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Agree; no pre-reqs needed. Enjoyed the quality and acting, however, story line is very simple YA level. I prefer a more mature, complicated plot. Several reviews that I've read, all favorable, seemed to cringe a little at the violence (cyborg dismemberment) in such a YA story.
I was only mildly interested in Alita. I'm not familiar with the source material and it kind of sounded silly. However, my interest in it has grown. The huge gap in response between professional movie reviewers and the audience is interesting. I often like movies where that happens. I'm not sure I'll have tome to get to the theater to see it but I hope to.
Big screen 3D was definitely worth it.
Except it isn't. Don't get me wrong. I can totally see how you'd think it was YA due to the relatively simple plot thus far, BUT in the source material, it is far, far more graphic in its violent nature. Since the movie's so fresh I don't want to lay out the differences as to not spoil anything, but suffice it to say that NOW the cyborg dismemberment is YA appropriate. The original scenes? Like beyond R-rated. Another good example is that the scene with Scarlett Johansson hanging out in her apartment (you know the one. lol). In the anime she was buck nekked as God intended. Not in the live action film. TOTALLY understandable across the board as they had to tone it all down from a hard R or even NR rating to a perhaps pushing it a bit PG-13. Anyway, just making the point that the original story is not quite YA stuff. Still solid either way, though. Glad you liked it.Quote:
Originally Posted by PB
Whoa whoa WHOA
How DARE you compare Ghost in the Shell to Alita?!?!?!? :fmicon:
Seriously, the central plot line in GitS (Anime - the live-action, Scarlet version was execrable ) was sophisticated and delivered with subtlety and nuance. Since there wasn't a full length animated version of Alita it's perhaps unfair to compare the two, but you stated that the current live-action version was remarkably close to the original Manga presentation, so I'm going to do it any way: apples vs oranges , mature sophisticated plot vs YA plot. Not a really big deal, as most (but fortunately not all) Manga stories are YA with a titillating frizz of mayhem and sex anyway.
WOOPS! I meant to say Jennifer Connelly. NOT Scarlet Johannson. Had a total brain fart there. Now you'll know what scene I was referring to. Hehe.Quote:
Originally Posted by PB
Alita imax 4/5
I liked it. Enough story to keep it interesting. James Cameron knows how to make movie.
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Technically no longer in Theaters, but we don't have a general post-theater movie thread (weird), so here:
Prospect - a delightful cross between True Grit and Firefly/Serenity, but pared down to a much more visceral and spare theme. Now available in Comcast On Demand. Pedro Pascal is eerily similar (the dialogue is spot on) to Nathan Fillion.
我的天阿Quote:
Originally Posted by PB
Mei Yong Ma Duh Tse Gu Yong
How Shi Sung Chung
Wen Gua Pi
How W'rin Bu Lai, Whai W'rin Bu Jwo
保重
I saw it back in October in the theaters.Quote:
Originally Posted by PB
I stumbled upon it after reading an article about short films being turned into feature length films (i.e. short film filmmakers getting funding from Hollywood).
I posted a review of it along with a link to the original short here:
https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...90#post5511590
:)
In regards to a general movie thread you could start one...but there's already NF, Amazon, and Redbox threads, plus a "Films You Missed The First Time Around Thread"...
:)
A general movie thread might be redundant, but perhaps genre threads (there's a Horror one, but no Comedy, Drama or Sci-Fi film threads)...
Yah; probably should have put it in the Missed the First Time Around thread.
And ...... Reckless????
https://firefly.fandom.com/wiki/DictionaryQuote:
Originally Posted by PB
[emoji6]
Coming in 2020:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...;v=2_x2C4L6quA
EXCELLENT!!
No Rufus? Bogus Dude!
I really hope that Missy is now married to Bill.
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CLIMAX
3/5
Gaspar Noe's latest endeavor owes no small debt to Dario Argento's Susperia, especially in terms of the use of bright, saturated primary colors (Red, Blue, Green) and an over-the-top, blistering soundtrack (here a hodge-podge of electronica), that the film doesn't deliver on the delirium of it's primary influence is a bit of a downer (FWIW, Noe name-checks Susperia and several other films in the opening segment).
Noe is known for his stylistic depravity and here the stylism is rife, but the depravity is rather tame: I was expecting serious ultra-violence and while there are some shock-worthy moments, overall it's pretty tame compared to some of his past works.
Still, the dance sequences are well choreographed and filmed in a dizzying array and the film keeps you on the edge of your seat, never knowing what is actually gonna go down.
All the Noe trademarks are here: lush cinematography, crude dialogue, and twisted interstitials .
In the end, however, it reminded me a whole lot of Anna Campion's lone feature film Loaded from 1994: a lot of tension is created, but the payoff is rather tame in retrospect.
Still, if you dig arty French films with a subversive nature and like modern dance, this could be your jam (be warned, though, as it's kinda like an episode of Fame gone awry).
:)
Ash is the Purist White
I won't rate this because of the consensus but I agree with the good reviews.
Joy and happiness is rare in Chinese drama and this is no different. It's beautiful to look at and the scenery is spectacular. Qiao's character is compelling.
https://youtu.be/l0fKX6VhovQ
Blatant Lebowski ripoff?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNPZyzklJ7c
There's actually a stand-alone thread for this film here...and when I first read about Beach Bum my initial thoughts were "Didn't McConaughey already do this film? I think it was called Surfer Dude."Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobby Stainless
Then last week I saw the trailer on the big screen (the theatrical trailer is different than the one you posted above, fwiw) and I have to say that I laughed my ass off. And I didn't feel it was ripping off Lebowski at all (that film didn't even enter my mind as I watched the trailer). I presonally don't see the similarities, but to each their own.
:)
I mean, c'mon, there wasn't even any bowling in the trailer!
:)
I'm not a terribly huge fan of Harmony Korine, but his Spring Breakers flick had a lot of interesting rhetorical elements to it, not the least of which was repetition of key phrases and images. I'm down to see this film based on the trailer and I think McConaughey is a solid actor, plus the supporting cast looks pretty decent (holding some reservations about Zac Efron, but who knows, maybe he'll be the darkhorse of the film?).
GRETA
2/5
I actually had high hopes for this flick even though it seemed as if they gave away all the good parts in the trailer (they did). But since it was directed and co-written by Neil Jordan (The Crying Game, Company of Wolves, The Butcher Boy, Byzantium), I gave it the benefit of the doubt.
Sadly, I was fooled.
Jordan and co-screenwriter Ray Wright deliver all the cliches and tired tropes of the stalker/demented friend genre without even a slight glimmer of anything fresh or even tepidly original.
Granted, there were some visually stunning sequences and the cinematography was rich, and there were a few tense moments and a couple of jump scares, but overall it was a paint-by-numbers affair that might be fine as a momentary diversion (i.e a rental or stream) after a few beers or other such mind/mood altering substances.
Definitely not up to the usual standards of the director, that's for sure.
In fact, the entire affair felt like a really well-made Lifetime Original.
RIYL
Single White Female; Fatal Attraction; The Hand That Rocks The Cradle
RUBEN BRANDT, COLLECTOR
4/5
I went into this film totally blind; as in I knew nothing about it other than I surmised it was an animated feature and possibly foreign.
I saw the lobby poster advertising the film when I went to see Gaspar Noe's Climax last week. I decided to check it out, based soley on the poster. I did not research it, I did not read any reviews, nor did I watch the trailer for the film. Turned out that this was the call. The film is indeed animated and foreign (Hungarian) and it is an incredibly fun and exciting art-noir-cum-heist film that references pretty much every major movement in art history (Renaissance, Impressionist, etc), although from a visual standpoint it primarily draws inspiration from the abstract, modern, and post-modern periods. I will admit that I felt a bit overwhelmed/undereducated/out-of-the-loop, so to speak, since I didn’t study art history in college, but I still managed to pick up on some of the more obvious nods such as Picasso, Mondrian, Matisse, Hockney, Warhol, but at the same time I also missed some of the more obvious ones: additional Warhol references and others. But you don’t have to possess a great understanding of art history to enjoy the film. It’s a surrealistic romp that features some great action sequences, some wonderfully absurdist moments, and some awe dropping dream-like visages. The ending is a bit vague, but that’s part of the film’s charm as it actually requires you to think about what might have transpired. It's been awhile since I've seen a film that left me pondering the conclusion long after the credits have scrolled by.
Oh and if you are an art nerd, they list all of the paintings and artists that are paid homage to in the film at the end of the credits.
Highly recommended.
RIYL:
Heavy Metal (both the magazine and the film, although this film is a bit more high-brow in subject matter than the HM movie); The Painting (aka Le Tableau); Fantastic Planet; Waking Life; Allegro Non Troppo; Immortal (Enki Bilal French film)
Captain Marvel
4/5
Took my daughter to this A+ girl empowerment flick. Top tier in the Marvel Universe movies w not 1 but I think technically 3 origin stories and a soundtrack that kicked ass. Some great early 90s humor and an all around great cast. Lots of humor and splosions. Can't walk out of this one without a good old fashion movie smile on your face.
Read a good review of Us in USA Today and I like a well done horror flick so I went and paid my $6.50 for the matinee. Walked out halfway through it. Fucking stupid and not even close to creepy. How does this get 95% on rotten tomatoes? SMH
0/5
Hotel Mumbai
Wifey and I caught the matinee today. We have zero knowledge of what actually happened and how much was “based on a true story”, but we quite enjoyed it. I was expecting Die Hard in India, but I was pleasantly surprised.
4/5
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The Favourite 3/5
PPV:
I liked it. I’m generally an odd bird so I appreciate subtle nuance of absurd. Im generally not a fan of British humor so the parts supposed to make me laugh really didn’t.
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