Last movie watched...

[Professor Bear]

It's what, ten years old now? Back then, Glee didnt exist, and i'll happily let you know it's nothing like it!

Not Glee specifically, just what Glee is in general, as I'm pretty sure the cover old songs in a new story approach was a well-trodden path before MR got there otherwise it wouldn't have been the basis for two Xena episodes, and at least one episode of some late 80s hospital drama whose name escapes me.

I've nowt against musicals, either - in my opinion anyone who does not like Muppet Christmas Carrol is dead inside.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpb9EbmvM5M

[SmallBlueThing]

Was i in the fisher king?!

now; i could take that several ways. I could f'rinstance imagine you were asking me if im robin williams- no, im not. Im not that hairy!

Or are you asking me if im the fragrant and desperately sexual mercedes rhuell. Well, no im not, but id occupy the same space were the opportunity to arise. That brooklyn accent caresses my balls like you wouldnt believe.

Or- you could be asking if im the skinny bald drag queen. In which case i'd have to say, yes, i could be. Only im not that skinny. I'd happily do drag queenery though, should the material be good enough. My wife would like that, as drag queens make her hawt.

So no, im not in the fisher king, and i havent seen it for far too long- but yes, i do like it an awful lot!

SBT

[Mardroid]

So no, im not in the fisher king, and i havent seen it for far too long- but yes, i do like it an awful lot!

It's a while since I've seen it, but me too.

Last two films I've seen: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Sweeny Todd (The Burton version.)

It's the first time I've seen either of them. I've heard plenty of bad things about Transformers 2... but I confess I rather enjoyed it. The story isn't great though, and I'm still not sure where actually The Fallen came from. I know he is a Prime who turned traitor, but I'm referring to the scene where Starscream just flies somewhere and ... there he just is. To be fair I was doing a couple of things at once so I probably wasn't paying close enough attention.

The story was actually rather rubbish. La Boeff's character's parents were annoying rather than funny (okay they were sometimes funny) as were the two new robot car characters. (I think the racism accusations were blown out of proportion though. Sure they do act like an inaccurate stereotypical view of how some 'street' African Americans  behave, but then again there was a real black character, a soldier guy, who was nothing like that at all. They're cartoon characters.) And I'm not so sure about turning that little decepticon character (the radio controlled car) into comic relief either. There were elements of that in the first film with the stereo-bot, but you still got the impression it was lethal force to be reckoned with.

I quite liked the grumpy old man version of Jet-fire, but again I thought they piled on the comedy a little too much. I'd also have preferred a version closer to the big red jet version we saw in the original toon/toys. That was an awesome design. For some reason I kept getting Jet-fire and The Fallen mixed up. Their heads looked very similar to me.

That leads to another somewhat frustrating area of the film, something the first suffered from too. Telling the bots apart. And again some of the action was too quick and hard to make out.

The story was rather slight. (The prophetic "It will take a Prime to defeat the Fallen." Why? This is sci-fi not fantasy surely?) So... I agree with peoples comments that it was rather rubbish. But... I still quite enjoyed it, but that's probably largely due to thinking big transforming robots rather cool. Oh, and it was good to see Optimus Prime as a force to be reckoned with again. You get the impression this version could hold his own against Megatron. ([spoiler]Yeah I know Megatron killed him in this -or was it the Fallen?- but he was outnumbered rather than battered into submission one on one like the first film.[/spoiler]) Oh, and I liked their design for Ravage.

I look forward to picking up the third film. I understand that's an improvement.

As for Sweeny Todd, I enjoyed that too, although I missed a chunk of it being in the other room.

It had an almost old-school musical feel to it, despite the blue Burtonesque filter, and it worked out pretty well. At the end I found myself yelling at the screen: [spoiler]"So what happened to  the other two then?" referring to the daughter who was left upstairs by Todd, and the lad who left her in Todd's flat. I guess they weren't too fussed it being Todd's story. Fair enough.[/spoiler]

Oh and I guessed [spoiler]the twist concerning the beggar woman, but it was nice to be confirmed right. I'm glad his daughter didn't get the same treatment, although that would have made the tragedy all the greater. I'd just find that a bit too bleak. It's nice to think a couple of characters came out of it traumatised but alive and may have gone on to make a life for themselves.[/spoiler]

[El Chivo]

Insiduous
Arsom, please refer to SBT's review a few posts back

Limitless

Meh... bit pointless i thought

Stay tuned for more insightful, in-depth reviews!

Chi

[Professor Bear]

I look forward to picking up the third film. I understand that's an improvement.

Link plz.

[Tiplodocus]

HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU
An ensemble rom-com that ends up in pretty predictable territory and commits the cardinal sin of not having enough com to go with the rom. 

There's a likeable central performance from Ginnefer Goodwin (I think) and a couple of twists and turns that mean not all of the threads turn out happy but for every clever bit

• "a great shot of Bradley Cooper about to "step over a line" with Scarlett Johansen near the start
  a house in chaos as a metaphor for a marriage
  some great misdirection with [spoiler]the cigarettes[/spoiler])

there's a stupid bit

Jennifer Anniston EXPLAINING, just in case we hadn't got it, that all of her friends husbands were a-holes.

Ultimately, I don't think it knows what it wants to be - straight drama, comedy, insightful look at romance, diatribe against husbands (they are all portrayed as idiots) - it even has some "unscripted" straight to camera pieces from "real" people that fizzle out half way through.

But at one point Jennifer Connolly is flashing her underwear while trying to molest her hubby in his office so that makes it the GREATEST film ever made.

[Colin Zeal]

I watched Die Another Day last night for the first time since it came out about ten years ago. This film really pissed me off when I saw it and the years haven't made me change my mind. It's ok in places but overally the film is just stupid (I realise how ridiculous this sounds when talking about a Bond film.) The opening set piece is entertaining, while Rosamund Pike is absolutely gorgeous in it but apart from that it's just a let down. The invisible car still makes me as angry now as it did ten years back, the plot is all over the place and the CGI is dreadful when it's used. Then there's Madonna. Not content with letting her sing one of the worst Bond themes of all time they compound the problem by letting her have a cameo in the film. A return to basics as was done with Casino Royale was desperately needed after this mess of a film.

[Tiplodocus]

DIE ANOTHER DAY is pish - my least watched of all the Bond films.  I couldn't even bring myself to buy it for my collection (but the Mrs got me it as a present when it hit £5).

To the good bits you mention, I'd add:
- the titles being a continuation of the plot (though as some wag pointed out earlier, it makes it look like listening to Madonna was the torture)
- the first part of the Cuba sequence - seems almost like something from an Ian Fleming novel
- Halle coming out of the sea (before she has to spout any of the terrible dialogue they saddle her with)

So much of it is terrible it beggars belief.

[SmallBlueThing]

... And on the other hand, Die Another Day is absolutely my favourite Bond film (after realising recently that Live And Let Die is pretty dull, and i think was only so beloved by little men because it was 'a bit like a horror film' in the days before i could watch horror films). Do you wanna know why i love D.A.D Colin? Do ya? Do ya?

It's because i love madonna's title song, and i love the invisible car, and because pierce brosnan (who i had down as horribly miscast from back when he drags his skinny, all-over-bodyhair frame out of the pool in Mrs Doubtfire) finally plays it right: all huge hair and roger mooresque campness. I love the baddie, and i love that you can tell at exactly what point brosnan lost the role: it's during the swordfight with madonna when brosnan's middleage spread wobbles from side to side, trying to keep up with his momentum, in medium closeup, as he changes direction.

The later films (ive only seen casino) look terrible, as if anyone really wants a 'serious' bond! and craig david makes for the worst secret superspy since inspector cluesoe. Gah!

But D.A.D is an instant camp classic, and i love it.

SBT

[Spaceghost]

... And on the other hand, Die Another Day is absolutely my favourite Bond film (after realising recently that Live And Let Die is pretty dull, and i think was only so beloved by little men because it was 'a bit like a horror film' in the days before i could watch horror films). Do you wanna know why i love D.A.D Colin? Do ya? Do ya?

It's because i love madonna's title song, and i love the invisible car, and because pierce brosnan (who i had down as horribly miscast from back when he drags his skinny, all-over-bodyhair frame out of the pool in Mrs Doubtfire) finally plays it right: all huge hair and roger mooresque campness. I love the baddie, and i love that you can tell at exactly what point brosnan lost the role: it's during the swordfight with madonna when brosnan's middleage spread wobbles from side to side, trying to keep up with his momentum, in medium closeup, as he changes direction.

The later films (ive only seen casino) look terrible, as if anyone really wants a 'serious' bond! and craig david makes for the worst secret superspy since inspector cluesoe. Gah!

But D.A.D is an instant camp classic, and i love it.

SBT

I honestly and sincerely wish that you'd change your user name to 'Devil's Advocate'. It would be far more apt.

You could have this in your signature - "Is a film generally considered to be good? Then I hate it! Is a film generally considered to be bad? Then it's my favourite film of all time!"

I'm joking of course, i enjoy your refreshingly original opinion on these things and I already feel bad for needlessly coming down so hard on Moulin Rouge in this thread. It is though, along with Matrix Revolutions and The Phantom Menace, one of a handful of films that actually angered me to the point where I felt I was owed a refund.

PS. Craig David as Bond? Proper bo.

[Colin Zeal]

I don't mind the Bond films having an element of camp in them - I really enjoy the Moore films. It's just that DAD is done so badly. The directing is pretty poor as well, with lots of rubbish and pointless slo-mo at various stages as well. And it's got an invisible car, which is just stupid.

[Albion]

.....craig david makes for the worst secret superspy since inspector cluesoe.

Craig David as Bond!  Surely you mean Daniel Craig? 



Personally I think all Bond films are crap.

[SpetsnaZ99]

one of a handful of films that actually angered me to the point where I felt I was owed a refund.

When i was a kid i actually got a refund from the cinema. It was clash of the titans and i had strict instructions to be home at a certain time so started to leave to get the bus home, the lady working there asked me why i was leaving, i didnt want to appear soft so i said the film was rubbish in my hardest voice so she gave me a refund.

True

[SmallBlueThing]

Haha, yes Lee- yes, i know. Dont worry about slagging MouRou, as im very aware it's a film that divides folk. Far better that than a bland 'it was ok' from everyone.

But, im really not being contentious for the sake of it. Im always totally honest in my thoughts about movies, and im schooled enough in film theory through film studies, media studies then a media degree then working 'in the industry', to be able to back up my opinions when i feel it necessary. And when i like or dislike something for no good reason, i'll say- like my hatred of the blues brothers being entirely based on my hatred of people who think its the best thing ever and turn up at parties dressed like them, and acting like them. It's circular illogic i know, and i'll always admit it.

Im not at all reactionary when it comes to films- i treat everything exactly the same whether it's The Kings Speech' or 'Party Pissers'. I dont always agree with the concensus (ask me one day, not today, to give you my thoughts on Blair Witch 2 and Hooper's Texas Chainsaw 2) but i always aim to tell the truth and find a way for someone to admire or detest a movie, having fun with either.

SBT

[Spaceghost]

But, im really not being contentious for the sake of it.

Never thought you were. You always back up your opinions.

like my hatred of the blues brothers being entirely based on my hatred of people who think its the best thing ever and turn up at parties dressed like them, and acting like them. It's circular illogic i know, and i'll always admit it.

I know what you mean. I've got a friend who absolutely HATES Withnail and I because of the people who like it. I just know that when I watch Blues Brothers or Withnail and I, I always enjoy them and laugh my arse off.

'Party Pissers'.

Party Pissers 2 is better. More piss.