list/discuss/rate - your recently watched movies

Atavachron wrote: Thor Finally a superhero movie that has nothing to do with superheroes, Marvel and Kenneth Branagh smartly made this one closer to Norse mythology than modern comicbook-dom, which after years of increasingly thin Spidey, Hulk, and X-Men sequels, is a relief.   Thor is fun, thoroughly entertaining, moves along well and is over the top in just the right ways.   Chris Hemsworth cast perfectly as the Thunder God with his classic thespian manner and Anthony Hopkins typically superb as his Father, both actors playing the near-ridiculous parts with utter conviction, as it should be.  Strongly recommended for two hours of quality escapism with a Tolkienesque eye.

Hated every second of it.

Only got part way thru Hidden In Silence. Boring flick.
            On the cover it said it was "as inspiring as Schindler's List"
         This movie is no way near Schindler's List's league in terms of the building of characters, and the weight of the story line.
           What i thought would be moving turned out to be second rate-based on a true story about a young girl who aids some Jews in a Polish city over run by Nazis in the Second World War
          Some of the German soldiers are portrayed as  too polite to be Nazis in the way they sometimes deal with the Poles and Jews
      The main problem is that all the characters are not developed well enough, and the whole film suffers as a result
                 Two stars only


Edited by presdoug - October 24 2011 at 18:47

Frost/Nixon - second time last night.

Captain America: First Avenger

Completely absurd fantasy that tries to both emulate and improve upon the original wartime character, which it does in part with a convincing atmosphere and look, an outstanding performance from Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull, and a reasonably good buildup to the main action.   The big weak point is the plot which tempts a smart script but doesn't deliver, reminding of little more than the feeble 1979 TV movies with Reb Brown.   Obviously the "First Avenger" references the upcoming film that features an unlikely grouping of Marvel heroes including the Hulk, Thor, and a guy who shoots arrows.   Maybe that one will be better.   We even have to put up with yet another sudden appearance of Sam Jackson as Nick Fury at the end, when we find out Captain America has been asleep for 70 years.   Yeah, riiiiight.   For jingoistic wartime pulp-Americana, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow is better, or even The Rocketeer.

SaltyJon wrote: Dead Alive (aka Braindead, the original NZ title):  WOW!  Never in my life have I seen such a hilarious gorefest.  Watching the movie had me laughing my head off, seeing all the crap Lionel had to deal with and just how GORY it all was.  If I haven't made it clear...this movie has LOTS OF BLOOD AND GORE.  Definitely stay away if you're even slightly squeamish...otherwise, watch, laugh, and be amazed at Peter Jackson's (yes, the Lord of the Rings guy) earlier work.

The People vs. George Lucas

An honest look at the current state of Star Wars culture and how a once beloved filmmaker has become reviled by a large part of his fanbase, The People vs. George Lucas shows the fallout of the prequel trilogy and the conflict many followers have over anything Lucas does these days, a conflict that oddly mirrors the SW story itself.   As bitter fans, twisted geeks and frustrated movie-makers bash him, one thing becomes clear: people wanted Lucas to make their Star Wars prequels, not his;  that their childhood has been somehow stolen, and who appear ready to turn to the Dark Side over it in a big way.   That is if it'll get George to release the original films unaltered.   In the end it's a bizarre and somewhat sad portrayal of extreme fanaticism turned in upon itself, and of a brilliant career stunted by the very thing that made it.

^I had to watch it, too. Yeah, it was flippant, hollow, and glammy, but there was half a song on the soundtrack I liked!

Alitare wrote: I Spit on your Grave: Grotesque, titillating, and kinda dopey, but harsh enough to warrant the single 'masochist' view.

I saw the original about 25 years ago on a dodgy VHS copy (it was banned at the time) & couldn't believe it recently when I heard they'd remade it... without too many spoilers, is the scene in the bathtub with the razor() still there...?

Alitare wrote: Two other films I watched: -I Spit on your Grave: Grotesque, titillating, and kinda dopey, but harsh enough to warrant the single 'masochist' view. B- -Last House on the Left (original): Just as grotesque, only moreso considering the heightened sense of danger is in place. A rape revenge movie with a soft folk pop happy soundtrack? B+  Up next? Cannibal Holocaust.

^ one of my favourites, you should love it. Have fun.