Stallone - Cliffhanger, Rambo series.
Sigourney aka Ellen Ripley
Harrison Ford for Indiana Jones
Bruce Willis - in the old days before he phoned it in
Tom Cruise - always gives 110%
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Posts found: 276 to 300 of 1,277
276 2014-06-05 11:52:04
Re: Top 10 Favorite Action Stars (5 replies, posted in Off Topic)
277 2014-06-04 17:13:53
Re: Edge of Tomorrow (Spoilers) (40 replies, posted in Off Topic)
278 2014-06-02 15:29:38
Topic: Edge of Tomorrow (Spoilers) (40 replies, posted in Off Topic)
This hasn't opened in the USA yet, but opened in Europe last week. For Christ's sake, don't read this as it contains spoilers!!!
95% on Rotten Tomatoes! This has gotta be the greatest thing since sliced bread, right?
It's been a year since Oblivion and Tom Cruise is saving the Earth from aliens again. It even ends in a similar way - the ol' suicide bomber-as-hero trope.
Like Oblivion, it's assembled from a dozen other sci-fi movies. But computer games are its primary inspiration... mech suits, respawning, helpful friendly frags, and boss levels. Primary demographic is 14-19 year old boys.
There's a lot of shooting (but at least there's no punching this time). Half the movie seems like it's relentless loud firing - of the ineffectual 'Starship Troopers' kind where it requires 10,000 bullets to take down one alien. Of course, Emily Blunt's blunt machete can kill instantly.
We've seen a lot of the set pieces before e.g. Matrix Revolutions' attack on Zion.
Off the top of my head, the ingredients are: Source Code, Saving Private Ryan, Matrix Revolutions, Aliens, Groundhog Day, Crysis, and Starship Troopers.
The chemistry between Cruise and Blunt ranges from mildly snarky to extra snarky. Everyone has Asperberger's, which is the standard characterization trope for 21st century Hollywood movies and TV shows. There are no real other characters. A few broadly sketched cardboard cut-outs we've seen done better elsewhere. As usual, Cruise sucks all the star power out of the rest of the cast. A Cruise movie is a movie where there's only Cruise. He doesn't do ensembles.
On the plus side, there's some good humour moments. As expected these days for any near-$200M movie, the VFX can't be faulted. I'm sure it's 90% greenscreen, but the compositing and CG is fine.
Some of the action is frenetic, and even sitting in the back row of IMAX, it was hard to tell what was happening sometimes. The 3rd act is at night and a little murky.
Score - loud.
Plot inconsistencies - why was a US Major (specializing in PR) assigned to the J-Squad grunts? Dunno. Why did Emily want to fly the chopper even though Cruise always told her there's a Mimic nearby? She listened to him up until then as he had prior knowledge of events. Why didn't she unhook the trailer? Why was there only one Alpha guarding the big boss Omega? On the final reset in the epilogue, why was the Paris power surge detected in the morning of the repeating day instead of that night? Why are they called "mimics" when they don't mimic? Why are there mimic squids buried at random places in the French countryside?
Does the movie end with Cruise becoming Bill Murray and learning to say the right things until he can bed Emily (who's young enough to be his daughter)?
In summary, I'd rank this slightly below Oblivion as it lacks the Oblivion's superb production design and M83 score. On the other hand it's got more action and humour. So depends on what floats your boat.
So what did you guys think? Would you rather play the computer game?
279 2014-05-29 21:59:55
Re: The Book of Eli (37 replies, posted in Episodes)
Dorkman wrote:
avatar wrote:Gethsemane is also a corker of a song, where even Jesus becomes a skeptic. It needs someone with a big (vintage 'Meat Loaf' like) voice. Ian Gillan belted it out on the originally studio recording from Webber/Rice.
Michael Crawford did an album of a bunch of Andrew Lloyd Webber's showstoppers, and did a phenomenal, more operatic version of this.
For Aussies here, Johnny Farnham also sung a rip-snorta version (that's a fair dinkum bonza Aussie expression) of Gethsemane on the 1992 Cast Recording.
280 2014-05-29 16:53:50
Re: Inverting the love interest dynamic (17 replies, posted in Off Topic)
johnpavlich wrote:
Besides, these are stories that have worked for literally centuries. That's why they keep telling them. James Cameron's Titanic is cliched and predictable to almost a sickening degree. The only truly special thing about it is of course, that it's set against the backdrop of a massive ship sinking into the ocean.
It's interesting to speculate if it would have worked as well if Leo was the upper class gentleman and Kate was travelling steerage.
Or if Senator Organa says, at the end of Revenge of the Sith, that he always wanted a son. Then Luke would be the snarky Prince, and Leia would be the naive farm girl staring longingly at the binary sunset.
281 2014-05-29 01:00:53
Topic: Inverting the love interest dynamic (17 replies, posted in Off Topic)
After having just seen my 50,000th movie example of a high-status woman falling for a low-status man, I was wondering how many examples are there where it's the other way 'round?
I can think of 'Pretty Woman', but are there other examples?
If scriptwriters strive to do something original, why do >90% follow the basic template where she's a princess / rich man's daughter and he's from the wrong side of the tracks?
Why don't we (hardly) see the high status business man / prince / rich boy fall in love with the supermarket checkout chick from the trailer park?
282 2014-05-29 00:33:34
Re: The Book of Eli (37 replies, posted in Episodes)
everythingshiny wrote:
I love Jesus Christ Superstar. Judas has all the best songs in that too.
Gethsemane is also a corker of a song, where even Jesus becomes a skeptic. It needs someone with a big (vintage 'Meat Loaf' like) voice. Ian Gillan belted it out on the originally studio recording from Webber/Rice.
283 2014-05-27 09:30:46
Re: Leap of Faith (38 replies, posted in Episodes)
This seems relevant to the last two WAYDM episodes...
284 2014-05-23 17:19:55
Re: The Book of Eli (37 replies, posted in Episodes)
The Police Car pile-up in Blues Brothers 2000 was probably the only good bit worth fast-forwarding to.... here it is in 1080p
285 2014-05-23 08:32:44
Re: The Book of Eli (37 replies, posted in Episodes)
bullet3 wrote:
Man, that soundtrack really is great
At the risk of sounding like Netflix, if you enjoyed that movie score, you might also like the scores to...
Children of Dune
Moon
The Fountain
Thin Red Line
K-19
Heat
Agora
A Single Man
286 2014-05-22 14:43:36
Re: The Book of Eli (37 replies, posted in Episodes)
Dorkman wrote:
I can't say I see the appeal -- and nor would Eli, being blind...
Given that he can echo-locate a cat at 100 yards, I'm figuring he can perv with his ears.
Yeah, great score (that atmospheric 7m first track anyway). It joins the list of titles where the score outlives the movie (e.g. The Mission, Requiem for a Dream).
287 2014-05-22 01:50:37
Re: The Book of Eli (37 replies, posted in Episodes)
Dorkman wrote:
Actually that's totally plausible in the sort of evangelical mindset underlying the film. Killing is fine, when it's bad people and they started it. Extramarital sex, never. A guy like Eli would pride himself on how he keeps his lust in check, especially compared to the benighted sinners he passes on the road.
Yeah, but it's Milas Kunis. 
288 2014-05-22 01:39:38
Re: The Book of Eli (37 replies, posted in Episodes)
I think I saw this half-jetlagged on a long-haul flight. All I remember is that Milas Kunis offered herself to Denzel ("it's on the house"), and was rejected because he's a holy, righteous man (that kills everything that gets in his way). I didn't need to go to the fridge to figure 'that wouldn't happen'. 
289 2014-05-21 17:41:14
Re: Pens (16 replies, posted in Off Topic)
So where do fountain pens fit on the cycle?
290 2014-05-20 09:40:06
Re: Gravity (29 replies, posted in Episodes)
MasterZap wrote:
About "that scene", the "cliffhanger" thing... I always thought there could have been an even MORE BETTERER solution to that.
- They have speed, she's tangled up with her feet in an *elastic* band
- Band is stretching, he goes "you need to let me go, or it'll break"
- She's all "fuck you, I'm holding on"
- Band stretches... stretches... they are slowing... slowing.... nearly at a stop...
- *PLINK* - band snaps. They are still moving... inches per second... away from safety.
- ...still holding hands...
- He's all "Okay, there's only one way for you to get back to the station. Equal and opposite action, and all that"
- She's all "What?"
- He's all "I need to push you away. You go home, I go away"
- She's all "No!"
- He's all "You got abetter idea!?"
- She's all "Oh fuck...."
- He's all "Yeah, fuck"
- She's all "I push you instead!!" *tears*
- He's all "No"... and shoves her off towards the station.
- They drift apart.. painfully slowly
- She's all "YOU ASSHOLE WHY DID YOU DO THAT"
- He's all "Hey, notice how pretty the stars are out here?"
- She's all "I HATE YOU" *devestated tears*
- He's all *turns on country music*
- He slooooowwwly drifts away.
- 3 minutes later, she bumps into the side of the station - safe - sobbing.
- Country music crackles out./Z
That's not bad at all. I wonder if you could 'vent' your suit for some minuscule extra propulsion. Absolute last ditch attempt... press some safety release valve that (partly) de-pressurizes the suit and gives you some extra 'delta V'. You'd need to hold your breath. It could be like that tense scene in The Abyss.
291 2014-05-15 01:30:25
Re: RIP HR Giger (12 replies, posted in Off Topic)
292 2014-05-14 11:16:54
Re: Gravity (29 replies, posted in Episodes)
Dorkman wrote:
Invid wrote:I have a general question. I've heard many say, including you guys, that Gravity really has to be seen in 3D for it to work. I didn't, which probably explains my feelings towards the film
However, unless 3D TV REALLY catches on, from this point forward very few of those watching the movie will see the 3D version. I therefore wonder if it will have any more lasting impact than Avatar did. It's certainly not unwatchable the same way, say, How The West Was Won is (the three strip, curved screen image doesn't convert to flat letterbox well), but does a filmmaker have any obligation to "future proof" their film so it has a life beyond the theater? The answer used to be, "no", as they were competing against TV and home video didn't exist. Now, however...
...the answer is still no.
Cuaron in particular -- and now I'm wishing this had come up during the episode -- is most concerned with the experience and possibilities of cinema. All the choices he made in making GRAVITY were with the goal of creating that experience for the audience. If you don't watch it in an environment designed for that experience, you simply will not get that experience. There is nothing he or any filmmaker can do about it.
It's like the difference between going to Disney World and watching a home movie of your trip to Disney World. You can capture the gist of the experience and even enjoy the home movies on their own merits, but they aren't and can't be the same as the experience of actually going.
Personally, I've no interest in seeing this again on a laptop, iPad, or even 60" OLED screen. About 90% of its appeal was the big screen 3D experience, in which it excelled, but I'd be surprised if it got a second life on home video. The story itself is not strong enough to stand on its own. If it continues to be shown on IMAX, I'd be happy to go once a year or so.
293 2014-05-13 20:03:12
Re: Gravity (29 replies, posted in Episodes)
Invid wrote:
I have a general question. I've heard many say, including you guys, that Gravity really has to be seen in 3D for it to work. I didn't, which probably explains my feelings towards the film
Here in London, the BFI IMAX is still showing Gravity every week. It's become a permanent fixture.
294 2014-05-13 16:38:15
Re: RIP HR Giger (12 replies, posted in Off Topic)
Lie back, turn the lights down, roll yourself a good one....
295 2014-05-13 15:12:56
Re: RIP HR Giger (12 replies, posted in Off Topic)
Rob wrote:
Sad news.
He was a successful artist whose death might have made news even if he'd never been associated with the ALIEN franchise. But his design work on ALIEN stands extremely tall in movie history. What's remarkable is how well the designs hold up, too. After all these years the basic Xenomorph design doesn't look dated or cheesy or tame compared to anything that's been done since.
Yes, and much imitated since... Species, Mimic, etc. The xenomorph (classique edition) is arguably the best movie alien design we've seen, only rivalled by the Beach Ball in Dark Star.
296 2014-05-13 11:05:35
Topic: RIP HR Giger (12 replies, posted in Off Topic)
In the Prometheus behind-the-scenes, Giger looked like he was getting on... now he's gone to the Necronomicon in the sky, or rather, below the ground....
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/ma … ien-artist
297 2014-05-11 20:06:11
Re: Walking It Back? (42 replies, posted in Off Topic)
Squiggly_P wrote:
Titanic is another movie I flip flop on a lot. I'll watch it and think it's an overrated pile of crap that's too cliche and over-acted. The next time I'll be admiring the craft of it and how it basically does everything perfectly to manipulate its audience. If ever there was an example of a film that knows how to control the audience's emotional states, it's Titanic. It keeps sinking its claws deeper and deeper, getting a fantastic grip on you until the iceberg hits, and from that point on it's using that grip to throw you around like a rag doll. If you let it get its claws in in the lead-up you can't escape. If it can't get that purchase it needs, the whole movie falls apart. But even there there are a few parts in the tail end that just work.
I saw the 3D re-release in IMAX, and there were grown men crying all around me.
298 2014-05-08 08:39:51
Re: Walking It Back? (42 replies, posted in Off Topic)
Alien3 must be one of the most 'walked back' movies ever. After the first two universally loved perfect movies in the franchise, the initial response to Alien3 was WTF? But when one has seen the 3-hour Anthology documentary (Wreckage and Rage: Making Alien 3) you realise it wasn't Fincher's fault. And then you see the extended workprint, you get a new appreciation for it on its own terms. It's got an uncompromisingly bleak tone (opens with a downer and descends from there), a great score, a great look, and a great performance from Charles Dance. Its new reputation is more 'flawed masterpiece' than 'what a clusterfuck'.
299 2014-05-07 23:11:50
Topic: Walking It Back? (42 replies, posted in Off Topic)
In a recent commentary, Dorkman mentioned he's revised his initial opinion of Avatar, and is "walking it back" from 'mediocre' to 'not bad' (or words to that effect).
So the question to you all is, what movies have you revised your initial opinions on? Because of a second viewing? Or you've had a conversation about it where someone introduced a new perspective, or you've read the book it's based on, or seen the effort in the behind-the-scenes, or heard the director's commentary, or the WAYDM commentary, etc?
For me, the Dark Knight trilogy has improved with age and second and third viewings. From 'not bad' to 'this is classy top-shelf stuff'. Even the third instalment.
Others include Watchmen and Vanilla Sky and Mulholland Drive.
So what movies have you guys 'walked back' and why?
300 2014-05-02 01:24:35
Re: Transcendence (21 replies, posted in Off Topic)
Johnny Depp, sell me this movie...
The 'sales pitch' starts at 8m:20s.
This must be the lamest effort since Bruce Willis' soporific Die Hard 5 effort.
Posts found: 276 to 300 of 1,277
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