Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows - Was this sequel as good as Guy Richie’s surprise hit from ’09? Predictably it is not and it came off as somewhat overly familiar and overproduced. However it has a strong double team in the form of Jude Law as Watson and Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock, two great leading men who have had a pretty big renaissance after both their careers ran out of steam for years. In 1890s Europe our dynamic duo must put a stop to a deadly conspiracy threading throughout Europe that threatens to plunge the continent into a premature Great War: too reminiscent of the risible The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and so the film itself is more like Steampunk James Bond than a detective drama, but it was an OK romp. Ronery Downey Jr. has a more nutty take on Sherlock than Benedict Cumberbatch’s aloof Sherlock from the hit BBC series, but while Cumberbatch’s Sherlock has a almost supernatural perception of things, Downey Jr.’s Sherlock has an almost supernatural ability to outwit opponents during fights. The Guy Richie movie series and BBC show even share the same icy blue cinematography. I would say that Jared Harris’ subtly pugnacious Moriarty was (IMHO) superior to Andrew Scott’s more manic Moriarty. A good answer to the Pirates franchise that has gotten old hat in recent years. 7/10
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Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol Combines the slick post-Bourne action of Daniel Craig with the slapstick comedy of Roger Moore, a curious combination that Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg sell well. It is interesting to learn that the director of excellent animated movies such as The Iron Giant and The Incredibles (Brad Bird) was chosen as the director, and it was a good choice, when the set pieces are injected with some humour without falling flat. There are two outstanding IMF heists, first at the Kremlin (that then gets bombed, setting the main plot into motion) and then at the tallest building in the world in Dubai (truly hair raising). Ghost Protocol had a long, solid procession of supporting cast members, including a couple of familiar faces from way back in the first M:I film. The main villains were kind of bland however, essentially re-running the evil nuke the world scheme from The Spy Who Loved Me, only on a shoestring budget (so no supertanker crewed by jumpsuited mooks). Overall a decent movie, especially for a late third sequel to a somewhat uneven movie series that nearly got sunk by the risible, confusing M:I-2. 7/10
Bad Boys - Many years before Michael Bay got bogged down in Transformers sequels, he was the new kid in town with this buddy cop movie that starred a boyish looking Will Smith. The awkward stereotyping, explosions, military/law enforcement fetishism, fast sports cars, leggy/buxom girls, and crude/clumsy humour got codified here people, though these Bay clichés are considerably more subdue in his debut movie than in his later films. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence play two Miami cops who must take down a endlessly resourceful, ruthless drug kingpin (Tcheky Karyo) to seize back the stockpile of narcotics that were seized from a Miami PD vault. Carnage ensues and our heroes also team up with proto-Megan Fox, Tea Leoni. The movie holds up fairly well for the most part, but is starting to show its age now and is a somewhat cheesy time capsule from the mid 1990s. Also the role swapping subplot seemed redundant when Will Smith seemed more suited to being a family man anyway. 6/10
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A Jason Stratham thriller from 2005, B-movie but very entertaining in a watch it unfold kind of way. Tbh I like Stratham a lot as a star, he comes across very well to me in just about all his films, even if his range isn't much. I prefer him to Craig, he seems more comfortable in his own skin, even if Craig has more cred.
More disturbing than funny, the film is well done and has some incredible shots of military planes. The film has an overall bright desert look and captures that baking-in-the-middle-of-nowhere feeling from the story and its pilots who keep getting sent on extended mission counts. It starts out with a depiction of the rough long service on in the base, but towards the latter half it starts to get very dark and disturbing, beginning to feel like Hell is a place on Earth.
I can see why it has become a cult hit since release and it is definitely worth a unique watch.
The Last Samurai - Ebert gave this movie a favourable review, despite this plodding piece of crap being a textbook example of a non-white story told largely from a white man’s perspective, something that Ebert decried once. It was far from incompetently produced though, with the dense period details, a cast ensemble who generally do a excellent job, and the final battle is technically impressive, but it had many drawn out scenes which left me yawning and looking at my watch. Tom Cruise played a hard drinking, emotionally damaged US Army veteran of Indian Wars who goes overseas as a mercenary advisor to the Japanese government, assisting in protecting its rapidly expanding railway network against staunchly traditionalist warriors, the Samurai. Tom Cruise’s character gets captured by a Samurai chieftain (Ken Watanabe) and predictably becomes assimilated into the ways of the Samurai, fighting back against his former pro-Western colleagues (a particularly slimy Tony Goldwyn and Masato Harada) and the might of the Imperial Japanese Army. I find it unnerving that this movie wants us to cheer on the Samurai warrior caste which (though legitimately brave) enforced serfdom and wanted hold back modern development. And we‘re supposed to feel angry at the strawman pro-modern Japanese authorities doing such villainous things like cutting off (gasp!) Samurai top knots! And when the Samurai ethos was adopted by the Empire of Japan and taken to ideological extremes, it lead to some of the worse atrocities in the history of warfare and imperialism. And it’s also off putting when the staunchly Medieval character played by Ken Watanabe was partially based on a historical figure who had a frigging artillery school. 3/10
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So a few movies were expiring from Netflix streaming last week, so I pumped through the lot:
All About Eve (1950, winner of 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture, 14 nominations total)
Very classic and entertaining. I sure was suspicious of Eve and of course, I was right. Eve seemed to be purposefully portrayed as constantly performing her woes and sweetness, because she too has ambitions. The plot was fun, and Bette Davis came off being one of the most unique actresses I have seen. She had a signature sharp sass and was beautiful even as the aging Broadway diva in the film. The cast was great, the plot swung smoothly, and overall it was worth a watch. Certainly seems worthy of its Oscar winnings and classic film status.
The Age of Innocence
This Martin Scorcese film was very interesting in that the performances were good and the setting made to look right, but it felt like big-budget directing (in a good way). There was a sort of twisted nobility in the society depicted and Daniel Day-Lewis was great as usual (his performance as Daniel Plainview is my favorite performance of all time). The supporting cast delivered their lines in that was that seems to be superior to our current pronunciations by adding the delicate and precise tone to their words. It was entertaining in the sense that it told about forbidden love, but the reasons it was forbidden was due to a stuffy and judgmental old society. I enjoyed it and the period setting was certainly what made it different.
Syriana
I didn't ever really grasp the plot lines, and after finishing the film and reading the review aggregators, it turns out it was sort of a universal issue that was part of the film on purpose. Apparently, the numerous story lines and lack of clear details on the viewers' side is meant to mirror that same stress for the characters who are wrapped in bigger plots that they also can't grasp from the details. That did not detract from the film and really just put a constant apprehension on the plot that was resolved somehow without real answers, just brushed under the government intelligence rug. Clooney was great, worthy of his Oscar win, and I think it is my second-favorite performance of his (behind The Descendants, which I think he should have one the Oscar for). The other plot lines are done well around his and there is a great darkness caused by world powers and oil that feels as if it is cast over the population without our consent. I enjoyed how the plots wrapped and this one is certainly worth watching in my opinion.
Last for now,
My Left Foot
This film about Irish writer Christy Brown also stars Daniel Day-Lewis. He does an excellent job as a convincing cystic fibrosis patient that learns to write and fit in with his lower-class family and neighborhood. I always enjoy UK films that have the simplistic filmmaking, sweet and believable depictions of people out in the countries and towns. The film has a very nice ending, but along the way there are some more unfortunate struggles and also some good turns. It is a good drama that balances the rough and harsh with some bright sides. Another film I am glad to have seen.
Watched it on Blu-Ray (second time seeing it overall), which by the way has perhaps the best designed standard packaging for a Blu-Ray release that I have seen. There is no blue on the packaging, and in fact it is mostly blacks and silvers with little colors.
I still really loved it and it looked gorgeous on Blu Ray. Fantastic movie and you should all buy it!
Where The Wild Things Are
Easily one of my favorite films visually, it chooses some unforgettable locations that are tied in well with the strangeness of the world. It is by no means a kids' or even family movie as it pulls some very frightening and dark ideas out. The Wild Things themselves are one of the most intriguing effects due to the mix of live-action costumes (created beautifully by Jim Henson's Creature Shop) worn by performers, voice acting from some greats, and CGI facial work to capture real emotions on the costume faces modeled after the emotion captures of the voice actors. It looks beautiful in so many scenes with sweet colors and sweeping vistas. Max fit right in as well, delivering on the expanded story created from the 10-sentence book that the film is based on.
The film feels like a pit of nostalgia and imagination that you might imagine in your depths as an adult looking back. I enjoyed the plot as well, which seemed to most importantly show that there are characteristics we all possess and needs we all wish can lead to a bit of happiness.
I'd say watch it if you like taking looks at the twists of the mind, great filmmaking, or can take a sweetly wild interpretation of the book that feels tailored to the adult in you that is curiously interested in the depths of childhood adventure and imagination.
A packed showing of Pulp Fiction at the Prince Charles.
Peerless. Just a terrific movie, almost every line reading is spot on. It's great to see on the big screen, as otherwise you tend to fast forward certain bits when pretty much all of it is brilliant.
As with the packed-out showing of OHMSS at the BFI Imax a year or more ago, you do get some enthusiasts who can get on your nerves, laughing too loudly at jokes they must have heard hundreds of times, or even reciting the lines along with the characters. My sis had to change seats with me cos the guy next to her was twitching his leg hypermanically throughout.
Otherwise, the way some rave about OHMSS (also excellent on the big screen) so I do about Pulp Fiction. Some possible snags; I personally feel that Mia Wallace was meant to be more alluring and enticing than she was, Uma's no slouch but it's more a personality role than pure sexpot role, I didn't get turned on the way that Vincent is meant to, risking getting into trouble with the boss. And what is the Wolf doing at a dinner party at, say, 8.40 in the morning? I would have preferred the yuppie scum to be more obnoxious, so we almost enjoy his discomfort, personally I felt sorry for him. A bit odd that some people laugh when Samuel L Jackson bullies and torments him, but takes all sorts. I found hilarious the scene where the two hitmen parry words while picking the skull out of a car back seat, which ordinarily would sound odd.
Oh, I'm not sure I bought Jackon's redemption at the end, he reads the lines well but you don't see an emotional uplift or revelation about his person really, though that might upset the movie's flow.
Brilliant use of satuated colour, a lovely looking movie and great characters. UK chat show host Jonathan Ross seems to have borrowed his schtick off Travolta (who you totally forget was in Grease while watching this), that hangdog way of looking, long hair, slouching a bit.
War Horse - Based on a successful semi-factual novel by Michael Morpurgo, that was also adapted into a successful stage play, War Horse comes across as a bit of a dumbed down disappointment despite the quality invested into it. It kind of shares the same saccharine worthiness of The Last Samurai, though thankfully does not share the same repugnance. This movie is really a tale of two halves; the strongest segment of the movie is when the eponymous horse forms a powerful emotional bond with English farm boy, Albert (Jeremy Irvine) and together (with truly spectacular Dartmoor scenery behind them) they save their farm from a predatory landlord (the underappreciated David Thewlis). The plot thickens when there is a call for war and Joey gets drafted as a British Army mount and then the film levels off into competent clichés from that point on. The battle scenes are impressive, the multinational cast ensemble (playing British and German soldiers, and also a hapless French family) do good jobs, and the historical details are very interesting, yet the movie loses much of its genuine emotional intensity featured in the first third of the runtime. And as with Spielberg toning down the down the violence in The Kingdom of the Crystal he seemed to be also shying away from the carnage of warfare in this movie, lacking much of the visceral impact of Saving Private Ryan’s infamous D-Day landing scene (for example the blade of a windmill tastefully cuts in when two deserters get shot by firing squad). Competent and watchable historical drama fluff. 6/10
Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade - Set in a alternative reality Japan which the Germans somehow invaded in the last global war, the country has become a rundown Dieselpunk dystopia that seems economically decaying and politically unstable. To remedy encroaching anarchy and bolster the civilian police, an elite paramilitary force of men donning intimidating battle armour had been formed to suppress and sometimes execute the worse subversives. Kazuki Fuse (Michael Dobson in the dub) is one of these militarised officers who on one fateful night of disturbance beneath the streets of Tokyo, runs into a young girl wearing vivid red hood working for a terrorist cell. And from that point things go steadily downhill completely for the protagonist who gets sucked into a web of vicious internal security service rivalry where everyone and anything can be sacrificed. Despite some explosions and men getting literally torn to shreds by MG-42 fire the movie feels very subdue and it has a very similar Noir mood to Blade Runner. Hiroyuki Okiura’s animation is grounded in extreme realism and grittiness, with a distinctive greyish-reddish-brown colour scheme to everything. A thoughtful action thriller. 9/10
The Artist - A movie that goes back to basics, shot in monochrome with virtually no audio sound, and it convincingly demonstrates that actions speak louder than words. Set in the late 1920s, when the shortlived public optimism following WWI got crushed by the Great Depression, we follow the story of the narcissistic but lovable silent movie star, George Valentine (Jean Dujardin) and his complex love affair with Peppy (Berenice Bejo), a young actress who is ushering in the new era of movies with recorded sound (the talkies), new mode of moviemaking that will make silent movies obsolete overnight. The background music and facial expressions from the excellent cast conveys a lot of humour and personality. The better supporting cast members were John Goodman as a studio mogul and James Cromwell as a put upon manservant (and there is also a peculiar cameo by Malcolm McDowell). And that dog was so endearing! 9/10
The Three Musketeers - Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson (also responsible for the completely out of hand Resident Evil movie franchise) I’d expected a lot of flash and little bang, with a disproportionate (and faintly disturbing) fixation on his hot Serbian-Russian-Ukrainian wife. I wasn’t far off. Obviously not a patch on the faintly lurid 1970s Musketeer movies featuring Michael York, however when you’re pining for the so 1990s it hurts Musketeer movie featuring Charlie Sheen and Tim Curry, you know something has gone horribly wrong. Mads Mikkelsen as chief henchman Rochefort is not a patch on his memorable Bond villain from Casino Royale, however I felt that Ray Stevenson (a match for Oliver Reed), Christopher Waltz (riding high after playing a Nazi) and Freddie Fox (as a dandy French monarch) make a truly valiant attempt to salvage the movie. Shame about the mostly shitty script. With Orlando Bloom campy performance, unfeasible airships depicted with ghastly CGI, be very afraid. Even my drunk mum watching it thought it was a load of ’ole tripe. Great costumes and set designs, mind you. 3/10
The Tourist - This is watered down James Bond and you do wonder where most of the hundred million dollar budget went. Extremely formulaic and dull, with plodding and weak action scenes that also fell flat at being whimsical. What really torpedoes this movie was the lack of chemistry between the two megastars and a lame duck plot twist that can be predicted by many and implodes the storyline. Steven Berkoff and Timothy Dalton take the money and run. 2/10
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honestly, I LIKED it, unlike a lot of other people. YES they left a lot out, YES it wasn't as brutal as the books...but for one, they had like, two and a hlaf to work with, and they were given a PG 13 rating to work with cause the book is WRITTEN FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, which a lot of people seem to forget. Middle schoolers can't go see an R rated movie.
I give it a 7.5/10 because after reading the book and then seeing the movie, I got a whole new depth to the story. I teared up at least three times during the movie, and after reading all the HATE for Cinna and Rue in the movie, I seriously found them well acted.
so, my advice, if you're wavering on the fence about seeing the movie, I suggest reading the book first (it's short) before going to the theater. made it a better experience for me!
Battle Royale - Entertaining, slightly pretentious schlock. A very controversial movie that makes Lord of Flies resemble Swiss Family Robinson and its director, the late Kinji Fukasuku, was very much a Japanese equivalent of Paul Verhoeven, mixing extreme violence with biting, darkly humorous satire. As a result of some bizarre, brutal government initiative in yet another troubled, dystopian Japan, a busload of school kids have been captured by government agents and taken to a remote island where they must fight to the death (or the explosive collars they’ve been fitted with will explode). The cast ensemble of panicky and brutal highschoolers is too broad to describe here, with a manic Masannobu Ando and sultry Kou Shibaski almost stealing the movie. However the real star was the teacher who betrays the class and oversees the sordid tournament (a pugnacious, stony faced Takeshi Kitano, who‘s soft and sentimental centre seems even more horrific and creepy than his brutal exterior). While I criticise War Horse for averting the audience‘s gaze from battlefield carnage, Battle Royale aggressively goes in the opposite direction with its ultra-violence, with the killing of characters sometimes coming across as hilariously campy and unreal. However it's disconcerting that many of the victims getting massacred on a island are older teens and audiences these days are more likely going to be reminded of the recent Norway tragedy. 7/10
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Anonymous--yep, the movie about Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford (a well-groomed Rhys Ifans) being the true author of Shakespeare's plays and poems. I've always found the claims of the Oxfordians to be hogwash and snobbish, assuming that only a titled gentleman could write such great works and that a middle-class kid with a grammar-school education (back then, six days a week, sunup to sundown, drilling the kids in Latin and Greek) has cashed in on undeserved fame and adoration. To my surprise, though, I really enjoyed the movie. It gleefully tosses RECOGNIZED history and scholarship aside and wallows in MULTIPLE conspiracies--Good Queen Bess's several illegitimate children (Virgin Queen my eye!), the murder of Christopher Marlowe, even the fire that burned down the Globe. There's nothing subtle about all this, which isn't a surprise, considering the director is Roland Emmerich. I found the movie a blast--but it scares me that some conspiracy-minded people out there might take it all seriously. . .
The Pirates! In an adventure with scientists
or if you're in the US - The Pirates, Band of Misfits
The latest offering from Aardman (Wallace and Gromit creators) and I took my son (who's just turned 7!) with a group of his friends for his birthday treat.
Basically it's about a group of Pirates, led by Captain Pirate (Hugh Grant) and his crew who decide to enter the Pirate of the Year awards (with no hope of winning....) in the age of Queen Victoria - who has loudly stated that she HATES pirates, with serious consequences to any that cross her path - and their quest to acquire lots of treasure (so they can win the award) which doesn't go so well, until they come across Charles Darwin's boat... and the discovery that Captain Pirate's 'parrot' is in fact a very rare, and previously thought extinct Dodo.... which then leads them on a typical Aardman adventure....lots of jokes for the adults (more so, than for the kids) but with great animation and action for the kids....Great movie... and really recommended. Need to see it again - as I know I missed loads of little details which you just can't take in, in one sitting.
I also think that seeing it in 2D, rather than 3D was a smart move (let alone the expense.... ) as the claymation is so good, it doesn't need any other gimmick.
4.5 stars out of 5.
She's worth whatever chaos she brings to the table and you know it. ~ Mark Anthony
Contraband - A poor man’s The Departed fronted by Mark Wahlberg that seems to have a somewhat stodgy plot and generally unlikeable, sometimes dull characters (I‘d certainly like to give Caleb Laundry Jones a good slapping, but I found arch sleazebag Giovanni Ribisi quite mesmerising). Wahlberg’s character played an ex-smuggler gone straight who of course gets dragged back into the game due to the foolish actions of the aforementioned Jones (and also Ben Foster) with a long, eventful trip to Paraguay in a big, rusty cargo ship (where they get interrupted by another movie where an off beam Diego Luna masterminds a daring heist that rapidly veers into a huge gunfight with half the Paraguayan police force). Kate Bekinsale was hard to recognise out of rubber and JK Simmons was reliable as a hypocritical, officious captain. There are moments that were genuinely tense, but the plot and characters seemed so staid. 5/10
Der Untergang - The victim of endless legions of YouTube parodies this still somewhat controversial historical drama hasn’t lost its impact years later, with Bruno Ganz turning in a powerhouse performance as the beleaguered fallen autocrat, Adolf Hitler, in his last ten days of his life when Berlin was gradually demolished by the encroaching Soviet forces block by block. The great cast ensemble gets a bit lost amongst a parade of Nazi uniforms crammed together in a small set of underground rooms, however one of the unsung standouts was Corinna Harfouch as the positively demonic Magda Gobbles, perhaps the scariest fanatic of them all on a personal level. It seems bizarre to see all of these real people (some of whom seem relatively decent on a individual level) who remained loyal to a essentially vile, petty man to the bitter end despite the severe destruction their political movement inflicted upon Eurasia, but then you see on recent news reports the massive emotional outpouring surrounding the deceased Kim Jong-Il in North Korea… 9/10
Shrek - Hard to believe this came out a decade ago, isn’t it? As with most movie series, this first instalment is the best instalment despite the CGI animation by arch Pixar rival, Dreamworks, being somewhat aged now. Things are kept fresh by the great voice talent (Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow), sharp script, and decent storyline that doesn’t get bogged down in slush - it’s ironic that Dreamwork’s Shrek gently poking fun at pretty much all of the pre-2000s Disney animated films has been emulated to a large extent by Disney movies later on in the 2000s. However the anti-Disney satire becomes more sterner in regards to the bigoted Lord Farqaad (Lithgow) and his sterile citadel (which sold merchandise), both being a thinly disguised dig at Uncle Walt and Disneyland. Mike Myers voices the titular character, a pugnacious but retiring ogre forced out of his swamp due to the prejudiced Farqaad deporting so many fairytale creatures there (among them Eddie Murphy’s motormouth Donkey). To rectify things in his swamp Shrek is forced to do the dirty work for Farqaad and retrieve a princess imprisoned in a ruined castle occupied by a vicious dragon. Hijinks ensues, and the castle rescue still hasn’t lost its impact as a action set piece. Though still entertaining years later, I think Shrek in the long run contributed to the almost sickening glut of CGI animated movies throughout the 2000s, while the cell painted animation much more typical of the 1990s sadly atrophied. 9/10
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Quite simply, brilliant. For me, Superman: The Movie is the pinnacle of super-hero movies and I would rate Avengers along side it. It certainly tops all recent super-hero films and sets a new benchmark that The Dark Knight Rises will have to aim for.
The balancing between action, story, humour and character is perfect and it makes for an enjoyable romp that never descends into the ridiculous.
1- On Her Majesty's Secret Service 2- Casino Royale 3- Licence To Kill 4- Goldeneye 5- From Russia With Love
Do you really need to have seen the other movies to enjoy it? I've only seen Iron Man I out of that lot, BFI Imax did an all-nighter of them last year as a prep but I couldn't make it.
I wouldn't say you need to see them. I haven't seen Iron Man 2 and didn't feel I missed anything. Out of them all, I would say Thor would be the most useful to see due to the films sharing a villain but I wouldn't say it's vital.
1- On Her Majesty's Secret Service 2- Casino Royale 3- Licence To Kill 4- Goldeneye 5- From Russia With Love
Sahara - Underrated, surprisingly imaginative action adventure starring Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, and Penolope Cruz, with great location shooting around Morocco and some great action scenes (like the River Niger boat chase), despite the fact it was a pretty big box office bomb and Paramount Pictures got bogged down in years of legal action with novelist Clive Cussler (who’s Dirk Pitt book series the Sahara film was adapted from). The rather disjointed plot (involving gold on a Confederate ironclad, a tinpot dictator, and a unscrupulous company polluting the environment) will not exactly earn Oscars, but I really dig the genuine chemistry between Matthew McConaughey and Steve Zahn as they go from one disaster to the next, however it’s a mild shame that Lambert Wilson and Lennie James get wasted playing cardboard cut out baddies. Penelope Cruz played a typically implausibly attractive World Health Organisation scientist (though she was not quite on the level of terrible as Christmas Jones). The tone of this movie is James Bond crossed with Indiana Jones. 7/10
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I just saw this Israeli movie on TV, and I feel like recomending it. On the occupied west bank the headstrong widdow Selma has a house and a lemon grove she inhereted from her father. The Israeli defense minister and his wife move into a new house on the neighbouring lot. The security forces guarding the minister deems the lemon trees to be a security threath, since the grove can be used to hide snipers or others who wants to attack the minister. The lemon trees are not only Selam`s sole source of income, but also a part of he identity as a a Palistinian and as a person. She gets a letter from the Israeli authorities that orders her to remove all her trees against economic compansation, an unusual kindnes. Selma gets lawyer and takes the case to court. The lawyer argues that it is illegal for a occupier to destroy property on occupied land, but the court rules in the minister`s favour. Selma then takes the case to supreme court. The case now becomes national news and then it goes international. At the same time the ministers wife who can observe Salma, the lemon trees and the way she is treated by the Israei security forces from her heavily fortified house starts to feel sympathy for Salma. So is the conscript soldier who sits in the guard tower overlooking the grove. Salma herself is starting to develop romantic feelings for her lawyer.
The movie is well acted and well shot. I think the story is very strong. You can feel for everyone and everyone has undertandable motives for their actions. Very much like the Israeli/Palistinian conflict the story is really about, you can understand and sympatize with most views. This is the best movie I have seen about this conflict. It does so by pulling it down to a persona level and without showing violence at all. Highly recomended.
Warrior, the mixed martial arts movie starring a hulking Tom Hardy--not the one after whom I took my username, but the one some people are promoting for the next James Bond. Actually, he does a pretty convincing American accent, but anyway. . . This movie is an absolute triumph of excellent directing and superb acting over predictable material. Wow--the screenplay hasn't met a cliche it doesn't like: sobered-up alcoholic father trying to reconnect with his estranged sons; returned war hero harboring a secret disgrace; respectable school teacher who moonlights in a dangerous sport (which his wife wants him to leave) because his house is going to be repossessed after he went into debt to pay for his child's kidney operation. . . Somehow or other they missed a dying family dog. Oh, and the commercials gave away the biggest cliche of them all: the championship bout is fought by--BROTHERS! But I bought it: the characters are real and involving and the director makes the sport exciting. See it, but don't expect to be surprised.
Just caught Avengers Assemble. Teriffic, a great fun movie that really delivers on the action and humor.
roll on" The Dark Knight, Rises "
I second that. I have never read a superhero comic, but I know this is an exelent popcorn movie. Suspence, great humor, action and a lot of specacle! Now I pray Joss Wheadon makes Modesty Blaise starring Eva Green and Alexander Skarsgaard next ...
Finally caught " The Ghost ", Very good movie ( If a little slow, and the big reveal isn't too difficult to work out ).
But Brosnan gives a great preformance.
"I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
An outstanding summer action film, well acted, well fimed, some great humor and lots of action. When the film ended the very crowded theatre broke into applause, that doesn't happen very often. One additional comment, Scarlett Johannson's character "Black Widow" is very interesting and might make for an interesting film on her own.
I finally had an opportunity to sneak away and see The Avengers--aka Marvel's The Avengers, Marvel's Avengers Assemble, etc., etc. There's some talk of this being "the best super-hero movie ever made," but I think that's all ballyhoo. That said, this is a tremendously entertaining movie that never bores (despite its epic running length) and manages to give pretty much all of the cast members a chance or two to shine. I also felt that Tony Stark was in his Iron Man costume for longer periods, was doing more awesome things, and was given better wisecracks than in all of Iron Man 2; and that Loki came across as more menacing and villainous than he did in Thor. And--dare I say it?--this is the best on-screen presentation of Bruce Banner/The Hulk EVER. The only disappointment is that the "newest" character, Hawkeye--who didn't feature in his own film and who had just a cameo in Thor--is given the least screen time of any character and isn't even provided with a back story. Well, you can't win 'em all. Still a splendid show!
Saw The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo. Great performance from Craig, a very Bond-like title sequence, and intriguing story. There was a real atmosphere to this movie, and it's a great who done it. But couldn't help thinking it could have been two films. Infact, if there was no girl with said tatoo, then it would have been shorter, and wouldn't have suffered for it! Not going to give anything away, but it really kept me interested throughout, and the bleak Swedish winter just made the atmosphere for me.
Then, by chance saw another Craig outing - The Dream House. Craig was very good again, Rachael Weiss was poor (terrible American accent). It was all a bit Shutter Island really, but not so well done. Craig held it together and the twists and plot were all good, but I cottoned on to it pretty quickly and wasn't surprised at the final third of the film. Worth a look, but if you have sky don't box office it - just wait until it's on for free.
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I saw The Avengers in 3D last week; family matters prevented me from dropping in and discussing it sooner but as there are a lot of genre fans around here I wanted to throw in my two cents....
I found Marvel's superhero team-up to be a very entertaining movie which despite its relatively long running time held my attention from start to end and never had me looking down at my watch. The plot of the movie is actually pretty simple: the evil demigod Loki and his extraterrestrial army want to conquer Earth and all that stand in his way are a group of superpowered heroes who will need to overcome their own differences before they can start avenging.
Despite what would seem to be an overly large cast featuring Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Nick Fury and a lot of underlings, director Joss Whedon manages to balance things nicely and gives everyone quite a bit to do and a chance to shine. One of the most fun things about The Avengers is that everyone really cuts loose and gets to showcase their powers. Iron Man for example really comes across as a powerful force to be reckoned with, even moreso than in his own movies where his various armors always seemed to be on the verge of breaking apart if he took one good shot. Here he sports a seemingly endless supply of weapons, gadgets and other add-ons, dishing out the carnage but resiliently taking it as well. Another character that fares really well is Bruce Banner; Mark Ruffalo brings a quality of unease to the character, always fidgeting and looking slightly ill at ease over fear that the monster make come out at any moment. The movie also gives us many of those "what if" moments that comic book fanboys often discuss and argue about such as a confrontation between Thor and the Hulk which probably had the hardcore fans more aroused than a gaggle of Playboy centerfolds.
Even though the stakes are high, the film never gets overly brooding or dark and always finds time to introduce little bits of humor even in the midst of the most serious situations. Its that delicate balance that sets Avengers apart from something like The Dark Knight, which could get overwhelming in its brooding seriousness at times.
As entertaining as the movie is, it isn't perfect. Loki's motivation struck me as somewhat forced. While certain characters such as Tony Stark and Bruce Banner developed some interesting relationships, others like Captain America and Hawkeye just seemed to be along for the ride, used more as soldiers than actual characters. They still got to kick plenty of ass but didn't have a lot of scenes where they could stretch their thespian muscles.
I saw the movie in 3D and even though this is a "post-conversion" that was filmed in 2D and then converted to 3D in post-production, I thought that the quieter scenes had a moderate amount of depth to them and things really cranked up during the action sequences. Iron Man's many flybys and aerial antics particularly benefitted from the added depth.
As a longtime comic book fan this is a movie that I dreamed about since I was 6 years old; needless to say, I never really thought that it would happen or that it would work so well. Its a testament to Disney and Marvel that they were not afraid to embrace such a colorful and wildly divergent set of characters and literally out of this world situations. They dove into the material head-first and made a movie that unapologetically embraces the hardcore fanboys while also being able draw in the general audiences. Warner Brothers and DC Comics must be sitting in a conference room somewhere, scratching their collective heads and wondering why its so hard for them to duplicate such success.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
I saw The Avengers in 3D last week; family matters prevented me from dropping in and discussing it sooner but as there are a lot of genre fans around here I wanted to throw in my two cents....
I found Marvel's superhero team-up to be a very entertaining movie which despite its relatively long running time held my attention from start to end and never had me looking down at my watch. The plot of the movie is actually pretty simple: the evil demigod Loki and his extraterrestrial army want to conquer Earth and all that stand in his way are a group of superpowered heroes who will need to overcome their own differences before they can start avenging.
Despite what would seem to be an overly large cast featuring Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Nick Fury and a lot of underlings, director Joss Whedon manages to balance things nicely and gives everyone quite a bit to do and a chance to shine. One of the most fun things about The Avengers is that everyone really cuts loose and gets to showcase their powers. Iron Man for example really comes across as a powerful force to be reckoned with, even moreso than in his own movies where his various armors always seemed to be on the verge of breaking apart if he took one good shot. Here he sports a seemingly endless supply of weapons, gadgets and other add-ons, dishing out the carnage but resiliently taking it as well. Another character that fares really well is Bruce Banner; Mark Ruffalo brings a quality of unease to the character, always fidgeting and looking slightly ill at ease over fear that the monster make come out at any moment. The movie also gives us many of those "what if" moments that comic book fanboys often discuss and argue about such as a confrontation between Thor and the Hulk which probably had the hardcore fans more aroused than a gaggle of Playboy centerfolds.
Even though the stakes are high, the film never gets overly brooding or dark and always finds time to introduce little bits of humor even in the midst of the most serious situations. Its that delicate balance that sets Avengers apart from something like The Dark Knight, which could get overwhelming in its brooding seriousness at times.
As entertaining as the movie is, it isn't perfect. Loki's motivation struck me as somewhat forced. While certain characters such as Tony Stark and Bruce Banner developed some interesting relationships, others like Captain America and Hawkeye just seemed to be along for the ride, used more as soldiers than actual characters. They still got to kick plenty of ass but didn't have a lot of scenes where they could stretch their thespian muscles.
I saw the movie in 3D and even though this is a "post-conversion" that was filmed in 2D and then converted to 3D in post-production, I thought that the quieter scenes had a moderate amount of depth to them and things really cranked up during the action sequences. Iron Man's many flybys and aerial antics particularly benefitted from the added depth.
As a longtime comic book fan this is a movie that I dreamed about since I was 6 years old; needless to say, I never really thought that it would happen or that it would work so well. Its a testament to Disney and Marvel that they were not afraid to embrace such a colorful and wildly divergent set of characters and literally out of this world situations. They dove into the material head-first and made a movie that unapologetically embraces the hardcore fanboys while also being able draw in the general audiences. Warner Brothers and DC Comics must be sitting in a conference room somewhere, scratching their collective heads and wondering why its so hard for them to duplicate such success.
I couldn't have said it better myself, Tony. Saw it a week ago today for the first time, and again last night with my oldest son. I haven't had this much fun at the cinema in a long time. What a testimonial to Marvel's/Whedon's commitment to the material, and its fans. The humour was great---borderline over the top, but right in tune with the spirit of the piece, never taking itself too seriously. Stark calling Loki "Reindeer Games" was hilarious...and the Hulk's moment with Loki is Pure Movie Gold )
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,774Chief of Staff
I saw Avengers Assemble in 3D last week too....it's a great film...didn't realise that it was a long film until people mentioned it on here, tbh.....it certainly doesn't drag...Joss Whedon has done a superb job of giving everyone enough screen time and balancing the story and characters out....I didn't realise that the 3D was a 'post-conversion' job, it looked great...
I agree with others that, if anyone did star, it was Robert Downey JR as Iron Man...but Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk runs him a close second...and The Hulk got most of the laughs too...
I agree with Loeff...The Hulk and Loki at the end is pure cinema gold -{
Being from the UK...I have no idea if Avengers Assemble does the comic books justice or not as I have never read any of them...but, for me, it ceratinly worked...highly recommended -{
Comments
Bad Boys - Many years before Michael Bay got bogged down in Transformers sequels, he was the new kid in town with this buddy cop movie that starred a boyish looking Will Smith. The awkward stereotyping, explosions, military/law enforcement fetishism, fast sports cars, leggy/buxom girls, and crude/clumsy humour got codified here people, though these Bay clichés are considerably more subdue in his debut movie than in his later films. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence play two Miami cops who must take down a endlessly resourceful, ruthless drug kingpin (Tcheky Karyo) to seize back the stockpile of narcotics that were seized from a Miami PD vault. Carnage ensues and our heroes also team up with proto-Megan Fox, Tea Leoni. The movie holds up fairly well for the most part, but is starting to show its age now and is a somewhat cheesy time capsule from the mid 1990s. Also the role swapping subplot seemed redundant when Will Smith seemed more suited to being a family man anyway. 6/10
A Jason Stratham thriller from 2005, B-movie but very entertaining in a watch it unfold kind of way. Tbh I like Stratham a lot as a star, he comes across very well to me in just about all his films, even if his range isn't much. I prefer him to Craig, he seems more comfortable in his own skin, even if Craig has more cred.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
More disturbing than funny, the film is well done and has some incredible shots of military planes. The film has an overall bright desert look and captures that baking-in-the-middle-of-nowhere feeling from the story and its pilots who keep getting sent on extended mission counts. It starts out with a depiction of the rough long service on in the base, but towards the latter half it starts to get very dark and disturbing, beginning to feel like Hell is a place on Earth.
I can see why it has become a cult hit since release and it is definitely worth a unique watch.
All About Eve (1950, winner of 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture, 14 nominations total)
Very classic and entertaining. I sure was suspicious of Eve and of course, I was right. Eve seemed to be purposefully portrayed as constantly performing her woes and sweetness, because she too has ambitions. The plot was fun, and Bette Davis came off being one of the most unique actresses I have seen. She had a signature sharp sass and was beautiful even as the aging Broadway diva in the film. The cast was great, the plot swung smoothly, and overall it was worth a watch. Certainly seems worthy of its Oscar winnings and classic film status.
The Age of Innocence
This Martin Scorcese film was very interesting in that the performances were good and the setting made to look right, but it felt like big-budget directing (in a good way). There was a sort of twisted nobility in the society depicted and Daniel Day-Lewis was great as usual (his performance as Daniel Plainview is my favorite performance of all time). The supporting cast delivered their lines in that was that seems to be superior to our current pronunciations by adding the delicate and precise tone to their words. It was entertaining in the sense that it told about forbidden love, but the reasons it was forbidden was due to a stuffy and judgmental old society. I enjoyed it and the period setting was certainly what made it different.
Syriana
I didn't ever really grasp the plot lines, and after finishing the film and reading the review aggregators, it turns out it was sort of a universal issue that was part of the film on purpose. Apparently, the numerous story lines and lack of clear details on the viewers' side is meant to mirror that same stress for the characters who are wrapped in bigger plots that they also can't grasp from the details. That did not detract from the film and really just put a constant apprehension on the plot that was resolved somehow without real answers, just brushed under the government intelligence rug. Clooney was great, worthy of his Oscar win, and I think it is my second-favorite performance of his (behind The Descendants, which I think he should have one the Oscar for). The other plot lines are done well around his and there is a great darkness caused by world powers and oil that feels as if it is cast over the population without our consent. I enjoyed how the plots wrapped and this one is certainly worth watching in my opinion.
Last for now,
My Left Foot
This film about Irish writer Christy Brown also stars Daniel Day-Lewis. He does an excellent job as a convincing cystic fibrosis patient that learns to write and fit in with his lower-class family and neighborhood. I always enjoy UK films that have the simplistic filmmaking, sweet and believable depictions of people out in the countries and towns. The film has a very nice ending, but along the way there are some more unfortunate struggles and also some good turns. It is a good drama that balances the rough and harsh with some bright sides. Another film I am glad to have seen.
Watched it on Blu-Ray (second time seeing it overall), which by the way has perhaps the best designed standard packaging for a Blu-Ray release that I have seen. There is no blue on the packaging, and in fact it is mostly blacks and silvers with little colors.
You can see it unboxed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t743Bg-uTD8
I still really loved it and it looked gorgeous on Blu Ray. Fantastic movie and you should all buy it!
Where The Wild Things Are
Easily one of my favorite films visually, it chooses some unforgettable locations that are tied in well with the strangeness of the world. It is by no means a kids' or even family movie as it pulls some very frightening and dark ideas out. The Wild Things themselves are one of the most intriguing effects due to the mix of live-action costumes (created beautifully by Jim Henson's Creature Shop) worn by performers, voice acting from some greats, and CGI facial work to capture real emotions on the costume faces modeled after the emotion captures of the voice actors. It looks beautiful in so many scenes with sweet colors and sweeping vistas. Max fit right in as well, delivering on the expanded story created from the 10-sentence book that the film is based on.
The film feels like a pit of nostalgia and imagination that you might imagine in your depths as an adult looking back. I enjoyed the plot as well, which seemed to most importantly show that there are characteristics we all possess and needs we all wish can lead to a bit of happiness.
I'd say watch it if you like taking looks at the twists of the mind, great filmmaking, or can take a sweetly wild interpretation of the book that feels tailored to the adult in you that is curiously interested in the depths of childhood adventure and imagination.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFk7kYa_i0s&hd=1
Peerless. Just a terrific movie, almost every line reading is spot on. It's great to see on the big screen, as otherwise you tend to fast forward certain bits when pretty much all of it is brilliant.
As with the packed-out showing of OHMSS at the BFI Imax a year or more ago, you do get some enthusiasts who can get on your nerves, laughing too loudly at jokes they must have heard hundreds of times, or even reciting the lines along with the characters. My sis had to change seats with me cos the guy next to her was twitching his leg hypermanically throughout.
Otherwise, the way some rave about OHMSS (also excellent on the big screen) so I do about Pulp Fiction. Some possible snags; I personally feel that Mia Wallace was meant to be more alluring and enticing than she was, Uma's no slouch but it's more a personality role than pure sexpot role, I didn't get turned on the way that Vincent is meant to, risking getting into trouble with the boss. And what is the Wolf doing at a dinner party at, say, 8.40 in the morning? I would have preferred the yuppie scum to be more obnoxious, so we almost enjoy his discomfort, personally I felt sorry for him. A bit odd that some people laugh when Samuel L Jackson bullies and torments him, but takes all sorts. I found hilarious the scene where the two hitmen parry words while picking the skull out of a car back seat, which ordinarily would sound odd.
Oh, I'm not sure I bought Jackon's redemption at the end, he reads the lines well but you don't see an emotional uplift or revelation about his person really, though that might upset the movie's flow.
Brilliant use of satuated colour, a lovely looking movie and great characters. UK chat show host Jonathan Ross seems to have borrowed his schtick off Travolta (who you totally forget was in Grease while watching this), that hangdog way of looking, long hair, slouching a bit.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade - Set in a alternative reality Japan which the Germans somehow invaded in the last global war, the country has become a rundown Dieselpunk dystopia that seems economically decaying and politically unstable. To remedy encroaching anarchy and bolster the civilian police, an elite paramilitary force of men donning intimidating battle armour had been formed to suppress and sometimes execute the worse subversives. Kazuki Fuse (Michael Dobson in the dub) is one of these militarised officers who on one fateful night of disturbance beneath the streets of Tokyo, runs into a young girl wearing vivid red hood working for a terrorist cell. And from that point things go steadily downhill completely for the protagonist who gets sucked into a web of vicious internal security service rivalry where everyone and anything can be sacrificed. Despite some explosions and men getting literally torn to shreds by MG-42 fire the movie feels very subdue and it has a very similar Noir mood to Blade Runner. Hiroyuki Okiura’s animation is grounded in extreme realism and grittiness, with a distinctive greyish-reddish-brown colour scheme to everything. A thoughtful action thriller. 9/10
The Artist - A movie that goes back to basics, shot in monochrome with virtually no audio sound, and it convincingly demonstrates that actions speak louder than words. Set in the late 1920s, when the shortlived public optimism following WWI got crushed by the Great Depression, we follow the story of the narcissistic but lovable silent movie star, George Valentine (Jean Dujardin) and his complex love affair with Peppy (Berenice Bejo), a young actress who is ushering in the new era of movies with recorded sound (the talkies), new mode of moviemaking that will make silent movies obsolete overnight. The background music and facial expressions from the excellent cast conveys a lot of humour and personality. The better supporting cast members were John Goodman as a studio mogul and James Cromwell as a put upon manservant (and there is also a peculiar cameo by Malcolm McDowell). And that dog was so endearing! 9/10
The Three Musketeers - Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson (also responsible for the completely out of hand Resident Evil movie franchise) I’d expected a lot of flash and little bang, with a disproportionate (and faintly disturbing) fixation on his hot Serbian-Russian-Ukrainian wife. I wasn’t far off. Obviously not a patch on the faintly lurid 1970s Musketeer movies featuring Michael York, however when you’re pining for the so 1990s it hurts Musketeer movie featuring Charlie Sheen and Tim Curry, you know something has gone horribly wrong. Mads Mikkelsen as chief henchman Rochefort is not a patch on his memorable Bond villain from Casino Royale, however I felt that Ray Stevenson (a match for Oliver Reed), Christopher Waltz (riding high after playing a Nazi) and Freddie Fox (as a dandy French monarch) make a truly valiant attempt to salvage the movie. Shame about the mostly shitty script. With Orlando Bloom campy performance, unfeasible airships depicted with ghastly CGI, be very afraid. Even my drunk mum watching it thought it was a load of ’ole tripe. Great costumes and set designs, mind you. 3/10
The Tourist - This is watered down James Bond and you do wonder where most of the hundred million dollar budget went. Extremely formulaic and dull, with plodding and weak action scenes that also fell flat at being whimsical. What really torpedoes this movie was the lack of chemistry between the two megastars and a lame duck plot twist that can be predicted by many and implodes the storyline. Steven Berkoff and Timothy Dalton take the money and run. 2/10
honestly, I LIKED it, unlike a lot of other people. YES they left a lot out, YES it wasn't as brutal as the books...but for one, they had like, two and a hlaf to work with, and they were given a PG 13 rating to work with cause the book is WRITTEN FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLERS, which a lot of people seem to forget. Middle schoolers can't go see an R rated movie.
I give it a 7.5/10 because after reading the book and then seeing the movie, I got a whole new depth to the story. I teared up at least three times during the movie, and after reading all the HATE for Cinna and Rue in the movie, I seriously found them well acted.
so, my advice, if you're wavering on the fence about seeing the movie, I suggest reading the book first (it's short) before going to the theater. made it a better experience for me!
mountainburdphotography.wordpress.com
or if you're in the US - The Pirates, Band of Misfits
The latest offering from Aardman (Wallace and Gromit creators) and I took my son (who's just turned 7!) with a group of his friends for his birthday treat.
Basically it's about a group of Pirates, led by Captain Pirate (Hugh Grant) and his crew who decide to enter the Pirate of the Year awards (with no hope of winning....) in the age of Queen Victoria - who has loudly stated that she HATES pirates, with serious consequences to any that cross her path - and their quest to acquire lots of treasure (so they can win the award) which doesn't go so well, until they come across Charles Darwin's boat... and the discovery that Captain Pirate's 'parrot' is in fact a very rare, and previously thought extinct Dodo.... which then leads them on a typical Aardman adventure....lots of jokes for the adults (more so, than for the kids) but with great animation and action for the kids....Great movie... and really recommended. Need to see it again - as I know I missed loads of little details which you just can't take in, in one sitting.
I also think that seeing it in 2D, rather than 3D was a smart move (let alone the expense....
4.5 stars out of 5.
Der Untergang - The victim of endless legions of YouTube parodies this still somewhat controversial historical drama hasn’t lost its impact years later, with Bruno Ganz turning in a powerhouse performance as the beleaguered fallen autocrat, Adolf Hitler, in his last ten days of his life when Berlin was gradually demolished by the encroaching Soviet forces block by block. The great cast ensemble gets a bit lost amongst a parade of Nazi uniforms crammed together in a small set of underground rooms, however one of the unsung standouts was Corinna Harfouch as the positively demonic Magda Gobbles, perhaps the scariest fanatic of them all on a personal level. It seems bizarre to see all of these real people (some of whom seem relatively decent on a individual level) who remained loyal to a essentially vile, petty man to the bitter end despite the severe destruction their political movement inflicted upon Eurasia, but then you see on recent news reports the massive emotional outpouring surrounding the deceased Kim Jong-Il in North Korea… 9/10
Shrek - Hard to believe this came out a decade ago, isn’t it? As with most movie series, this first instalment is the best instalment despite the CGI animation by arch Pixar rival, Dreamworks, being somewhat aged now. Things are kept fresh by the great voice talent (Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow), sharp script, and decent storyline that doesn’t get bogged down in slush - it’s ironic that Dreamwork’s Shrek gently poking fun at pretty much all of the pre-2000s Disney animated films has been emulated to a large extent by Disney movies later on in the 2000s. However the anti-Disney satire becomes more sterner in regards to the bigoted Lord Farqaad (Lithgow) and his sterile citadel (which sold merchandise), both being a thinly disguised dig at Uncle Walt and Disneyland. Mike Myers voices the titular character, a pugnacious but retiring ogre forced out of his swamp due to the prejudiced Farqaad deporting so many fairytale creatures there (among them Eddie Murphy’s motormouth Donkey). To rectify things in his swamp Shrek is forced to do the dirty work for Farqaad and retrieve a princess imprisoned in a ruined castle occupied by a vicious dragon. Hijinks ensues, and the castle rescue still hasn’t lost its impact as a action set piece. Though still entertaining years later, I think Shrek in the long run contributed to the almost sickening glut of CGI animated movies throughout the 2000s, while the cell painted animation much more typical of the 1990s sadly atrophied. 9/10
Quite simply, brilliant. For me, Superman: The Movie is the pinnacle of super-hero movies and I would rate Avengers along side it. It certainly tops all recent super-hero films and sets a new benchmark that The Dark Knight Rises will have to aim for.
The balancing between action, story, humour and character is perfect and it makes for an enjoyable romp that never descends into the ridiculous.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I just saw this Israeli movie on TV, and I feel like recomending it. On the occupied west bank the headstrong widdow Selma has a house and a lemon grove she inhereted from her father. The Israeli defense minister and his wife move into a new house on the neighbouring lot. The security forces guarding the minister deems the lemon trees to be a security threath, since the grove can be used to hide snipers or others who wants to attack the minister. The lemon trees are not only Selam`s sole source of income, but also a part of he identity as a a Palistinian and as a person. She gets a letter from the Israeli authorities that orders her to remove all her trees against economic compansation, an unusual kindnes. Selma gets lawyer and takes the case to court. The lawyer argues that it is illegal for a occupier to destroy property on occupied land, but the court rules in the minister`s favour. Selma then takes the case to supreme court. The case now becomes national news and then it goes international. At the same time the ministers wife who can observe Salma, the lemon trees and the way she is treated by the Israei security forces from her heavily fortified house starts to feel sympathy for Salma. So is the conscript soldier who sits in the guard tower overlooking the grove. Salma herself is starting to develop romantic feelings for her lawyer.
The movie is well acted and well shot. I think the story is very strong. You can feel for everyone and everyone has undertandable motives for their actions. Very much like the Israeli/Palistinian conflict the story is really about, you can understand and sympatize with most views. This is the best movie I have seen about this conflict. It does so by pulling it down to a persona level and without showing violence at all. Highly recomended.
roll on" The Dark Knight, Rises "
I second that. I have never read a superhero comic, but I know this is an exelent popcorn movie. Suspence, great humor, action and a lot of specacle! Now I pray Joss Wheadon makes Modesty Blaise starring Eva Green and Alexander Skarsgaard next ...
But Brosnan gives a great preformance.
An outstanding summer action film, well acted, well fimed, some great humor and lots of action. When the film ended the very crowded theatre broke into applause, that doesn't happen very often. One additional comment, Scarlett Johannson's character "Black Widow" is very interesting and might make for an interesting film on her own.
Highly recommend.
Bigger, Stronger, Faster (about steroids in sport)
Happy (about happiness)
Both are good.
Then, by chance saw another Craig outing - The Dream House. Craig was very good again, Rachael Weiss was poor (terrible American accent). It was all a bit Shutter Island really, but not so well done. Craig held it together and the twists and plot were all good, but I cottoned on to it pretty quickly and wasn't surprised at the final third of the film. Worth a look, but if you have sky don't box office it - just wait until it's on for free.
http://apbateman.com
I found Marvel's superhero team-up to be a very entertaining movie which despite its relatively long running time held my attention from start to end and never had me looking down at my watch. The plot of the movie is actually pretty simple: the evil demigod Loki and his extraterrestrial army want to conquer Earth and all that stand in his way are a group of superpowered heroes who will need to overcome their own differences before they can start avenging.
Despite what would seem to be an overly large cast featuring Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Nick Fury and a lot of underlings, director Joss Whedon manages to balance things nicely and gives everyone quite a bit to do and a chance to shine. One of the most fun things about The Avengers is that everyone really cuts loose and gets to showcase their powers. Iron Man for example really comes across as a powerful force to be reckoned with, even moreso than in his own movies where his various armors always seemed to be on the verge of breaking apart if he took one good shot. Here he sports a seemingly endless supply of weapons, gadgets and other add-ons, dishing out the carnage but resiliently taking it as well. Another character that fares really well is Bruce Banner; Mark Ruffalo brings a quality of unease to the character, always fidgeting and looking slightly ill at ease over fear that the monster make come out at any moment. The movie also gives us many of those "what if" moments that comic book fanboys often discuss and argue about such as a confrontation between Thor and the Hulk which probably had the hardcore fans more aroused than a gaggle of Playboy centerfolds.
Even though the stakes are high, the film never gets overly brooding or dark and always finds time to introduce little bits of humor even in the midst of the most serious situations. Its that delicate balance that sets Avengers apart from something like The Dark Knight, which could get overwhelming in its brooding seriousness at times.
As entertaining as the movie is, it isn't perfect. Loki's motivation struck me as somewhat forced. While certain characters such as Tony Stark and Bruce Banner developed some interesting relationships, others like Captain America and Hawkeye just seemed to be along for the ride, used more as soldiers than actual characters. They still got to kick plenty of ass but didn't have a lot of scenes where they could stretch their thespian muscles.
I saw the movie in 3D and even though this is a "post-conversion" that was filmed in 2D and then converted to 3D in post-production, I thought that the quieter scenes had a moderate amount of depth to them and things really cranked up during the action sequences. Iron Man's many flybys and aerial antics particularly benefitted from the added depth.
As a longtime comic book fan this is a movie that I dreamed about since I was 6 years old; needless to say, I never really thought that it would happen or that it would work so well. Its a testament to Disney and Marvel that they were not afraid to embrace such a colorful and wildly divergent set of characters and literally out of this world situations. They dove into the material head-first and made a movie that unapologetically embraces the hardcore fanboys while also being able draw in the general audiences. Warner Brothers and DC Comics must be sitting in a conference room somewhere, scratching their collective heads and wondering why its so hard for them to duplicate such success.
I couldn't have said it better myself, Tony. Saw it a week ago today for the first time, and again last night with my oldest son. I haven't had this much fun at the cinema in a long time. What a testimonial to Marvel's/Whedon's commitment to the material, and its fans. The humour was great---borderline over the top, but right in tune with the spirit of the piece, never taking itself too seriously. Stark calling Loki "Reindeer Games" was hilarious...and the Hulk's moment with Loki is Pure Movie Gold
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I agree with others that, if anyone did star, it was Robert Downey JR as Iron Man...but Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk runs him a close second...and The Hulk got most of the laughs too...
I agree with Loeff...The Hulk and Loki at the end is pure cinema gold -{
Being from the UK...I have no idea if Avengers Assemble does the comic books justice or not as I have never read any of them...but, for me, it ceratinly worked...highly recommended -{