I've Been Going to the...MOOOOvies

[joe (Liverpool)]

TypeO, #1692. not being rude but how do you expect a group of Scotsmen to talk? and it's such a brilliant film. I've never heard it crticised because of the Scottish accent.

[TypeO]

TypeO, #1692. not being rude but how do you expect a group of Scotsmen to talk? and it's such a brilliant film. I've never heard it crticised because of the Scottish accent.

It's got nothing to do with expectations.

I expect that's obviously EXACTLY how they talk.

But being an American from the south, it was, as I mentioned, very difficult to follow the dialog.

That's not a criticism, just an observation.

Being from the UK, it probably wasn't near as hard for you to follow as you are probably exposed to those types of accents a lot more regularly than I am.

It would probably be just as hard for you to follow some of the heavy regional accents in this country (southern urban blacks, cajuns, etc.).

In fact, there's another film I saw a while back that I liked, but found very challenging to follow the dialog - Green Street Hooligans.

Going out on a limb, I'm guessing if you have seen it, you probably didn't even notice the accents at all.

I don't think I should have to adjust my comments to take into account all the variety of nationalities that frequent this board.

There are a significant amount of people here from the US, as am I, so I speak on those terms.

If what I say doesn't really apply to someone from another country, I don't see where I should have to specify conditions of my comments.

I don't take exception to comments that are more oriented to other countries.

I simply recognize where the commenter is from and move on.

Lighten up, bruh.

[joe (Liverpool)]

Hey no offence meant I have a Sister in Law from Glasgow that is the only reason that I can understand it , I don't need to lighten up, Iam fine and I hope you are as well. I recognise what you said about regional accents and I wasn't having a go, just making a comment.

[TypeO]

Hey no offence meant I have a Sister in Law from Glasgow that is the only reason that I can understand it , I don't need to lighten up, Iam fine and I hope you are as well. I recognise what you said about regional accents and I wasn't having a go, just making a comment.

Understood.

I was just clarifying where I was coming from, as well.

[Jahfin]

[Kareem]

Counting the days until "The Artist" is released on DVD. Wonderful film....

[Strider]

^^^

What other silent movies have you seen?

Edited June 15, 2012 by Strider

[Strider]

So far, the consensus worst movie of the year is "Battleship"...although some might argue "John Carter". Hmmm, both star Taylor Kitsch. Dude might want to change his name...and if he already changed his name to Kitsch, then acting is the least of his problems.

Anyway, a contender for worst movie of 2012 arrives tomorrow...or since it is past midnight, today: "Rock of Ages".

The trailer looks dreadful, and I'm sorry...Foreigner, Journey, Poison, Def Leppard, Reo Speedwagon and Twisted Sister is not my idea of a good time.

[Kiwi_Zep_Fan87]

[Strider]

Thumbs up to "Gone Baby Gone". "The Help", not so much.

[Kiwi_Zep_Fan87]

The ending was pretty intense and unexpected as far as "Gone Baby Gone" was concerned. It was not what I expected (which is really the attribute I look for in movies) and my mom and I watched it together and that movie pretty much had a lasting impression on me!

"The Help" on the other hand was OK. I just watched it out of curiousity since it paid special attention to the civil rights movement. Having said that, I think it was ok but I'll take "Gone Baby Gone" over "The Help" an day.

[Cecil.]

So far, the consensus worst movie of the year is "Battleship"...although some might argue "John Carter". Hmmm, both star Taylor Kitsch. Dude might want to change his name...and if he already changed his name to Kitsch, then acting is the least of his problems.

Anyway, a contender for worst movie of 2012 arrives tomorrow...or since it is past midnight, today: "Rock of Ages".

The trailer looks dreadful, and I'm sorry...Foreigner, Journey, Poison, Def Leppard, Reo Speedwagon and Twisted Sister is not my idea of a good time.

You sidestepped where Prometheus would fit into the consensus ?

[Strider]

You sidestepped where Prometheus would fit into the consensus ?

I have yet to see "Prometheus" but the word-of-mouth I'm getting from friends is that it's good...better if you don't take it as a straight "prequel" to "Alien"; more like a movie suggested by "Alien".

The film critics that I read and trust all seem to like it...it has a 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to 50% for "John Carter" and 36% for "Battleship", which is Adam Sandler-level.

So far, "Rock of Ages" is at 42%.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Strider

[Cecil.]

Strider, I would like to hear what you think about the film.

[Jahfin]

I enjoyed The Help myself. As for movie critics, if it's a movie I really want to see I'm going to go see it no matter what the consensus among critics is. I'm glad I do because a lot of times I find out that I didn't agree with their opinion of a particular movie. Same goes for music critics. That said, as expensive as movies are these days it's always a good idea to find out what people are thinking before taking the plunge. That includes finding out what your friends think as well as what the critics are saying. Oftentimes I value my friends' opinions more as they know my tastes in cinema pretty well. Again, the same goes for music.

[Strider]

Strider, I would like to hear what you think about the film.

Surely you jest, Cecil. Why should you care what I think over a professional film critic? Just because I post my thoughts here from time to time doesn't mean I actually think anyone else should care.

But, if you really want my thoughts about "Prometheus", you'll have to wait at least until I see the bloody thing...which as luck would have it, will be in about half an hour. I'm seeing the late show at the Cinerama Dome tonight.

[redrum]

Saw 'Cape Fear' on tv last night with Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck. Didn't care for the DeNiro version.

[Strider]

Before I get to "Prometheus", a few words about "The Hunger Games", which I finally saw last night with Doug Benson and his merry gang of baked comedian friends.

What a pile of shit "The Hunger Games" was; it's appalling such a poor film can make so much money. Poorly conceived, poorly written, poorly executed. I wanted to strangle the cinematographer within the first 5 minutes of the film...STOP jiggling the camera around! Would it kill you to have an establishing wide shot, or even a two-shot once in a while? The fight scene at the end between the two boy morons qualifies as one of the lamest of all-time. What boggles the mind is how such a great actor as Stanley Tucci and Jennifer Lawrence, who was so good in "Winter's Bone", got roped into this garbage?

Donald Sutherland I can understand, because when you're old as dirt, you take any part that comes your way as they are few and far between. Unless you're Christopher Plummer or Betty White.

Then there was that doofus with the preposterous beard...I kept waiting for him to snicker "Bwahahaha!" In fact, that's another fatal flaw to this film...the misguided costumes and hair and makeup. It's as if "The Wizard of Oz" was this society's only influence and only thing available to watch.

Worst of all, it's a blatant rip-off of the far better "Battle Royale" movie by the late Kinji Fukasaku.

Avoid "The Hunger Games" at all costs...I don't care how much your tween kids throw a hissy fit. It ain't worth a damn. An instant contender for worst movie of the year.

Now, as for "Prometheus", it was okay. Not great. Not terrible. It could have been better but hearing reports that Ridley Scott was forced to cut 27 minutes leaves me with the feeling that perhaps the Director's Cut of the DVD will be an improvement.

I promise not to give away any spoilers to the film...nothing at least you can't see in the trailer.

First some questions you may have.

Do I have to know the "Alien" series to understand or enjoy "Prometheus"?

No, I don't think so. Even though the idea of "Prometheus" germinated from the question of "Who was that dead spaceman in the ship that the crew of Nostromo investigates in the first "Alien" movie, "Prometheus" can be seen as a stand-alone film. Its pleasures don't require a knowledge of Alien-lore, nor do its flaws have anything to do with the previous Alien movies.

I myself have only seen the first three Alien films...loved the first two, ambivalent about the third and just didn't care enough anymore about seeing the others, as any trace of Ridley Scott was long gone.

Do I need to know about Prometheus and Greek Mythology?

No.

Do I need to see it in 3D?"

No. Save your money. I did see it in 3D at the Dome, but to be honest, there was only one or two instances where I noticed the 3D and thought "wow"...and it was brief. Seeing "Prometheus" in regular 2D is not going to lessen the visuals for you. Of course, as is usually the case with a Ridley Scott film, the visuals are one of the best features of "Prometheus".

As a summer action sci-fi movie, it's moderately entertaining enough and has its share of suspense and downright creepy scenes. It's definitely bloodier than the original "Alien", the only one of the Alien film series that Ridley Scott directed. It's better than "Battleship", "Transformers", "Cloverfield", and some of the other recent summer blockbusters.

The problem starts when you begin to notice gaping holes in the plot...holes that have nothing to do with inconsistencies with the other Alien movies; I'm talking inconsistencies with normal character development and behaviour.

First off, we've got scientists that don't act and behave much like actual scientists...especially the male scientist. In fact, he's such an idiot asshole that...oh, nevermind.

Just as in the other Alien movie, the most interesting and defined character is the Android David, played by Michael Fassbender...he's easily the best part of the film. One of the things I liked was how he quoted lines from"Lawrence of Arabia" throughout the movie. Actually, as noted by the film critic in the clip posted above by MM, David reminds one of Rutger Hauer's Replicant in "Blade Runner".

Which shouldn't be surprising given the news that after revisiting his "Alien" world after all these years, Ridley Scott is now set to do another "Blade Runner" film.

Anyway, apart from David, the rest of the cast is given nothing much to distinguish itself...Noomi Rapace tries, and she does have one incredibly intense and freakish scene...but I cannot explain some of the problems I had with her character without giving away spoilers, so I'll wait until someone asks specifically.

Guy Pearce's appearance is so ludicrous and late-hour as to be comical.

Idris Elba(so awesome in "The Wire" and "Luther") and Charlize Theron try...but they're not given much to work with. Put simply, there is no equivalent to the character of Ripley(Sigourney Weaver) in "Prometheus", no human to really care about and root for.

While "Alien" and "Aliens" also had their own interesting androids(Ian Holme in the first, Lance Henrickson in the second), those movies also had intetesting human crews that you could identify with. The crew in "Prometheus" is forgettable...and sometimes hard to differentiate...except for the Scottish woman.

There are inconsistencies in the plot, flawed logic, etc. And I think the ending is kind of cheap...it sort of blatently advertises a sequel.

Oh, there is one thing that may be of note to some forum members here. Some of you have discussed in the supernatural or paranormal threads the idea that aliens visited this planet millions of years ago and started homo sapiens on his path to advancement...sort of like what happens in "2001: A Space Odyssey".

Well, that is the central idea that "Prometheus" wrestles with: that it was aliens that created us and gave us the DNA and intelligence that separates us from all other animals.

That is all I'm going to say about "Prometheus". Any more would reveal too much.

Edited June 20, 2012 by Strider

[Cecil.]

^ Good to know it wasn't just me then... the script/plot felt as if had been put together using a dartboard.

[TypeO]

Really cool, had been wanting to see.

Reminded me a little of Jumper, but way more intense.

[Led_Rock_Hard]

I enjoyed it when I saw it^.

[JuliaFinch]

Yesterday I saw The Blues Brothers for the 90th time (always been my fav film), but at the cinema for the first time. It's been very nice, the ticket costed 4,50 € and we spent more buying pop-corn and cokes though...but it's all right.

[redrum]

Just watched 'Lilies Of The Field' with Sidney Poitier. X-L-INT! :^)

[TypeO]

For a made-for-TV movie, this is one of the best westerns I've ever seen, and I love watching it.

The past few weeks I've been catching random episodes on Hallmark Channel, which not only means commercials, but it's edited.

Then the other day I found the entire thing on Netflix.

Watched the first 2 episodes last night, and finished the last 2 episodes this afternoon.

For me, there is such a real and natural chemistry between Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones.

The characters are done really well, and it's a truly epic adventure.

And yes, I always cry at a number of points throughout.

[Jahfin]

How Movie Theatres Should Be Laid Out (The Oatmeal)