NOW CLOSED ; List some movies you've watched recently. Theatre, rental, TV... and give a */10

[Gunslinger08]

Hunger Games - 3/10 - I feel like if you didn't read the book, you really wouldn't understand a good chunk of the themes in the movie.

- The love story between Katniss and Peeta wasn't really a love story - Katniss figured out after a while that Haymitch needed them to appear to be deeply in love to get sponsors. Peeta really did love her, but she didn't really feel the same. He was pretty crushed at the end of the book.
- Peeta and Rue were way more fleshed out in the book. I feel like the average moviegoer had no reason to really care about either of them.
- Cinna's character in the book was great. In the movie? Just a waste of space.
- The dialog in general was pretty bad. Peeta was very self-deprecating in the book, which endeared him to the reader. They tried to show this with 1 REALLY stupid joke during his interview before the games.
- Overall, I felt like everything was really rushed. This is actually the first time I've read a book before seeing a movie, but I'd guess this is pretty typical. The movie felt very long already at almost 2.5 hours. They should have either cut out some more stuff (ex. all of the scenes with the gamemaker that weren't in the book, the district 11 rebellion, Cinna, the interview, etc.) or made this a mini-series.

 

[PimpJuice]

I've only seen a few blips and screenshots of Hunger Games, but it looks freaking awful to me. I have no desire to see it and I have to say Lawrence did look terrible in the short clips I actually bothered to watch.

KT

Yet you still went and saw it? No wonder you didn't like it going in with that kind of opinion.

 

[busydude]

did it actually beat the last harry potter movie?

IIRC, no. This was the best opening for a non sequel.

 

[Childs]

Pitch Black - 6/10: On Netflix. While I really enjoy a good sci fi flick, this didn't quite cut it for me. It started out pretty good but toward the last 1/3, there was too much inconsistency on the monsters' part. For example, one minute they're surrounded, and the next the monsters are scared of the light and there are none to be found. Which is it? Also, the poor planning made me slightly laugh... if you knew that a solar eclipse was coming, there'd be a lot more urgency than these guys showed.

They crashed landed on a planet, and within a day or two the eclipse happens. And they wanted get going sooner, but for reasons that clear in the movie it didnt happen. The monsters are scared of light is because it burns them, which is why you didnt see them during the day. And they were consistently scared of light. Yeah, its the same basic formula as Assault on Precinct 13 (76), Ghost of Mars, From Dusk Till Dawn, etc, but when done right its a formula that works. Man, Pitch Black is a 10/10!

Real Steel - 4/10
This was crap...essentially a bad remake of Over the Top and Rocky, but with robots. I think the trailer was misleading, as this is essentially a kids movie. Cliche after cliche. At times its that kind of lame that makes you feel uncomfortable when watching.

 

[KeithTalent]

Yet you still went and saw it? No wonder you didn't like it going in with that kind of opinion.

Meh, I've seen many films that I had no desire to see and ended up enjoying them. despite me saying that, I did approach it with an open mind particularly because the person I was with was very excited for the movie, but also because of the high RT score, but what can I say, it ended up sucking. It happens.

KT

 

[SP33Demon]

They crashed landed on a planet, and within a day or two the eclipse happens. And they wanted get going sooner, but for reasons that clear in the movie it didnt happen. The monsters are scared of light is because it burns them, which is why you didnt see them during the day. And they were consistently scared of light. Yeah, its the same basic formula as Assault on Precinct 13 (76), Ghost of Mars, From Dusk Till Dawn, etc, but when done right its a formula that works. Man, Pitch Black is a 10/10!

Real Steel - 4/10
This was crap...essentially a bad remake of Over the Top and Rocky, but with robots. I think the trailer was misleading, as this is essentially a kids movie. Cliche after cliche. At times its that kind of lame that makes you feel uncomfortable when watching.

Well, I really wanted to like Pitch Black b/c Vin Diesel was a badass in it. But also, the ending kind of annoyed me where he was going to leave the other 3 that he hid in the crevice, but then the blonde chick makes it to the shuttle, delivers a passionate speech, and that changes his mind? He was going to leave her to die just a minute ago! Overall it was enjoyable though.

 

[Childs]

Well, I really wanted to like Pitch Black b/c Vin Diesel was a badass in it. But also, the ending kind of annoyed me where he was going to leave the other 3 that he hid in the crevice, but then the blonde chick makes it to the shuttle, delivers a passionate speech, and that changes his mind? He was going to leave her to die just a minute ago! Overall it was enjoyable though.

Riddick is about survival, and its consistent with his character when you factor in the second movie and the game. When he tries to bond with people it doesnt end well, so his first instinct is to only look out for number one. But inevitably he goes against his nature and helps others, but it doesnt go well which reinforces his survival mentality.

My only problem with Pitch Black was that

Spoiler

they killed off Johns. It would have been better to have left him stranded on the planet, then in the second movie to have him still chasing Riddick

. Even though the second movie wasnt as good, I'd keep watching these movies. Riddick is a pretty cool character, and the universe they crafted is interesting. Like watching a western in space.

 

[Cerb]

Even though the second movie wasnt as good, I'd keep watching these movies. Riddick is a pretty cool character, and the universe they crafted is interesting. Like watching a western in space.

+1

 

[slayer202]

Pretty sure there is a new one in the works

 

[rh71]

Hunger Games - 3/10 - I feel like if you didn't read the book, you really wouldn't understand a good chunk of the themes in the movie.

- The love story between Katniss and Peeta wasn't really a love story - Katniss figured out after a while that Haymitch needed them to appear to be deeply in love to get sponsors. Peeta really did love her, but she didn't really feel the same. He was pretty crushed at the end of the book.
- Peeta and Rue were way more fleshed out in the book. I feel like the average moviegoer had no reason to really care about either of them.
- Cinna's character in the book was great. In the movie? Just a waste of space.
- The dialog in general was pretty bad. Peeta was very self-deprecating in the book, which endeared him to the reader. They tried to show this with 1 REALLY stupid joke during his interview before the games.
- Overall, I felt like everything was really rushed. This is actually the first time I've read a book before seeing a movie, but I'd guess this is pretty typical. The movie felt very long already at almost 2.5 hours. They should have either cut out some more stuff (ex. all of the scenes with the gamemaker that weren't in the book, the district 11 rebellion, Cinna, the interview, etc.) or made this a mini-series.

- I didn't read the book and I definitely felt no connection with Rue. People on FB mentioned tearing up during that final scene but wow, I had no feelings when I typically do, even for a sad moment on a tv show. Rue played maybe 10 minutes and we're supposed to feel so terrible after that?

- The love story was vital to the ending so I gave that one a pass. Otherwise I'd see it as a cheap teenage-watcher ploy.

 

[KeithTalent]

I don't understand why people like The Running Man so much. I remember watching it in the theater and thinking it was ok but there's no way I could watch it now and enjoy it. Battle Royale is decent but I really think both of these films are getting talked back up again almost as if to say "Ha, Hunger Games? I saw the original in these two other movies!". It happens every time something popular comes out.

Still haven't seen Hunger Games. Hoping to see it on Friday just so I can see if they captured the book well enough with a PG-13 rating or if I'm going to be disappointed.

You read the book, so you will probably enjoy it. Most everyone I know who has read the books, liked the movie, it's the people who did not read the books that have issues with the film.

The Running Man is awesome; good concept, interesting characters (particularly the villains) and it was fun. I've re-watched it a couple of times recently and it still holds up as fun and the themes are no less relevant today.

- I didn't read the book and I definitely felt no connection with Rue. People on FB mentioned tearing up during that final scene but wow, I had no feelings when I typically do, even for a sad moment on a tv show. Rue played maybe 10 minutes and we're supposed to feel so terrible after that?

- The love story was vital to the ending so I gave that one a pass. Otherwise I'd see it as a cheap teenage-watcher ploy.

Yeah WTF on Rue; no attachment to that character at all, she was only used as a vehicle to save Catnip's ass later in the movie. I laughed when she died because it was so silly and obvious.

KT

 

[KeithTalent]

The Prowler - 8/10: The classic 1981 slasher flick which I had not seen in probably 20 years, so was excited to re-watch it on Blu and while it has many problems, most relating to all kinds of loose ends in the story, it's pretty damn good. The film starts in 1945 where we get the main back story and one sweet kill; we are then transported to the same place, a small town in Massachusetts I'm guessing, in 1980 where another dance is taking place and, of course, blood, guts, and hilarity ensue! There are some sweet kills here and while the movie does slow down in a few parts, it worked for me as it built some suspense and kept me guessing a bit. The ending left me a bit bewildered and to be honest I did not recall some of it, so I was surprised by how loose it was, but overall I had a lot of fun.

One thing I have to mention specifically is the effects; they looked amazing! I've heard Tom Savini say this is his best work and it's hard for me to argue; there are some close-up shots of throats being sliced that looked so real, it was very impressive! The fact this was made over 30 years ago is crazy as the movie looked great and the effects in-particular, were awesome. Worth seeing for that alone.

KT

 

[KeithTalent]

Attention Printer Bandit!

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/he...ly-pierce-stephen-king-brian-de-palma-304746?

Chloe Moretz is in negotiations to star in Carrie, the latest take on the seminal horror novel by Stephen King.
MGM is behind the movie and with the high-pedigree of Kimberly Pierce (Boys Don’t Cry) in the director’s chair and a script by playwright Roberto Aquirre-Sacasa, the moviemakers are hoping to make an elevated thriller that can stand next to the Brian De Palma 1976 classic.
“Never been so happy in my life! Thank you Kim Pierce and thank u MGM for the chance of a lifetime i will never forget!” tweeted Moretz, who got the offer for the highly-coveted role early Tuesday morning.

:awe:

KT

 

[shortylickens]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0942628/

:hmm:

 

[Cerb]

For those of us who aren't Printer Bandits: why are you remaking Carrie, Hollywood? Why?! It's one of a very few King adaptations that was Done Right(tm)! Quit it, Hollywood, please.

 

[slayer202]

If we stop paying, they'll stop making. But way more people will go see that than any of the year's great independents.

Jack and Jill made $74 million in the US. Just about the same as Moneyball which was widely marketed and less "artsy" than most of the "good" movies last year. Drive did about HALF that. Same with Midnight in Paris. You can imagine what the movies like Take Shelter, MMMM, etc, did

 

[shortylickens]

If we stop paying, they'll stop making. But way more people will go see that than any of the year's great independents.

Jack and Jill made $74 million in the US. Just about the same as Moneyball which was widely marketed and less "artsy" than most of the "good" movies last year. Drive did about HALF that. Same with Midnight in Paris. You can imagine what the movies like Take Shelter, MMMM, etc, did

Forget it. The masses have spoken: We'd rather ruin our brains than enlighten them. We vote with our dollars and the winner is stupidity.

 

[SP33Demon]

Forget it. The masses have spoken: We'd rather ruin our brains than enlighten them. We vote with our dollars and the winner is stupidity.

/agreed, the fact of the matter is that romantic comedies and teen/tweens are what the masses want right now. To hell with a good plot as long as there's some angst and social anxiety.

 

[slayer202]

The Ascent - 6.5/10:
Russian flick, 1977. I was really excited for this; The synopsis combined with Netflix predicting I'd give it 4.6 stars had my hopes very high.

I just got finished watching the Criterion DVD and I'm disappointed The movie begins with a group of Soviet partisans(resistance group fighting axis occupation during WWII) traveling towards some sort of base camp. One thing I really did appreciate about the film was the connection to the environment that is created. Vast landscapes covered in snow. Most of the film is dominated by that white snow. Oh, did I mention this is in black and white? Maybe that helped set the tone of a story taking place during WWII, but it really made the movie feel older than it is, which I'm not sure is a good thing.

Back to the story. The group escapes the German ambush and makes it into the forrest. They are tired and the trip to the camp is in danger, they are running out of food. Someone needs to go find food, and we meet our main characters.

The pace isn't exactly slow, but it was kind of boring. The acting is good, the dialogue has its moments, but overall it didn't do much for me. I knew the movie had religious undertones and I didn't think that would bother me assuming the film lived up to its potential and really reached some meaningful emotion. Unfortunately, once we get near the end we don't get undertones but a hammer repeatedly to the head. The message is very misguided in my opinion, but that doesn't really factor into my general disappointment of the movie, it just annoys me. There were some bits here and there that I liked, but just not enough :/

 

[OCNewbie]

Anchorman - Awesome/10 - One of my favorite comedies, so much fun to quote with friends.

The real reason behind this post - Anchorman 2 is official!

 

[KeithTalent]

Our Idiot Brother - 8/10: I'm probably alone here, but I really liked this movie. It's not hilarious, but it's a very sweet comedy, with a bunch of characters, particularly Rudd, who I enjoyed spending time with. It follows Rudd as an organic farmer who is busted for pot and ends up having to stay with his family after getting out of prison. He is the nicest guy on the planet and ends up in all kinds of problem situations because of it. I really liked the dynamic between him and all of those crazy, interesting characters (amazing cast here) surrounding him. The scenarios don't end up all that absurd and I didn't bust a gut laughing, but at the end of the film I was sitting there with a smile on my face; I just flat out enjoyed the 90 minutes I spent with these people and seeing how Rudd touched everyone's lives.

KT

 

[KeithTalent]

The Ascent - 6.5/10:
Russian flick, 1977. I was really excited for this; The synopsis combined with Netflix predicting I'd give it 4.6 stars had my hopes very high.

I just got finished watching the Criterion DVD and I'm disappointed The movie begins with a group of Soviet partisans(resistance group fighting axis occupation during WWII) traveling towards some sort of base camp. One thing I really did appreciate about the film was the connection to the environment that is created. Vast landscapes covered in snow. Most of the film is dominated by that white snow. Oh, did I mention this is in black and white? Maybe that helped set the tone of a story taking place during WWII, but it really made the movie feel older than it is, which I'm not sure is a good thing.

Back to the story. The group escapes the German ambush and makes it into the forrest. They are tired and the trip to the camp is in danger, they are running out of food. Someone needs to go find food, and we meet our main characters.

The pace isn't exactly slow, but it was kind of boring. The acting is good, the dialogue has its moments, but overall it didn't do much for me. I knew the movie had religious undertones and I didn't think that would bother me assuming the film lived up to its potential and really reached some meaningful emotion. Unfortunately, once we get near the end we don't get undertones but a hammer repeatedly to the head. The message is very misguided in my opinion, but that doesn't really factor into my general disappointment of the movie, it just annoys me. There were some bits here and there that I liked, but just not enough :/

I like Russian cinema, but this seems like it may not be something I would enjoy. The synopsis on IMDB does sound great, but it seems like it doesn't come together and a war movie that does not come together sounds like a rough one to get through for me. Guess I'll skip this one.

KT

 

[slayer202]

I am curious to hear another opinion, so watch it It wasn't bad, I just didn't like much of it.

 

[KeithTalent]

Weird, it's not available at my rental place for some odd reason. I'll have to look elsewhere. :hmm:

KT

 

[slayer202]

My first time going to a movie alone...here we go