made for children, it tries to give a rather basic and crude lesson in the morality of our actions. Frankenstein is but a child, needing to be taught the difference between right and wrong. To learn that our actions and choices ultimately decide if we are monsters/evil or good. All the time trying to show how easily it is to fall one side of the line or the other.
Best way to describe the movie would be average. The acting is average. Bill Nighy overacts his part-something I am sure we have all come to expect- as Dark Prince Naberius. Aaron Eckhart plays Frankenstein-or Adam, as he is aptly called by the High Queen Leanore- with a somewhat tame performance. Yvonne Strahovki plays her token role with no real conviction or effort. The Story ponders along from one obvious scene to another, filled with tame action sequences and half decent effects, till you reach a rather obvious and anti-climatic ending.
To me, it is one of those movies that you sit down and just let it run its coarse, but you never really feel entertained, it never makes you pay attention to what is going on.
This review is centered. I'm not sure how that will affect my reading of the review.
Gojira (2014) - 8/10
Decided to call this film Gojira instead of Godzilla, because apparently the director would like it if I call the movie Gojira rather than Godzilla. Ken Watanabe's character exists just to say the term 'Gojira' in a Hollywood blockbuster.
As I'm writing this, I'm chuckling. Where do I start. Oh, this movie is clearly made by a fan of monster movies AND military equipments, and the movie is driven by these two, very different kind of love. It's not even a political "hail US Army" attitude seen in Michael Bay flims. This director clearly has a fetish on armaments. The marketing's focus has been on humans reacting to monsters, but that is really a fraction of the movie that is also a glaring flaw. Once the movie shifts its focus from Bryan Cranston to Aaron Taylor-Johnson the drama does not work anymore; Taylor-Johnson's character just isn't compelling. His chemistry with Elizabeth Olsen is contrived on a script level and they aren't given too much to work on. In fact he exists just to show the audience the story in the army's perspective. He rides the ships and planes to go to wherever the monsters are, and whenever there are monsters, there are military struggle to stop them, which always fails. The accuracy and focus on armaments and equipments in these scenes is on the level of The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, something you would totally not expect from a summer blockbuster like this.
Gojira is still a monster movie, though, and a good one at that, to an extent that the movie actually becomes "Gojira saves the day" at the end. This is one thing I didn't like, but I guess being a monster movie it needs to end that way. If Pacific Rim lost focus between being a monster movie and a robot movie, Gojira successfully focuses on both monsters and army at the same time. The final battle between new monsters and Gojira is very well done, but as I said, it might be tad too sentimental beyond certain point. Where the movie truly excels is when the monsters and the army are together in one shot. That this movie is crazy about armaments does not mean that US army is as powerful as they are in Transformers films. It's the complete opposite here, as all the tech galores are colossaly dwarfed in front of massive monsters, which makes the film akin to Aliens and (the better part of) War of the Worlds. Monsters are massive, humans are so small even in a big ship, and as every single movement of these monsters become a huge threat to humans, humans react in a various way to survive; this makes up Gojira's highest moments. The way the monsters devastate humans, cities and especially the army shows how powerless we could be, the way the best cosmic horrors do. A movie with a glaring flaw that gets dwarfed by other strengths, just like Gojira dwarfs humans.
Decided to call this film Gojira instead of Godzilla, because apparently the director would like it if I call the movie Gojira rather than Godzilla. Ken Watanabe's character exists just to say the term 'Gojira' in a Hollywood blockbuster.
As I'm writing this, I'm chuckling. Where do I start. Oh, this movie is clearly made by a fan of monster movies AND military equipments, and the movie is driven by these two, very different kind of love. It's not even a political "hail US Army" attitude seen in Michael Bay flims. This director clearly has a fetish on armaments. The marketing's focus has been on humans reacting to monsters, but that is really a fraction of the movie that is also a glaring flaw. Once the movie shifts its focus from Bryan Cranston to Aaron Taylor-Johnson the drama does not work anymore; Taylor-Johnson's character just isn't compelling. His chemistry with Elizabeth Olsen is contrived on a script level and they aren't given too much to work on. In fact he exists just to show the audience the story in the army's perspective. He rides the ships and planes to go to wherever the monsters are, and whenever there are monsters, there are military struggle to stop them, which always fails. The accuracy and focus on armaments and equipments in these scenes is on the level of The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, something you would totally not expect from a summer blockbuster like this.
Gojira is still a monster movie, though, and a good one at that, to an extent that the movie actually becomes "Gojira saves the day" at the end. This is one thing I didn't like, but I guess being a monster movie it needs to end that way. If Pacific Rim lost focus between being a monster movie and a robot movie, Gojira successfully focuses on both monsters and army at the same time. The final battle between new monsters and Gojira is very well done, but as I said, it might be tad too sentimental beyond certain point. Where the movie truly excels is when the monsters and the army are together in one shot. That this movie is crazy about armaments does not mean that US army is as powerful as they are in Transformers films. It's the complete opposite here, as all the tech galores are colossaly dwarfed in front of massive monsters, which makes the film akin to Aliens and (the better part of) War of the Worlds. Monsters are massive, humans are so small even in a big ship, and as every single movement of these monsters become a huge threat to humans, humans react in a various way to survive; this makes up Gojira's highest moments. The way the monsters devastate humans, cities and especially the army shows how powerless we could be, the way the best cosmic horrors do. A movie with a glaring flaw that gets dwarfed by other strengths, just like Gojira dwarfs humans.
Guess you are coming from that perspective that is not mine... My favorite scene didn't even have Godzilla. It's where soldiers try to transport nuclear warhead through a train over a bridge. Describes the powerlessness of the solders so well.
I just watched Godzilla on Friday and I was so f***ing disappointed by it 
I wanted Godzilla to have more screen time but instead I got some stupid human segements getting into the Monster vs Monster scenes. Its like transformers 3 all over again.
I paid to watch Godzilla kick ass or destroy alot of s*** but instead I get more people going emo
I wanted Godzilla to have more screen time but instead I got some stupid human segements getting into the Monster vs Monster scenes. Its like transformers 3 all over again.I paid to watch Godzilla kick ass or destroy alot of s*** but instead I get more people going emo
Just watched this series of movies on Netflix, English dubbed.
Torrente: El brazo tonto de la ley (199
Torrente 2: Misión en Marbella (2001)
Torrente 3: El protector (2005)
Torrente 4: Lethal Crisis (2011)
Born and usually resident in Madrid, Spain, José Luis Torrente is an ugly, bald, overweight, dirty, corrupt, lying, fascist, racist, chauvinistic and anticommunist retired cop. He refuses to accept his expulsion from the Police corps, so he still "patrols" each night in his old car in order to "fight" what he considers criminal actions. Poor immigrants and drug-addicts are often victims of his actions, while he usually refuses to confront real criminals due to his actual cowardice (sometimes, however, Torrente is able to show a surprising amount of courage). Torrente openly states his admiration for Generalissimo Francisco Franco (and later for King Juan Carlos and the crown prince), and is a declared fan of the Atlético de Madrid Football Club and Spanish singer El Fary.
Lewd crude and rude, thought they were all quite funny.
Loved all of them 8/10.
Torrente: El brazo tonto de la ley (199
Torrente 2: Misión en Marbella (2001)
Torrente 3: El protector (2005)
Torrente 4: Lethal Crisis (2011)
Born and usually resident in Madrid, Spain, José Luis Torrente is an ugly, bald, overweight, dirty, corrupt, lying, fascist, racist, chauvinistic and anticommunist retired cop. He refuses to accept his expulsion from the Police corps, so he still "patrols" each night in his old car in order to "fight" what he considers criminal actions. Poor immigrants and drug-addicts are often victims of his actions, while he usually refuses to confront real criminals due to his actual cowardice (sometimes, however, Torrente is able to show a surprising amount of courage). Torrente openly states his admiration for Generalissimo Francisco Franco (and later for King Juan Carlos and the crown prince), and is a declared fan of the Atlético de Madrid Football Club and Spanish singer El Fary.
Lewd crude and rude, thought they were all quite funny.
Loved all of them 8/10.
Godzilla - 4/10
Why it is named so is a mystery to me. Should have been titled, Typical Hollywood Average American Family. Granted, that does not sound very appealing and nor was it.
Just 90 minutes following an insignificant family, with sporadic glimpses of what we want to see filling in the final 30 minutes of runtime.
The cast is totally wasted on this typical and tired Hollywood script. Ken Watanabe and Elizabeth Olson may as well not be present. Bryan Cranston was Ok.
I think Aaron Taylor-Johnson did pretty good with the mediocrity he had to work with.
The effects were decent. I thought Godzilla looked fantastic, and the amount of destruction looked good too.
Hollywood really needs to get out the habit of taking focus away from what should be the star of the movie, with lame and pointless
human interest stories. It ruined movies like transformers, and in my opinion, it ruined this movie too.
Why it is named so is a mystery to me. Should have been titled, Typical Hollywood Average American Family. Granted, that does not sound very appealing and nor was it.
Just 90 minutes following an insignificant family, with sporadic glimpses of what we want to see filling in the final 30 minutes of runtime.
The cast is totally wasted on this typical and tired Hollywood script. Ken Watanabe and Elizabeth Olson may as well not be present. Bryan Cranston was Ok.
I think Aaron Taylor-Johnson did pretty good with the mediocrity he had to work with.
The effects were decent. I thought Godzilla looked fantastic, and the amount of destruction looked good too.
Hollywood really needs to get out the habit of taking focus away from what should be the star of the movie, with lame and pointless
human interest stories. It ruined movies like transformers, and in my opinion, it ruined this movie too.
Both parts are nice for me. I actually watched this in a barracks. My battery (Artillery equivalent of company) mate told me it was a classic, so we watched it together. Those were the days.
Godzilla: They drag too long for the first part. Godzilla got too little scene time. But I still think its not bad.
I enjoyed X-Men much more then Godzilla, although the effects in Godzilla were pretty cool and he looked pretty bad ass too. Pretty excited for Transformers hopefully Mark Wahlberg brings some much needed class to the acting front on the series.
Honestly, I doubt he will. What his inclusion does bring is an end to the whiny and childish main human character. Plus, he has good experience dealing with average scripts within an action setting. If the trailers are anything to go by, extinction should be the best Transformers movie of the four. No more lame humour. No more annoying little bots. No more stupid main character. Plus, it has what appears to be a truly formidable antagonist, something the previous three lacked.
Reminds me of hippies of 1960s who got trashed while watching 2001: A Space Odyssey. Heard their experience of Star Gate sequence was... exhilarating.
Have you watched Koyaanisqatsi BTW? How does it compare to Baraka? I'm inclined because the DP of Koyaanisqatsi is the director of Baraka, but the guy around me who's been crazy about that film is a total snob. I guess I need a good recommendation from a reasonable guy to actually watch it.
Yeah, I've seen it. I probably prefer it to Baraka. It's a little less polished, Baraka is probably filmed a bit better and has more variety, but I love the Phillip Glass soundtrack and the urban timelapses in Koyaanisqatsi. Baraka had them too of course but they make up a much bigger part of Koyaanisqatsi. Plus I saw it on a big theatre screen, whereas I only watched Baraka on my television, so that probably affects my opinion of the two movies.
Watching The Normal Heart, an HBO produced film based on the play of the same title by Larry Kramer. It's a story of a gay activist who is trying to raise AIDS awareness in the early 80s.
I give it a 4/5 for its great acting and dialogue. Also, I swear this would make even Hitler cry like a little bitch.
I give it a 4/5 for its great acting and dialogue. Also, I swear this would make even Hitler cry like a little bitch.
Last edited:
The Lego movie it was a lot of fun the ending part I wish they did not do. Some of the more adult jokes surprised me and the movie was damn funny.
The whole real world part I wish they just did not do it really did not add anything to the movie.
It's been a while since I actually did some movie reviews. I've seen a few movies recently and below is some summaries.
X-Men: Days of Future Past - Great
I really liked First Class and I think this is one of the rare moments where a sequel is even better. I think it's the first must see of the year.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit - Average
I debated rating this movie as good. I did enjoy it but nothing really separates it from the lack and ultimately I settled on average. Don't go out of your way to see it but if the opportunity arises you may want to check it out.
3 Days to Kill - Good
Luc Besson's style is all over the film. It's very reminiscent of Leon: The Professional. Costner was good as the aging CIA operative and Steinfeld was her rock solid self. I like it much more than I thought I would. I highly recommend it.
The Thin Blue Line - Good
It's a documentary that uses alternative forms of storytelling to weed the doc's story. It's one of the better documentaries that I've seen. If you're a doc love like me, see it.
Don Jon - Good
Don Jon was a fun little movie. Parts of it most of us can relate to, at least I could. It was worth the watch.
Robocop (2013) - Good
I liked the reboot. I heard man a complaint about how it's not enough of an action film but I liked the tone and what the movie focused on. It could have benefitted for a tad bit more action but I'm fine with how it is. It's more of a character movie than an action movie and I'm not mad about it.
Mitty - Average
The movie was acted well and it had an interesting premise but ultimately it was an average move. See it or don't.
X-Men: Days of Future Past - Great
I really liked First Class and I think this is one of the rare moments where a sequel is even better. I think it's the first must see of the year.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit - Average
I debated rating this movie as good. I did enjoy it but nothing really separates it from the lack and ultimately I settled on average. Don't go out of your way to see it but if the opportunity arises you may want to check it out.
3 Days to Kill - Good
Luc Besson's style is all over the film. It's very reminiscent of Leon: The Professional. Costner was good as the aging CIA operative and Steinfeld was her rock solid self. I like it much more than I thought I would. I highly recommend it.
The Thin Blue Line - Good
It's a documentary that uses alternative forms of storytelling to weed the doc's story. It's one of the better documentaries that I've seen. If you're a doc love like me, see it.
Don Jon - Good
Don Jon was a fun little movie. Parts of it most of us can relate to, at least I could. It was worth the watch.
Robocop (2013) - Good
I liked the reboot. I heard man a complaint about how it's not enough of an action film but I liked the tone and what the movie focused on. It could have benefitted for a tad bit more action but I'm fine with how it is. It's more of a character movie than an action movie and I'm not mad about it.
Mitty - Average
The movie was acted well and it had an interesting premise but ultimately it was an average move. See it or don't.