Citizen Rules...Cinemaesque Chat-n-Review [Archive] - Page 14

Citizen Rules

12-04-16, 12:00 AM

http://www.flickchart.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/fc-the-big-sleep.jpg?x52603

The Big Sleep (Howard Hawks, 1946)

Director: Howard Hawks
Writers: William Faulkner(screenplay), Leigh Brackett (screenplay)
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, John Ridgely
Genre: Film Noir

About: Private detective Philip Marlowe who's hired to take on a case by a rich, eccentric man and runs into his two lovely daughters.

Review: I watched this a couple of times and I still don't know who killed who? But it doesn't matter! I loved it anyway, it's such a neat movie to watch.

Director Howard Hawks broke the rules when he decided to de-emphasize a structured plot and instead focus on character development, quick dialogue and entertaining scenes. Hawks was amazed that audience loved the film despite the lack of traditionalism in story telling. I though it was pretty awesome myself!

I watched the 1946 theatrical release, this is the version most people watch. The Big Sleep was shot in 1944 during WWII and just as the film was being finished, the war was coming to an end. Warner Brothers Studio had a lot of war themed movies in the pipeline and wanted to get those out before they became passe. So The Big Sleep was put on the shelf and it's release held.

Meanwhile Lauren Bacall who had shot to stardom in her first film,To Have and Have Not, had her second film released Confidential Agent which critics hated her in. They had considered her a major talent but after Confidential Agent, the questioned even if she could act at all and her future as an actresses was in serious doubt.

Seeing how The Big Sleep was in limbo, Jack Warner ordered additional scenes to be shot of Bacall that would allow her to shine with her the sexual innuendos and insolence that made her a star in To Have and Have Not. Thus the original 1945 film was never released but a reworked film came out in 1946.

rating_5

Gideon58

12-05-16, 07:01 PM

For me, The Queen was an inside look at Queen Elizabeth and her royal family, that's what I liked about it. The death of Diana was just the catalyst to allow the movie to study the Queen in depth.

I don't think the film studies the Queen in depth, I think the film was about the Queen's behavior during a particular time.

Citizen Rules

12-05-16, 10:58 PM

http://www.slantmagazine.com/assets/house/film_kissmedeadly.jpg
Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
Director: Robert Aldrich
Writers: Mickey Spillane(novel), A.I. Bezzerides(screenplay)
Cast: Ralph Meeker, Albert Dekker, Paul Stewart
Genre: Film Noir

About: An ill fated woman stranded on a loan road during the middle of the night, has a chance encounter with detective Mike Hammer. Her strange story pulls the detective into a convoluted mystery, involving suspicious people and a glowing box.

Review: I love that ending! It's fun! it's ripped right out of the pages of an old pulp fiction magazine. Some classic director, I forget who, once said whatever you do with your movie make sure the ending wows them, that's what the audiences remember, the ending. Damn straight! and I always remember the ending to Kiss Me Deadly.

You know this movie isn't as polished as the really well known noirs. If Sunset Blvd or The Sweet Smell of Success was a rock band, they'd be a polished band that had been making music long enough to get every last note perfect...But Kiss Me Deadly is like a garage band, raw, ballsy and with lots of off notes. It ain't polished, but brother it rocks!

Ralph Meeker made a really good Mike Hammer. Mike Hammer has been played by other actors, but Ralph Meeker really nailed the no non-sense detective.

In some ways these really raw noirs are my favorites, they risk more and they're just flat out fun. This one was made for a shoe string budget and shot in only 3 weeks. It's not polished but there's something special about it's energy.

rating_4

Chypmunk

12-06-16, 04:26 AM

Kiss Me Deadly gets the same rating from me, a fun movie - if little things (primarily in the first third: such as the woman's legs going still before she stops screaming or the overpaced clock by the popcorn seller) had been attended to it would be a little higher.

Citizen Rules

12-06-16, 12:53 PM

I love the pulp fiction feel to Kiss Me Deadly. Not many Noirs have that same trashy-feel. Pulp fiction: as in the cheaply made monthly detective & crime story magazines that were popular at the time and printed on low grade pulp paper. Gawd, I hate Tarantino for usurping that term!

Chypmunk

12-06-16, 01:20 PM

I have no problem at all with the pulpy feel to it - I used to read many of those trashy feeling periodicals when I was a kid - but that doesn't excuse the odd bit of laziness here and there. As for Tarantino - I generally love his films :p

Citizen Rules

12-06-16, 09:58 PM

https://cdn3.bigcommerce.com/s-x8dfmo/products/6095/images/29152/Ava-Gardner-%2526-Burt-Lancaster-in-The-Killers-aka-A-Man-Alone-Premium-Photograph-and-Poster-1022433__93657.1432424235.386.513.jpg?c=2
The Killers (Robert Siodmak,1946)

Director: Robert Siodmak
Writers: Anthony Veiller(screenplay), Ernest Hemingway(story)
Cast: Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O'Brien
Genre: Film Noir, Crime Drama

About: Two hit men come to a small town and kill their 'target', a man named Swede (Burt Lancaster). Swede has been expecting the pair of gunmen and doesn't even try to save himself...Told through flashbacks as an insurance investigator (Edmond O'Brien) tries to unravel the mystery of the death of the Swede, who has a life insurance policy that is now payable. The investigation uncovers an entanglement by a beautiful femme fatale Kitty (Ava Garndner) and a story of treachery, entrapment and crime.

https://monstergirl.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/the-killers-1946-diner.jpg?w=490&h=374

Review: I love the opening where the two hitman are waiting at a roadside diner. Has William Conrad ever been more imposing on the screen? Has any hitman for that matter of fact been more imposing in a noir? These two are a big part of the film even though they don't have much screen time. One last thing about the muscle, I love the way the director Robert Siodmak shows the hit with blinding light flashes. Very cool! Very powerful. This has got to be one of the most dramatic opening scenes in any Noir.

Well the other dynamic duel is The Swede, Burt Lancaster in his first movie role...and Kitty, Ava Gardner in her first big movie role. The couple have a dynamic and doomed chemistry together. Like a moth to a flame, Swede faces his destiny knowing the outcome. It's this finality that makes the movie work for me, more so than the insurance investigation that follows the hit.

I love the way Robert Sidomak constructs his story by flashbacks and real time investigation. This is one of the great noirs and Ava Gardner is the queen of femme fatales.

rating_5

rauldc14

12-06-16, 10:37 PM

The Killers is going to become one of my favorite movies for sure.

Gideon58

12-07-16, 06:28 PM

The Duchess played by Jesica Biel could have been replaced with any actresses, and it wouldn't have mattered.

LOL! My favorite line from that review! Funny because it's true.
I'm no Biel hater and she certainly is gorgeous, but yeah I don't think she's had a stand out performance yet.

Couldn't agree more...she's such a nothing actress...if I ever do a "Why do they even have an acting career?" thread, she would definitely be in the top five.

Citizen Rules

12-07-16, 06:58 PM

The Duchess played by Jesica Biel could have been replaced with any actresses, and it wouldn't have mattered. Ha! I got a lot of mileage out of that line. I got remember that.:p

Citizen Rules

12-08-16, 10:22 PM

http://www.reelworldtheology.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/mrk003.jpg

Moonrise Kingdom (Wes Anderson, 2012)

Director: Wes Anderson
Writers: Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola
Cast: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Edward Norton
Genre: Adventure, Surrealist Comedy, Drama

A pair of tweens fall in love and flee their New England homes to live a life in the wilderness.

Moonlight Kingdom I liked it as it was different, very, very different. My favorite scenes were when Sam and Suzy escape into the wilderness. I liked the feeling of two ostracized kids at odds with the world around them...making their 'own world' in the wilderness on a remote island. The whole Scouting bit was cleverly done. Those two made an odd pair! Suzy reminded me of Christina Ricci in The Adams Family...And Sam, the overtly smart kid who's disliked by his own Scout troupe due to his lack of social skills, was annoyingly good. It was fun watching those two misfits interacting as they escaped reality. I just wished there was more of that in the film.

Because after their capture, so much stuff happens, with so many different sets, so many different characters, so much stuff, that my mind glazed over and I was no longer in the film.

https://ecemingezegeni.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/wpid-images-7-jpg.jpeg?w=450&h=187

I loved the brightly pastel-diffusion look of the film. And I loved the cinema style of 'flying' through house walls and quickly panning to each person as they speak. Visually Wes Anderson is a genius. And the man has amazing ideas for stories his very creative and unique. But IMO he needs to stop writing his own films. His weakness seems to be in developing too many characters and in not knowing when to say enough is enough. Towards the end of the film we get every visual trick that he could muster, which I found distracting and it took away from the story telling of the film.

Still I enjoyed it and I'm very glad to have seen it.

rating_3_5+

Gooch

12-09-16, 05:56 PM

Citizen Rules

12-09-16, 11:34 PM

The Big Sleep

Next time you watch The Big Lebowski, pay attetntion to all of the parallels between it and The Big Sleep. I read a book that the BFI put out about Big Lebowski and it highlighted all of the ways it is similar. Very interesting.
Hey Gooch, You're just the person I wanted to see! I watched the movie you recommended to me last week. Very! interesting film. I've never seen anything quite like it. So a BIG Thank You for your recommendation!

OK, the review of it is coming up in a few minutes. Oh...a tie in with The Big Lebowski and The Big Sleep? That's pretty cool, maybe I'll check it out again some day.

Citizen Rules

12-09-16, 11:55 PM

http://www.indiewire.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/coal29_picture00083-e1465917589650.jpg?w=700
The Childhood of a Leader (2015)

Director: Brady Corbet
Writers: Brady Corbet (screenplay), Mona Fastvold
Stars: Tom Sweet, Robert Pattinson, Stacy Martin, Bérénice Bejo
Genre: Drama, Mystery
Language: French & English

About: A foreboding tale of the distributed childhood of a young American boy in post World War I France. In 1918 his father works for President Wilson and is helping to draft the Treaty of Versailles. What the impressionable boy witnesses being done in his Fathers house, shapes him to grow up to a fascist leader as an adult.

Review: I'm not sure if this is a French language film with lots of English dialogue, or the the other way around. These days who can tell. What I can tell you is this is like no other film I've seen! I'm not even sure how to describe it. See that picture at the top of this review? That gives you as good as idea as any about what this film is about. Hell I just watched it and I'm not sure what it was about. I do know it is well worth watching!

Minimalist style...for a lack of a better word that's what I'm calling this. The film never gives us a back story or a narrative that explains what is going on, instead it's a very close up look at a strange boy and how the events around him turn him into a strange adult. What I thought was well done is that the film never spoon feeds you a message. That's why I call it minimalist. It shows us events mostly from the boys viewpoint and it does this without giving us any other information. Then in the last scene....don't worry I won't spoil it.....the film shows us the end results by using a filming technique and editing that is 180 degrees different that the entire rest of the movie. It's very unique and I dare say a must watch for any serious cinephile.

rating_4

Gooch

12-10-16, 11:24 AM

Citizen Rules

12-10-16, 01:36 PM

I'm glad you liked Childhood of a Leader. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It's definitely a hard movie to describe. I liked some of the shots that just showed people gazing off into space/the abyss. They reminded me of Barry Lyndon. I felt like the music was really key. I've seen it slotted as a horror movie in a few places and I think that the music is what blurred the line some between drama and horror. Yes! the music really helped to set a mood.

I liked some of the shots that just showed people gazing off into space/the abyss. Me too and that's a good way to describe it. It's hard to describe really, but different and worth watching for sure. Slotted as Horror, yea I seen that at IMDB and it is so not horror. I mean yes fascism is horror but it shows the childhood of a future leader who becomes fascist. That's why I decided to only tag it as Drama and Mystery. Cool film and thanks for telling me about it.

Citizen Rules

12-11-16, 11:08 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28045&stc=1&d=1481512031
400 Days (2015)

Director: Matt Osterman
Writer: Matt Osterman
Cast: Brandon Routh, Dane Cook, Caity Lotz, Ben Feldman,Tom Cavanagh
Genre: Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Indie Film

About: In the near future, four would-be astronauts are locked under ground for 400 days in a simulated flight mission to a distant planet. The test is to determine the fitness of the crew and study their psychological effects of long term deep space travel and isolation. The four crew members have no contact from the outside world and can not leave the simulated space ship and if they do their careers are over. As the days pass by some of the crew begin to hallucinate and start to believe one of them is up to no good.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28047&stc=1&d=1481512048

Review: Good idea for a film, but a lot of missed opportunities here. There was so many different ways this could have went. Most of the movie is interesting and held my attention. For a small budget Indie film, this looks pretty darn good and I liked the four actors too. Though one complaint the two guys with dark hair looked so much a like that I couldn't tell then apart at first. Though I could tell who the girl was;)

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28046&stc=1&d=1481512041

This is one of those, what if? movies. You know like what if you were in a simulated space flight, locked underground in a realistic looking space ship with three other people, could you handle it? What would you do if you left the ship and found out the world outside no longer looked like Earth? See what I mean it's one of those movies that make you think.

rating_3

Swan

12-11-16, 11:16 PM

I'm really interested in watching Childhood of a Leader. Glad to see you liked it. I've been listening to the soundtrack a bit lately, it's absolutely amazing.

Citizen Rules

12-11-16, 11:19 PM

Hey Swan:) yup! you should watch it, it was very different, very artsy and pretty cool too. The soundtrack was dramatic and really told the story by the music. The ending is one of those, open to interpretation endings. I think you would like it.

Captain Steel

12-11-16, 11:38 PM

400 Days sounds interesting, and I loves me some science fiction. One thing that makes me question watching it is Brandon Routh... I've never really gotten over Superman Returns. ;)

Coincidentally, I just saw something on a science show - wish I had made a note of what show it was because I kept thinking I'd want to watch the rest of it - but it was very similar to the movie described. It was a real life test where people (astronauts I think) were being locked up somewhere here on Earth to study the effects of long term confinement on a group in a small shelter - it was being done in anticipation of a Mars mission. So the plot of the movie 400 days is being carried out in real life right now.

gbgoodies

12-11-16, 11:46 PM

Citizen Rules

12-11-16, 11:48 PM

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Good Bye, Lenin! (2003)
Director: Wolfgang Becker
Cast: Daniel Brühl, Katrin Saß, Chulpan Khamatova
Genre: History Drama Romance Light Comedy
Language: German

About: Communist East Germany in 1990, when a mother has an accident and ends up in a coma, the beloved communist nation she once knew, changes and becomes part of unified Germany. To keep his mom from founding out the truth, the son goes to great extremes to convice his mom, no out of a coma years latter, that she is still in a communist state.

"Dear Comrades, it is with extreme delight that I proclaim the virtues of der cinema Good Bye Lenin! The film exceeded all expectations for production quotas. Particularly note worthy is the quickened wit and charm of the leading players. I found the performers outstanding in their acting duties. Der transcript is a work of genius and equally espouses the virtues of family, progress and love of state... Respectfully, Comrade Citizen Rules."

Review: A very cool, unique, cleaver movie. I enjoyed watching it! I'm old enough that I remember the 'iron curtain' and when the Berlin Wall fell. I've always had an interest in the hidden, mysterious world of East Germany. I loved the style of film making and the way the voice over narrative was done with a nod to the past, (which inspired my 'intro letter';))

I really liked the actors and that's important to a movie. I instantly liked the characters of the son and his cynical sister and their mom. Alex and his mom really felt like they were real family and cared for each other. I felt like I was part of the movie and was in the rooms and streets of the DDR East Germany along with them.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N-2OEJH1BEg/VhlkK4PrI6I/AAAAAAAAD9s/zMMDQyLTo0A/s400/Alex-y-Christiane-en-Good-Bye-Lenin.jpg

The movie felt so naturally and was paced just right, not to fast, not to slow. There were so many cool moments in the film that I would have to write a novel just to cover them all. So I'll tell you my favorite.

Alex's friend who wants to be a director, but ends up making spoofed communist news reports for the mom to see, was totally clever! Along with Alex's effort to make his mom's 'world' as it was during the DDR days.

The entire movie is clever in how it weaves the changes that swept East Germany that take place as the mom is in a coma and then wakes up believing she's still in the old DDR and nothing had changed.

rating_4_5

Citizen Rules

12-11-16, 11:50 PM

Citizen Rules

12-11-16, 11:53 PM

...Coincidentally, I just saw something on a science show - wish I had made a note of what show it was because I kept thinking I'd want to watch the rest of it - but it was very similar to the movie described. It was a real life test where people (astronauts I think) were being locked up somewhere here on Earth to study the effects of long term confinement on a group in a small shelter - it was being done in anticipation of a Mars mission. So the plot of the movie 400 days is being carried out in real life right now. Was that the Bio Dome experiment that was done some years ago in Arizona?

gbgoodies

12-11-16, 11:59 PM

I honestly don't know which one was Brandon Routh? I'm guessing that wasn't the girl astronaut. I thought all the actors were pretty good. GBG have you seen this one. I bet Captain would at least find it interesting.

No, I haven't seen that movie, but it sounds interesting. Unlike Capt., I was thinking about watching it because of Brandon Routh. I wasn't a big fan of his when he starred in Superman Returns, but he's great in "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" as Ray Palmer/The Atom.

Citizen Rules

12-12-16, 12:05 AM

gbgoodies

12-12-16, 12:10 AM

OK, I just looked up who Brandon Routh was, he was the lead guy, the commander. I think you would like the movie, not love it, but it was interesting. I requested a bunch more sci fis to watch. Including one of your favorites that I haven't seen in decades, Encounters of the Third Kind. Should be fun:p

Catch ya guys latter. I'm off to watch more about Queen Elizabeth II.

Thanks. It sounds interesting so I added it to my watchlist, but it doesn't sound like it will make my sci-fi list. (Hopefully Close Encounters of the Third Kind will make your sci-fi list. :))

Captain Steel

12-12-16, 12:16 AM

Was that the Bio Dome experiment that was done some years ago in Arizona?

No - this was a current study because some groups are really pushing for a Mars mission now - so the people in the study had to live and work as if they are on a several month long mission to Mars. I just saw it either on the Science channel or National Geographic, but was on the way out and couldn't stay to watch it, so I don't know what show it was. I may be wrong, but for some reason I got the idea from the couple seconds I saw that the test subjects were not American.

Captain Steel

12-12-16, 12:21 AM

No, I haven't seen that movie, but it sounds interesting. Unlike Capt., I was thinking about watching it because of Brandon Routh. I wasn't a big fan of his when he starred in Superman Returns, but he's great in "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" as Ray Palmer/The Atom.

Don't know if this will make sense, but because I am a comic geek and grew up with the DC superheroes, I don't watch any of the TV shows about them - it's just too painful.

Consider if you read a book that you really liked, and then they made a TV show about it which at first seemed really cool to see the characters you read about brought to life, but then you discover that the TV show had changed everything you cherished about the book or updated the characters to the point where you didn't even recognize them any more - you might end up avoiding shows based on the book.

gbgoodies

12-12-16, 12:28 AM

Don't know if this will make sense, but because I am a comic geek and grew up with the DC superheroes, I don't watch any of the TV shows about them - it's just too painful.

Consider if you read a book that you really liked, and then they made a TV show about it which at first seemed really cool to see the characters you read about brought to life, but then you discover that the TV show had changed everything you cherished about the book or updated the characters to the point where you didn't even recognize them any more - you might end up avoiding shows based on the book.

Yes, actually it does make sense. I watch most of the superhero TV shows with Hubby, and he's like you, in that he's a comic geek who grew up with the superheroes in comic books. He tries to enjoy the shows for what they are, but he also complains about a lot of the changes to the characters, from what they were like in the comic books.

You might want to try watching "The Flash", because that's the show that he complains about the least, but stay far away from "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. because he hasnt stopped complaining about "what they did to the inhumans". (I never read the comic books, so I don't really know what he's complaining about, but I'm sure that you would have the same complaints.)

Captain Steel

12-12-16, 12:43 AM

gbgoodies

12-12-16, 12:56 AM

That's pretty cool to hear about, gbg. Your hubby story made me smile.

I know this probably won't make sense to you, but I didn't know the Inhumans had even been introduced into the Marvel TV or cinematic universe. Although, there were rumors going round that Quciksilver & the Scarlet Witch were supposed to be Inhumans (instead of Mutants as they always have been in the comics) in the Avengers movies, all because the X-Men franchise was also using Quicksilver, but because of legal issues the Avengers can't have mutants since those belong to the X-Men... blah-blah-blah!

Sheesh! It's hard to believe most of these characters were created by the same two guys and interacted within the same comic universe for decades with no problems, but now there's all this legal wrangling over which studio owns what! Sad, that in the end it all comes down to money.

Yeah, money is the reason that we keep getting reboots of Spiderman movies, Fantastic Four movies, etc. They'll just keep rebooting them as long as people keep flocking to the theaters to see them. :rolleyes:

I think eventually Disney will just buy up every comic franchise, and they'll just have one giant crossover movie with everyone in it. :lol:

I don't know if you watch the TV show "Once Upon A Time", but it's owned by Disney, so it has many of the Disney characters in it, (Snow White and Prince Charming, Belle, Mulan, Peter Pan and Hook, etc.), and people keep watching to see which characters will show up next. Since Disney bought the Star Wars franchise, there have been a bunch of in-jokes about some of the Star Wars characters written into the show, and the fans are speculating that there will even be appearances by some of them. The writers of the show have even hinted about it in recent interviews.

Captain Steel

12-12-16, 01:11 AM

gbgoodies

12-12-16, 01:24 AM

I've posted this a few times (but in case you haven't seen it in a while) ... this was made after Disney acquired Star Wars and the other Disney Princesses are welcoming Leia into their ranks...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRMFH71fDIE

Thanks for posting that video. I can't imagine ever thinking of Princess Leia as a "Disney Princess", but that video was kind of funny, but true. :lol:

I don't think I'll ever get used to walking into The Disney Store, (in the malls), and seeing Disney characters on one side of the store, and Star Wars and Marvel Comics characters on the other side of the store. Something about that just feels wrong. :shrug:

Movie Max

12-12-16, 09:59 AM

I don't think I'll ever get used to walking into The Disney Store, (in the malls), and seeing Disney characters on one side of the store, and Star Wars and Marvel Comics characters on the other side of the store. Something about that just feels wrong. :shrug:

I know, they should get rid of those Disney characters altogether.:p

Citizen Rules

12-12-16, 10:55 PM

http://upload.uschinapress.com/2015/0223/1424683777483.jpg

Ida (2013)

Director: Pawel Pawlikowski
Writers: Pawel Pawlikowski & Rebecca Lenkiewicz
Cast: Agata Kulesza, Agata Trzebuchowska, Dawid Ogrodnik
Genre: Drama
Language: Polish

About: A young woman who is about to take her vows and become a nun in 1960s Poland. Before she can take her vows she discover a dark secret about her family that involves her aunt and the Germans during WWII. The film follows her as she discovers what had been hidden from her.

Review: Very enjoyable film. I had wanted to see Ida for a long time and I was not disappointed. It's so exceptionally well made, that I don't know where to begin?

Let's start with the black and white photography...I love b&w, and the choice to use it here was perfect. Without color, our eyes & our minds go then to the shape and form of what we are looking at...And OMG talk about amazing compositions! I loved how the camera shots were framed with the subject often very low in the frame, with a vast space of emptiness over their heads. Which shows us how small Ida is compared to the world outside of her convent, a world she knows nothing about. Through black and white cinematography we see the shape and form of a bleak communist Poland, circa 1962.

http://67.media.tumblr.com/fac7eda0c5a2f86ec6ea5fc62543fe9e/tumblr_ne4gk0NdrF1szuim7o7_500.jpg

If Orson Welles was still around he would be impressed with the cinematography, it's power is in it's starkness.

I'm curious did everyone see Ida in 4:3 format? which is almost a square picture. My DVD was that way, and I liked it too, very different for a newer film to be released in 4:3 screen format.

Equally I was impressed with the subdued minimalist style of story telling. Very simply done and very effective. I thought Ida was an interesting story and it held my attention. Excellent nomination.

rating_4_5

Citizen Rules

12-12-16, 11:06 PM

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Flowers of War (Zhang Yimou, 2011)
Jin ling shi san chai (original title)
Director: Zhang Yimou
Writers: Heng Liu(screenplay), Geling Yan(novel)
Cast: Christian Bale, Ni Ni, Xinyi Zhang
Genre: Drama, History, Romance
Language: Mandrin, English

About: An opportunistic westerner (Christian Bale) who finds himself trapped in a war torn city, during the Japanese occupation and rape of Nanking, China during WWII.

Review: This film is so amazingly visual, that I've spent over half an hour looking for that one special photo from the film that would sum up the spirit of the movie...And there's just no way one image can do that, as Flowers of War has so many different sub stories running through it. I love images and the visual arts, but I also love a good old fashioned story...and Flowers of War combines both. And it does that while taking the time to develop the story fully without rushing it and yet is always spell binding.

http://mblogthumb2.phinf.naver.net/20131109_165/laseong_13839433862459fmsC_JPEG/flowers-3.jpg?type=w2

The film is set during the Japanese occupation of Nanking and war is a part of the story, but this is not a war film...it's a humanistic film that examines how war can bring out the worst and best in humans. I really liked the story elements that showed the conflict between the convent school girls and the prostitutes. And I liked the juxtaposition between George Chen the alter boy who wants desperately to honor the former priest of the church and John Miller (Christian Bale) who wants only at first to get drunk, paid and laid. I thought Bale was pretty good at being an opportunistic scoundrel...and the actor who played George Chen was amazing at relaying emotions to us.
https://cirkul.info/sites/default/files/uploaded/cvety-voiny-4.jpg

Of course the other big part of the film is it's sensuality, set against the liberality of war. I thought the story elements about the legendary Qin Huai river prostitutes was very well done. It never got cheesy or overly sappy. And the scenes between Bale and the lead prostitute played by actress Ni Ni, added a whole new level to what could have been just a war film.

http://img1.gtimg.com/ent/pics/hv1/205/150/937/60966880.jpg

This was my second viewing of Flowers of War, and I loved it even more the second time around.

rating_4_5

Captain Steel

12-13-16, 02:37 PM

Was that the Bio Dome experiment that was done some years ago in Arizona?

Hi Rules,
In case you're still interested I did a little checking. The show I'd been watching was called Mars: The Secret Science (on the Science Channel).

They referenced a study called "Mars 500" - which was a Russian study (with the European Space Agency & China), putting Cosmonauts in isolation for 500 days.
I thought it was a current study since they referenced it on a current TV series, but, based on some research, it was conducted in 2007 - 2011.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MARS-500

Perhaps 400 Days drew some influence from this study.

Citizen Rules

12-13-16, 03:11 PM

Hi Rules,
In case you're still interested I did a little checking. The show I'd been watching was called Mars: The Secret Science (on the Science Channel).

They referenced a study called "Mars 500" - which was a Russian study (with the European Space Agency & China), putting Cosmonauts in isolation for 500 days.
I thought it was a current study since they referenced it on a current TV series, but, based on some research, it was conducted in 2007 - 2011.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MARS-500

Perhaps 400 Days drew some influence from this study. Thanks Cap, I tried to find that and I see it's a series, which sounds very cool as I've been thinking about how we can do a mission to mars. Sadly it's not at library and not at Netflix. But in my search I found I can watch legally, PBS shows and Nova has had a bunch of shows on Mars, so I'm happy about that.

Captain Steel

12-13-16, 04:08 PM

Thanks Cap, I tried to find that and I see it's a series, which sounds very cool as I've been thinking about how we can do a mission to mars. Sadly it's not at library and not at Netflix. But in my search I found I can watch legally, PBS shows and Nova has had a bunch of shows on Mars, so I'm happy about that.

There's also a show (I gave a brief review in the TV tab) called MARS on National Geographic Channel.
http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1611636#post1611636

It's science fiction mixed with documentary. The fiction part begins with the first manned mission to Mars in 2033. I think it's supposed to be a six-episode series (not sure). Something like that might be available on NetFlix when all the episodes are complete.

I watched the first 4 episodes and kind of liked it - but it's got mixed reviews (some viewers feel all the problems the crew experiences for the sake of drama are unrealistic as all these potentialities would have been well worked out before sending any people there.)

Citizen Rules

12-13-16, 11:07 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28063&stc=1&d=1481684660

Eddie the Eagle (2016)

Director: Dexter Fletcher
Cast: Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, Tom Costello
Genre: Biography, Drama-Comedy

About: The amazing story of a British man who all of his life wanted more than anything to be an Olympian. Eddie (the Eagle) Edwards, is the underdog who started ski jumping only a year before going to the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. His journey to the Olympics was nothing short of miraculously as he faced nearly insurmountable odds at every step of the way.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28066&stc=1&d=1481684924
The real Eddie The Eagle at the Winter Olympic games in 1988.

Review: I liked this, as the poster says it's a 'feel good movie'. I watched the DVD extras and the director said he decided to make this in the style of the 1980's feel good comedy-dramas. If you watch carefully you'll see one brief shot that pays homage to The Breakfast Club and another that nods to The Karate Kid. The music score is 80s style synthesizer, luckily it's actually good. There's also a smattering of 80s pop rock songs. Even actor Hugh Jackman got into the 80s grove with an authentic flat top haircut.

So as you might expect this is clicheified, and plays out like a rehash of Cool Runnings (1993), but like I said this is by design as it's retro film making.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28065&stc=1&d=1481684676
Damn! that's scary... I don't know if that's from the movie or the Olympics but either way the movie does a great job of showing you what it's like at the top of the ski jump.

I thought the actor who played Eddie looked amazingly like him and nailed his facial actions to a tee. Though it's too bad the film makes Eddie look like he's mentally slow, he wasn't. The real Eddie has said he liked the film, but also said only 5% of his real story is included in it.

Which is to bad because a good film maker could have done a bio-pic and still got in a few good laughs to ski boots. I thought Hugh Jackman was good but I didn't like his character who's a washed up ex skier...who had been thrown off the U.S. team by Christopher Walken no less and now spends his days smoking and drinking in the bar...just like John Candy in Cool Runnings. In fact just for fun watch Cool Runnings and Eddie the Eagle back to back.

Well even though there are problems, it was still a fun movie.
rating_2_5++

Citizen Rules

12-14-16, 05:25 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28073&stc=1&d=1481750192
Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work

Documentary BBC TV Series (2008)

A up close and personal look at the British Royal Family as cameras follow them for a year. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I wish there had been even more episodes. Unlike other documentations about Queen Elizabeth II, this one puts us in the driver's seat as we follow her Majesty and members of her family as they do what they do.

For the first time I feel like I seen the person behind the crown. There was also many good moments as we see Prince Philip and Prince Charles go about their royal duties, presenting awards, visiting with State Dignitaries and with common folk too. Likewise we see all of the Queens children, Charles, Ann, Andrew and Edward. It was really interesting to see their different personalities and they different ways they go about their duties.

rating_5

Camo

12-14-16, 05:28 PM

Just out of interest Citizen what is it you find so interesting about the Royals? I personally find them incredibly boring, the monarchy hasn't been interesting to me since the time of Napoleon.

Citizen Rules

12-14-16, 05:45 PM

I do like the royals and so does my wife, I find them really interesting. It's like they inhabit this unique world of theirs, which is much different than my world. It's sort of like a movie, that takes you to a different place for awhile.

When Prince William and Kate where married we watched every last minute of the telecast from the pre-ceremony stuff, to the after the wedding commentary. My wife wanted to watch that and I thought I wouldn't like it, but I did get caught up in it. Maybe it has a soap opera appeal, and that's why I like it.

After watching the last documentary I have memorized the protocol for meeting the Queen, if I ever get the chance:p Which is doubtful! But still I know what to do and not do in her presences.

And I guess that's what I like: the protocols, the pomp, the pageantry and the respect she garners. And the history of it all too, we don't have anything like the Monarchy in America and I think it gives a sense of continuity and reassurance that as much as things change there will always be a connection with the past.

Now when I was your age, I could care less about the royals. But as I have gotten older I enjoy watching shows about them. I feel like England is our (America's) mother country and so I'm always interested in the events there.

Camo

12-14-16, 06:04 PM

Fair enough, thanks for the response. I already know a fair amount about the royals i just personally find it all tedious and i don't think that will change, i have some family and friends who are interested in it so i get it. I am interested in the history of the monarchy though; particularly the Tudors and certain other times post - William The Conqueror.

Citizen Rules

12-14-16, 06:09 PM

Have you seen the series The Tudors?
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4ZrUkSCPqKA/UFY6IgQYm6I/AAAAAAAAQig/gKuYqUeqznA/s400/2007_the_tudors_wallpaper_001.jpg

Or I liked this one even better. The White Queen
https://cdn1.thehunt.com/app/public/system/note_images/11502647/note_preview/6053ca9dbbb800389338f713f8373eeb.jpeg

Camo

12-14-16, 06:15 PM

All i've heard about The Tudors is that it is godawful so i don't really have any intention of seeing it. Have never heard of the other one.

I liked The Kings Speech quite a bit. Wasn't expecting to as well but it turned out really good.

Game of Thrones is inspired by The War of the Roses which was a war for the English Throne which was won by the House of York who were defeated later on by Henry Tudors forces at The Battle of Bosworth to start The Tudor Dynasty. I imagine that's probably how The Tudors show starts, maybe the end of season one or something.

Citizen Rules

12-14-16, 06:23 PM

The White Queen picks up after the War of the Roses. I liked the first couple seasons of The Tudors but the latter seasons seemed to be lacking. I've heard of Game of Thrones, MovieGal told me about, but haven't seen it yet, I need to look into that and might give it a go, thanks for mentioning it.

BTW, I hadn't watched anything about The current Royals until I watched that movie with the misleading title;) The Queen. So that then kicked off a Royal watching spree.:p

Gideon58

12-14-16, 06:30 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28063&stc=1&d=1481684660

Eddie the Eagle (2016)

This looks interesting, might have to add it to my watchlist.

Citizen Rules

12-14-16, 07:16 PM

Camo

12-14-16, 07:26 PM

Oh man, how did i miss Eddie the Eagle :rotfl:. Jeez, i wouldn't watch that film if you paid me. His story is well known here; it is pretty funny and he seems like a nice guy but nah. I imagine they were trying to make this a modern Cool Runnings or something.

Citizen Rules

12-14-16, 08:37 PM

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_R8xi4dr91Dc/S71SoIEu2iI/AAAAAAAAAk4/lDiql1evlfc/s1600/cary_Grant_and_Katharine_Hepburn_%28bringing_up_baby%29.jpg
Bringing Up Baby (Howard Hawks, 1938)

Director: Howard Hawks
Cast: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Charles Ruggles
Genre: Screwball Comedy

About: About a hair-brained paleontologist (Cary Grant) who's trying to get a $1 million donation from a rich family for his dinosaur museum. When he has a chance encounter with a flighty, yet strong willed and pushy young rich woman...she decides she wants to marry him. As she courts the reluctant scientist, the mismatched pair have to find her escaped pet leopard, Baby.

Review: This was my second viewing and I'm still not sure what to make of this film. I know it's considered one of the funniest of the classic era films and is highly rated. I liked it, but I didn't connect to it.

After the movie was over I watched the commentary track with Peter Bogdanovic, who said this film is very fast paced and you need to be up for watching it, with your full attention on the screen.

I do have a hunch about the film...I don't think the genius of the film is in the story line or the characters. They are just window dressing for the true star of the film, the writing. I think the star of the film is the quick wit that was written and the ad lib lines done by Hepburn and Grant...with Hawks adding a bit of his own naughtiness. It's almost like this is a cryptic film and the actors and writers are bypassing the story and speaking directly to the audience. It's like an inside joke at a big party and the fun is in deciphering the double entendres.

rating_3_5

Citizen Rules

12-14-16, 11:12 PM

http://cdn.tabnak.ir/files/fa/news_albums/626377/25115/resized/resized_637146_384.jpg
Bashu, The Little Stranger (1990)

Director: Bahram Beizai
Writer: Bahram Beizai
Cast: Susan Taslimi, Parviz Poorhosseini, Adnan Afravian
Genre: Drama
Country: Iran

About: Bashu, a young boy who's entire family is killed in the war with Iraq, ends up lost in a remote mountainous area of Iran, and is unable to speak the local dialect.The local villagers don't want him around, considering him a bad omen. But one woman decides to risk the wrath of her neighbors by caring for the orphan.

Review: I've never seen a film from Iran before...now I have. I thought it was really neat to see actual sites and people from Iran. I had no idea that they could get snow there? And I was surprised to see greenery and even ferns!

The opening title credits with the planes and the moaning sounds were odd....but after a few minutes I warmed up to the movie and especially the woman who took care of Bashu. I thought she was a darn good actresses. I believed I was watching the real thing as if it was a documentary.

The actor who played Bashu, deserves an Iranian equivalent of an Oscar. He was really, really good at doing the hard to do emotionally scenes. I enjoyed seeing the simple village life the people lead.

I thought the story was a good one and I have to say I didn't realize Iran was so modern in the way the woman Naii was portrayed. She was strong, she took charge, she spoke her mind. I liked that.

rating_3

Citizen Rules

12-15-16, 11:32 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28081&stc=1&d=1481858937
Driving Lessons (2006)

Director: Jeremy Brock
Writer: Jeremy Brock
Cast: Rupert Grint, Laura Linney, Julie Walters
Genre: Drama-Comedy

About: A shy teenager who's parents are religious. Dad is an open minded minister caring and supportive, but mom is controlling and off in her own world. The shy teen begins to learn that there's life outside of the church when he takes a job as an assistant to an eccentric retired actress, who drinks too much and lives life precariously. With the teen in tow the elderly actresses take him on an adventure he soon won't forget.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28080&stc=1&d=1481858929

Review: A rather simple, but interesting British film. Done on a smaller budget, this indie film delves into subject matter like evangelical Christianity and the different ways people experience that. But this is not a pro-religion film, and it's focus is on the teenage boy who thanks to a road trip to Edinburgh Scotland, begins being his own person. During this time he stands up to his mom and camps out all night with the elderly lady (OK that's a little odd), he also has his first drink and his first encounter with a Scottish lass (yup, one of those kind of encounters);)

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28084&stc=1&d=1481858981

The movie moves along at a good pace and at only 98 minutes it isn't a strain to watch. There's a few laughs here and there but mostly this is a drama and the comedy is from real life situations.

I liked it pretty much.
rating_3

Camo

12-15-16, 11:36 PM

You actually rated Bringing Up Baby a bit higher than i thought you would. Glad you got something out of it and that some others liked it in the hall of fame at least. I had to google that film Driving Lessons because i thought i might have seen it but it was another completely forgettable Rupert Grint film called Cherrybomb.

Actually you rated BUB higher than Bashu despite having it lower on your HOF list... hmmm :p

Citizen Rules

12-15-16, 11:46 PM

I did enjoy Bashu for it's uniqueness but it ain't something I want to see again.

For some movies my rating isn't just my enjoyment level it's also how important I think the movie is. I think Bringing Up Baby is a pretty important movie even thought I personally didn't love it. It's just Kate Hepburn I guess I never was a fan of hers, except in African Queen (which I know you don't like)

Camo

12-15-16, 11:58 PM

African Queen (which I know you don't like)

Never seen it.

gbgoodies

12-15-16, 11:59 PM

Gideon I think you and GBG would both appreciate Eddie the Eagle. I did give it a lower score, but only because I thought the real story of Eddie would have made a better movie. But still a fun watch. I hope you watch it...you too GBG.

I read a little about Eddie the Eagle because Hugh Jackman is in it, and it sounded like it might be my kind of movie. It's already on my watchlist, but it will probably be a while before I get a chance to see it. I'm way behind on current movies, and I'm still catching up on sci-fi movies.

Citizen Rules

12-16-16, 12:11 AM

Never seen it. Whoops:p...maybe it was Raul who hated The African Queen? Somebody in an Hof or maybe it was the 50s countdown said that. I love that movie myself.

I read a little about Eddie the Eagle because Hugh Jackman is in it, and it sounded like it might be my kind of movie. It's already on my watchlist, but it will probably be a while before I get a chance to see it. I'm way behind on current movies, and I'm still catching up on sci-fi movies. Let me know when you watch it. Like I said I rated kind of low because I wanted more about the real Eddie the Eagle, but it's still a good watch.

gbgoodies

12-16-16, 12:11 AM

gbgoodies

12-16-16, 12:14 AM

Let me know when you watch it. Like I said I rated kind of low because I wanted more about the real Eddie the Eagle, but it's still a good watch.

It will be a while, but I'll let you know.

However I watched a different movie that both you and Cricket recommended to me for the sci-fi list. I watched The Abyss, and you were both right. I loved it. It might even break into my top 25.

I've kind of avoided that movie because I thought it was basically going to be like Cameron's The Thing, but under water, but it wasn't. It was more of a sci-fi / romance than sci-fi / horror.

Citizen Rules

12-16-16, 12:15 AM

Like I was telling Camo, my review and rating also focuses on the quality of film making and it's originality. From a personal level, Kate in Bringing Up Baby gave me a headache! I wasn't into the film.... But I'm no pleb:p, and I know it's a well regarded movie so it deserves it's good points pointed out.

Citizen Rules

12-16-16, 12:18 AM

...However I watched a different movie that both you and Cricket recommended to me for the sci-fi list. I watched The Abyss, and you were both right. I loved it. It might even break into my top 25.

I've kind of avoided that movie because I thought it was basically going to be like Cameron's The Thing, but under water, but it wasn't. It was more of a sci-fi / romance than sci-fi / horror. Wonderful! I knew you would love it. I would have mentioned it back when we first talked about sci fi movies for the countdown, but I was sure you had seen it.

Now Leviathan (1989), is another underwater sci fi, but it's like alien only underwater.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097737/

Camo

12-16-16, 12:24 AM

They need a normal, (or opposite), to balance the craziness,

No it doesn't. Maybe you need that but the film is well loved and acclaimed partially because of its relentless craziness. It would've been ruined if either of them were toned down.

gbgoodies

12-16-16, 12:31 AM

Wonderful! I knew you would love it. I would have mentioned it back when we first talked about sci fi movies for the countdown, but I was sure you had seen it.

Now Leviathan (1989), is another underwater sci fi, but it's like alien only underwater.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097737/

I took a quick look at the synopsis for Leviathan, and it sounds more like sci-fi / horror, so I'm not sure that it's my kind of movie, but I'll see it I can find it.

Another movie that I watched for the sci-fi countdown that I loved is In Your Eyes (2014). It's another sci-fi / romance, but it has less of a sci-fi feel and more of a romance feel. I highly recommend it.

Gideon58

12-16-16, 04:01 PM

[B]http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28081&stc=1&d=1481858937
Driving Lessons (2006)

Enjoyed this review and will be adding it to my watchlist...I've come to discover that Laura Linney is always worth watching.

Gideon58

12-16-16, 04:07 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=27932&stc=1&d=1480293585
Experimenter (2015)

Director: Michael Almereyda
Writer: Michael Almereyda
Cast: Peter Sarsgaard, Anthony Edwards, Jim Gaffigan, Winona Ryder
Genre: Biography, Drama

[

Will try to watch this one if for no other reason than I LOVE Peter Sarsgaard.

Citizen Rules

12-16-16, 04:37 PM

Driving Lessons (2006) Enjoyed this review and will be adding it to my watchlist...I've come to discover that Laura Linney is always worth watching. Sometimes when I watch a movie I think of MoFos who might like it, and I had you in mind when I was watching this. Agreed of Laura Linney, she had a plum role too.

Experimenter (2015) Will try to watch this one if for no other reason than I LOVE Peter Sarsgaard. Not so sure what your reaction to this will be. But bear in mind this experiments actually took place, so that to me added something to the movie, which itself is put together unconventionally.

Citizen Rules

12-17-16, 09:18 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28108&stc=1&d=1482023601

The Family Man (2000)

Director: Brett Ratner
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Téa Leoni, Don Cheadle
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romantic Comedy

A powerfully rich Wall Street executive, Jack Campbell (Nicholas Cage), who's on the verge of a multi-billion dollar merger orders a board meeting on the eve of Christmas...much to the chagrin of his employees who want to be with their families. But Jack has no family, having turned his back on his college girlfriend 13 years earlier, leaving her standing in tears at the airport as he flew off to start a high power career...without her.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28109&stc=1&d=1482023609

On the way home in a corner deli Jack intervenes when a gunman (Don Chadley) threatens the life of the store clerk. The gunman in return gives Jack a 'glimpse' of what his life would have been like if he had staid and married his college girlfriend. Jack then wakes up in bed with his wife, surrounded by the kids and family dog.

Who hasn't wondered what their life would be like if they had taken a different turn at the proverbial fork in the road. The Family Man seeks to answer that age old question. Or at least it gives a glimpse of what might have been for Jack, a man who claimed to have everything he ever wanted. But apparently there's more to life than a fast Ferrari, money, power and penthouses. Or so this film says.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28110&stc=1&d=1482023617

Nicholas Cage takes lots of criticism for taking on so many lame movies, but he's a darn good actor, he's easy to understand and connect to. We like him so we care what happens to him. That's important in this movie.

The other part of this alternative reality equation is his girlfriend/wife Kate played by Téa Leoni. She's perfect as the girl next door, the girl who a young up and coming executive would toss aside like an old shoe. But sometimes old shoes are the best fit...As his wife, she's not always a dreamboat and either is his 'new' life as a tire salesman. And life seldom is perfect. So the shoes do indeed fit.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28111&stc=1&d=1482023626

The Family Man made me think about it for days after...and that's high praise because so many movies are forgettable.

rating_3_5+

.

Captain Steel

12-17-16, 09:44 PM

Oh yeah! I remember seeing this years ago. I quite liked it. Kind of an alternate take on It's a Wonderful Life.
Plus, Tea Leoni is pretty easy on the eyes.

Citizen Rules

12-17-16, 09:47 PM

Plus, Tea Leoni is pretty easy on the eyes.

Yup, she is. And yet she's not a real beauty so she's believable as a suburbia wife/mom. Capt, do you know of any other alternative time line movies in the same vein? (besides It's a Wonderful Life).

Captain Steel

12-17-16, 11:53 PM

Yup, she is. And yet she's not a real beauty so she's believable as a suburbia wife/mom. Capt, do you know of any other alternative time line movies in the same vein? (besides It's a Wonderful Life).

Good question - I feel like I do, but can't think of any at the moment.

But coincidentally, I watched the end of Regarding Henry (1991) today, and when I read your review it occurred to me how similar these two movies are - not that there's an alternate time line in Henry, but he's a man who is shot, suffers brain damage and doesn't remember his former life - so everything after that is like starting a brand new life again and being able to reinvent himself with his wife, his daughter and at his job, especially when he begins to discover that he doesn't like who he once was.

gbgoodies

12-18-16, 03:20 AM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28108&stc=1&d=1482023601

The Family Man (2000)

Director: Brett Ratner
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Téa Leoni, Don Cheadle
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romantic Comedy

A powerfully rich Wall Street executive, Jack Campbell (Nicholas Cage), who's on the verge of a multi-billion dollar merger, orders a board meeting on the eve of Christmas, much to the chagrin of his employees who want to be with their families. But Jack has no family, having turned his back on his college girlfriend 13 years earlier, leaving her standing in tears at the airport, as he flew off to start a high power career...without her.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28109&stc=1&d=1482023609

On the way home in a corner deli, Jack intervenes when an gunman (Don Chadley) threatens the lives of the store clerk. The gunman in return gives Jack a 'glimpse' of what his life would have been like if he had staid and married his college girlfriend. Jack then wakes up in bed with his wife, surrounded by the kids and family dog.

Who hasn't wondered what their life would be like if they had taken a different turn at the proverbial fork in the road. The Family Man seeks to answer that age old question. Or at least it gives a glimpse of what might have been for Jack, a man who claimed to have everything he ever wanted. But apparently there's more to life than fast Ferraris, money, power and penthouses. Or so this film says!

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28110&stc=1&d=1482023617

Nicholas Cage takes lots of criticism for taking on so many lame movies, but he's a darn good actor, he's easy to understand and connect to. We like him, so we care what happens to him. That's important in this movie!

The other part of this alternative reality equation is his girlfriend/wife Kate played by Téa Leoni. She's perfect as the girl next door, the girl who a young up and coming executive would toss aside like an old shoe. But sometimes old shoes are the best fit...As his wife, she's not always a dreamboat and either is his 'new' life as a tire salesman. And life seldom is perfect. So the shoes do indeed fit.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28111&stc=1&d=1482023626

The Family Man made me think about it for days after...and that's high praise because so many movies are forgettable.

rating_3_5+

.

I hate Nicolas Cage, but The Family Man actually sounds like a good movie.

Citizen Rules

12-18-16, 10:34 PM

...I watched the end of Regarding Henry (1991) today, and when I read your review it occurred to me how similar these two movies are - not that there's an alternate time line in Henry, but he's a man who is shot, suffers brain damage and doesn't remember his former life - so everything after that is like starting a brand new life again and being able to reinvent himself with his wife, his daughter and at his job, especially when he begins to discover that he doesn't like who he once was. Thanks Captain, I looked that movie up and it sounds intriguing, I'm not big on films set in hospitals. Of course I don't know how much time is spent on that.

I hate Nicolas Cage, but The Family Man actually sounds like a good movie. Ohh...it will be a tough sale if you hate Nic Cage, but I think you would like the movie overall.

Captain Steel

12-18-16, 10:47 PM

Thanks Captain, I looked that movie up and it sounds intriguing, I'm not big on films set in hospitals. Of course I don't know how much time is spent on that.

Ohh...it will be a tough sale if you hate Nic Cage, but I think you would like the movie overall.

Very little time is spent on the hospital - more time is spent on Henry trying to re-acclimate to his former life and figure out who his former family, friends & colleagues really are (but he does form an attachment to his physical therapist in the hospital since he doesn't remember anyone he formerly knew - so, in a sense, the therapist is almost like a parent that a newborn imprints upon. Henry has a hard time leaving the hospital & his only friend to go live with his family that he doesn't remember).

It's a bit predictable, but is an all around "feel good" movie (in a similar vein as The Family Man) with a good performance by Harrison Ford & Annette Bening as his wife. It's got a positive message about rebirth, redemption and living life to its fullest by learning to value the things that money & prestige cannot buy.

I agree that gbg would like The Family Man - it's her kind of movie! I'm not a big Nic Cage fan either, but have very fond memories of the movie - it's the kind I could show to my parents. :)

cricket

12-18-16, 10:49 PM

I thought The Family Man looked good, but my wife saw it and didn't like it so I never bothered.

Citizen Rules

12-18-16, 10:52 PM

Captain Steel

12-18-16, 11:02 PM

Ya talked me into it:p I'll watch it! I was just a bit dicey about the hospital part. But yea, it sounds like something I would be interested in, so cool I'll check it out. I actually seen another movie last night that is kinda-sorta like it...and you mentioned it before right here on this very thread:)...I'm writing a review write now.

In an odd way, Regarding Henry reminds me a little of Charly (1968) and Awakenings (1990) also.
Except in both those movies, the lead characters go from being mentally disabled / diseased to becoming smart / awake, but then go BACK to being mentally disabled / diseased at the end. Henry is simply the story of a man who fights his way back from an traumatic injury that left him brain damaged with amnesia.

Citizen Rules

12-18-16, 11:18 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28138&stc=1&d=1482117419
About Time (2013)

Director: Richard Curtis
Writer: Richard Curtis
Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy
Genre: Drama, Light Comedy, Fantasy
Length: 123 minutes

About: A young man who at the age of 21 is told by his father, of the family secret...The family secret is: all the males can time travel by going to a dark place and clinching their fist tightly and concentrating deeply on the moment. But the young man soon finds out that changing his past mistakes by time travel, is not always as easy as it might seem.

Review: Who hasn't wished they could go back in time and correct a mistake or a missed moment. Perhaps it would be to avoid a certain action that lead to a string of events that spun horribly out of control.

Life is like that, each day, each second our decisions decide which path our lives will take. Even the most mundane actions can have dire consequences...or...brings us great joy. Even as you read this review you've made a decision to spend time doing so....that time spent then changes the rest of the events in your day...and life. Now luckily this is a positive energy review, so expect only good things to come from it, no matter how small.

Time is a funny thing, it's the greatest commodity in our lives. It's also the greatest equalizer for rich or poor, smart or idiot savant, as the amount of time we have is unknown to us. So a movie about being able to relive yesterday, has universal appeal. And that's what About Time has...universal appeal.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28140&stc=1&d=1482117444

It's a drama that doesn't ever get too silly or weird. In fact it's a drama grounded in reality and just like real life it has some humorous moments, but mostly it's serious. I was really into the movie for the first hour, but in the last 40 minutes it drags some. Luckily, it ends on a powerful note, so that makes up for the time stall.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28139&stc=1&d=1482117435

Domhnall Gleeson is the young time traveler Tim. He gives a fine performance as does all the cast. But as he's suppose to age and have a family, I couldn't help think he still looked like a teenager. Likable yes, but not a match for the animated Rachel McAdams, who I really liked in this film.

OK that's enough time spent writing. Watch this for the subject matter or for Rachel McAdams, either way it's a good way to spend your time.

rating_3_5

.

Captain Steel

12-18-16, 11:29 PM

Ah, you finally watched About Time, eh Rules? A time travel movie that is not science fiction.
I went nuts trying to figure out some of the paradoxes & questions regarding this film on he IMDB boards!
Fortunately, too much time has gone by for me to remember what they were, how they worked (or didn't work).

BTW, what did you think of the blind restaurant? Feasible? What about insurance risks? (People on IMDB told me that a couple of these places actually exist in real life - but I don't know how they do it - maybe customers have to sign a waiver before they go in?)

Citizen Rules

12-18-16, 11:49 PM

Ah, you finally watched About Time, eh Rules? A time travel movie that is not science fiction. You're right:p it's not sci fi at all, but still qualifies for the Top 100 Sci Fi Countdown. I'm not sure if it will make my list or not? But a pretty cool movie non the less.

I went nuts trying to figure out some of the paradoxes & questions regarding this film on the IMDB boards!Was that your post I read? Kidding, but there was a lot of interest in that movie and it's concept at IMDB. I must be dense, cause I didn't really ponder the paradoxes. I guess I was too impressed with Rachel McAdams:p But yea, there would be some strange consequences of time travel.

Fortunately, too much time has gone by for me to remember what they were, how they worked (or didn't work). That's too bad because time travel paradoxes make good threads, hint, hint ;)

BTW, what did you think of the blind restaurant? Feasible? What about insurance risks? (People on IMDB told me that a couple of these places actually exist in real life - but I don't know how they do it - maybe customers have to sign a waiver before they go in?) I thought the blind restaurant ( a restaurant with blind waiters wear everyone eats in pitch darkness) seemed like a really cool idea. It would seem to work best for young people who don't need lights to find their mouths:p... and for blind dates too (no pun intended) as that's how he met Rachelle McAdams.

Captain Steel

12-19-16, 12:14 AM

I did make a post on IMDB just about the blind restaurant. Such an interesting concept.
But there's enough nasty stuff that goes on in restaurants where the lights are on (I know, I grew up working in one) that I can only imagine what could happen in one where no one could see their food, their utensils or their surroundings before they put it in their mouths!
Part of food preparation, serving & presentation is all about impeccable cleanliness & sterility - having visual confirmation of such things goes a long way in feeling secure about what you are putting in your mouth when dining out.

gbgoodies

12-19-16, 02:32 AM

Very little time is spent on the hospital - more time is spent on Henry trying to re-acclimate to his former life and figure out who his former family, friends & colleagues really are (but he does form an attachment to his physical therapist in the hospital since he doesn't remember anyone he formerly knew - so, in a sense, the therapist is almost like a parent that a newborn imprints upon. Henry has a hard time leaving the hospital & his only friend to go live with his family that he doesn't remember).

It's a bit predictable, but is an all around "feel good" movie (in a similar vein as The Family Man) with a good performance by Harrison Ford & Annette Bening as his wife. It's got a positive message about rebirth, redemption and living life to its fullest by learning to value the things that money & prestige cannot buy.

I agree that gbg would like The Family Man - it's her kind of movie! I'm not a big Nic Cage fan either, but have very fond memories of the movie - it's the kind I could show to my parents. :)

Capt., I trust your opinion, so between yours and Rules' recommendations, I'll have to give it a try. :)

And I absolutely love Regarding Henry. It's one of my favorite Harrison Ford movies, (and that says a lot for an actor who starred in the original Star Wars trilogy, the Indiana Jones trilogy, and Blade Runner).

gbgoodies

12-19-16, 02:35 AM

In an odd way, Regarding Henry reminds me a little of Charly (1968) and Awakenings (1990) also.
Except in both those movies, the lead characters go from being mentally disabled / diseased to becoming smart / awake, but then go BACK to being mentally disabled / diseased at the end. Henry is simply the story of a man who fights his way back from an traumatic injury that left him brain damaged with amnesia.

Regarding Henry, Charly (1968), and Awakenings (1990) are all great movies, but I don't see the connection between Regarding Henry and the other two.

gbgoodies

12-19-16, 02:39 AM

I tried watching About Time a while back, but I think it was the guy who had a very strong accent that I had a hard time understanding, and I ended up turning it off. I really wanted to watch it because it sounded like a great movie, but I just couldn't get past his accent. Maybe I'll try again for the Sci-Fi countdown.

Citizen Rules

12-19-16, 02:45 AM

I have a hard time with strong British accents, but I could understand what was being said most of the time in About Time. But there was a few times I had to put it on subtitles.

gbgoodies

12-19-16, 02:58 AM

I have a hard time with strong British accents, but I could understand what was being said most of the time in About Time. But there was a few times I had to put it on subtitles.

Accents usually don't bother me too much in British movies, but for some reason, his accent did. I don't remember why, but I remember having to turn off the movie because it bothered me so much. But I'll give it another try.

Captain Steel

12-19-16, 03:12 AM

gbgoodies

12-19-16, 03:26 AM

Regarding Henry, Charly (1968), and Awakenings (1990) are all great movies, but I don't see the connection between Regarding Henry and the other two.

The similarity is that all the leads are severely mentally impaired at some point in their lives and gradually gain or regain cognizance - with Charly, he was born mentally disabled and gains intelligence thus starting life anew, with Leonard Lowe (Awakenings) he's got a disease that turns him catatonic at adolescence and is brought back to consciousness by drugs and must relearn how to function, with Henry, he's the victim of a gun shot who is brain damaged and has to re-learn how to do everything and start life over again even though he cannot remember the people from his life before his injury.

I understand what you're saying, but the situations are different because in Regarding Henry, he's not someone who's part of any kind of experiment. He just relearns everything by being taught. He's not really brain damaged. He's just forgotten everything he once knew, and he has to relearn it. The other two people don't relearn anything. They're just part of an experiment that helps them gain the ability to learn. And the endings are completely different for Henry vs. the other two characters.

I can understand the similarities, but IMO, they're very different movies because of the reasons for their situations, and the starting and ending points of the characters.

Captain Steel

12-19-16, 02:17 PM

I understand what you're saying, but the situations are different because in Regarding Henry, he's not someone who's part of any kind of experiment. He just relearns everything by being taught. He's not really brain damaged. He's just forgotten everything he once knew, and he has to relearn it. The other two people don't relearn anything. They're just part of an experiment that helps them gain the ability to learn. And the endings are completely different for Henry vs. the other two characters.

I can understand the similarities, but IMO, they're very different movies because of the reasons for their situations, and the starting and ending points of the characters.

Yes, very different movies, but they share one similar theme of a man having to start over in some way again.

I have to disagree and say that Henry was indeed brain damaged. I missed the first half the other day, but watched the previews to hear a doctor say something like his heart stopped from the gun shot for a period of time and deprived his brain of oxygen (this destroyed part of his brain that helped control memory). Oxygen deprivation that causes loss of mental functions is definitely a form of brain damage - although I realize the first thing people think of when they hear the term "brain damage" is head wounds, concussions and blunt force trauma.

Gideon58

12-19-16, 07:15 PM

Citizen Rules

12-19-16, 08:44 PM

What do you mean "the real story of Eddie"? I mean this is no bio-pic, most of the story elements are either left out or fabricated. Still it's a fun movie, but according to Eddie himself only about 5% of the movie is his story.

Citizen Rules

12-19-16, 10:57 PM

https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=60628
Her (2013)
Director: Spike Jonze
Writer: Spike Jonze
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson
Genre: Adult Drama, Sci Fi, Romance

About: A lonely man who falls in love with his sentient computer operating system and has a relationship with it.

Review: Interesting movie to say the least. Its strengths are the visuals, both in the color palette used by the art direction and the stunning on-location sets, they filmed at. I especially liked the curved, elevated city walkway, as shown in the photo above.

I thought Joaquin Phoenix did a fantastic job of being an indecisive, emotionally exuberant man who had a hard time commenting to anyone. He was really good and so was Amy Adams, who's my favorite, modern day actress.

https://31.media.tumblr.com/696a72f94f056f5c9afeac98c6d41fbd/tumblr_n16xp4I1ow1tsplcho6_500.png

However, I didn't like a lot of the directorial decisions that Spike Jonez made. I didn't connect to the story, as the disembodied voice of Samantha (done by Scarlett Johansson) just wasn't believable to me as an artificial intelligence operating system. Part of the reason why is in the sound mixing. Samantha's voice was dubbed post production and is mixed at a different tonal quality than the spoken words of Joaquin. To me it didn't sound like they were in the same room.

I would have liked to hear the computer voice have a slightly mechanical sound to it, like it was coming out of a speaker. I also think Spike should have went with a visual reference for Samantha so that we had something to look at on the mobile screen when she talked.

I also wasn't a fan of the explicit sex scenes and the overused potty mouth, those two directorial decisions took me out of the film's story.

Ultimately I just didn't buy someone falling in love with his computer. And I certainly didn't buy that people in the future thought dating a computer was normal! But I did LMAO at the picnic scene. I don't think Spike intended it to be ironic? But it was.

2.5

Citizen Rules

12-19-16, 11:12 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=27314&stc=1&d=1475513201
Ronin (John Frankenheimer, 1998)

Director: John Frankenheimer
Cast: Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime

About: A ex U.S. CIA agent who's know freelancing to the highest bidder. The highest bidder wants a mysterious package found, and so do equally mysterious Russian and Irish agents.

Review: I enjoyed it for what it was, well done entertainment. I'm not really into crime action films but this one was exceptionally well done. It held my interest and I was into it! I liked the way the film was edited (straight forward without any tricky fancy stuff) that made for good old fashioned story telling. I thought the action sequences were exciting and the first car chase amazing. I'm not really a car chase kind of guy, so the second car chase seemed to me to go on too long, but oh well it was still well done.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bSADujevUl0/hqdefault.jpg

Director John Frankenheimer, is the reason the movie is a cut above your average crime action flick. Frankenheimer made a name for himself directing episodes of the avant garde television anthology drama series, Playhouse 90. Some of the best movies were made for live TV broadcast at this time. Later he went on to a succesful film careare making such movies as The Manchurian Candidate (1962) Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) and Gran Prix (1966). Ronin was his last successful film and has good balance between action and narrative and with a mystery too.

rating_3

Captain Steel

12-19-16, 11:41 PM

Re: Her -

"Ultimately I just didn't buy someone falling in love with his computer. "

There are a lot of people right now who have closer (almost hypnotic, obsessive and all-encompassing) relationships with their smart phones, games and virtual reality devices than they have with any other actual humans.

gbgoodies

12-20-16, 01:45 AM

Yes, very different movies, but they share one similar theme of a man having to start over in some way again.

I have to disagree and say that Henry was indeed brain damaged. I missed the first half the other day, but watched the previews to hear a doctor say something like his heart stopped from the gun shot for a period of time and deprived his brain of oxygen (this destroyed part of his brain that helped control memory). Oxygen deprivation that causes loss of mental functions is definitely a form of brain damage - although I realize the first thing people think of when they hear the term "brain damage" is head wounds, concussions and blunt force trauma.

I probably should have said that he has a different kind of brain damage. The other two people were brain damaged due to medical reasons, and they were intentionally changed to try to make them better. Henry was a normal, intelligent person who was brain damaged by a bullet, and the reason for his change was not intentional. Henry was being "fixed" to bring him back to what he was previously, while the other two were being made better from their original state. (Does that make any sense?)

Captain Steel

12-20-16, 02:03 AM

I probably should have said that he has a different kind of brain damage. The other two people were brain damaged due to medical reasons, and they were intentionally changed to try to make them better. Henry was a normal, intelligent person who was brain damaged by a bullet, and the reason for his change was not intentional. Henry was being "fixed" to bring him back to what he was previously, while the other two were being made better from their original state. (Does that make any sense?)

Yes. Especially for Charly. If I remember correctly, Charly had never had normal level intelligence until the experiment gave him above average intelligence. But Leonard Lowe was basically brought back to what he was before his illness struck him down (before sadly returning back to a catatonic state).
But yes. I know what you mean.

Charly is basically medical science fiction.
Awakenings was a true story.
and Regarding Henry is a romantic drama. :)

gbgoodies

12-20-16, 02:09 AM

Charly is basically medical science fiction.

It's kind of funny that you mentioned this about Charly because I've been thinking about my list for the Sci-Fi countdown, and Charly is one of those movies that lists as sci-fi, but it doesn't feel like sci-fi, so I can't decide what to do about those movies for my list. I love the movie, but if it doesn't feel like sci-fi, it seems out of place on a sci-fi list. (I have a handful of similar movies that I can't decide whether or not to include them on my sci-fi list.)

gbgoodies

12-20-16, 02:23 AM

Her (2013)
Director: Spike Jonze
Writer: Spike Jonze
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson
Genre: Adult Drama, Sci Fi, Romance

However, I didn't like a lot of the directorial decisions that Spike Jonez made. I didn't connect to the story, as the disembodied voice of Samantha (done by Scarlett Johansson) just wasn't believable to me as an artificial intelligence operating system. Part of the reason why is in the sound mixing. Samantha's voice was dubbed post production and is mixed at a different tonal quality than the spoken words of Joaquin. To me it didn't sound like they were in the same space.

I would have liked to hear the computer voice have a slightly mechanical sound to it, like it was coming out of a speaker. I also think Spike should have went with a visual reference for Samantha so that we had something to look at on the mobile screen when she talked.

I thought the point of the voice not having a mechanical sound to it was to make it feel more like it could have been an actual human. It made it easier to believe that she was real, and made the relationship believable.

I liked that we didn't get a picture of her on the screen because that made the relationship more about him and his operating system, rather than thinking that he was in a long distance relationship with a real person.

Captain Steel

12-20-16, 02:24 AM

It's kind of funny that you mentioned this about Charly because I've been thinking about my list for the Sci-Fi countdown, and Charly is one of those movies that lists as sci-fi, but it doesn't feel like sci-fi, so I can't decide what to do about those movies for my list. I love the movie, but if it doesn't feel like sci-fi, it seems out of place on a sci-fi list. (I have a handful of similar movies that I can't decide whether or not to include them on my sci-fi list.)

Yeah, there are a lot of movies like that - especially ones about experimental medicine.
If they are fiction (and since modern medicine is a science) then it is literally "science fiction." But the movies don't have any of the other elements that would put them in that genre.

gbgoodies

12-20-16, 02:34 AM

Yeah, there are a lot of movies like that - especially ones about experimental medicine.
If they are fiction (and since modern medicine is a science) then it is literally "science fiction." But the movies don't have any of the other elements that would put them in that genre.

Some movies just feel more like a drama or a romance than a science fiction movie. Even movies like Her (2013), (the movie Rules reviewed earlier). I know that it's technically a sci-fi movie, but it just doesn't feel like one.

I guess because I grew up with stuff like Star Wars, Star Trek, CE3K, E.T., etc., those are the types of movies that have a sci-fi feel to them. (Movies that focus on space, computers, robots, aliens, etc.) I have to figure out what to do about the rest of the sci-fi movies when I make my list. Some of them really deserve to be on the list, so I don't want to overlook them for the wrong reason.

Citizen Rules

12-20-16, 02:36 AM

I thought the point of the voice not having a mechanical sound to it was to make it feel more like it could have been an actual human. It made it easier to believe that she was real, and made the relationship believable.

I liked that we didn't get a picture of her on the screen because that made the relationship more about him and his operating system, rather than thinking that he was in a long distance relationship with a real person.
I just basically didn't like the movie, I didn't like the concept, I didn't like the execution, I didn't like the graphic sex scenes and the multi f bombs and it was slow, I really got bored with it. The director IMO was trying way to hard to be a hipster.

gbgoodies

12-20-16, 02:40 AM

I just basically didn't like the movie, I didn't like the concept, I didn't like the execution, I didn't like the graphic sex scenes and the multi f bombs and it was slow, I really got bored with it. The director IMO was trying way to hard to be a hipster.

I liked the concept, but I agree with you about some of the other points. If you can get past some of the language and the graphic stuff, I think it's a very good movie.

Captain Steel

12-20-16, 02:58 AM

The director IMO was trying way to hard to be a hipster.

:D LOL! :D

Chypmunk

12-20-16, 04:48 AM

Hey finally I can comment on something :)
I loved Her, didn't suffer personally from any of the downsides you mention (in fact I thought the o/s voice was spot on). Shame you didn't like it more but none of us will all like the same movies and that's exactly how it should be imo.
I've seen Ronin too but not for an awful long time so can't really comment on that one - have the feeling I enjoyed it but I don't recall a huge amount so doesn't seem like I loved it.

edarsenal

12-20-16, 01:19 PM

sorry to hear you didn't enjoy Her but VERY glad you like Ronin. Huge fan of Ronin; a great throwback to the old spy thrillers and Frankenheimer was truly in his element when he made it.

And just saw your review on Family Man. Seen that a few times, quite the wonderful movie with a very beautiful message.

Gideon58

12-20-16, 07:57 PM

https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-413a559f7608a35e0dbe89e4e34f997b-c?convert_to_webp=true

[CENTER]Her (2013)
[LEFT]Director: Spike Jonze
Writer: Spike Jonze
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson
Genre: Adult Drama, Sci Fi, Romance

I liked this movie a lot more than you did, but I enjoyed your review.

Citizen Rules

12-20-16, 08:24 PM

I just couldn't connect to Her in anyway. Not really a fan of Spike Jonze either.

The next movie I will review is maybe the strangest and yet simplest movie I ever seen. I don't know if it's genius or stupid? Maybe you or someone else will watch it.

Gideon58

12-20-16, 08:30 PM

Spike Jonze is definitely an acquired taste.

Citizen Rules

12-20-16, 11:38 PM

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_hvi689YPaB8/TC5e_XWKFzI/AAAAAAAAFmE/yIWVviAVjYc/s1600/oldjoy_04.jpeg

Old Joy (2006)

Director: Kelly Reichardt
Writers: Jonathan Raymond, Kelly Reichardt
Cast: Daniel London, Will Oldham
Genre: Drama

About: Two friends who get together and head off for a camping trip in Oregon's Cascade Mountains.

Review: Strangely effective. Nothing actual ever happens, yet thanks to brilliant camera framing and long scene takes, the film flows like a cool mountain river. Seriously, all we see is two old friends who meet up and take a long road trip to go camping in the deep woods...that's it.

They don't really say or do anything poignant but thanks to the camera work and editing, the movie still seems to have more interest than a lot of bigger budget films.

Director Kelly Reichardt is known for her subtle direction in such movies as Meek's Cutoff (2010) and Certain Women (2016). Here in Old Joy she shows us the quiet moments that go to make up one's life.

I found the scenery of the Oregon country side as shot out of a car window, beautiful. I even spotted a place I had been. Then there's the deep woods of the Pacific Northwest which has it's own charm and quiet beauty. You know Quiet Beauty would have been another good title for this film.

While I enjoyed Meek's Cutoff much more, this movie is in the experimental field of film making. I liked it enough to want to see more of the director's films.

rating_3

Camo

12-21-16, 12:03 AM

Here in Old Joy he shows us

Kelly Reichardt is a woman.

Not seen that one yet. Loved Night Moves, Certain Women and Meek's Cutoff probably in that order though.

Citizen Rules

12-21-16, 12:27 AM

Thanks for the catch, I made the change....Geez! I actually looked at Kelly Reichardt's IMDB profile, seen her pic and still thought she was a man:cool: I've only seen this one and Meek's Cutoff.

Citizen Rules

12-21-16, 05:07 PM

http://i.blogs.es/8ce7fe/kiss-kiss-bang-bang-poster/650_1200.jpg

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
Director: Shane Black
Writers: Brett Halliday(novel), Shane Black(screenplay)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan
Genre: Comedy-Drama, Crime-Mystery

About: A bumbling thief who's mistaken as an actor and gets hired for a movie role, comes into contact with a struggling actress and a private eye. Together they stumble into a murder mystery and must solve it before they're next!

Review: I kind of liked this one. It had some cool ideas going on, but I was not totally on board with it. I did like Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer in this. I thought both were greatly fun characters, who had oodles of chemistry together. That was by far the best part of the movie.

I also liked the light comic elements and the overall story plot was well done too, never a dull moment. And I like Michelle Monaghan who held her own with Downey and Kilmer, not an easy task but she did good. I just didn't love the movie, a bit too violent in my book for a story with comic elements. It felt like it wanted to be too many things, to too many different people. I'll give it bonus points for the Christmas theme though;)

http://www.doctornerdlove.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/kis_kiss_2_1050_591_81_s_c1.jpg

http://dvdmedia.ign.com/dvd/image/article/713/713021/kiss-kiss-bang-bang-20060616023325398-000.jpg

http://i1.i.ua/prikol/pic/5/0/355605_341876.jpgRobert Downey Jr and Val Kilmer team up as an unlikely pair of detectives hot on the trial of a Hollywood murderer.

And some more bonus points for reviving the film noir crime drama, even if it's played for laughs. It's a stylish film, with plenty of eye appeal and fast breaking action. Never a boring moment. And perhaps a good Christmas alternative movie, ho ho.

rating_3_5

edarsenal

12-22-16, 12:34 AM

big fan of kiss, kiss, bang, bang. The trio WERE great in it, especially Kilmer.

Gooch

12-22-16, 01:08 AM

Oh man, couldn't stand that movie for some reason. But I did watch it when it first came out and might've just not been feeling it at the time. Doesn't Downey sing a song during the end credits that has the serenity prayer from alcoholics anonymous as the chorus?

Citizen Rules

12-22-16, 10:32 PM

big fan of kiss, kiss, bang, bang. The trio WERE great in it, especially Kilmer. Yup, Kilmer was by far my favorite character too.

Oh man, couldn't stand that movie for some reason. But I did watch it when it first came out and might've just not been feeling it at the time. Doesn't Downey sing a song during the end credits that has the serenity prayer from alcoholics anonymous as the chorus? I don't remember for sure, but I wouldn't doubt that he did sing at the end.

Citizen Rules

12-22-16, 11:16 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28184&stc=1&d=1482462762
Mars Attacks! (Tim Burton, 1996)

Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker
Genre: Sci Fi Comedy

About: Earth is invaded by Martians! who come with a fleet of ships and disintegrator ray-guns, along with a really cruel sense of humor.

Review: In 1996 Tim Burton gave us a retro nod to the great, err I mean funkym 1950's B budget sci fi films by paying homage to the genre that gave us such gems as:

Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959), Invaders from Mars (1953), It Came from Outer Space (1953),The War of the Worlds (1953) and Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956)

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28183&stc=1&d=1482462738

Burton did this with a huge multi million dollar budget, and even a huger ensemble cast, that reads like the who who's of Hollywood with the likes of:

Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Martin Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, Rod Steiger, Lukas Haas as Richie Norris, Natalie Portman, Sylvia Sidney, Tom Jones, Christina Applegate, Pam Grier, Jack Black

That's right, the film has a very young Natalie Portman at the start of her film career...and at the other end of the spectrum is veteran actress Sylvia Sydney who's career started in the 1930s and made only one more film after this one.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28185&stc=1&d=1482462775

Model/actress Lisa Marie as a Martian in drag who seduces unsuspecting Martin Short.

What can I say! It's a fun film, with some quirky moments, but of course that's no surprise as this is a Tim Burton film. It was fun to see all the stars, but the real stars are the Martians who make for some really cool bad guys!

rating_3_5+

gbgoodies

12-22-16, 11:31 PM

Mars Attacks! is a fun sci-fi movie.

Did you know that Tim Burton was told that he couldn't kill off Jack Nicholson's character in a movie, so he cast him in two roles in Mars Attacks!, and then killed off both of his characters? :lol:

Citizen Rules

12-22-16, 11:32 PM

Yeah that's weird! Have you seen it?

gbgoodies

12-22-16, 11:40 PM

Yeah that's weird! Have you seen it?

Yes, I've seen it a few times. I like it because it's a lot of fun to watch, but it's not a great movie. I consider it almost like a sci-fi spoof, like Galaxy Quest. What I mean by that is that I watch it when I'm in the mood for a crazy comedy, not so much as a sci-fi movie.

Citizen Rules

12-22-16, 11:42 PM

It's a spoof all right....spoofing funny film:p I was surprised that I enjoyed it so much.

I might have time to watch Galaxy Quest before the sci fi countdown deadline. Tonight I have up Edge of Tomorrow (2014) with Tom Cruise, not really sure this is my kind of movie?

gbgoodies

12-22-16, 11:47 PM

It's a spoof all right....spoofing funny film:p I was surprised that I enjoyed it so much.

I might have time to watch Galaxy Guest before the sci fi countdown deadline. Tonight I have up Edge of Tomorrow (2014) with Tom Cruise, not really sure this is my kind of movie?

If you haven't seen Galaxy Guest, you should definitely watch it before you do your sci-fi list. It's another sci-fi spoof, but it focuses more around Star Trek than anything else.

I've seen parts of Edge of Tomorrow, but I don't think I've seen the whole movie yet. It's on my sci-fi watchlist too. It looks like a good movie, but I'm not much of a Tom Cruise fan. He ranks almost as high as Nic Cage on my annoying actors list.

And speaking of Nic Cage, I watched The Family Man. It's a good movie, I just wish it starred anyone else. It could have become a favorite for me with a different lead actor.

Citizen Rules

12-22-16, 11:50 PM

Glad you watched The Family Man, I guess they could have used Tom Cruise instead of Nic Cage:p...Nah, I know what you mean. There's certain actors that I just don't really care for.

I did see Galaxy Quest when it first came out but I don't remember a thing. Seeing how you like it, I will go ahead and request it and see what I think:p Catch ya latter.

gbgoodies

12-22-16, 11:53 PM

Glad you watched The Family Man, I guess they could have used Tom Cruise instead of Nic Cage:p...Nah, I know what you mean. There's certain actors that I just don't really care for.

Even Tom Cruise would have been better than Nic Cage. :shrug:

I did see Galaxy Quest when it first came out but I don't remember a thing. Seeing how you like it, I will go ahead and request it and see what I think:p Catch ya latter.

After you've seen Galaxy Quest enough times to know what's going on, there's an option on the DVD to watch it in the aliens language. :lol:

Captain Steel

12-23-16, 12:27 AM

I've seen Edge of Tomorrow. Not much I can say without giving stuff away - it's a time travel movie.
Worth seeing for sci-fi fans, but a bit of a brain strain since it involves time travel paradoxes. (I heard rumors that all Tom Cruise's movies now have subtle Scientology messages - luckily I didn't catch any in this movie, unless Scientologists believe they can time travel among the other wacky things they believe.) :)

gbgoodies

12-23-16, 12:30 AM

Citizen Rules

12-23-16, 01:55 PM

I don't know much about Scientology, (and I don't want to know about it), so if there are any subtle Scientology messages in the movie, I'm sure I'll completely miss them.:p Nope, no Scientology messages in Edge of Tomorrow...but a really good movie, I was surprised too, as I expected not to like it. I'll do a review shortly.

seanc

12-23-16, 02:00 PM

I don't think Tom Cruise has done anything subtle in a long time. Perhaps if you play his movies backwards.

Captain Steel

12-23-16, 10:46 PM

:p Nope, no Scientology messages in Edge of Tomorrow...but a really good movie, I was surprised too, as I expected not to like it. I'll do a review shortly.

As we await your review, Rules, I'll say that I thought you might like it.

It's rather well done with some good production values, and it kind of addresses a question that I've posed about some other movies (like Time After Time and About Time) asking: if someone has the ability to go back in time then why not just keep going back (or go back earlier each time) until you change the thing you want to change.

But, for those who haven't seen it, I can't go into the details of the little "catch" Tom Cruise's character faces each time he time travels.

Citizen Rules

12-23-16, 10:53 PM

I'm working on my review as we speak;) Well, not at this exact second as I'm here and not there writing:p I'll see how the review goes, I like to let the review write itself. Sometimes that works, sometimes it don't.

Yea, I though the time travel bit was handled pretty good actually. It's funny because I was into the film from the get go and as Cruise was about to be sent off to war, I had a couple really good scenarios on how the film would resolve itself in the end. Of course none of them happened. But I still liked it pretty well.

Captain Steel

12-23-16, 11:18 PM

Captain Steel

12-23-16, 11:30 PM

This conversation reminds me of a book I read back in high school - it was one of the non-canonical Star Trek novels (I think).

All I remember about it was that Mr. Spock kept going back in time to fix something (probably to save the Enterprise?), but something would go wrong so he'd have to go back in time again. The result was that there were a whole bunch of Mr. Spocks running around the ship, each having a different amount of knowledge about the situation depending on when they went back in time - and they began encountering each other trying to piece together how much each one knew (as the further into the situation they got, the more knowledge on what would work to fix it and what wouldn't work was amassed to avert disaster.)

I have no recollection on how it was resolved (or how there was only one Spock at the end), but it addressed lots of time paradoxes - like; if you can time travel then why not just keep going back to fix something, and what happens when divergent versions of a time traveler exist in the same time frame.

Citizen Rules

12-24-16, 02:55 PM

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E d g e...o f...T o m o r r o w (2014)

Director: Doug Liman
Cast: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton
Genre: Sci-Fi Action-Adventure

About: In 2015 a meteorite hits Earth releasing deadly alien lifeforms known as mimics. In the next five years these 'mimics' spread over continental Europe, killing everything in their path. On the eve of the largest mass counter strike in human history, a public relations officer, Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) is ordered to film the first wave of the battle of the English Channel. Major Cage refuses to go into battle and tries to blackmail the General, in a failed attempt to get out of the assignment. Instead, the General has his revenge and...Major Cage wakes up as Private Cage, with orders to fight the enemy like any other foot soldier. Unprepared for battle, and still a coward, Cage finds himself on the beachhead where he's promptly killed...but due to a mysterious series of events, he ends up living the day over and over.

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Review: Major Cage (Tom Cruise) is having a bad day! He's a suck-up public relations officer, who doesn't have an ounce of courage in him. But he will! By living and dying over and over, he gains knowledge of the battle and guts too!

I thought this sci fi action time travel movie was done very well. Sort of like a Groundhog Day meets Starship Troopers. Say what you will about Tom Cruise, after 35 years in the business he's learned a thing or two about acting. Lately Cruise has been specializing in block buster action packed movies, and in that role he's pretty good. I especially liked the earlier parts of the film where he plays a self serving, self important, PR guy who's willing to use blackmail to get out of harms way.

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Emily Blunt is the girl. She made a good one too. I bought into her Full Metal Bitch persona as one tough warrior cookie. Nods to a cool performance by Bill Paxton too who plays a colorfully tough, southern sergeant in charge of the grunts. Eat them cards!

The ending goes big, a bit too big for my taste, but compared to other films of this type, Edge of Tomorrow keeps the story line from becoming like an action fantasy movie. I would have skipped the last few minutes of the film, which felt a bit counterproductive to the rest of this well done flick.

rating_3_5+

cricket

12-24-16, 03:10 PM

Very good flick that should make the Sci-Fi countdown.

Chypmunk

12-24-16, 05:24 PM

I've had Edge Of Tomorrow sitting on the shelf for months now, I'll definitely get round to watching it before the deadline.

gbgoodies

12-25-16, 02:06 AM

I'll have to watch Edge Of Tomorrow for the sci-fi countdown. Even if it doesn't make my list, it sounds like it's worth watching.

Gideon58

12-28-16, 04:36 PM

Gideon58

12-28-16, 04:38 PM

Gideon58

12-28-16, 04:43 PM

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Mars Attacks! (Tim Burton, 1996)

[FONT=Arial Narrow]Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker

Great review...its definitely time for a re-watch of this one.

edarsenal

12-28-16, 08:29 PM

Edge of Tomorrow was done VERY well and I do agree regarding the very end the all travel (over and over and over and. . .) to get there is very worthwhile.

Citizen Rules

12-28-16, 09:39 PM

Good review Citizen and a bit of a surprise...Edge of Tomorrow doesn't strike me as your kind of movie.Thanks.... I know it didn't seem like my kind of movie to me either. That's why I past it by for such a long time. I like Tom Cruise, but I haven't seen many of his movies. I only watched Top Gun & Cocktail for the first time, last year.

Citizen I highly recommend Galaxy Quest...there is a review of it on page 31 of my review thread. I'll read your review after I watch Galaxy Quest, I know GBG has been recommending it to me for years. Hopefully I'll catch it soon.

Citizen Rules

12-28-16, 10:32 PM

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In Your Eyes (2014)

Director: Brin Hill
Writer: Joss Whedon
Cast: Michael Stahl-David, Zoe Kazan, Mark Feuerstein
Genre: Romance, Fantasy

About: Two people who don't know each other but have had a telepathic bond since childhood. The bond allows them to experience each others' feelings and even see through the others eyes.

Review: In Your Eyes has it's heart in the right place and makes for an easy watch' as long as you overlook the plot holes and the silly ending. The small budget Indie film makes good use of it's two lead actors and it's interesting premise, that ask: what if two people from different walks of life had this special telepathic connection that allowed them to have a caring friend always with them in their head.

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The story plays like a made for Lifetime TV movie. The scenes of the likable ex-con, now gone straight who's hanging out in the local bar where he runs into the local hoodlums, reminded me of TV's The Fall Guy, or Road House (1988). The actor Michael Stahl-David was likable enough, but I thought the ex con being pressured into commenting another crime seemed a bit pot boiler. However I did like his junky trailer out in the middle of nowhere, very cool setting for his story line.

I liked the other lead two, Zoe Kazan though for the longest time I though she was playing the daughter of the doctor. Image my surprise when I figured out she was his wife! She barely looks old enough to drive, yet alone be married. Speaking of the marriage part, it didn't add to the story. I'd rather her be a lonely college girl. That would have been more romantic than her falling in love with someone else behind her husband's back.

The Ending....I will spoil the ending...so don't read any further if you plan on watching this.

The ending was funny in an OMG you got to be kidding way. The ex con steals a car and is chased around a junk yard by a couple of cop with mud flying everywhere..in what looked like a scene from Smoky and the Bandit. Then the girl, who's locked up in a mental institute, is telepathically guided by him on how to pick the door lock with a bent fork, shades of TV's MacGyver. Then they escape by jumping onto a moving train in the freezing snow and off they go to Canada. But wait! they have no money and he's a convict on the run.

Like I said, it was fun if you don't take it too seriously

rating_3

Citizen Rules

12-28-16, 11:36 PM

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Mr. Nobody (2009)
Director: Jaco Van Dormael
Writer: Jaco Van Dormael
Cast: Jared Leto, Sarah Polley, Diane Kruger
Genre: Drama-Romance, Fantasy-Sci Fi

About: A human is born with the unique ability to remember the future. As the boy stands at a train station platform, he has to choose to leave on the train with his mother or stay behind with his father. An infinite number of possible realities arise from his decision. As long as the boy doesn't choose, then all future realities are possible.

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Review: Brevity is the cure to bloating...I liked this movie, it's very impressive, but really bloated. Not because it's 2 hours 20 minutes long, but because there's a surplus of unneeded ideas being included for eyeball appeal. The director (who also wrote it) literally throws in every single idea that he must have had.

The main bulk of the movie is thought provoking and expertly done with a high emotional storyline about Nemo Nobody's life. We watch him in different realities as a child, then as a teen, also as an adult. We see how the different realities impact him and those around hm.

The actor who played him as a teen was effective at getting across the pain he felt from being a perpetual outsider. The story arches of his teen realities with two of the girls he would marry in his adult realities, were my favorite.

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Jared Leto plays the adult Nemo and the elderly old man too. I liked his story lines, but they didn't feel as developed as the teen stories were.

I thought the futuristic sci fi elements were well done if you like CG eye candy, but they took away from the spiritual tone of the movie and made it more like a golly gee whiz look at that. Luckily most of the film isn't CG.

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Mr Nobody is a very hard movie to describe as it's visually and story wise very different and that difference changes through out the movie.

rating_3_5+

Citizen Rules

12-29-16, 11:27 PM

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I'll Follow You Down (2013)

Director: Richie Mehta
Writer: Richie Mehta
Cast: Haley Joel Osment, Rufus Sewell, Gillian Anderson
Genre: Sci-Fi Drama Mystery

About: When a mother and her young son is left standing at the airport, a ten year search is on for her missing husband. As the son grows up he learns of his dad's time travel machine, and seeks to solve the mystery as to why dad didn't come back.

Review: Ugh, this was boring. I try not to use that word but it was tedious. Worst than that was the bad acting, especially from child actor Haley Joel Osment, The Sixth Sense (1999) & A.I Artificial Intelligence (2001), now grown up and amazingly enough his acting skills didn't grow with him. Which is OK as he's surrounded by mediocre acting, in a go nowhere script that plays like an episode of The Outer Limits (1995-2002). Well that's not quite fair to The Outer Limits which produced some truly fine TV episodes.

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The only bright spot in this dim Indie film is Gillian Anderson. Yes she can act and act up a storm she does. But she can't save a lame story line with even lamer dialogue. I wish the film had been about her and it might have been a bit better.

rating_2_5

edarsenal

12-30-16, 12:03 AM

Mr. Nobody is a tricky movie to decipher or for that matter, explain, and while it does get a lost in the assortment of "possible realities" I did enjoy it very much. Glad to see your write up on it.

Citizen Rules

12-31-16, 01:52 PM

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Hitchcock/Truffaut (2015)
Director: Kent Jones
Writers: Kent Jones, Serge Toubiana
Cast: Alfred Hitchcock,Francois Truffaut, Wes Anderson, Peter Bogdanovich, Richard Linkletter, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Martin Scorsese
Genre: Documentary

"My mind is strictly visual." Alfred Hitchcock

Hitchcock/Truffaut (2015) is a no frills documentary about Francois Truffaut's 1966 ground breaking book, "Cinema According to Hitchcock" and the current crop of directors who his book influenced. Through archival footage of Hitch and Truffaut we learn about the French director who ushered in the era of 'French New Wave' film making and we learn how his appreciation of Hitch's films helped elevate Hitch from being considered an entertainment director...to a master.

And we learn of Hitch himself and how his mind worked as he composes scenes and envisioned how his next movie would look. We learn of what he valued in film making and also of what he had wished to accomplish on the silver screen, but felt he had failed to do so.

Much of Hitch's popularity today among film makers comes from their youth when they fawned over their own copies of "Cinema According to Hitchcock".

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The documentary also gives time to Truffaut and tells us about the man and his films. Through interviews we gain an insight into how Hitch and Truffaut help shape modern cinema.

Hitchcock/Truffaut (2015) is a rather dry documentary, so don't expect to be 'entertained' by it. But for those who are interested in film making...and of course interested in Hitchcock and Truffaut, the film is a must see.

rating_3_5

.

Citizen Rules

12-31-16, 04:42 PM

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Hell or High Water (2016)

Director: David Mackenzie
Writer: Taylor Sheridan
Cast: Dale Dickey, Ben Foster, Chris Pine, Jeff Bridges
Genre: Crime Drama

About: In a sleepy, rural Texas town a poor divorced father and his ex-con brother come up with a plan to save the family ranch from being repossessed by the bank.

Review: Hell or High Water has a little something for everyone, which can be a strength, or a weakness. Usually the latter.

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Strengths: Beautiful scenery and cinematography. The camera work is done with an eye to the composition of the shot. When coupled with the stunningly stark beauty of Texas and processed with a warm yellow color tone the film looks great. Hint...that ain't Texas! The entire film was shot in New Mexico. But fair enough, it looked like Texas to me.

The film almost makes a sympathetic case for the two bank robbing brothers, setting up their story like a modern day Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid. We learn that the small Texas town has a corrupt bank system that the locals disdain and that the locals are none to eager to help the law find these two bandits. That element is the most interesting part of the film...but it's never really explored deeply, which is too bad.

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Texas Rangers Marcus (Jeff Bridges) and Alberto (Gil Birmingham) lay in wait for the bank robbers.

Weakness: Is the over the top shootout that comes towards the film's climax. Oh...and I get it, for the movie to make money it has to have some big guns and even bigger explosions and so it does!...but it was never a shoot em up movie in the fist place, so it was disappointing it ended that way.

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I didn't notice the graffiti until I seen this photo, notice what it says, which ties into the unexplored sub plot.

I must say I wasn't a fan of the racial taunting of the Indian/Mexican Ranger (Gil Birmingham) by his fellow partner (Jeff Bridges). Bridges plays a crusty old Ranger about to retire from the force, and he enjoy nothing more than taunting his half Indian partner. Of course this shows that he really likes his partner and it's suppose to be funny to boot, all while setting up the ending.

Well, it's not funny to here racial slurs and it's been done before way to often...which makes it cliched, over used troupe. To me it seemed like lazy script writing. With some script changes this could have been an exceptional film.

rating_3-

cricket

12-31-16, 04:46 PM

I liked that movie a little more than you did, and I think I liked the things that you disliked. Still, I thought it was pretty unoriginal for such an acclaimed film.

Citizen Rules

12-31-16, 04:49 PM

I almost loved that film, except for the racial taunting which bugged me, and the shootout, car chase ending.... Though I did like the scene where Jeff Bridges takes care of the older brother.

I'm not opposed to violence in the film, but the ending seemed to belong to a different kind of film. It seemed tacked on.

cricket

12-31-16, 04:51 PM

You ever see Wisdom from the 80's? It probably sucks but I loved it back then.

Citizen Rules

12-31-16, 05:02 PM

You ever see Wisdom from the 80's? It probably sucks but I loved it back then.
I never heard of it. But I just looked it up and seen it's about a pair of bank robbers who go cross country. I like road trip movies! Even if they are done by bank robbers. Actually it sounds like a cool movie, I like Emilio Estevez in most of his films. He was the high light in Young Guns, IMO of course:p

CosmicRunaway

12-31-16, 08:17 PM

I just watched Hell or High Water myself. I wasn't a huge fan of Jeff Bridges, but the racial joking with his partner didn't bother me. I would've liked it if the partner had a few more jabs back at Bridges though. I think that if the insults were equal on both sides, it would seem more like friendly banter.

I also didn't dislike the shoot out near the end like you did, because I rather liked how it was the brother's way of keeping everyone's attention and biding time for Chris Pine to get away safely. He was rather impulsive throughout the movie, but it seemed to me like going out alone and with a bang was always his intention. I saw it more as a fitting end to his character, rather than being tacked on to appease the audience.
And if you couldn't tell, while writing this post I realized that I didn't know a single character's name. :laugh:

Citizen Rules

12-31-16, 08:57 PM

I just watched Hell or High Water myself. I wasn't a huge fan of Jeff Bridges, but the racial joking with his partner didn't bother me. I would've liked it if the partner had a few more jabs back at Bridges though. I think that if the insults were equal on both sides, it would seem more like friendly banter. Exactly! that would have worked better if the banter was more equal. I guess it felt to me like the Ranger was made to fell bad by Bridges insult...so I felt bad for his character. I wish he would have jabbed back a little bit more.

And if you couldn't tell, while writing this post I realized that I didn't know a single character's name. :laugh:Ha, I know what you mean! I never seem to know the character's names and have to look them up at IMDB.

Citizen Rules

12-31-16, 10:46 PM

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Papa Hemingway in Cuba (2015)

Director: Bob Yari
Writer: Denne Bart Petitclerc
Cast: Giovanni Ribisi, Joely Richardson, Adrian Sparks
Genre: Biography, Drama

About: In 1959, a young and upcoming news paper journalist writes Ernest Hemingway and tells the legendary author how much of an inspiration he had been to the young man. Hemingway writes back and invites the young man to meet him in Havana, Cuba.

Review: This is called a biography drama or bio-pic for short, but I'm not sure if this 2015 movie gives an accurate picture of Hemingway the man or not. Sure the events shown in the film are documented to have happen. But like My Week With Marilyn (2011) much of what the story consist of is one persons' recounting of their encounter with a historical person.

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Papa Hemingway in Cuba is told from the viewpoint of Ed Meyers (Giovanni Ribisi) who was not a real person, but is based on Denne Petitclerc a journalist who did indeed meet Hemingway in Cuba. But the film goes further than that and shows Hemingway (Adrian Sparks) heavily involved in gun smuggling to help Fidel Castro's revolution over throw the U.S. backed Batsita government. We also see a despondent Hemingway, who lashes out at his forth wife with furious insults, is suffering from writers block and threatens suicide.

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Ernest Hemingway (Adrian Sparks) and his wife Mary (Joely Richardson), enjoy a quiet moment in an otherwise tumultuous relationship.

Mostly what is shown is decently done, but it has a feeling of a less than polished film, something like one would expect to see on Lifetime TV. Shot in Cuba, the scenery looks great and mostly authentic too...they even have a plethora of old 1950's American automobiles. Though don't look to closely at the mag wheels!

The actor who played Hemingway was a good fit for the old man of the sea. I liked the actress who played his wife too.

The movie is lacking a bit in production values. Still a good watch.
rating_3

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edarsenal

01-01-17, 08:02 PM

I've got Hell or High Water on request from my library and will watching it in the next month or so when it finally gets to me; enjoyed your review - per usual.

Papa Hemingway sounds like a good movie - never heard of it, though I do feel a little on the fence about seeing it. A fan of Giovanni, your remark about it being the visitor's perception does worry me. People seeing their heroes and forgetting that they ARE human beings usually results in a poor painting of that meeting.
Kinda sad when someone of an iconic stature happens to have a sh!tty day and gets dumped on for it, should some fan happen upon them during it, ya know?

Citizen Rules

01-01-17, 09:17 PM

I've got Hell or High Water on request from my library and will watching it in the next month or so when it finally gets to me; enjoyed your review - per usual. Thank you:p...I try.

Papa Hemingway sounds like a good movie - never heard of it, though I do feel a little on the fence about seeing it. A fan of Giovanni, your remark about it being the visitor's perception does worry me. People seeing their heroes and forgetting that they ARE human beings usually results in a poor painting of that meeting.
Kinda sad when someone of an iconic stature happens to have a sh!tty day and gets dumped on for it, should some fan happen upon them during it, ya know?It's a good movie, just some of the production values weren't Oscar worthy, but still a good story and shot in Cuba, which is cool.

Citizen Rules

01-01-17, 10:49 PM

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The Shallows(2016)

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Writer: Anthony Jaswinski
Cast: Blake Lively, Óscar Jaenada
Genre: Thriller

About: A medical student on a journey of self discovery, heads to an isolated Mexican beach to go surfing. She's only 200 yards from shore when attacked by a great white shark that's feeding on a nearby, floating whale carcass. Badly wounded, she manages to make it to a small rock outcropping in the middle of the bay. Two problems: the shark knows she's there and the incoming tide will submerge the rock outcropping.

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Review: When I watch a movie like The Shallows and review it, I ask myself a few questions: So here's the answers:

Did it hold my attention?...Yes! I was engrossed in the film, it never dragged and just when one scene had played out, another started. Good pacing.

Did I find it believable?....Well, mostly yes. The addition of the rotting whale carcass that attracted the great white shark was a smart story ploy, as it made the following circumstances mostly believable. And the carcass scene had an ehh-yuk factor that worked well with lots of eyeball visual! The wounded seagull that first seems like a threat and then gives her a bit of solace, was also a smart script choice. That bird added a lot to the story! I'd give it a best supporting actor nomination if I could.

Did I find the actions the protagonist took plausible?...These survivor type thrillers work because we put ourselves in the protagonist shoes. Could I see myself making the same choices that she did given the same circumstances? Yes, she really didn't have many choices and the ones she made were logical, mostly.

Did the CG work for or against the film?...Sure the shark looked good, but did it really need to be the size of a small bus? But the main CG flaw was the underwater blood which to me looked like something from a poorly done music video.

Did the acting convince me that the person was in real peril?...Most definitely yes! I predicted Blake Lively would make a name for herself and she's starting to do just that! She stood out in Age of Adeline despite a lack luster script, and was the high light of Woody Allen's Café Society...Here she really does a stellar job of being terrified, feeling alone and facing fear. Not an easy thing to do because there's no other actors for her to play off, no menacing shark model to scare her, it's CG stuff. And yet she was totally believable.

Did I like the director's style of film making?....Yes and no. The director found a beautiful spot to film at Lord Howe Island, New South Wales. I liked his scene length and compositions, the film looks great...but gawds! I hated the post production CG overlay of Nancy's watch and phone. I found that silly, distracting and it took me right out of the movie. Why couldn't the director just shot her phone screen over her shoulder?

The ending...It's OK, I won't spoil a thing, but I will say the last 10 minutes of the shark encounter was a joke. The way the shark died looked like something from a Looney Tunes cartoon. I would rate this movie higher if the ending had been more intelligent and less over the top block buster crap.

http://i24web.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/the-shallows2-4.jpg?itok=140AscRd

Watch The Shallows, for fun, for scenery and mostly for a talented new actress Blake Lively.

rating_3_5

.

gbgoodies

01-01-17, 11:25 PM

I'll have to watch Edge Of Tomorrow for the sci-fi countdown. Even if it doesn't make my list, it sounds like it's worth watching.

I watched Edge Of Tomorrow, and it was better than I expected, but it's not likely to make my sci-fi list because the ending was only okay. I like stories like that, where they go through the same series of events over and over again, learning a little bit more each time, until they finally get it right and make it through the day.

Source Code is one of those movies, and IMO, it's a little better than Edge Of Tomorrow.

Citizen Rules

01-01-17, 11:27 PM

gbgoodies

01-01-17, 11:29 PM

In Your Eyes (2014)

Director: Brin Hill
Writer: Joss Whedon
Cast: Michael Stahl-David, Zoe Kazan, Mark Feuerstein
Genre: Romance, Fantasy

About: Two people who don't know each other but have had a telepathic bond since childhood. The bond allows them to experience each others' feelings and even see through the others eyes.

rating_3

I loved In Your Eyes, but you're right about the ending. It's not a very believable ending, but I think the two actors had such great chemistry together that I can try to overlook it, and just hope that it works out for them in the end.

gbgoodies

01-01-17, 11:39 PM

Yea, I liked Edge of Tomorrow but it won't make my list either (I don't think? I haven't actually made my sci fi list). I have Source Code to watch. Have you seen Cloud Atlas? that's the one with Tom Hanks.

I tried watching Cloud Atlas a while back, but it was so confusing that I gave up on it. I have the DVD, and I want to give it another chance, but it's not very high on my watchlist. Maybe I'll read a little bit about it so I have a bit of an edge going into it, and bump it up on my watchlist.

Citizen Rules

01-01-17, 11:43 PM

gbgoodies

01-01-17, 11:45 PM

I'll Follow You Down (2013)

Director: Richie Mehta
Writer: Richie Mehta
Cast: Haley Joel Osment, Rufus Sewell, Gillian Anderson
Genre: Sci-Fi Drama Mystery

About: When a mother and her young son is left standing at the airport, a ten year search is on for her missing husband. As the son grows up he learns of his dads time travel machine and seeks to solve the mystery as to why dad didn't come back.

rating_2_5

It's a shame that you didn't like I'll Follow You Down. I thought it was one of the more interesting time travel movies.

cricket

01-01-17, 11:45 PM

gbgoodies

01-01-17, 11:47 PM

Cloud Atlas is long, with too many different stories going on at the same time. I made it through it, I almost feel like I need a t shirt that says I watched all of Cloud Atlas:p

It was OK, I'm glad I watched it. Just know that it has the same actors as different characters though out the course of human history in I believe six different unrelated stories.

I vaguely remember that the actors were playing a bunch of different roles, but it was just so confusing that I felt like I needed a cheat sheet. I don't mind when something is a little bit confusing, but this movie felt like they were trying to see how confusing they could make it, and still get people to watch it.

Citizen Rules

01-01-17, 11:51 PM

I like Blake Lively, but I've heard so many varying opinions on The Shallows that I didn't put it on my watchlist. In truth, I believed the negative opinions. Your review has convinced me to give it a shot.
Thanks Cricket. I just now read some other MoFo reviews and even though they scored it lower than me, I think we all agree that the CG isn't great (but oh well, that's not the story, just an effect), we all agreed it's paced well and flies by at only 86 minutes. It was better than I had expected. I'll keep an eye out to see what you think of it.

Swan

01-01-17, 11:53 PM

I didn't care for The Shallows, though my friend did. Glad you got something out of it. :)

gbgoodies

01-01-17, 11:54 PM

Hitchcock/Truffaut (2015)
Director: Kent Jones
Writers: Kent Jones, Serge Toubiana
Cast: Alfred Hitchcock,Francois Truffaut, Wes Anderson, Peter Bogdanovich, Richard Linkletter, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Martin Scorsese
Genre: Documentary

"My mind is strictly visual." Alfred Hitchcock

Hitchcock/Truffaut (2015) is a no frills documentary about Francois Truffaut's 1966 ground breaking book, "Cinema According to Hitchcock" and the current crop of directors who his book influenced. Through archival footage of Hitch and Truffaut we learn about the French director who ushered in the era of 'French New Wave' film making and we learn how his appreciation of Hitch's films helped elevate Hitch from being considered an entertainment director...to a master.

3.5

Hitchcock/Truffaut was on TCM a while back, but my DVR messed up that night :(, so I'm still waiting for it to air again. Hopefully I'll have better luck next time it airs.

cricket

01-01-17, 11:54 PM

My wife likes watching newer movies when she watches something with me on the weekend. I put it on the Netflix DVD queue, so it'll be 1 of the next 2 weekends, with the other weekend being Sully.

Swan

01-01-17, 11:55 PM

Prediction for cricket: he'll recognize it as a poor film and his rating might even reflect that, but he will have had a good time watching it.

Citizen Rules

01-01-17, 11:55 PM

I loved In Your Eyes, but you're right about the ending. It's not a very believable ending, but I think the two actors had such great chemistry together that I can try to overlook it, and just hope that it works out for them in the end. I remember you really like that one and I thank you:) for telling me about it. I enjoyed it and my wife liked it. And yes, the two leads ( Michael Stahl-David, Zoe Kazan) did have great chemistry that was the best part. Though I like Zoe Kazan better in Ruby Sparks, which I know you didn't care for that much.

I tried watching Cloud Atlas a while back, but it was so confusing that I gave up on it. I have the DVD, and I want to give it another chance, but it's not very high on my watchlist. Maybe I'll read a little bit about it so I have a bit of an edge going into it, and bump it up on my watchlist. That's a good plan. It's a movie where if you read about if first, you will like it better. I like all the actors and it was fun spotting them, some were really hard too.

Citizen Rules

01-01-17, 11:56 PM

My wife likes watching newer movies when she watches something with me on the weekend. I put it on the Netflix DVD queue, so it'll be 1 of the next 2 weekends, with the other weekend being Sully. I'm looking forward to Sully too, especially as I'm not planning any air travel in the near future:eek:

gbgoodies

01-02-17, 12:00 AM

I remember you really like that one and I thank you:) for telling me about it. I enjoyed it and my wife liked it. And yes, the two leads ( Michael Stahl-David, Zoe Kazan) did have great chemistry that was the best part. Though I like Zoe Kazan better in Ruby Sparks, which I know you didn't care for that much.

I liked Ruby Sparks. It's not a favorite movie for me, but it was a very good movie. It kind of reminded me a little bit of Her. (Actually, it was the other way around. Her kind of reminded me a little bit of Ruby Sparks.) They're very different movies, but they have a similar concept of falling in love with someone/something that's not "real".

Citizen Rules

01-02-17, 09:59 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28310&stc=1&d=1483408529 (http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28310&stc=1&d=1483408529)

An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving (2008)

Director: Graeme Campbell
Writers: Shelley Evans, Louisa May Alcott(short story)
Cast: Jacqueline Bisset, Helene Joy, Tatiana Maslany
Genre: Drama

Canadian TV movie, An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving is based on a short story by Louisa May Alcott (author of Little Women). Fans of Little Women will see many similarities in this movie from 2008. The heroine Tilly is a strong willed young woman growing up in a poor east coast family, set in the mid 1800s. She dreams of being a writer but spends her time wondering if there will be enough food on the table for her sister and brother. Her dad was killed in an accident and mom works herself to the bone trying to provide for the family, which is barely making it.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28311&stc=1&d=1483408537

Like in Little Women, the mother, Mary, is a country healer and good Samaritan and cares for a family sick with Scarlett Fever, what little they have they share with the even less fortunate. Salvation comes in the form of grandma Isabella (Jacqueline Bisset) who's a high-society woman and hasn't spoken to her daughter in years. Tilly decides to take it upon herself and contact her grandmother for assistance. Which causes quite the situation.

Say what you will about made for TV movies, I enjoyed this. It's not a big film, it seemed like a well made Hallmark movie, which isn't a bad thing as this is full of old fashion charm and family value.

rating_3

Citizen Rules

01-03-17, 10:59 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28317&stc=1&d=1483498308
Outland (1981)

Director: Peter Hyams
Writer: Peter Hyams
Cast: Sean Connery, Frances Sternhagen, Peter Boyle
Genre: Sci Fi, Action, Crime

About: Sometime in the distant future, a police marshal (Sean Connery) arrives at a remote mining outpost on Jupiter's moon Io. The miners work hard and play hard in this rough and tumble frontier outpost. Only one problem, the miners have started going crazy and unexplained deaths are way up...and so are the company profits, as the miners are producing more ore than ever.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28318&stc=1&d=1483498315

Review: In a rebooting of the classic western High Noon (1952), Marshall O'Niel (Sean Connery) stand alone against a corrupt miner manager (Peter Boyle) who's supplying illegal narcotics to the miners. Just like in High Noon, no one in the outpost will help the Marshall...as he counts down the time until two hired contract killers arrive to do him in. In a scene right out of High Noon he enters the bar and repeats Gary Cooper's famous line, "I could use a little help." And like the classic western he doesn't get any assistance.

Way back before I ever had seen any 'old' classic movies like High Noon, I had watched and thoroughly enjoyed Outland. It's not necessary to have seen the earlier western, but it helps. Director Peter Hymas stays true to the plot of High Noon and aptly cast Sean Connery in the role made famous by Gary Cooper. The only other stand out actor is veteran actor Frances Sternhagen who plays a doctor who's sympathetic to the Marshall's plight.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28319&stc=1&d=1483498322

There's not much on special effects and the action is sometimes slow, but it's still a neat film to watch.

rating_3_5

Gideon58

01-04-17, 10:41 AM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28306&stc=1&d=1483324804
The Shallows(2016)

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Writer: Anthony Jaswinski
Cast: Blake Lively, Óscar Jaenada
Genre: Thriller

A friend of mine watched this with his daughter and he said it scared the hell out of her...I may have to check it out.

Gideon58

01-04-17, 10:43 AM

Gideon58

01-04-17, 10:48 AM

[CENTER]http://i.blogs.es/8ce7fe/kiss-kiss-bang-bang-poster/650_1200.jpg

[LEFT][CENTER]Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
[LEFT]Director: Shane Black
Writers: Brett Halliday(novel), Shane Black(screenplay)
Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan
Genre: Comedy-Drama, Crime-Mystery

So glad you liked this movie, I love it too...Downey Jr. and Kilmer are brilliant.

Citizen Rules

01-04-17, 12:38 PM

A friend of mine watched The Shallows with his daughter and he said it scared the hell out of her...I may have to check it out. It's a well done movie, not over the top and not overly graphic either....until the end shark-girl conflict which is cartoonish. But I enjoyed the rest of the film quite well.

This looks great...I love Giovanni Ribisi...adding this to my watchlist. He's done some good work. I had to look up his name as I didn't remember what he had been in.

Citizen Rules

01-04-17, 06:38 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28322&stc=1&d=1483568762
Oblivion (2013)

Director: Joseph Kosinski
Cast: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Andrea Riseborough
Genre: Sci Fi Action

About: In the year 2077 an alien attack destroys Earth's moon, causing torrential floods and earthquakes. In a last ditch effort to stop the 'Slavs' as the humans call them, nuclear weapons are used. The nukes stop the aliens, but Earth is destroyed in the process. Most of humanity has fled to live on Saturn's moon Titan.

In Earth's sky hangs a giant space station called the Tet, which directs killer drones to neutralize the last of the alien attackers on Earth. Hovering above the oceans are giant offshore fusion generators, that suck up the water converting it into energy for the colonist on Titan. This leaves the already dying Earth parched.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28324&stc=1&d=1483568780

The only remaining humans are a drone repairman, "Tech-49" Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) and his handler-love partner Victoria (Andrea Riseborough). While on Earth repairing a downed drone, Jack discovers something that makes him question the memories he retains of post war Earth...dispute having the Tet mission controller Sally (Melissa Leo) wipe his earlier memories for his own good.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28325&stc=1&d=1483568787

Review: I'm going against the grain and say this is actually a good sci fi flick. I liked it. I liked the story, I like the two leads, I even liked the CG effects of a post apocalyptic Earth. I found Tom Cruise to be accessible, sure he's not a dynamic actor but what he lacks in dynamics he makes up for in his every guy type of character. I could relate to his character and that makes the movie more believable to me.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28326&stc=1&d=1483568793

Some well say there's plot holes, hell there's plot holes in most movies and especially in sci-fi. There's nothing in the story that was hard for me to believe. If there was one thing I could shake a stick at, it was the CG look of the Earth. In some scenes it looked like the Earth was millions of years in the future, at other times only decades. Ahh, so what, it looked cool.

So my problem was two lame scenes: The introduction to Morgan Freeman. Morgan is fine, but the way they presented him, kicked back in a chair while wearing shades and smoking a cigar...and the way the shot was framed made me think of some cheesy-fun crime movie, and took me right out of the story.

The other lame scene is the final conflict when we get one tired cliche line coming definitely from Tom Cruise as he resolves the conflict. Ugh! what a silly way to dumb down an otherwise good movie.

rating_3_5-

Upton

01-04-17, 07:26 PM

Oblivion was ok but the mood of the movie is spoiled once the resistance fighters are revealed. That's a pet peeve because there are several movies I can think of about isolated people that are ruined when some "twist" happens where outside characters suddenly start showing up. Oblivion should have had the same basic plot except with the Cruise and Riseborough clones repopulating the Earth in the end

Also Cruise in regular everyman mode is pretty unconvincing imo. I like him generally but when he tries to act like an average joe sort of character like in this or War of the Worlds or something, he comes off more like a robot approximating a human being

Citizen Rules

01-04-17, 07:34 PM

Oblivion was ok but the mood of the movie is spoiled once the resistance fighters are revealed. I agree with that....The movie went down a notch for me at that point too, and took awhile for it to recapture my interest.

Captain Steel

01-04-17, 07:47 PM

Cruise is going to play "Lord Xenu" in Star War of the Worlds: The Galactic Confederacy Strikes Back (2018)

http://southparkstudios.mtvnimages.com/images/shows/south-park/clip-thumbnails/season-9/0912/south-park-s09e12c08-what-scientologist-actually-believe-16x9.jpg?

with Val Kilmer as L. Ron Hubbard
Seth Myers as David Miscavige
and Leah Remini as herself

(only Topsy may get this!) ;)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenu

Citizen Rules

01-04-17, 07:49 PM

...only Topsy may get this!) ;)
OMG! You fooled me for a couple of seconds. I thought he was doing another comic book movie.

Have you seen Oblivion?

Captain Steel

01-04-17, 07:54 PM

OMG! You fooled me for a couple of seconds. I thought he was doing another comic book movie.

Have you seen Oblivion?

Haven't seen it, Rules. I remember seeing it listed, but skipping over it for other movies. There are still so many other sci-fi movies I feel like I should see (one of which was Edge of Tomorrow), so I kept Oblivion on a back burner.

Citizen Rules

01-04-17, 07:56 PM

Edge of Tomorrow is better (IMO), but Oblivion had some pure sci fi ideas going on which I found compelling.

Captain Steel

01-04-17, 08:00 PM

Another Tom Cruise sci-fi movie I see in my listings is Minority Report (2002). I feel like I should watch this, especially since it was written by Phillip K. Dick. (He was the sci-fi writer responsible for Blade Runner.)

Citizen Rules

01-04-17, 08:08 PM

You should watch it:p I didn't know Phillip K Dick wrote Minority Report, Hmm, maybe that's why I liked it so much. It did have a deeper meaning, coupled with strong sci fi elements and directed by Steven Spielberg.

Staying with Tom Cruise Sci Fi movies, have you seen Vanilla Sky?

rauldc14

01-04-17, 08:20 PM

The best sci Fi Tom Cruise movie is War of the World's :shifty:

Citizen Rules

01-04-17, 08:27 PM

Ha, yup I think you needed :shifty: for that movie. Not a lot of love for it here, I thought it was a fun flick. Geez if I had the time I'd rewatch all those Cruise Sci fis for the sci fi countdown. Oh well, at least I rewatched the original War of the Worlds recently.

Upton

01-04-17, 08:30 PM

War of the World is the best post-9/11 action movie of all the hundreds of "we're making an action movie let's put in some post-9/11 subtext" movies

Tom Cruise sci-fi rankings are obviously

1. Minority Report
2. War of the Worlds
3. Edge of Tomorrow
4. Oblivion

Why did Spielberg stop making fun movies after his early 2000s mini-comeback though

Gideon58

01-04-17, 08:41 PM

Tom Cruise sci-fi rankings are obviously

1. Minority Report
2. War of the Worlds
3. Edge of Tomorrow
4. Oblivion

Hated War of the Worlds and Minority Report, haven't seen the other two.

Citizen Rules

01-04-17, 08:53 PM

War of the World is the best post-9/11 action movie of all the hundreds of "we're making an action movie let's put in some post-9/11 subtext" movies
Interesting, I didn't remember about it being a subtext for 9/11 movie,but it's been awhile since I seen it.

Hated War of the Worlds and Minority Report, haven't seen the other two. Gideon you're not a big fan of sci fi are you? Do you have any favorite sci fis?

I'm still watching movies for the Top 100 Sci Fi countdown and if I haven't seen them I might watch them I have 5 weeks before the deadline.

Upton

01-04-17, 09:08 PM

Interesting, I didn't remember about it being a subtext for 9/11 movie,but it's been awhile since I seen it.

Dakota Fanning's character literally screams "is it the terrorists" when the aliens are first attacking. Pretty on-the-nose maybe but also pretty instantly devastating and affecting to think how it's always somewhere in the back of Americans' minds now

Citizen Rules

01-04-17, 09:26 PM

http://www.cefilmevad.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/code-46.jpg
Code 46 (2003)

Director: Michael Winterbottom
Cast: Tim Robbins, Samantha Morton, Om Puri
Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi

About: A futuristic society where some people are cloned, others born in vitro, while others are born naturally. Genetic screening prevents those with similar genomes from producing offspring. If they do, it's a Code 46 violation.

Review: I have nothing much good to say about this film...and I really wanted to like it. I heard it described as a futuristic Brief Encounter (1945)... a forbidden love story in which a married man (Tim Robbins) has an affair with a younger single woman (Samantha Morton)...the couples romance is impossible due to their genetic similarities and the government intervenes.

Sounds good! but it ain't. It was slow, and not in a good way. Tim Robbins was a bore with zero screen presences. He has such a lack of enthusiasm that I though he was sedated. It's hard to believe the young woman factory worker would be romantically interested in him. Though she wasn't exactly a catch either.

Samantha Morton wasn't as boring, but she and Robbins had no chemistry and as this is suppose to be a doomed love story, it didn't work. Some of their scenes seemed to be improvised and it was like watching two actors practice together. They were not in character in the bar scene. It looked like a practice shot.

Code 46 made me feel nothing....I wasn't happy, sad, outraged, amused, nothing. It didn't move me, or make me think anything (except wondering how much longer until it was over)...I thought at the end there would be something that would make the 90 minutes worth while, but zip.

Oh but there's one shocking scene in an otherwise very benign, almost G rated movie...during a sex scene there's a very clear and close up shot of the privates of Samantha Morton (actually it look like a body double was used). It was better suited to an adult erotic film and I can only conclude the director had nothing else to offer but a peep show.

rating_2_5

Citizen Rules

01-05-17, 10:15 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28343&stc=1&d=1483667962
Dark City (1998)

Director: Alex Proyas
Writer: Alex Proyas
Cast: Rufus Sewell, Kiefer Sutherland, Jennifer Connelly, William Hurt
Genre: Sci Fi

About: A man (Rufus Sewell) awakens in a rundown hotel room and discovers he's lost his memory and is wanted for a series of murders. Then he receives a call from a strange doctor (Kiefer Sutherland) telling him to flee before the cops arrive. Outside, he discovers a strangely dark city with people who can't seem to remember details of their own lives.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28344&stc=1&d=1483667970
At midnight the aliens use their collective mental energy to 'Tune' the city, reshaping buildings and streets with their thoughts.

Review: Dark City could've been one of the great Sci Fi's, right up there with Blade Runner or 2001. It's got the look...with it's gothic noir city, bathed in perpetual darkness. There's enough atmosphere here even for a Ridley Scott film. And the story idea of a film noir-sci fi, mystery-thriller was very promising.

But I couldn't help but feel like the movie was lacking. Everything seemed rushed and incomplete, like I was watching an outline of a story without the extra moments included that make it memorable. I felt like I didn't know what the characters where about, I was never emotional involved in the film. Even though it looked cool, it had no soul.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28345&stc=1&d=1483667983
Rufus Sewell is John Murdock, the man who can't remember.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28346&stc=1&d=1483667990
Jennifer Connelly, doesn't get to do much, but she does sport a Veronica Lake hair do.

After the movie was over I read that it has one of the shortest shot lengths for a modern movie, averaging only 1.8 seconds per camera shot. That quickness of the film eliminates much of the movies suspense, with little time for character supposition and reflection. It felt incomplete...missing were the subtle nuances that give goose bump moments and come from longer scenes that make you think about the film for days afterwards.

rating_3-

.

Chypmunk

01-06-17, 04:05 AM

I love Dark City until the confrontation and even though that scene isn't realised that well and knocks the movie down slightly for me it's still one I enjoy immensely. Shame you didn't really connect with it.

As for Cruise - imo the War Of The Worlds remake is an abysmal bastardisation of a story that should have been left alone but I do also like the aesthetic of Oblivion and totally agree the movie dips somewhat with the inclusion of the 'resistance' whilst the solid but slightly overly long Minority Report has now been topped by Edge Of Tomorrow as my favourite of those four.

edarsenal

01-07-17, 12:39 AM

big fan of Dark City and do get what you're saying. It really had some SERIOUS potential to be something huge.
Still love it though and enjoyed the review

Captain Steel

01-07-17, 12:43 AM

I liked the review, but didn't really care for the movie. I have a hard time saying why (but I think Rules touched on some of the reasons). I will admit that the film's delivering of atmosphere is well done. Unfortunately I don't recall enough of it to really provide good reasons for my feelings, just that I remember not liking it too much and having no desire to see it again.

Citizen Rules

01-07-17, 03:45 PM

I love Dark City until the confrontation and even though that scene isn't realised that well and knocks the movie down slightly for me it's still one I enjoy immensely. Shame you didn't really connect with it...

big fan of Dark City and do get what you're saying. It really had some SERIOUS potential to be something huge.
Still love it though and enjoyed the review

I liked the review, but didn't really care for the movie. I have a hard time saying why (but I think Rules touched on some of the reasons). I will admit that the film's delivering of atmosphere is well done. Unfortunately I don't recall enough of it to really provide good reasons for my feelings, just that I remember not liking it too much and having no desire to see it again.

Funny thing...I'm working on my Sci Fi list for the upcoming Sci Fi Top 100 Countdown...I had seen Dark City like 15 years ago and loved it. So much so that it was a shoe in for my list of top 25 sci fis.

Then I decide to rewatch it and this time around I realized I didn't really remember much of the movie and what I had remembered was almost embellished by me...I could have swore the movie had more depth to it, and that I had seen more about the other characters and even seen them change...Dark City eludes to that effect that the girlfriend is not really the really girlfriend but we don't see Jennifer Connelly as any one else but the girlfriend.

It took me awhile to realize that I had mentally merged Dark City with an similar episode of the Outer Limits The Refuge (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0667981/?ref_=ttep_ep11).

I actually liked Dark City and because I hold it to a higher level, I'm more critical of it's perceived flaws, than I am of say Oblivion, which to me was a fun popcorn movie, also with flaws but held to a lower standard.

Captain Steel

01-07-17, 03:55 PM

Speaking of Sci-Fi, I know this movie has been mentioned on this thread before, but Galaxy Quest showed up in the movies I can watch On Demand and I started watching it again. It's such a fun movie and a unique satire that appeals to fans of Star Trek who know some of the back stories of the show's history, actors, the conventions and the "Trekkies."
It shares a similar theme to the movies The Three Amigos and Tropic Thunder in that they all feature stories about actors who are thought to actually be the characters they play by someone else and are thus put into a "real" situation to play out their characters.
Sad feelings arise when we see Alan Rickman (in the Nimoy role during Nimoy's reluctant & regretful phase regarding his role as Spock) considering Rickman died last year. Rickman is a highlight of the movie.
In addition to being a comedy the sci-fi special effects in Galaxy Quest are quite good.

Citizen Rules

01-07-17, 04:31 PM

CosmicRunaway

01-07-17, 04:33 PM

I don't like Tim Allen either, but I still enjoy Galaxy Quest. Alan Rickman is great in it.

Citizen Rules

01-07-17, 04:49 PM

I don't know who Alan Rickman is? off the top of my head. I'll probably recognize his face. I have another sci fi movie to review, I hope I can do it today.

Movie Max

01-07-17, 04:59 PM

Rickman is the bad guy from Die Hard...

https://media.giphy.com/media/l3V0on4YmS8v51Nwk/giphy.gif

Citizen Rules

01-07-17, 05:54 PM

Hmm, I don't recognize him. I did see Die Hard, once long ago.

Captain Steel

01-07-17, 06:08 PM

Similar feelings here about Tim Allen - I was never a fan. Galaxy Quest still succeeds though and it's the only Tim Allen movie that I'm a fan of (aside from his voice work in Toy Story). I always wonder what if they gave the role in Galaxy Quest to Shatner (whom Tim Allen's character is obviously based upon)? ;)

I've always loved Alan Rickman's voice! And yes, my first and favorite recollection of him is as Hans in Die Hard - he's one of the most memorable villains that had a certain charm about him! He played God's emissary Metatron in Dogma. He was also a villain in Harry Potter movies, but I've never seen any of those.

Captain Steel

01-07-17, 06:11 PM

Galaxy Quest is on my list, I know people love that one. I seen it once when it first came out, so you might as well say I've never seen it as I don't remember it. I'm not a big fan of Tim Allen but we'll see what I think of it:p

I think I'm enjoying it more as a re-watch than I did the first time I saw it. Maybe because I now have more Trek-backstory under my belt.

edarsenal

01-07-17, 08:18 PM

been quite a long time for me for Quest but it is a fun lil movie, more so for a Trekkie and yes, Rickman IS great in it.

Also, Rickman was the sheriff in Costner's Robin Hood

http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/6200000/Alan-Rickman-as-Sheriff-of-Nottingham-robin-hood-prince-of-thieves-6251482-320-240.gif

he effin ROCKED in that one

Captain Steel

01-07-17, 08:33 PM

Citizen Rules

01-07-17, 10:46 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28367&stc=1&d=1483843248
The Man with One Red Shoe (1985)

Director: Stan Dragoti
Cast: Tom Hanks, Lori Singer, Dabney Coleman, Carrie Fisher, Jim Belushi
Genre: Comedy Mystery

I watched this for Carrie Fisher. I had only seen her in the Star Wars movies and wanted to see more of her work. She didn't make a lot of big name movies besides Star Wars, but she did a lot of film work and here in this 1985 comedy I seen a different side to her. First off she appears in glasses and a dowdy dress, I didn't even recognize her!

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28368&d=1483843257

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28370&stc=1&d=1483843275

She plays the wife of Jim Belushi who's best friends to a very young looking Tom Hanks...he looks like a kid here. Carrie has a fling with Tom and the 'other side' of her is her Tarzan and Jane costume...a leopard print bikini, none the less!....Wow, she was tiny, I never realized just how petite she was in Star Wars, she was only 5' 1". I have to say she did a really good job of acting here.

Tom Hanks is the star and man did he look young! This was made a couple years after Hank's break through film Splash (1984)...but before his other mega big hit, Big (1988). This is a comedy and Hanks is likable as the everyday guy who stumbles into a CIA clandestine plot. The CIA mistakes him for a top notch spy, but he's just another Joe....err...I mean Tom.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28369&stc=1&d=1483843267

A fun movie if...you don't expect much. This is just a light comedy spy mystery-thriller. The best part is when Lori Singer who's a CIA operative, lures Tom Hanks into her apartment, which has a full glass mirror so that the CIA can observe her, umm activities...It was funny when she gets her long hair caught in his zipper, ouch! An easy watch, that made me chuckle at times.

rating_3

.

Citizen Rules

01-07-17, 11:13 PM

http://www.findelahistoria.com/web/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/cloud-atlas00.jpg

Cloud Atlas (2012)
Directors: Tom Tykwer, Lana Wachowski
Writers: David Mitchell(novel), Lana Wachowski(screenplay)
Cast: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Doona Bae, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent,
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Length: 2h 52min

A film that explores the concept that humanity is connected, including the lives of six different people living in different times. Their stories seem unrelated but through their actions they cause a rippling effect that shapes future events.

This might seem like a complicated movie but if you remember just one thing it will make sense...you are watching six different stories, that are thematically are unrelated. These six stories are inter-cut and not shown in sequential order. They take place in both the past, near present and distant future. The actors appear in all the story segments in very well done make up. Half the fun is seeing if you can tell who is who.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28371&stc=1&d=1483845160

I really enjoyed all six of the story lines. In a way I wish this had been done in three separate movies, as there's only 30 minutes for each story to tell it's tale. Which really isn't long enough, though the movie is almost 3 hours long...and it did hold my attention. It's well done, interesting, but it did not make me believe that our souls are interconnected.

rating_3_5+

.

Citizen Rules

01-08-17, 03:31 PM

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Indignation (2016)

Director: James Schamus
Writers: Philip Roth (novel ) James Schamus (screenplay)
Cast: Logan Lerman, Sarah Gadon, Tijuana Ricks
Genre: Drama

About: A young working class Jewish boy (Logan Lerman) who's grown up working in his father's New Jersey butcher shop... leaves home on a college scholar ship and attends a small Christian college in Ohio. There he meets a sexual disturbed woman Oliva (Sarah Gadon) and comes up against a self righteous college dean who tries to mold Marcus into something he's not.

Review: A slow burn, searing drama set in 1951 with the ongoing Korean War as the back drop. Based on the critically claimed novel, Indignation is intelligently written and feels more like a European film in how it takes its time to immerse the viewer in the world of a young man who through circumstance and his own indignation over injustices done to him, sets in motion events that will shape his future life.

I loved how we spend time with the lead character and experience the film through his eyes. This is not the film for the impatient, nothing is rushed, the emotions are not spoon fed to us. The film moves at a leisurely pace and yet I was held spell bound by many of the scenes, which were so well done it felt like being there. I have a few problems with the post production but that doesn't change the overall impact of the film for me.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28380&stc=1&d=1483903084

Logan Lerman...Marcus did a fine job of making me believe he was Marcus. I've not seen him in a lead role before...I hope to see more of his work. He's known for Perks of Being a Wall Flower (2012) and Fury (2014).

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28381&stc=1&d=1483903092
Sarah Gadon...Oliva is a fine actresses and I have recently seen her in A Royal Night Out (2015) and Belle (2013). I think she was fine here too. I can't help wondering if another actresses might have brought more of the characters troubled pass to light. Still she was a plus.

rating_3_5++

Citizen Rules

01-08-17, 11:08 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28394&stc=1&d=1483931155
Free State of Jones (2016)

Director: Gary Ross
Writers: Leonard Hartman(story), Gary Ross(screenplay)
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali
Genre: Action, Biography, Drama

About: A Confederate army medic, deserts when he realizes that the south isn't fighting for honor or states rights, but is making the poor farmers fight for the rich plantation owners. After deserting Newton Knight (Matthew McConaughey) returns to Mississippi, hiding out in the swamps. There he meets run away slaves and together they form a fighting force that takes on the Confederate army.

Review: Free State of Jones is based on a real man and his story. Yes a white Confederate solider actually deserted, joined forces with other deserters, women and runaway slaves and formed a fighting force that was able to hold a large area in Mississippi...and declared it a free state that was interracial mixed. Yes, that's true and should be enough reason to watch it. It's a story of hope, humanity and it contains a lot of stuff I bet you don't know about the south during the civil war and the years after it.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28392&stc=1&d=1483931140

Matthew McConaughey, owned the role. I didn't even recognize him, I swear he channeled the energy of the real Newton Knight a man with a vision and the drive to make that vision work. Newt was a force to be reckoned with.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28393&stc=1&d=1483931147

Gugu Mbatha-Raw, plays his common law wife and a freed slave. I last saw Gugu in Belle (2013), she's likable and a good actresses. I bet we'll be seeing much more of her in the future.

Sure this movie has some flaws and at times seemed to take a cue from every other popcorn flick...but those 'I've seen it before moments' were luckily far and few between. I enjoyed this! I learned something too, which is important.

rating_3_5

Citizen Rules

01-10-17, 11:19 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28418&stc=1&d=1484104256
Saturn 3(1980)

Directors: Stanley Donen
Cast: Farrah Fawcett, Kirk Douglas, Harvey Keitel
Genre: Sci Fi

About Farah Fawcett in various stages of undress, and her aging lover, scientist Kirk Douglas, who doesn't want to go back to Earth...And about Harvey Keitel who behaves like a robot and builds an 8 foot tall, killer psycho robot. Both Keitel and the robot have the hots for Farrah. Everybody has the hots for Farrah!...in this low budget Sci-Fi who's main claim to fame is the former Charlies Angels star and an aging Kirk Douglas.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28419&stc=1&d=1484104267

In one of the funniest scenes, Farrah pulls the hair of an enraged Kirk Douglas trying to stop him...Douglas turns and makes a face that has to be seen to be believed.

This is bad sci fi! the sets are mediocre and look like they're in the studio. The story makes no sense and no one can act...and yet it's kind of fun, in a bad way. There really isn't much of a story, it's about two people on an asteroid orbiting Saturn who grow food for a starving Earth. Why is there only two people producing the much needed food and why station them at Saturn? Who knows? who cares? Along comes a murderer who steals a ship to build a killer robot on the food base and that makes the story.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28420&stc=1&d=1484104281
A young Harvey Keitel faces off against Hector, the 8 foot tall robot with an organic brain, that has been programmed from Keitel's brain. Problem is Keitel is bonkers.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28421&d=1484104293
From the deleted 'blue dreamers' scene in which Farrah takes a Earth narcotic giving to her by Keitel...she has some wild dreams.

There was some unintentional funny moments in the film, and the dead pan acting made me wonder if they all weren't replicants;)

rating_2

Citizen Rules

01-11-17, 10:49 PM

Let's see how many reviews I can make in a row before someone comments:cool:

rauldc14

01-11-17, 10:51 PM

The last one I've actually seen that you reviewed was Dark City, which I didn't necessarily think was great. Just decent.

cricket

01-11-17, 10:51 PM

That was the last one:D

Captain Steel

01-11-17, 10:54 PM

Let's see how many reviews I can make in a row before someone comments:cool:

Don't feel bad, Rules. I have about 20 threads that I started that almost no one responded to! Sometimes I feel like everyone has me on ignore! (Hey, maybe they do!)

P.S. I think Saturn 3 was one of the first movies I ever saw on cable - at my aunt's house. It was such a big deal then, to know someone who had cable!
But WOW on the Harvey Keitel trivia - I had no idea that was him. He looked familiar in the photo but I didn't place him. It's funny just thinking about it - Harvey Keitel in a science fiction!
Have you seen or reviewed Galaxina yet (another sci-fi from the same year that I watched on cable at my aunt's house!)

Citizen Rules

01-11-17, 11:00 PM

Don't feel bad, Rules. I have about 20 threads that I started that almost no one responded to! Sometimes I feel like everyone has me on ignore! (Hey, maybe they do!)

P.S. I think Saturn 3 was one of the first movies I ever saw on cable - at my aunt's house. It was such a big deal then, to know someone who had cable!
But WOW on the Harvey Keitel trivia - I had no idea that was him. He looked familiar in the photo but I didn't place him. It's funny just thinking about it - Harvey Keitel in a science fiction!
Have you seen or reviewed Galaxina yet (another sci-fi from the same year that I watched on cable at my aunt's house!) I like your threads, I usually subscribe to them (I think that's what MoFo calls it). I guess for a thread to hit big it needs to be provocative with a grandiose statement. That's not really me, so that's why I don't often make threads. But you'd be surprised at the neat thread ideas I came up with, but never done. I had a good thread idea today actually.

I just looked up Galaxina and it has a super low IMDB rating of 3.5...that almost makes me want to watch it, almost:)

Citizen Rules

01-11-17, 11:22 PM

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/556f30fbe4b0aca96891a0c1/t/5613f040e4b0c30de09efbba/1444147265754/
Repo Man (1984)

Director: Alex Cox
Writer: Alex Cox
Cast: Harry Dean Stanton, Emilio Estevez, Tracey Walter
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Sci-Fi

About: A young, unemployed street punk (Emilio Estevez) who becomes a repo man after he's tricked into stealing a repo car by veteran repo man (Harry Dean Stanton). As a fledgling repo man he learns of a Chevy Malibu that has glowing aliens in the trunk and is worth a $20,000 bonus reward. Everyone is after the Malibu.

Review: If you're a fan of Quentin Tarantino, watch this movie! I don't know if Tarantino has ever publicly said he was influenced by this movie, but after watching it, there's no doubt he was. The obvious clue is the mysterious glowing trunk, much like the glowing box in Pulp Fiction, but there's much more.

A quirky repo man tells the newbie repo man (Emilio Estevez) about cosmic unconsciousness: "You'll be thinking about a plate of shrimp, and all of a sudden someone will say plate, or shrimp, or plate of shrimp." With the same deep, yet offbeat dialogue that was used between hit man Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta in Pulp Fiction.

Later in Repo Man, we see a diner which features a huge sign in one of its windows reading: PLATE O' SHRIMP $2.95. There's all sorts of kookiness, like the repo men all being named after beer.

Repo Man, is a quirky fun film, that unfortunately has a boggled ending. Let it's influence on Tarantino and it's cult status makes this a must see movie.

rating_2_5

Captain Steel

01-11-17, 11:27 PM

I like your threads, I usually subscribe to them (I think that's what MoFo calls it). I guess for a thread to hit big it needs to be provocative with a grandiose statement. That's not really me, so that's why I don't often make threads. But you'd be surprised at the neat thread ideas I came up with, but never done. I had a good thread idea today actually.

I just looked up Galaxina and it has a super low IMDB rating of 3.5...that almost makes me want to watch it, almost:)

Galaxina definitely has gained cult status on the "so bad it's good" level.
I remember watching it again a few years ago and, in addition to lots of cringe-worthy moments and some laughably bad effects, there were some genuinely funny parts. Dorothy Stratten is the main attraction as a super sexy android (but that aspect is now a bit difficult to watch knowing what happened to her in real life). Part comedy, part spoof, part sci-fi & part gratuitous T&A - it's got something for everyone! It's no Ex-Machina, but might be a close runner up to Cherry 2000!

Citizen Rules

01-11-17, 11:37 PM

Captain Steel

01-11-17, 11:49 PM

Nah! Cherry 2000 is surprisingly good, it really does the universe building well and it fleshes out different aspects of the dystopian future, it gives a lot of neat details. I was surprised at how much care went into making it. Now Saturn 3 only had Farrah Fawcett. It didn't even try to do anything cool.

Have you seen Cherry 2000 recently? It's not an easy movie to find.

Not recently, Rules. Probably due for a rewatch (but I do remember it being only a bit better than Galaxina, but not nearly as campy.)
Still haven't seen Ex-Machina though. :(

TheUsualSuspect

01-11-17, 11:53 PM

Citizen Rules

01-11-17, 11:54 PM

Oh geez, I really like Ex Machina. OK there was a strange dancing scene but it was a good film. It really reminded me of the 1990s Outer Limits show. Did you ever see those?

Citizen Rules

01-11-17, 11:57 PM

I really enjoyed Cloud Atlas and it was my favourite film of that year. I didn't expect to connect or enjoy it as much as I did, but I am glad others are liking it too. It's without a doubt, a polarizing film for sure.
I was thinking about Cloud Atlas today and usually a movie goes into my brain, then I promptly forget it. I watched it for the Sci Fi countdown and I'm glad we do those countdowns, I've watched a lot of neat Sci Fi recently.

TheUsualSuspect

01-11-17, 11:57 PM

Oh geez, I really like Ex Machina. OK there was a strange dancing scene but it was a good film. It really reminded me of the 1990s Outer Limits show. Did you ever see those?

That 'strange' dancing scene was nominated as one of the most memorable scenes of the year at the MOFOS!!!!

Citizen Rules

01-12-17, 12:01 AM

I know! I remember:p and I did this:nope:...but very cool movie, I remember I voted it as best 2015 movie.

Captain Steel

01-12-17, 12:06 AM

Oh geez, I really like Ex Machina. OK there was a strange dancing scene but it was a good film. It really reminded me of the 1990s Outer Limits show. Did you ever see those?

Fairly recently as a matter of fact. About a year or two ago I found this channel that would play the Outer Limits episodes late on Sunday night (unfortunately this channel stopped airing them). Not nearly as good as the Twilight Zone, but it had much more of a consistent sci-fi theme to the overall show.

One thing that bothered me about it - don't know if you'll remember this - but there was this sound effect, kind of like an annoying plucking of harp strings that was used whenever anything odd happened. I came to find they used this sound in every single episode! That started to annoy me! (think the zither used in The Third Man) :D

Citizen Rules

01-12-17, 12:21 AM

I don't remember the sound effect. I do remember the dreaded Zither! I really like Outer Limits the newer one, the older one too. I haven't even seen on the 90s episodes yet. But I like to.

Captain Steel

01-12-17, 12:31 AM

Gideon58

01-12-17, 07:13 PM

Gideon58

01-12-17, 07:19 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28367&stc=1&d=1483843248
[SIZE=5][COLOR=DarkRed]The Man with One Red Shoe (1985)

Tom Hanks is the star and man did he look young! This was made a couple years after Hank's break through film Splash (1984)...but before his other mega big hit, Big (1988). This is a comedy and Hanks is likable as the everyday guy who stumbles into a CIA clandestine plot. The CIA mistakes him for a top notch spy, but he's just another Joe....err...I mean Tom.

[CENTER]http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28369&stc=1&d=1483843267

A fun movie if...you don't expect much. This is just a light comedy spy mystery-thriller. The best part is when Lori Singer who's a CIA operative, lures Tom Hanks into her apartment, which has a full glass mirror so that the CIA can observe her, umm activities...It was funny when she gets her long hair caught in his zipper, ouch! An easy watch, that made me chuckle at times.

rating_3

.

Of course he looks young...this was only his 4th feature film.

Gideon58

01-12-17, 07:23 PM

Gideon you're not a big fan of sci fi are you? Do you have any favorite sci fis?

No, never been much of a sci-fan, I'm so not into sci-fi that I'm not sure I even have an answer for your question...I loved Close Encounters and I liked Star Wars...I do love sci-fi spoofs though, like Galaxy Quest, Spaceballs, and Mars Attacks.

cricket

01-12-17, 07:28 PM

I like Repo Man ok, but I don't think it's good enough to justify the massive cult following it has.

Citizen Rules

01-12-17, 11:00 PM

Yeah, I don't think I've seen the newer one, just the old black & white one.
I know they basically re-did almost all those types of old shows (not the episodes, but updated the style while utilizing the title), especially in the 90's. I think they called them "revival series". You never seen the newer Outer Limits 1995-2002, that surprises me. I know you're a big sci fi fan, and I'd say that was the best anthology sci fi shows I've ever seen. I like the old black & white Outer Limits too, but the newer ones were much better. Guess what? They're on Youtube
This is one of my favorites and it reminds me of Cherry 2000
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe3xQ22R-hQ

Gideon58

01-13-17, 06:23 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28418&stc=1&d=1484104256
Saturn 3(1980)

Directors: Stanley Donen
Cast: Farrah Fawcett, Kirk Douglas, Harvey Keitel
Genre: Sci Fi

You're not going to believe this, but I actually saw this film during its original theatrical release...there were about a dozen people in theater...the only thing I remember is being bored to death.

Citizen Rules

01-14-17, 11:42 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28482&stc=1&d=1484451709

I Origins (2014)

Director: Mike Cahill
Writer: Mike Cahill
Cast: Michael Pitt, Steven Yeun, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

About: A young molecular biologist (Michael Pitt) and his new student laboratory partner (Brit Marling) work on uncovering evidence that will prove evolution is real, by disproving a key argument in the Intelligent Design belief.

Review: Director/writer Mike Cahill churns some goobly goo religious ideas under the guise of pseudo science. Mike Cahill who previously wrote and directed the thought provoking indie sci fi Another Earth (2011), fails to deliver here with his ham-fisted preaching and hokey science. Add into that some lifeless characters and you get a sleeper that's best left sleeping. I've seen movies made by Christian organizations and even though they have a message they can still be a well made film.

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28483&stc=1&d=1484451722

I Origins is a poorly made film. What we're asked to swallow is an abrupt 180 degree character change as the scientist working on proving evolution comes to believe souls are being reborn into babies, based on repeating iris specks in the eye. Of course this same research scientist who was dedicated to disproving Intelligent Design spends his time buying cigarettes and lottery tickets. Any scientist knows those are two stupid things to do.

Nothing else to say here, if you want to see a good though provoking sci fi by Mike Cahill, watch his Another Earth.

rating_2

Captain Steel

01-14-17, 11:47 PM

Rules, where are you finding these movies? You've reviewed a bunch in the last few weeks that I've never even heard of, but which sound really interesting.

Citizen Rules

01-14-17, 11:49 PM

Rules, where are you finding these movies? You've reviewed a bunch in the last few weeks that I've never even heard of, but which sound really interesting. Mostly Netflix DVD. I get DVDs in the mail and that cost $8 a month. I got that subscription for Christmas a few years ago and it's the gift that keeps on giving!

Man! if you want see a sci fi that will piss you off, watch I Origin.

Citizen Rules

01-15-17, 02:24 PM

http://www.eovideolevou.com.br/imgProduto/71318_f5.jpg

Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012)

Director: Philip Kaufman
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Clive Owen, David Strathairn
Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance
HBO 2 hours 35 minutes

About: The American novelist Ernest Hemingway and his romance and marriage to his third wife, Martha Gellhorn, who was a noted war correspondent. Having meet in a bar in Florida, while Hemingway is married to his second wife, Ernest and Gellhorn head off to Spain to cover the civil war there and start an affair. The movie chronicles their tumultuous relationship, fueled by Hemingway's alcoholism and destructive behavior.

Review: This sucked! It has to be one of the worst bio pics I've ever seen. The director had no idea how to tell a story or develop the characters. What little story there was could have been told in 60 minutes, versus the mind numbing 155 minutes that this HBO movie. was.

Characters are introduced then disappear, with no rhyme or reason...Scenes run, then go nowhere, leaving the viewer wondering if they missed something. Clearly the director had no idea how to tell the story, so he glitzed it up with three steamy sex/love scenes... in one of them the couple gets busy in the hotel room as bombs fall and the ceiling plaster covers them, funny! but ridiculous. Then the director throws in a ton of excessive smoking scenes, shot after shot of smoking, a sure sign of a director who's cupboard was bare and he grabbed what he could to create drama out of nothing.

Clive Owen as Hemingway was more like Clive Owen as Grouch Marx! He had the look, the vocal tone, the body posture and even the snappy, biting one liners. This should have been called The Groucho Marx Story with Clive Owen as Groucho and Nicole Kidman as Harpo.

rating_1_5

Gideon58

01-15-17, 02:31 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28482&stc=1&d=1484451709

I Origins (2014)

Director: Mike Cahill
Writer: Mike Cahill
Cast: Michael Pitt, Steven Yeun, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Well, if it's from the people who made Another Earth it might be worth checking out.

Citizen Rules

01-15-17, 02:42 PM

I loved Another Earth (my review) (http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=1232172#post1232172) I gave it a rating_4. You should check out I Origin it has a high IMDB rating and like you said the same director/writer did both, and both movies have Brit Marling, (the blonde actress). There's no sci fi stuff really, in fact it's more of a romance drama. It is like Another Earth in many ways. I'd be interested in reading your review.

Citizen Rules

01-15-17, 10:16 PM

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28492&stc=1&d=1484533119
Hannah and Her Sisters(Woody Allen, 1986)

Director: Woody Allen
Writer: Woody Allen
Cast: Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, Michael Caine, Barbara Hershey, Carrie Fisher, Maureen O'Sullivan, Lloyd Nolan, Max von Sydow, Julie Kavner, Woody Allen
Genre: Comedy, Drama

A movie about...Hanna and her complex relationships with her two sisters, family members and their spouses. We see that their lives are interwoven, as we follow them over a two year period that starts at a Thanksgiving dinner, and ends two years latter on another Thanksgiving. During that time Hanna's husband falls for her sister, while Hanna's old ex falls for her other sister. Hanna is the reliable one.

Review: One of Woody Allen's best movies and he's made a lot of great ones. Woody won an Oscar for Best Screen Play. This is a Woody Allen film and everybody is neurotic or self indulgent or otherwise troubled...we quickly learn that as we watch a group of New York intellectuals going trying to get their complicated lives in order. And apparently Woody wrote this about Mia Farrow and her real life mother Maureen O'Sullivan, which makes the movie all the more interesting.

Mia Farrow said of the film, "It was my mother's stunned, chill reaction to the script that enabled me to see how he [Woody Allen] had taken many of the personal circumstances and themes of our lives, and, it seemed, had distorted them into cartoonish characterizations. At the same time he was my partner. I loved him. I could trust him with my life. And he was a writer: this is what writers do...He had taken the ordinary stuff of our lives and lifted it into art. We were honored and outraged".http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=28493&stc=1&d=1484533128

Hanna and her sisters: Mia Farrow, Barbara Hersey and Dianne Wiest.

Barbara Hershey was looking pretty cute in this, she's really charming too. Which works well as we have to understand how Michael Caine could cheat on his wife, Hanna (Mia Farrow), who's also cute and a really nice person...so Barbara has to be all the more charming to make the story line believable.

Woody packs his film with a star studded cast that is both believable and feels as if they really belong married, or divorced from each other! I thought the characters were complex enough to make me want to watch this again. There are many moments that seemed like real life, and that's high praise for any film. Oh and I laughed too.

There's too many actors here to praise them all. Michael Caine who plays Hanna's husband won Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

Dianne Wiest won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of the free spirited but troubled sister, Dianne Wiest who brings a kooky, ecliptic energy to the film. And despite her initial negativeness to dating Woody Allen's character we end up liking her.

Woody plays himself, go figure! He's a New York TV writer/producer, a hypochondriac that panics through out most of the film. He was funny, lets face it no one plays Woody like Woody!

A bit of fun trivia, all the scenes inside Hanna's apartment were actually filmed inside Mia Farrow's own apartment.

I really liked this! It's one of Woody Allen's best films.

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