Movies you've seen recently (possible spoilers!)

Saw Secretariat a couple of days ago. For anyone familiar with the Meadow Farm Stables, you might have a hard time watching the film due to the historical inaccuracies and omissions. Any mention of the stable's successes with 1972 Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner, Riva Ridge (and Angle Light's win in the 1973 Wood Memorial over stablemate Secretariat), are completely omitted in order to make it a more rags-to-riches tale. But for the uneducated, it is a fun film. Race scenes are well shot, and the equine actors were well chosen, but those educated horsemen out there, be prepared for the typical horse movie errors. Was a bit annoyed how most of the call on Secretariat's sensational Belmont win was drowned out by music, but oh well. It's a film marketed toward horse crazy kids, and in that aspect it's great. I still enjoyed it and had a few good laughs.

SenorSwanky wrote:

Raphael wrote:

TheFinnishPhantom wrote:
As for the Alice, I remember how Burton ranted about the lack of emotion of the original book and the well-known Disney adaption, but in my opinion he didn't succeed in the emotional side of the film. It was visually great, and I think that Burton was all dazzled by the sparkly new 3D-technology. Sorry for the (probably) bad English.

Burton's films can be a visual treat, but more often than not, I find them to be lacking in well-developed characters.

R.

Yeah, his latest works are pretty soulless, though I think it worked for Alice because it's such a trip, not meant to be realistic (and the scenes that actually did take place in reality were actually well done, character-wise, I thought). But Edwards Scissorhands, at least, is a masterpiece, and you really feel for Edward--the only non-human character in the film is the one you most connect to.

I absolutely adored Edward Scissorhands when that movie came out! I think I was 11 years old, and I made my family see it in the theatres with me 4 or 5 times (which seemed like a lot at the time!). I had posters up on my walls and t-shirts - the whole thing. I still have a soft spot for it. Truly excellent film!

I saw again

Reversal of Fortune again, with Jeremy Irons and Glenn Close, 2 fantastic performances, about the odd life and coma of Sonny Von Bulow

Big with Tom Hanks a sweet, funny, warm, movie with a lot of heart

Just saw The Social Network. Not quite sure how it got such good reviews here. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't terrific either. It was also too long and some of it was just plain boring.

"Politiki kouzína" (English title: A Touch of Spice)

I picked up some random movies at Athens airport. Wanted some Greek movies, but had to go for those with English subtitles. I choose whatever they had for €5. One of them was the above mentioned movie. And I absolutely adored it!

It has a hint of French "Amelie", and a dash of Italian "Vita e bella", and tells the story of how Greeks living in what became Turkey suddenly was deported in the 1920s. Never mind that their had lived there for centuries. They were Greek (I.E. christians). The same happened on Greek side - Turks living in what became Greek areas was deported. They were Turks (I.E. muslims). In practice they were sent away from their homeland because of religion, and was considered strangers in both countries. Some 1,5 millions christians were deported from Turkey, and some 500,000 muslims from Greece. This is still a sensitive issue in both Greece and Turkey (and partially why they're still bitter enemies, you can read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_exchange_between_Greece_and_Turkey ).

For this reason I was surprised to find a movie not only having this as starting point, but also handling it so well! Cause the perspective is food... cooking... the kitchen... it's bitter sweet, yes (pun intended), but handled beautifully. And food really is international. The movie is partially in Greek and English, and a bit in Turkish. It explains the modern name on Constantinople: "Istanbul", slang for "is tin polis": to the city. THE city for many Greeks is - or was - Konstantinopolis. Greeks had lived there since the early middle ages.

The movie has beautiful visuals (especially the "secret" loft and the Istanbul parts), excellent cast, and just a darn good story to tell. It might be one of my new favourite movies. I need to see it again to see if I was overly sentimental or if it actually is that good....

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0378897/

Yet again Sleepless in Seattle with Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, a sweet and warm love story, if you have never seen it see it

BRAVEHEART.

I love Braveheart, Mel Gibson at his best, moving film,

Just came back from the TRON NIGHT2010, I got to see twenty minutes of the new Tron film (plus, I got some goodies!).

I am so excited. This movie is going to be an amazing sequel. The graphics, the story, everything about this film brings back my childhood. Plus, it felt great to be among my fellow geeks, and I was happy to see two people dressed up was Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde characters!

"The Emigrants" / "The New Land".

Basically, it's the 1970s movie adaption of the novel which is basis for the musical "Kristina från Duvemåla". Knowing the musical very well, and knowing the movies were from the 70s I didn't expect too much. Elder costume dramas tend to make me cringe... And for the first couple of scenes I missed music, and even caught myself in humming the appropriate songs from the musical version.

But then... But then I was totally captured. Why? By what? I dunno. Max von Sydow and Liv Ullman are great lead roles, and is probably part of the reason why I was totally won over. They capture the characters so well. But I also liked the highly realistic and totally unsentimental story telling. If something is bad, it's shown as bad as it is. If something is idyllic, it's idyllic, without making a point of it. I was also so fascinated by all the small authentic details, like chapped lips and damaged teeth, and not once did I think "OMG 70s". It was also interesting to see what parts the movie emphasized and what the stage musical focus on. Like the elaborate wedding scene from the musical - it's not even mentioned in the movie. Which in a way was cool. It wasn't folkloric romance, it was strong story telling.

It was also interesting to see how much I loved (and understood) the role of the younger brother Robert. I despise him in the musical, I always skip the parts he's in. That is not at all related to the actor or to his songs, which are all fine. It's how the role is presented, he bugs me to no end. Movie Robert, on the other hand, is quite another story. I just understood him so much better. And the visuals to tell his story are so good.

It also made me realize how well off we Scandinavians are not compared to just 150 (heck, even 50) years ago. Seeing the emigrants being met by the exact same attitudes and prejudice we meet immigrants with in Scandinavia today.... Ouch. How easy we forget. And how much the USA has changed, both for better and worse.

Seriously, whether you like the musical version or not, see these movies. I loved them, and I totally didn't expect to. Good story telling, fantastic cast, and interesting to see how modern USA came to be.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067919/

Polanki's Rosemary's Baby. Caught it on TV in the early hours of the morning. Unsettling.

Having a Halloween party at mine tomorrow night...thinking of screaming some classic silents. Nosferatu, Das Cabinet des Dr Caligari and maybe some Universal monster films.

Agora (2009)

Tells of the city of Alexandria in the fourth century, and the life and work of the philosopher and astronomer Hypatia. I loved the first half of the movie, beautiful visuals and interesting cast. But I thought the second half drowned in the pathos and Hollywood clichées. A pity, it could have been a lot more powerful if it didn't insist on painting the story with such a broad brush...

Still, worth seeing and not at all a bad movie.

Scorp, I did have a marathon of horror films, Nosferatu, with Max Shrek, and Nosferatu with Klaus Kinski, both have a scary eerie creepy vibe.

on the lighter side Ghostbusters a can't miss comedy that goes fast

Trolljegeren (The Troll Hunter) (2010)

Bloody brilliant! OMG I loved this movie. Blair Witch paranoia meets Norwegian panoramic nature and a solid dose of fairytale trolls. And a solid dash of humour too. A bit mockumentary in style. I was soooo entertained, and it was also so well made (the trolls in particular). I would be surprised if it's not 1. distributed abroad, or 2. revived as a Hollywood remake. I can't believe no-one has thought of this troll concept before.

Speaking of which, I've heard there is a "The Troll Hunter" in making in the USA, but I don't think it's the same concept.

Official English trailer for the 2010 movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4PGFODxiJc

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1740707/

OHMYGOODNESS.

Megamind is FANTASTIC!!! Don't walk, grab you're jet pack and go mach 5 to get to the nearest theater. This movie is so layered and amazing. Everyone does a great job vocally and all the nerd/superhero/comic book/marlin brando jokes are phenomenal.


WARNING: SPOILER IS FULL OF SPOILERS

Spoiler:

It's an amazing all star cast, and as I said SO LAYERED and original. The only thing is you HAVE to see it in 3D. I saw it in the regular dimensions and several parts of the movie are blurry and gave me and my companions a headache. This movie was obviously made FOR 3D and needs to be seen that way. (I'm seeing it again on Sunday and I plan on seeing it in 3D)

If you're a geek like me, you'll love it. If you're an intellectual like my mother you'll also love it. If you're a "norm" like my sister you'll love it. This movie is for everyone.

Grown Ups. Pretty terrible. Hardly a laugh in the whole thing. What a waste of a cast.

Also couldn't get through either Cop Out or Get Him to the Greek. Neither one was worth the hype (whatever hype there was for the former).

Northanger Abbey (1986 version)

Northanger Abbey is maybe Jane Austen's darkest novel. Film adaptions, however, vary. The story describes our heroine's meeting with Northanger Abbey and the family that lives there, and Jane Austen does a mild parody on the Gothic novels of Radcliffe and Shelley. The frame story is as we expect from Austen, but the heroine often depicts herself as one of the ladies in the Gothic novels.

Some emphasize that it's all in the imagination of Catherine, our heroine. Which it is. But this 1986 creates a nice play between fantasy and reality. The fantasy parts, which overlaps well with reality, was darker and more dramatic than other versions I've seen. Katherine Schlesinger as Catherine was a good match - a typical English beauty with large, expressive eyes and distinct facial features. She came across as genuine. Peter Firth as Henry Tilney is also a good choice. He's more enigmatic than other Tileny's I've seen, he both encourage and contradicts Catherine's imagination.

I liked this adaption, maybe because it had another atmosphere than other versions I've seen. The focus was not on flirts and frocks (though they don't escape the 80's love of frizzy hair and curls...), but on the potential dark drama. However, the intrigues of our heroine's brother and fiancée and friends were only just presented. I would have wished to see more of them. On the other hand, it allowed the story to focus on Catherine, Henry and the Northanger Abbey.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091649/

The other Boleyn girl (2003 BBC version)

Erm.... huh? Having seen the disappointing 2008 movie adaption with Portman/Johansson previously, I was sure BBC would grasp the book/story a bit better. But WTF?! Maybe I should appreciate their attempt of making it up-to-date, but featuring it as a reality TV show, where Mary and Anne talk into the camera in private settings? It felt like seeing Big Brother anno the 1530s, which I think was the intention, but it just felt odd. And instead of showing Anne's execution, we get clips of modern-day Tower of London and modern-day tourists? Erm, if you say so...

And like the 2008 movie, I don't think they succeeded in finding a suitable Anne and Mary. In the 2008 version, they should definitely have swapped the roles. Natalie Portman as miss sexy and Scarlett Johansson as the wall flower? I think not. In the 2003 BBC version, they were simply too similar. I forgot who was who. Actually, I don't think any of the actors were memorable, possibly with the exception of Jared Harris as king Henry VIII.

Why is it so hard to get this novel right? You need a good Anne, a good Mary, a good king and a certain budget. Oh, and a director who's not overly creative. The BBC version was just odd. Up-to-date in a forced way. Not bad, just... odd.

http://www.amazon.com/Other-Boleyn-Girl-2003-Version/dp/B00114XM04

Finally got to see to see the restored version of Fritz Lang's Metropolis.

I've seen Metropolis many times before, but my copy was a very grainy, jerky VHS copy with a terrible cheesy 80s-style synthesizer score. Despite that, I've always loved the film itself...and I was Robot Maria for Halloween one year.

When I read a news article two years ago, I was very excited that some 25 minutes of lost footage had been found and would be restored to the movie.

The restored version was released earlier this year, but I only just had a chance to see it last night. It was so worth the wait. The quality of the picture was so much better, even the grainier segments that were edited back in. The missing footage definitely expanded the story and filled in several gaps...at the same time, it made certain elements of the story even more enigmatic. Certain themes tied together better...like the statues of the Seven Deadly Sins in the Cathedral coming to life relating to Robot Maria...seemed clearer.

And...for a movie made in 1927...it still impresses me visually and technically.

Highly recommended Working Girl with Harrsion Ford, Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver, a good movie

If you haven't seen The Kids are All Right, see it. Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska, and the rest of the small ensemble cast are just unbeliveable. We're all familiar with the problems of our own lives, but how do you do justice to messy, complicated, awkward, tense, dysfunctional, normal reality? Somehow they have. It takes immense talent to pull it off because if it rings untrue, it fails. But it's so affecting--it makes you tense, depressed, and confused, but like in real life, there are moments of truth and happiness, and it reminds you that you have to take joy in the little things. It's very heavy, so if you can take it, I highly recommend it. Probably not something to watch late at night like I did though.

saw the Hours, a depressing film with Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, good performances but slow and depressing.

Also saw again funny movies Grumpy Old Men and Grumpier Old Men, funny, warm and sometimes vulgar

ladygodiva wrote:Also saw again funny movies Grumpy Old Men and Grumpier Old Men, funny, warm and sometimes vulgar

I love those movies. I watched the first one right before Christmas, and I usually watch Grumpier at least once a year.

I saw Tron at a big cinema in Leicester Sq. Empire, I think, really big, beautiful auditorium.

I liked it and was surprised to read later that it'd been so badly panned by critics. Girl I was with didn't like it either, nor do most of my friends who've seen it.

It has a sort of epic feel about it, in terms of scope. Great atmosphere, really immersive sound & visuals.

But I think you'd have to see it in 3D with surround-sound in a cinema to enjoy it. would probably pale badly on a TV at home.

"Due Date" in a bizarrely small (4 rows) auditorium in the same cinema today. Funny in places, more like a series of sketches linked by a road-movie theme. Enjoyable, though.

Tron: The Legacy

Erm... This movie was like Avatar. Perfect, really, and impressive, and many layers. Incredibly well made. Nice nods to the 80s (I nearly died of laughter of the line "I am NOT you father"). Good cast. Everyone I saw it with seemed to love it too. But still it left me rather cold. Just like Avatar.



Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Threader

Some sweet and impressive moments, but overall a dull movie. I think the over-emphasis on ethics and the parallelles to Christianity irks me. I know "the big battle" and good VS evil is the standard ingredients in most fairytale movies, but sometimes I wish for more failytale and less "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO LEARN SOMETHING FROM THIS!!!".



V (2009 TV series)

Yet another remake of an 80s cult classic. Or rather a re-interpretation. Basically, aliens visits the Earth, quite openly, and tells of their friendly ways. They come in peace. Always. Or do they? The group called "Fifth Column" is not convinced. I'm glad the nazi vibes from the original is toned down, but instead they've brought up the war on terror. So far it works. I loved how all of the new V(isitor)s are pretty in an almost artificial way, opposed to the more alive humans. I have watched season one so far, and I am totally hooked. Bring on season 2!

Dinner for Schmucks. Eh, had its moments. But really uneven. Didn't seem to know what it wanted to be. I usually really like Steve Carell and particularly Paul Rudd, but they were kind of hamstrung by the script here. Zack Galifiniakis was really hilarious in a bit role.

The Social Network. I'm a big fan of David Fincher and particularly Aaron Sorkin, but while the dialogue was expectedly witty, I just wasn't as in love with the film as a whole as a lot of people seem to be.

I saw both HP Deathly Hallows pt 1 and Season of the Witch yesterday.

I really enjoyed HP. It's getting pretty dark now. Though half the film seemed to be some sort of magical camping trip... Still well worth seeing, I think.

Season of the Witch, though. Shockingly bad... Almost parodic. Medieval crusaders with broad modern-American accents and idiom. Plot as deep as a puddle. No idea how Nicholas Cage gets himself involved with films like this, he was brilliant in Bad Leutenant.

has anyone seen Black Swan, or the Rite, I have not actually been to a movie theater for a couple years now and I want to go and forget my troubles, if you have seen them or one would you reccommend either.