There are quite a few of us that are here that seem to be rather big movie buffs, so I decided to start this thread because of that. Basically you can tell people if there have been any movies that you have seen recently and whether it is worth watching or if we should avoid it like the plague. It doesn't have to be a new release cinema viewing either. just any movie that you have seen recently and want to warn people to look out for.
Try not to insult each others tastes. We all have our views and opinions :)
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I have seen three new movies in the past week or so. I will descibe them from worse to best (to finish on a happy note :) ).
Underworld
I love vampires as much as the next self respecting computer nerd (hell, I have a few Vampire Source books and I don't even play it). I wasn't expecting much going into this movie, and boy did it deliver.
Good Points - Kate Bekinsale looks really hot and plays a hero quite well. The costumes kick arse. The scenes where Salene jumps off a high building, lands on the ground and just keeps on walking casually look really sweet :) Some of the characters were quite cool, but...
Bad Points - ...They went no where. The vampires were presented as nothing more than humans with guns and pointy teeth :( The post production work was really badly done, and the colour correction has been changed to give everything a blue tint. This means that every time you see an outfit that should be a really nice crimson colour, it ends up as some terrible desaturated purple colour. The story was crap and they shouldn't have done what they did (trying not to give away too much).
This movie is probably worth seeing if you aren't a big vampire fan. Vampire fans will probably end up pissed off. Not really a cinema watching. Wait for a DVD version to come out.
Battle Royale 2
For those who have never heard of Battle Royale, you are really missing out. It is one of the most contriversal Japanese movies to have come out in recent years. It is one of my fav movies of all time and not because of the extreme amount of violence in it, or the many attractive school girls. The first one revolves around a class of Year 9 students who are kidnapped and sent to a deserted island to kill each other off. They recieve a random weapon and provisions to last for three days. At the end of the three days, there can only be one student left alive. If there are any more, then everyone who is left is killed instantly and there is no winner. They also have electronic tags around their necks to track their life signatures and pin point their position. The colars also have little explosives in them. In the three days, you get to know some of the students and how they deal with being told they have to kill their friends. It has a great story line and really leaves you thinking at the end.
Number two takes place after it, and has slightly updated rules. You now have a partner, and if they die, you die. It is team based as well. Weapons aren't random this time. Overall it is a good movie but doesn't touch the original. Seeing as many Western viewers didn't see into the sub plots, they explain everything flat out and leave you with nothing to think about. The characters aren't as cool as in the original (although actress Kou Shibasaki makes a welcome return :) ). I recomend seeing number one, but this one is cool as well.
The Returner
Another Japanese film. This time it is a Japanese take on a holywood style action flick. The basis of the story sounds really cliched, but here it goes. The movie is about a Returner (merc for hire) called Miyamoto. He is on a mission when he accidently shoots a young girl. He takes her back to his house and finds out that she has come back from the future to save the human race (Terminator anyone?). So, dressed in his leather pants and full length leather thrench, Miyamoto teams up with the young girl to save the future. As the movie progresses, the story line becomes more original -and quite frankly- very cool. For an action movie, there is very little violence and not too many action sequences. When there are action scenes though, they are quite well done, and have some effects that have the ability to show the Matrix up quite nicely. The Returner also has effects by Robot (the company responsible for the awesome Onimusha 3 intro). The effects are cool, but the compositing isn't extremely well done (although that could have been because it was on VCD). The characters are cool and actually look like they could kick arse. The bad guy is arse hole and really makes you want to see him die. I really recomend this film.
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Has anyone seen Once Upon A Time In Mexico at all? I would like to know what it is like before I go and see it in the cinema.
I felt Underworld was a bit underwhelming, really. Indeed, wait for the DVD.
Must see: City of God. Almost like a Pulp Fiction set in 1970s Brazil. If I had seen it last year, I might have called it the best movie I saw last year. But I saw it this year, so it's the one to beat for me. It's finished it's theatrical run and is on video/dvd.
I saw Underworld the other day.
I thought it was just a bit of fun, with good action, effects and a great atmosphere (and some cool violence!). The plot wasn?t that bad, if a little slow, but overall I enjoyed watching it. It wasn?t any worse then other gothic set films, in my opinion.
Though there are two negative things that I?ve heard people say about it, which I would love to counter:
?It?s a Matrix clone.? Why, because they wear black leather? There was no bullet-time, no alternate realities, and no agents? If it?s a Matrix clone, then so is every other movie set in a gothic environment.
?Why would vampires and werewolves use guns? That?s stupid?. Well, think about it ? if you had to try and kill someone, would you rather use your teeth, or a couple of rapid-fire semi-automatic machine pistols?
Anyway, that?s just my bit to combat the negativity about a film that really shouldn?t be taken so seriously. [:)] - Though if I had to rate it, I?d only give it 3 stars ? really 2.5 stars, but I?ll give it an extra half star for being too cool of TV (in other words: violent).
As for other cool movies: Donnie Darko. Very original, entertaining (if a bit weird) movie. It?s a must see.
Anyone else catch the repeat of 'The 'Burbs' late last week? That would have to be one of the few comedy movies that I actually find funny. "Sardine?" "Hey dude, PISS OFF!" "I want to kill everyone, Satan is good, satan is my pal!" Only funny if you've seen it. Ooh, then there was the repeat of Predator, hands down one of the best action flicks of all time. "Any time"
Shit I had no idea there was a sequel to battle royale, I loved the first one, looks like I'll have to keep an eye out for this new one. I didnt think too much of underworld, I thought it was very average.
Everybody should rent Undead, an australian Zombie movie, I saw it in the cinema and just recently rented it out again, its a fun movie with a rather interesting story. Its similar to Braindead but not as over the top.
I've been dying to see city of god, I've heard so many good things about it.
Anybody here seen the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake? I really like the original, I hear from a lot of fans that the remae is pretty weak im comparison.
TheBigJ - Good luck renting Battle Royale. There are only two ways to get it (that I know of). The British release that doesn't exist any more (how I got my special tin version) and the various Cantonese versions. Your best bet is either have a look on ebay or any other asian import DVD sites. I know that it was shown in cinemas over here (well one Hoyts :/), but I haven't heard of any Aus DVD distrubutors picking it up. If you can, I recomend trying to get a hold of a second hand copy of the British version as it has some extra scenes that really help out the story and develop the characters.
BTW, about the "Matrix Clone" thing: It's really starting to annoy the f&!k out of me. It seems to apply to anything that has slow-mo, bullet time, black leather, gothic themes, heavy metal music or even the vaguest sci-fi concepts. It applies to films and games alike.
The other day I heard Prince of Persia: Sands of Time refered to as "another matrix rip-off". Naturally, I asked for my xbox controller back.
Interestingly though, I never really considered the Matrix to be particularly original in any sense. Perhaps its just an original combination of many old ideas (Neuromancer, Dark City, Dune etc).
Exactly, the Matrix concept is far from original. The idea that the world as we see it is not real has been done in stories for centuries. As have gothic themes.
I find it annoying that people think that the first mainstream popular success of a certain genre or concept is where that genre began. It's kind of the same how some people seem to think that Peter Jackson invented the fantasy genre...
Quote from a foolish person inspecting my bookshelf shortly after the release of The Fellowship Of The Ring at cinemas: ?Wow, they made that into a book quickly!? -And yes, they were actually serious.
Hey, did anyone see that Aussie movie on TV the other week? I think it was called "On the Beach". About the end of the world after the US fired their nuclear arsenal. Not bad for a low budget movie. I found it rather poignant, with all life on the planet dieing in the end.
Palantir: Yeah, I wasn't even talking about philosophical content, etc. I was mainly refering to the style. There's nothing even remotely original in the Matrix, philosophically. Ideas like zionism, solipsism and mentalism have been around for centuries: In stories, philosophy and RELIGION!
The LOTR thing annoys me as well. Someone I work with has heard the exact same thing in a bookstore. I was amazed at how many people had never heard of LOTR when the movies came out.
Underworld was an ok film. I mean it wasnt earth-shattering but it was enjoyable enough. Had some cool moments. The lycons were far better done then the vampires (yeah, humans with pointy teeth about sums it up) and the plot was a romeo and juliet re-hash but that was intended (read a interview with the writers).
Underworld had too many "power-walk through the mansion while onlookers look at how important you are" scenes. I think there were about 4 or 5 [;)].. All the big movies came last year (Terminator 3, Matrix Reloaded, Lord of the Rings etc), and there's not as much to look forward to this year. I'm looking forward to [url="http://www.sumea.com.au/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1578"]Cashern[/url] though (that live action anime from Japan)
I saw a trailer for Shaun Of The Dead today, and it looks like it's going to be a pretty funny zombie movie.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365748/
Also looking forward to the new Kevin Smith film, Jersey Girl.
here here to the LOTR comment inglis - someone needs to make another massive epic.... an old jap kung fu movie called Storm Riders was quite a cool movie for martial arts and crazy / silly crouching tiger "AIR" fighting with some pretty shnazzy special effetcs.
REALLY hard to get hold of in video shops nowadays tho...
Last Supper: The story of a group of left wing students and young workers in a share house who feel they are not doing enough to change the world, so they start inviting vocal right wing individuals over for dinner, and attempt to change their view on the world, if they fail they kill them. (Fantastic black comedy that makes you think)
Pantmonger
Hey HazarD, there is another massive epic coming soon - Troy. It may look a bit Hollywood with the star-studded cast line-up, but it's going to be an epic of LOTR proportions. Should be good. (Though of course nothing can touch LOTR!)
The success of the LOTR trilogy has made popular the epic once more, and there are several massive epic productions in the making. Unfortunately (IMO) nothing can come close to something that is based on Tolkien?s books. Looks like we are going to have to wait a few years for the Hobbit (a LOTR prequel of sorts) to be truly satisfied again.
BTW, LOTR fans also have the extended edition of ROTK to look forward to later this year, with something like 45 minutes of extra footage and hours of documentaries.
Flicks that I?m personally really looking forward to this year:
?Spider-Man 2?, ?Van Helsing?, ?The Alamo? (another epic), ?Troy?, and ?I, Robot?. ?I, Robot? is based on the book by brilliant science fiction author Isaac Asimov, though the fact the Will Smith is in it, gives me the impression that it could be disappointing. Though director Alex Proyas has the experience with dark/gothic setting films (such as Dark City and the Crow) that he could do a decent job of it.
Then next year we have (hopefully), two epics a long time in the making: Star Wars III around May, and Alexander the Great around December, though the trouble that production has been having, I wouldn?t be suppressed if we don?t see it until 2006.
Go the epic!!!
quote:massive epic coming soon - Troy. It may look a bit Hollywood
it is more than a 'bit hollywood'. the actual events of troy was a small army with some rafts. not 500,000 guys, thousands of boats etc.
but thats hollywood. has to make everything huge and epic at the moment.
ill see no doubt. ill go in with low expectations.
Oooooooohh King Kong hay, that sounds interesting. What about in terms of CG, what's in the works.
-The incredible: the pixar one, have no idea when it will be released.
-Sharks Tale: Dreamworks is doing it about the shark mafia, it has will smith and they are using softimage.
Anyhthing else full of 3d goodness.
THe last movie i saw at the movies was The Last Samurai - and i really enjoyed that, even jerked a few tears, theres just something about samurai's and their honorable way of life - thats always amazed me... i think everyone should see that movie.