The "I have just seen this movie" - thread

I saw Australia (aka Desperately Seeking Howard Hawks) last night. A total waste of my time and money. It's especially disappointing because I was looking forward to seeing a big, epic film about a country that holds a great amount of interest for me.

Baz Luhrman directed, coauthored the script, and wrote the lyrics of the terrible Elton John song that assaulted our ears while the credits were rolling. The film never rises above low-class melodrama, in spite of the efforts of a fine cast, and the cinematography is just plain weird. There are all sorts of odd angle shots and an excessive use of computer graphics that are annoying and don't advance the plot or characters.

The story is told by a mixed race child, who is the cutest and most cloying character to grace the screen since Gizmo in 1984's Gremlins, and depicts life and trials of cattle ranchers in the interior of the Northern Territory during the years just before the onset of WWII. In the hands of a more skilled director this could have been the movie of the year. In Luhrman's hands it became a long, tortuous evening of watching one man's inept attempt at telling an epic story.

 

That's too bad about Australia. Yours is not the first poor review I've read about it. I was looking forward to it too. Oh well. I'm used to sub par movies lately. Seems like 4 out of 5 I see are duds. To wit:

We watched the third mummy installment last night on DVD. I believe I read somewhere that Roger Ebert called this the best mummy movie yet. I find that hard to accept. Like the previous two the special effects were good, and the final battle scene was pretty cool. Other than that they were desperately trying and failing to capture the magic of the first two. Brendan Fraser looked bored--I know most people don't like him anyway but he can do ok work. Maria Bello with a fake British accent doesn't work as a replacement for Rachael Weisz. Who ever the no name actor is playing their son wins a tie with Hayden Christensen of Star Wars fame for most wooden actor ever. Lastly John Hannah as the side kick, comic relief brother is given lame jokes and little screen time.

All in all this one was mailed in. A tired series that needs to be put to rest now.

 

This is one of my all time favorite movies. I have seen the original version multiple times. I also watched the extended version when it was released on 2002 I think it was. I like the original cut better.

 

I saw "In Bruges" this past weekend. I liked it a lot. Good acting in general, even Colin Ferrel, and good dialog. I recommend this one. It's also a sort of show case for the city. Very beautiful... "like a f..ing fairytale"

Tomorrow I might go see "The Day the Earth Stood Still". Not all reviews have been favorable, so not so sure if I'll go.

 

I'll second In Bruges. Pretty good Indy flick w/ top tier actors.

 

I will 3rd In Bruges. Colin Ferrel was very good in that movie.

 

Idiocracy

Here is another flop. I suspected this would be terrible and didn't really have any interest to see it. However my Uncle (in his 60's) who is very intellectual man and who normally has great taste in movies said it was fantastic. Well, being in the sandbox and not having a lot of options a friend and I decided to watch it.

It was directed by Mike Judge (Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill) and stared Luke Wilson (normally fairly funny) and Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live).

I'm not a huge fan of Mike Judge’s work but King of the Hill is bearable in doses and I have to admit I do enjoy Office Space. I don't really care for Maya Rudolph or the current cast of flunkies on SNL, but I thought I'd give it a shake. It was hard to get through.

According to Rotten Tomatoes:

Synopsis: Writer-director Mike Judge's ("Office Space") unique brand of social observational humor this time examines an average guy (Luke Wilson) who volunteers to be the subject of a hibernation experiment that goes awry. He wakes up 1000 years in the future, discovering that he's the smartest guy on the planet.

First of all the portrayal of the military was horrible. That's a sure fire way to lose my interest.

I would not recommend this movie: 2/10

 

Ive watched quite a few movies since school got out so in the order I remember:

Ultra violet-
I liked this movie. Also, I had heard 24 before hand and it makes the movie better. 3.5-5

serenity-
Awesome movie. After I saw this movie I went and watched all of the episodes of firefly on hulu. 4-5

Æon Flux-

This movie reminded me of ultra violet. So it got 3.5-5.

Underworld and Underworld 2:

Kate Beckinsale is hot.:love029(And I spelled her name right!) Also good story but bloody especially the second one. 4.5-5

 

American Beauty

I rummaged through my DVD collection and snagged this one. Haven't seen it for a while and I nearly forgot what a great movie it is. Kevin Spacey is a great actor. I still don't like Peter Gallagher's eyebrows though!


Wow....my font is big. Yes, I am compensating.

 

Hey Klaus can we talk about TV DVD series in here? I just started watching the SciFi channels Battlestar Galactica redo. I guess there's already like 4 or 5 seasons out, but I'm just starting. I'm in the middle of the series beginning mini series right now. Wow, they did a great job. Good effects for TV, a good compliment of actors, well written story line and well executed. I'm totally hooked already. I enjoyed the original back in the 70s/80s as a kid and this one takes me back. I just hope they finish this one off and don't leave me hanging like USA network did with The 4400! :mad:

If you're a sci-fi geek, check this one out. It's pretty cool.

 

We just watched Traitor, a great flick 4/5 stars.......... :happy096

 

Of course, go right ahead! :happy088

I have yet to watch Battlestar Galactica but I keep hearing good stuff about it.

To be honest, I don't watch many series. The reason for it being that I have to buy them on DVD. Most German dubs of TV-series are so bloody bad I can't listen to more than a minute before I start to throw things at the TV...

Series I have so far:
- CSI LV (all seasons)
- Millennium (")
- Twin Peaks (")
- X-Files (")
- Robin Hood (")
- Catweazle (S2)
- ReGenesis (only seasons 1 and 2 out so far)
- NYPD blue (S1)
- Beverly Hills 90210 (S1+2, the only ones available in Germany/Austria for now, I got them as press-screeners)
- My So-Called Life (complete)
- The Lone Gunmen (complete)

 

love actually

I watch that flick every year on christmas eve - just brilliant!

5/5

 

Checked out Death Race on DVD last night--the new release w/ Jason Stratham. Man this movie rocked! You have to be in the mood and take it for what it is though. It's an adrenaline charged, 70's throwback, muscle car, hot chicks in tight tops, shoot 'em up, explosions galore kick in the pants movie. It ain't gonna win no academy awards, but it was a lot of fun. Very little CGI work. This was old fashionied stunt man and cable work extreme car sequences. If you liked Mad Max and Road Warrior check it out. 4/5.

PS: And Natalie Martinez :love029. Can I get a daaayyyyyeeeemmm!

 

Bobby - 4,5/5

 

oh that gets a 10 out of 5. One of my favorites.

I watched Twilight. I can see why the kids like it.
3.5/5

 

Serenity and Firefly get 5/5. They are just that good.

Kate gets 6,000,000 out of 5. We have had our relationship since 1998 when she was in Last Days of Disco.

 

The Day The Earth Stood Still: Saw it yesterday hoping for an updated version of the 50's classic. What I got was a tree hugger movie that sucks. Even Jennifer Connelly couldn't save it.

 

Too bad. I was looking forward to this one. Don't you just love "message" movies? I watched Eagle Eye the other night. A ridiculous movie in its own right, but the worst part was the preachy, anti-Patriot Act message the last 1/3rd of the movie. I'm not voicing an opinion one way or another on the P.A., but don't spoon feed me your message like I'm some kind of drooling idiot. I hate movies that do that.

Eagle Eye: 1/5. rrr

EDIT: and oh yeah, Shia LaBeouf is a weak, powder puff actor. Scary they're trying to groom him to be the next big thing.

 

American Psycho - I hated the first 2/3rd and almost stoppped watching. Then I got it, right about the time the police cars blew up and Bateman looked at his gun in disbelief. I thought it was a very bad reprenestation of one genre but it turned out to be a very good representation of another. I only wish the director/writers/actors hadn't kept it a secret for so much of the movie. Either that, or I'm really dense.

Any more details will require a spoiler alert...