Re: Movies you've seen recently (possible spoilers!)

SenorSwanky Sun Apr 25, 2010 8:13 am

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. Really cute. Lots of chemistry between the leads, and a great ensemble cast with cameos from several SNL cast members and members of the usual Judd Apatow troupe.

operafantomet Fri May 07, 2010 6:42 am

"Couples retreat"

Hmm, good enough cast and all, and I thought the beginning was promising. But the actual movie bored me. The stuff on the island they went to just didn't work. With the right yoga/therapy people it could have been great, but as it is now this movie just never clicked with me.

LadyCDaae Fri May 07, 2010 1:13 pm

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Very interesting visually (Terry Gilliam's mind is a nice place to visit, but I'm not sure I'd want to live there), but muddled--I had to read an online synopsis to get some of the plot points. Heath Ledger was good, although the Joker is by far a more memorable "final" role.

~LCD

IamErik771 Sat May 08, 2010 8:10 pm

Watched Nine last night, and I quite enjoyed it. I've never seen the stage version (or even heard a cast recording all the way through), but I thought the actors all did a great job. Loved the editing between the "musical" and "real-life" segments, as well as the use of black-and-white in certain scenes. It's not an instant classic in the way that Chicago was, nor could it ever replace 8 1/2. Still, I thought it made for an enjoyable film.

SenorSwanky Sun May 09, 2010 3:05 pm

operafantomet wrote:"Couples retreat"

Hmm, good enough cast and all, and I thought the beginning was promising. But the actual movie bored me. The stuff on the island they went to just didn't work. With the right yoga/therapy people it could have been great, but as it is now this movie just never clicked with me.

See, I thought the yoga and therapy sessions were some of the best parts of the movie.

SenorSwanky Tue May 11, 2010 6:42 am

Iron Man 2. Like many superhero sequels, it's overstuffed with characters and plotlines, and it starts out messily and unevenly, but quickly gets up to speed and then takes you on a crazy ride whether you want to or not. You end up having the time of your life. I love how this film expands the scope to a broader world with more complex issues. And while it also expands the dazzling special effects, the best scenes remain the brilliant, quiet exchanges between the characters, who are perfectly cast and perfectly written. From top to bottom, these are the performances of these actors' lives, and they are clearly enjoying it. Downey, Rourke, Rockwell, Favreau, and Paltrow all steal the show. Scarlet Johansson isn't given much in terms of character, but she does a lot with very little, which can also be said, to an even greater extent, with Rourke, who has maybe two whole pages of scripted lines in the entire movie but does so much with a glance or a gesture. Favreau continues to show that he is a genius, the perfect creative choice for this franchise. This stands in a growing line of superhero sequels that are better than the first, joining Spider-Man 2, X2, The Dark Knight, and, to some extent, Superman 2. I can't wait for Thor, Captain America (despite the huge blunder of casting Chris Evans instead of any number of little-known actors I could have named who would have been better), and The Avengers.

Viscountess Sun May 16, 2010 7:42 pm

Iron Man 2- I LOVED IT. Scarlett Johansson had some of the awesomest fight scenes ever choreographed. And in the vein of more serious comments, I thought the plot was very well done. It was relatable... or as relatable as it could be being a movie about fighting robots and armor.

LadyCDaae Mon May 17, 2010 2:50 am

Finally got around to seeing Avatar. Visually it was very impressive (even on the small screen, it must have been amazing in theaters), but the story was very hit-and-miss for me. There were so many potential issues and ideas that weren't fully explored, and a lot of black-and-white characterization (the only thing Giovanni Ribisi was missing was a mustache to twirl). Still, worth watching for the effects and some decent performances by Zoe Saldana and the always wonderful Sigourney Weaver.

~LCD

IamErik771 Tue May 18, 2010 4:52 pm

Iron Man 2. Superb in terms of plot, characters, and (of course) the action sequences. I'm not sure if I'd call it better than the first overall, but it was certainly on a much bigger scale. Don Cheadle made a good replacement for Rhodey, and all the new players - Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, and Scarlett Johansson - fit right in with the rest of the cast and with their characters in general. The director's "bigger-than-a-cameo" role was also quite entertaining. And of course, I loved all the lead-ins to Marvel's future projects. (Hint to those who haven't seen it yet: Stay until after the credits.)

SenorSwanky Tue May 25, 2010 7:26 am

IAmErik771 wrote:The director's "bigger-than-a-cameo" role was also quite entertaining.

Favreau played Happy Hogan in the first as well.

And of course, I loved all the lead-ins to Marvel's future projects. (Hint to those who haven't seen it yet: Stay until after the credits.)

Yeah, that's one really cool thing about Marvel financing its own films now--they can build their own film universe rather than having self-contained universes set around just the X-Men or just Spider-Man, etc. I actually thought the post-credits scene this time wasn't quite as cool as Sam Jackson's cameo in the first film, though. What it revealed was cool and had me giddy and feeling in-the-know for what was coming, but it was a bit anti-climactic because you kind of expected it to be something like that, whereas I didn't expect Sam Jackson to show up as Nick Fury in the first Iron Man.

IamErik771 Tue May 25, 2010 5:19 pm

SenorSwanky wrote:Favreau played Happy Hogan in the first as well.

Ah, ok... I hadn't noticed that for some reason.

Yeah, that's one really cool thing about Marvel financing its own films now--they can build their own film universe rather than having self-contained universes set around just the X-Men or just Spider-Man, etc. I actually thought the post-credits scene this time wasn't quite as cool as Sam Jackson's cameo in the first film, though. What it revealed was cool and had me giddy and feeling in-the-know for what was coming, but it was a bit anti-climactic because you kind of expected it to be something like that, whereas I didn't expect Sam Jackson to show up as Nick Fury in the first Iron Man.

That's true... The thing they showed was kind of expected, especially for those keeping up with what other projects Marvel is working on. I think a certain other reference during the main part of the film got me even giddier, though that might be because a certain someone spoiled the post-credits one for me. Laughing

I watched The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus last night. For some reason, I had never really paid attention to Terry Gilliam's non-Python work before, but I thought this film was fantastic. Very surreal, and although I don't think this was nearly as memorable a "final role" for Heath Ledger as his Joker was, he was still great, as were the actors who took over for certain segments. Loved Christopher Plummer as "Parny" as well.

SenorSwanky Wed May 26, 2010 4:20 am

IAmErik771 wrote:I think a certain other reference during the main part of the film got me even giddier

Yes! Loved how Tony used it, too, like it was just scrap metal. Laughing

I'm really worried about the Cap film, though. Chris Evans was a great Human Torch, but I can't see him as Cap. I could name at least five other little-known actors who would've been better.

operafantomet Tue Jun 08, 2010 7:40 am

Sex and the City 2
This is a bad movie. I say this as a major fan of the TV series and the first movie. The TV series had more sting and more connection between Carrie's writings and her real life actions. It had a soul, it had a story to tell. But then again, it also had time to develop the characters, and more freedom in how to portray them. The first movie may have lacked some of the sting, but it had a charm of its own, and was a nice link between past (TV series) and the movie.

THIS movie, on the other hand, doesn't really have a story to tell, and for the most it totally lacks charm. For the first time ever I wanted to strangle Carrie. What a nagging wimp. And the others? Had it not been for the Samantha character I would have fallen asleep. The Aidan part? So much potential, not used at all. Give us something, or leave him out. Pointless. And if they really wanted to display the arab world in a nuanced/positive way, they should have decided to do just that and not pour out all the clichées. One minute with "oh, cool arabian chicks" in the end just ain't enough. 2,5 hours to tell this story is waaaay too long. They could have made a cool 1 hour episode out of it, or possibly a nice 1,5 hour movie. But as of now, there's too much "dead meat".

There were things I did enjoy, but overall this just isn't a good movie. And I say that as a fan.

Prince of Persia
Another snoozer. Talk about never getting to the point. It's one of those classic "out heros are so close to the goal, they're almost there, and now it's time for that looooooooooong chat about emotions or whatever that makes the bad guys win... again... if only temporarily". I lost count on how many times that happened.

As SATC 2, there were things I enjoyed. The game graphic, for example. I could totally imagine myself with a console in my hand. And it was for the most a pretty movie to watch. But it took forever to get to the point, and there were some seriously misplaced humour in the middle and second half. Like, what???!?!?!?? Ostrich, that's all I'll say.

Paula74 Tue Jun 08, 2010 12:58 pm

Yonkers Joe. I found it very, very boring. Partly because I don't really give a fig about gambling and dice games. And partly because the pace of the film seemed very slow.

Also, caught part of Requiem For A Dream again. Such a horribly disturbing movie and one I really don't want to ever sit through again.

LadyCDaae Tue Jun 08, 2010 1:17 pm

The Young Victoria. Gorgeous, gorgeous period piece with a strong cast.

~LCD

Becky Tue Jun 08, 2010 10:43 pm

Paula74 wrote:Also, caught part of Requiem For A Dream again. Such a horribly disturbing movie and one I really don't want to ever sit through again.

I've seen it once, and as much as I liked it, I don't know that I'd want to sit through it again either. Very difficult to watch.

LadyCDaae Sat Jun 12, 2010 1:20 pm

Nine. Obviously Marshall is trying very hard to recreate what he had with Chicago, and sometimes it works (the opening sequence and "Be Italian" were very good), but it's very uneven (then again, so is the source material). As far as "famous actors trying to sing" goes, the cast does fairly well, although Daniel Day-Lewis' voice did nothing for me (making it a blessing in disguise that two of Guido's best songs, "Only For You" and "The Bells of St. Sebastian's," got cut).

~LCD

SenorSwanky Mon Jun 21, 2010 9:48 am

Shutter Island. Excellent. Not what I expected, but very well done on the part of the screenwriter, Scorsese, and the entire cast. Its plot twists, setting, and directorial style gave it a really old-school feel, like a Hitchcock or a Suspense radio show.

phantomphan1992 Mon Jun 21, 2010 6:51 pm

Toy Story 3- If you grew up on the first two movies, you'll love it. If you loved Up, you'll love it (you'll also cry if you cried during up, so bring tissues). I saw it in 3D, which, to be honest, wasn't particularly impressive. There were a handful of parts, like the opening sequence, that really blew me away, but for most of the movie, the 3D was hardly noticeable. As for the story, in my opinion, it was a perfect close to the story (so let's pray there's not a fourth).

ML6 Mon Jun 21, 2010 7:30 pm

phantomphan1992 wrote:Toy Story 3- If you grew up on the first two movies, you'll love it. If you loved Up, you'll love it (you'll also cry if you cried during up, so bring tissues). I saw it in 3D, which, to be honest, wasn't particularly impressive. There were a handful of parts, like the opening sequence, that really blew me away, but for most of the movie, the 3D was hardly noticeable. As for the story, in my opinion, it was a perfect close to the story (so let's pray there's not a fourth).

I love 2 more than 1, mainly because of the script for 2 and the humor between Buzz and Woody. Smile

But I watched 3 last night as well! And all though I cried at the end, I didn't like it as much as I liked 2. It was a perfect close to the series (if they so close it). But looking over all the Toy Story films, I loved 2 the best. And I still do.

phantomphan1992 Mon Jun 21, 2010 7:42 pm

ML6 wrote:I love 2 more than 1, mainly because of the script for 2 and the humor between Buzz and Woody.

But I watched 3 last night as well! And all though I cried at the end, I didn't like it as much as I liked 2. It was a perfect close to the series (if they so close it). But looking over all the Toy Story films, I loved 2 the best. And I still do.

I agree. The second is my favorite. But the third one was still very good.

SenorSwanky Mon Jun 21, 2010 8:48 pm

Is anyone else sick of 3D? I haven't seen any movies in 3D, but it's just become even more of a gimmick than it was already. What, are we in Ed Wood's 50s?

phantomphan1992: My dad sold Josh Hamilton his first car after the Rays drafted him. Hamilton was a high school star in this area.

PhantomAngel777 Mon Jun 21, 2010 8:57 pm

SenorSwanky wrote:Is anyone else sick of 3D? I haven't seen any movies in 3D, but it's just become even more of a gimmick than it was already. What, are we in Ed Wood's 50s?

phantomphan1992: My dad sold Josh Hamilton his first car after the Rays drafted him. Hamilton was a high school star in this area.

I've always been Rolling Eyes

about 3D. So I refuse to feed into it. I rarely go to the movies, and I especially avoid something if it's in 3D.

I want a well written, worthwhile and beautiful story. As soon as they knock it off with the sequel/remake stuff as well, we'll be all the better.

As for the last movie I did see in theatres, I saw SatC 2 when visiting my cousin a few weeks ago. I did not enjoy it. The first movie was way better. SatC 2 was filled with the lamest, cheesiest most obnoxious "jokes".

SenorSwanky Mon Jun 21, 2010 9:04 pm

I'm all for sequels and remakes if they're actually good. It seems like most second editions of superhero franchises are better than the first (Spider-Man 2, Dark Knight, X2, Iron Man 2, in some ways Superman 2).

phantomphan1992 Mon Jun 21, 2010 9:11 pm

SenorSwanky wrote:phantomphan1992: My dad sold Josh Hamilton his first car after the Rays drafted him. Hamilton was a high school star in this area.

That is so cool.

Actually, I just reread his book, and he mentioned that car, I believe.

But back to the 3D. I don't have any real problem with it, as long as the 3D adds to the overall effect of the film. I've actually only seen two movies in 3D (well, three, if you count the Hannah Montana concert movie I went to see with my little cousin, but I'm still trying to forget that one): Toy Story 3 and How to Train Your Dragon. The latter was actually pretty cool in 3D.

ML6 Mon Jun 21, 2010 9:32 pm

So, my OTHER film I saw? Prince of Persia! HOLY ... I think Jake and I are going to be sekrit lovers. I didn't think I'd like it as much as I did, but I hope there is going to be a second one. That is the most guiltiest pleasure film to date. I think he looked quite close for Dastian without being Arabic. And I loved that he did his own stunts.

phantomphan1992 Mon Jun 21, 2010 9:36 pm

ML6 wrote:So, my OTHER film I saw? Prince of Persia! HOLY ... I think Jake and I are going to be sekrit lovers. I didn't think I'd like it as much as I did, but I hope there is going to be a second one. That is the most guiltiest pleasure film to date. I think he looked quite close for Dastian without being Arabic. And I loved that he did his own stunts.

I saw it and, to be honest, wasn't too crazy about it. It was a good film over all, but something about it didn't sit well with me.

ML6 Mon Jun 21, 2010 10:51 pm

phantomphan1992 wrote:
ML6 wrote:So, my OTHER film I saw? Prince of Persia! HOLY ... I think Jake and I are going to be sekrit lovers. I didn't think I'd like it as much as I did, but I hope there is going to be a second one. That is the most guiltiest pleasure film to date. I think he looked quite close for Dastian without being Arabic. And I loved that he did his own stunts.
I saw it and, to be honest, wasn't too crazy about it. It was a good film over all, but something about it didn't sit well with me.

Yeah, something didn't sit well with me, either. I think the only thing that I was a bit iffy on was character development. It just seemed like a pretty straightforward story. But I've seen WORSE adaptations. (Super Mario Bros? Pirates of the Caribbean) This one actually made me pleased. I'm hoping that now they got the basics out of the way, the other films will be more fuller and with much more character development. Gotta get me some Dastian.

Viscountess Mon Jun 21, 2010 11:50 pm

Valentine's Day- I was surprised at how much I ended up adoring this movie. I mean, when it first came out, it wasn't something I even bothered reading the movie spoiler for. Yesterday, I ended up watching it and it's really just lovely.

Possible Spoilers:

My favorite part was Garner's character's hilarious tirade at the restaurant and pretty much every single one of Bradley Cooper's scenes, especially the last one.

SenorSwanky Tue Jun 22, 2010 4:56 pm

phantomphan1992 wrote:Actually, I just reread his book, and he mentioned that car, I believe.

Really? I'll have to check that out at some point.

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