Just saw TransFormers. A nice surprise, really. I've never been a fan of Michael Bay, but I think his cartoony, spastic, kid-smashing-up-toy-trucks-in-the-back-yard sensibility is perfect for this material. Perhaps the influence of Spielberg added the heart and humor, and John Turturro steals the show. And that Megan Fox lives up to her name (and I don't mean Megan). Yowza!
Finally saw this. ) Brilliant. The underrated Gary Cole is hilarious as Ricky's wayward father and any film that claims that Highlander is the best movie ever made has my attention. Best scene; either the kids threatening to scissor kick their Grandpa in the back of the head, or the French driver drinking coffee during the race.
A flat, uninspired and unsatisfying film. A superb line up of mainly British stars, none of whom are used to a fraction of their potential. Central character is weak, as is the actress who plays her. The plot itself takes too long to get going, and when it does - it's something of a let-down. The only person working on this film that earned their paycheck was Sam Elliott.
Nicole Kidman and our Daniel Craig, billed 1st and 2nd respectively - have but a handful of scenes between them. Fifth-billed Christopher Lee was completely wasted, having just ONE line in the whole film, and about 30 seconds of screen time.
The film as a whole isn't worth watching, in my opinion.
Still, I went home and put on "The Wild Bunch" - now that's a real film! William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Warren Oates and Ben Johnson absolutely kicking ass in their fifties. The final showdown is one of the bloodiest battles Ive ever seen in a Western. Pure entertainment.
Inane romantic drama from Richard Linklater. Ethan Hawke plays a pretentious American **** who meets a pretentious French bint, and spends a night in Vienna being pretentious. It could have been charming if they'd cast actors who were capable of charm, but these two are deeply unlikeable.
And that Megan Fox lives up to her name (and I don't mean Megan). Yowza!
You'd get on a Concorde for her then, HB!
She's American, as am I, and you can't fly those things over the continent! (Actually, isn't the Concorde mothballed, anyway?)
But to the subject: yesterday I watched Lindsay Anderson's O Lucky Man! from 1973. A real oddity: a three-hour absurdist black comedy interspersed with musical numbers from Alan Price. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes ghastly, sometimes makes you scratch your head and say, "What th' --?" In short, not for everyone, but great for anyone who wants a movie that's anything but run-of-the-mill.
I saw that a decade ago. It was recorded on VHS from a late night showing, but it had loads of ads in it. Now, factor in that the film is really long, and it seemed to go on forever...
An inspired choice casting George C. Scott as ol' Scrooge. His crustiness was well utilized, but he also brought so much much more to the role. That demeanor towards his father & ex-fiance, along with submerged pathos towards the downtrodden were played brilliantly.
Wonderful cast, including David Warner, Edward Woodward, Michael Gough, and Angela Pleasance.
Sure, the b&w classic won't be topped soon, but this was a special class of it's own.
Bourne Supremacy - Checked out the DVD this weekend and I have to say I really enjoyed it. The movies is fast paced from start until finish with a number of fine performances. Damon has really become Bourne and I always enjoy Joan Allen who I think is very underrated. My only fault with the movie and I have had the same problem with previous Bourne's is the fast editing style of some of the action scenes. Bourne's fight with the other assassin was diminished by the fast editing and extreme close ups of fists. arms and legs, making it difficult to know who was doing what to whom. Much like the car chase in one of the previous Bourne's where the editing and close ups of clutches and brake pedals gives the viewer no idea what is happening. Those are small complaints though, as I really enjoy this series.
Yesterday I received some free HD-DVD movies as part of a promotion for buying an HD-DVD player.
The first one I decided to pop in was Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, Iain Glen as the villanous Manfred Powell, and Daniel Craig as Lara's ex-flame Alex West. I'd never actually seen this movie from start to finish - only in pieces - so I was curious to give it a complete viewing.
Overall, a competent action film, especially considering that the source material is a videogame. The locales are suitably exotic, the action entertaining, and the sight of Ms. Jolie in all those tight-fitting outfits is definitely easy on the eyes. The film also stays very true to its videogame origins - right down to Lara's castle which is laid out exactly the same as in the games.
I was really impressed by Glen, who gives a smoothly evil performance as the heavy. I wouldn't mind seeing him in a Bond movie; heck, he might make a half-way decent Bond come to think of it.
Daniel Craig on the other hand is pretty forgettable as he has little to do other than stand around and, ultimately, be rescued by Lara. One scene in which he and Lara are arguing is also somewhat amusing as it plays out almost EXACTLY like the scene in Casino Royale where Vesper refuses to give Bond the extra money. Even Craig's inflection, and repetition of the same word over and over are the same.
Overall, nothing particularly memorable but still a good little entertaining two hour diversion.
Actually the Lara Croft movies would be good to have on telly at Xmas really, undemanding romps that they are.
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Last night I watched a real favorite of mine:
JACOB'S LADDER
IMO, this is one of the few times that I've actually seen a horror movie that's articulate and creepy, at the same time, and its pulled off well.
This film set the standard for many scare flicks nowadays with the shaky ghost effect but none have come close to matching its mark. Even the videogame SILENT HILL has hacked many references from it.
This has an all-star cast, great plot and great cinematography. I don't want to spoil it for those who might take an interest in viewing it for a first time but it's safe to say that you'll enjoy it. Be warned that it does contain some very sick or disturbing scenes in it (especially the hospital part) so if you have a weak stomach, watch at your own peril.
This is one of Tim Robbins' best films outside of The Shawshank Redemption yet it doesn't get as much credit.
The only thing that I could compare this film to was Bierce's "An Occurance At Owl Creek Bridge". Of course I hadn't read that in years but it's grossly in the neighborhood of J.L.
Still I give it
*** 1/2 stars. B-)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
IMO, this is one of the few times that I've actually seen a horror movie that's articulate and creepy, at the same time, and its pulled off well.
This film set the standard for many scare flicks nowadays with the shaky ghost effect but none have come close to matching its mark. Even the videogame SILENT HILL has hacked many references from it.
This has an all-star cast, great plot and great cinematography. I don't want to spoil it for those who might take an interest in viewing it for a first time but it's safe to say that you'll enjoy it. Be warned that it does contain some very sick or disturbing scenes in it (especially the hospital part) so if you have a weak stomach, watch at your own peril.
This is one of Tim Robbins' best films outside of The Shawshank Redemption yet it doesn't get as much credit.
The only thing that I could compare this film to was Bierce's "An Occurance At Owl Creek Bridge". Of course I hadn't read that in years but it's grossly in the neighborhood of J.L.
Still I give it
*** 1/2 stars. B-)
Believe I needed a few more tabs of acid for that one. Especially during the dance floor/strobe light sequence when his lovely date sprouts a slimey green tail!
The plot, well, a few frosty cold ones and some other controlled substances might explain it better.
My favorite Tim Robbins flick is probably Bull Durham, although, Erik The Viking ranks right up there.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
Believe I needed a few more tabs of acid for that one. Especially during the dance floor/strobe light sequence when his lovely date sprouts a slimey green tail!
Well actually she's:
Making out royally with a demon or devil during the dance scene.
I'll admit the first time my ex-girlfriend and I went to see this in theatres way back when, perhaps the establishment should've supplied all viewers with peyote or something just to help us get where this was going ) ...but upon second and third viewings, I got what it was trying to convey and loved it. It's a good film. B-)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Not a film, but i have just seen a 6 minute preview of the new batman movie. It was pretty damn good!
1- On Her Majesty's Secret Service 2- Casino Royale 3- Licence To Kill 4- Goldeneye 5- From Russia With Love
Tee HeeCBT Headquarters: Chicago, ILPosts: 917MI6 Agent
edited December 2007
National Treasure: Book Of Secrets
Just got back from the midnight showing of this film. I was a big fan of the first film, and this is a worthy sequel.
When a missing page from the diary of John Wilkes Booth names a Gates family relative in connection with the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, Ben (Nick Cage) will stop at nothing to clear his great grandfather's name. To do so, he must solve a mystery which the Confederacy could not during the Civil War. Clues take him to London, Paris, and of course the United States.
The whole gang is back, however there is one new addition: Ben's mother, played by Helen Mirren. Ed Harris plays the bad guy, as only he can.
Loaded with action, adventure, and humor, you're sure to be entertained. And you'll probably learn something about history too!
Not as good as the original, but quite a noble effort.
Based on the film's ending, I have a feeling we're going to have a trilogy on our hands.
"My acting range? Left eyebrow raised, right eyebrow raised..."
Finally saw this. It's a fine film about a young girl in fascist Spain, who dreams she is really the Princess of an underground realm. Sergio Lopez is terrifying as the girl's stepfather, a brutal army captain. However I think director Guilliamo Del Toro's last Spanish effort, The Devil's Backbone is a far better film. PL reminded me too much of The Spirit of the Beehive and it pales in comparison.
When I saw this advertised I was really looking forward to it and thought I'd really like it. I am a big fan of Sean William Scott. Especially in his comedy roles, like american pie. Stiffler being one of my all time favourite characters. Unfortunately this did not live upto expectations and although Isla Fisher put in a good peformance and Sean wasn't too bad. I just didn't laugh. Recent comedys just haven't done it for me. I'm not sure if this is because i'm getting older or there just not making them as well. I laughed more during Die Hard 4.0 and Transformers!
Early effort from the Italian horror maestro, Dario Argento, and one of his best. There is a knife-wielding maniac on the loose, but who is it? It's beautifully shot with a haunting soundtrack from Ennio Morricone. I hope Argento's forthcoming Mother of Tears sees him recapture even a little of this magic.
Early effort from the Italian horror maestro, Dario Argento, and one of his best. There is a knife-wielding maniac on the loose, but who is it? It's beautifully shot with a haunting soundtrack from Ennio Morricone. I hope Argento's forthcoming Mother of Tears sees him recapture even a little of this magic.
Visually beautiful. I think Plumage and Deep Red are my favorite pair of gialli from the maestro. -{
National Treasure Book of Secrets - An absolutly fun thrilling time at the cinema. As Tee Hee said, this is a worthy successor to the first National Treasure with the whole cast back and Helen Mirren added as Nick Cage's mother. The movie has all the ingredients for fun time, humor, thrills, and suspense. All five members of Barry's family saw it and enjoyed it.
Kudos to Disney for running a new Goofy cartoon prior to the feature attraction. The cartoon was very funny as it generated many loud laughs from the crowded theatre. Reminded of when I was a kid and a cartoon always preceded the feature attraction. Yes, I am that old.
...such a classic, Irvine Berlin gets his second round of mileage on the song White Christmas. My wife's favourite film for sure and we all, her parents and us, loved it. Merry Christmas to everyone!!!
Oh dear. Saw enough to know it wasn't gonna be funny. The director didn't have funny bones, nor did the cast. I remember the BBC TV series and read the book at the same time roughly, it got it exactly right. It's that English humour like Monty Python, Not the Nine O'Clock News or Spaced, in fact you could have Simon Pegg as Dent or Ford Prefect.
Or Jimmy Carr as Dent, you can imagine him in his dressing gown. Bill Bailey in there somewhere, too. Johnny Vegas as a Vogon. Russell Brand as the two-headed guy. (Did he have two heads in this one?)
This one was so rushed, you sat there thinking, they've missed out some of the best jokes here. And Martin Freeman doesn't have the nervy, neurotic energy to be Dent. He was best when he was acting like Lee Evans at one point during the Vogon poetry reading. See, even Lee Evans would have been better, plus he's got the profile.
Don't mind a black Ford Prefect, but why does he have an American accent if he's from Guildford?
Spy Hard
A Leslie Nielson spoof that fell flat at the cinema as it came after Austin Powers. Some good stuff, but they have to chuck in spoofs of Speed and any old rubbish going, which dilutes the gag. Also spoofs In The Line of Fire to be on the safe side, like Bond isn't enough.
The credits by Weird Al were funny. But hey, it's Bill 'FYEO' Conti doing the soundtrack, making it sound like David Arnold! Why didn't he do that when he did his real Bond score?
OHMSS
Just the Christmassy scenes, like Bond's arrival at Lauterbrunnen, his meeting the girls, then forward to his ski nighttime exit from Piz Gloria. Excellent stuff and I agree that it would follow on very well from Thunderball and make more sense.
Very high production values, it really stands up very well on the big screen or plasma, unlike other older Bonds. Only occasionally I thought that Connery would have delivered the subtext of a line far better, he had that wryness down.
I stopped it before Tracy got shot so it had a happy ending!
Thought it would be fun on a rehash DVD to intercut footage of Bond in his helicopter going to the Alps with the pts with Blofeld, including Irma's line "Do you feel the airsickness?" Someone should do it.
Comments
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Apparently you've never watched the JLU cartoons.
That's CADMUS Director Amanda Waller.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Roger Moore 1927-2017
It's a fictional government entity in the DC Comics universe...
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Finally saw this.
A flat, uninspired and unsatisfying film. A superb line up of mainly British stars, none of whom are used to a fraction of their potential. Central character is weak, as is the actress who plays her. The plot itself takes too long to get going, and when it does - it's something of a let-down. The only person working on this film that earned their paycheck was Sam Elliott.
Nicole Kidman and our Daniel Craig, billed 1st and 2nd respectively - have but a handful of scenes between them. Fifth-billed Christopher Lee was completely wasted, having just ONE line in the whole film, and about 30 seconds of screen time.
The film as a whole isn't worth watching, in my opinion.
Still, I went home and put on "The Wild Bunch" - now that's a real film! William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Warren Oates and Ben Johnson absolutely kicking ass in their fifties. The final showdown is one of the bloodiest battles Ive ever seen in a Western. Pure entertainment.
Inane romantic drama from Richard Linklater. Ethan Hawke plays a pretentious American **** who meets a pretentious French bint, and spends a night in Vienna being pretentious. It could have been charming if they'd cast actors who were capable of charm, but these two are deeply unlikeable.
You'd get on a Concorde for her then, HB!
Roger Moore 1927-2017
She's American, as am I, and you can't fly those things over the continent! (Actually, isn't the Concorde mothballed, anyway?)
But to the subject: yesterday I watched Lindsay Anderson's O Lucky Man! from 1973. A real oddity: a three-hour absurdist black comedy interspersed with musical numbers from Alan Price. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes ghastly, sometimes makes you scratch your head and say, "What th' --?" In short, not for everyone, but great for anyone who wants a movie that's anything but run-of-the-mill.
BTW HB, did you spot the Bond link in OLM?
Roger Moore 1927-2017
An inspired choice casting George C. Scott as ol' Scrooge. His crustiness was well utilized, but he also brought so much much more to the role. That demeanor towards his father & ex-fiance, along with submerged pathos towards the downtrodden were played brilliantly.
Wonderful cast, including David Warner, Edward Woodward, Michael Gough, and Angela Pleasance.
Sure, the b&w classic won't be topped soon, but this was a special class of it's own.
Yesterday I received some free HD-DVD movies as part of a promotion for buying an HD-DVD player.
The first one I decided to pop in was Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, Iain Glen as the villanous Manfred Powell, and Daniel Craig as Lara's ex-flame Alex West. I'd never actually seen this movie from start to finish - only in pieces - so I was curious to give it a complete viewing.
Overall, a competent action film, especially considering that the source material is a videogame. The locales are suitably exotic, the action entertaining, and the sight of Ms. Jolie in all those tight-fitting outfits is definitely easy on the eyes. The film also stays very true to its videogame origins - right down to Lara's castle which is laid out exactly the same as in the games.
I was really impressed by Glen, who gives a smoothly evil performance as the heavy. I wouldn't mind seeing him in a Bond movie; heck, he might make a half-way decent Bond come to think of it.
Daniel Craig on the other hand is pretty forgettable as he has little to do other than stand around and, ultimately, be rescued by Lara. One scene in which he and Lara are arguing is also somewhat amusing as it plays out almost EXACTLY like the scene in Casino Royale where Vesper refuses to give Bond the extra money. Even Craig's inflection, and repetition of the same word over and over are the same.
Overall, nothing particularly memorable but still a good little entertaining two hour diversion.
Night of the Living Dead meets Far From Heaven, but not sadly as interesting as that sounds.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
JACOB'S LADDER
IMO, this is one of the few times that I've actually seen a horror movie that's articulate and creepy, at the same time, and its pulled off well.
This film set the standard for many scare flicks nowadays with the shaky ghost effect but none have come close to matching its mark. Even the videogame SILENT HILL has hacked many references from it.
This has an all-star cast, great plot and great cinematography. I don't want to spoil it for those who might take an interest in viewing it for a first time but it's safe to say that you'll enjoy it. Be warned that it does contain some very sick or disturbing scenes in it (especially the hospital part) so if you have a weak stomach, watch at your own peril.
This is one of Tim Robbins' best films outside of The Shawshank Redemption yet it doesn't get as much credit.
The only thing that I could compare this film to was Bierce's "An Occurance At Owl Creek Bridge". Of course I hadn't read that in years but it's grossly in the neighborhood of J.L.
Still I give it
*** 1/2 stars. B-)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
The plot, well, a few frosty cold ones and some other controlled substances might explain it better.
My favorite Tim Robbins flick is probably Bull Durham, although, Erik The Viking ranks right up there.
Well actually she's:
I'll admit the first time my ex-girlfriend and I went to see this in theatres way back when, perhaps the establishment should've supplied all viewers with peyote or something just to help us get where this was going
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Just got back from the midnight showing of this film. I was a big fan of the first film, and this is a worthy sequel.
When a missing page from the diary of John Wilkes Booth names a Gates family relative in connection with the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, Ben (Nick Cage) will stop at nothing to clear his great grandfather's name. To do so, he must solve a mystery which the Confederacy could not during the Civil War. Clues take him to London, Paris, and of course the United States.
The whole gang is back, however there is one new addition: Ben's mother, played by Helen Mirren. Ed Harris plays the bad guy, as only he can.
Loaded with action, adventure, and humor, you're sure to be entertained. And you'll probably learn something about history too!
Not as good as the original, but quite a noble effort.
Based on the film's ending, I have a feeling we're going to have a trilogy on our hands.
-Roger Moore
Finally saw this. It's a fine film about a young girl in fascist Spain, who dreams she is really the Princess of an underground realm. Sergio Lopez is terrifying as the girl's stepfather, a brutal army captain. However I think director Guilliamo Del Toro's last Spanish effort, The Devil's Backbone is a far better film. PL reminded me too much of The Spirit of the Beehive and it pales in comparison.
When I saw this advertised I was really looking forward to it and thought I'd really like it. I am a big fan of Sean William Scott. Especially in his comedy roles, like american pie. Stiffler being one of my all time favourite characters. Unfortunately this did not live upto expectations and although Isla Fisher put in a good peformance and Sean wasn't too bad. I just didn't laugh. Recent comedys just haven't done it for me. I'm not sure if this is because i'm getting older or there just not making them as well. I laughed more during Die Hard 4.0 and Transformers!
**
I think there should be a new Topic 'What would Hardyboy get on a Concorde for?' (- well we know it's not for Sweepy's cat !)
Early effort from the Italian horror maestro, Dario Argento, and one of his best. There is a knife-wielding maniac on the loose, but who is it?
Kudos to Disney for running a new Goofy cartoon prior to the feature attraction. The cartoon was very funny as it generated many loud laughs from the crowded theatre. Reminded of when I was a kid and a cartoon always preceded the feature attraction. Yes, I am that old.
...such a classic, Irvine Berlin gets his second round of mileage on the song White Christmas. My wife's favourite film for sure and we all, her parents and us, loved it. Merry Christmas to everyone!!!
The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy
Oh dear. Saw enough to know it wasn't gonna be funny. The director didn't have funny bones, nor did the cast. I remember the BBC TV series and read the book at the same time roughly, it got it exactly right. It's that English humour like Monty Python, Not the Nine O'Clock News or Spaced, in fact you could have Simon Pegg as Dent or Ford Prefect.
Or Jimmy Carr as Dent, you can imagine him in his dressing gown. Bill Bailey in there somewhere, too. Johnny Vegas as a Vogon. Russell Brand as the two-headed guy. (Did he have two heads in this one?)
This one was so rushed, you sat there thinking, they've missed out some of the best jokes here. And Martin Freeman doesn't have the nervy, neurotic energy to be Dent. He was best when he was acting like Lee Evans at one point during the Vogon poetry reading. See, even Lee Evans would have been better, plus he's got the profile.
Don't mind a black Ford Prefect, but why does he have an American accent if he's from Guildford?
Spy Hard
A Leslie Nielson spoof that fell flat at the cinema as it came after Austin Powers. Some good stuff, but they have to chuck in spoofs of Speed and any old rubbish going, which dilutes the gag. Also spoofs In The Line of Fire to be on the safe side, like Bond isn't enough.
The credits by Weird Al were funny. But hey, it's Bill 'FYEO' Conti doing the soundtrack, making it sound like David Arnold!
OHMSS
Just the Christmassy scenes, like Bond's arrival at Lauterbrunnen, his meeting the girls, then forward to his ski nighttime exit from Piz Gloria. Excellent stuff and I agree that it would follow on very well from Thunderball and make more sense.
Very high production values, it really stands up very well on the big screen or plasma, unlike other older Bonds. Only occasionally I thought that Connery would have delivered the subtext of a line far better, he had that wryness down.
I stopped it before Tracy got shot so it had a happy ending!
Thought it would be fun on a rehash DVD to intercut footage of Bond in his helicopter going to the Alps with the pts with Blofeld, including Irma's line "Do you feel the airsickness?" Someone should do it.
Roger Moore 1927-2017