Last Movie Watched.... The Xenforo Edition

Discussion in 'Movies, TV and Music' started by Val1, May 4, 2012.

  1. Val1

    Val1 Member+

    Arsenal
    Mar 12, 2004
    MD's Eastern Shore
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    Seems like the last Movie Thread is still missing, and besides it was up to 2000 posts, so we need a new movie thread. I'm kind of hoping for this thread that Spejic will screen the works of Sylvester Stallone...

    Thanks to netflix instant, I've been watching the English police procedural, Blue Murder. Ran from 2004 to 2009, there's a simple elegance about most English crime dramas, and this is no exception. I've really come to love English TV since netflix because it is characterized by normal-looking people being the actors. In Blue Murder, the heroine is a rather dumpy 45 year old with four kids. And while she does like her hunky (well, by English standards anyway) co-star, the chances of her getting laid are much smaller than if she were on American TV. This show is the anti-Bones and I find it very refreshing.
     
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  2. Belgian guy

    Belgian guy Member+

    Club Brugge
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    Aug 19, 2002
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    The Sitter (2011)
    Dir.David Gordon Green

    [​IMG]

    A 21st century version of "Adventures in babysitting", only with a lot more swearing. Could have used some more laughs. I enjoyed Sam Rockwell's outrageous drug dealer character.
     
  3. Val1

    Val1 Member+

    Arsenal
    Mar 12, 2004
    MD's Eastern Shore
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    You, sir, watch a lot of movies. It seems appropriate that you get the first reply in this thread.
     
  4. Boogie_Down

    Boogie_Down Member+

    Jul 7, 2010
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    I saw The Sitter the other day myself. I laughed more than I thought I would. The opening scene cracked me up.
     
  5. Belgian guy

    Belgian guy Member+

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    Poor guy! :D
     
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  6. Belgian guy

    Belgian guy Member+

    Club Brugge
    Belgium
    Aug 19, 2002
    Belgium
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    Lucky (2011)
    Dir. Gil Cates Jr.

    [​IMG]

    An opportunistic twenty-something (Ari Graynor) marries her co-worker (Tom Hanks' son in the role of a seemingly lovable loser) after he wins 36 million in the lottery. Her life does not turn out quite as comfortable and glamorous as she first imagined when it turns out her innocent-looking husband carries a dark secret, one she finds out about early on in their marriage. She is then faced with the dilemma of either leaving her newly-found wealth or just stick it out by her husband's side.

    This was meant as a very dark comedy, but at times the tone felt all wrong. Benoit Poelvoorde really set the example of how such a character and story should be approached. It was just too low on laughs to work as a straight-forward comedy and too light to be interpreted as something more profound. Interesting premise, poor execution.
     
  7. Dills

    Dills Moderator
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    Jun 6, 2006
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    65_RedRoses

    [​IMG]
     
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  8. riverplate

    riverplate Member+

    Jan 1, 2003
    Corona, Queens
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    Lord knows we couldn't lose the last movie thread fast enough -- considering it's quality had degenerated wildly with scores of uninteresting movies being posted.

    Unfortunately, any hopes that this one would be an improvement have been dashed and it's only 7 posts in.

    Does everybody go out there way to look at stuff that will obviously be boring wastes of time?
     
  9. Belgian guy

    Belgian guy Member+

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    Well since I have posted 50% of the movies in here, I'm going to assume you are at least partially addressing me, so my answer to your question is: no, no I don't. :)

    Since I enjoy most genres, I'm not even sure there is such a thing as "stuff that will obviously be a boring waste of time."
     
  10. usscouse

    usscouse BigSoccer Supporter

    May 3, 2002
    Orygun coast
    Well done Val. A timely choice of thread.

    Got to see "Haywire" for myself last night. I though it was pretty good for this type of movie and it moved right along without being tiresome.
    [​IMG]

    I liked the cast: Gina Carano, Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum, and Michael Fassbender. and thought Carano did a fine job, can't imaging dating her though. I always expect to see a woman when I see the name Channing Tatum. It's just odd! Prolly from Tatum O'neil and Carol Channing.

    I almost got into some personel bodyguard stuff, some 40 years ago now though. So I know how some of those contract companies worked. Not quite like the movie though.

    I quite liked the ending. When the goodie and baddie met for the last scene, I though here we go. Then it didn't. quite apropos with the last comment.
     
  11. Belgian guy

    Belgian guy Member+

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    I thought Carano was great in the physical/fight scenes, but fell short in the dramatic scenes. It was most painfully obvious in her interactions with Fassbender's character. As I mentioned in the previous thread, it doesn't help when you surround a novice actor with talented and experienced co-stars. Not if the idea is to hide their inexperience.
     
  12. usscouse

    usscouse BigSoccer Supporter

    May 3, 2002
    Orygun coast
    I thought Carano was great in the physical/fight scenes, but fell short in the dramatic scenes.

    True but that's why 'I think' she was there. I can't, off hand, think of another woman who could carry off those fight scenes with Swat team men and the baddies and make it look real. There really weren't many dramatic scenes that she had to worry about.

    One thing I found offputting that for a character who obviously played it close, You know, didn't get personel with people, a lot of time would answer questions with a knowing look instead of verbalizing. Was how she opened up to a young kid who she forced to help her getaway. Oh, they explained why, but it didn't wash.
     
  13. Ismitje

    Ismitje Super Moderator

    Dec 30, 2000
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    This week's Entertainment Weekly suggested folks skip this and watch "Long Kiss Goodnight" instead. Aside from being about women kicking ass, I wonder if there's any real direct comparison between the movies?

    We watched "The Ides of March" last night:

    [​IMG]

    Lots of good acting and quite interesting, but I am not sure there's much "there" there. It isn't particularly shocking or anything - seems like par for the course. I enjoyed it, just wondered if it needed to be a major motion picture release or cost $12.5m to make.
     
  14. yasik19

    yasik19 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Chelsea
    Ukraine
    Oct 21, 2004
    Daly City
    1st page.
     
  15. spejic

    spejic Cautionary example

    Mar 1, 1999
    San Rafael, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    I was thinking Wesley Snipes or Dolph Lundgren.
     
  16. spejic

    spejic Cautionary example

    Mar 1, 1999
    San Rafael, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Fortunately for you, I have preserved my reviews of Van Damme films for all posterity at my web site, the Van Dammenomicon.
     
  17. usscouse

    usscouse BigSoccer Supporter

    May 3, 2002
    Orygun coast
    At least you knew what he was refering to...:)
     
  18. Boogie_Down

    Boogie_Down Member+

    Jul 7, 2010
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    I know a lot of people liked this movie but I hated it. Soderbergh is a decent director but bombed on this one. I understand people liked the action scenes, but I didn't. Even though it was unique to have an mma fighter take the lead role, the actions scenes looked like a bad dance to me. I could see the other combatant working with Gina. Then there's her atrocious acting which isn't helped with cheesy dialogue.

    The part that bothered me the most the first half of the film was Soderbergh's soundtrack. It wasn't the music he selected but the timing in which he used it. The entire film came off as a bad porno., all the way from the acting to the music.
     
  19. usscouse

    usscouse BigSoccer Supporter

    May 3, 2002
    Orygun coast
    Yeh, I forgot the sound track. At times I couldn't hear the dialog over the "noise" Not just the music but the stuff that's supposed to be "Background" noise took over.
     
  20. Boogie_Down

    Boogie_Down Member+

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    Exactly. It was heavy handed in the first half of the film. It tapered off after a while, but at times was sensory overload.
     
  21. spejic

    spejic Cautionary example

    Mar 1, 1999
    San Rafael, CA
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    [​IMG]

    Star Wars I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

    I've been reading some criticisms of Star Wars recently, so I wanted to watch them again and write my own vision of the Star Wars philosophy. I'll be doing the same for the other 5 movies in turn.

    Star Wars is strongly based on Romantic ideals. That means that the story follows the paths of Great Men and Women, and the greatness is innate instead of strived for and learned. The movie is absolutely drenched in this idea, so much so that everyone's plans within the movie are predicated on it. The Trade Federation's plan is to force Naboo into a treaty, and they plan to do it by capturing the Queen and getting her to sign it personally. They are so tied to this that when Amidala escapes, they are powerless to gain victory (and, alternately, Naboo has no ability to surrender, and must keep suffering for as long as Amidala stays away) The counter plan by Amidala is to capture the Trade Federation Viceroy and force a surrender of all his overpowering and (in normal circumstances) utterly unbeatable forces. The ultimate expression of this idea is the destruction of the Droid Command Ship to shut down the droid army. It's an uncredible tactic given the commonplace human-level intelligence and emotion in the most humble robots, yet it makes sense in an ancient "kill the king and you defeat the army" mentality.

    For those outside the Great People circle, accomplishment and position is not earned, but bestowed. The award ceremony in A New Hope is famous, but this movie actually has two - one in the end where Amidala's supposed humbling before the Gungans is revealed as she is the one in the position to give the Gungan boss the award, and one early on where the very few escapees of the blockade decide they can spare the time to hold court and celebrate R2-D2. Heck, Jar Jar is given the title of general for no valid reason except his being around great people for a while.

    Job differentiation is basically meaningless. The Queen happens to devise all the battle plans and personally leads the assault (not to mention handle Galactic Senate duties and even keep an eye on the Jedis as they search for parts), as if she is the best possible person for all possible jobs. Anakin is the local group's best pod racer racer and builder without money or support and Naboo's best fighter pilot without training. I can't think of a single example of a non-main character who is actually good at their job or shows some notable talent. The Trade Federation and droids are all buffoons. The Gungans are all buffoons. The pod racers, the race announcer, Jabba, and Watto are all buffoons. Maybe Shmi Skywalker is a good prostitute - they don't really say.
     
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  22. Belgian guy

    Belgian guy Member+

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    I remember seeing Phantom in my freshman year of college and how we all were genuinely excited for a new Star Wars movie. Fast-forward to nine years later, and we all expected Crystal Skull to be totally rubbish. It sort of sums up to what an extent Lucas disappointed in the years in between.
     
  23. bungadiri

    bungadiri Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jan 25, 2002
    Acnestia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The Avengers:
    [​IMG]

    We had a great time. Whedon's irony actually worked well to improve the action sequences and he managed a little character development along the way.

    edit: whoa, when I copied that image it was a little thumbnail
     
  24. Dills

    Dills Moderator
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    Philadelphia Union
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    Jun 6, 2006
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    Maybe the thread title should be "Last Movie Watched (as long as it's approved by riverplate).... The Xenforo Edition". Mods, can you make that happen?

    :p:rolleyes:
     
  25. Belgian guy

    Belgian guy Member+

    Club Brugge
    Belgium
    Aug 19, 2002
    Belgium
    Club:
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    Chronicle (2012)
    Dir. Josh Trank

    [​IMG]

    I very much liked the idea of chronicling the early development of three individuals who have just been given superpowers. The first hour or so was as good as I could have hoped it to be. I did not like the resolution very much, though it was likely done because it was by far the easiest way for them to wrap up the story. They also took the found footage gimmick a bit too far, it would have been fine to just intercut Andrew's camera with cameras that exist outside the realm of the movie. It lead to some moments that felt needlessly ludicrous because they insisted on shoehorning in an in-story camera.

    But it was certainly one of the more original takes on the superhero movie in recent years, so it deserves some plaudits just for that. And a question for MLS fans who have seen the movie: am I wrong or do the guys trash a Sounders billboard near the end of the movie? :D
     

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