Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

MI3: Tom Cruise runs really really hard while JJ does his best to Abrams all over the place.

It was fun; great villain (who sounds exactly like John Goodman, never noticed that before), and a shitton of people I know from something else.

I can now consider myself prepped and ready for MI4, bring it on bitches!

ZangrethorDigital.ca

Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

The Big Year

The only reason I even know this movie exsist is because a list of the 10 biggest flops of last year was being passed around and this movie was on it. Which completely blows my mind, because it is simply amazing. Yes it's true, every single gods damned comedian on the face of the planet is in this thing and they are all unequiviqobly outstanding.

I've been struggling to figure out how to descibe this one, and the best I've come up with is; imagine that the book in Adaptation, The Orchid Thief, was actually about birding. And this is the movie that Adaptation should have been. It's quite literally a love song to birding, but with these amazing, soulful characters. I know personally by the end of the movie, I had fallen in love with birds and these characters.

It's a very strange thing, and I havn't felt it a very long time, to fall so completely in love with a character, let alone an entire cast of characters. But thats what this movie did to me, every single person in this movie feels like a real human being, even Owen Wilson, while stilling doing his arrogant prick Owen Wilson thing is rooted and grounded and the character is a living breathing human being that obviously cares about things. I just yeah, it's hard to describe, but the script is great and everyone in this is bringing thier A-game plus a little more.

It also sort of harkens back to a lot of 80's comedies for me, specifically Christmas Vacation. While there's certainly a lot of very very funny moments, there is also a LOT of heart to this movie. And I think thats the best way to put it really, this movie has an incredible amount of heart to it, a lot more than I've seen in a very long time.

I, yeah, it's just an outstanding, and amazing movie. Easily my favorite Jack Black performance (he's essentially the main character and provides all the voice over narration, and it's beautiful, it really is), Steve Martin is amazing as always, and where Owen Wilsons character ends up by the end is just heartbreaking. And yeah, every one else is amazing.

I'm fairly certain this is a movie everyone here would love, go watch it.

ZangrethorDigital.ca

Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

Matt, if I remember right the feature Cashback was adapted from the short of the same name. But it was adapted in a weird way. I saw the short first, on the recommendation of a friend, and liked it, so I got the feature from Netflix. This was back when I was still doing DVDs by mail, so it was a few days between when I put in the order and when the movie arrived, so I might have some of the details wrong here. But unless I'm mistaken, the feature didn't reshoot any of the shots from the short; they're all just cut in … but for the fact that for the feature they went in and digitally composited pubic hair onto one of the actresses. Which was kind of a weird thing to notice, I admit, but there we are.

Genital stylings aside, I kinda think the short is superior to the feature. The short is a whimsical work of magical realism, while the feature's a "yes and" on that, but I think it loses a bit of the charm of the original. That's just me, though. I could overthink a plate of beans.

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

This past weekend I watched Lethal Weapon three times trying to record a fucking commentary for it and Tango & Cash again, for the second time this week, recording one for it. I may be losing my mind a little. I just imagined killing my friend and pissing on his ashes......

Last edited by Jimmy B (2012-02-21 10:56:27)

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

Jeff: Yeah, there was a short a year or two earlier.  I should try and track it down for a compare / contrast.

Edit:

Found the short with a bit of light googling.

Further Edit:

Yeah, everything in the short is in the feature.  The feature adds the relationship aspects, which go to explaining why Ben ends up with his ability.  I could be wrong, but I think some effects work might have been done for the feature to make what were clearly actors just holding poses seem more, well, frozen.  In the short I noticed clear moments where the "frozen" actor was still swaying very slightly, and I don't recall any of that in the feature.

Last edited by Matt Vayda (2012-02-20 21:14:57)

Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

I'm glad you found the short, Matt. I wouldn't have gone to the trouble of looking it up myself, and I would've missed out on revisiting it.

Watching it now, I remember vividly how it made me feel the first time I saw it: Fucking pissed off.

It's a wonderfully charming little film, whimsical and clever in equal parts. And there's no good goddamn reason why I, at the age of never-you-mind, couldn't have gotten my shit together sometime in the past twenty years and done something like that myself. There's simply no excuse for it. I've had all the time in the world and all the opportunities in the world and I haven't done it, and seriously, that's just not okay.

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

OMG, Cashback.

That made my life measurably better from this day forward.

(UTC-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

I still defend MI:2, but I'm a Woo apologist. I really like the idea of having completely different directors bringing their vision to that franchise, and while Woo's vision is definitely retarded and crazy (also compromised as fuck by the PG-13 rating and the studio), its at least memorable. Whatever you call that movie, you don't call it generic.

That's why I kind of like MI:2 more than MI:3, even though 3 is obviously better as a cohesive movie. I just find the 3rd one really, really forgettable (like most JJ Abrams movies), and it doesn't really bring anything new to the table (the team stuff is better in the 1st one, the action is better in the 2nd one). MI:2 I can at least remember lots of cool images from it, and the awesome Hans Zimmer score.

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

Wow, just watched the short film. That was incredible. I concur with Drew.

Also, that guy really needs to be in more stuff.

ZangrethorDigital.ca

Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

Finally watched Synecdoche, New York. It was a lot like 8 1/2, in a Charlie Kaufman kind of way. I've liked Kaufman's other work, but I had a hard time connecting with it, as I did 8 1/2. The ending was effective, but most of it was an endurance test.

Now I've just watched Paul, and something is driving me crazy. When Kristen Wiig goes inside at night, she has this exchange with her father:

He: What took you so long?
She: I was just talkin', papa.
He: You talk too much.
She: Sorry, papa.

I'm sure this is a direct lift from some classic movie, but I can't put my finger on it. Anybody?

Last edited by Zarban (2012-02-29 02:53:40)

Warning: I'm probably rewriting this post as you read it.

Zarban's House of Commentaries

Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

Zarban wrote:

Finally watched Synecdoche, New York. It was a lot like 8 1/2, in a Charlie Kaufman kind of way. I've liked Kaufman's other work, but I had a hard time connecting with it, as I did 8 1/2. The ending was effective, but most of it was an endurance test.

The only time I've tried watching Synecdoche was a few years ago, and I'm fairly certain I'd been up for about 48 hours at that point. So for about the last half I was fazing in and out of incredibly odd quasi dream states and the movie, and I can't really remember which is which anymore. So the last half is this incredibly weird mish mash of craziness. Although from what I hear that might just be the actual movie.

I havn't really had much of a drive to go back and watch it again, probably should though, I like Kaufmans stuff for the most part.

ZangrethorDigital.ca

Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

They're reviving the Ouija movie. They kicked McG off it, cut the budget down from $100 Million (!!) to $5 Million and word 'round the campfire is that they're looking to get the guys who directed the last installment of Paranormal Activity to direct.

The only thing about the news that shocked me was the fact that the Ouija Board movie had McG attached to it and a 9-figure budget. It makes me kinda wanna read whatever story idea they came up with that would have required that much cash to make it float.

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

THe guys who did the last PA also did the very real Catfish, which I enjoyed a great deal.

Eddie Doty

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

bullet3 wrote:

I still defend MI:2, but I'm a Woo apologist. I really like the idea of having completely different directors bringing their vision to that franchise, and while Woo's vision is definitely retarded and crazy (also compromised as fuck by the PG-13 rating and the studio), its at least memorable. Whatever you call that movie, you don't call it generic.

That's why I kind of like MI:2 more than MI:3, even though 3 is obviously better as a cohesive movie. I just find the 3rd one really, really forgettable (like most JJ Abrams movies), and it doesn't really bring anything new to the table (the team stuff is better in the 1st one, the action is better in the 2nd one). MI:2 I can at least remember lots of cool images from it, and the awesome Hans Zimmer score.

As an Australian, there's something unique about MI:2 in that it's the only non-Australian movie I know of to be filmed & set in Australia. All those Bond & Bourne, etc movies that go to exotic locales - never ever go to Australia. After 22 Bond movies, he's been on every continent and in space and underwater, but Australia doesn't exist in the Bond universe. The only time Australia is featured in movies is in Australian movies.

And the only reason that MI:2 was set in Australia is because Tom & Nicole were together and wanted to raise/school their kids in Australia. Otherwise the location would have been in Europe or America or Asia or anywhere but Australia. I think the Australian landscape is too boring & empty - after all most of it is just one big flat sandy desert.

There are plenty of movies filmed on Australian soundstages (Star Wars 2&3, Matrix 1,2,3, etc) but they weren't SET in Australia.

not long to go now...

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

rtambree wrote:

All those Bond & Bourne, etc movies that go to exotic locales - never ever go to Australia.

Yeah, it's especially funny that Tomorrow Never Dies featured a villain that was pretty clearly based on Rupert Murdoch, yet it made him English and not Australian.

It's like Eon in the Brosnan era forgot that Bond baddies are supposed to be Chinese-German, Russian, German, Italian, generically eastern European several times, American black, Spanish, Swedish, German with a French accent, Greek, Afghan, German with an American accent, Russian again, or Colombian. All the Brosnan films featured Englishmen as the baddies playing "not really English" Englishmen except for The World is Not Enough, where the "not really English" Englishwoman was played by a Frenchie, for some reason.

Warning: I'm probably rewriting this post as you read it.

Zarban's House of Commentaries

Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

rtambree wrote:

As an Australian, there's something unique about MI:2 in that it's the only non-Australian movie I know of to be filmed & set in Australia.

Wem Wenders' epic Until the End of the World was partially filmed and set in Australia. The last act of it was, anyway. The first two acts were filmed and set literally every-fucking-where.

Damn, damn good movie, too.

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

rtambree wrote:

I think the Australian landscape is too boring & empty - after all most of it is just one big flat sandy desert.

True, but a couple Australian films like The Tracker and The Proposition use that to a strong advantage. Key scenes are staged in mountainous areas, making them feel extra dynamic since the rest of the movies are so flat.

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

Jeffery Harrell wrote:
rtambree wrote:

As an Australian, there's something unique about MI:2 in that it's the only non-Australian movie I know of to be filmed & set in Australia.

Wem Wenders' epic Until the End of the World was partially filmed and set in Australia. The last act of it was, anyway. The first two acts were filmed and set literally every-fucking-where.

Damn, damn good movie, too.

Thanks - I've never heard of that one. I'll look it up. big_smile

not long to go now...

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

Do, it's really worth a watch. It's stylish without being pretentious, and I mean, come on. It's Wem fucking Wenders. I won't say it's another Wings of Desire, but it belongs on the same shelf.

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

Watched 'Fright Night' the other night. The new one, from 2011. 'twas fun. Looked it up mainly because I think I might have a man-crush on David Tennant. And the added bonus of Checkov, Mintz-Plasse and that douche that's stuck in a phone booth in that film kinda helped too.

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

http://images.moviepostershop.com/from-beyond-movie-poster-1986-1020262342.jpg

One of my favourites. This movie is... really something else. It's sexually charged, sci-fi, body horror. Think Hellraiser, with some Cronenbergian themes, the startling transformation sequences from The Thing, with a touch of black humour and you got "From Beyond". Directed by Stuart Gordon, famous for directing Re-Animator, but I like this one a whole lot more (it's more ambitious, for one thing). It's a movie designed to tickle it's viewer, and I'd say, From Beyond tickles you real good.

Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

I watched Skyline then proceeded to bash my head into a brick wall in an attempt to forget what I just saw.

And I just saw that Micheal Bay announced that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie he is working on will not have them be Mutants, but instead Aliens. At which point I asked "When will Hollywood stop raping our childhoods?"

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

Hollywood can keep raping my childhood all it wants. They'll never touch the things I really liked, cause the things I liked when I was a kid were too dramatic and not action movie material. Belle & Sebastian FTW!

I liked Skyline. Well...  "liked" is a relative term, I guess...  I didn't mind it. It was watchable. I hope they make a sequel, just cause it made me curious.

But yeah, the whole alien ninja turtles thing is weird. It fundamentally alters the idea, and you have to wonder about certain things. Will Splinter be involved? Will Shredder be another alien? Also, aren't we kinda sick of aliens by now? We've got Battleship, Skyline, Battle: LA, Transformers, District 9 and so many others in the last few years. Why are we so obsessed with aliens lately? Is it due to the tensions about immigration and/or invading forces that want to just blow shit up like terrorist or something?

And we need to knock it off with the zombies and vampires as well. Especially zombies.

Fuck zombies.

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Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

So is this Bay's plan? Make bad action films out of every series that began around the 80s and 90s? First Transformers and now TMNT. I guess Thundercats is next.

Bay should just forget TMNT and make a Biker Mice From Mars movie instead. That cartoon is about a team of crime-fighting *alien* animals...

Re: Random Movie Talk That Probably Doesn't Deserve Its Own Thread

I want a live action version of the Dungeons And Dragons cartoon. Venger would scary many kids.

http://images.wikia.com/annex/images/0/0a/Dndc-venger.jpg

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