Meatwadsprite's Slow Review Thread

Go ahead, Suspect. I normally dislike these kind of films, but this was funnier than most.

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Dial M for Murder (1 view)



I really don't like Hitchcock's films , I've seen some of his most hailed and they barely keep me interested - but for some reason I gave this a chance (just because it was on instantly viewable on netflix).

This movie is told in completely linear order and still upsets the normal narrative structure by telling you exactly what will happen later on. It works really well , knowing the plan while it's being executed - it's also a huge change of what I've seen from Hitchock himself usually over dramatizing his twists , the twists here come without a bang.

Dial M almost entirely happens within one apartment set , I love it when movies incorporate the scenery heavily into the story and many of them also take place in one location. Pictures on the wall , curtains , scissors , each of them play a big role here. Another thing it does well is to continually change your perspective on what's fair and who is just.

To sum it all up , it's not going to make me rush and see Hitchcock's other works since this seems to me a total reversal of his usual fare. I did deeply enjoy this suspense thriller though and applaud the director for defying the usual.

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It pretty funny, Meat, I just watched that yesterday on Netflix instant queue. I gave it half a point less than you, though. Still, great review.

It's not my favourite of his, but I still like it . I'm glad you like at least one film of Hitch's. Which other films have you seen directed by him Meat?

It's funny too, you can tell which films are Netflix instant queue by the many reviews for the same film that usually follows. They usually instant queue good flicks too.

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"Don't be so gloomy. After all it's not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."

Psycho was pretty effective actually , I just don't want to see it again.

You'll probably like Rear Window, that's my prediction. It's necessary viewing for all film buffs, so you kinda have to watch it. There's so many others, but I'm thinking if you're still open to checking out his movies, this one may be best for you.

Psycho is my personal favorite Hitchcock film, and is in my top 10. I still haven't seen North By Northwest yet, though. I should be getting it very soon because my aunt said she'd get for me because I got straight A's this nine weeks in school.

If you liked Dial M For Murder, Meat, you need to check out Rope. It's a lot like Dial M For Murder.

Definitely Rear Window, but maybe you have to go backwatds to the '40s. Actually, I'm thinking that meaty might dig The Birds, and then, if he can handle the '70s, you've got Frenzy and Family Plot which are poles apart but well worth watching.

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I was actually thinking about recommending The Birds to him, mainly because it's my second favorite Hitchcock movie. I decided to recommend Rope to him instead, because it and Dial M For Murder are very similar. Frenzy's pretty good too. I've had Family Plot sitting on my DVD shelf since November, but still haven't got around to watching it.

2009 Preview

Really no big hits in these first three months so far , most critically acclaimed films to come out so far have had very limited releases and are mostly unviewable until later in the year when they are released on DVD.

Watchmen was for me a colossal disappointment (even if it was a pretty good film) , I know it's hard to mess up with such amazing source material - but I don't think anyone trusted Snyder in the first place.

There are lots of very interesting films coming out though , so I'll try and introduce a couple to you and tell you what I think.



The Story of Anvil ! (released April 10 in LA/NY)

Already a very hailed documentary film , it won't see release in most theaters for awhile though. I don't really care for documentaries , but the judging from the exciting trailer - it's the kind of realistic insight-fullness that makes for great entertainment.



Up (May 29th)

Pixar has been on a roll releasing Ratatouille than Wall-E (my two favorites of all of their movies) . Very interesting premise and visual style , we'll see if they strike gold again. Hopefully I can check this one out in the new 3D as well.



Moon (June 12th , Limited Release)

I'm really excited for this one , I think this is the perfect role for Rockwell and the trailer looks great. Isolation on the Moon and an underlying company conspiracy.



Public Enemies (June 3rd)

I would acknowledge this as the next big one , two mega stars Depp and Bale collide in similar fashion of Mann's heist spectacle Heat. Amazing trailer ...



Funny People (June 31st)

Apatow's actual third film looks to be his best yet. Also looks like we are seeing Adam Sandler in another actually good movie (you know aside from Punch Drunk Love). It also features stand-up comedy done in front of a real audience , sounds like a very satisfying comedy.

"Nice to meet you. I like all your movies"

"I like all your movies"

"Which movies ?"

"The one's where you try to kill Bruce Willis"



Inglorious Basterds (Augest 21st)

Tarantino's been working on this one for awhile now , even though I really didn't care for Kill Bill and hate how they ruined his collaboration with Rodriguez by splitting it into two films - I have to put my faith in this one , really looks to be a winner.



Shutter Island (October 2nd)

All we've got so far is a poster and the source book , it sounds much different than anything Scorsese's done and if anyone can direct the next great thriller it should be him.



Where the Wild Things Are (October 16th)

It seems Spike Jonze is finally bringing us this children's book with much added depth - fans of the surreal will hopefully get a kick out of this one.



The Box (October 30th)

Richard Kelly's Southland Tales didn't go over as well with the general public as his first feature (even though I personally enjoyed it much more than Donnie Darko) - looking forward to this one.



Scott Pilgrim vs the World (Currently filming , supposed 2009 release)

Edgar Wright's next film is based on a 5 part graphic novel series , dosen't feature Simon Pegg or Nick Frost , and has super typecast actor Michael Cera at the heart of it. I have complete faith in it either way , even if I'm looking forward more to his next film - The World's End (Hot Fuzz follow up).

Thanks Meatface

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Princess Mononoke - 2nd Review (2 views)



This and Akira were the two anime films that scared me away from the genre and after being scared back in by Spirited Away , I can't say my thoughts on this one have changed since my last viewing more than a year ago.

Miyazaki and Ghibli finally take on the subject matter of war and violence , but it's failed attempt to sympathize with all views leaves you with a film so broad that it doesn't care about anyone or anything. There are some imaginative and fun scenes scattered around , though the core narrative is endlessly sprawling - never clinging to any of it's twists.

As expected it's a looker , if there's any reason to keep watching it's if only to see the beautiful animation. I've been wondering how this studio would animate some brutal violence and well it's about twice as gory and sick as you would imagine it.

In the end it's not a complete experience in comparison to other Ghibli adventures , packing only half the wonder and none of the excitement.

Spot on.

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Zack and Miri Make a Porno (1 view)



Kevin Smith's surprisingly funny Zack and Miri tries to land on new territory and unsurprisingly fades into meaningless predictable garbage.

Adapting to the new wave of comedy actors , you get lots of familiar faces playing the major roles as well as View Askew veterans Mewes and Jeff Anderson. The visual appeal is an obvious improvement over such eye wonders as Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, with an actual cinematographer on board.

As hearty as some of the jokes are , neither the film or characters have a heart. It's one of the most soul less things I've seen in some time , rarely ever embracing at all which is what I watch comedy films for. Of course there are a couple of incredibly stupid goofball cheesy scenes as expected (the first featuring MC Chris) , but it mostly steers clear of the utter stupidity I expected.

Nearing the last 40 minutes , the jokes are gone and it wants to focus on the characters and their relationships - a showcase of everything wrong with the movie. It's flat and cold - then hazardously salvaged by the acting crew in a sad attempt to get you to the credits.

Bitter and cold ....

Anvil ! The Story of Anvil ! (1 viewing) 2009 Reviews



If you've seen This is Spinal Tap , you've almost seen this film - but instead of a comedy done in the style of a documentary , what you have here is a real documentary filled with real disappointment.

Anvil was right along side with the other big names in metal when it's popularity was nearing it's peak , but they are the band that didn't make it big. The movie primarily follows the lead singer "Lips" through his less glamorous current job as a guy who packs up a van and delivers food to schools - he talks about how and why his band has never sold a ton of records and his continued dedication to being in Anvil. Not far in the band goes on a tour with a number of terribly desolate venues with a max of around 100 people at their biggest show.

This is one of the better documentaries that I've seen and most of that comes from how willing the band members are to talk about their failing rock careers. Metal fans and the culture of the music is there in the movie , but probably not enough - there are some repetitive overlapping scenes throughout with people talking about the band , I mean if someone already said that do we need to see his whole family say the same thing ? Something that obviously should have been focused on , was specifically done well and that was the sound editing of the film - very well done.

Entertaining documentary of a veteran band that was not able to ride to fame along side the likes of Metallica , if these guys didn't introduce themselves so truthfully you could take this as a black comedy - but it's full of real missed opportunities and failure.

So...focusing on character is wrong? I thought the final 40 minutes was what made this film more enjoyable than the average smut-based comedy. It actually had a bit of heart. The adjectives you use to describe the film are diametrically opposed to the vibes I got from the film. Bitter and cold? Not even a little bit. Not one tiny bit, at all.

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I could say the exact same thing in defense of Clerks II.

I've been wanting to see Anvil! for a good few months now, so I'm pleased to read, yet another, positive review. Now I just have to find it cheap.

Tyson (1 view) 2009 Reviews



I've never studied the boxer or heard of his fighting record , the only thing I knew about him was his over the top antics in the media and his criminal acts. As sure as Tyson knocked down his foes with pure might , this film had a similar effect on me.

Mike Tyson narrates his entire rise and fall career in boxing and exciting editing , pacing make this one of the most enjoyable documentaries I've seen. He does have brutal honesty in explaining the person he is , born in a terrible neighborhood where he was treated horribly by all the people around him , his rage comes deep within his mind. Throughout the many stages of his life he was full of hatred and aggression - his bouts speak for my reasonings.

With hundreds of relationships with women and two divorces it's made out that he does loose his temper and quickly gets sick of women. He states he only wants to give love , but it's clear he's in dire need of an enormous amount of love. Countless women , crowds of fans , and many different managers all giving their love to the boxer - his tendencies to mistreat others highlight his boxing ability.



The film boils his personality down to a very basic understandable core , he talks about what he likes to do - how he sees women , how differently his various mentors have taught him. Tyson goes to great length to really put himself right there on screen and it doesn't matter what if what you leave with isn't even the actual him - it's as believable a person I've ever come to understand.

Unbelievable ferocity , this is one of the very best documentaries ever produced. It's true and meaningful while being entertaining and dramatic. Very reminiscent of Scorsese's Raging Bull , but much more enjoyable for me for it's ability to make the character easy to comprehend and impossible to completely understand. The best film this year so far , it's already out on UK DVD and now in limited release in theaters in the U.S.