A choice between two Box-office films to watch this week.

[ThryllSeekyr]

Well, theres more than one choice, but only two films that interest me.

Apart from "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", which I think l will wait unitl it's released to regular cable.

Interesting premice, but predictable. Ageing backwards. Wasn't that the secret to Merlin's success, apart from being a half demon?

Retorical Question, don't answer it. I know, thats one of my favorite myths.

Anyway, I do admire Brad Pitt, but sorry, no. I can see where the story goes. They gave away too much of the story through adverting.

Besides, I just found " The Day the Earth Stood Still" --Latest Release--and "The City of Ember" on the listing.

I think I'm going to be watching the first one mentioned, but could anybody here otherwise influence my choice.

[Kerrin]

My brother watched "The City of Ember" on DVD and in his words it was "good".

Which is quite astounding from him.

[Jim_Campbell]

My brother watched "The City of Ember" on DVD and in his words it was "good".

Definitely a kids' film, but passed 90-odd minutes of my time quite agreeably. I believe that it's based on a book that I haven't read, so I wonder whether the plot twist that seemed to be begging for a reveal* -- but which never comes -- is actually in the book but somehow got cut from the movie.

Cheers!

JIm

*[spoiler:3nizlke1]The real spoiler is below. You were warned.[/spoiler:3nizlke1]**

**[spoiler:3nizlke1]Honestly.[/spoiler:3nizlke1]***

***[spoiler:3nizlke1]That the animals aren't actually BIG, the people are really SMALL. The film sort of makes more sense that way.[/spoiler:3nizlke1]

[TordelBack]

...so I wonder whether the plot twist that seemed to be begging for a reveal* -- but which never comes -- is actually in the book but somehow got cut from the movie...

See also:  The Golden Compass and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  What is it about adaptations of kids' books that (despite a frequently good effort) in the end they seem to not so much miss the key point that would make sense of everything, as deliberately avoid it?   ([spoiler:17qjspur]Lord Azraeal = not secretly Dad of the Year; James, Lupin et al were the creators of the Marauder's Map[/spoiler:17qjspur])

Not that I know anything about City of Ember, just waffling instead of working.

[Roger Godpleton]

Looks like the "Mayor" is already abusing his expense account. I told you this would happen.

[ThryllSeekyr]

I watched both films, "The Day the Earth Stood Still " yesterday and "The City of Ember" this morning and perhaps again, because it's a continous screening with fifteen to halfhour intervils until 5:30 this afternoon.

I thought sci/fi film was just little boring. Though I attempted at least one full veiwing of this one after watching it about four times and dropping off to sleep at different points through out the multlble screenings of the films.

"City of Amber" was enjoyable enough. [spoiler:3v5dt7vp]Sort of like "Logans Run" without the thirty year life expectancy, nude scenes, sandmen, death lasers, death Carasel, or Peter Ustinov. But there's still a connection there. It also had a touch of Terry Pratchett, and I was thinking of the film "The Borrowers" which might actualley be a Terry Pratchett story. Which annoyed me alittle, as this film did seem alittle more like a adult fantacy film when first advertised. I'll also add, "Da Vinci Code" with all that map reading, puzzle solving, deciphering, orienteering.[/spoiler:3v5dt7vp]
"The Da Vinci" code for kids.

[spoiler:3v5dt7vp]As for seeing Bill Murrey as the Mayor of Ember, It struck me, that the resembalnce betwent him and our very real local Mayor is unmistakable in appaerance alone, although I'm not about compare the actual character to the real person. Thats incrimninating and speaking of Mayors. Am I still Mayor of this board? I think my time went up a week ago. Was there any connection between my getting the position of Mayor on this message board and this film. Well, I won't say anything more about that!

The idea living in a enclosed society far underground, a society that is obviously backward  Abit like my local township. Well not literally, but we are in a depression and it is socially oppresive. I felt like I might as well be living underground.I think that they want you to read the film this way. That the location is only a metaphor. It's not real. They might as well be living in a neighbouring town. They could be living in some isolated place like Ron Howards "The Village". It could merely be a place thats hard to leave like "Welcome to WooP Woop". Because the people in control like it that way. They want to keep you there, because you fill a niche in thier sytem that is perfect for them. Though, I doubt that the Mayor of Ember seemed to not know be aware of a outside world. He wasn't really in control. There's Forgotten Realms novel about a Dark Elf --A Drow-- telling the story of how this rogue escaps his evil dark elf family and their life of war against the other dark elven families and family infighting living far underground in a city called Menzobarrenzan. Worshipping Lolth the Spider Queen.(?Spelling) Eventhe ending of this film and the passage I read where Drizzt D'Urden see's the first rays of dawn after her reachs the surface bridging connection with the last scene of "City of Ember"

It also reminds me of Slaine's successful initiation into the Red Branch was aloud to exit the great Cairn after when the sun shone through some holes in the roof. .[/spoiler:3v5dt7vp]

Then all,these folk that escape lthe life they were born into to find another life just as bad, Though it seems good a first.