Movie Tab II

Any thoughts on The Haunting?

__________________
5-time MoFo Award winner.

The Expendables 3 (Patrick Hughes, 2014): I love old-school action, so The Expendables movies are right up my alley. Unfortunately, this third installment is the weakest in the series. The PG-13 rating is a hindrance, since it eliminates two of the most essential ingredients for this type of film: over-the-top bloodshed and rampant f-bombs. The most disappointing aspect of the film, however, is the lack of screen time for the action heroes of yore, which is the only reason anyone watches these movies in the first place. Stallone is already scraping the bottom of the barrel by casting Frasier, jailbird Wesley Snipes and salsa-dancing Antonio Banderas, but the story focuses too much on the young recruits who nobody gives a damn about. I want to see Rambo teaming up with Terminator, not some random group of MMA fighters. The movie rebounds a bit in the second half when the original team returns to show the wannabes how to properly blow ***** up. The big climactic battle is loud and explosion-y, but it isn't as thrilling as it should be due to incoherent action sequences and a lack of any true sense of danger. Lately Mel Gibson has been carving out a new niche for himself as an over-the-top villain. He's one of the film's stronger points, despite his less-than-imposing physical stature. The Expendables 3 is more disappointing than entertaining, but it still injected me with just enough testosterone to be moderately enjoyable.


Hercules (Brett Ratner, 2014): I've fallen behind on posting these tabs, so it's been nearly a month since I've watched most of these films, including Hercules. I can barely recall anything that happened in this movie, which speaks to its bland, forgettable nature. I've been smelling what The Rock is cooking since the late 90's in the WWE. He's always been a very likable dude and he possesses a ton of charisma. His physique is almost as impressive as my own, but he's an odd choice for the character. I never bought him as Hercules. Instead I felt like I was watching The Rock at a Greek-themed costume party. The plot deviates drastically from traditional mythology, which would be a plus if it didn't substitute nine-headed Hydras for the kind of tiresome swordplay and castle-storming that seems to be the climax of every movie set during medieval times, B.C. times or Middle Earth. There's an action sequence early in the film involving an army of skeletons that was kinda cool, and the movie is well under two hours, which also helps, but overall Hercules fails to flex its muscles in any memorable fashion.


I Spit on Your Grave (Steven R. Monroe, 2010): An improvement over the original 1978 film in many ways, this remake boasts slicker production values, better performances and a hotter lead actress. The notorious gang rape scene is shortened, but the act itself and the humiliation that occurs beforehand is just as brutal. The revenge is more elaborately staged and over-the-top than I remember it being in the original, which makes it less effective as a result (although putting fish hooks through a dude's eyelids and anally raping another dude with a shotgun should make many viewers cringe). Despite being more professionally made than most rape-and-revenge films, I Spit on Your Grave is still too run-of-the-mill to be shocking, and the telegraphed plot and flat characterization deprive the film from being as disturbing as the acts on screen. I'm not a fan of the amateurish original, either, but I think I prefer it slightly to the remake just for its gritty, trashy, 70's vibe.


Beverly Hills Cop II (Tony Scott, 1987): I loved the first Beverly Hills Cop, which is one of the most fun, purely entertaining movies I've watched in awhile. Eddie Murphy's comedic chops and excellent improvisation made the original feel fresh and loose. In the original, the plot and action delivered when needed, but overall both aspects took a backseat to the comedy. As soon as I saw Tony Scott's name in the opening credits of this sequel, however, I groaned, fearing that he would play to his strengths as a director instead of Murphy's strengths as an actor, which is exactly what happened. The stakes are upped, the plot is bigger, the action scenes are much more extravagant, but all at a sacrifice to the effortless humor of the original. Sylvester Stallone was originally cast in the first film before Murphy came on board and took the film in a different direction. Apparently Tony Scott didn't get the memo, because Beverly Hills Cop II feels better suited to someone like Bruce Willis or Mel Gibson than Eddie Murphy. One of the best parts of the first film was the odd-couple partnership between Detectives Taggert and Rosewood. Their roles are greatly expanded in the sequel, which is a good thing, but the dynamic that worked so well in the first film-- their constant ribbing and the slow-developing friendship with Axle Foley-- is lost in the sequel since everyone's so chummy. Despite all the negatives, Beverly Hills Cop II still delivers plenty of entertainment, but it's a significant downgrade from the first film.


Weekend at Bernie's (Ted Kotcheff, 1989): Not the smartest or funniest, but still an enjoyable, humorous comedy nonetheless. It's basically a one-joke film, but the joke managed to keep me laughing. All the gags involving Bernie's dead body, whether it's the two protagonists constantly lugging around his corpse, or Bernie's body washing up on shore, or the kid buying the body in sand, or, my favorite, when Bernie's body is "water-skiing," were all very funny to me. Despite the dark subject matter involving corpses and blackmail and jokes about necrophilia and whatnot, the movie never feels like a black comedy, perhaps because of the sunny setting and the goofiness of the characters. Personally, I liked the dichotomy, although I can see how others might not. After hating Andrew McCarthy in the dreadful Mannequin, I thought he was actually the strongest member of the cast in Weekend at Bernie's (unless we're counting the corpse, that is). The other guy, Jonathan Silverman, was a little bland, and his obligatory romance with Catherine Mary Stewart is the weakest point of the movie. I think the one-joke premise would get old after a re-watch, but I enjoyed Weekend at Bernie's more than my rating suggests.


Resurrection (Daniel Petrie, 1980): A forgotten film about a woman who survives a devastating car wreck and discovers that she has the power to heal other people's serious ailments. I had never heard of this movie until it aired on one of the movie channels, but since it starred the phenomenally talented Ellen Burstyn, I decided to give it a chance. Burstyn was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in the film, which doesn't surprise me, since her tenderness, warmth and compassion is the only thing that keeps this overwrought drama afloat. Richard Farnsworth steals the show in a short scene. Sam Shepherd also gives a solid performance in a supporting role, getting the most out of his thinly drawn character. The movie touches on many themes and occasionally ventures into interesting territory, but the weak script hinders the movie's potential. I don't know if the movie is an adaptation or not, but the way the story unfolded reminded me of a director who is tasked with trying to condense a thick novel into a two-hour film by including all the significant plot points at the sacrifice of the emotional depth and complexity that makes those moments work. Key moments are glossed over. Important scenes don’t occur on screen. Characters experience sudden changes that aren’t explained and don’t make sense. If not for the strong performances, Resurrection would have remained dead-on-arrival.


The Last Boy Scout (Tony Scott, 1991): The absurd opening scene, where a professional football player pulls out a pistol and starts gunning down would-be tacklers on his way to the endzone, was f*cking hilarious to me. I'm sure the Packers wish they could have used that tactic this past Sunday. Unfortunately, that opening scene is the best part of the movie. My biggest problem with The Last Boy Scout is the nastiness of the characters. Everyone is so damn miserable and hateful in this film that it quickly put me in a bad mood. Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans aren't exactly Mel Gibson and Danny Glover from Lethal Weapon. Their lack of chemistry and the mean-spirited humor took a toll on my enjoyment. Things improve a little in the last thirty minutes, but overall The Last Boy Scout is a very unsatisfying film, especially given the combo of Tony Scott and Shane Black.


Rushmore (Wes Anderson, 1998): I don't recommend eating movies, but Wes Anderson's films are like cotton candy: pretty, fluffy, wispy, yet quick to dissolve. With the exception of The Life Aquatic, I've enjoyed all of his movies to varying degrees, but they rarely make much of an impact on me, instead leaving me with a sweet aftertaste that quickly fades. His delicate, quirky style tends to annoy me more often than it charms me. And his characters, although often endearing and likable, tend to resemble finely crafted gingerbread men more than actual human beings. All these things apply to Rushmore, too, but I enjoyed it while it lasted. Jason Schwartzman is one of my least favorite actors, but he was a perfect fit for the precocious protagonist. I found the humor funnier than in most of Anderson's other films. The hugely extravagant, Apocalypse Now-style school play was especially hilarious. I also really enjoyed the back-and-forth revenge tactics between Bill Murray and Schwartzman. Anderson's visual style isn't as pronounced as it has now become, but it's still uniquely his own. The soundtrack also stood out to me in a positive way. Rushmore is a good movie and there's not much that I can really criticize, but despite my overall enjoyment, I realized as soon as it was over that I had zero interest in ever re-visiting it.


She (Robert Day, 1965): I didn't expect She to be a good movie, but I at least expected something in the vein of One Million Years B.C.: cheesy, charming, brainless, old-fashioned fun with attractive women dressed in provocative outfits (or at least provocative by early 1960's standards), but instead I got a corny, boring, forgettable B-movie. Ursula Andress doesn't have the looks or sex appeal of Raquel Welch. "She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed" is supposed to possess great beauty despite being over 2,000 years old, but Andress has the personality and acting skills of a wooden plank, so she didn't do much for me. Nor did the movie. I had initially recorded the sequel, too, but I figured it would be just as big of a waste of time as this one, so I deleted it without watching it.


The Last Exorcism (Daniel Stamm, 2010): I tend to hate both exorcism films and found-footage films, so the chances of me liking The Last Exorcism were pretty slim, yet I found it to be surprisingly decent. The initial premise of a fraudulent reverend deciding to participate in a documentary exposing his ministry and the tricks he uses to fool people during his exorcisms makes for a solid entry point, even if it's obvious that the character's intentions -- to "expose" God, in a sense, due to the bitterness of losing a child -- will most likely backfire after encountering true evil, resulting in a renewed sense of faith. We've seen this same internal struggle play out in countless films, including The Last Exorcism's 1973 forefather, but just because it's familiar territory doesn't mean it isn't a worthwhile character arc. Since the documentary aspect is professionally done, the film mostly avoids the disorientating, distracting "shaky cam" that plagues most found-footage films. When it comes to supernatural horror, I respond favorably to films that keep things ambiguous, which is one of the biggest strengths of The Last Exorcism. It's unclear for the majority of the running time whether the subject is possessed or mentally ill, so the horror springs from chilling scenes of the girl wandering through the house at night instead of her head spinning 360-degrees on her body. Ashley Bell gave a good performance, embodying the innocence of the character, which, as a counterpart, makes the "possessed" scenes much more effective. I heard a lot of people complain about the ending when it was first released. I expected a lame twist. That moment arrives with maybe 10-15 minutes left in the film. Thankfully it was just a sleight of hand and not the cop-out conclusion I had feared. The closing scene is your typical found-footage cliché, but the moment before it, where the film goes for broke, caught me off guard for how over-the-top it is compared to everything that had come before it. Instead of turning me off, however, I admire its audacity. Overall, The Last Exorcism possesses too many flaws for me to call it a good film, but it's certainly much better than most films of its type.


My Dinner With Andre (Louis Malle, 1981): An entire film consisting of two middle-aged dudes-- one a playwright, the other a theater director-- having a long, meandering, pretentious conversation in an upscale restaurant. The dialogue is certainly well-written, but I struggled mightily to maintain my interest. Maybe if the conversation wasn't so one-sided or if I found the characters more interesting then I would've found the film more engaging. I think the dialogue would work better on the written page or in a play, but with the long takes and the lack of camera movement, I found my mind constantly wandering and losing the flow of the conversation. Like a good viewer, I'd rewind and catch up on what I missed, only to have my eyes glaze over a few minutes later and have to repeat the same process all over again. In short, this film is dull, dull, dull, DULL. If I was sitting at the same table as these two neurotic, button-down squares, I would've grabbed a fork and stabbed both of them in the throat just to get them to shut the hell up.


Edge of Tomorrow (Doug Liman, 2014): I was worried that the time loop premise of Edge of Tomorrow would quickly grow tiresome, much like it did in Source Code, but the script does a wonderful job of infusing humor into the situation and Liman's energetic direction manages the miraculous feat of keeping the repetitiveness consistently fresh and exciting. Emily Blunt can join the pantheon of bad ass movie bitches; her character is tough-as-nails, intimidating, yet still smoking hot. She and Cruise work well together on screen. The special effects look great. The pace never lets up. The movie is funny, tense, thrilling and action-packed. The premise feels original. The cop-out ending is a bummer, however; and the movie's plot relies almost solely on some gigantic plot holes that kind of ruin the cleverness of the movie in retrospect. Overall, though, I enjoyed Edge of Tomorrow quite a bit and as of right now it's the best summer blockbuster I've seen from 2014.

__________________

@ Spaulding - I totally agree about The Last Boy Scout. Everyone is just so damned mean-spirited in that flick. How about the final scene, where a man's house is blown up with a bomb in the middle of a city block, and all the characters and cops point and laugh? no one would make a scene like that today...just bad taste. "Haha - terrorism! Look, guys!! Chuckle Chuckle"

Meanwhile:

(Linklater, 2014)





I loved this movie. I am unsure if it is truly great, of if the boy's childhood just ran so closely to mine, that it was bound to affect me on an emotional level. The struggling single mom with a series of bad relationships, the constant moving about and enrolling in new schools, or the scene in the muscle car on a road trip listening to classic rock, although for me, it was my mother driving, and not an estranged father.

The unique thing about this film is the production. The film was shot over a number of years, as a boy grows from primary school age to manhood, using all the same actors. The viewer grows up with this kid, and to a lesser extent, his mother (Patricia Arquette), father (Ethan Hawke), and sister (Lorelei Linklater). I was drawn in, and for a while, became part of this family. The production method really lent something remarkable to this film, and I recommend it on the strengths of this concept alone.

Personally, I can't stop thinking about Boyhood. It hit me in places i didn't know existed within myself. Long-forgotten bike rides with buddies, getting into trouble, overhearing parental arguments, awkward encounters in Jr. High...the list goes on.

Some folks may find a collection of vignettes with no actual plot strung together over almost 3 hours to be directionless and boring, but it certainly worked for me. All those years and all those times; those long-lost boyhood times. Then again, what are our lives, if not our little story with the plotting constructed by our experience and loss, our love and our pain?

__________________

I call a film pretentious when it tries to be ''smart'' and complex but just fails.

Whiplash (2014) - not sure what all the fuss is about this film? The story is quite unique,I agree, and I like the different approach (it is a bit different from most ''inspirational'' movies) but the plot and dialogue is just full of cliches and I think the acting was a bit bad at times too. I would say , wouldn't watch again.

Boyhood (2014) - This film basically portrays a transformation from childhood to becoming an adult and it does it in the most simplistic way ever - just by showing basic daily routine of a young boy from 5 till 18 years old. Yet, the movie is effective in so many levels because it's easy to relate, it's very easy to follow and most importantly, it's just down-to-Earth. Once again, I was proven that simplicity is the key to a good film - no one is shoveling you preachy dialogues, hidden messages and cliche scenes so you can just relax and really get into the film.
I think the fact that the director decided to grow his actor in real life is quite amazing as well.
However, I feel a bit more disappointed with the second part of the film as I think it lost its way a bit. Childhood part had stronger story and , I think, an amazing portrayal of childhood innocence whereas the teenager part was pretty much the same thing they show in all films about teenagers.

__________________
"Anything less than immortality is a complete waste of time."

__________________
''Haters are my favourite. I've built an empire with the bricks they've thrown at me... Keep On Hating''
- CM Punk
http://threemanbooth.files.wordpress...unkshrug02.gif

Dont judge me please

DV needs to find new GIFs. There's a serious lack of variety in the ones he uses

__________________
Mubi

The Shootist (1976) - Don Siegel



The Wages of Fear (1953) - Henri-Georges Clouzot



Flight of the Phoenix (2004) - John Moore

+

Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) - Mike Newell



The Organizer (1963) - Mario Monicelli

-

Mean Streets (1973) - Martin Scorsese

-

Transformers (2007) - Michael Bay

-

Voyage to Cythera (1984) - Theodoros Angelopoulos


+

I liked it but some of the acting wasn't great and it stopped me from really connecting with it and as the movie went on I lost a bit of interest - so much so that I have no recollection of anything from the second half of the movie (watched it about a month ago). That could be my fault rather than the movie's.

Too late.

__________________
"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."

Taken 3 (2014, Olivier Megaton)

Everly (2014, Joe Lynch)

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (2014, Miguel Arteta)

The Interview (2014, Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen) - This is my third watching and this time on Netflix.

Boyhood (2014)
I enjoyed watching it, certainly an interesting way to make a film, but I'm not sure it was a masterpiece. Avoided some cliches, wasn't just a series of firsts, but failed to avoid others (all stepdads are drunken and abusive, for example). Very natural dialogue, I wonder how much was scripted and how much improvised.


X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Easily the best X-Men film. Never a dull moment. Nice balance of action and angst, I liked the personal struggles and issues of trust between main characters, but it did retread the same old ideas of 'should we fight the humans or show them we can live in peace'. Again. Also, I would have liked more humour.


Rust and Bone (2012)
I felt like this was well made but I didn't really like it. I don't think grit necessarily equals quality and I didn't like the main character. I thought Marion Cotillard's character was more interesting. Plus, it's Marion Cotillard so that's easily half a star more than it would otherwise get.


The Theory of Everything (2014)
This isn't the sort of film I would have sought out, but it was well made, not as straightforwardly shot as it might have been. Not quite enough science, perhaps. I liked the period detail. Eddie Redmayne was very good as Hawking. Also, Charlie Cox should be in more films.

I agree with you completely, I felt the film slowed down when it got to the portion where he becomes a teenager and became less unique.

Are You Here (Matthew Weiner, 2013)
Sherlock: Season 2 (tv) (2013)
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (Chris Columbus, 1992)

This is probably going to be an incredibly long post because I have been an absentee member this month. I would like to be January term (one intensive class taught for three weeks), but I've just been horribly lazy. xP I have, however, had a wonderful movie month with three new favorites. I have also come to the decision that I am a musical lover.



Horrible Bosses 2 (2014) -
I think I like this better than the original, but that is probably because Cristoph Waltz is in it and I haven't seen it a million times like the first one. The twists were predictable, but this movie is about laughter not suspense so whatever. I thought the car chase scene was really well done as well as the planning of the final scheme. I disliked that they made Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis' characters significantly stupider than they were in the first one. It occasionally got painful to listen to them talk. Overall an enjoyable comedy. Also, Chris Pine was surprisingly good.


Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) -
I never wanted to see this movie, but family choice wins out sometimes. I loved the Turtles growing up and this is just crap. I hated that they gave Donatello the most annoying voice and nerd glasses because he's the 'smart one'. Michelangelo annoyed me more than he made me laugh (granted he has never been my fav turtle). I did however like the look of Raph. Also, why why oh why Megan Fox? I feel bad about this, but I just can't take her seriously.


The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
I rewatched this the night before going to see Five Armies. I'm still not sure whether I like this one or the last best. I know there's a lot of negative feelings about The Hobbit Trilogy, but to be honest I think it's a lot of fun and well-made. I think that this trilogy makes Middle-Earth more accessible to the masses and is less dense than LotR (I mean they did split one book into three movies, I would hope so). Don't get me wrong, I love LotR. Anywho, about the actual movie. I love the humor, the dragon, the dil-I mean Bilbo, and the few dwarves that are allowed to have unique personalities.


The Hobbit: The Five Armies (2014)
A great ending to the trilogy. I think everything was wrapped up really nicely and sh*t that ending was great. I hate that Tauriel becomes less badass in love and Kili becomes more so. However, the Legolas-Tauriel-Kili triangle is really heart-warming to me. The fact that Legolas's love isn't jealous and he'd rather have Tauriel be happy than have her for himself is brilliant. Thorin's dragon sickness is the acting high-point of the movie and really well shot. The battle scenes were amazing and I loved the formations and different styles of the armies.


The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)
I loved the darkest entry in this series and I'd have to say it's my favorite at this point. Jennifer Lawrence's performance was something else and she really carried this move for me, even though I didn't agree with some of Katniss's actions in this movie.


Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)
Rewatch. I enjoy this movie probably more than I should. Just an enjoyable piece of fluff with Lindsey Lohan pre-crazy which usually works for me.


Unbroken (2014) +
This was a movie I was pumped to see and that probably is why I enjoyed it so much. So many elements that work well for me: Angelina Jolie, true story, human triumph, and POW stuff. Good visual transitions, pretty shots, and an interesting story. The sadism of the camp commander seemed a bit unrealistic at times, but I found the relationship between him and the lead very unique and well-written.


Nell (1994)
I have always loved this movie probably because of my interest in the concept of feral/wild children. Liam Neeson and Jodie Foster obviously get props for their performances. My only complaint would have to be the courtroom scene at the end, I just can't suspend my disbelief as Liam 'talks' for Nell.


Wolf Children (2012)
I watched this because cricket has been promoting it and I think we have similar tastes. I think this probably would have made my animation list had I seen it in time. The animation style has a simple beauty to it and some of the visuals are very unique for animation. The story is no slouch either and the development of the children was fun to watch. Side note: my brother looks so similar to Ame and I couldn't get that out of my head while watching this. I loved the Eastwood-esque old man and the mother.


Singin' In the Rain (1952)
Instant favorite. There is just a glee to this movie. The songs are all great and the choreography is spot on and the performances of the three leads is perfect. My history buff and my affection for movies were very happy watching this movie. Musicals were very big when talking pictures got their start and making a musical about that time is a great concept. I look forward to seeing Gene Kelly in more pictures.

Vampire Academy (2014)
I just needed something fun-seeming to watch. This filled that need. The dialogue was trying too hard, but the concept of the movie was unique.


Frequencies (2013)
Interesting concept, great presentation. I thought this was really well done and it kept me intrigued the entire running time. I still don't quite like the resolution, but I think a rewatch might help me grasp it better. The last conversation of the movie and immediate ending were brilliant. The lead actress is talented.


Hick (2011) +
Great movie, made me feel feelings. I don't know if I can look at Eddie Redmayne the same way after seeing this. I like movies that feature young people (particularly women) dealing with bad situations and this is a well-executed one. Colorful characters, good dialogue, and pacing. Chloe Grace Moretz continued her streak of good performances (Let Me In, Hugo) and I look forward to following her career. Alec Baldwin makes a nice little appearance in the end. Also, I don't know where in Nebraska Luli (Moretz) is supposed to be from, but there is a Southern feel to this movie that I don't understand, but maybe she roadtrips farther than I feel like she does. (I've lived in Nebraska for most of my life..soo)

Into the Woods (2014)
I'm on a musical kick now so I thought I'd watch this. Good looking film, loved Red Riding Hood, the Baker, and the Witch. I really hated Johnny Depp's costume in this. The songs were good, but I kind of felt like the majority of them sounded the same. The endings of some of the threads were great twists.


Blue Car (2002)
New favorite. I highly recommend this movie and I don't think many have seen it as I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere. I relate to the protagonist so much. Her AP English teacher (David Strathairn) takes an interest in her and begins to mentor her for a poetry contest which holds its finals in Florida. Her parents are divorced, her mother is overworked and neglectful, and her little sister is having mental problems. All parts are played wonderfully, the little sister and the teacher's wife deserve special mention. Beautiful symbolism is employed and the slow seduction of Meg by the pathetic Mr. Auster reminds you that evil isn't only committed by monsters. The ending poem is stunning.

The Human Stain (2003)
Great acting, weird story, and makes you think. Something is missing that would make me really like it.

Big Hero 6 (2014)
Watched for the Oscars of course. The robot was great. I saw the villain eons away, but that's a common problem for me. The relationship between Hero and his brother and then the robot were well fleshed out and moving. Do I think this is better than The Lego Movie? No <<


Moulin Rouge! (2001)
New favorite. I wasn't sure at first that I was going to like the quick camera style, but I warmed up to it. Some wonderful song mash-ups and renditions. I have been listening to "The Show Must Go On" on repeat since I saw it last week. 'Like a Virgin" has never been so good.

Spy Kids (2001)
Rewatched this childhood movie with a friend. I still enjoy it, but it isn't anything really special. The gadgets rock though.

So you like films with "sensual goat rape?"