Last Movie You Watched? 6.0

Tubes wrote:

I must be one of the few that still really digs BEGINS. My only big issue is Katie Holmes bringing the movie down.

Same, more or less.

saint mark wrote:

Control wrote:

BATMAN BEGINS isn't very good.

THE DARK KNIGHT is one of those blockbuster sequels that trumps the original.

Which is not that impressive a feat since BB isn't that great a movie to begin with.

Neither is TDK.

I watched Batman Begins on Tuesday night (and will be popping The Dark Knight on tonight, intending to see Rises on Sunday) ... Tubes and Wade aren't alone, I think it's quality entertainment. Bale, Neeson, Caine, Freeman, Murphy and Oldman are all good-to-great ... and I don't even think that Holmes was THAT bad (apart from possibly being too young to make for a 100% convincing 'player' in the legal profession).

Harmsway wrote:

The White Tuxedo wrote:

Also, Batman says, "I won't kill you. But I don't have to save you."

Um, leaving someone on a subway car that's about to plow into a car park doing 150 and explode is killing them.

I think the film is trying to draw a similar moral distinction to the one drawn by many between letting someone expire of a disease and someone dying because a lethal injection was applied to them. It's about direct participation. Now, as to whether or not that distinction makes any sense in the context in which the film gives it to us, I'm not entirely sure I buy it, given Batman's overall participation in destroying the train supports and pummeling Ra's al Ghul into submission. The comic book Batman would have pulled Ra's off of the train.

More than anything, I dislike Nolan's dependence on claustrophobic cinematography in BEGINS. It really makes the film seem smaller than it needs to. I'm glad he opened things up a bit more for THE DARK KNIGHT (and seemingly THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, too).

I would have prefered Ra's to die another way (not day! ). I don't really read the comics, but I was thinking that he'd likely pull Ra's off the train.

How should Ra's have died? I'm thinking something close to suicide, like... I'm not quite sure. Something that has to do with staying the course even though he knows it will kill him. I'm not making that clear enough. Oddly, I'm thinking of May Day in AVTAK, where she stays with the railcar.

And here we.....go

THE DARK KNIGHT

How Nolan managed to live up to the insane amount of hype surrounding TDK, I will never figure out. I still distinctly remember the storm of anticipation surrounding the summer of '08, how even surprisingly good releases like IRON MAN fell by the wayside in the wake of the big bad Bat. How everything built up to July 18th and even on a Bond message board with a 007 movie in the works, the most popular thread was about TDK. Amazing. Pity I won't be at a midnight release for TDKR, as it must be an exciting place to be. 11am at IMAX is almost as good, though.

TDK improves on almost all of the flaws inherit with BEGINS and manages the perfect balance between fantasy and reality. The action sequences are cleaned up and the photography is significantly clearer and cleaner. Ledger commands the movie in every bit of screen time he has and puts his own spin on the Joker character. In my opinion, he blows away Nicholson's version. Everything, right down to the sound mix, works perfectly.

If there ever is a shining example of what a blockbuster should be, this is it. Not everyone is going to like Nolan and his movies, much how not everyone is fond of Jim Cameron's or Steven Spielberg's work anymore. To me, they are examples for how to make successful and, above all, GOOD large scale blockbusters.

1) THE DARK KNIGHT
2) BATMAN RETURNS
3) BATMAN BEGINS
4) BATMAN
5) BATMAN FOREVER
6) BATMAN & ROBIN

I regret not shelling out $25 to see BEGINS and TDK back to back before the midnight showing of TDKR. Oh well, live and learn.

The Dark Knight (2008)

I like the story, but I found the film itself to be completely monotonous. I was actually extremely bored in the second half. I basically felt strung out because every scene in this movie feels exactly the same to me. Everyone is standing around po-faced, grimly delivering their dialogue. There's no release of tension, no chance to catch your breath. Just hard-driving po-facedness.

If this wasn't a Batman movie I'd never give it a second look. I enjoyed the 1989 film a helluva lot more when I watched it a few days ago. *shrug*

Please, oh gentle baby Jesus, never, NEVER, NEVER let Chris Nolan direct a Bond movie. Ever. Guy's like an asexual icicile.

I doubt Nolan will ever come close to Bond. He's too hands on to direct a Bond movie, even without his high profile due to the success of his Bat-films. Plus, Bond needs a second unit to be produced on time and Nolan dislikes using second units.

THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS

I wish this scene was in the final cut:

Quote :

12. After the death of his daughter Isabel, Major Amberson has a major scene in which he ponders the origin and meaning of life. In the recut version, after the scene ends, the major is never seen again (he seems to pass away off screen). In the original cut, Major Amberson continues to think aloud, and says, "I wish someone would tell me....." as the film dissolves to the graves of Isabel and her father. Audiences did not like the occurrence of Isabel and the Major's deaths happening in such quick succession.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

The Dark Knight (2008)
I found the film itself to be completely monotonous.

Apart from the vastly overblown hype this was my biggest problem with the film. I found myself utterly bored to tears the second time I watched it. Outside of Heath Ledger's performance TDK completely lacks a pulse. It has nothing on Burton's bat-films, the original two Superman films and about a dozen other superhero films I can think of.

McCabe & Mrs. Miller

I am pretty impressed by the film. The portrayal of the characters is done quite empathetically; I find it wonderful to see how Mrs. Miller reveals her feelings towards McCabe near the end. It's shown in her actions and facial expressions. The very ending is particularly fascinating. The cinematography is gorgeous. Cohen's songs fit the atmosphere perfectly, in fact, they very much help creating it in the fist place. I think this is my favourite Altman film so far, but I haven't seen M*A*S*H* and NASHVILLE, among others, yet.

Drax wrote:

The White Tuxedo wrote:

The Dark Knight (2008)
I found the film itself to be completely monotonous.

... vastly overblown hype ... utterly bored to tears... It has nothing on Burton's bat-films

Indeed, and I am saying this being very far from being a die-hard Burton supporter.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

The Dark Knight (2008)

I like the story, but I found the film itself to be completely monotonous. I was actually extremely bored in the second half. I basically felt strung out because every scene in this movie feels exactly the same to me. Everyone is standing around po-faced, grimly delivering their dialogue. There's no release of tension, no chance to catch your breath. Just hard-driving po-facedness.

If this wasn't a Batman movie I'd never give it a second look. I enjoyed the 1989 film a helluva lot more when I watched it a few days ago. *shrug*

Please, oh gentle baby Jesus, never, NEVER, NEVER let Chris Nolan direct a Bond movie. Ever. Guy's like an asexual icicile.

Many good observations. There are many other flaws in this film, but I've already posted them shortly after its release here. It's horribly pretentious and leaves me cold. I do hope that for the films to come they will choose a director who understands human feelings, who avoids juvenile blockbuster humour, who doesn't overblow the action sequences and shoots them so that they are enjoyable and one can always see what's going on, and who doesn't write overly pretentious, unnecessarily complex storylines filled to the brim with uninteresting characters and stagey dialogue, and who will bring back real art to the Batman universe.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Review to be coming soon in the RISES thread.


1) THE DARK KNIGHT
2) THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
3) BATMAN RETURNS
4) BATMAN BEGINS
5) BATMAN
6) BATMAN FOREVER
7) BATMAN & ROBIN

Nolan's trilogy reminds me of the Dollars films. The first is lean and mean, but ultimately the weakest. Second increases the scope and improves the writing and characters. Third amplifies the scale dramatically at the expense of the fine details, yet is arguably the best example of large scale filmmaking out there.

Tubes wrote:

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Review to be coming soon in the RISES thread.


1) THE DARK KNIGHT
2) THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
3) BATMAN RETURNS
4) BATMAN BEGINS
5) BATMAN
6) BATMAN FOREVER
7) BATMAN & ROBIN

Nolan's trilogy reminds me of the Dollars films. The first is lean and mean, but ultimately the weakest. Second increases the scope and improves the writing and characters. Third amplifies the scale dramatically at the expense of the fine details, yet is arguably the best example of large scale filmmaking out there.

Interesing take, though I think FISTFUL might be my favorite of the Dollars films. FAFDM has generally been my least favorite.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

I won't post spoilers in here, but I suppose they're fair game in TDKR thread. What I will say is that I liked the film, and I liked a great many things about it more than I liked the first two. Of course, it's new and everything. My eventual opinion will settle in time. My only criticism is that it felt fractured. Not to make a pun. I sorta felt like scenes were missing.

Manhunter wrote:

McCabe & Mrs. Miller

I am pretty impressed by the film. The portrayal of the characters is done quite empathetically; I find it wonderful to see how Mrs. Miller reveals her feelings towards McCabe near the end. It's shown in her actions and facial expressions. The very ending is particularly fascinating. The cinematography is gorgeous. Cohen's songs fit the atmosphere perfectly, in fact, they very much help creating it in the fist place. I think this is my favourite Altman film so far, but I haven't seen M*A*S*H* and NASHVILLE, among others, yet.

Drax wrote:

The White Tuxedo wrote:

The Dark Knight (2008)
I found the film itself to be completely monotonous.

... vastly overblown hype ... utterly bored to tears... It has nothing on Burton's bat-films

Indeed, and I am saying this being very far from being a die-hard Burton supporter.

The White Tuxedo wrote:

The Dark Knight (2008)

I like the story, but I found the film itself to be completely monotonous. I was actually extremely bored in the second half. I basically felt strung out because every scene in this movie feels exactly the same to me. Everyone is standing around po-faced, grimly delivering their dialogue. There's no release of tension, no chance to catch your breath. Just hard-driving po-facedness.

If this wasn't a Batman movie I'd never give it a second look. I enjoyed the 1989 film a helluva lot more when I watched it a few days ago. *shrug*

Please, oh gentle baby Jesus, never, NEVER, NEVER let Chris Nolan direct a Bond movie. Ever. Guy's like an asexual icicile.

Many good observations. There are many other flaws in this film, but I've already posted them shortly after its release here. It's horribly pretentious and leaves me cold. I do hope that for the films to come they will choose a director who understands human feelings, who avoids juvenile blockbuster humour, who doesn't overblow the action sequences and shoots them so that they are enjoyable and one can always see what's going on, and who doesn't write overly pretentious, unnecessarily complex storylines filled to the brim with uninteresting characters and stagey dialogue, and who will bring back real art to the Batman universe.

Good points. :) Though I actually like the storyline of TDK a lot. Thematically and storywise I think it's a perfect Second Movie. It;s just the execution that leaves me cold.

Love 70's Altman BTW.

Mission Impossible 4 - Ghost Protocol

I suppose it does qualify as the second best entry in the series, but I have to confess I find this a very lacklustre franchise all round. The action promises a lot and the location are nice but every scene seems to go on too long, every stunt degegnerates from thrilling to overlong to downright absurd. This desire to out do the last movie belies sense or relevence imo and that only works to undermine the awesome efforts of the stunt crew. Here's hoping Skyfall puts the action in context and doesn't labur every action sequence to the point of nasuem or, as i personally found in the case of MI4, hilarity.

6/10

my MI ratings

1. MI (6/10)
2. MI 4 (6/10)
3. MI 3 (5/10) (soley on the back of PSH)
4. MI 2 (4/10)

Quote :

Here's hoping Skyfall puts the action in context and doesn't labur every action sequence to the point of nasuem or, as i personally found in the case of MI4, hilarity.

It's meant to be hilarious, like a zany cartoon. De Palma that note pretty well with the helicopter-in-channel-tunnel gag in the original film. Brad Bird's got a similar wit.

Largo's Shark wrote:

Quote :

Here's hoping Skyfall puts the action in context and doesn't labur every action sequence to the point of nasuem or, as i personally found in the case of MI4, hilarity.

It's meant to be hilarious, like a zany cartoon. De Palma that note pretty well with the helicopter-in-channel-tunnel gag in the original film. Brad Bird's got a similar wit.

I think I simply find the tone too inconsistent between the absurd action and the rather laboured drama and overly superficial character work, equally there was a lot of potential for thrills and excitement with the action set pieces which, for me at least, is undermined by the inherent escalation into farce. DePalma reigned in some of the exceeses till the very end where it worked to round the film off on a high note.

All that said I did enjoy the film as a whole, just felt it was less than it could have been....which to a slightly lesser degree is a similar feeling to how I felt with the DePalma entry.

Yep, that's pretty much how M:I 4 made me feel ... I went twice, just in case I'd misjudged it first time round. But no, it somehow added up to less than the sum of its parts both times.

Manhunter wrote:

McCabe & Mrs. Miller

I am pretty impressed by the film. The portrayal of the characters is done quite empathetically; I find it wonderful to see how Mrs. Miller reveals her feelings towards McCabe near the end. It's shown in her actions and facial expressions. The very ending is particularly fascinating. The cinematography is gorgeous. Cohen's songs fit the atmosphere perfectly, in fact, they very much help creating it in the fist place. I think this is my favourite Altman film so far, but I haven't seen M*A*S*H* and NASHVILLE, among others, yet.

Excellent Altman film. I agree with all of your comments.

Check out THE LONG GOODBYE, too, if you get a chance. That's my favorite Altman film. It's a superb and unique Raymond Chandler adaptation.

I miss the seventies... and I wasn't even around to experience the time period.

Have a look at page 60! :)


Ghost World

Film about two lovely girls. It is sincere in its storytelling and characterizations, and quite funny, too.


Le mépris

This film is pretty complex and needs - like PIERROT - the one or the other more viewings, but I immediately liked it, more than the other two Godards I've seen so far. A pretty interesting interweaving of the study of a declining marriage, Greek mythology and discussions of the film-making process. It already starts as being a film about a film being made (which is the actual film). Fritz Lang has an important role! Great music once again, the use of which will have to be studied.
I'd like to read some (short, concise) essays on Godard's films (the last two I've seen at least). And on Tarkovsky. And Polanski. And some others (Hitch etc., you know my favourites). They don't necessarily have to be Armond essays. The Film Articles thread should soon contain them! (And De Palma).
A job for Sharky and others.

CONTEMPT is one of my favorite Godard films. It holds some of Coutard's best cinematography and I love the cast.

There are only a handful of post-CONTEMPT Godard films that I enjoy. After a while, he just becomes pretentious and downright boring.

I prefer Truffaut to Godard.

I like PIERROT LE FOU, MASCULINE FEMININE, ALPHAVILLE, EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF, and FILM SOCIASLIME.

My favourite of them is EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF. Isabelle Huppert as prostitute.

http://encoremag.com/new-york/files/2010/everyman30small4479_nov2010-489x300.jpg

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljf66tqCDI1qbeumgo1_500.jpg

Is it more like a film essay? I haven't seen it, but, judging by those pictures, it looks intriguing.

I love his work from the late 60s. WEEKEND is one of the most crazy energetic films ever made.

For a while, I convinced myself I liked Godard's films. It is true that the first of them--BREATHLESS--did really engage me. But the more Godard I've seen, the less I've liked, and my dislike has stretched back to poison my affection for the films that initially had me seeking out more of his work.

Brown: don't join Team Harms.