Thirith on 20/9/2011 at 13:03
Quote Posted by Shakey-Lo
Still a very cool aesthetic though, very hipster and fresh.
Have you seen Malick's other films? While I would definitely not use the same words as you to describe his visual style, you might enjoy the films for their look. Whatever else people think about his films, they're among the most visually beautiful works in the medium.
@Subjective Effect: Might be worth checking out the series if you liked the film and don't mind watching a different, five-hour take on the plot. Definitely some top-notch acting of a sort that is rarely seen these days (although there are also some performances that strike me as dated - or perhaps it's just the late '70s that are dated and the performances are spot on...). IIRC Le Carré wrote three novels featuring Smiley, and there's another worthwhile BBC series of the third book,
Smiley's People.
Matthew on 20/9/2011 at 13:20
Quote Posted by Matthew
I would say I'm interested in:
On Stranger Tides: I liked the first POTC film but didn't bother with the rest, however the trailers for this have looked like it's reasonably fun.
X-Men First Class: a reboot could be enough to tempt me back to this franchise after the puzzling last film.
Super 8: sounds quite interesting but more like a film I'd rent later on.
Green Lantern: I suspect I will end up finding this a disappointment, but I do enjoy the comics so I'll definitely see it.
Transformers: will almost certainly get dragged out to this by my cousin anyway; who knows, maybe this time it will be decent?
A Better Life: this again sounds like something interesting to watch at home upon the DVD release.
Captain America: because America fuck yeah, obv.
Cowboys and Aliens: everything that I've heard about this so far has made me excited for it.
So out of all of those I saw precisely
one - Cowboys and Aliens. As a Western it certainly had the aesthetic nailed, but the film itself sadly felt pretty rushed. Decent enough to pass a couple of hours but not one I'd revisit.
Scots Taffer on 20/9/2011 at 13:30
Quote Posted by Scots Taffer
I]Rise of the Planet of the Apes - seeing tonight!
That was incredible. While I'm not convinced that the paper-thin characterisation for the humans was entirely deliberate, the bait and switch tactic with the protagonist from Franco to Caesar was very nicely done (if you ignore a few glaring plot holes*) and when the story kicked up a gear in the second act I was riveted. Serkis has taken his already excellent work with Gollum to the next level here and the CG services his commitment to the role capably, I'd be very surprised if this one doesn't pick up the effects Oscar.
I could have done without the fan service line from the perpetually petulant Draco Malfoy, even a paraphrase would have felt more organic... but when Caeser spoke it totally flattened any self-aware irony the moment might have had.
Somewhat embarassingly, I have never seen the original or any of its sequels but given the strength of this I almost wouldn't mind seeing a franchise emerge from this one. Curious to know if many hints are dropped about future movies... obviously the Mars segment stood out like a sore thumb so that must be something? Off to Wikipedia I go!
* I'm not one to roll my eyes if a film is trying to have some internal logic, but how exactly had Franco avoided the subject of where Caesar had come from with his girlfriend or not have anyone see him for over FIVE YEARS and what exactly has he been working on at the lab for all this time???!?
Angel Dust on 21/9/2011 at 00:37
The only tent-pole flick I saw this year was X-Men: First Class. SubjEff is right in that pretty much everything outside the main conflict (Magneto/Professor X) is underdeveloped and sometimes poorly acted (Jennifer Lawrence, so very good in Winter's Bone, is miscast here), but I found that main conflict so involving and the two performances so excellent that I still rather enjoyed it. The 60's period, with classic James Bond undertones, gave it a fresh feel and I liked the little touches like the use of German etc with subtitles where the scene would have required the character to be speaking that language. It did get a bit campy at times though and I found the scene where the missiles were being shunted back and forth to be unintentional hilarious.
As for all the other summer movies, nothing really interested me enough to make the trip to cinema for it. I mean, Thor, Captain America, Super 8 will probably be enjoyable but they are definitely rentals for me. However, the positive response to Rise of the Planet of the Apes has kind of caught me by surprise, so I might see if it's still showing in a week or two and check it out.
Outside of the tent-poles, Take Shelter, The Guard, Jane Eyre (I think I'm developing a man-crush on Michael Fassbender), The Trip, Meek's Cutoff, Midnight in Paris, Bridesmaids were all good to excellent.
Pyrian on 22/9/2011 at 01:34
Quote Posted by Fafhrd
I'm the guy that likes Pirates 4 (also the guy that likes 2 and 3, so there's that).
Never saw 2&3, but I liked 4. ...Okay, I adored the carnivorous mermaids, mostly... :D
Dia on 22/9/2011 at 13:44
I think I just heard the sound of dozens of 'ignore' options being clicked. ^
Pirates 4 left me cold. No chemistry between Depp & Cruz and I'm still pissed that Will & Elizabeth are stuck in their 10 year cycle. Even Keith Richards couldn't save this one and Depp seemed to be sleepwalking through the whole movie. :p
Jane Eyre: rather bland and treacly. Much preferred Sense & Sensibility, and Pride & Prejudice (2005 vers.).
Thor: loved it!
Transformers 3: meh.
XM: 1st Class: another meh, though it was interesting to learn the background of the main characters. Much preferred James McAvoy in Wanted.
Paul: loved it! Another ':p'. (I just want to pinch Simon Pegg's cheeks!)
Hanna: surprisingly good, imo.
DaBeast on 23/9/2011 at 08:40
Quote Posted by Dia
I think I just heard the sound of dozens of 'ignore' options being clicked. ^
Pirates 4 left me cold. No chemistry between Depp & Cruz and I'm still pissed that Will & Elizabeth are stuck in their 10 year cycle. Even Keith Richards couldn't save this one and Depp seemed to be sleepwalking through the whole movie. :p
Thor: loved it!
I was more pissed at the lack of Ian McShane goodness. Maybe I've built him up too much in my mind, but I really only wanted to see the film because he was in it.
Hated Thor.
Watched Green Lantern, didn't like that either. Fans wanted Ryan Reynolds to play Deadpool, but that film seems to have been put on back on the shelf. Can anyone get away with playing two different superheroes?
Matthew on 23/9/2011 at 09:01
I could lend you some Lovejoy DVDs if that helps?
