There is one good thing about being unemployed. I've been unemployed in a house with cable! So I've been watching about 5 movies a week, this is after watching about 5 movies a year for the last five years.
First of all, let me point out that 90% of movies, suck, are lame, are lazy, or are totally un-original. It amazes me how many movies are made by being cut and pasted together from older movies, or how audiences will flock to a movie when they know there is NOTHING original in it.
Yesterday, I watched two movies.
#1 DRAGONFLY with Kevin Costner. Boring. Probably the worst crime a film can male. Boring. Boring. Boring. I fell asleep in the middle of the 2nd act. Woke up for the last 5 minutes and found I hadn't missed anything important.
#2 THE SCORE OK. This wasn't an ORIGINAL film, but it did have Deniro who is usually (not always, do you think we'll let him ever forget Rocky and Bullwinkle?) superb and incredibly watchable, and one of my FAVORITE "young" actors today, Edward Norton. Not to mention, the big ole prima donna Marlon Brando. This was a good movie, good performaces and on top of it all, it had a good ending that I didn't see coming. I liked it. I recommend it.
OK...so the other night I watched...
13 GHOSTS Uhm. What? Ah. Er. OK. so we don't really need a plot, we just need a semi-lame excuse to have creepos run around and kill people. I did like the design of the house. I thought that was cool, but the core engine thing looked to Maya/3dmax for me. What ever happened to good horror films?
Which brings me to...
THE RING This movie had a few creepy elements in it, and I do love to watch pretty girls, the lead is very cute, but overall, in the end, THERE IS NO WAY ON EARTH THOR IS SCARED BY A VIDEO TAPE. {Maybe if it was an old beta tape, that'd be scary, wait, no, nah.} ...but that's it, that's the "evil" bad guy? A VHS tape? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA
How's a bout a movie I liked?
Legally Blonde This was a good movie. Not great but good, and what it did was bring me to the realization that a movie only has to have one or two "fresh" elements to feel good to the audience. Although it doesn't hurt to have Reese Witherspoon who eats up the camera and comes with charm and style. I liked it. It's nothing special, but it's good.
...let me kick you over to a GREAT film about a girl...
BRIDGET JONES DIARY I loved this movie. One of the things I love most in a film is when I have no idea what will happen next, and this was that film. I didn't know where it was going and I loved it. I loved how the character Bridget ends up with us slowly grows on her and the audience. Great stuff.
or at the Theatre...
TOMB RAIDER 2 How can a movie with so many fight scenes, chase scenes and explosions be SO boring? I fell asleep in it. Also, how can a movie with one of the sexiest women on the planet be so UNSEXY? Especially when she's playing a superhero? Leave it up to Gay Jan Debont to accomplish all of these.
or.. THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN I loved, loved, loved the comic. I think Alan Moore is a genius and one of my biggest writing influences, but since hollywood is evil, and I'm so good, it has to attack me by raping all of Alan Moore's work. First was From Hell, and now this. It's amazing how hollywood loves to gut something and then crap it up. I'd like to point out that the invisible man in the comic book was originally caught in a nunery impregnating all the young nuns, (they thought it was an act of another immaculate conception) or the fact that Jekyl and Hyde was going around killing prostitues, or that Sean Connery's Character was a big time opium addict. They left all of this out, hmmm. The most amusing thing to me was to watch how Mr. Connery used this as a "Isn't my character perfect" vehicle. Let's face it, action parts for 60 year old actors are hard to come by, and they had to use a lot of quick jump cuts for his "Fight" scenes. This movie was bad and boring, but I did enjoy some of the set design.
This brings me to a point, I am a screenwriter (though I've been on strike for a few years) and I'm amazed at how lazy or unimaginative the ones who are working today are...
...isn't anyone trying to come up with something new? I know how almost impossible that can be, so then why not try and come up with a character the audience can care about? It's like all the writer has to do now a days is write a line like "My wife and kids were killed by villian X" and we're supposed to endure a crappy movie because of that?
...which brings me back to...
THE MATRIX RELOADED I loved this movie, and I don't understand those people who don't. I didn't know what was going to happen next, the action was awesome and there was a good suprise at the end AND there was some great theology in it.
I want more movies like this or...
SIGNS I love M. Knight Shylaman. I love his style. His movies. He's so fresh and original. He creates such thick atmosphere and gets such great performances out of his people. Why can't more filmmakers be like him?
Hmmm...
More to come later, now I've got to get ready to go see THE HULK.
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i havent seen alot of movies lately becuase im in mexico but i did see signs. i loved that movie but i had a problem with it. i dont think that M. Knight Shymalan has ever been in a corn field in the morning or at night.
Posts: 12 | Registered: Jul 2003
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I loved the movie for Bridget's Jones Diary, hated the book. The book is so lame in my opinion. And I thought the Matrix Reloaded rocked. Since I have no JOB I don't get to go and see any movies anymore. I want to see Whale Rider and Bend it like Beckham but most of the other movies out there just look so... boring, so unappealing like they are movies that have been already made 500 times. I want to see something new... Something unique. Like Memento. That movie rocked, especially knowing that the character had a lousy short term memory, knowing that you know things he doesn't. That movie was just interesting. I did not like this movie called Bigby goes down or something like that. I hate movies about rich snotty annoying cubs. I want to go into the screen and beat these kids soundly then steal all their money and use it to set up a trust fund for myself. What can be worse than watching someone who has life handed to them on a silver platter screw it up? A movie which just involves a bunch of people sitting around doing drugs saying, "Life sucks." all day long. Which is odd, considering the fact that I like Trainspotting.
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I saw a few movies this weekend. I'll talk about them Thor style.
Old School - It was pretty damn funny. Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrel were both on top form. I didn't really enjoy Luke Wilson's performance as much as I have in other movies.
Daredevil - I've heard some bad things about it, and I have to say I'm surprised that I actually enjoyed it, despite the horrible acting of that guy from SWAT. His stupid character ruined a good chunk of the movie, and if it wasn't for Jennifer Garner's hotness I probably would have hated the entire second half.
The Man Who Would Be King - This was an awesome movie. Sean Connery sometimes shows that he has incredible acting talent. It's a shame that he hasn't done a good movie in so many years. Michael Caine was also great. I haven't seen many of his movies, and the ones I have seen have him playing a gentle old man. So I was surprised by his portrayal of an opportunistic, somewhat evil soldier. It was outstanding, and the dialogue between Connery and Caine is hilarious.
I'm looking forward to seeing Open Range this friday. Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall are two of my favorite actors, so I hope it's a decent movie. I think I'll also see Seabiscuit in the theatre, especially after reading OSC's review. Jeff Bridges is awesome, and any movie with him is probably worth the price of admission.
Posts: 1855 | Registered: Mar 2003
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Isn't Syn quite a bit younger than Thor though? Although actually, from what Thor has said recently, I guess that wouldn't be a problem for him.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Actually I have only ever mildly played matchmaker once in real life. Between one of my best guy friends and my roommate. All I really did is make a couple of pointed comments about how they were both single and had a lot in common. The scary thing is that they are now married! They had been together for 3 years before marriage though, so I don't think they can blame me if it fails. And it seems like a healthy relationship so I don't think it will fail any time soon either.
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"The Man Who Would Be King" is one of my all time favorite movies. I saw it waaaay back in the seventies, in the freakin' movie theater. I was going to show it to my class last year, and, on a whim, I watched it first. THANK GOODNESS. It is pretty racy in parts.
Oh, the only time I laughed as consistently through a novel as I did through "Bridget Jones' Diary" was when I read "The Pickwick Papers." It just hit a funny bone in me.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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Ah, the adventures of Dirk Gently. How unfortunate that Adams only wrote two books about him. I preferred Gently to any character from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Posts: 1855 | Registered: Mar 2003
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We watched the Man Who Would be King in my history class. I actually didn't like it that much, thought it was boring. Of course, it was touted as being educational.........
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002
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THE INCREDIBLE HULK - Um. How do I put this? How can I possibly say what I'm feeling? Ok, I'll try this. The movie was technically almost perfect. It was almost perfect filmmaking, but it was so perfect it became lifeless. So while it was great filmmaking, it was a bit of a dull movie. AND I couldn't get over the purple anti-hulk stretch bike shorts. I could handle suspending my disbellief for everything, except the goofy purple shorts that were un tearable. Where did they come from? And how did he know to wear them the first time he transformed? There would be a serious (Oh so serious) scene, he'd scream and transform and then, WHAMMO!, purple shorts. It made me giggle everytime. OH. And the thing with his father, his father was a little too wacko, and it got a bit to wacky. And dang if it didn't seem long, very very long. I noted during the film that one of the problems with it was the lack of a quality bad guy. You need one of those in a hero film, without it, your film is stillborn. I did love the part where they go out into the beautiful rock formations of the desert and the General goes "Turn it into a parking lot" and they conventionally nuke it. That was cool. But I feel the shakesphere-ian drama may have been too over the top for The Incredible Hulk, both father's portrayed were a bit too out there. Jennifer Connely. Wow. I remember going to see some bad John Hughes Rip off movie where she and Ducky get caught in a Kmart or something because I had a huge crush on her from the moment I saw her. It's amazing that she's only become more beautiful with age. Who ever marries her, or the men that get to marry her, are some of the luckiest fellas on Earth. I could look at her for ten years straight and not get bored. {sidenote: She can act too.} I really enjoyed all of Ang Lee's transitions. Those were neato. Over all, I'm mixed. It was a very deeply flawed masterpiece.
I did see a TRAILER that I am excited about...
PETERPAN - It's coming out Christmas and this one looked really, really cool. So Hey Katharina, if I have to get caught in a tragedy. I'll take Peter Pan. Posts: 2752 | Registered: Feb 2001
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Thor - I just went to the Web site for Peter Pan - it looks amazing.
After our discussion, I bought the original book. I'd never read it before - its incredible. My stars, this is NOT a children's book! It's more layered than Narnia. I do still think it is somehow a tragedy.
I know from Peter Pan - my best friend is Peter Pan. I spent three years in Neverland, and I don't think I'll every quite recover from the loss. I had to leave though. Because unlike the Neverland in myth, the Neverland here on earth can't stop time.
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I like the Syn and Thor idea. I'd contribute to a collection.
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THE BANGER SISTERS Holy crap. This movie was one mixed message, but one clear message is that Susan Surandon is going to be sexy til she's dead. It's allright to be the world's biggest groupie and a great wife/mom as long as your true to yourself. What? Who came up with this crap. Only in Holywood. I'm telling you, the crap that gets greenlit, oy vay. I did laugh outloud twice, but still...
Now for some WONDERFUL culture... Listen up kids and circle in tight, it is time to play trust THOR.
If you've got extra bucks, here's what you can spend your money on, some good Culture.
The Scientist By Coldplay. This song is sooooooooooooo wonderful. Everytime I listen to it, it makes me full full of romance, hope, beauty and love. It makes me feel that all is possible, and that love will find me again, wether it's this life time or the next, it give me graceful patience.
or for a little American Rock and Roll
THE FOO FIGHTERS NEWEST ALBUM
Crud, I forget the name of it right now, but it's great. Dave Grohl has been possessed by Kurt Cobain's ghost, and as far as song writing goes, that is a great thing, only Dave never dated Courtney love, so his hope and love are still alive and shining. And dang can that boy write catchy riffs, good lyrics and smack the drums. The single Learn to Love again maybe the second best song of the year behind the coldplay's the scientist. A can't miss album.
or if you're feeling a bit more adventurous...
INTERPOL
This band kicks so much ass and their latest album is so incredible, they are the best NEW band since Radiohead or Coldplay. They are amazing and fresh sounding while still sounding like a great old band you used to love. They're everything great about a New York Guitar and Keyboard sound. _________________________________
Maybe I could go on a polygamy with date, Synth and Katharina, doesn't that sound like fun? ...but don't you girls get too excited yet, you ladies will have to wait until I get a job.
[ August 13, 2003, 02:16 AM: Message edited by: The Silverblue Sun ]
Posts: 2752 | Registered: Feb 2001
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SERENDIPITY I watched this movie for a few reasons, #1 I have a brand new healthy obsessive compulsive crush on Bridget Moynahan and she was in it playing John Cusak's fiancee. #2 Kate Beckinstal is pretty also. #3 I like John Cusak. #4 I thought it might be a good movie. Nope. I was wrong. It wasn't a good movie. As a matter of fact, it was ONE BIG PET PEEVE of mine. It's no secret here at Hatrack that I'm a single man. It's true. It's true. So It didn't help to watch a movie where John Cusak has a loving and adoring fiance in Bridget Moynahan, but she's not enough for him, what he really wants and needs is another hot girl he met for 2 hours 4 years ago. Oh come on, what friggin' message is this sending people? In a time when people bail out of marriage when it's not the same as it was at the very beginning, do we really need more of this crap? And of Course, Kate Becckinstal's character is still in love with the guy she hung out with for 2 hours 4 years ago, even though she's engaged to the new aged yanni.
This movie had a horrible time diffusing two of it's own devices, #1 it never showed why Kate was better for John than Bridget, and #2 when it showed her NOW boyfriend/fiance as a total dufass, it makes me ask, why on Earth did she go out with him and why did she ever agree to marry him?
The whole movie started out extremely shaky for me because Kate and John pretty much have their One and Only date when they both havre a significant other. Ummmm...Jerks. As a Jedi, let me tell you that's a big no-no. So I didn't have lots of love for either character.
I did learn during this movie that Kate has a very cute little butt in jeans and Bridget is a dream to look at, so overall all of my time was not wasted.
the other night I watched...
MR. DEEDS with Adam Sandler. Ok. Let me tell you this, one of my favorite movies of all time is Mr. Deeds Goes To Town, the original, from like 1947. It's spectacular, awesome and super. So I knew that I wasn't going to love this movie too much, but I did know that I always get 2 good laughs out of an Adam Sandler film, and Winona Ryder is beautiful. So I watched it. I only got one good laugh and Winona is still hot. It's funny, all Adam Sandler is ever going to do is mine american Cliches to structure his movies with and the make them and they will turn out allright, maybe each one getting a little worse. I guess that's OK for hum, if that's what he wants. I'll always love Happy Gilmore.
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Oh, I dunno, I thought Punch-Drunk Love was pretty good. But none of his movies has as special a place in my heart as Billy Madison.
Posts: 4534 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Mr. Seventy-Five, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
Posts: 4534 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Dude, the actual line is "Stop looking at me, swan!" But I guess you can't really expect too much from a guy who got his butt handed to him by Bruce Leroy.
Posts: 4534 | Registered: Jan 2003
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OK. The last musical I really, really liked, or even liked was, Singing in The Rain. Great movie. I absolutely couldn't stand more than ten minutes of Moulan Rouge so on that note...
CHICAGO is a wonderful, extremely well made and visulized, perfectly cast movie. Yup, I'm an all american male (I almost cried when Micheal Vick got hurt), and I thought Chicago was superb, and I take back all my bashing of it winning an Oscar (although Academy Awards are still stupid). I loved the 6 dames scene, the Richard Gere as puppett master scene and number was spectacular, the court room tap dance was perfect, and the weirdest thing of all, I thought it was one of the best portrayls of the American Justice system (and the American public's bizarre thirst for dirty murder) I've seen in a long, long time. Queen Latifah was brilliant, Renee Zwellenger dazzled and Catherine zeta jones was spot on. Richard Gere was fabulous! Good flick, really good show.
Posts: 2752 | Registered: Feb 2001
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It's weird, but to me it was the HULK's film-making that ruined it. I can understand the over-the-top General Ross--that's the way he's always been, so that's the way he was portrayed, even though it was a bad idea in this medium. But the attempt to make it look like a comic book with a bunch of split screens was extraordinarily distracting. What's worse, to me it scotched the whole attractiveness of making a comic into a movie--to _forget_ that it's not real.
(Hey...come to think of it, it looked very much like the Hulk had lost his pants after he was attacked by the dogs. That's why they had to keep him in the shadows. Puts a new perspective on why Betty is nervous...)
Posts: 1041 | Registered: Feb 2002
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I hate when they mix Jane Austen characters, though. In Bridget Jones, Mr. Darcy's fiancee was none other than Mary Crawford! Almost as bad as hooking up Mr. Darcy and Fanny Price in The Importance of Being Earnest. You just can't do that to us, folks!
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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I don't want to sound like I have a dirty mind, but considering the social context, it may be wise to consider another abbreviation for Bridget Jones' Diary.
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The Ring may have been boss, but Ringu was wicked awesome. They didn't have to resort to the cheesy shock factor of it. Look for the translated manga soon!!!
Posts: 4816 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Uptown Girls Holy Moly it was ditzy. Very predictable, unrealistic and cheesy. Everyone was shoved into their stereotype and they dutifully (and unrealistically) stayed there through out the entire movie. The touching scenes seemed contrived and the characters didn't seem to like each other enough to have any moments together. One good thing about it...Huey!! That's all I have to say.
The Mothman Prophecies I saw this one a month or so ago. It's so bizarre, but I really liked it. It succeeded in keeping me on edge and jumpy throughout the entire movie. (Drat the soundtrack and that creepy paperdrawn moth!!) Richard Gere and Laura Linney both give great performances, though they're both rather somber. It's not a cheery movie, but it had a strange "This is a true story which is why it's so creepy" thing going on. Liked it.
Posts: 6415 | Registered: Jul 2000
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