Last movie you watched

[beckmen]

The Mother of Invention: It has its moments, some funny stuff. Interesting characters, a shitton of quirk going on. The movie kind of grew on me, wasn't crazy about it at first but eventually I got more into it. It moves at a quick enough pace to not get boring, which always helps. B-.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3wW5UmqUDM" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3wW5UmqUDM</a>

Rid of Me: The direction and editing is nuts, but the plot and acting make up for it. Kellie O'Grady is an actress I will be looking out for. B⁺.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZFRfPODa0o" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZFRfPODa0o</a>

The Lie: Not very good. I guess it is supposed to be a comedy, a fact I didn't know until after watching it. It's not funny, at all. The main character is vaguely relatable, but not nearly likable enough for you to sympathize with him. D⁺.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlvTLIbPvOc" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlvTLIbPvOc</a>

[Hudson]

I finally saw Source Code. Awesome, awesome movie. I've missed Jake, haven't seen him in a movie in ages.

This movie gets a 9/10 from me. I take one away for some really annoying flag-waving stuff that's going on. And I really thought that was uncharacteristic. I would've preferred there to be no government involvement and I didn't really like the Afghanistan veteran backstory. I thought that there was validation of the War on Terror, but that got squashed, so I was pleased with that.

Really good movie though.

[Hubbs]

The Hunger Games

Move over Potter and Bella here comes the new book for young adults/teens, and its quite violent!.

I'm not gonna go into the plot for this adaptation as it really is unbelievably unoriginal. This is my issue with this film (and book), the plot is dated, old, done many many many times, so why is this so hyped I ask?

First thing that does hit you is the fact the film spends a lot of time building the characters. Right from the start everybody is slowly developed so by the time the two leads reach 'the capital' you feel like you know them. This is good obviously and a real plus point for the film, to be honest I wondered if we were ever gonna get to the action, half the film is plot/character development.

The film is also made well despite not having a great deal of fancy effects or massive action moments. Its quite low key with average sets, a touch of CGI for the capital and interesting costume designs. In short it looks realistic when it needs to be and not some over blown post apocalyptic mega blockbuster mess.

As said there is one main problem with the whole adaptation (and book) and that's the plot. We've seen this all before, sure its well acted and made for genuine emotional punch but how many times have you seen a film about a sterile Orwellian authoritarian society that uses bloodsports as the main outlet for its violence lusting population?? .
There are so many other films and stories that have used this concept I simply don't understand why this is being talked about so much, because its for teens?.

So much isn't explained either. What happened to the Earth to cause this apocalyptic world? is the rest of world like this? why is the high society in 'the capital' all dressed up like cast from 'The Wizard of Oz' or some French opera? how did these districts get created?. Seeing as there are quite a lot of districts with what appears to be big populations surely it wouldn't be too hard to stand up to one city, they start riots easily enough within the film which cause problems. On the other hand why do the youngsters even compete? if no one complied and refused to kill within the games they couldn't carry on with them no?

The fact that almost all the young combatants in the games are not really introduced seemed a bit poor to me. We know about seven of them (briefly) out of 24, the rest are just faceless kill fodder. Loads of them get killed the minute they enter the games, then during many more get killed off so it does seem like there are maybe more than 24. 

Maybe these things are explained in the book, maybe some of it has been altered for the film, I don't know but it does seem rather weak to me. Overall I did enjoy the film as these types of 'rebellion against a big brother society' films are normally intriguing and emotional.

Its well acted and well presented, but everything from the exposure of the young combatants by a slimy gameshow host type to the games being monitored by a control room of suits and techs is completely cliched, predictable and most of all unoriginal. A little too late for me in all honesty, this has been done and offers nothing new accept the fact youngsters compete. A controlled gameshow environmental variation of 'Lord of the Flies' if you will.

[beckmen]

The Expendables 2: Well, I can honestly say I think it's better than the first film. You get more of the stars advertised, and way more action and mayhem. It's however, still deeply flawed. The script feels like a first draft written by a 12-year-old, with a lack of wit, and cringe-worthy one-liners and winks to the audience. Much like the first film, the threat isn't very large. There's the major villain and his henchman...versus everybody. The classical adventure concept of the heroes having to overcome overwhelming odds is missing. This series needs a good screenwriter to finally bring us the movie worthy of its stars. But for now...it's worth seeing, for sure. B-.

Also, do not chall-ange Jean Claude Van Damme.

[SiL]

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

The sort of film I'm under no doubt is very good, but which I can't exactly say I enjoyed. It's the sort of thing I'd sound off if someone asked for an example of a good movie made in the last five years, but not something I'd actually recommend.

Seeing Tom Hardy with hair and his muscles decidedly hidden from view was surreal after The Dark Knight Rises.

[severen76]

Expendables 2

I loved it!

It's everything I wanted the first film to be. Everyone got their screen time and there's some great chemistry. I don't know really what to say ....don't chall-Ange Van Damme?

[beckmen]

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

The sort of film I'm under no doubt is very good, but which I can't exactly say I enjoyed. It's the sort of thing I'd sound off if someone asked for an example of a good movie made in the last five years, but not something I'd actually recommend.

Seeing Tom Hardy with hair and his muscles decidedly hidden from view was surreal after The Dark Knight Rises.

Watched Star Trek: Nemesis recently and it was weird to see him all skinny and young and with a fake nose in that.

[dude]

The Raid

Since I got the EX2 release date shaft so I had to satiate my blood lust. Any potential remake could be really good, simply by making the film a melting pot of martial arts styles.

[beckmen]

What I want out of a remake is action of the same caliber, and characters who are more than just punching bags or punching machines.

[dude]

True, but I don't want them to bog it down with too much bullshit. No love interests, no side-kicks, no plot, just every man fighting for survival.

What they can do is make it more ensemble, don't telegraph who the hero is, don't focus on one guy. Get a bigger name like Vin Diesel for the SWAT Captain, get someone like Scott Adkins (Van Damme's henchman in EX2) for Rama.

Keep

the SWAT captain dying before Act III

and make it a shock.

[beckmen]

No love interests, no. But some banter and characterization so we give a shit when one of them bites the dust. Also, balance the martial arts with gun action.

Was talking to my friend the other day, The Raid: Redemption suffers from the same thing a lot of asian action films do. Awesome action, but it's wall-to-wall. The characters get short-shrift and the action can actually get tiresome without some ebb and flow. Which I guess is usually preferable to the typical American "everything is boring" convention.

[dude]

Well look at what Taken did, sure there's plot and there's character, but none of it is extraneous, it serves a purpose to the film to from A to B to C. A U.S. Raid should make sure it does the same.

[Hubbs]

Fade to Black (1980)

A tour de force for a young Dennis Christopher in this easy going thriller. He plays a young man who is obsessed with classic old movies, an obsession that goes into overdrive when he snaps after his life takes a downward spiral.

All the folk that wronged or upset him he kills off by transforming himself into famous movie characters from various famous films eg. 'Dracula' 'The Mummy' 'Hopalong Cassidy' and 'Cody Jarret' from the Cagney film 'White Heat'. Along the way is good old Tim Thomerson as a criminal psychologist trying to help 'Binford'.

I say easy going thriller as Christopher is a very likable character in this film. His innocent looks and love of classic cinema is really quite fun to watch, the sequences where he transforms into various characters are really good too, charming really. The film isn't scary or horrific in any way, its very tame and almost like an extended episode of 'Quantum Leap' haha.

During the film there are the odd inserts from various old black n white films to show or mirror what's going on inside 'Binfords' mind, just like in the comedy 'Dream On'. None of murders actually involve any large amounts of blood or gore, its all done quite tastefully with cut aways and leaving it to your imagination. In fact almost all of the murders are merely accidents that Christopher's character brings on, but his lust for revenge gets the better of him near the end.

Great little thriller in a nice 'Murder She Wrote' type of way with some really nice makeup/prosthetics work. Look out for an early role by Mickey Rourke.

[SM]

Freddy vs. Jason - Disposable.

[deezelboy]

There's a good film struggling to get out of Pandorum, but sadly it never gets much further than I am Legend (the film, not the novel) in space.