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Vlad!
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« Reply #6240 on: January 10, 2010, 10:27:01 PM » |
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Mindhunters.
The premise was interesting, though Agatha Christie did it better. In a well-done movie like this, you would be able to go back after watching it and see at every point how the plot was subtly and imperceptibly but unmistakably pointing to the inevitability of the conclusion. In this film, it just feels like the writers pulled the ending out of their collective hat.
For a movie that's all about profiling, we get precious little profiles on the characters. It would have been a very worthwhile film if we had gotten substantial background on each and it was woven into the characters. Instead, each character is reduced to one or two bullet-points and almost seem less characters as caricatures. It's too dumb to be a cerebral thriller, too boring to be an action thriller, and too gory to be anything else. There are points which are just plain nonsensical to the point of lunacy. There are inconsistencies not just from one scene to the next but from one moment to the next. The characters vacillate from being prescient to the point of clairvoyance and being foolhardy to the point of idiocy.
This movie has not found its characters, not found its niche, and, while I believe it found its voice, demonstrated itself completely incapable to speak in that voice for more than a scene at a time. What I hate the most about it is that I feel like there was a good movie trapped inside trying to get out. Maybe that's the real horror of Mindhunters.
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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AldaForPresident
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« Reply #6241 on: January 11, 2010, 01:59:33 AM » |
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Avatar
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
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murlough23
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« Reply #6242 on: January 12, 2010, 01:49:22 PM » |
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Forgot to mention that I saw Sherlock Holmes with the in-laws a week or so ago. I wasn't really that interested, but they were, and my wife was, and it was something to do together. It was better than I expected - Downey was pretty good in the eccentric detective role, and Law was good as the straight man trying to tolerate his bizarre antics, but I still can't quite wrap my head around the idea of Holmes being an expert and hand-to-hand combat. It was unnecessarily glossy Hollywood action added to a movie that didn't need it.
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enemy anemone
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« Reply #6243 on: January 12, 2010, 02:00:34 PM » |
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The Vicar of Dibley, series 1 & 2
FotR
Clash of the Gods: Tolkien's Monsters
Jess, what did you think of Avatar?
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Vlad!
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« Reply #6244 on: January 12, 2010, 02:45:53 PM » |
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but I still can't quite wrap my head around the idea of Holmes being an expert and hand-to-hand combat. It was unnecessarily glossy Hollywood action added to a movie that didn't need it.
Actually, that part is straight-up Doyle. In the stories, Sherlock Holmes is portrayed as preternaturally strong and quick, as well as being a master of Baritsu. However, despite all this he is not in any way an action hero. (I heard a friend say about this movie "it's a great flick if you can forget that it's Sherlock Holmes", which seems reasonable. I still haven't seen it, but if I were I would endeavor to forget the august source material and accept the movie at face value. I would also probably fail miserably.) |
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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T-Bone
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« Reply #6245 on: January 12, 2010, 03:03:46 PM » |
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(I heard a friend say about this movie "it's a great flick if you can forget that it's Sherlock Holmes", which seems reasonable. I still haven't seen it, but if I were I would endeavor to forget the august source material and accept the movie at face value. I would also probably fail miserably.)
My wife and I both loved the movie, although to be fair neither of us have read much Sherlock Holmes. I thought Downey made the character his own without making you "forget you were watching Sherlock Holmes", but perhaps I simply haven't read or seen enough past incarnations to realize how different he was. But either way, I thought it was a highly entertaining two hours. On topic: (500) Days of Summer Inglorious Basterds |
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murlough23
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« Reply #6246 on: January 12, 2010, 03:10:08 PM » |
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Actually, that part is straight-up Doyle. In the stories, Sherlock Holmes is portrayed as preternaturally strong and quick, as well as being a master of Baritsu. However, despite all this he is not in any way an action hero. It was probably just the way it was portrayed onscreen, so it may be the director's fault more than the screenwriter's. OK, so maybe he can fight, but this ain't the Matrix. Enough with the stylized slo-mo cuts. One compliment I have for the movie is that they didn't load it down with profanity (which I can accept in a context such as a military movie where it's expected in real life that folks would talk that way) or snarky pop culture references just to make it "hip" - I don't know how people actually talked in late 19th-century England, but I never felt like the dialogue was out of sync with the setting. They also didn't need to overdo the sex appeal to make the story work, either. (The trailer emphasizes a humorous scene in which Holmes winds up naked, but that's about as brief in the film as it is in the trailer.) A movie isn't great just for NOT doing this stuff, but given that they tried to make the action look all hip and modern, it could have been a trainwreck if they tried to sauce it up more. |
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AldaForPresident
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« Reply #6247 on: January 13, 2010, 01:19:08 AM » |
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Jess, what did you think of Avatar?
I didn't really want to watch it, but a friend of mine wanted to see it and I didn't mind the idea. I thought it was okay, but the showing I went to was sold out, which I found very impressive for a movie that's been out a month, and they clapped after it. I kept thinking that it was the plot of Fern Gully with cool effects. It's a cool movie but I can't believe it's probably going to get an Oscar nomination for Best Picture and people are calling it "this generation's Star Wars." |
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murlough23
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« Reply #6248 on: January 13, 2010, 01:25:36 AM » |
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I have no interest in Avatar. Everybody who recommends it talks about the effects. When pressed about the story, people tell me "it's OK". Not that I don't sometimes go to see films with crap stories that Avatar probably beats, but I don't know. Just not feeling the hype with this one.
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AldaForPresident
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« Reply #6249 on: January 13, 2010, 04:57:11 AM » |
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The Hurt Locker
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Vlad!
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« Reply #6250 on: January 13, 2010, 08:52:14 AM » |
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I can't believe it's probably going to get an Oscar nomination for Best Picture and people are calling it "this generation's Star Wars."
Let's see...incredible special effects and some good action sequences, but a stale, overdone plot and dialog that wavers from "OK" to "cheeseball". I can see the resemblance. (But hey, I grew up with Star Wars so it's awesome, but this Avatar thing...fuhgeddaboudit). |
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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bloop
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« Reply #6251 on: January 13, 2010, 09:52:39 AM » |
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Let's see...incredible special effects and some good action sequences, but a stale, overdone plot and dialog that wavers from "OK" to "cheeseball". I can see the resemblance. Hush! |
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Enjoy our pub. user/pw: thephorum Follow me on Grooveshark or Spotify. username: iceybloop |
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murlough23
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« Reply #6252 on: January 13, 2010, 01:51:57 PM » |
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Doesn't the Academy stick to nominating stuff these days where the story is the focus?
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Brenden
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« Reply #6253 on: January 13, 2010, 05:17:34 PM » |
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Based on last year, I'm not sure they don't just pick at random.
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AldaForPresident
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« Reply #6254 on: January 13, 2010, 08:44:30 PM » |
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With the expanded Best Picture category, there's no telling what nonsense they'll pick this year.
I'm not necessarily a big Star Wars fan, but I can appreciate the significance of my 35-year-old uncle, who grew up with it, and his seven-year-old son both being completely obsessed with it. I can't imagine Avatar being regarded that way in thirty years. Of course it may be, who knows what stupid thing people will attach themselves to. (I'm looking at you, Twilight!)
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Brenden
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« Reply #6255 on: January 13, 2010, 10:14:20 PM » |
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I think that once people start telling really great stories with this technology, people will regard Avatar as a technical achievement and not much else.
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Vlad!
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« Reply #6256 on: January 14, 2010, 08:12:54 AM » |
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I think that once people start telling really great stories with this technology, people will regard Avatar as a technical achievement and not much else.
Heh, I said the same thing about Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within back when I was in high school. Honestly, mo-cap CG has been used in enough films now that it's not a technical achievement anymore; merely a budgetary one. |
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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Brenden
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« Reply #6257 on: January 14, 2010, 11:17:43 AM » |
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I'd argue it's still an achievement when a film makes it more realistic, which is what Avatar seems to have done by all accounts, since people think it's the most realistic mo-cap movie made thus far. This of course makes me think, "better than Weta Workshop?"
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murlough23
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« Reply #6258 on: January 14, 2010, 01:56:46 PM » |
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Heh, I said the same thing about Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within back when I was in high school.
Haha, I thought of that movie too. I was watching one of the features on the 10th anniversary edition of Toy Story when I got it for my wife a few years back, and they said that what they were doing was pretty new at the time, and they knew they were running the risk of being remembered for a technical achievement to the point that it overshadowed the story. I think it speaks to their talent that people do remember many Pixar films for the stories, and often aren't even fully aware of the attention to detail that was required just to animate small details that we'd take for granted in the real world. Some of the best computer-animated stuff is the stuff that makes you forget it's animated. Technical achievements are worth honoring as such (which is why the Academy gives out technical awards), but a "Best Picture" should be a good example of a film that has an excellent story to tell and that tells its story exceedingly well. (Whether the Academy will actually honor one of the best stories remains to be seen in any given year... I'm just talking ideally and pointing out that technology alone isn't enough to make a "Best Picture"). NP: "Run", Vampire Weekend |
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AldaForPresident
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« Reply #6259 on: January 15, 2010, 04:15:36 AM » |
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Prime Suspect 3
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Aaron
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« Reply #6260 on: January 16, 2010, 01:55:26 PM » |
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Erin Brockovich, first viewing
I'm not sure why I have never seen this before. Holy heck, I really enjoyed this film and it's one of Julia Roberts' best performances.
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murlough23
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« Reply #6261 on: January 16, 2010, 04:51:12 PM » |
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Erin Brockovich, first viewing
I'm not sure why I have never seen this before. Holy heck, I really enjoyed this film and it's one of Julia Roberts' best performances.
I remember liking that one, too. |
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Vlad!
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« Reply #6262 on: January 17, 2010, 10:11:59 PM » |
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Book of Eli
Surprisingly good; thought-provoking and deep while still scratching the action itch. I am honestly shocked that something like this could come out of Hollywood. There is much to be gleaned here, I think, and the film is entirely worthwhile.
Either there are a couple minor plot holes near the end or I'm not nearly as attentive a viewer as I think I am. In no way did they interfere with my enjoyment of the movie, however. A few of the action scenes border on the unbelievable, but again I'm willing to accept the premise the movie offers me and roll with it so long as it doesn't break its own rules. It does stretch them at one point, but honestly this movie is good enough to make me want to believe, which is really all I ask.
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If you don’t have freedom as a principle, you can never see a reason not to make an exception. There are constantly going to be times when for one reason or another there’s some practical convenience in making an exception.
rms
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enemy anemone
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« Reply #6263 on: January 21, 2010, 06:12:52 PM » |
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The Vicar of Dibley, series 3
and Dollhouse season 1 again
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AldaForPresident
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« Reply #6264 on: January 22, 2010, 04:34:28 AM » |
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The House of Mirth
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murlough23
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« Reply #6265 on: January 22, 2010, 11:43:44 PM » |
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Just watched an episode of Chuck in which Mark Pellegrino (who more recently played Jacob on Lost) plays a bad guy who is trying to retrieve a list of names that was once in possession of a man named "LaFleur". Just thought that was interesting.
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Wildcatblue7
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« Reply #6266 on: January 23, 2010, 11:17:32 AM » |
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Sherlock Holmes
At first I felt like I was watching a Robert Downey Jr. version of the Matrix, but I enjoyed it. Also, the cinematography/score made me think it was a Christopher Nolan film.
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ajyouthguy
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« Reply #6267 on: January 24, 2010, 07:52:04 AM » |
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To Save a Life
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"When we spend so much time promoting everything we're against that the message of who we are for gets lost, when Christians are putting everyone else down, how is Jesus lifted up in that?." Doug Fields
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RedcoatJones
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« Reply #6268 on: January 25, 2010, 09:58:05 AM » |
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Julie & Julia
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bloop
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« Reply #6269 on: January 25, 2010, 01:15:20 PM » |
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^I just saw that one, too.
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Enjoy our pub. user/pw: thephorum Follow me on Grooveshark or Spotify. username: iceybloop |
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Brenden
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« Reply #6270 on: January 25, 2010, 01:19:59 PM » |
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2012
Despite its flaws, it was a lot of fun and didn't feel like a three hour movie.
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AldaForPresident
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« Reply #6271 on: January 27, 2010, 05:18:21 AM » |
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The Brothers Bloom
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enemy anemone
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« Reply #6272 on: January 27, 2010, 10:30:44 PM » |
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tried to watch Closet Land, but the audio and picture were messed up, and the movie itself is disturbing.
resumed watching Stephen Fry in America.
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Brenden
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« Reply #6273 on: January 27, 2010, 10:43:38 PM » |
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Legion
*snickers* I think someone forgot to write a story so they just threw a bunch of random scenes together and forgot anything resembling logic or intelligence. Hilarious.
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murlough23
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« Reply #6274 on: January 28, 2010, 12:08:54 AM » |
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Up in the Air. Pretty good. I'm glad I went in expected it to be understated. Thoughts were provoked, so it was time well spent.
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T-Bone
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« Reply #6275 on: January 28, 2010, 12:10:28 PM » |
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The Lovely Bones. Not really sure if I liked it or not.
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enemy anemone
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« Reply #6276 on: January 29, 2010, 07:43:59 PM » |
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Julie & Julia
overall I liked it more than I thought I would, but it some ways it seemed very You've-Got-Mail-ish. I was like "...really? the 'sending things out into the void' thing again? who even thinks like that?"
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ajyouthguy
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« Reply #6277 on: January 30, 2010, 11:36:10 AM » |
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Faith Like Potatoes
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"When we spend so much time promoting everything we're against that the message of who we are for gets lost, when Christians are putting everyone else down, how is Jesus lifted up in that?." Doug Fields
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enemy anemone
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« Reply #6278 on: January 30, 2010, 11:39:52 AM » |
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mmm...boil it, mash it, stick it in a stew.
series finale of Dollhouse.
still confused. but Olivia Williams--love her. lovelovelove.
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bloop
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« Reply #6279 on: January 30, 2010, 11:49:12 PM » |
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"Inglourious Basterds"
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Enjoy our pub. user/pw: thephorum Follow me on Grooveshark or Spotify. username: iceybloop |
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