Saw this with my brother today and we both enjoyed it a lot. As Marvel continues its march towards next year's Avengers movie, I was curious to see how director Kenneth Branagh would shoehorn the more magical and mystical God of Thunder into the larger Marvel cinematic universe and I really liked his approach. He took a line from Arthur C. Clarke ("Any advanced society would be indistinguishable from magic") and used it as the basis for fitting Thor into the real world.
Like Loeffs I was not a diehard follower of the comic but I was able to spot plenty of references to the Thor mythos and other corners of the Marvel universe, the excursions to Jotunheim probably being the highlight of the film. The film juggles two distinct styles, the Shakespearean drama of Asgard with a more earthbound southwestern melodrama, but it all comes together quite well. The plot is a bit headier than your typical summer comic book fare and delves into some classic dramatic archetypes.
The cast is quite solid with all the leads bringing a measure of charisma and believability to their respective parts. Chris Hemsworth is pretty much perfect as Thor, nicely evolving the character from a powerful but arrogant warrior to a man who learns humility and selflessness. Tom Hiddleston's Loki is one of the more interesting villains to come along and Idris Elba's Heimdall pretty much steals every scene he's in. Natalie Portman's Jane Foster probably comes across as the weakest and least interesting character, relatively speaking.
The action can be hard to follow at times as the cuts are too fast and the camera too close (shades of QoS!) and visually the film is a tad inconsistent as some of the effects have a softness to them. The 3D is hit or miss. There are scenes that show nice depth and even some pop out of the screen but for the most part it really doesn't add much to the presentation and it really looks like the film was shot in 2D with not much consideration given to the 3D post-conversion.
Still, overall it gets a thumbs up and I'll definitely add it to my collection when its released on home video.
The Green Hornet
I was planning on seeing this at the movies last January but an unexpected trip to the hospital derailed those plans and I was not able to see it until its home video release last week. The movie turns the masked vigilante into an action comedy vehicle (much to the horror of diehard fans of the character) but the end result ends up being a lot of fun.
Seth Rogen is Britt Reid, slacker son to a publishing magnate. When his disapproving father suddenly dies Britt inherits the newspaper and his life quickly changes in ways he could not imagine. Upon meeting Kato (Jay Chou), his father's mechanic and coffee-maker, the two quickly bond and, after an adventurous night of improvised crimefighting, they decide to become vigilantes. Christoph Walz plays Chudnofsky, the city's crime boss who is suffering from something of an identity crisis. Running a criminal empire is hard enough and having to deal with a pair of pests like the Hornet and Kato is starting to stress him out. Using his paper to further his cause and new secretary Lenore (Cameron Diaz) as the unsuspecting mastermind Britt and Kato fight crime by posing as criminals to get closer to the real crooks. Problem is that Britt is pretty much an incompetent goofball and would be lost without Kato, a fact that he cannot accept. Will Britt's ego kill the team or will they be able to put their differences aside and clean up the city?
While the movie pretty much throws the classic Hornet mythos on their ear, taken on its own merits it is a funny and fun movie with some good laughs, cool gadgets and well staged action sequences. The Black Beauty is quite the creation and would probably make James Bond green with envy.
Green Hornet's 3D was created in post-production and, much like Thor, is a bit hit or miss. Again, the film clearly wasn't shot with 3D in mind and while there is an added sense of depth it really doesn't add much to the experience. Ironically, some of the best 3D actually occurs during the innovative closing credits (as is the case with Thor, oddly enough).
I've never been much of a Seth Rogen fan but I like what he did with the material. While I found myself wishing he wasn't such a complete tool all the time, the movie was fun and held my attention. I've already watched it twice and can see myself revisiting it again multiple times. Definitely worth a look if you're looking for some laughs mixed in with your action.
Movie was savaged by the critics and even director Michael Bey admitted the film wasn’t very good, yet I found areas I liked. The plot involves the bad transformers, Decepticans, resurrecting their fallen leader Megatron and seeking revenge against the Autobots and the human race. Throw in Shia LeBeouf going off to college, goofy parents, crazed college roommate and love troubles between LeBeouf and Megan Fox all blended into one movie and you right away can understand part of the films problem. Too many storylines, some of which go nowhere. When the drama starts to build, LeBeouf’s parents show up to mix in some comedy relief, which isn’t needed.
The action at times is quite good and I enjoyed those scenes, at other times when various anonymous Transformers are fighting, the action is just mayhem, as the transformers are unidentifiable and I had no idea who was fighting, or who to root for. Megan Fox, for what she was given to do, was very good and LeBeouf, who I am not a fan of, gives his all in a role that has him playing younger than he is.
I can’t recommend this film, but I can make some recommendations for the next one, which is out this summer. Lose the parents, they are no longer funny, just annoying. Cut back on the action and give the various transformers more personality, so we know who is fighting who. Make everyone a little smarter, too many idiots in a film reduces any tension that may raised. Megan Fox will not be back for the next one, I would have kept her.
The Dilemma
Ron Howard directed comedy, starring Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly and Winona Ryder. Simple plot, Vince Vaughn sees his best friend and business partner’s wife (Ryder) out, fooling around with someone else. Add in that Vaughn and James are days away from a big business presentation that could make or break them, Vaughn must decide if he should tell his friend and/or how should he tell him. The film does have some laughs, as Vaughn attempts to verify and gain proof that Ryder is fooling around, he meets with some unfortunate accidents. Vaughn and James make an interesting visual team, one very tall, one much smaller and more rotund, and they do have their comedic moments, but many of the scenes fall flat. The plot has some twists and turns, and the climactic scene where Vaughn breaks the news to James is pretty funny. Vaughn is good, over acting only a few times, James is actually relatively reserved in this film and Ryder plays the bad wife role well. Connelly is given little to do and I cannot understand why an actress of her caliber keeps appearing in ensemble roles where she is given little to do.
Checked out Thor over the weekend (in glorious 2D) and enjoyed it quite a bit. It was one of those films that had the potential of being incredibly bad due to the rather difficult subject matter (Norse God learns humility and sense of duty in modern day New Mexico?) and a director who's somewhat of a newcomer to the action genre.
Surprisingly, the film struck a perfect balance between the epic good/evil comic book concepts and the wry humor from the sheer absurdity of it all, not to mention the eye-catching Asgard sets and the barren New Mexico settings.
I can see how 'non-Marvel' followers simply wouldn't 'get it' but for comic book fan-boys (and girls), Thor is a perfectly acceptable entry in Marvel's lead up to the upcoming 2012 Avengers event. In that regard, I have to give Branagh credit for not trying to elevate the film into more than what it really is. It seems that Branagh took the back seat and said 'this is just a way of introducing a character who plays a much more important role in some other guy's movie later on.'
Still not crazy about some of the details of Thor's costume (show a bit of chest hair and he might be worthy of a KISS tribute band) and would have liked to have seen a bit more of a lightning-spewing Mjolnir in action...but oh well.
I still can't wrap my head around the challenges facing the upcoming Avengers movie....seems like Marvel is leaving themselves a lot of loose-ends to tie together before launching an ensemble film.
Sylvia, with Gwyneth Paltrow as Sylvia Plath and a pre-Bond Daniel Craig as Ted Hughes. A good movie, but not a likeable one. If you know anything about Plath's life, it doesn't have a happy ending; and this movie is heavy going from start to finish. I couldn't help but think there could be a countdown clock to the moment when she turns on the oven. That said, the acting is very good and the movie is well made. It's the subject matter that's difficult. . .
. . .And I sneaked away for a matinee showing of Thor. Like many have said, it's basically two movies, and I reacted differently to both. The Asgard stuff was so cheesy I think my cholesterol levels spiked; but the earthbound story was funny, interesting, and even a little romantic. Overall, I thought the narrative drive--"Thor learns humility"--was just a bit too pat; and I had the same problem I always do with Kenneth Branagh movies: I wanted to scream at him, "Keep the camera STILL for two damn seconds, will you?!" And is Marvel now stealing from the Bond films? Behold the film credits end with: "THOR WILL RETURN IN THE AVENGERS." All in all, not great, but not a bad way to kill an afternoon.
Last film I watched was, embarassingly enough Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion. (the gf, honest!)
It actually wasn't that bad, a nice bit of fluff. Bright colours. etc. the time did drag a bit though. rather predictable plot.
Did make me think a little bit about my own schooldays so that was a nice, and yet largely unwelcome, trip down memory lane.
Sam Peckinpah directed war film from 1977, told from the German side in their battle with the Russians. James Coburn is Sergeant Steiner, an excellent solder and leader, who also has no use for authority. Desperately trying to hold their line in what they know is a lost war, the Germans get a new commander, Captain Stransky, played by Maximillion Schell. Stransky comes from an aristocratic family and he wants to bring glory to his family name. After a brutal and bloody attack by the Russians is repelled, Captain Stansky puts himself in for the Iron Cross, falsely stating he lead the assault that repulsed the attack. When Sergeant Steiner refuses to collaborate Stransky's report, a battle of wills ensues.
Peckinpah does an excellent job of capturing the brutality and hopelessness of war, the battles scenes are bloody, desperate men fighting not for their country or glory, but to stay alive. The men are dirty, their teeth are dirty and the killing is dirty. The genius of Peckinpah is that he captures the horror of war, yet makes the violence ballet like at the same time.
The cast is outstanding, Coburn's best work might be in this film, Schell plays the aristocratic Stransky perfectly and James Mason is excellent as Colonel Brandt faithfully doing his duty while knowing the war is lost.
Its not everyday that you can see a post-apocalyptic sci-fi vampire western. In 3D. But that's precisely what you get here.
In the distant future mankind has waged a war with vampires and in order to survive it has sealed itself inside giant cities and raised an army of warrior monks to defend itself. After fighting back the bloodsucking horde, the church-run government disbands the priests and tries to maintain order by reassuring an unsuspecting populace that there are no more vampires. Of course, we know better. Paul Bettany plays the titular character, a warrior monk who renews his fight when his brother's family is murdered by vampires and their daughter kidnapped. Karl Urban plays Black Hat, the lead vampire who plans to take his undead horde on a train ride right into the center of all that's left of civilization.
In terms of 3D, Priest is another post-conversion, a film initially shot in 2D and later converted to 3D. The results here are actually pretty good. While there aren't many gimmicky scenes of stuff flying towards you, there is a nice sense of depth thru most of its running time punctuated by a few really striking images of shattered cities and desert landscapes.
Loosely based on a Korean comic book, Priest is an unassuming but still entertaining movie. It works within the limits of its budget and delivers 90 minutes of action with a few interludes to give us just enough background info on the main characters to flesh then out and help us care for them. The movie has some nicely staged action sequences and a few pretty striking vistas out in the wastes of this future Earth. My brother and I were surprised at how much we liked the film and will definitely be adding it to our 3D collection when it is released on home video.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,769Chief of Staff
Its not everyday that you can see a post-apocalyptic sci-fi vampire western. In 3D. But that's precisely what you get here.
In the distant future mankind has waged a war with vampires and in order to survive it has sealed itself inside giant cities and raised an army of warrior monks to defend itself. After fighting back the bloodsucking horde, the church-run government disbands the priests and tries to maintain order by reassuring an unsuspecting populace that there are no more vampires. Of course, we know better. Paul Bettany plays the titular character, a warrior monk who renews his fight when his brother's family is murdered by vampires and their daughter kidnapped. Karl Urban plays Black Hat, the lead vampire who plans to take his undead horde on a train ride right into the center of all that's left of civilization.
In terms of 3D, Priest is another post-conversion, a film initially shot in 2D and later converted to 3D. The results here are actually pretty good. While there aren't many gimmicky scenes of stuff flying towards you, there is a nice sense of depth thru most of its running time punctuated by a few really striking images of shattered cities and desert landscapes.
Loosely based on a Korean comic book, Priest is an unassuming but still entertaining movie. It works within the limits of its budget and delivers 90 minutes of action with a few interludes to give us just enough background info on the main characters to flesh then out and help us care for them. The movie has some nicely staged action sequences and a few pretty striking vistas out in the wastes of this future Earth. My brother and I were surprised at how much we liked the film and will definitely be adding it to our 3D collection when it is released on home video.
It's interesting to read a positive review of this film....practically every review this side has called the film the worst in cinema history !! I believe Mr Travolta has even rececived a few 'sorry' cards from reviewers for his film Battlefield Earth !
I liked the premise for this film but the sheer weight of very negative reviews has put me off going to see this at the cinema.
It's interesting to read a positive review of this film....practically every review this side has called the film the worst in cinema history !! I believe Mr Travolta has even rececived a few 'sorry' cards from reviewers for his film Battlefield Earth !
I liked the premise for this film but the sheer weight of very negative reviews has put me off going to see this at the cinema.
Everyone has different tastes and one person's masterpiece is another's garbage, but in my experience people enjoy jumping on the proverbial bandwagon and some movies get trashed simply because it seems hip to do so. Waterworld is a great example of a movie that really isn't all that bad when you actually sit down to watch it and it even made its money back. Yet it continues to be called a failure because of its troubled production and because, quite frankly, everybody was hoping it would be a turkey. But it you ask people what it is they didn't like about it, most that trash it will confess to never even having seen it. Personally, I like to form my own opinions.
A trainwreck like Battlefield Earth, with its astronomical budget and big-name cast, deserves every scathing review it gets. Priest is a far more modest film that never tries to pretend to be something it isn't. It didn't have the big budget or big names and wasn't adapted from the works of a world-famous author and it doesn't try to hammer you over the head with some pretentious message.
I don't know what peoples' expectations are with films like this because if you're paying attention even a little bit, you pretty much should know what you're getting long before you even get to the movie theater. The trailers and teasers are a good indication of what the film is like. Now I've never read the comic on which this is based but on its own merits and given my tastes, I found it far more entertaining than a lot of big-budget, star-studded, auter-directed films I've seen. Just my two cents.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,769Chief of Staff
It's interesting to read a positive review of this film....practically every review this side has called the film the worst in cinema history !! I believe Mr Travolta has even rececived a few 'sorry' cards from reviewers for his film Battlefield Earth !
I liked the premise for this film but the sheer weight of very negative reviews has put me off going to see this at the cinema.
Everyone has different tastes and one person's masterpiece is another's garbage, but in my experience people enjoy jumping on the proverbial bandwagon and some movies get trashed simply because it seems hip to do so. Waterworld is a great example of a movie that really isn't all that bad when you actually sit down to watch it and it even made its money back. Yet it continues to be called a failure because of its troubled production and because, quite frankly, everybody was hoping it would be a turkey. But it you ask people what it is they didn't like about it, most that trash it will confess to never even having seen it. Personally, I like to form my own opinions.
A trainwreck like Battlefield Earth, with its astronomical budget and big-name cast, deserves every scathing review it gets. Priest is a far more modest film that never tries to pretend to be something it isn't. It didn't have the big budget or big names and wasn't adapted from the works of a world-famous author and it doesn't try to hammer you over the head with some pretentious message.
I don't know what peoples' expectations are with films like this because if you're paying attention even a little bit, you pretty much should know what you're getting long before you even get to the movie theater. The trailers and teasers are a good indication of what the film is like. Now I've never read the comic on which this is based but on its own merits and given my tastes, I found it far more entertaining than a lot of big-budget, star-studded, auter-directed films I've seen. Just my two cents.
I agree that you should form your own opinions....but if a film fails to garner one good review...well, I guess I don't want to risk £10 just in case it's not THAT bad ) The only problem with relying on trailers is that I've not seen many bad trailers
I haven't seen either Battlefield Earth or Waterworld....not sure what that says about me not listening to the crowd ?
Thor - I enjoyed this more than I expected, unpretentious fun, but not exactly film of the decade and a bit better than Iron Man 2. Chris Hensworth (Kirk's dad) makes a convincing Thor, I prefer Kat Dennings to Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard and Clark Gregg do fine in their generic supporting roles, Tom Hiddleston as Loki is great as a deeply snide and cunning but not pointlessly evil main antagonist, and Anthony Hopkins puts in his best performance in over a decade as Odin. The effects and action are spectacular, however the art direction/design is a bit overdone in places and SHIELD are a bit too much like Starfleet redshirts. 8/10
Mars Attacks! - This was from back in the 90s when Tim Burton was a less tired, more consistant director. Maybe too silly for older teens and adults, too grisly for younger kids, Mars Attacks! is a bit misjudged and hit 'n miss, but you could tell the cast and crew had a lot of fun making it. The Martian invaders themselves are rendered in mid to late 1990s CGI that is now starting to age, but they're still infused with a lot of personality and watching them destroy everything with malicious glee doesn't get old. The cast is very broad, with a celebrity cameo by Tom Jones, Jack Black as a hapless redneck grunt that gets killed within the first half hour, a very young Natalie Portman as the President's daughter, Pierce Brosnan as a naive boffin and Jack Nicholson playing two roles (the slick but still in over his head POTUS and a tasteless casino owner), with the movie almost stolen by the late Rod Steiger as a barking mad, hyper aggressive US Army general. 7/10
The Spy Who Loved Me - Daft Moore adventure that's a live action comic book, with villains, henchmen and lairs straight out of GI Joe. 8/10
'Alright guard, begin the unnecessarily slow moving dipping mechanism...'
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Tec. I think I got that right.
This is a Luc Besson movie set in Belle Epoque Paris, that's 1900-WW1 era. Dubbed a sort of female Indiana Jones. I loved it. Not least because I fancy the actress who plays Adele, the intrepid archeologist, v rare for me to feel viscerally attracted to leading ladies these days, largely they seem so American and washed out. If this were a US blockbuster they'd cast Jennifer, or Gwyneth, or Nicole, three actresses who really do nothing for me.
The humour is a bit broad and puts you in mind of silly Richard Lester or Blake Edwards films of the 1960s, but not quite on the mark, the comical side characters are rather OTT, almost bordering on Dick Tracy territory. But Paris looks great and lovely and the lead actress carries it off brilliantly, we even get to see her tits in a bath scene, it's all very chic and ooh la la without getting on your own tits.
Parts of it I found surprisingly moving and there's a sense that you don't know where it's going to go. The music is lovely too; I thought the guy should be snapped up to do a Bond flick. Then the name came up on the end credits: Eric Serra. Oh well.
QoS villain Mathiew Almeric is in it and unrecognisable, whoever he played he did a good job.
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Tec. I think I got that right.
This is a Luc Besson movie set in Belle Epoque Paris, that's 1900-WW1 era. Dubbed a sort of female Indiana Jones. I loved it. Not least because I fancy the actress who plays Adele, the intrepid archeologist, v rare for me to feel viscerally attracted to leading ladies these days, largely they seem so American and washed out. If this were a US blockbuster they'd cast Jennifer, or Gwyneth, or Nicole, three actresses who really do nothing for me.
Parts of it I found surprisingly moving and there's a sense that you don't know where it's going to go. The music is lovely too; I thought the guy should be snapped up to do a Bond flick. Then the name came up on the end credits: Eric Serra. Oh well.
QoS villain Mathiew Almeric is in it and unrecognisable, whoever he played he did a good job.
A trainwreck like Battlefield Earth, with its astronomical budget and big-name cast, deserves every scathing review it gets. Priest is a far more modest film that never tries to pretend to be something it isn't. It didn't have the big budget or big names and wasn't adapted from the works of a world-famous author and it doesn't try to hammer you over the head with some pretentious message.
Oh my God, this was an awful movie.... one of the only movies me and my then husband actually walked out of 15 mins into it.... and I can't remember the movie I wanted to see.... but resigned to watch that trash..... 8-) )
Waterworld is one movie on my list to see.... I remember it's really bad reviews, BUT there is something about it that has made me keep it on my list.... your view might have just swayed to watch it sooner, rather than later!! )
She's worth whatever chaos she brings to the table and you know it. ~ Mark Anthony
Sylvia, with Gwyneth Paltrow as Sylvia Plath and a pre-Bond Daniel Craig as Ted Hughes. A good movie, but not a likeable one. If you know anything about Plath's life, it doesn't have a happy ending; and this movie is heavy going from start to finish. I couldn't help but think there could be a countdown clock to the moment when she turns on the oven. That said, the acting is very good and the movie is well made. It's the subject matter that's difficult. . .
I totally agree with you on this.... great movie (if you can call it that....) - it's a bit like Shindler's list - fantastic moive, just really difficult subject.
I didn't know about Sylvia Plaths life.... and to be honest, I only saw it because DC was in it.... but it has made me read both Hughes and Plath's poetry - and for that, I am thankful! -{
She's worth whatever chaos she brings to the table and you know it. ~ Mark Anthony
Waterworld is one movie on my list to see.... I remember it's really bad reviews, BUT there is something about it that has made me keep it on my list.... your view might have just swayed to watch it sooner, rather than later!! )
As I said before Lexi, one man's treasure is another's garbage and I'll admit to not always having the most conventional tastes. If you do decide to watch Waterworld, you may want to try to find the extended version which adds some material that really fleshes out the story and adds an interesting and pretty unique twist to the ending which is not in the original theatrical cut.
Waterworld is one movie on my list to see.... I remember it's really bad reviews, BUT there is something about it that has made me keep it on my list.... your view might have just swayed to watch it sooner, rather than later!! )
As I said before Lexi, one man's treasure is another's garbage and I'll admit to not always having the most conventional tastes. If you do decide to watch Waterworld, you may want to try to find the extended version which adds some material that really fleshes out the story and adds an interesting and pretty unique twist to the ending which is not in the original theatrical cut.
Didn't know there was an extended version...I'll have to check it out. Waterworld wasn't nearly as bad as people wanted it to be, although sometimes I thought Dennis Hopper's villain was a bit OTT. At times the film was very good at suspending your disbelief and placing you in the somewhat surreal environment, and at other times it dipped into "B" movie theatrics with little ski-doos exploding like tanker trucks, but hey...it was fun.
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
Very fine sci-fi thriller from Duncan Jones, who as you may know, did Moon and is the son of 60s singer Peter Jones, who sung with the Moody Blues but hasn't done much of late.
Anyway, the premise of this is more along the lines of Inception, in terms of mind games rather than space heroics. An Afghan soldier finds he's being transferred into the mind of someone on a train that earlier that day was subject to a massive terrorist bomb. His assignment, he finds, is to find out who planted the bomb and where to forestall future attacks. But he can only do that in eight minute intervals before the bomb goes off, so it's a bit Groundhog Day.
A lot comes down to the cast ie Jake Gywallahall (sp?), Michelle Monaghan (sp), a newcomer of Moneypenny bent and Bond's very own Jeffery Wright who seems to have aged and put on weight, he won't be with Bond in the field next time if this is anything to go by.
Some snags for instance
what are the chances the bomber will be of Middle Eastern appearance, or will he be the smug plump faced American who does it, as with Twelve Monkeys. Also, one actual suspect looks like the character Jake has been transported into, which is confusing. I thought it might turn out that Jake's passenger is the bomber.
I suppose it's as well they had Michelle Mogadon as the not great looking woman passenger; otherwise our soldier would spend the eight minutes each time banging her in the train restroom rather than investigating said terrorist attack. "Hey dude, I mean they die anyway!" That said, I didn't pick up on the fact they weren't dating during the incident.
The ending is a choker, but then there's another ending tagged on which I didn't care for so much.
Anyway, highly recommended, the music is very Jerry Goldsmith in Total Recall, it has that urgent vibe, Chris Bacon his name is I think. He might be an alternative to Arnold, though I'm not totally sold on it.
Visually the film seems to be shot through with wonderful sky blue hi-definition, it's a very vivid film indeed and very gripping.
Saw Source Code today myself. Was kind of disappointed. Very simple plot with lots of loop holes. I guess I wasn't expecting much with it's 93 minute run time, but it could of been it little more complicated in the writing. I agree with Nap on his review. Might be fun for the first time seeing it, but don't make a mad dash to the theater or put it on top of your list for Netflix. It's only good for a one time viewing.
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
Eh? What do you mean you agree with my review? I loved it and you didn't much care for it!
I guess I missed the part where you said you liked it. I see it now though. I still stand by my review. See it once, but not worth another viewing after. Especially the ending
the end counter-dicts the explanation of what the Source Code is
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
I watched Ghostwriter on DVD last night; stars Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan. Very good Roman Polanski film and worth a look.
Regards,
Wilde. -{
I enjoyed Ghostwriter very much too....I'm not sure it would stand up to repeat viewings mind....but definately worth a watch...
YNWA 97
Mr MartiniThat nice house in the sky.Posts: 2,707MI6 Agent
Thor
Had no idea the backstory of Thor going into this. The only time I ever heard Thor mentioned was in the movie Adventures in Babysitting. I didn't even think it was a real comic book. Anywho....glad I went to see this. Good way to spend two hours. I notice S.H.I.E.L.D. had a big part in this movie. I'm guessing that's for the build-up to the Avengers movie coming out in 2012. I'm also guessing the short clip after the credits roll is a set-up for the Avengers movie
I'm guessing Loki
will be the villain.
Some people would complain even if you hang them with a new rope
This is the fourth film in the Pirates franchise, this time without Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightly, and with Gary Marshall taking over the directing helm. The film is darker than the preceding films, many of the scenes shot at night, in dark bowels of a ship, or in caves. The film is also more grounded, with most of the action limited to sword fights or inventive escapes leaping from one treacherous situation to the next. The film is also not as funny as the preceding films, as a couple of the pirate crew characters that provided laughs in the previous movies are gone. The film has almost no actual pirating at all, which is one the film’s problem.
The story involves the race to find the Fountain of Youth, Spain, England and the Pirate Blackbeard are all racing for various reasons to find the fountain. Johnny Depp's character Captain Jack Sparrow has been forced to join Blackbeard, played well by Ian McShane, and Blackbeard's daughter, Penelope Cruz, as Sparrow knows the route to the fountain. Rather than lots of sailing and ships battling in the deep waters, we get a lot of walking through tropical forests, interrupted every few minutes by a confrontation between one character, or another. The film also throws in a lame love story between a captured mermaid and a missionary, which I would have left on the cutting room floor.
Although I enjoyed moments of the film and was happy the CGI was cut way back, I was disappointed in the story. Searching for the Fountain of Youth just wasn’t very compelling and with less pirating adventures, the film seemed more like the Perils of Captain Jack Sparrow and less the Pirates of the Caribbean.
I've just watched two brilliant genre films from France. La Bandera (1935), a Foreign Legion melodrama in which a man's past overtakes the present no matter how far he runs, and Pepe Le Moko (France, 1937), a film noir Ian Fleming would have appreciated, both directed by Julien Duvivier.
Richard
The top 7 Bond films: 1) Dr No. 2) From Russia With Love. 3) Thunderball. 4) On Her Majesty's Secret Service. 5) For Your Eyes Only. 6) The Living Daylights. 7) Licence to Kill.
Comments
Saw this with my brother today and we both enjoyed it a lot. As Marvel continues its march towards next year's Avengers movie, I was curious to see how director Kenneth Branagh would shoehorn the more magical and mystical God of Thunder into the larger Marvel cinematic universe and I really liked his approach. He took a line from Arthur C. Clarke ("Any advanced society would be indistinguishable from magic") and used it as the basis for fitting Thor into the real world.
Like Loeffs I was not a diehard follower of the comic but I was able to spot plenty of references to the Thor mythos and other corners of the Marvel universe, the excursions to Jotunheim probably being the highlight of the film. The film juggles two distinct styles, the Shakespearean drama of Asgard with a more earthbound southwestern melodrama, but it all comes together quite well. The plot is a bit headier than your typical summer comic book fare and delves into some classic dramatic archetypes.
The cast is quite solid with all the leads bringing a measure of charisma and believability to their respective parts. Chris Hemsworth is pretty much perfect as Thor, nicely evolving the character from a powerful but arrogant warrior to a man who learns humility and selflessness. Tom Hiddleston's Loki is one of the more interesting villains to come along and Idris Elba's Heimdall pretty much steals every scene he's in. Natalie Portman's Jane Foster probably comes across as the weakest and least interesting character, relatively speaking.
The action can be hard to follow at times as the cuts are too fast and the camera too close (shades of QoS!) and visually the film is a tad inconsistent as some of the effects have a softness to them. The 3D is hit or miss. There are scenes that show nice depth and even some pop out of the screen but for the most part it really doesn't add much to the presentation and it really looks like the film was shot in 2D with not much consideration given to the 3D post-conversion.
Still, overall it gets a thumbs up and I'll definitely add it to my collection when its released on home video.
The Green Hornet
I was planning on seeing this at the movies last January but an unexpected trip to the hospital derailed those plans and I was not able to see it until its home video release last week. The movie turns the masked vigilante into an action comedy vehicle (much to the horror of diehard fans of the character) but the end result ends up being a lot of fun.
Seth Rogen is Britt Reid, slacker son to a publishing magnate. When his disapproving father suddenly dies Britt inherits the newspaper and his life quickly changes in ways he could not imagine. Upon meeting Kato (Jay Chou), his father's mechanic and coffee-maker, the two quickly bond and, after an adventurous night of improvised crimefighting, they decide to become vigilantes. Christoph Walz plays Chudnofsky, the city's crime boss who is suffering from something of an identity crisis. Running a criminal empire is hard enough and having to deal with a pair of pests like the Hornet and Kato is starting to stress him out. Using his paper to further his cause and new secretary Lenore (Cameron Diaz) as the unsuspecting mastermind Britt and Kato fight crime by posing as criminals to get closer to the real crooks. Problem is that Britt is pretty much an incompetent goofball and would be lost without Kato, a fact that he cannot accept. Will Britt's ego kill the team or will they be able to put their differences aside and clean up the city?
While the movie pretty much throws the classic Hornet mythos on their ear, taken on its own merits it is a funny and fun movie with some good laughs, cool gadgets and well staged action sequences. The Black Beauty is quite the creation and would probably make James Bond green with envy.
Green Hornet's 3D was created in post-production and, much like Thor, is a bit hit or miss. Again, the film clearly wasn't shot with 3D in mind and while there is an added sense of depth it really doesn't add much to the experience. Ironically, some of the best 3D actually occurs during the innovative closing credits (as is the case with Thor, oddly enough).
I've never been much of a Seth Rogen fan but I like what he did with the material. While I found myself wishing he wasn't such a complete tool all the time, the movie was fun and held my attention. I've already watched it twice and can see myself revisiting it again multiple times. Definitely worth a look if you're looking for some laughs mixed in with your action.
I'm not the usual type of person that would go to that, but it's a good movie, you'll enjoy it.
Transformers Revenge of the Fallen –
Movie was savaged by the critics and even director Michael Bey admitted the film wasn’t very good, yet I found areas I liked. The plot involves the bad transformers, Decepticans, resurrecting their fallen leader Megatron and seeking revenge against the Autobots and the human race. Throw in Shia LeBeouf going off to college, goofy parents, crazed college roommate and love troubles between LeBeouf and Megan Fox all blended into one movie and you right away can understand part of the films problem. Too many storylines, some of which go nowhere. When the drama starts to build, LeBeouf’s parents show up to mix in some comedy relief, which isn’t needed.
The action at times is quite good and I enjoyed those scenes, at other times when various anonymous Transformers are fighting, the action is just mayhem, as the transformers are unidentifiable and I had no idea who was fighting, or who to root for. Megan Fox, for what she was given to do, was very good and LeBeouf, who I am not a fan of, gives his all in a role that has him playing younger than he is.
I can’t recommend this film, but I can make some recommendations for the next one, which is out this summer. Lose the parents, they are no longer funny, just annoying. Cut back on the action and give the various transformers more personality, so we know who is fighting who. Make everyone a little smarter, too many idiots in a film reduces any tension that may raised. Megan Fox will not be back for the next one, I would have kept her.
The Dilemma
Ron Howard directed comedy, starring Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Jennifer Connelly and Winona Ryder. Simple plot, Vince Vaughn sees his best friend and business partner’s wife (Ryder) out, fooling around with someone else. Add in that Vaughn and James are days away from a big business presentation that could make or break them, Vaughn must decide if he should tell his friend and/or how should he tell him. The film does have some laughs, as Vaughn attempts to verify and gain proof that Ryder is fooling around, he meets with some unfortunate accidents. Vaughn and James make an interesting visual team, one very tall, one much smaller and more rotund, and they do have their comedic moments, but many of the scenes fall flat. The plot has some twists and turns, and the climactic scene where Vaughn breaks the news to James is pretty funny. Vaughn is good, over acting only a few times, James is actually relatively reserved in this film and Ryder plays the bad wife role well. Connelly is given little to do and I cannot understand why an actress of her caliber keeps appearing in ensemble roles where she is given little to do.
Worth a DVD rental.
Surprisingly, the film struck a perfect balance between the epic good/evil comic book concepts and the wry humor from the sheer absurdity of it all, not to mention the eye-catching Asgard sets and the barren New Mexico settings.
I can see how 'non-Marvel' followers simply wouldn't 'get it' but for comic book fan-boys (and girls), Thor is a perfectly acceptable entry in Marvel's lead up to the upcoming 2012 Avengers event. In that regard, I have to give Branagh credit for not trying to elevate the film into more than what it really is. It seems that Branagh took the back seat and said 'this is just a way of introducing a character who plays a much more important role in some other guy's movie later on.'
Still not crazy about some of the details of Thor's costume (show a bit of chest hair and he might be worthy of a KISS tribute band) and would have liked to have seen a bit more of a lightning-spewing Mjolnir in action...but oh well.
I still can't wrap my head around the challenges facing the upcoming Avengers movie....seems like Marvel is leaving themselves a lot of loose-ends to tie together before launching an ensemble film.
It actually wasn't that bad, a nice bit of fluff. Bright colours. etc. the time did drag a bit though. rather predictable plot.
Did make me think a little bit about my own schooldays so that was a nice, and yet largely unwelcome, trip down memory lane.
Sam Peckinpah directed war film from 1977, told from the German side in their battle with the Russians. James Coburn is Sergeant Steiner, an excellent solder and leader, who also has no use for authority. Desperately trying to hold their line in what they know is a lost war, the Germans get a new commander, Captain Stransky, played by Maximillion Schell. Stransky comes from an aristocratic family and he wants to bring glory to his family name. After a brutal and bloody attack by the Russians is repelled, Captain Stansky puts himself in for the Iron Cross, falsely stating he lead the assault that repulsed the attack. When Sergeant Steiner refuses to collaborate Stransky's report, a battle of wills ensues.
Peckinpah does an excellent job of capturing the brutality and hopelessness of war, the battles scenes are bloody, desperate men fighting not for their country or glory, but to stay alive. The men are dirty, their teeth are dirty and the killing is dirty. The genius of Peckinpah is that he captures the horror of war, yet makes the violence ballet like at the same time.
The cast is outstanding, Coburn's best work might be in this film, Schell plays the aristocratic Stransky perfectly and James Mason is excellent as Colonel Brandt faithfully doing his duty while knowing the war is lost.
This is an excellent film, highly recommend
Its not everyday that you can see a post-apocalyptic sci-fi vampire western. In 3D. But that's precisely what you get here.
In the distant future mankind has waged a war with vampires and in order to survive it has sealed itself inside giant cities and raised an army of warrior monks to defend itself. After fighting back the bloodsucking horde, the church-run government disbands the priests and tries to maintain order by reassuring an unsuspecting populace that there are no more vampires. Of course, we know better. Paul Bettany plays the titular character, a warrior monk who renews his fight when his brother's family is murdered by vampires and their daughter kidnapped. Karl Urban plays Black Hat, the lead vampire who plans to take his undead horde on a train ride right into the center of all that's left of civilization.
In terms of 3D, Priest is another post-conversion, a film initially shot in 2D and later converted to 3D. The results here are actually pretty good. While there aren't many gimmicky scenes of stuff flying towards you, there is a nice sense of depth thru most of its running time punctuated by a few really striking images of shattered cities and desert landscapes.
Loosely based on a Korean comic book, Priest is an unassuming but still entertaining movie. It works within the limits of its budget and delivers 90 minutes of action with a few interludes to give us just enough background info on the main characters to flesh then out and help us care for them. The movie has some nicely staged action sequences and a few pretty striking vistas out in the wastes of this future Earth. My brother and I were surprised at how much we liked the film and will definitely be adding it to our 3D collection when it is released on home video.
It's interesting to read a positive review of this film....practically every review this side has called the film the worst in cinema history !! I believe Mr Travolta has even rececived a few 'sorry' cards from reviewers for his film Battlefield Earth !
I liked the premise for this film but the sheer weight of very negative reviews has put me off going to see this at the cinema.
Everyone has different tastes and one person's masterpiece is another's garbage, but in my experience people enjoy jumping on the proverbial bandwagon and some movies get trashed simply because it seems hip to do so. Waterworld is a great example of a movie that really isn't all that bad when you actually sit down to watch it and it even made its money back. Yet it continues to be called a failure because of its troubled production and because, quite frankly, everybody was hoping it would be a turkey. But it you ask people what it is they didn't like about it, most that trash it will confess to never even having seen it. Personally, I like to form my own opinions.
A trainwreck like Battlefield Earth, with its astronomical budget and big-name cast, deserves every scathing review it gets. Priest is a far more modest film that never tries to pretend to be something it isn't. It didn't have the big budget or big names and wasn't adapted from the works of a world-famous author and it doesn't try to hammer you over the head with some pretentious message.
I don't know what peoples' expectations are with films like this because if you're paying attention even a little bit, you pretty much should know what you're getting long before you even get to the movie theater. The trailers and teasers are a good indication of what the film is like. Now I've never read the comic on which this is based but on its own merits and given my tastes, I found it far more entertaining than a lot of big-budget, star-studded, auter-directed films I've seen. Just my two cents.
I agree that you should form your own opinions....but if a film fails to garner one good review...well, I guess I don't want to risk £10 just in case it's not THAT bad
I haven't seen either Battlefield Earth or Waterworld....not sure what that says about me not listening to the crowd ?
Mars Attacks! - This was from back in the 90s when Tim Burton was a less tired, more consistant director. Maybe too silly for older teens and adults, too grisly for younger kids, Mars Attacks! is a bit misjudged and hit 'n miss, but you could tell the cast and crew had a lot of fun making it. The Martian invaders themselves are rendered in mid to late 1990s CGI that is now starting to age, but they're still infused with a lot of personality and watching them destroy everything with malicious glee doesn't get old. The cast is very broad, with a celebrity cameo by Tom Jones, Jack Black as a hapless redneck grunt that gets killed within the first half hour, a very young Natalie Portman as the President's daughter, Pierce Brosnan as a naive boffin and Jack Nicholson playing two roles (the slick but still in over his head POTUS and a tasteless casino owner), with the movie almost stolen by the late Rod Steiger as a barking mad, hyper aggressive US Army general. 7/10
The Spy Who Loved Me - Daft Moore adventure that's a live action comic book, with villains, henchmen and lairs straight out of GI Joe. 8/10
This is a Luc Besson movie set in Belle Epoque Paris, that's 1900-WW1 era. Dubbed a sort of female Indiana Jones. I loved it. Not least because I fancy the actress who plays Adele, the intrepid archeologist, v rare for me to feel viscerally attracted to leading ladies these days, largely they seem so American and washed out. If this were a US blockbuster they'd cast Jennifer, or Gwyneth, or Nicole, three actresses who really do nothing for me.
The humour is a bit broad and puts you in mind of silly Richard Lester or Blake Edwards films of the 1960s, but not quite on the mark, the comical side characters are rather OTT, almost bordering on Dick Tracy territory. But Paris looks great and lovely and the lead actress carries it off brilliantly, we even get to see her tits in a bath scene, it's all very chic and ooh la la without getting on your own tits.
Parts of it I found surprisingly moving and there's a sense that you don't know where it's going to go. The music is lovely too; I thought the guy should be snapped up to do a Bond flick. Then the name came up on the end credits: Eric Serra. Oh well.
QoS villain Mathiew Almeric is in it and unrecognisable, whoever he played he did a good job.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
So who is this lovely lady you are smitten with?
Elle est hot stuff, et pas de mistake!
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Oh my God, this was an awful movie.... one of the only movies me and my then husband actually walked out of 15 mins into it.... and I can't remember the movie I wanted to see.... but resigned to watch that trash..... 8-)
Waterworld is one movie on my list to see.... I remember it's really bad reviews, BUT there is something about it that has made me keep it on my list.... your view might have just swayed to watch it sooner, rather than later!!
I totally agree with you on this.... great movie (if you can call it that....) - it's a bit like Shindler's list - fantastic moive, just really difficult subject.
I didn't know about Sylvia Plaths life.... and to be honest, I only saw it because DC was in it.... but it has made me read both Hughes and Plath's poetry - and for that, I am thankful! -{
As I said before Lexi, one man's treasure is another's garbage and I'll admit to not always having the most conventional tastes. If you do decide to watch Waterworld, you may want to try to find the extended version which adds some material that really fleshes out the story and adds an interesting and pretty unique twist to the ending which is not in the original theatrical cut.
Didn't know there was an extended version...I'll have to check it out. Waterworld wasn't nearly as bad as people wanted it to be, although sometimes I thought Dennis Hopper's villain was a bit OTT. At times the film was very good at suspending your disbelief and placing you in the somewhat surreal environment, and at other times it dipped into "B" movie theatrics with little ski-doos exploding like tanker trucks, but hey...it was fun.
Saw Source Code today myself. Was kind of disappointed. Very simple plot with lots of loop holes. I guess I wasn't expecting much with it's 93 minute run time, but it could of been it little more complicated in the writing. I agree with Nap on his review. Might be fun for the first time seeing it, but don't make a mad dash to the theater or put it on top of your list for Netflix. It's only good for a one time viewing.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I guess I missed the part where you said you liked it. I see it now though. I still stand by my review. See it once, but not worth another viewing after. Especially the ending
Regards,
Wilde. -{
I enjoyed Ghostwriter very much too....I'm not sure it would stand up to repeat viewings mind....but definately worth a watch...
Had no idea the backstory of Thor going into this. The only time I ever heard Thor mentioned was in the movie Adventures in Babysitting. I didn't even think it was a real comic book. Anywho....glad I went to see this. Good way to spend two hours. I notice S.H.I.E.L.D. had a big part in this movie. I'm guessing that's for the build-up to the Avengers movie coming out in 2012. I'm also guessing the short clip after the credits roll is a set-up for the Avengers movie
This is the fourth film in the Pirates franchise, this time without Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightly, and with Gary Marshall taking over the directing helm. The film is darker than the preceding films, many of the scenes shot at night, in dark bowels of a ship, or in caves. The film is also more grounded, with most of the action limited to sword fights or inventive escapes leaping from one treacherous situation to the next. The film is also not as funny as the preceding films, as a couple of the pirate crew characters that provided laughs in the previous movies are gone. The film has almost no actual pirating at all, which is one the film’s problem.
The story involves the race to find the Fountain of Youth, Spain, England and the Pirate Blackbeard are all racing for various reasons to find the fountain. Johnny Depp's character Captain Jack Sparrow has been forced to join Blackbeard, played well by Ian McShane, and Blackbeard's daughter, Penelope Cruz, as Sparrow knows the route to the fountain. Rather than lots of sailing and ships battling in the deep waters, we get a lot of walking through tropical forests, interrupted every few minutes by a confrontation between one character, or another. The film also throws in a lame love story between a captured mermaid and a missionary, which I would have left on the cutting room floor.
Although I enjoyed moments of the film and was happy the CGI was cut way back, I was disappointed in the story. Searching for the Fountain of Youth just wasn’t very compelling and with less pirating adventures, the film seemed more like the Perils of Captain Jack Sparrow and less the Pirates of the Caribbean.
Wait for the DVD
Roger Moore 1927-2017
La Bandera (1935), a Foreign Legion melodrama in which a man's past overtakes the present no matter how far he runs, and Pepe Le Moko (France, 1937), a film noir Ian Fleming would have appreciated, both directed by Julien Duvivier.
Richard
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Nico
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