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Post by icegrrl on Jun 13, 2006 23:13:36 GMT -6
Hey you guys! If anyone is willing please post your thoughts on this summer's movies. Post a review or a link to those of your have reviewed flicks on your blogs.
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Post by Rigil Kent on Jun 15, 2006 15:41:40 GMT -6
Well, I saw X3 and wasn't very impressed. Too much flash, not enough substance. It was no where near as good as X2 and the whole Dark Phoenix angle was completely wasted. Didn't like what they did with Cyclops or Xavier and was pretty bored during a lot of the fight scenes. Overall, I found it to be very mediocre.
So, I give it a C.
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Post by Rigil Kent on Jun 28, 2006 22:42:25 GMT -6
SUPERMAN RETURNS
WOW. It's official: Bryan Singer is a God among directors. Everyone here already knows how ... hesitant I was about seeing this movie. I thought they cast both Clark and Lois too young, I thought Spacey was going to pull a Joker from the first Batman movie, I thought the costume was bleh, and, from the trailers, I was hesitant about the effects.
I was wrong.
Take a note people: I don't say that often ('cause I'm not wrong often). Brandon Routh was excellent as Supes and it's like watching Ewan MacGregor play Obi-Wan Kenobi and occasionally hearing Sir Alec Guinness. There were moments when I swear I heard Chris Reeve. I will admit to not realizing that Routh was 6'4" but there are times that it shows.
The influence of the first Superman movie is extremely heavy. Those cool credit effects are present (if spiffed up). Luthor is, once again, focusing on real estate. Supes even made that "I hope this doesn't put you off of flying. Statistically speaking, it's still the safest way to travel."
And yet, this is clearly it's own movie. We've got some serious pathos here: I mean, aside from the fact that he can fly, bench press a planet, is virtually indestructible, shoot lasers from his eyes, see through walls, and hear things from thousands of miles away, you kind of feel sorry for Kal-El when you see him look at Lois and realize that she has moved on.
Spacey as Luthor: he was not a fool like Hackman's Luthor. This guy was quite a bit more serious and very intelligent. He knows when to run.
Effects were awesome. Supes does some really super stuff in this movie and, although I still don't entirely like the leathery cape, it worked out nicely. The shield on his chest was still too small, though.
I even did something I've not done in a very long time: I left the movie when it was done, walked up to the ticket counter and got a second showing.
Hell, they even worked in a reference to Gotham.
It's pretty long (2 hours, I think) and there were a couple of instances where I wonder if something was cut (specifically Luthor's relationship to his chief Hench-Mook - they kept exchanging significant looks as if there was something else going on that I wasn't aware of.)
Excellent movie. Washed the stench of X3 out nicely...
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Post by darkanjel on Jun 29, 2006 10:27:57 GMT -6
Okay so I said I wouldn't go see X3 based on Butthead's review; but who am I to pass up a superhero movie. So I dragged my sis and I'd say it was worth the price of the ticket. It's nice to see a solid hard core rippling body and then to put wings on him (juicy). Who cares that some parts were confusing and the effects were a bit overdone. I used to be hooked on Xmen next generation comics so all I wanted of the Xmen were to see more of the youngsters and their powers and they delivered. Thank you.
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Post by icegrrl on Jun 30, 2006 21:14:10 GMT -6
Great review Rigil, Thanks!
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Post by icegrrl on Jul 3, 2006 22:55:33 GMT -6
We went to see X3, we loved it. I actually liked it better than X2 although I like all 3. I spent a great deal the time I was supposed to be pricing comics at the book store I worked at, reading X-Men, Kitty Pryde and Wolverine etc...., so I am a sucker for the X-Men. I go to movies to forget everything for 2 hours, so this was good stuff. Ian M. is as always deliciously devilish. We stayed past the credits to see the teaser involving Xavier I give it an A, I would even pay to see it a second time. Also finally caught Blade Trinity on one of the Encore channels this weekend, it was pretty good, better than the second one. I am totally giving the Blade series on Spike TV a pass, it just doesn't look good to me. Saw several good previews including My Super Ex-Girlfriend with Uma Thurman, looked good and Clerks II. Clerks is one of my all time faves and of course I worship the ground Kevin Smith walks on, so this is a must see for me. Also I might add Tinseltown is a really nice theater and it is still only 5.50 non-matinee, parking is plentiful and the popcorn is great. ;D
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Post by Rigil Kent on Jul 31, 2006 18:10:15 GMT -6
Forgot to put this up two weeks ago but ...
I saw Pirates 2 and enjoyed it. In my opinion, however, it was nowhere near as enjoyable as the first one. Yeah, it was still fun and there was some downright amazing CG in there but I just didn't have as much fun. The bar was set too high, I guess.
Depp was great, the swordfights were awesome, Keira desperately needs to eat a couple dozen Big Macs, and it was a pirate movie.
So, I give it a solid 3 and a half eyepatches out of 5.
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Post by Mike E. on Jul 31, 2006 20:11:42 GMT -6
Was it rated Arrrrrgh?
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Post by Gigermann on Sept 12, 2006 9:55:55 GMT -6
Spoiler Free: The Covenant, overall, was a pretty enjoyable movie. As it was produced by the same folks that brought us Underworld, the influence was easy to see; it had the same sense of style. The story was pretty good, IMO, and the characters were generally likeable (though excessively "pretty," perhaps). If Underworld was their take on Vampire: The Masquerade and Werewolf: The Apocalypse, then this would be their twist on Mage: The Ascension (if you don't know what those are already, you won't care ;D). It had a definite Lost Boys feel to it. Good soundtrack, too. I did have some problems, though. Aside from the usual Hollywood issues...mediocre wire-work in spots, and the blatant open-for-a-sequel ending...there were two major issues that I had with it. - The trailer told you, outright, who the Bad Guy was, yet they used the old "misdirection" trick, trying to make you think the Bad Guy was someone else. I thought it was badly telegraphed anyway, but the trailer was definitely a mistake.
- The "wizard fight" at the end was underwhelming, at best. Hollywood just doesn't seem to know what a wizard battle should look like.
Lost Boys is one of my favorite movies of all times. The Covenant didn't overshadow it, nor was it as good as Underworld, but it was fun to watch. I give it 3½ stars: Imperfect, but not a total waste of money.
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Post by Rigil Kent on Nov 17, 2006 17:01:10 GMT -6
Casino Royale.
Bond is back and in a big way. This is Bond the way I want to see him. No cars that turn into submarines, no laser wristwatches, no car that can turn invisible. Just good old fashioned butt kicking. In a lot of ways, this movie reminded me more of Dr. No in that it was mostly a low tech thriller.
Unlike Dr. No, the plot didn't have a way over the top bad guy who wanted to blow up America or something. It was just an evil banker (as in finances the funds of Evil terrorists and stuff) who tried to make a boatload of money before Our Man 007 got in the way and cleaned him out. Thus, the evil banker (Le Chiffre, I think is how you spell it) rigged a super high stakes poker game to recoup his loses and 007 was sent in to clean him out so he (the banker) would be forced to seek asylum with the British government from his many pissed off customers.
It dragged a little bit in the middle and I never fully bought the love interest, but I totally dug Craig as Bond. He's a cold SOB and knows it. There's even a line in there where M makes a comment about "I'd tell you to not get emotionally involved but that's not you problem, is it?" I also kind of wonder if maybe the director was a little too in love with Craig's body 'cause he made it a point of showing just how amazingly in shape this guy is.
The stunts were excellent. There's a fight (more accurately a chase) between Bond and this African guy with a half-burned face that was amazing. The African guy was bouncing around crap like a fricking monkey ... or a younger Jackie Chan. I could have done without seeing the cobra/mongoose fight but my fear of snakes is well known.
So, I give a 4 out of 5. It loses a half point for dragging in the middle, another quarter point for the cobra (which admittedly wasn't there but for a couple of seconds but it's a phobia people), and another quarter point for making me sit through some of the crappiest trailers I've ever seen.
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Post by Rigil Kent on May 6, 2007 22:24:08 GMT -6
Spider-Man 3
Unfocused. Seriously, that's how I'd classify this movie. I've recently read how Avi Arad (the producer) pushed Sam Raimi into using Venom (whom Raimi doesn't like) because Venom is such a popular character (how I don't understand), and it shows. Honestly, Venom serves no purpose whatsoever in this movie, nor for that matter does the "black suit."
The entire movie is tied together by a string of numerous conveniences that just irked me. It's convenient that the alien symbiote lands near the only super-powered hero in this continuity's universe. It's convenient that Harry suffers from amnesia after a shaky, claustrophobic fight. It's convenient that there is a high tech experimental lab for Flint Marko to fall into to become Sandman. It's convenient that Aunt May shows up to pass on a bit of wisdom. It's convenient for the Osborn butler to have seen & heard some stuff so he can pass it on at the dramatically appropriate moment.
It's also pretty sad that the Love Interest (Mary Jane) is clearly outshined by Betty Brant (the luscious Elizabeth Banks) and Gwen Stacey (the equally gorgeous Bryce Dallas Howard). Compared to those two, Kirsten Dunst looks ... washed out.
Some of the fights were not bad, some of them were poorly done. Seeing Spidey bounce around like he should was okay although there were a couple of scenes that were so obviously CG that it hurts. The guy playing JJ Jameson was hilarious, and there was a pretty funny scene with Bruce Campbell. Franco (Harry Osborn) was pretty good too, but Tobey Macguire seemed ... bored.
And there were three fricking singing routines in this movie. No shit.
So I can't, in any honesty, give it higher than a 2.5 out of 5. It didn't suck, but it wasn't very great.
Hot Fuzz.
Hilarious. This is a must see movie. It's also a movie destined to become the source of a drinking game: take a shot every time you recognize a scene homage. Having seen two movies by these guys that are hilarious, I'm officially fans of theirs.
Oh, and gay guys will probably love the less than subtle homo-eroticism between the two main characters. Oddly, I wasn't really squicked out by it 'cause the whole thing is done for laughs (IMO).
4.5 out of 5.
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Post by Rigil Kent on Nov 16, 2007 14:07:06 GMT -6
I. AM. BEOWULF!
Just got back from watching this movie (in 3-D no less!) and two words sum it up for me: Kick. Ass
Put simply: this movie rocked my world, kicked my ass, and made me its bitch. And now, I want seconds.
The character of Beowulf in this representation is awesome. He's a loud-mouthed, prideful ass who exaggerates wildly when telling his stories. Sometimes, you're not sure if he's full of crap or what, but his men (who know he's full of crap sometimes) love him anyway.
Because when the fighting starts, Beowulf is the king of bad asses.
The fight with Grendel was pretty cool given that Beowulf stripped naked to fight the "mon-stuh" so they'd be on equal footing. Especially amusing was the strategically placed objects and items to avoid showing his dangly bits.
But the fight at the end ... Oh. My. God. It kicked wicked, righteous ass, and I'm glad the whole thing was animated 'cause I dunno if they could have done it justice with a guy and green screen.
I got used to the animation pretty quickly, and actually grew to like it. Some of the CG images of the actors were jarring (i.e. Anthony Hopkins or Angelina Jolie) as I kept thinking "Hey, that's Angelina".
They also made some tweaks to the story of Beowulf to flow better, but I didn't have any problems with the changes they made.
So, if you like ass whipping, this is definitely your cup of tea. I think I'm gonna go see it again tomorrow.
Five Butt Kicking Screams out of Five.
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Post by flyingtam on Nov 30, 2007 8:43:35 GMT -6
I can only hope Beowulf is still playing when I get back.
Any possibility of someone doing a screening of "The Golden Compass"? I really liked the book, and, well, it's for a fraking armored Polar Bear!!!
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Post by Magman on Apr 15, 2008 16:45:55 GMT -6
Nothing to see here,Now move along
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Post by Rigil Kent on May 1, 2008 21:56:05 GMT -6
Iron Man
As you may know, I had tickets for an advance screening of the latest comic book to movie property tonight and just got back from seeing it. To be perfectly honest, I can't think of a single flaw in this movie. As a comic book movie (wherein comic book physics overrule normal physics), it's nigh perfect.
For those of you unaware, Tony Stark (played perfectly by Robert Downey Jr.) is a billionaire playboy genius whose company (Stark Industries) is a leading weapons developer for the US. In the original comic, he was badly injured and captured while in the Far East (Vietnam, I believe, since it was written in the 60s) where he learned firsthand that his weapons were being used against the troops he designed them for. To escape from his captors (who want him to build weapons for them), he constructs the Mark I suit which is rudimentary but allows him to get to safety.
The movie updates this tale by having him be injured/captured in Afghanistan. The bad guys are an organization known as the Ten Rings, which is clearly a homage to a major Iron Man villain known as the Mandarin. Stark actually sees American servicemen killed by his weapons and is horrified to see these terrorist types equipped with the gear that he built for the USA. As before, he builds the Mark I, kicks a crapload of terrorist butt, and returns home to try and change the direction of his company.
There's no shortage of action in this flick, which shouldn't be a surprise since its a movie based on a comic book, but I was surprised at the amount (and effectiveness) of the humor present. It's also a good thing that comic book physics are being employed, 'cause I counted at least three times where a real person would have died.
Visually, the armor is awesome and the CG work is top notch. As it should be, it was mostly seamless throughout, with only one or two instances that leaped out to me as unmistakeably CG work.
The cast is also first rate. As I said earlier, Downey does a great job with Stark, bringing across the womanizing, borderline alcoholic genius to life. Gwyneth Paltrow is equally great as Stark's long-suffering executive assistant and potential love interest, Pepper Potts; I was especially appreciative that the story actually knew how to use her to great effect, something that even Batman Begins can't say. Unlike the movie versions of Lois Lane or MJ Watson or Mrs. Tom Cruise, Pepper is actually useful for more than just being the damsel in distress. And who knew that Jeff Bridges could look so cool?
So, after having seen it once, I give it a solid 4 Suits out of 5, reserving the right to increase or decrease my ranking as time passes. Trust me, I fully intend to watch it again. The only drawback to it tonight was that there wasn't a new trailer attached for The Dark Knight, though the Indy & Hulk trailers were nice...
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Post by Rigil Kent on May 22, 2008 13:51:12 GMT -6
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
To preface, I really don't know if I liked this movie or not. It had some great visuals (no surprise), some laugh-out loud comedy, Marion Ravenwood's return, and Indy actually channeled a Han Solo for a line ("I've got a bad feeling about this"), but there was something ... I dunno ... off about the whole thing.
Shortly into the movie, I turned my brain off because of exactly how Indy managed to survive this first encounter with the commies. It was so utterly ridiculous that I remember stating out loud "uh ... right". That unfortunately set the tone for the rest of the movie. At no time did it really seem like Indy was in any real danger and some of the stunts he pulled in this flick would have jacked a 20-something year old, let alone a guy his age. Remember his line in Raiders, about it not being the years but the mileage? Well, at some point in his career, he found some magic serum that allows him to take a beating that would make John McClain proud. Even the presence of monkeys (lots of monkeys) couldn't cause me to stop thinking "well, that's kind of dumb" ... though that may be because of what they did with the monkeys...
And don't get me started on the stupid snake scene. Whoever thought that was a good idea should have been smacked around. With a shovel.
The plot holes in this movie were many and kind of annoying. For example, early in the movie, Indy is effectively blacklisted because, despite his storied career (evidently, he's been fighting the Reds for the US government since after WWII, held the rank of Colonel in the Army, and was a member of OSS - all of which I can believe), the FBI suspects he may have some illicit ties to the evil commies. Yet that subplot is never again addressed, and at the end, it's all resolved.
While Cate Blanchett's Russian character is kind of silly, I thought she looked fantastic. The idea that the crystal skull was the skull of an alien was pretty neat (I honestly don't think that's a spoiler since I've been avoiding spoilers and I knew it before the movie began). I even kind of liked the backdrop of the last exotic location.
But the story ... it was a resounding meh to me. It didn't suck, but it just wasn't that great. In all honesty, I can only give it 2 and a Half Crystal Skulls out of 5.
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Post by Rigil Kent on Mar 6, 2009 17:20:47 GMT -6
So, I caught Watchmen today and here's a short review.
:eek3: :eek3: :thud:
This is not your average comic book movie as fans of the original work can attest, and the ending ... well, there really isn't a fantastic ending to the story. There were some significant liberties taken - the climax of the villain's plot is different, although it uses the same basic premise - but over all, it was a very faithful translation.
Rorschach fraking rocked. That's all there is to it. I don't know the actor from Adam, but he totally nailed the character and I will never again be able to read the trade paperback of Watchmen without hearing this voice.
Some of the fight scenes were a little over the top, but I've grown to expect this from Zak Snyder after 300. The music they selected was also fantastic - I'm pretty sure it's all period, so it totally worked.
At the moment, I'd rate it up there with The Dark Knight in terms of quality, though I reserve the right to downgrade it after further viewings. Having already read about some of the stuff they had to cut for time (and it was still a really long movie), I'm looking forward to the director's cut to see that stuff restored.
Awesome movie, but not for kids. It's dark, with mature themes, and both extreme violence and nudity.
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