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Time Signature 
Forum Senior Member
Joined: July 20 2007
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Points: 362
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 Posted: July 30 2007 at 15:38 |
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Well, in all fairness Batman isn't a Marvel hero, so my criticism doesn't apply to 'Batman Begins' (not having seen that movie, I'm actually in no position to criticise it at all).
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BaldFriede
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 02 2005
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 10266
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 15:42 |
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The stuff that comes out of Hollywood is usually nothing but crap. Thousands of FX and explosions, lots of action, but a plot for people with an IQ of 20. I definitely prefer low-budget movies, and there are some really excellent ones. Jean and I hardly go to the cinema anymore; we much prefer theatre or opera when we go out. A lot more expensive, but a lot more pleasing and entertaining too.
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 BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue.
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VanderGraafKommandöh
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 04 2005
Location: Malaria
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Points: 89372
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 15:52 |
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Oh that reminds me... Terminator 3, Jurassic Park 3 and Leathal Weapon 4 were awful (not that the others were great, mind you).
I was actually disappointed with The Fisher King, but not because it's overrated, just because I didn't enjoy as much as I thought. Brazil was much better though. I must watch 12 Monkeys soon too.
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Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout
Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
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Points: 37575
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 15:52 |
 Atavachron wrote:
yeah, most of the superhero films have been poor.. though 'Batman Begins' was incredibly good. The War of the Worlds remake was crap, all the Harry Potters were crap, Matrix was crap, Pearl Harbor was crap, U-571 was crap
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As The War of the Worlds has been mentioned, could I ask a question of all American members here: How do you feel about the Amercianisation of these classic stories? Would the average American filmgoer really not go to see this film if it was set on Horsell Common, near London, and followed an downbeat British journalist rather than in New Jersey and featuring a Newark dock-worker?
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What?
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Syzygy
Special Collaborator
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Joined: December 16 2004
Location: United Kingdom
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Points: 7003
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 15:59 |
darqdean wrote:
Atavachron wrote:
yeah, most of the superhero films have been poor.. though 'Batman Begins' was incredibly good. The War of the Worlds remake was crap, all the Harry Potters were crap, Matrix was crap, Pearl Harbor was crap, U-571 was crap
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As The War of the Worlds has been mentioned, could I ask a question of all American members here: How do you feel about the Amercianisation of these classic stories? Would the average American filmgoer really not go to see this film if it was set on Horsell Common, near London, and followed an downbeat British journalist rather than in New Jersey and featuring a Newark dock-worker? |
I heard that when American film studios were first interested in Harry Potter, somebody came up with the bright idea of setting it in a Hollywood high school. Just imagine how successful that would have been...
I think UK film makers should start making their own versions of American blockbusters. Alexei sayle once did a brilliant sketch involving Ken Loach's Superman; maybe we could have Mike Leigh's version of Independence Day, or maybe Guy Ritchie's version of Die Hard ("You slaaag!! You wally!!! You muppet!!!).
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'Like so many of you
I've got my doubts about how much to contribute
to the already rich among us...'
Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom
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VanderGraafKommandöh
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Joined: July 04 2005
Location: Malaria
Status: Offline
Points: 89372
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:00 |
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Well in it's truest film form, The War of the Worlds would have to be as accurate as possible for me and I think I'd want a retro feel to it too, with proper tripods and not those silly ones in the remake.
I also thought Tom Cruise's character was a t**t and should have died, so should have the son actually. However, that would have gone against the book.
Children of Men was excellent though, check that out for a proper movie.
Edited by Geck0 - July 30 2007 at 16:01
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Dean
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin and Amateur Layabout
Joined: May 13 2007
Location: Europe
Status: Offline
Points: 37575
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:02 |
Children of Men is definitely one of my favourite films of the past 12 months. 
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What?
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VanderGraafKommandöh
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 04 2005
Location: Malaria
Status: Offline
Points: 89372
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:03 |
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I don't think even a British version of Indepence Day would be any better, it's just a stupid plot, full of ridiculous happenings. I really didn't like that film at all.
I enjoyed 28 Days Later, but felt it wasn't as good as people said it was, so a slight disappointment for me, but not overrated. I've not seen the sequel.
Oh and Saw is a terribly overrated film with acting worse than Neighbours. Again, I've not seen the sequels.
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VanderGraafKommandöh
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 04 2005
Location: Malaria
Status: Offline
Points: 89372
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:06 |
darqdean wrote:
Children of Men is definitely one of my favourite films of the past 12 months. |
Indeed, I saw it on DVD on Saturday and was shocked when I heard King Crimson and then later on, saw a reference to Animals.  Although it was perhaps the most powerful scene in the whole film, the bit when Clive Owen was running through Bexley Heath Internment Camp (or whatever it was called), was a tad over-the-top. There's no way he would have survived all those tanks and guns! Sir Maurice Micklewhite was outstanding though. 
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thellama73
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Joined: May 29 2006
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:08 |
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Children of Men was only good in the sense that it illustrated how not to write a successful story arc.
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salmacis
Forum Senior Member
Content Addition
Joined: April 10 2005
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Points: 3928
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:14 |
I thought 'Children Of Men' was excellent; it's a really desolate, dystopian film and not always easy to watch but it's definitely a film to remember.
I wouldn't let Guy Ritchie anywhere near Die Hard (which is one of few 80s Hollywood action movies that I like) or anything else, as I mentioned my dislike for 'Lock Stock...' and his crass, 'laddish' dialogue. Those sort of movies ruined the British gangster movie, imho- the gangsters are figures of fun and not fearsome in the slightest, IMHO. I've read they are doing a film of 70s TV show 'The Sweeney' (IMHO, THE best cop show there's ever been) but I bet that will be in that 'Lock, Stock...' mould and might just make the film of 'The Avengers' look like a masterful crossover by comparison.  |
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VanderGraafKommandöh
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Joined: July 04 2005
Location: Malaria
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Points: 89372
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:15 |
Blame that on P.D. James then, the original novellist of The Children of Men.  I didn't think the film was perfect though, but compared to most films coming out, it was very good.
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stonebeard
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Joined: May 27 2005
Location: NE Indiana
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Points: 28057
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:23 |
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James, you're a fool if you don't recognize how awesome Terminator 2 is. Or perhaps you dislike good movies.
In any case, I usually prefer American films to art house Euro films, which leave me with a weird feeling, usually, as I only know depressing love stories in which everyone cries after sex and then dies. I totally just stereotyped a lot of movies, but it's no worse than labeling all Hollywood films as crap.
Edited by stonebeard - July 30 2007 at 16:25
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VanderGraafKommandöh
Prog Reviewer
Joined: July 04 2005
Location: Malaria
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Points: 89372
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:27 |
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I prefer Art House Euro Films to Hollywood Films.
Stonas, I'm not really into "laddish" films like Terminator, which have lots of unnecessary violence and destruction.
I much prefer my Ealing Comedy films, or a really well made dark dystopian film.
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salmacis
Forum Senior Member
Content Addition
Joined: April 10 2005
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Points: 3928
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:34 |
I like all 3 Terminator movies, but my preference for action movies is definitely the 70s. The 80s ones are generally glossier (those Joel Silver/Cannon films production line jobs especially), and I prefer the dour, grittier feel of films like 'Dirty Harry', 'The French Connection', 'Get Carter' and series like 'The Sweeney' or 'The Professionals'. But my other fave genre is the Western.
Those 'Mission Impossible' movies were awful (I saw the first and second, well about an hour of each), imho, yet again all flashy bombast and wooden acting. These were overhyped movies, imho.
Edited by salmacis - July 30 2007 at 16:35
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BaldFriede
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 02 2005
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 10266
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:36 |
Geck0 wrote:
I prefer Art House Euro Films to Hollywood Films.
Stonas, I'm not really into "laddish" films like Terminator, which have lots of unnecessary violence and destruction.
I much prefer my Ealing Comedy films, or a really well made dark dystopian film.
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Same here, Gecko. I am definitely not into those testosterone movies in which an Überhero saves the world. This kind of movies is made for a certain age and gender group, but if by age 25 you are not grown out of these movies then something is really wrong with you.
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BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue.
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Atavachron
Special Collaborator
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Joined: September 30 2006
Location: Pearland
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Points: 65603
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:38 |
Geck0 wrote:
I don't think even a British version of Indepence Day would be any better, it's just a stupid plot, full of ridiculous happenings. |
it was crap... and a blatant rip-off of WotW...
...12 Monkeys is crap, BTW
in answer to Dean's question; as a sci-fi fan I'd very much like to see a good British version of WotW.. the other Welles classics, Time Machine, First Men in the Moon were set in Britain and/or with a predominantly English cast, and they're great films
Edited by Atavachron - July 30 2007 at 16:41
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VanderGraafKommandöh
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Joined: July 04 2005
Location: Malaria
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Points: 89372
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:42 |
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Quite right, Friede. I actually watched some old Black & White classics the other week.
"The Naked City" was one of them. An exceptional film, in my opinion. It just goes to show that good films could be made without huge budgets and wanton destruction. It's set in post-war 1940s New York and is exceptionally well filmed and the acting isn't too bad either.
I also watched Robert Bresson's "Au Hasard Balthasar", which I didn't fully understand, but it was an excellent film nonetheless.
Edited by Geck0 - July 30 2007 at 16:43
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BaldFriede
Prog Reviewer
Joined: June 02 2005
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 10266
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:50 |
Geck0 wrote:
Quite right, Friede. I actually watched some old Black & White classics the other week.
"The Naked City" was one of them. An exceptional film, in my opinion. It just goes to show that good films could be made without huge budgets and wanton destruction. It's set in post-war 1940s New York and is exceptionally well filmed and the acting isn't too bad either.
I also watched Robert Bresson's "Au Hasard Balthasar", which I didn't fully understand, but it was an excellent film nonetheless.
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Ever saw "The Night of the Hunter", the only movie Charles Laughton ever directed, starring Robert Mitchum in his best role ever? A really excellent b/w thriller. One of my favourite movies.
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BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue.
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Atavachron
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Joined: September 30 2006
Location: Pearland
Status: Offline
Points: 65603
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Posted: July 30 2007 at 16:52 |
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Night of the Hunter is chilling, and beautifully photographed
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