Viggo Mortenson is outstanding as a Russian mobster in this London-set crime drama from David Cronenberg. It's not as good as their last movie together, A History of Violence; the ending seems rushed and the supposed twist is not twisty at all, but rather obvious from the beginning. But there is a remarkable fight scene in a Turkish bath that will have you wincing.
IMO Arnie starred in several great films but he made three absolute masterpieces; the first two Terminator films and Total Recall.
Dan, you'd better sit down before reading on; I don't think you like any of this...
The first Terminator film can arguably be called a masterpiece but T2, while well made, I find to be quite overrated. Arnie is the epitome of coolness but everybody around him is a cliched wuss. John Connor is such an effeminate, whining little punk that I was really hoping the T-1000 would kill him off. If he's the savior of humanity, I'm going to go work for the machines; Nick Stahl was far more successful at conveying the character's inner conflict in T3. And Linda Hamilton was turned from a sympathetic but strong character into a foul-mouthed, white-trash biker chick with an attitude problem. The movie was way too long; had far too many peripheral characters and the ending was too drawn out. Clearly a case of a director with too much money on his hands. Bah!
As for Total Recall, Paul Veerhoven's penchant for excess profanity, violence, gore and nudity undoes the film for me; he takes some really interesting sci-fi concepts and just throws them in the meat grinder. They pretty much lost me when the hooker with the three boobs showed up; I'm surprised Veerhoven didn't save her for Showgirls. In Philip K. Dick's novella "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale", upon which this movie is ostensibly based, the protagonist was something of an everyman, not a musclebound superman who can kill 20 people with his bare hands. It needed a more vulnerable action star in the lead, somebody like a 40-something Harrison Ford from BladeRunner, not the Indestructible Governator who was completely unable to convey the loss of identity his character was supposed to feel. Instead, the best he can muster is SCREW YOU BENNYYYYY!!!!!!!! 8-)
Sorry if I sound harsh but I'm a hardcore sci-fi fan so to me a movie like Total Recall is a missed opportunity because the original material it's based on was so daring. To see it reduced to a noisy action flick is heartbreaking to me.
Dan, you'd better sit down before reading on; I don't think you like any of this...
You have the freedom to do whatever you want, but NOT TO INSULT Arnie! X-( (If you do, I might have to send you hundreds of PMs insulting Hal Jordan and some of your other favourite characters. X-()
John Connor is such an effeminate, whining little punk that I was really hoping the T-1000 would kill him off. If he's the savior of humanity, I'm going to go work for the machines; Nick Stahl was far more successful at conveying the character's inner conflict in T3.
I understand how you might think that. I like Edward Furlong as IMO he provided a realistic representation of a teenager, and I find Nick Stahl pretty forgettable, but I know what you mean. T2's John is certainly an acquired taste.
And Linda Hamilton was turned from a sympathetic but strong character into a foul-mouthed, white-trash biker chick with an attitude problem
She's certainly no lady. ) I loved her as her transformation was what I imagine would happen to someone who was raising the future leader of the resistence. I always found her to be a really interesting character.
How can you say that? I thought the ending was brilliant. Not only was there the shattering of the T-1000 (leading to that fantastic line ) but there was the near death and resurrection of Arnie (which has surely got to make you leap out of your seat and throw your fist in the air ) but there was also the death of Arnie; IMO one of the saddest scenes of all time.
As for Total Recall, Paul Veerhoven's penchant for excess profanity, violence, gore and nudity undoes the film for me; he takes some really interesting sci-fi concepts and just throws them in the meat grinder. They pretty much lost me when the hooker with the three boobs showed up; I'm surprised Veerhoven didn't save her for Showgirls.
The violence and gore is certainly not for everybody, so I won't debate you on that, but I do want to question your comment that Veerhoven took 'really interesting sci-fi concepts and just throws them in the meat grinder.' What I love about the film (apart from the action scenes ) are the sci-fi concepts themselves. Everything that happened on Mars was what Arnie purchased from Rekall, and the final scene was just the kind of scene that a person would dream about, so there was always the question of whether it was real or not.
In Philip K. Dick's novella "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale", upon which this movie is ostensibly based, the protagonist was something of an everyman, not a musclebound superman who can kill 20 people with his bare hands. It needed a more vulnerable action star in the lead, somebody like a 40-something Harrison Ford from BladeRunner, not the Indestructible Governator who was completely unable to convey the loss of identity his character was supposed to feel. Instead, the best he can muster is SCREW YOU BENNYYYYY!!!!!!!! 8-)
I actually disagree on this (big surprise )) but I loved Arnie. I thought that his performance was really good; IMO he very much looked confused and vulnerable throughout (such as when he told his wife that he had just killed someone.) Yes, he killed alot of people (and did it quite well), but he was playing (or perhaps he really was) the role of a secret agent. That's what I find fascinating; he was an ordinary guy who does extraordinary things. Is he dreaming? Is he really a secret agent? Throughout all of this, I very much got the impression that he himself wasn't sure what was going on (the scene with the doctor with the pill was another example) and he produced IMO a very convincing and effective performance. I honestly (and this is not my Arnie bias talking) could not imagine anyone else in the role.
You know, Tony, you've quite upset me. Insulting Arnie? That's like shooting Bambi's mother.
"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
You know, Tony, you've quite upset me. Insulting Arnie? That's like shooting Bambi's mother.
Sorry Dan, I really didn't mean to ruin your day but Arnold lost some of my goodwill after he did Batman & Robin - hard to forgive him for that one. Let's just agree to disagree. God knows I love watching Arnold in action, but for my money there are some movies he just doesn't belong in and Total Recall is one of them. It's hard for me to consider him "vulnerable" when he's out there practically tearing a planet to shreads. And Veerhoven just turns me off as a filmmaker; he's just too excessive for my tastes. I'll leave it at that.
Of course, now that I've said all this, they'll probably do a Green Lantern movie and cast Arnold as Hal Jordan - only he'll pronounce it Hal Chordan. {:)
You know, Tony, you've quite upset me. Insulting Arnie? That's like shooting Bambi's mother.
Sorry Dan, I really didn't mean to ruin your day but Arnold lost some of my goodwill after he did Batman & Robin - hard to forgive him for that one. Let's just agree to disagree. I love Arnold but for my money there are some movies he just doesn't belong in. I'll leave it at that. With my luck, they'll do a Green Lantern movie and cast Arnold as Hal Jordan - only he'll pronounce it Hal Chordan. {:)
Wow brother, and you accuse me of killing a mosquito with a hand grenade )
Total Recall was a dud for me too. Everything from the look of the film to the makeup to the acting rubbed me the wrong way. As did the stupid actions of some of the characters - like shooting a gun in a pressurized dome! Give me Commando any day.
And when it comes to acting, Schwarzennegger really gets short-changed for T3; he was actually very empathic in that one and even his English enunciation had improved. He did a far more creditable job in that one than in just about any of his other films.
Now let's not get carried away; Dan's one of the good ones and I don't want to spoil his enjoyment any more than I already have. Although saying that dissing Arnold is like shooting Bambi's mother is a bit much. Arnold could probably kill Bambi's mother with his bare hands. Like I said, to me Total Recall is a misguided effort all around, its problems go far deeper than it's star.
Now, bringing this back on topic, my last film seen was the BluRay hi-def version of 2001: A Space Odyssey, for my money one of the greatest films ever made. When played thru a hi-def TV and surround sound system, the new BluRay transfer is nothing short of a revelation - the level of detail is astonishing and the new surround soundtrack gives the movie an aural facelift. 2001 is not for everybody as it is a very slow paced and deliberate film. But the ideas it tackles and the imagery it conveys are still staggering after all these years. Now THIS is great science fiction.
The Company. The film is based on the Robert Little novel of the same name. It is kind of historical fiction and it traces the history of the CIA starting in Berlin right after the end of World War II. Great book and good movie. I found it on the new release shelf at the local Blockbuster movie rental place. I recomend reading the book too. Robert Little is a great spy novel author and has written several books.
"A blunt instrument wielded by a Government department. Hard, ruthless, sardonic, fatalistic. He likes gambling, golf, fast motor cars. All his movements are relaxed and economical". Ian Fleming
Dan Same is quite correct when he mentions Arnold's 2 masterpieces.
They're The Terminator and Predator.
But I'm with Tony on Judgement Day and Recall. (the latter is extremely overrated IMO)
Sarah and Arnold and the ushering of digital mayhem were fine but that kid irritated me to the point of wishing he'd be the one with a finger through the temple. It was also quite handy the climax involved a place where molten metal is part of the daily process.
Sarah and Arnold and the ushering of digital mayhem were fine but that kid irritated me to the point of wishing he'd be the one with a finger through the temple.
Sarah and Arnold and the ushering of digital mayhem were fine but that kid irritated me to the point of wishing he'd be the one with a finger through the temple.
"Are you calling moi a dipsh*t?" B-)
See, that's the thing right there. Those two fellas, they were coming, to what they believed anyhow, was a person in need of rescue.
And the two samaritan's receive verbal abuse for their efforts? I'd have called him worse
Dan Same is quite correct when he mentions Arnold's 2 masterpieces.
They're The Terminator and Predator.
Predator is also a fantastic film.
Gentlemen (and any lady who might be viewing this thread,) I love Arnie to bits, but in no way am I suggesting that those who insult him are the kinds of people who will go out and kill a harmless deer.
"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
Although saying that dissing Arnold is like shooting Bambi's mother is a bit much. Arnold could probably kill Bambi's mother with his bare hands.
He could, and it could even make a great film: Terminator versus Mother of Bambi.)
Terminator Vs. Mother of Bambi huh. Sounds like a Japanese monster movie; but yeah, that would net Arnold at least $100 million.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited November 2007
Being a huge gangster movie fan, outside of loving horror, I saw:
AMERICAN GANGSTER
Not to give away spoilers but this is a very good movie. Washington & Crowe, IMO, did a fantastic job of carrying this film. If you were around in the 70s, you'll get a little pinch of nostalgia here and there and in my case, that helped. Of course it has a slightly different pace or tone from other gangster flicks but it's clearly enjoyable and one of the better films of 2007.
then I came home and watched:
A BRONX TALE
IMO, it's very underrated and should be ranked up there with the other mob movies; its tone isn't set on the violence of the genre per se but more on the relationship triangle of a young boy with two entirely different father figures and how he grows up influenced by both.
Chazz Palminteri plays a great villian who really doesn't come across as one but my feelings were mixed about him anyway. I felt myself siding with him on alot of the things he said. I did like the fact that he didn't play it stereotypical though.
Alot of the picture was filmed in Queens as opposed to the title. My aunt & uncle lived just a couple of blocks over from the main street shown in it which was picked for its "yesteryear" look I imagine...
Still when it comes to crime pics, GOODFELLAS & THE GODFATHER II rank as my favorites...in that order.
The Departed is just overrated.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
IMO, it's very underrated and should be ranked up there with the other mob movies;
{[] It's been years since I've seen it, but I love this film. De Niro (almost certainly my favourite actor) is terrific, as is Palminteri. This film often gets overlooked, but while I don't fully remember it, I do remember being extremely impressed with it. I need to see it again.
Still when it comes to crime pics, GOODFELLAS & THE GODFATHER II rank as my favorites...in that order.
You're not as big a fan of The Godfather? I too love gangster films (one of my favourite genres along with action/martial arts) and my three favourite gangster films are, in descending order, The Godfather,The Godfather Part II and Goodfellas. As it happens, they are (along with Taxi Driver) three of my all-time four favourite films (with the first two Godfather films coming in at number 1 and number 2.)
I agree. I like The Departed but I am at a loss as to why some people think it's better than Goodfellas. I mean, I think it's a really good film, and there are some brilliant things about it, but I suspect that the reason why some people seem to adore it is that it's Scorsese's first gangster film in 11 years (his previous gangster film being Casino in 1995.) As I said, I think it's a good film, but not a great one.
"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
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
IMO, it's very underrated and should be ranked up there with the other mob movies;
{[] It's been years since I've seen it, but I love this film. De Niro (almost certainly my favourite actor) is terrific, as is Palminteri. This film often gets overlooked, but while I don't fully remember it, I do remember being extremely impressed with it. I need to see it again.
Still when it comes to crime pics, GOODFELLAS & THE GODFATHER II rank as my favorites...in that order.
You're not as big a fan of The Godfather? I too love gangster films (one of my favourite genres along with action/martial arts) and my three favourite gangster films are, in descending order, The Godfather,The Godfather Part II and Goodfellas. As it happens, they are (along with Taxi Driver) three of my all-time four favourite films (with the first two Godfather films coming in at number 1 and number 2.)
I agree. I like The Departed but I am at a loss as to why some people think it's better than Goodfellas. I mean, I think it's a really good film, and there are some brilliant things about it, but I suspect that the reason why some people seem to adore it is that it's Scorsese's first gangster film in 11 years (his previous gangster film being Casino in 1995.) As I said, I think it's a good film, but not a great one.
I just think that The Godfather 1 is a little too slow in pace for me and more romanticized in a way, Dan. A great film but I was more influenced by GOODFELLAS alot more. I can watch this picture over and over and not get tired of it. I think a big part of my love for it stems from DeNiro, Pesci & Liotta who just had great chemistry in this. And I don't want to forget Paul Sorvino who's about 15 years too old to play my character if my comic were to become a film one day...sue me, I think positively.
It was funny, tense & the pacing keeps me interested. Clearly Scorcese's best achievement in the director's chair. Casino is awesome, too but Pesci played more of a scumbag in this as opposed to the "cowboy" he was in GF.
Departed is just a spin on a much better Asian gangster film Internal Affairs whereas A.G. & GF were taken from actual events. Jack Nicholson plays a poor mob guy IMO...AND IT'S JUST OVERSENSATIONALIZED. 8-)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I just think that The Godfather 1 is a little too slow in pace for me and more romanticized in a way, Dan.
You think you're funny don't you? Just like a clown? Don't you? X-(
"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
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Watch it, Dan...hopefully you're not wearing a rug at your young age...so tread lightly. :v
Seriously, how can anyone not think this scene isn't brilliant? With Liotta's funny laugh at the same time? )
Case closed. B-)
) It is a great scene from a magnificent film. Be very careful about any comments that you ever make about The Godfather though. Remember, when all is said and done, you're just a nobody, and you will be spending your entire life as a schnook.
"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
Thing about Scorcese is, GF sort of set the tone. From then on, his films always seemed to need a Ray Liotta type addressing the camera or talking you through it. Face it, The Aviator would have been very good with that approach, say, with an investigator a la Joseph Cotton trying to figure the guy out. As it was, DiCaprio's character seemed a bland enigma.
There was huge hype about how this was one of the funniest films and I was looking forward to it. The amount of bad language is unbelievable and, I have never said this about a film before. But it was totally over the top and unnecessary. I would be very uncomfortable watching it with family. Most of the gags are cheap and nasty which I suppose is to be expected. I found myself grinning rather than properly laughing. Some of the scenes with the cops gave some proper big laughs. All in all a bit of a dissapointment, I'm sad to say I think i'm growing out of this type of comedy.
***
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Thing about Scorcese is, GF sort of set the tone. From then on, his films always seemed to need a Ray Liotta type addressing the camera or talking you through it. Face it, The Aviator would have been very good with that approach, say, with an investigator a la Joseph Cotton trying to figure the guy out. As it was, DiCaprio's character seemed a bland enigma.
Y'know, this is a very good point. I just don't think that Scorcese has been able to match the impact that Goodfellas left on cinema. I mean he's a great director on anything he usually touches but IMO, he's been on the decline with the subject matter.
I think that Departed's okay and nothing more. Okay it's bland. I think the vast majority were just happy the man made another mob film after what?- Eleven years?
And Dan...I never said anything bad about Godfather, I just prefer part 2 over 1. 8-)
Oh and Taxi Driver isn't a mob film per se...I always thought of it as psychological. I don't know...
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
And Dan...I never said anything bad about Godfather, I just prefer part 2 over 1. 8-)
Oh, I know. I was just teasing you. That 'nobody' comment was from Goodfellas; the last line is 'I'm an average nobody now. I get to spend the rest of my life as a schnook.' Come on Rogue, I thought you would recognise it. )
Oh and Taxi Driver isn't a mob film per se...I always thought of it as psychological. I don't know...
It isn't a gangster film. I only mentioned it because, along with the first 2 Godfathers and Goodfellas, it's one of my all-time four favourite films.
"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
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
And Dan...I never said anything bad about Godfather, I just prefer part 2 over 1. 8-)
Oh, I know. I was just teasing you. That 'nobody' comment was from Goodfellas; the last line is 'I'm an average nobody now. I get to spend the rest of my life as a schnook.' Come on Rogue, I thought you would recognise it. )
Yeah, I recognized the lines that you used in defense.
Did you know that the real Henry Hill is now a drugged-out artist wannabe living in Los Angeles somewhere?
I saw a pic of him on the net a few years ago and he looked bad.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Did you know that the real Henry Hill is now a drugged-out artist wannabe living in Los Angeles somewhere?
I saw a pic of him on the net a few years ago and he looked bad.
I had heard that his life had been going badly, but I hadn't heard that. BTW, speaking of great lines from Goodfellas, check my sig for arguably the best line in the film.
"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
Face it, The Aviator would have been very good with that approach, say, with an investigator a la Joseph Cotton trying to figure the guy out. As it was, DiCaprio's character seemed a bland enigma.
The other problem with The Aviator is that DiCaprio never seemed to age. Even in the latter parts of the film, he looked like a freshfaced kid. That said, I very much enjoyed The Aviator, and I particularly loved Blanchett's portrayal of my all-time favourite actress (Katharine Hepburn.)
I think that Departed's okay and nothing more. Okay it's bland. I think the vast majority were just happy the man made another mob film after what?- Eleven years?
I liked The Departed but my problem with it is that it went completely over the top. There was a chatacter who was laughing at Jack Nicholson (who IMO started off amazingly before going off the rails,) which is never a good sign, and the second time I saw it, audience members were besides themselves with laughter
at the way all of the major characters were killed at the end.
I think it is a good film, but nowhere near Scorsese's best.
"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
The other problem with The Aviator is that DiCaprio never seemed to age. Even in the latter parts of the film, he looked like a freshfaced kid.
I thought The Aviator focused on Howard Hughes as a young man. DiCaprio didn't have to look much older than he is already. It's not much of a movie though. Hughes was a fascinating character, but to only hint slightly at the mental disintegration that would haunt him in his later life was a huge miscalculation. Scorsese has been on auto-pilot for a long time. The Age of Innocence is the last project he seemed to have any passion for. And that was an interesting failure rather than a last masterpiece.
I saw Death at a Funeral recently. Death at the cinema would be more apt. I've been to funnier funerals.
I thought The Aviator focused on Howard Hughes as a young man. DiCaprio didn't have to look much older than he is already.
The film never portrayed Hughs as an old man, but it did portray him as mature and I couldn't help but notice how young DiCaprio was. I thought his performance was very good, but I felt that he looked too young, especially towards the end of the film.
Scorsese has been on auto-pilot for a long time. The Age of Innocence is the last project he seemed to have any passion for. And that was an interesting failure rather than a last masterpiece.
I absolutely adore Scorsese, but I have to agree with you. I'm actually yet to see The Age of Innocence ;% but of the last six films that he has made; Casino is brilliant, but not so much when compared to Goodfellas,Kundun is visually beautiful but narratively empty, Bringing Out The Dead is very good but isn't as good as some of Scorsese's earlier work (such as Taxi Driver), Gangs of New York has a few brilliant elements but as a whole is a mess, The Aviator is terrific but will never go down as among Scorsese's best and The Departed, whilst good, is quite overrated.
So, whilst several of these films were pretty good (Casino IMO was fantastic) none were arguably as good as Scorsese's earlier work (up to and including Goodfellas.) Nonetheless, he is still (almost certainly) my favourite director and I can not wait until his next film.
Alright, that's enough from me on Scorsese.
"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
The other problem with The Aviator is that DiCaprio never seemed to age. Even in the latter parts of the film, he looked like a freshfaced kid.
I thought The Aviator focused on Howard Hughes as a young man. DiCaprio didn't have to look much older than he is already. It's not much of a movie though. Hughes was a fascinating character, but to only hint slightly at the mental disintegration that would haunt him in his later life was a huge miscalculation.
I completly disagree, why focus on Hughes mental problems later in his life, why focus on a man's troubles? I prefer to see a movie about a man that refused to give up, a man who had a vision and follwed it, a man who made movies ahead of their time , a man who made advanced aircraft, a man who would gamble everything on his dream. I thought Aviator was a glorious movie.
The sort of horror film so bad that the audience was actually laughing. No tension, suspense or emotional resonance (the death of the lead character's grandmother is completely glossed over, with little reaction from said lead character), the film was uproariously bad. Just dreadful.
Comments
Viggo Mortenson is outstanding as a Russian mobster in this London-set crime drama from David Cronenberg. It's not as good as their last movie together, A History of Violence; the ending seems rushed and the supposed twist is not twisty at all, but rather obvious from the beginning. But there is a remarkable fight scene in a Turkish bath that will have you wincing.
Dan, you'd better sit down before reading on; I don't think you like any of this...
The first Terminator film can arguably be called a masterpiece but T2, while well made, I find to be quite overrated. Arnie is the epitome of coolness but everybody around him is a cliched wuss. John Connor is such an effeminate, whining little punk that I was really hoping the T-1000 would kill him off. If he's the savior of humanity, I'm going to go work for the machines; Nick Stahl was far more successful at conveying the character's inner conflict in T3. And Linda Hamilton was turned from a sympathetic but strong character into a foul-mouthed, white-trash biker chick with an attitude problem. The movie was way too long; had far too many peripheral characters and the ending was too drawn out. Clearly a case of a director with too much money on his hands. Bah!
As for Total Recall, Paul Veerhoven's penchant for excess profanity, violence, gore and nudity undoes the film for me; he takes some really interesting sci-fi concepts and just throws them in the meat grinder. They pretty much lost me when the hooker with the three boobs showed up; I'm surprised Veerhoven didn't save her for Showgirls. In Philip K. Dick's novella "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale", upon which this movie is ostensibly based, the protagonist was something of an everyman, not a musclebound superman who can kill 20 people with his bare hands. It needed a more vulnerable action star in the lead, somebody like a 40-something Harrison Ford from BladeRunner, not the Indestructible Governator who was completely unable to convey the loss of identity his character was supposed to feel. Instead, the best he can muster is SCREW YOU BENNYYYYY!!!!!!!! 8-)
Sorry if I sound harsh but I'm a hardcore sci-fi fan so to me a movie like Total Recall is a missed opportunity because the original material it's based on was so daring. To see it reduced to a noisy action flick is heartbreaking to me.
For your sake, you're lucky that you at least love The Terminator. :v Otherwise, prepare for the 'Arthur C. Clarke sucks' thread.
I understand how you might think that. I like Edward Furlong as IMO he provided a realistic representation of a teenager, and I find Nick Stahl pretty forgettable, but I know what you mean. T2's John is certainly an acquired taste.
She's certainly no lady.
The violence and gore is certainly not for everybody, so I won't debate you on that, but I do want to question your comment that Veerhoven took 'really interesting sci-fi concepts and just throws them in the meat grinder.' What I love about the film (apart from the action scenes
I actually disagree on this (big surprise
You know, Tony, you've quite upset me.
Sorry Dan, I really didn't mean to ruin your day but Arnold lost some of my goodwill after he did Batman & Robin - hard to forgive him for that one. Let's just agree to disagree. God knows I love watching Arnold in action, but for my money there are some movies he just doesn't belong in and Total Recall is one of them. It's hard for me to consider him "vulnerable" when he's out there practically tearing a planet to shreads. And Veerhoven just turns me off as a filmmaker; he's just too excessive for my tastes. I'll leave it at that.
Of course, now that I've said all this, they'll probably do a Green Lantern movie and cast Arnold as Hal Jordan - only he'll pronounce it Hal Chordan. {:)
Wow brother, and you accuse me of killing a mosquito with a hand grenade
Total Recall was a dud for me too. Everything from the look of the film to the makeup to the acting rubbed me the wrong way. As did the stupid actions of some of the characters - like shooting a gun in a pressurized dome! Give me Commando any day.
And when it comes to acting, Schwarzennegger really gets short-changed for T3; he was actually very empathic in that one and even his English enunciation had improved. He did a far more creditable job in that one than in just about any of his other films.
Now, bringing this back on topic, my last film seen was the BluRay hi-def version of 2001: A Space Odyssey, for my money one of the greatest films ever made. When played thru a hi-def TV and surround sound system, the new BluRay transfer is nothing short of a revelation - the level of detail is astonishing and the new surround soundtrack gives the movie an aural facelift. 2001 is not for everybody as it is a very slow paced and deliberate film. But the ideas it tackles and the imagery it conveys are still staggering after all these years. Now THIS is great science fiction.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
They're The Terminator and Predator.
But I'm with Tony on Judgement Day and Recall. (the latter is extremely overrated IMO)
Sarah and Arnold and the ushering of digital mayhem were fine but that kid irritated me to the point of wishing he'd be the one with a finger through the temple. It was also quite handy the climax involved a place where molten metal is part of the daily process.
"Are you calling moi a dipsh*t?" B-)
Roger Moore 1927-2017
And the two samaritan's receive verbal abuse for their efforts? I'd have called him worse
He could, and it could even make a great film:
Predator is also a fantastic film.
Gentlemen (and any lady who might be viewing this thread,) I love Arnie to bits, but in no way am I suggesting that those who insult him are the kinds of people who will go out and kill a harmless deer.
Terminator Vs. Mother of Bambi huh. Sounds like a Japanese monster movie; but yeah, that would net Arnold at least $100 million.
AMERICAN GANGSTER
Not to give away spoilers but this is a very good movie. Washington & Crowe, IMO, did a fantastic job of carrying this film. If you were around in the 70s, you'll get a little pinch of nostalgia here and there and in my case, that helped. Of course it has a slightly different pace or tone from other gangster flicks but it's clearly enjoyable and one of the better films of 2007.
then I came home and watched:
A BRONX TALE
IMO, it's very underrated and should be ranked up there with the other mob movies; its tone isn't set on the violence of the genre per se but more on the relationship triangle of a young boy with two entirely different father figures and how he grows up influenced by both.
Chazz Palminteri plays a great villian who really doesn't come across as one but my feelings were mixed about him anyway. I felt myself siding with him on alot of the things he said. I did like the fact that he didn't play it stereotypical though.
Alot of the picture was filmed in Queens as opposed to the title. My aunt & uncle lived just a couple of blocks over from the main street shown in it which was picked for its "yesteryear" look I imagine...
Still when it comes to crime pics, GOODFELLAS & THE GODFATHER II rank as my favorites...in that order.
The Departed is just overrated.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
You're not as big a fan of The Godfather?
I agree. I like The Departed but I am at a loss as to why some people think it's better than Goodfellas. I mean, I think it's a really good film, and there are some brilliant things about it, but I suspect that the reason why some people seem to adore it is that it's Scorsese's first gangster film in 11 years (his previous gangster film being Casino in 1995.) As I said, I think it's a good film, but not a great one.
I just think that The Godfather 1 is a little too slow in pace for me and more romanticized in a way, Dan. A great film but I was more influenced by GOODFELLAS alot more. I can watch this picture over and over and not get tired of it. I think a big part of my love for it stems from DeNiro, Pesci & Liotta who just had great chemistry in this. And I don't want to forget Paul Sorvino who's about 15 years too old to play my character if my comic were to become a film one day...sue me, I think positively.
It was funny, tense & the pacing keeps me interested. Clearly Scorcese's best achievement in the director's chair. Casino is awesome, too but Pesci played more of a scumbag in this as opposed to the "cowboy" he was in GF.
Departed is just a spin on a much better Asian gangster film Internal Affairs whereas A.G. & GF were taken from actual events. Jack Nicholson plays a poor mob guy IMO...AND IT'S JUST OVERSENSATIONALIZED. 8-)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Watch it, Dan...hopefully you're not wearing a rug at your young age...so tread lightly. :v
Seriously, how can anyone not think this scene isn't brilliant? With Liotta's funny laugh at the same time?
Case closed. B-)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Roger Moore 1927-2017
There was huge hype about how this was one of the funniest films and I was looking forward to it. The amount of bad language is unbelievable and, I have never said this about a film before. But it was totally over the top and unnecessary. I would be very uncomfortable watching it with family. Most of the gags are cheap and nasty which I suppose is to be expected. I found myself grinning rather than properly laughing. Some of the scenes with the cops gave some proper big laughs. All in all a bit of a dissapointment, I'm sad to say I think i'm growing out of this type of comedy.
***
Y'know, this is a very good point. I just don't think that Scorcese has been able to match the impact that Goodfellas left on cinema. I mean he's a great director on anything he usually touches but IMO, he's been on the decline with the subject matter.
I think that Departed's okay and nothing more. Okay it's bland. I think the vast majority were just happy the man made another mob film after what?- Eleven years?
And Dan...I never said anything bad about Godfather, I just prefer part 2 over 1. 8-)
Oh and Taxi Driver isn't a mob film per se...I always thought of it as psychological. I don't know...
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
It isn't a gangster film. I only mentioned it because, along with the first 2 Godfathers and Goodfellas, it's one of my all-time four favourite films.
Yeah, I recognized the lines that you used in defense.
Did you know that the real Henry Hill is now a drugged-out artist wannabe living in Los Angeles somewhere?
I saw a pic of him on the net a few years ago and he looked bad.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I liked The Departed but my problem with it is that it went completely over the top. There was a chatacter who was laughing at Jack Nicholson (who IMO started off amazingly before going off the rails,) which is never a good sign, and the second time I saw it, audience members were besides themselves with laughter
I thought The Aviator focused on Howard Hughes as a young man. DiCaprio didn't have to look much older than he is already. It's not much of a movie though. Hughes was a fascinating character, but to only hint slightly at the mental disintegration that would haunt him in his later life was a huge miscalculation. Scorsese has been on auto-pilot for a long time. The Age of Innocence is the last project he seemed to have any passion for. And that was an interesting failure rather than a last masterpiece.
I saw Death at a Funeral recently. Death at the cinema would be more apt. I've been to funnier funerals.
I absolutely adore Scorsese, but I have to agree with you.
So, whilst several of these films were pretty good (Casino IMO was fantastic) none were arguably as good as Scorsese's earlier work (up to and including Goodfellas.)
Alright, that's enough from me on Scorsese.
The sort of horror film so bad that the audience was actually laughing. No tension, suspense or emotional resonance (the death of the lead character's grandmother is completely glossed over, with little reaction from said lead character), the film was uproariously bad. Just dreadful.