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The Movies Thread

Started by Sakura, May 19, 2014, 04:58:44 AM

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TheNorm

I don't think I've watched any of those in a very long time so my memories are vague, but those memories aren't good for the most part lol. I'd agree that TPM was rescued by Duel and Maul/Kenobi/Jinn. The love interest scenes in AotC pretty much ruined the second for me, and there just wasn't enough in the plot development arc to keep me interested. RotS was the best of the three, but even then that's not saying much because it's still worse than anything that's dropped since. The action scenes carried the movie.

As grateful as I am to George Lucas for this universe...his three prequels were just poorly executed IMO and might've done better in more capable hands.
"But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity." - Martin Luther King, Jr

Crewe

Quote from: TheNorm on October 27, 2019, 09:19:41 PM
I don't think I've watched any of those in a very long time so my memories are vague, but those memories aren't good for the most part lol. I'd agree that TPM was rescued by Duel and Maul/Kenobi/Jinn. The love interest scenes in AotC pretty much ruined the second for me, and there just wasn't enough in the plot development arc to keep me interested. RotS was the best of the three, but even then that's not saying much because it's still worse than anything that's dropped since. The action scenes carried the movie.

As grateful as I am to George Lucas for this universe...his three prequels were just poorly executed IMO and might've done better in more capable hands.

I remember having discussions back then after TPM about someone else taking the reins. Always a great what if...

BojackHorsefella

#197
Saw two films this weekend, and also one older film for the first time in my life.

That film was 10 Things I Hate About You. It was good! Did you know it was filmed in Seattle? I didn't! Now I know.


Anyways.

The Lighthouse - I am a sucker for A24 films, and I saw Robert Eggers' previous directorial effort, The VVitch. I liked this film more than that one, which could be slowly paced at times. This film, at a mere 90 minutes, breezes by and there really isn't a slow point, despite there being only two actors: Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson.

Recreating a small island home to a lighthouse and nothing more, in the 1820s, is an incredible task. Filming it in black and white is a bold choice. Using lenses from the 1820s* is....even more bold, and the aspect ratio did take some getting used to. But the opening shot, of a ship emerging from cloudy waters, immediately transported me back to vintage film, and I knew I was in for an experience. Highly recommend. Just an all-out class on filmmaking.



The second movie I saw won the Palme D'Or recently.

Parasite- Now, there has been a lot of praise for Parasite, and I do NOT disagree. It is an exceptional film, and after Roma's run last year, I could very much see this being considered for an Oscar. But, of course, it's been labelled with the dreaded "horror" tag (While Bong Joon-Ho is known as a horror auteur, I don't know that it applies here. There are horror elements, but if elements add up to horror then Eighth Grade is also a horror film), so that may hurt its Oscar chances, but it's story and its characters are timely and real.

A young man, Ki-Woo, and his family live in basically a basement apartment: Him, his sister, and their parents. When Ki-Woo's friend, Min, offers him the chance to replace him as tutor to a rich girl while Min studies abroad, Ki-Woo leaps at the chance despite not having a college degree. Min tells him not to worry, as the mom is very simple, and Ki-Woo creates a forgery of his diploma.

Once employed and making money, Ki-Woo starts to scheme, as the family is very rich. He gets his sister a job when the family's younger son, Da Song, needs an art tutor, despite the sister also not having a degree (but she is very art talented). Soon Ki-Woo is scheming to have his mom and dad replace the driver and the housekeeper. But, once his plan appears to have succeeded, is when things start to really kick into gear.

Parasite is two films. One is about a family in poverty using underhanded methods to increase their lot in life. They're con artists, but they're not actively hurting the family, which is how they justify what they're doing, despite having to replace two of the family's employees.

Meanwhile, the rich Park family is played for laughs at times, but never malice. The only malicious statement that is made concerns the smell of Kim Ki-taek, the father of the poor family who takes over as driver. It's such a straightforward, immensely personal slight, and works so well to set the audience (us) into a rage.

It's an interesting movie that makes you question your sympathy, until a third act twist that blows everything up. Suffice to say, this is as much about the violence and malice of the 1% as it is the impoverished taking a "crabs in a barrel" approach to life.


I think The Lighthouse is my second favorite film of the year (with all my hang-ups regarding death, the light-hearted "The Farewell" will be hard to take down as my #1), and I put Parasite as #3. Was a really great weekend for film for me, and further confirms my new "avoid most franchises" mandate (I think I'm superhero'd out, I'm good on the new Terminator, thanks and as for Star Wars...well, no, Star Wars I'll be seeing).

Shameless self promotion, not that I make any money off of my Letterboxd, but I always post a quick "is it worth it" review and add it to my rankings for that year after I see a new film:

https://letterboxd.com/bucfever/list/2019-films-ive-watched-ranking/



*I was way off on the lens details. From IMDB:

Since the film is set in 1890, it was shot on 35mm black and white Double-X 5222 film, all while augmenting the Panavision Millennium XL2 camera with vintage Baltar lenses from as early as 1918 to as late as 1938. This makes the aspect ratio approximately 1.19:1, which is practically square. To enhance the image and make it resemble early photography, a custom cyan filter made by Schneider Filters emulated the look and feel of orthochromatic film from the late 19th century.

Crewe

So, With Rise of Skywalker on the horizon, I re watched all 8...oh wait, make that 10 SW films in order.

Here's a brief re evaluation and re ranking.

1. TPM
The origin story of Anakin, all told, not terrible. Jake Lloyd was way out of his element and not believable. On the other hand, Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor were much better but still couldn't save this film. The pod race and duel of fates kept this from the crapper. Despite the "high ground" thing

2. AotC
The problem with Lucas going almost completely digital is that he was dealing with actors that could not act within a green screen world.
HC did all he could with the role, but I felt like h just wasn't mature enough yet, oddly enough, just like his character.
I really did enjoy seeing Yoda get his game on, I thought that was well done. However, Count Dooku was quite miscast IMO. And why did Obi Wan have to look like such a pansy in that fight?

3. RotS
I liked this one best of the three as I think most did. I felt like HC grew in to the role and handled this much better. The death of Padme was weak and felt rushed. I think they could have expanded the timeline a bit and have her die of complications a few days, weeks later before shipping Luke and Leia off.
The intro of Vader was what we all wanted to see and I thought it was well done.

4. RO
I really like this film. When it was first announced, I was against it because thats when we discovered there would b a flurry of SW films and I was worried about over saturation, which is what happened, I think anyway. See Marvel.
However, this, unlike Solo, was a film we needed to see because it was such a vital element to ANH.

5. Solo
We didnt need this film. I hated it from the start. I hated it when it was cast and Ive hated ever since.

6. ANH
This will always be the grandaddy for me. So far ahead of its time, but you still love it for the characters and the story too. Enough said.

7. ESB
Only because ANH was first. That's the only reason this one wasn't numero uno for me. That story, the character and world building, that twist! And technology was beginning to catch up to Lucas' vision.

8. RotJ
I know I know, Ewoks. Btw, did you know that in early drafts, the Ewoks were to be Wookies? But, Lucas wanted it to b a primitive species that aided the rebellion in overtaking the Empire and Chewbacca had been show to be quite advanced, so, so much for that.
All things equal, I still like this film. It concluded the Vader bomb in ESB and also showed us that Lando could make amends.

9. TFA
I really really liked this film, a lot. It was just Star Wars. And it looked and felt like a world Lucas envisioned, but technology just wasn't there during his first run. Absolutely stellar acting by the two leads. This is what can make a film great, or turn it into AotC.
The torch began to change hands.

10. TLJ
Ah man, Rian Johnson, wtf dude, seriously?
The Finn and Rose arc, the direction felt less like SW by far than the previous, and what the hell with that slo mo shit over and over? Not to mention that whole Mary Poppins bullshit with Leia. There must have been ten ways to deliver the message of that interaction between Ben and Leia and he chose the tenth worst. Just not a good film at all.

Ranking:
A New Hope
Empire Strikes Back
The Force Awakens
Rogue One
Return of the Jedi
Revenge of the Sith
Attack of the Clones
The Phantom Menace
The Last Jedi



Solo


Honestly, Menace, Clones and Jedi are really close to each other and could even swap spots on my next viewing.

TheNorm

Lol, Last Jedi under the three prequels? Hard agree to disagree on that one.
"But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity." - Martin Luther King, Jr

Rigg44

#200
Just because I did the same re-watching in chronological order to get ready for the Rise of Skywalker, here is my take.

1. TPM
The movie suffers from horrible acting.  Jake Lloyd and Pernilla August had all the emotional flexibility of a board in this movie.  Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson turn in pedestrian performances that were obviously hampered by a fully digital environment.  The only saving graces to be had in this movie were the pod races and the duel scene.  Those almost make it worth the watch until you factor is Jar Jar, then this becomes the only piece of Star Wars I would rather just skip.   

2. AotC
Who would have thought any movie could make Samuel L. Jackson look pedestrian? Of course, he could not be his normal Pulp Fiction self but that didn't mean he had to alternatively be boring.
The main issue with this movie is pacing.  There are just too many long conversationally heavy scenes that add nothing to the plot.  Oh, and Anikian and Padme had zero chemistry.  In the end, I wish Lucas would have gone with a complete cast of unknowns like he did with the original trilogy.
We always knew Vader was a troubled soul but I thought that meant anger and hate not whiney teenage puberty.
Overall this movie is average at best and comically bad in spots but the large action sequences and Yoda's badassery save it from the trash heap.

3. RotS
This movie is universally regarded as the crown jewel of the sequels, and it is. The fight scenes are fantastic and well done. Some effects have aged very poorly ( I am looking at you lava platform hovering droid things) but overall this movie is good with one subtraction Padme's death.  The way it was portrayed opened new plot holes. Leia clearly says she remembers her mother in RotJ but as portrayed that could not have happened. As Crewe said it also felt rushed and almost "tacked on".

4. RO
This film to me of all the newer movies feels the most like star wars.  It feels like a lived in-universe.  The characters are well developed with clear motivations and all are very well acted.  It also doesn't add side content to make unnecessary political commentary. Overall this movie is a great watch. 


5. Solo
I never thought we needed a Solo movie nor did I want a Solo movie.  Some characters by their nature are side characters Han is one of those characters.  Once you start explaining his motivations and history you eliminate his mystery which is a big part of his overall badassery. I will say that on second viewing I enjoyed it far more than I did when I initially watched it.  They still horribly miscast Han which pretty much doomed the movie.
The action is well done Woody Harrelson is great in his role and I liked the world they built overall. The on the ground in the muck battle scene is probably one of the best battle scenes in all of star wars but its placed in a vehicle reliant on one thing, Han Solo and when they miscast that role they doomed the movie.

6. ANH
This movie still holds up for the most part. Sentimentally it is, of course, a legendary piece os cinema for me.  If I look at it objectively however it has some pacing issues and drags at times.  The acting is outstanding and the chemistry among our main characters is undeniable and that more than anything is why I fell in love with this franchise.

7. ESB
This is one of the few movies I consider perfect. It is well-paced the action is great and the story pushes our characters in ways we did not expect. This movie was and is one of my favorites of all time.

8. RotJ
This movie is not perfect and has many flaws (teddy bears, I mean Ewoks) but Jabas palace, Boba Fet, the Luke/ emperor  scene all make this movie a great addition to the saga.

9. TFA
I know that this movie was criticized heavily for its "formulaic" approach and similar script to the original trilogy but so what.  This movie was a good movie. It's very well acted, shot beautifully with iconic scenes and great character development. Rey is a great new lead, Poe a great new Han, and Fin a great third.  This cast is great.

10. TLJ
After such a good opening salvo I had high hopes and they were dashed to the ground like and overripe watermelon. 
The Finn and Rose side quest was fine if not used as a vehicle for a political statement. There are plenty of films that would work in, not star wars, at least not in the ham-handed overt manner it was done in here.
They took the most badass hope-filled Jedi to every exist and turned him into a grumpy people hating old hermit. Then you don't even let him go out in a glorious blaze of glory instead he fades aways from overexertion, come on! This film is just a mess for so many reasons, Crewe already addressed Leia but man, really? 

Ranking:
A New Hope
Empire Strikes Back
Revenge of the Sith
Return of the Jedi
Rogue One
The Force Awakens
Attack of the Clones
The Last Jedi
Solo
The Phantom Menace

Crewe

Quote from: TheNorm on November 29, 2019, 10:31:09 AM
Lol, Last Jedi under the three prequels? Hard agree to disagree on that one.

haha, I had to make a statement lol

Crewe

Quote from: Rigg44 on November 29, 2019, 11:44:31 AM
Just because I did the same re-watching in chronological order to get ready for the Rise of Skywalker, here is my take.

1. TPM
The movie suffers from horrible acting.  Jake Lloyd and Pernilla August had all the emotional flexibility of a board in this movie.  Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson turn in pedestrian performances that were obviously hampered by a fully digital environment.  The only saving graces to be had in this movie were the pod races and the duel scene.  Those almost make it worth the watch until you factor is Jar Jar, then this becomes the only piece of Star Wars I would rather just skip.   

This is my thoughts throughout the prequels too. I never thought Neeson and McGregor were thwarted by the all digital world, but I guess I was so zoned in on how that was exactly the case with the other actors. Perhaps it was just just Lucas was unable to get what he intended out of these two. You are
right though, they were certainly middle of the road, while not detrimental.

Quote from: Rigg44 on November 29, 2019, 11:44:31 AM
2. AotC
Who would have thought any movie could make Samuel L. Jackson look pedestrian? Of course, he could not be his normal Pulp Fiction self but that didn't mean he had to alternatively be boring.
The main issue with this movie is pacing.  There are just too many long conversationally heavy scenes that add nothing to the plot.  Oh, and Anikian and Padme had zero chemistry.  In the end, I wish Lucas would have gone with a complete cast of unknowns like he did with the original trilogy.
We always knew Vader was a troubled soul but I thought that meant anger and hate not whiney teenage puberty.
Overall this movie is average at best and comically bad in spots but the large action sequences and Yoda's badassery save it from the trash heap.

That's a good point there. I kept waiting for the angst, not whining, to turn in to rage and puberty is a great reference lol

Quote from: Rigg44 on November 29, 2019, 11:44:31 AM
3. RotS
This movie is universally regarded as the crown jewel of the sequels, and it is. The fight scenes are fantastic and well done. Some effects have aged very poorly ( I am looking at you lava platform hovering droid things) but overall this movie is good with one subtraction Padme's death.  The way it was portrayed opened new plot holes. Leia clearly says she remembers her mother in RotJ but as portrayed that could not have happened. As Crewe said it also felt rushed and almost "tacked on".

You know, the only out I've ever come up with regarding this comment was, did we ever learn what happened to mama Organa? Maybe it was her Leia was referencing? otherwise, yea, Im right there with you.

Quote from: Rigg44 on November 29, 2019, 11:44:31 AM
4. RO
This film to me of all the newer movies feels the most like star wars.  It feels like a lived in-universe.  The characters are well developed with clear motivations and all are very well acted.  It also doesn't add side content to make unnecessary political commentary. Overall this movie is a great watch. 

yup

Quote from: Rigg44 on November 29, 2019, 11:44:31 AM
5. Solo
I never thought we needed a Solo movie nor did I want a Solo movie.  Some characters by their nature are side characters Han is one of those characters.  Once you start explaining his motivations and history you eliminate his mystery which is a big part of his overall badassery. I will say that on second viewing I enjoyed it far more than I did when I initially watched it.  They still horribly miscast Han which pretty much doomed the movie.
The action is well done Woody Harrelson is great in his role and I liked the world they built overall. The on the ground in the muck battle scene is probably one of the best battle scenes in all of star wars but its placed in a vehicle reliant on one thing, Han Solo and when they miscast that role they doomed the movie.

Thank you!  :-)

Quote from: Rigg44 on November 29, 2019, 11:44:31 AM
6. ANH
This movie still holds up for the most part. Sentimentally it is, of course, a legendary piece os cinema for me.  If I look at it objectively however it has some pacing issues and drags at times.  The acting is outstanding and the chemistry among our main characters is undeniable and that more than anything is why I fell in love with this franchise.

I thought even in the slower parts, the dialogue either developed the characters or drove the plot. You ever watch that doc about how editing saved Star Wars? you talk about poor pacing, watch that and see what Lucas initially intended lol To be fair to him, it was a first cut, but still.

Quote from: Rigg44 on November 29, 2019, 11:44:31 AM
7. ESB
This is one of the few movies I consider perfect. It is well-paced the action is great and the story pushes our characters in ways we did not expect. This movie was and is one of my favorites of all time.

:D

Quote from: Rigg44 on November 29, 2019, 11:44:31 AM
8. RotJ
This movie is not perfect and has many flaws (teddy bears, I mean Ewoks) but Jabas palace, Boba Fet, the Luke/ emperor  scene all make this movie a great addition to the saga.

I go back and forth on the Ewoks. I mean, Lucas always had kids in mind when making Star Wars. Maybe Ive just seen it so much Ive softened on the whole thing. If he had just made them a bit more gritty. They did have some effective primal methods for taking out the At-At's, but the throwing stones and hand to hand with Stormtroopers.....ehhhh...no.

Quote from: Rigg44 on November 29, 2019, 11:44:31 AM
9. TFA
I know that this movie was criticized heavily for its "formulaic" approach and similar script to the original trilogy but so what.  This movie was a good movie. It's very well acted, shot beautifully with iconic scenes and great character development. Rey is a great new lead, Poe a great new Han, and Fin a great third.  This cast is great.

You know, every Star Wars move follows that formula fairly close though. Ok, not every, but still, so Im like you, it gets a major pass for being Star Wars.
Agree on the actors man, there's just no way to emphasize how much of a difference they make in a world like this. I also think, personally, they were excited to be part of the SW universe and legacy. I never got that feel from Portman and Christianson. The film also had a few nods to the original without any overt or obvious fan service moments.

Quote from: Rigg44 on November 29, 2019, 11:44:31 AM
10. TLJ
After such a good opening salvo I had high hopes and they were dashed to the ground like and overripe watermelon. 
The Finn and Rose side quest was fine if not used as a vehicle for a political statement. There are plenty of films that would work in, not star wars, at least not in the ham-handed overt manner it was done in here.
They took the most badass hope-filled Jedi to every exist and turned him into a grumpy people hating old hermit. Then you don't even let him go out in a glorious blaze of glory instead he fades aways from overexertion, come on! This film is just a mess for so many reasons, Crewe already addressed Leia but man, really? 

yea, the Leia thing was just....man.
I go back and forth on the Luke/Ben thing too. I mean my fist thought was, bullshit. Here's Luke, a guy who was adamant he would turn a mostly machine being to the good side, or die trying. No gray area there. And now, he's going to murder his own teenage student? That is not Luke, at all.
The other part of me understands that they had to create a reason for Luke to close himself off from the force and this was a great way to do that. But visually, to have him standing over a sleeping "foe" with light saber drawn, again, thats not Luke. There were other ways to accomplish this crisis.
I do like the ambiguity created though, we have two versions, Luke's and Ben's and we don't know who to believe really so they did cover it at least.

Thanks for the input dude, enjoyed reading it!

Ranking:
A New Hope
Empire Strikes Back
Revenge of the Sith
Return of the Jedi
Rogue One
The Force Awakens
Attack of the Clones
The Last Jedi
Solo
The Phantom Menace
[/quote]

Crewe

Star Wars
The Rise of Skywalker



No spoilers but all Ill say
Spoiler
is dont listen to the holier than thou critics.

TheNorm

Quote from: Crewe on December 19, 2019, 11:37:55 PM
Star Wars
The Rise of Skywalker



No spoilers but all Ill say
Spoiler
is dont listen to the holier than thou critics.

I'm seeing some fairly split things from critics so...f it I'm going tonight anyway I can wait until then. LOL
"But it is not enough for me to stand before you tonight and condemn riots. It would be morally irresponsible for me to do that without, at the same time, condemning the contingent, intolerable conditions that exist in our society. These conditions are the things that cause individuals to feel that they have no other alternative than to engage in violent rebellions to get attention. And I must say tonight that a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the negro poor has worsened over the last twelve or fifteen years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice and humanity." - Martin Luther King, Jr

Crewe

Quote from: TheNorm on December 20, 2019, 08:57:38 AM
Quote from: Crewe on December 19, 2019, 11:37:55 PM
Star Wars
The Rise of Skywalker



No spoilers but all Ill say
Spoiler
is dont listen to the holier than thou critics.

I'm seeing some fairly split things from critics so...f it I'm going tonight anyway I can wait until then. LOL

let me know what you think

BojackHorsefella

I have not seen it but I read every spoiler. Sounds like when me and my brother used to play with our Star Wars toys as kids. That isn't a compliment.

Crewe

Quote from: BojackHorsefella on December 20, 2019, 01:10:22 PM
I have not seen it but I read every spoiler. Sounds like when me and my brother used to play with our Star Wars toys as kids. That isn't a compliment.

I doubt many critics have seen it.

BojackHorsefella

Oh, no, I'm not talking critics. I'm talking I read the full plot, including snippets of dialogue. I'm still going to see it, I've got tickets for the 29th, but, yikes.

Crewe

Quote from: BojackHorsefella on December 20, 2019, 01:27:37 PM
Oh, no, I'm not talking critics. I'm talking I read the full plot, including snippets of dialogue. I'm still going to see it, I've got tickets for the 29th, but, yikes.

I understand that, my point was quasi sarcastic in that you hated it already without seeing and I feel thats the way many are. I saw vitriolic rants just from the trailer for crying out loud.

I went in without knowing anything. I watched the very first teaser and thats all I knew. I just enjoy having my own untainted thoughts going in to a film I really want to see.