Good news, the first one was definitely my favorite. There's something about the underdog running up those steps and "getting strong now" without an entourage in tow. I liked the bleakness and loner aspects of Rocky, and even though the sequels all have great bits, there can be no denying the original. I've definitely got to get off my duff and go see Rocky Balboa now.
I haven't seen Rocky Balboa yet myself, but all my friends who did see it absolutely loved it and they all commented on how it had recaptured the "bleakness and loner aspects of Rocky" as you put it. It definitely sounds truer to the spirit of the original than any of the other sequels
If rumours are to be believed Rambo IV is on the way too.
A Rambo IV was all but a done deal. However, given the modest box office that Rocky pulled in, there's a chance it may not happen. Rocky was relatively cheap to make (it had a budget of around $24 million); Rambo would be considerably more expensive.
Any film with the subtitle Pearl of The Cobra deserves to be made )
There is a very grand and refurbished one-screen cinema ten minutes walk from my house and about two weeks ago I walked past to see if Rocky Balboa was on. They had a sign up which read:
A Rambo IV was all but a done deal. However, given the modest box office that Rocky pulled in, there's a chance it may not happen. Rocky was relatively cheap to make (it had a budget of around $24 million); Rambo would be considerably more expensive.
Apparently this is going to be different from the previous rambo's. It won't contain the ridiculous amounts of action in the other 3 films. Therefore maybe it won't have such a hefty budget.
I finally saw that mother____in' movie about the mother____in' snakes on a mother____in' plane. Wish I could say it was the campy joyride I expected. I think it tries too hard to be a cheesy cult classic (yo, producers--take a clue from Ed Wood: he thought he was making great art), and I didn't find it either scary or suspenseful. In fact, the movie struck me as downright misanthropic--put a bunch of unsympathetic cartoon characters on a plane and watch 'em die. I've been more frightened by the prices of the crap they sell in Sky Mall magazine!
'The Good Shepherd,' it was interesting, but afterwards when I thought about it it seemed a little heavy-handed. Blame DeNiro the director for that. Somebody like Michael Mann could have turned this into something special, but it was rather a long haul. Damon was good though.
'My Name is Modesty,' cheap version Modesty Blaise. Tarantino was bouncing this project about in the 90's and hoping to get Luc Besson to direct. It never happened, although the studio made this so they would retain the rights. I think they hoped that noone would see it. Can't really blame them.
'Bandidas.' Western with Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz as Mexican bank robbers. I've wanted to see this for a while, but it never came out in the UK, so I ordered it on import DVD. Kind of saw why it never got a release. It's not bad, it's just not that good either. Still, Hayek and Cruz are stunning, so that made it bearable.
'Day of Wrath,' a period drama set during the Spanish Inquisition with B-movie star Christopher Lambert trying to uncover the truth behind a series of murders. It's a cheap version of the Connery film, 'The Name of the Rose.' It's pretty dull, until towards the end of the film when things take an interesting turn.
IMO comedic acting is very difficult and way underrated. Marilyn was an excellent comedic actress and pretty darn good in serious roles. My favorites are Some Like It Hot and The Seven Year Itch.
I finally saw Children Of Men the other night and must rank it as one of the best films of last year. It treads familiar ground but feels completely fresh and is full of striking images. No wonder Clive Owen was lukewarm towards James Bond with work like this coming his way.
An interesting Bond spinoff with elements of the old radioactive gold plot. But this story deals with post scheme events. A nefarious mastermind must acquire a secret "decontamination" formula or wait five years for the stolen gold to become usable. Ultra private eye and ladies man, Joe Walker, and his own personal theme song, "I love you Joe Walker", is on the case. There's an underground island base, red uniform guards, and an army of platinum ladies armed with machine guns decked in sexy black leather. The typical Matt Helm / Austin Powers accouterments.
I have two more of these movies to watch, both with Tony Kendall in the lead. They're supposedly based on a slew of adventure novels quite popular in Germany at the time entitled "Kommissar X"
My favorite line, "The decor is early Ian Fleming"
'Somersault,' Lyrical Aussie drama about a teenage girl who runs away and winds up in a fairly miserable small town. Even though it's set on the other side of the planet to where I spent my childhood, I recognised a lot of the characters and situations. I guess small towns are the same wherever you go.
'Ghost Rider.' Advance word was poor, but I found this to be quite entertaining. It does drag a bit towards the end, but its far more fun than i thought it would be. UK reviews have been pretty good as well.
'Somersault,' Lyrical Aussie drama about a teenage girl who runs away and winds up in a fairly miserable small town. Even though it's set on the other side of the planet to where I spent my childhood, I recognised a lot of the characters and situations. I guess small towns are the same wherever you go.
This was on Film Four wasn't it? I wanted to watch this but forgot it was on. What did you think of almost Bond Sam Worthington?
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
"The Departed"
I enjoyed it, from beginning to end. During the Oscars, the announcer quoted Scorsese as saying that 'The Departed' was the first film he'd made "with a plot." ) I'm not sure that's strictly true (though it's a great line), but it certainly was a different take on a very well-traveled milieu for the director: the crime picture.
I'd heard some complaints about the ending, but I thought the final scene was perfect---especially given the three or four scenes which preceded it
There's also been discussion about Scorsese not deserving the Oscar as much for this picture as he did for previous ones; that's endlessly arguable, as the overall quality of his work is so incredibly high that to assert one of them is 'weaker' still leaves it well above the efforts of most of the industry. Sure, he should have won for 'Taxi Driver,' 'Raging Bull' or 'GoodFellas'...but he deserved to win for this one, too, as far as I'm concerned, and I'm glad he did.
He's in a very interesting phase right now: from 'Gangs of New York' to 'The Aviator' to 'The Departed'...DiCaprio has proven to be an effective muse; I hope he and DeNiro get to do one together.
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
I had put off seeing this film for so long but finally got round to seeing it last night. What a fabulous film. Stunning performances, ( Crowe was robbed of his Oscar - but he was being a complete ass at the time) touching story and fabulous writing. Terrific.
'Somersault,' Lyrical Aussie drama about a teenage girl who runs away and winds up in a fairly miserable small town. Even though it's set on the other side of the planet to where I spent my childhood, I recognised a lot of the characters and situations. I guess small towns are the same wherever you go.
This was on Film Four wasn't it? I wanted to watch this but forgot it was on. What did you think of almost Bond Sam Worthington?
I didn't realise Sam Worthington was mentioned as a potential Bond. Mind you, there were so many. He's a subtle, thoughtful actor. He's got that Clive Owen thing of not appearing to do very much, but actually doing a lot. I like watching actors who can do that. Who react to what's around them, instead of showing off. He's got an air of menace to him as well. I wasn't sure what his character was going to do, and whether he was going to look after this girl or hurt her. He gives somebody a doing at one point and he looks like he can handle himself. But he gives the character a vulnerable side too. I also saw him in 'Love My Way,' on satellite, playing the lead character's love interest. He was really good in that too. I think he might be the next big thing to come out of Australia.
I think recent stories indicate that Worthington not Henry Cavill was the closest to Craig. I can't find a link but I read another Aussie article somewhere which said that Worthington actually began weapons training for Casino Royale at one point. Not sure if that was true but it sounds like he got very close.
Not a comic book fan, so don't know anything about the history or expectations, just watched it as a Nic Cage film and I quite liked it. Haven't seen cage in action for ages - and he still thinks he's Elvis (look, voice, mannerisms).
Similar contrived plots a la Blade, Underworld, and that one last year with four teenagers who were all devils or something, all trying to inherit the earth type thing.
Eve Mendez was gorge but a bit wasted but loved the motor cycle stunts - albeit cgi.
I think recent stories indicate that Worthington not Henry Cavill was the closest to Craig. I can't find a link but I read another Aussie article somewhere which said that Worthington actually began weapons training for Casino Royale at one point. Not sure if that was true but it sounds like he got very close.
Definitely one to watch. He's also only 30, so maybe he'll be first choice for Bond next time. And it's good that Cameron is directing again. Also seen 'The Illusionist,' with Edward Norton. It's more old-fashioned than that other magician movie 'The Prestige,' but not in a bad way. The twist is rather obvious, but Norton is great and so is Rufus Sewell as the spoilt prince who resents the adulation given to a mere commoner.
'Smokin Aces.' Decent action movie with some inventive touches. Notably a neo-nazi punk faking a conversation with his victim by moving his mouth up and down and parodying the kind of farewell death scenes you often get in these types of films. Good cast too. Ray Liotta, Andy Garcia, Jeremy Piven, Joel Edgerton, Matthew Fox, and what's up with Ben Affleck? That's two movies in a row he's done (Hollywoodland and this) that have been watchable. That must be a personal best. Actually make that three if you count his cameo in 'Clerks II.'
'Bubble.' a Steven Soderbergh film, or an 'experience' as the DVD rather pretentiously calls it. Soderbergh's a director I once liked who has being doing my head in recently. 'Full Frontal' and 'Ocean's 12,' were both terrible, so I wasn't really expecting much from this. It turned out to be one of the best things he's done. It's about the unusual friendship between a twentysomething college drop-out and a frumpy middle-aged woman who both work in a doll factory. A younger woman arrives on the scene and unbalances the relationship between the two leading to tragedy. It's really understated and may not be to everybody's taste, but maybe because I grew up in a small town, I really related to the feeling of being trapped that the characters express and of desperately wanting to be somewhere else.
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
300. A beautifully shot film, with incredible action and wonderful direction. If only there was more to the story, perhaps it could have been great. Unfortunately, there is little substance in this film. Even so, an entertaining watch, and not 3 hours long like most epics recently have been.
You know, with all the slow motion in this film, it is possible that the film was only 30 minutes long- and stretched to 2 hour! )
300. A beautifully shot film, with incredible action and wonderful direction. If only there was more to the story, perhaps it could have been great. Unfortunately, there is little substance in this film. Even so, an entertaining watch, and not 3 hours long like most epics recently have been.
You know, with all the slow motion in this film, it is possible that the film was only 30 minutes long- and stretched to 2 hour! )
I am SOO looking forward to seeing this film, I can almost taste it.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Comments
I haven't seen Rocky Balboa yet myself, but all my friends who did see it absolutely loved it and they all commented on how it had recaptured the "bleakness and loner aspects of Rocky" as you put it. It definitely sounds truer to the spirit of the original than any of the other sequels
A Rambo IV was all but a done deal. However, given the modest box office that Rocky pulled in, there's a chance it may not happen. Rocky was relatively cheap to make (it had a budget of around $24 million); Rambo would be considerably more expensive.
There is a very grand and refurbished one-screen cinema ten minutes walk from my house and about two weeks ago I walked past to see if Rocky Balboa was on. They had a sign up which read:
Back by popular demand from Friday: Casino Royale
Apparently this is going to be different from the previous rambo's. It won't contain the ridiculous amounts of action in the other 3 films. Therefore maybe it won't have such a hefty budget.
2 excellent Will Smith films.
Niagara (pretty good)
GPB (Diamonds song is worth seeing by itself !)
Bus Stop (pretty good)
HTMAM (drags a bit)
Misfits is still my fav.
An interesting Bond spinoff with elements of the old radioactive gold plot. But this story deals with post scheme events. A nefarious mastermind must acquire a secret "decontamination" formula or wait five years for the stolen gold to become usable. Ultra private eye and ladies man, Joe Walker, and his own personal theme song, "I love you Joe Walker", is on the case. There's an underground island base, red uniform guards, and an army of platinum ladies armed with machine guns decked in sexy black leather. The typical Matt Helm / Austin Powers accouterments.
I have two more of these movies to watch, both with Tony Kendall in the lead. They're supposedly based on a slew of adventure novels quite popular in Germany at the time entitled "Kommissar X"
My favorite line, "The decor is early Ian Fleming"
This was on Film Four wasn't it? I wanted to watch this but forgot it was on. What did you think of almost Bond Sam Worthington?
I enjoyed it, from beginning to end. During the Oscars, the announcer quoted Scorsese as saying that 'The Departed' was the first film he'd made "with a plot."
I'd heard some complaints about the ending, but I thought the final scene was perfect---especially given the three or four scenes which preceded it
There's also been discussion about Scorsese not deserving the Oscar as much for this picture as he did for previous ones; that's endlessly arguable, as the overall quality of his work is so incredibly high that to assert one of them is 'weaker' still leaves it well above the efforts of most of the industry. Sure, he should have won for 'Taxi Driver,' 'Raging Bull' or 'GoodFellas'...but he deserved to win for this one, too, as far as I'm concerned, and I'm glad he did.
He's in a very interesting phase right now: from 'Gangs of New York' to 'The Aviator' to 'The Departed'...DiCaprio has proven to be an effective muse; I hope he and DeNiro get to do one together.
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
I had put off seeing this film for so long but finally got round to seeing it last night. What a fabulous film. Stunning performances, ( Crowe was robbed of his Oscar - but he was being a complete ass at the time) touching story and fabulous writing. Terrific.
I didn't realise Sam Worthington was mentioned as a potential Bond. Mind you, there were so many.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,20248998-5006011,00.html
He's just been cast in James Cameron's new film. Could be a big star soon.
{[] Interesting. Also 'Rogue,' which I think is about a large, hungry crocodile might be good.
Not a comic book fan, so don't know anything about the history or expectations, just watched it as a Nic Cage film and I quite liked it. Haven't seen cage in action for ages - and he still thinks he's Elvis (look, voice, mannerisms).
Similar contrived plots a la Blade, Underworld, and that one last year with four teenagers who were all devils or something, all trying to inherit the earth type thing.
Eve Mendez was gorge but a bit wasted but loved the motor cycle stunts - albeit cgi.
Definitely one to watch. He's also only 30, so maybe he'll be first choice for Bond next time. And it's good that Cameron is directing again. Also seen 'The Illusionist,' with Edward Norton. It's more old-fashioned than that other magician movie 'The Prestige,' but not in a bad way. The twist is rather obvious, but Norton is great and so is Rufus Sewell as the spoilt prince who resents the adulation given to a mere commoner.
You know, with all the slow motion in this film, it is possible that the film was only 30 minutes long- and stretched to 2 hour!