Anyway, I have the "Indiana Jones Trilogy" on DVD, and I've lately been ripping my movies to .mp4's... and I didn't rip Temple of Doom because I know I wouldn't watch it.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo- 7.5/10. Ugh. The graphic and rape scenes coinciding with all the violence was too much. Still, the movie tends to be faithful to the book.
The Silence of the Lambs- 9/10- Wow. This is probably one of my new favorite movies. The elements such as irony, metaphors, and imagery play a key part in the relationship between the two lead characters.
21 Jump Street- 9.5/10- Probably the funniest movie I've seen this year.
...anyone who complains about the nuclear bomb test in Crystal Skull obviously forgot about the plane crash/raft ride in Temple of Doom (which, imo is far less believable.)
This argument is always being made by 'Crystal Skull' apologists and it irritates me to no end. Why do people assume that anybody who dislikes the fridge scene, likes the raft scene from 'Temple'? I've always hated both scenes!
I'm all for the suspension of disbelief within film. However, the Indiana Jones movies always used religious artifacts as the central MacGuffin, up until 'Crystal Skull' that is! Having said that, the use of aliens interdimensional beings was the least of the fourth movie's problems; the horrendous vine swinging scene takes that particular dubious accolade.
I think the Crystal Skull is better than the Temple of Doom. At least I liked and enjoyed it more.
There, I said it
PS. Ironically enough, the Russian extras and secondary characters in Crystal Skull talk in actual clear Russian. While Cate Blanchett speaks Russian with a super-extra horrendous accent. Not even a bad accent, it was worse than that.
This is true. Crystal Skull isn't near as creepy or gross as Temple of Doom. And I hate that kid with the Indy voodoo doll. Also, anyone who complains about the nuclear bomb test in Crystal Skull obviously forgot about the plane crash/raft ride in Temple of Doom (which, imo is far less believable.)
This argument is always being made by 'Crystal Skull' apologists and it irritates me to no end. Why do people assume that anybody who dislikes the fridge scene, likes the raft scene from 'Temple'? I've always hated both scenes!
But in all seriousness, Crystal Skull doesn't hit an all-time low point for me until they get into the temple itself. From then to after Mac dies, it's absolutely atrocious. I almost want to fast forward that part.
Lot of fun, this film. Overall plot doesn't really hold up to much scrutiny, and it does get a bit repetitive, but the weird video-game humour was great, the fights were creative and overall I enjoyed it a great deal.
This argument is always being made by 'Crystal Skull' apologists and it irritates me to no end. Why do people assume that anybody who dislikes the fridge scene, likes the raft scene from 'Temple'? I've always hated both scenes!
What I mean is, I don't see how some people can use the fridge scene as a reason why Crystal Skull sucks and still accept Temple as good. Granted there are more things wrong with Crystal Skull than just that, but I think the fridge is the smallest issue of them all, so given that Temple has a less plausible scene I don't see why people complain about the fridge so much.
What I mean is, I don't see how some people can use the fridge scene as a reason why Crystal Skull sucks and still accept Temple as good.
I don't think there is seriously a single person who thinks the fridge scene is the only error in the entirety of Crystal Skull and then hates the film for it. I'm pretty sure if you were to make a special cut of Crystal Skull that only had the fridge scene removed, there would not be a single person who would go "NOW it's a good movie!".
Crystal Skull can make the same mistake as a previous film, but the previous film can "get away with it" if it's the only slight.
I don't think there is seriously a single person who thinks the fridge scene is the only error in the entirety of Crystal Skull and then hates the film for it. I'm pretty sure if you were to make a special cut of Crystal Skull that only had the fridge scene removed, there would not be a single person who would go "NOW it's a good movie!".
Crystal Skull can make the same mistake as a previous film, but the previous film can "get away with it" if it's the only slight.
I fully endorse the above statement, for it is correct.
I thought the scene was stupid, but yeah, it's not what immediately comes to mind when asked what was wrong with the film. Same with Temple Of Doom for that matter. Both movies are just a mess of things I just don't enjoy in movies.
Is it better than the Avengers? They're two different types of movies. Now that the trilogy is said and done...Inception is better than all three of them for me of Nolan's films, but these are still great movies. They are not for everyone though, and I think this final installment puts that fact over the edge.
This is the most polarizing of Nolan's Batman movies. The ones who hate the series will hate this one the most. The rest may not know what to make of it at all. I have a couple friends who I am sure will hate its guts.
This is also a very jarring movie to watch as it's not at all like the other two movies. It has similar themes and treads similar territory, but it's very very different overall.
One of the biggest things that threads these last two paragraphs together is that Nolan has completely thrown away two of the personal rules he has been so outspoken about that they have become synonymous with his directing style on these films, and the story he was trying to tell. One I can tell you about. The other I will reserve for those who have seen it. And for those who have seen it, you may already know to what I am referring. The one I will refer to is such:
This movie is not a stand-alone film that tries to be a complete whole with no reliance on another movie. Even though this is a final movie in a trilogy, and very obviously a TRILOGY movie, this throws off a rule that Nolan has followed since Begins: make a movie that works to be a cohesive whole. It's a jarring choice. I can't count the number of lines and story beats that pull from the previous movies without explanation, with jarring flashbacks thrown in to try to put it together. The result is a confusing bloat that managed to confused even me, and I KNEW WHAT THE HELL THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT. Nolan did not know how to do this seamlessly, and it shows.
People have said that this movie's strongest beats were in it's last act. Yes, that is true, but this is based on an illusion. Those beats are only so strong because of WHAT CAME BEFORE, and what came before is there to build. The entire movie builds- rises if you will. It then builds to a conclusion that manages to let you breathe after all the unbearable tension.
There are twists to this movie that are really well done, although a couple were predictable....but necessary. People who say that Nolan doesn't know emotion in his stories are ABSOLUTELY BATSHIT INSANE. I came near to tears more than once in this. This is probably thanks to the effective acting by Michael Caine, whose Alfred has become more and more vulnerable and regretful in his age.
There is not a character in this movie or a storyline that does not reach a satisfying conclusion, although some will be alienating. I also think this movie lacks a distinct edge of tragedy.
That's mostly because the movie starts with Bruce Wayne in just about as much sorrow and pain as he could be. However this left me feeling this isn't really Bruce Wayne's story anymore. His story has nearly concluded at the beginning of the movie, then it goes into a story about Gotham, Bane, and Batman as a symbol, and then reverts to Bruce's story at the end again.
Um...I don't want to go into too much more. Had no real problem understanding Bane, and his motivations weren't as mysterious to me as a lot of people claimed they were. Also, there were times that this movie had some absolutely beautiful locations. One thing that bugged me was
how the hell did Bane rig a working TV in the Pit
? Tom Hardy's emotive acting with his eyes was BRILLIANCE. He showed so much menace...but also so much tragedy. He really was a monster in the vein of Frankenstein...but with so much more depth without the over-the-top Venom formula behind him. DC needs to take cues from this movie from now on with Bane. I was kind of disappointed with how he went out, though.
I get it...it was a lot like the way Hulk took down Loki in Avengers but I didn't like how he was taken down by a joke. Didn't fit this series.
People complaining about Two-Face's screentime got to shut the hell up right now. That's nothing compared to Talia in this. Hot damn.
I've really done nothing but complain, but honestly all the movies merits go into such major spoiler territory I don't want to touch it. Great ending to the trilogy. Loved it.
It was pretty good, quite amusing in some parts. Pretty decent villain.
Hated the subplot. Scrat stuff wasn't quite as good in other movies.
Better than Ice Age 2 though...
7/10
(My ranking of them: Ice Age, Ice Age 3, Ice age 4, Ice Age 2)
(EDIT: I also don't know why I don't like Ice Age 2 so much. Maybe because its not fresh in my memory. I'm sure my little bro will ge them all on blu ray eventually, so I might have to rewatch them and see how I feel then)
It must be over a decade since I've last seen Alien. To be honest, I'm not even sure I ever saw the 1979 version in its entirety. It was a rather spontaneous decision to get the Blu Ray. Definitely not a bad idea though. It really is a horrifying movie. Longer mood shots seem to be the crux of the time though (while I crave for longer introductory shots in present movies). The cast is just perfect and although it today cries out "Hollywood", none of those young faces strike me as needlessly handsome or beautiful. They're just a perfect, ragged crew after a long mission, including Sigourney Weaver. Interestingly, when the movie starts, the camera doesn't even seem to like her that much. It's not until the crew comes back from its "mission" that she gets some director's attention. She slowly moves into focus, and if we all didn't know better, we would hardly suspect that she'll be the last girl.
An honorable place in my collection for this one. But that shitty BR player that makes every other movie a jerked picture fest HAS to go soon.
It must be over a decade since I've last seen Alien. To be honest, I'm not even sure I ever saw the 1979 version in its entirety. It was a rather spontaneous decision to get the Blu Ray.
If it's on the disc, then I strongly recommend watching the original theatrical cut next time. Calling the 2003 version the 'Director's Cut' is something of a fallacy, as Ridley Scott considers the theatrical cut to be his true vision for the film. He only worked on the 2003 cut because he learned that Fox were gearing up to recut his 1979 masterpiece for the MTV generation and decided that if the studio insisted upon doing so, then he may as well do it himself.
The 2003 release is actually considerably shorter than the theatrical cut and whilst there are some nice additions (the alien blending in with the environment - prior to Brett's death and the alien swatting Jonsey in his cat-box), they come at a considerable price. How anyone could prefer a version without the "what are my chances?" scene is beyond me. Of course the biggest additional scene (and the most intriguing) within the 2003 version is the egg-morphing scene but in actuality it only serves to mess up the film's pacing... which is why it was cut in the first place.
'Alien: The Director's Cut' - A fascinating curiosity but most certainly not the real deal. 'Aliens: Special Edition' and 'Alien 3: The Assembly Cut' on the other hand...
Final Fantasy: Advent Children - 8% - Has NOT aged well AT ALL.
I would have to agree (though perhaps not as strongly). I'm not entirely sure as to why I thought it was such a great film when it was first released. I guess that I was just thrilled to be revising a world and a group of characters that I'm very fond of.
If it's on the disc, then I strongly recommend watching the original theatrical cut next time.
It is on the disc - and I intended to do exactly that anyway. A bit of time will pass though.
The scene where Ripley finds her half-dead comrades DOES mess up the pacing, but I don't feel like it SHOULD HAVE. They could at least have made mother's warnings about impending doom more intense here, but they instead toned it down so much that this dire threat was hardly noticeable any more. After the scene, when the countdown continues, I really went: "Oh right, that was the original problem. Well, you'd better hurry up".
I understand that the Ripley gets slapped scene wasn't in the original release, and that really was a shame. It was so understandable after what she necessarily tried to do.
Have to agree with St. Eddie's comments regarding Alien. I vastly prefer the theatrical cut as well. Can't comment on the bluray, I've got the old SD two disc. The extra scenes can all be watched separately as well, which is nice because they're mostly curiosities. The theatrical cut is about as close to perfect as a film can get. Tight, concise and scary as hell. Sadly, none of those descriptors can be applied to Prometheus.
The most recent film I watched in its entirety was Zeitgeist on Netflix. Pedantic, highly aesthetically unappealing, amateurish, and extremely exploitative of 9/11. Yet still strangely compelling. Maybe because like most conspiracy theories, there are grains of truth in there before it flies off the rails. A far superior indictment of the Iraq war was No End in Sight. It's a sobering account based solely on the facts, laying out the follies and consequences piece by piece. Came out 2007, I believe. How sad is it that shit is still dragging on?
I understand that the Ripley gets slapped scene wasn't in the original release, and that really was a shame. It was so understandable after what she necessarily tried to do.
It's certainly a worthwhile addition. Interesting fact: Ridley Scott purposefully didn't inform Sigourney Weaver that he'd instructed Veronica Cartwright to slap her. Sigourney's hostile reaction to being slapped and Veronica's tearful suprise to said reaction are genuine.
Have to agree with St. Eddie's comments regarding Alien... The theatrical cut is about as close to perfect as a film can get. Tight, concise and scary as hell. Sadly, none of those descriptors can be applied to Prometheus.
Whilst I personally really like 'Prometheus', it's undeniable that those particular abjectives can not be used when describing the film. I pray to God the Engineers for an extended, 18 certificate version on Blu-Ray. The material is certainly out there...
Supposedly he was playing off some preexisting tension between the two as well. Cartwright originally auditioned for the role of Ripley, if I recall correctly. She was apparently also left largely uninformed about the chest-bursting scene. Either Ridley didn't think much of her as an actress, or she just brought out something sadistic in him. I've always been a little dubious about the idea of directors tricking actors into "genuine" performances, especially when said director brags about it later.
My, my; what a well written review. You certainly make a compelling argument. There I was, thinking that 'Pulp Fiction' was a well written, directed and acted film but your wordsmith genius has convinced me otherwise. Fuck that shit indeed!
...She was apparently also left largely uninformed about the chest-bursting scene.
That's a common misconception. Naturally the actors were aware of what was about to occur, they had read the script after-all and they were inevitably privy to the rigging that had been setup to achieve the bursting effect. However, Veronica Cartwright had not anticipated being splattered in the face by a burst of blood (neither had Ridley Scott, nor the crew). She freaked out, slipped on the blood on the floor and fell over!
I never believed in God until now, because I've never heard such blasphemy. I never believed in Hell until now, because I so desperately want you to go there. [/hyperbole]
That's a common misconception. Naturally the actors were aware of what was about to occur, they had read the script after-all and they were inevitably privy to the rigging that had been setup to achieve the bursting effect. However, Veronica Cartwright had not anticipated being splattered in the face by a burst of blood (neither had Ridley Scott, nor the crew). She freaked out, slipped on the blood on the floor and fell over!
Of course. That was the money scene that kept Dan from being kicked to the curb.
That's a common misconception. Naturally the actors were aware of what was about to occur, they had read the script after-all and they were inevitably privy to the rigging that had been setup to achieve the bursting effect. However, Veronica Cartwright had not anticipated being splattered in the face by a burst of blood (neither had Ridley Scott, nor the crew). She freaked out, slipped on the blood on the floor and fell over!
Another common misconception. Here's the totally true and not made up by me story: just before filming, Scott pulled Cartwright aside and informed her that the last of the gaffer tape had been used on the Nostromo's cockpit seats. "The good news," said Ridley, "is that we finally nailed that 'beat up' look. The bad news is this banana peel is your mark now. Action!"
Of course. That was the money scene that kept Dan from being kicked to the curb.
May he rest in peace. I watched a triple bill of 'Dark Star', 'Alien' and 'Return of the Living Dead' when I heard the sad news of his passing back in 2009. It's a shame that he never got to see Ridley Scott return to the series with 'Prometheus', after watching his baby being raped with 'Resurrection' and the two 'AVP' movies.
*waits for some stupid, obnoxious comment about Dan O'Bannon spinning in his grave, regarding 'Prometheus'*
Another common misconception. Here's the totally true and not made up by me story: just before filming, Scott pulled Cartwright aside and informed her that the last of the gaffer tape had been used on the Nostromo's cockpit seats. "The good news," said Ridley, "is that we finally nailed that 'beat up' look. The bad news is this banana peel is your mark now. Action!"
The Dark Knight Rises: It was...okay. Definitely my least favorite of the trilogy. I'm happy to see
Bane's
backstory since I haven't read the comics. I felt like the movie equally focused on Selina and Gordon's team as well as Bruce. Kept hearing the "rise" chant throughout the movie. Thought that was a bit annoying. Despite it's flaws, it at least has a strong ending and memorable fight sequences through a variety of characters.8/10
Getting on the same train with The Dark Knight Rises. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Without spoiling it, definitely a far more optimistic ending than I originally figured. Bane, while being done badly as far as visuals went, was done decently. A lot better than "Bomb. Bomb." Catwoman was done right, I was pleasantly surprised. Not that they could do worse than Halle Berry's version.
Now for the spoilery bits:
God Alfred, you just had to kick Bruce in the gonads when he was starting to feel good about himself. Why did Alfred suddenly decide that Bruce needed to have every illusion that he was doing some good in the world shattered? That part seemed unnecessarily cruel in my perspective. Alfred has never been the type to call Bruce out like that. Fox, on the other hand, was the enabler. He wanted Bruce back in the game, big time. And "Miranda Tate" almost, ALMOST had me fooled. I had a feeling going in that she was Talia, but the whole thing with Bane almost pulled the wool over my eyes. Definitely a better bit of misdirection that "Henri Ducard" in Batman Begins. Anne Hathaway really captured the best nuances of Catwoman, down to the "I have to survive" attitude that lead her to take Batman straight into a trap to save her own skin, but finding out that she pretty much condemned the one man in Gotham that, despite her thieving, treated her like a decent human being to an unknown fate really got to her, especially as she watched Bane break the Batman's back. And speaking of which, THAT DAMN SCENE. Geez, I never expected to see that so well done. And brutally done as well. I actually read that someone didn't much care for how Batman returned after 8 years away. I personally thought it was very well done. He came back in the shadows, that's what the Batman does. Oh and Catwoman pulling his own disappearing act on him really gave a bit of levity that the film really needed more of. And Blake was actually a neat character. I liked that he didn't look over diagrams or any of that to figure out who Batman was. He knew because he recognized the facade that Bruce Wayne was constantly wearing. Though the name drop at the end was kinda lame. It was unnecessary. And the ending itself was fantastic. When the bomb went off, I couldn't believe that Nolan would have the balls to kill Batman. And showing the tombstone just kind of sealed it. And the reading of the will and how the mansion would become an orphanage was really neat. But then the little hints started coming in, the pearls being missing, the autopilot in the Bat actually working, the rebuilt batsignal, and Blake getting the directions to the Batcave. And then they showed Alfred seeing Bruce and Selina. Which someone actually thinks is just in Alfred's mind. If not for the thing about the Bat's autopilot, then I'd buy that, but honestly. In the end, I just had a big grin and kept saying, "Bruce, you clever, clever bastard."
Was the movie perfect? Far from it. In fact, it relied too heavily on the previous movies, in my opinion. It can't stand as well on its own. And like the other Nolan Batman films, it was too dark. Yes, this one had some levity, but not enough. A balance is required. And also like the other Nolan Batman films, there is not enough emphasis on Batman as a DETECTIVE. Yes he's well trained, but he also is brilliant and can figure stuff out. Nolan's Batman just seems to punch his way through his problems, which is a real problem I've had with all of the Nolan movies. But, on the other hand, we could get astonishing leaps of logic like "Apples into applesauce...the United Nations peace summit!" Honestly, the best interpretation of Batman is the animated series, but I digress. All in all, TDKR was an awesome movie, but not my favorite of the year thus far. That still falls to The Avengers. But I give The Dark Knight Rises a solid 9/10.
There I was, thinking that 'Pulp Fiction' was a well written, directed and acted film but your wordsmith genius has convinced me otherwise. Fuck that shit indeed!
"Acted" probably. But well written and directed? You must be thinking of another director. It still is an enjoyable movie, and I indeed wouldn't give it two stars.
That said, I have a thoroughly soft spot for "Jackie Brown". But that wasn't Tarantino's source material to begin with. And if I could have a version without the endless "character walks/drives/runs for two minutes while the camera looks at her/his face" scenes, I'd take it. That movie is at least half an hour two long.
(Oh GAWD now that stupid Peter Jackson hints at three Hobbit movies instead of two. Concise storytelling my butt, Hollywood idiot!!)
I bought "Inglourious basterds" recently, but haven't yet opened even the cellophane. I'm waiting for a friend to visit first... the lady and I have a history of sharing the weirdest of movies and somehow enjoying thorough disappointments, should they occur.
Comments
fix'd
Saw Madea's witness protection...why...oh why did I let them talk me into going...
Anyway, I have the "Indiana Jones Trilogy" on DVD, and I've lately been ripping my movies to .mp4's... and I didn't rip Temple of Doom because I know I wouldn't watch it.
The Silence of the Lambs- 9/10- Wow. This is probably one of my new favorite movies. The elements such as irony, metaphors, and imagery play a key part in the relationship between the two lead characters.
21 Jump Street- 9.5/10- Probably the funniest movie I've seen this year.
This argument is always being made by 'Crystal Skull' apologists and it irritates me to no end. Why do people assume that anybody who dislikes the fridge scene, likes the raft scene from 'Temple'? I've always hated both scenes!
But in all seriousness, Crystal Skull doesn't hit an all-time low point for me until they get into the temple itself. From then to after Mac dies, it's absolutely atrocious. I almost want to fast forward that part.
FUCKING. YES.
8.5/10
Lot of fun, this film. Overall plot doesn't really hold up to much scrutiny, and it does get a bit repetitive, but the weird video-game humour was great, the fights were creative and overall I enjoyed it a great deal.
Not a lot of replay value though.
Crystal Skull can make the same mistake as a previous film, but the previous film can "get away with it" if it's the only slight.
...and if someone held a sword to me until I chose between the two, I'd just shoot them.
I fully endorse the above statement, for it is correct.
Better than The Avengers. Sorry, Joss.
Oh jeez, if only I gave two expletives towards superhero movies; then I might actually give a fig.
Yeah, I'm that guy; a full time toss pot.
Um, I feel as though I should end this post on a joke; a punch line, so to speak... boom boom!
Is it better than the Avengers? They're two different types of movies. Now that the trilogy is said and done...Inception is better than all three of them for me of Nolan's films, but these are still great movies. They are not for everyone though, and I think this final installment puts that fact over the edge.
This is the most polarizing of Nolan's Batman movies. The ones who hate the series will hate this one the most. The rest may not know what to make of it at all. I have a couple friends who I am sure will hate its guts.
This is also a very jarring movie to watch as it's not at all like the other two movies. It has similar themes and treads similar territory, but it's very very different overall.
One of the biggest things that threads these last two paragraphs together is that Nolan has completely thrown away two of the personal rules he has been so outspoken about that they have become synonymous with his directing style on these films, and the story he was trying to tell. One I can tell you about. The other I will reserve for those who have seen it. And for those who have seen it, you may already know to what I am referring. The one I will refer to is such:
This movie is not a stand-alone film that tries to be a complete whole with no reliance on another movie. Even though this is a final movie in a trilogy, and very obviously a TRILOGY movie, this throws off a rule that Nolan has followed since Begins: make a movie that works to be a cohesive whole. It's a jarring choice. I can't count the number of lines and story beats that pull from the previous movies without explanation, with jarring flashbacks thrown in to try to put it together. The result is a confusing bloat that managed to confused even me, and I KNEW WHAT THE HELL THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT. Nolan did not know how to do this seamlessly, and it shows.
People have said that this movie's strongest beats were in it's last act. Yes, that is true, but this is based on an illusion. Those beats are only so strong because of WHAT CAME BEFORE, and what came before is there to build. The entire movie builds- rises if you will. It then builds to a conclusion that manages to let you breathe after all the unbearable tension.
There are twists to this movie that are really well done, although a couple were predictable....but necessary. People who say that Nolan doesn't know emotion in his stories are ABSOLUTELY BATSHIT INSANE. I came near to tears more than once in this. This is probably thanks to the effective acting by Michael Caine, whose Alfred has become more and more vulnerable and regretful in his age.
There is not a character in this movie or a storyline that does not reach a satisfying conclusion, although some will be alienating. I also think this movie lacks a distinct edge of tragedy.
Um...I don't want to go into too much more. Had no real problem understanding Bane, and his motivations weren't as mysterious to me as a lot of people claimed they were. Also, there were times that this movie had some absolutely beautiful locations. One thing that bugged me was
I've really done nothing but complain, but honestly all the movies merits go into such major spoiler territory I don't want to touch it. Great ending to the trilogy. Loved it.
Best installment in the series, in my opinion. Probably the greatest Batman film adaptation ever created.
This is how I'd rate the movies:
Batman Begins - 9
The Dark Knight - 8
The Dark Knight Rises - 9.5
It was pretty good, quite amusing in some parts. Pretty decent villain.
Hated the subplot. Scrat stuff wasn't quite as good in other movies.
Better than Ice Age 2 though...
7/10
(My ranking of them: Ice Age, Ice Age 3, Ice age 4, Ice Age 2)
(EDIT: I also don't know why I don't like Ice Age 2 so much. Maybe because its not fresh in my memory. I'm sure my little bro will ge them all on blu ray eventually, so I might have to rewatch them and see how I feel then)
It must be over a decade since I've last seen Alien. To be honest, I'm not even sure I ever saw the 1979 version in its entirety. It was a rather spontaneous decision to get the Blu Ray. Definitely not a bad idea though. It really is a horrifying movie. Longer mood shots seem to be the crux of the time though (while I crave for longer introductory shots in present movies). The cast is just perfect and although it today cries out "Hollywood", none of those young faces strike me as needlessly handsome or beautiful. They're just a perfect, ragged crew after a long mission, including Sigourney Weaver. Interestingly, when the movie starts, the camera doesn't even seem to like her that much. It's not until the crew comes back from its "mission" that she gets some director's attention. She slowly moves into focus, and if we all didn't know better, we would hardly suspect that she'll be the last girl.
An honorable place in my collection for this one. But that shitty BR player that makes every other movie a jerked picture fest HAS to go soon.
9.5/10
Nuff said.
OOH! OOH! Do Spirits Within next! Do Spirits Within next!
If it's on the disc, then I strongly recommend watching the original theatrical cut next time. Calling the 2003 version the 'Director's Cut' is something of a fallacy, as Ridley Scott considers the theatrical cut to be his true vision for the film. He only worked on the 2003 cut because he learned that Fox were gearing up to recut his 1979 masterpiece for the MTV generation and decided that if the studio insisted upon doing so, then he may as well do it himself.
The 2003 release is actually considerably shorter than the theatrical cut and whilst there are some nice additions (the alien blending in with the environment - prior to Brett's death and the alien swatting Jonsey in his cat-box), they come at a considerable price. How anyone could prefer a version without the "what are my chances?" scene is beyond me. Of course the biggest additional scene (and the most intriguing) within the 2003 version is the egg-morphing scene but in actuality it only serves to mess up the film's pacing... which is why it was cut in the first place.
'Alien: The Director's Cut' - A fascinating curiosity but most certainly not the real deal. 'Aliens: Special Edition' and 'Alien 3: The Assembly Cut' on the other hand...
I would have to agree (though perhaps not as strongly). I'm not entirely sure as to why I thought it was such a great film when it was first released. I guess that I was just thrilled to be revising a world and a group of characters that I'm very fond of.
It is on the disc - and I intended to do exactly that anyway. A bit of time will pass though.
The scene where Ripley finds her half-dead comrades DOES mess up the pacing, but I don't feel like it SHOULD HAVE. They could at least have made mother's warnings about impending doom more intense here, but they instead toned it down so much that this dire threat was hardly noticeable any more. After the scene, when the countdown continues, I really went: "Oh right, that was the original problem. Well, you'd better hurry up".
I understand that the Ripley gets slapped scene wasn't in the original release, and that really was a shame. It was so understandable after what she necessarily tried to do.
The most recent film I watched in its entirety was Zeitgeist on Netflix. Pedantic, highly aesthetically unappealing, amateurish, and extremely exploitative of 9/11. Yet still strangely compelling. Maybe because like most conspiracy theories, there are grains of truth in there before it flies off the rails. A far superior indictment of the Iraq war was No End in Sight. It's a sobering account based solely on the facts, laying out the follies and consequences piece by piece. Came out 2007, I believe. How sad is it that shit is still dragging on?
It's certainly a worthwhile addition. Interesting fact: Ridley Scott purposefully didn't inform Sigourney Weaver that he'd instructed Veronica Cartwright to slap her. Sigourney's hostile reaction to being slapped and Veronica's tearful suprise to said reaction are genuine.
Whilst I personally really like 'Prometheus', it's undeniable that those particular abjectives can not be used when describing the film. I pray to God the Engineers for an extended, 18 certificate version on Blu-Ray. The material is certainly out there...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Dc_zsM2p34
Fuck that shit.
My, my; what a well written review. You certainly make a compelling argument. There I was, thinking that 'Pulp Fiction' was a well written, directed and acted film but your wordsmith genius has convinced me otherwise. Fuck that shit indeed!
That's a common misconception. Naturally the actors were aware of what was about to occur, they had read the script after-all and they were inevitably privy to the rigging that had been setup to achieve the bursting effect. However, Veronica Cartwright had not anticipated being splattered in the face by a burst of blood (neither had Ridley Scott, nor the crew). She freaked out, slipped on the blood on the floor and fell over!
I never believed in God until now, because I've never heard such blasphemy. I never believed in Hell until now, because I so desperately want you to go there. [/hyperbole]
Of course. That was the money scene that kept Dan from being kicked to the curb.
Another common misconception. Here's the totally true and not made up by me story: just before filming, Scott pulled Cartwright aside and informed her that the last of the gaffer tape had been used on the Nostromo's cockpit seats. "The good news," said Ridley, "is that we finally nailed that 'beat up' look. The bad news is this banana peel is your mark now. Action!"
May he rest in peace. I watched a triple bill of 'Dark Star', 'Alien' and 'Return of the Living Dead' when I heard the sad news of his passing back in 2009. It's a shame that he never got to see Ridley Scott return to the series with 'Prometheus', after watching his baby being raped with 'Resurrection' and the two 'AVP' movies.
*waits for some stupid, obnoxious comment about Dan O'Bannon spinning in his grave, regarding 'Prometheus'*
Now for the spoilery bits:
Was the movie perfect? Far from it. In fact, it relied too heavily on the previous movies, in my opinion. It can't stand as well on its own. And like the other Nolan Batman films, it was too dark. Yes, this one had some levity, but not enough. A balance is required. And also like the other Nolan Batman films, there is not enough emphasis on Batman as a DETECTIVE. Yes he's well trained, but he also is brilliant and can figure stuff out. Nolan's Batman just seems to punch his way through his problems, which is a real problem I've had with all of the Nolan movies. But, on the other hand, we could get astonishing leaps of logic like "Apples into applesauce...the United Nations peace summit!" Honestly, the best interpretation of Batman is the animated series, but I digress. All in all, TDKR was an awesome movie, but not my favorite of the year thus far. That still falls to The Avengers. But I give The Dark Knight Rises a solid 9/10.
"Acted" probably. But well written and directed? You must be thinking of another director. It still is an enjoyable movie, and I indeed wouldn't give it two stars.
That said, I have a thoroughly soft spot for "Jackie Brown". But that wasn't Tarantino's source material to begin with. And if I could have a version without the endless "character walks/drives/runs for two minutes while the camera looks at her/his face" scenes, I'd take it. That movie is at least half an hour two long.
(Oh GAWD now that stupid Peter Jackson hints at three Hobbit movies instead of two. Concise storytelling my butt, Hollywood idiot!!)
I bought "Inglourious basterds" recently, but haven't yet opened even the cellophane. I'm waiting for a friend to visit first... the lady and I have a history of sharing the weirdest of movies and somehow enjoying thorough disappointments, should they occur.
/edit: 1000th post in this thread, hell yeah.
This movie left me pissed off and bitter.