IT STINKS!!! ...or not.

[Reply #120 on:]

TOTPD 

Well, I was itching to see a movie, and I wanted to see X2 or Holes, but my friend hates "guy" movies, so we went and saw a movie I'm almost embarressed to say I watched...
The Lizzie McGuire Movie
I actually enjoy the series for the most part, except the latter episodes when it turned into this stupid romance and my favorite character left.  I didn't have very high expectations for this film, as Lalaine was missing and I KNEW they'd delve into the romantic aspect.  With that in mind, I prepared for the worst.  And...well, it wasn't as terrible as I expected.  True, the main storyline was incredibly sacchrine, but Matt (Martin from "A. I." ) was great as the comic relief, as were Lizzie's parents.  I was glad they kept the cartoons that show what Lizzie's thinking, which are one of the better parts of the show in my opinion.  The script was okay, but not as comedic or heartfelt as "The Princess Diaries."  The songs written for the movie were very, VERY poppy, although I did enjoy the Dean Martin song and Atomic Kitten and Vitamin C's covers of "The Tide Is High" and "Volare" respectively.  I just wish they hadn't had Hillary Duff sing.  She's not horrible, but not great and they're so innocous and bubbly that they immediately get stuck in your head.  It also bothered me that the original music style was not kept as the movie score.  One of the show's good points is its inventive music and quirky sound effects, which I missed in the movie.  I enjoyed seeing the lush Rome background and for the most part, there was some nice character development.  Will I see the sequel Disney already has lined up?  Maybe, especially if they bring back my favorite character from her permanent "vacation in Mexico."
All in all, I'd give it a C.  Of course, I'm being generous because I have a soft spot for Disney flicks.   

[Reply #121 on:]

Dreamcatcher

Pleasant surprise was the Animatrix film before Dreamcatcher, "The Flight of the Osiris". John DiMaggio has a small part in Flight of the Osiris, which is some kind of introduction to Matrix: Reloaded.

Dreamcatcher itself was somewhat of a disappointment, since some actors seemed to be only in it for the money.

Show spoiler

Jason Lee dies quite early, what a waste.

I haven't read the book, but the story in the film didn't made that much sense to me, it wasn't really exciting. The only good thing was Damian Lewis, perhaps known to the most from "Band of Brothers".

Therefore 6/10.

Thank you for your attention.

[Reply #122 on:]

I went to see Dreamcatcher and I got to say that film was scary, very scary but it was really good.

The Animatrix is really cool, I really liked the fighting scene with the woman and the man. Oh my god Gocad I didn?t know that John DiMaggio did the voice as one of the characters.

Oh I saw the trailer of The Matrix 2 and I really want to see that.

[Reply #123 on:]

Dreamcatcher scary?

WTF?

...The Ring, now that freaked me out...

[Reply #124 on:]

 

Originally posted by Juliet:
The Animatrix is really cool, I really liked the fighting scene with the woman and the man. Oh my god Gocad I didn?t know that John DiMaggio did the voice as one of the characters.

Actually I didn't noticed that while seeing it. I only found out because I saw his name in the credits. He also has only a small part in it. I think "played" one of the crewmembers. 

[Reply #125 on:]

I just saw the film "Frailty" with Matthew Maconaughey(sp?) and Bill Paxton. Thought it was great, suspenseful, intelligent and crafty. A smart thriller that unfortunately, seemed to be overlooked when it was released theatrically.

[Reply #126 on:]

Just saw X2 - it blew me away... (although the final theatrical trailer for the Matrix was shown before it, which took the edge off). Lots more backstory, a lot longer and more mutants (as well as an amazing cast) made this film (for me) far superior than the original...

The two best moments in the film - Magneto's escape (you'll never work out how he escapes from his plastic prison until you see it (and for someone like me studying Biology, it's amazing I didn't think of it) - and you get to appreciate how powerful Magneto really is) and the opening sequence (wow).

[Reply #127 on:]

I also recently saw "Le Placard," or "The Closet," a French comedy about a man who learns that he is about to be fired from his job, and decides to, with help from a new friend," to "come out of the closet," even though he isn't gay. It's a great comedy, in the line of "La Cage aux Folles" and "The Dinner Game." It's a great comedy, especially for those turned off by foreign films. And, there's a scene with the main character wearing a condom hat. You can't beat that! ....that rhymes...how sad.

[Reply #128 on:]

X-Men 2 - I loved it! There we more mutants and they were brilliant! Made me jump in a few places, and I also got a little confused, but I loved it nevertheless 

The Matrix Reloaded trailer before it though blew me away!

[Reply #129 on:]

 

Originally posted by Impossible:
The Matrix Reloaded trailer before it though blew me away!

I so can't wait to see that movie. I've only seen the posters for it so far, but even they are awesome 

[Reply #130 on:]

That will be the movie to watch this year. I'm real lucky my finals will be over this week so I can really anticipate the movie  And the Animatrix has some of the best sword-sparring scenes I've ever seen.

[Reply #131 on:]

I haven't even seen the first one, let alone the second. Don't feel really compelled to see either....um, either.

[Reply #132 on:]

At least go to appreciate the ground breaking CGI...

[Reply #133 on:]

Possilby, I'll rent it when it gets a DVD release, but I don't see myself shelling out 8 or so dollars just to see a movie for the sake of CGI. Every review I've read of X2 so far touts the FX, but all unaimously agree that there is a pretty flimsy and weak story. I prefer my movies to have a bit more "meat" on 'em.

[Reply #134 on:]

If The Matrix Reloaded is anything like the first one, then I'm pretty sure that it'll have plenty of meat and eye candy 

[Reply #135 on:]

I plan on seeing the new Matrix, but will most likely wait a week or two before going to see it. People here get all crazy and have to line up days in advance for movies like that, and I don't feel like having to wade waist deep through a sea of Matrix nerds, to go see it. For the most part, though, I usually tend to shy away from the huge, blockbuster films and usually go see smaller, more independent features.

[Reply #136 on:]

 

Originally posted by asianlightning:
I don't feel like having to wade waist deep through a sea of Matrix nerds

What are you? Twelve foot tall?   
"Swish!"

Edit: Does that chick from Buffy show any skin in Dreamcatcher?
Emma Caulfield or Anya?

[Reply #137 on:]

I dont remember any skin in dreamcatcher...
just that crazy Dutters guy

[Reply #138 on:]

X-2

I thought it had a better plot than the first one, and the action sequences were way less cheesy, but I don't know. Am I the only one who liked the first one better? It was more entertaining to me. This one was too long.

Nightcrawler was surprisingly cool though. The great big surprise mutant cameos(Beast and Collosus) were easy to spot, and I'm not a huge nerd. Were there any quick ones that I missed? That whore Harry Knowles says something in his review like "you'll have to see this movie again to spot all the mutant cameos!".

To sum up my review, it was alright, but clearly it lacked the magic of Joss Whedon's script.

(oh yeah, and might I add that all the trailers sucked ass. Matrix is goofy. Hulk is WAY goofy, plus it has terrible animation. Dumb & Dumberer had one of those lame "uh-oh, I thought they were talking about Lord of the Rings/some other hit blockbuster movie, but really they were talking about some wacky comedy!!!" trailer lead-ins. Although I have to give them credit, because I figured it was the trailer for Scary Movie 3. I was surprised when it was Dumb & Dumber, only without actors)

[Reply #139 on:]

Is that the dictionary Dumb and Dumberer preview, I thought that was classic when I saw that months ago...

Just a note that this friday the Animatrix is in Cinemas! all 9 episodes back to back! Going to see it 2moro night with some friends (already seen eps 1-4 and 9 but meh).

[Reply #140 on:]

Saw the animatrix, even tho I'd seen most of the episodes, it was well worth it.

Also for those that follow voice acting, futurama voice artist Kath Soucie does almost all the voices in the ep called Beyond, also I think it was said earlier, but John DiMaggio does a voice in the ep, Final Flight of the Osiris.

[Reply #141 on:]

I saw X2 last weekend and I thought it was great.  An extension of the first film, when Bryan Singer said he was going for an "Empire Strikes Back" feel to the film, he wasn't wrong.  As the movie leaves you with more questions than answers.

The new characters, Nightcrawler (played very well by Alan Cumming) was particularly great, especially the opening scene.

Rogue's getting hotter by the minute, also.

[Reply #142 on:]

I also saw X2. Great, great movie. I haven't seen the original in a long time, so I can't compare them. I do think this one was better.

Hugh Jackman = kickass Wolverine. Alan Cumming = kickass Nightcrawler. For the third movie, it should be those two, plus Gambit, just kicking ass throughout the 2 hours. Excellent.

Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart...both awesome respected actors playing superheros. Anna Paquin (Rogue), also hot, but not as hot as Rebecca Romaijn-Stamos as Mystique. Even with the blue body paint...yowza! There was one bit of directing, when Magneto's giving the exposition, and the shot is just Magneto sitting down and Mystique's tits.

FishyOne: other mutant cameos were Kitty Pryde moving through the walls during the seige, Jubliee in one of the classrooms, and numerous other names listed on the computer in Com. Stryker's office. Excellent.

[Reply #143 on:]

Scoff...you call that a mutant cameo? They already had Jubilee in a classroom in the first X-men movie. But the other stuff, I didn't notice, so good job.

[Reply #144 on:]

Well here is my Matrix review from the Box office thread.

Just saw Matrix 2: Matixer wasn't that bad but they still were ripping off everything from a bunch of different movies. I saw a lot of stuff I recognized from Hong Kong cinema this semester, they were trying to emulate a classic HK director but were failing... it was annoying they got it about 90 percent right but they would ruin it by stopping the action with yet another bullet time effect or generic Hollywood cut, ruining the rhythm. Still it was a fun movie even if I did not care at all for Zion.

The mixed reviews were previews up on Dark Horizons it is getting a 76 percent good for a summer action film, X-2 is getting an 88 percent.

I liked X-2 better but that is because I am a comic geek... too many times in the Matrix I was wondering why Neo didn't just fly away or use his powers more and the HK geek inside of me wondered why he didn't just use his Kung-fu to kill the guys faster.... oh well.


I would also like to add there was a horrible dance sequence that was painful to watch? I couldn?t believe that made the cut, it looks like one of those things were they are cut and put on the DVD and thank the director and producer for making that choice. Also the film sometimes took its self too seriously, some unintentional funny/head slapping moments in the film.

[Reply #145 on:]

Also saw another movie today
Hero
Mainland China's responce to Crouching Tiger. Reminds me of Ashes of Time. Very good use of color although the plot had a weird layer of PRC creapyness on it.

[Reply #146 on:]

Last night watched the film "Wasabi" with my girlfriend. Interesting enough, pretty funny, but seemed to be lacking that "certain something" that most Luc Besson films possess. Can't put my finger on it....Overall, though, pretty good. It does a good job of making a movie out of a pretty bland premise. Jean Reno is his usual bad ass self, playing his character with a cold and calculated professionalism, while at the same time coming across as a pretty funny guy.

[Reply #147 on:]

I'm not a comic geek, nor am I a fan of the myriad of HK action films I've been witness to (far too gratuitous for my liking, but the same goes for nearly all modern Asian pop culture), and I thought The Matrix: ReLoaded was absolutely fantastic. The Zion bits at the beginning were a bit too sci-fi for my liking, and at times the whole aesthetic seemed to slip into a bit of self-parody, but all of that was completely cancelled out by the supoib CG (best fight scene, ever. + that orgasmic semi collision stand out) and all the stuff revolving around and leading up to that colonel sanders guy really progresses the story in ways I didn't imagine happening before-hand.

It was bigger in every respect than the original, but not necessarily better, seeing that the first film never abandoned the 'uber-cool' aesthetic for a minute, but the second film has only elements of it, from time to time.

Still, an awesome, awesome film. I need to watch it  few more times though, to take it all in.

Earlier today, I watched Chung King Express, which I found to be quite humourous, especially for a subtitled film, but utterly bizarre and nonsensical in a lot of parts. The pineapple pieces section cracked me up, for some reason.

[Reply #148 on:]

Remember those spoiler tags, people.

[Reply #149 on:]

Ben, your pineapple obsession is strange, to say the least.

I went to the theater earlier today to see Daddy Day Care(the theater lobby was packed, so I must not have been the only one. The actual theater was actually fairly empty though. Maybe people were waiting for the afternoon showing?  ). It was awesome. I couldn't believe my eyes when

Show spoiler

oh god, what am I saying? *kills self*

[Reply #150 on:]

Chungking Express kicks ass, loved that film going to order the DVD when I have some more time on my hands. Had an essay question on the exam about that movie... useful.

[Reply #151 on:]

About the dancing sequence in The Matrix: Reloaded...

A friend and I had a discussion today about that sequence. He agreed with Musca about it's dragging on, but I had to disagree. First off, the dance was very human and primal. To look into things perhaps a bit deeper than expected, I noticed that there were quite a few African leading actors in Zion. The dance sequence, to me, seemed like the perfect African tribal ("primitive", but that's a loaded word, so I'll not use it) ritual. It was cut between by Neo and Trinity making love -- both dancing and sex are two incredibly human and "living" aspects.

Compare that to the cold and unrelenting Agents or Matrix (which, btw, were mainly white actors). I think that the sequence kept the energy of Zion alive. If it was shorter, then you'd forget the beat and the nature.

Oh, great, I just turned the Matrix into a small essay on race. Let the flame war begin.

Also, at Musca...despite how powerful Neo is, he still is not able to defeat an Agent. Whenever he fought one, he had to subdue them enough to give him an escape. He does fly away most of the time, but only when he can. The other Matrix residents are easy enough to beat...plus, he needs the fighting expierence.

[Reply #152 on:]

Saw The Matrix: Reloaded last night. I really enjoyed it, liked the refference to the Animatrix Ep: Kid Story

Show spoiler

explains the Kid in Zion that wants to join the Neb crew

It took me a while after the movie, to seriously work out the choice colonel sanders gives to Neo.

I waited out the credits for the Revolutions trailer, man the credits went for AGES!!

[Reply #153 on:]

Just came back from seeing Reloaded and all I can say is wowza. The fighting was totally nuts. There's slightly more action then the predecessor with double the style. The 20 minute-or-so chase scene kicked ass! Definitely one of my favourite films.

EDIT-
 

Originally posted by Grim:
I waited out the credits for the Revolutions trailer, man the credits went for AGES!!

Yeah, me too. Why couldn't they just show it before the movie?   

[Reply #154 on:]

And now for a review of a good film, alright I have yet to see the Matrix but this film is one of the coolest I've seen in years.

Donnie Darko

Any film with a 6 foot demopnic looking rabbit who proficises the end of the world to a scary degree of accuracy (28 days 6 hours 42 minutes 12 seconds) has just got to be  a good film.

I thought some of the best stuff came form Donnie's rants about certain socila situations and other topics (the smuff orgy was particually good).
They also watched Evil Dead in the movie which is also a great movie.
I won't spoil it even with a spoiler bracket but let's just say it does get quite confusinfg at points. Hell there are some things I still am trying to work out but I'm getting there :0
See this movie it rocks very hard. incidently the sound tracks pretty cool

A+

[Reply #155 on:]

I want to see Bruce Almighty and just seen the trailers on the web and I think it's going to be good. Good to see Jim Carrey agian.

[Reply #156 on:]

 

Chungking Express kicks ass, loved that film going to order the DVD when I have some more time on my hands. Had an essay question on the exam about that movie... useful.

For my Film Studies A Level we were going to study Chung King Express but they changed it to Once Were Warriors. Most of us would have preferred Chung King Express.

[Reply #157 on:]

[New Zealander]wunce wiere wurrirs uhs a grit piece of Neew Zealind sunima [/New Zealander]

Ahh payin out new zealanders the traditional aussie past time

[Reply #158 on:]

X2

Well, I liked it. Good follow-up to the first.

[Reply #159 on:]

Mr Deeds

I watched it last night and I find that a very funny film.