Meatwadsprite's Slow Review Thread

A Scene at the Sea (1 viewing)



Though it is great visually , it's story is incredibly simplistic - especially coming from a director who has told so many brilliant stories about complex existential themes.

A Scene at the Sea is has little to say and takes a long time in doing so. The two main characters are a deaf couple , who start spending all their time on the beach when Shigeru gains an interest in surfing. His girlfriend Takako just sits and watches him surf the whole time and eventually loses in interest in doing so. You do see that Shigeru is somewhat attached to her , but he doesn't really care about anything else but surfing. Now from my description it probably sounds like this movie is very emotional , but it's quite the opposite.

Only a few scenes actually tell you something important and there is far too much of seeing people sitting down either watching others surf - or surf themselves. The movie's strong point is the visuals - which for the most part are accompanied by the ocean. Even at that , it's not close to Takeshi's visual accomplishments in several other films and runs out of things to offer quickly.

There is still some entertainment value - being the occasional hilarious moments. Also , I have to point out the bus scene - which was very gripping. In the end though - A Scene at the Sea is a movie I could live without.

__________________

After Hours (1 viewing)



I've never heard anything about this movie untill recently I was looking at Scorsese's filmography and read a little about this. It's shot and edited together very rapidly - while using great sounds and music to change the pace of the film from slow and mysterious to fast and dangerous.

Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne) is a word processor who meets a young lady named Marcy. She invites him over to her place , when he arrives Paul is instantly thrown into this very strange setting : where Marcy eventually comes to meet him. After a series of weird occurances , Paul gets upset and stampedes out of Marcy's apartment. Even though he leaves behind the surreal Marcy's apartment , his night of horrible luck has only begun.

This movie is a lot of fun , Dunne plays his character so well - you really become attached to him and his quest to get home. Everything bad that happens to him , is like it's happening to the viewer. These horrible things keep happening to him and you can't help but start to laugh at it all. Even if you find this movie hillarious , there is always a sense of mystery wherever Paul goes.

It's one of Scorsese's best - go check it out if you haven't.

Fair enough. I haven't seen Violent Cop since January '06, and all I remember about it is that it was pretty lame, about a . However, it was the first Kitano film I'd ever seen and these days I'm used to his little quirks, but I'm still not sure whether I'd want to spend money on re-renting Violent Cop when I have other films to waste it on.

__________________
Iro's Top 100 Movies v3.0

Mystic River (1 view)



Based on the book of the same name , Mystic River excels at using amazing acting performances to craft it's story which builds tension over the entire film. It's far from perfect though , as director Clint Eastwood uses several foolish techniques throughout.

Mystic River is about a couple of old friends who are reunited after many years , when one of their daughters is killed. The three old friends are Jimmy (Sean Penn) who's the father , Dave (Tim Robbins) who was kidnapped and sexually abused when he was young , and Sean (Kevin Bacon) who is the detective working on the homicide case. The story shifts from detective mystery to a drama about friends all the way up to the end - where they merge into one.

The cinematography is really well done , but Clint Eastwood really has no place directing movies. He uses some hilariously out of place transitions every now and then , along with a lot of fading in and out - when not needed. It seems that Eastwood is more interested in the acting , over anything else.

Bad directing aside , Mystic River is a pretty good movie. It's not a masterpiece of emotions , but instead a decent story followed up with much better acting performances.

@ ThePrestige - Why did his Blade Runner review anger you? He gave it a good rating, if I remember correctly...

__________________

He didn't...

__________________
I used to be addicted to crystal meth, now I'm just addicted to Breaking Bad.

As I recall, he reviewed The Final Cut in the "Slow Review" thread and gave it a .

Since "Slow Review" came after "Quick Review", it could be easily assumed that Meat used to hate the film but now likes it.

You can search for it if you like.

Kids Return (1 viewing)



This is a much smaller scaled movie than Takeshi's other films , but it's also much faster than any of his other work and that's why I enjoy it - even if passes up some of the stuff it could have done.

Kids Return is about two friends who ditch school everyday and play jokes on the teachers , eventually one of them gets kicked out of school - so they both try to find different jobs that could lead into good careers. One becomes a boxer and one becomes a gangster -for the most part the story focuses on the boxer. Eventually their childish behavior catches up with them.

My biggest complaint about this movie is the heavy focus on the boxer. There is whole other story about the gangster that is barely explored. Even with a serious story , this is a comedy as well. There is always something outrageous around the corner - that will force you to laugh , while the movie is maintaining a dramatic story.

The visuals are great as expected and set up a number of recognizable locations that are re-visited by various characters. The boxing scenes are also very well done. This movie doesn't suffer from the poor cameras that Kitano used for his earlier work either - otherwise you probably wouldn't find so much running/bike riding in this movie either.

It's funny and insightful , though feels like you missed a part of the story.

Batman Begins (4 views)



Batman Begins is a showcase of professionalism - writing , cinematography , acting , and a great score all come together to make the highly entertaining introduction to The Dark Knight.

Bruce Wayne is fighting criminals on the other side of the world from Gotham city , when a man from the league of shadows recruits Bruce to join and solve the "bigger picture" of crime. Bruce learns the techniques of being a ninja and a powerful fighter through the league , but when his training is complete he finds where their morals lie. They believe criminals should be killed - instead of merely punished : this is where Bruce Wayne diverges from the league and heads back to Gotham (after he blows the league up of course). When Bruce gets back he starts his work to make Gotham a better place.

This film has plenty of amazing scenes throughout , but suffers from some really poorly shot fights. The images will keep your attention for the entire length - as will the story , which is filled with morality and corruption. The batmobile scene is an example of the excitement pumped through the story's fast paced structure and it keeps Batman Begins from ever falling into cheesy territory of the first batman movies.

Right up there with Iron Man and Spiderman trilogy.

Your rating is absolute blasphemy. How can you say there was little focus on characters? Here's my recommendation to you. Study film. I mean real film. Not Spiderman, Batman, or any other recycled crap you so proudly love. Study real cinema

There was so much focus put on the Schindler and Goeth, it makes me wonder if you actually saw the film or not. Did you not see both character's arcs? Or Goeth's lack thereof? Did you not see how they both were completely the same and different? How they played off eachother? How each changed because one another's actions?

Are you retarded? How can you give this a 3.5 yet have the balls to give Dark Knight 5? Honestly, you're a disgrace to film and every great film out there. No, don't tell me to stop being rude or that I need to keep my opinions to myself. There is a difference between fact and opinion, smart and retarded. Your rating isn't an opinion. It's just retarded. Do yourself a favor and google.....Greatest Movies of All Time. And see where Schindler's List is. And no, don't come back and say lists are an opinion. I want you to find a top 100 list from a good credible source. And take a good hard look at where Schindler's List is. Because honestly, I don't know your credentials or film experience. So I may let you slide on saying something as stupid as "there was little focus on the characters."

Do you live in Los Angeles or New York or Philadelphia? If so, walk into either of these locations; The Los Angeles Film School, Melintz Hall on the UCLA campus, The Tisch School in NYC, or the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Walk in, find an instructor as fast as you can, and ask them what they think of Schindler's List. Actually, ask them this because your so smart right? Ask them "The Dark Knight vs. Schindler's List; which film is better?"

And see what they say. Tell me. Start a thread titled "PrometheusFG made me look like a bitch because I thought I was smart when really I'm just retarded..."

And post their responses so the entire community here can see that you know just as much about film as Paris Hilton knows about the real world. Nada! Zip. Absolutely nothing. Here, a favor from me to you. I'll extend a request to Yoda to desginate a specific part of the forums for uneducated self-proclaimed film buffs like yourself to spew your stupid opinions at. It can be called..."We think we know, but we don't", and you can have threads like...."Fellini vs. Nolan: who is better?" or.... "The Third Man vs. Sin City: which noir is better?"

Does that sound good? Sounds like a great plan to accompany that greatly incompetant mind of yours. It's beautiful. And while everyone in these forums will stand by your side saying PrometheusFG overreacted and that you have a right to your opinion; they are wrong. Someone had to say it. Everyone here lets these stupid opinions fly like it's nothing. Like everyone's feelings are so fragile and that if we try to even debate, they will cry. ********! It's not even about Schindler's List vs. The Dark Knight.

I have seen people on here swear that Memento is the best film since 2000. What the hell? Did you not see Y Tu Mama Tambien? I have seen people say "This film is regarded as a classic noir but I just didn't see the point of the narraration..." Film noir goes hand in hand with narraration! I have seen Spiderman 3 get a better rating than Mean Streets, The Prestige called a masterpiece while Taxi Driver is called crap, Heath Ledger as the Joker is the best performance since 2000, "I have never heard of Seven Samurai but gee whiz, The Last Samurai was great!", "who the hell is Frederico Fellini and what is Neorealism...nobody needs that when you have Bryan Singer."

Half the members on here couldn't even name a single film from Jean Renoir or Wilder, yet they call themselves film buffs.

__________________
"All the confusion of my life... has been a reflection of myself! Myself as I am, not as I'd like to be." - Guido, 8 1/2

I appreciate your passion, Fire Giver, so no, I'm not going to correct you. meaty expresses his passion, but it comes from an entirely different perspective. In fact, Prometheus, the only thing I find poorly-phrased in your argument is the use of the word "retarded", but that's just me. I do not find those who were called "the retarded" when I was growing up to be people worthy of derision. They never made themselves the way they turned out.

Now, I love Schindler's List. It's certainly one of the most tragic, beautiful, harrowing, complex, thought-provoking, cinematic, visionary, best-acted, best-written, and best-directed films I've ever seen. I never saw a similar film before, and I've still never seen a similar film since. It's truly unique. That doesn't mean that I won't listen to people's criticisms of the film, but I find them mostly misguided; at least the ones I've heard discussed in any manner of detail which somehow kick into overdrive about how Schindler's List is just so sentimental that it's someow an insult to the victims and/or the viewers. I feel sorry for people who honestly believe that, but I'm sure that others feel sorry for me or just write me off for being a Spielberg Fanboy!

__________________
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page

What passion? He's just jumping on the same "Bash the meat" bandwagon (albeit a little later than some) that so many others have jumped on.

If he's so f*cking smart why doesn't he teach us all how to piss up a rope?

__________________
We are both the source of the problem and the solution, yet we do not see ourselves in this light...

You think you have to be "smart" to piss up a rope? I thought you had to be a magician, and magicians are as trustworthy as politicians, but OK. What do YOU think of Schindler's List and meaty's Constitutional right to express his opinion about it?

PrometheusFG - chill.

Also, Schindler's List isn't that good.

That pretty much says it all...

I'm sure I give meaty more + rep than anybody here. Not that that means my opinion is more valid than others, but how about some actual opinions? This is as good a time as any for people to explain why they say what they say.

Sweetie what side of the bed did you get out of remember Meatface is only young at least he is having a go

That maybe true, but the 50% who have heard of them are helping to educate the others, they have to start somewhere

__________________
Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Buddha

I've seen the only four movies on your favorite list and Schindler's List is the only one I enjoyed.

I couldn't even sit through 8 1/2 or The Seventh Seal - nor do I think Raging Bull is even close to being the best Scorsese movie.

So there I just shot down three of your favorite movies with about as much argument as you've made in those long paragraphs of whining.

Also , why don't you make a top 100 list or at least complete your top 10 list - so you can educate the so uneducated people on this forums.

Fair enough. Maybe he can go pound sand then since he's obviously so much more smarter than anyone here. I just get so friggin' tired of people in this god forsaken world who constantly try and tell others how they not only should be doing things but also feel the need to prove how smart they are on top of it, as if that somehow qualifies them to spout the elitist b*llshit their selling.

I'm no saint, I'm certainly guilty of doing crap like that at times. I do however try and keep it civil. And if I step over the line I typically make amends and I don't usualy do it in puplic. I've been over the line several times here and I have made amends to all of them I believe. Or at least have tried to smooth things over. If PFG thinks that The Meat is going to listen to aything he said after he called him a retard then he's not even remotely as smart as he makes himself out to be.

Well, I have in fact made it through it three times. So I'm not an expert but I do think I have a pretty strong feel for it. It's a power house of a film and obviously it's very good and an important film. I however don't love it very much. To say I love a movie like that just makes me feel... I don't know. Creepy I guess. That's just me. I'm just the sort of guy that struggles with his own demons at times and sometimes movies like this one can be very difficult to watch. I certainly can understand why its so important to a lot of people out there and I wouldn't be at all surprised if that's part of the reason PFG got so upset. But hey whatever, be a bigger man. Try and talk things out instead of just being an *******.

Nice reviews, Sprite. What a boring world it would be, if we all had the same tastes in everything. It's just a pity that people can't find a more polite way in disagreeing over them.
I've always been amazed that people actually take the time to insult, or even pity someone, over their opinion of a film.
I always laugh when people tease me about some of the films I like. OK, a lot of them. I could care less if they hate them. That's fine. If they ever went to insulting me over them, though, we'd have ourselves a problem.

__________________

Is Meatwadsprite giving their opinions and ratings about how they enjoyed the film or how good it was technically? Is this a thread that would give 2001 0/5 because it's deathly boring or 5/5 for it's technical brilliance, influence and 'importance' to cinema? If it's option 1, then they can give any film whatever rating they please, because it's their opinion. If it's option 2, then they have to put those personal opinions to one side and treat it more academically. That's it. Option 1, rate Schindler's List how you please. Option 2, I think it's a little low. But that still wouldn't make you wrong, if you could back up your arguement. That's the great thing about academia. You can say any old crap you like, but if you have the research and skill to skew things your way, then you can still 'prove' your point, regardless of how wrong it is.