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Weekend Movie Marathon
2/6 - 2/8
I decided this weekend I wouldn't have a theme to my marathon. I will just be watching whatever I am in the mood for... when I am in the mood for it.
(http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/08/085391717522f.jpg)
Wild Wild West
If you think special government agent James West is fast with a six-shooter, wait'll he lays a quip on you! Megahit star Will Smith plays West, reuniting with Men in Black director Barry Sonnenfeld in an effects-loaded, shoot-from-the-lip spectacular. Kevin Kline plays fellow agent and crackerjack inventor Artemus Gordon, teamed with West on a daring assignment: stop legless Dr. Arliss Loveless (Kenneth Branagh) and his diabolical plot for a Disunited States of America. Salma Hayek is mysterious adventuress Rita Escobar. And all manner of geared-up 1860s gadgets - from belt-buckle derringers to surprise-packed billiard balls to a walking, eight-story, steam-and-steel tarantula - help make Wild Wild West a Wow Wow West!
My Thoughts:
I can't say how true to the series this movie is... as I don't remember ever seeing the series before. If I remember correctly I bought this purely on the star power of Will Smith. I did find it to be a bit on the weird side what with all the gadgets and such set back in the Old West times. But it entertaining all the same. It is just one you can not take seriously.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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(http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/02/024543033233f.jpg)
Venomous
Prepare for the ultimate fight of man versus nature when a small, quiet town becomes a hotbed for a deadly virus. Local residents begin falling prey to the attacks of genetically altered poisonous snakes, and officials are at a loss to explain their swift and horrible deaths. As the body count spins out of control, the US Army is dispatched to help quarantine the victims and the lethal reptiles. But the virus is spreading more quickly than anyone can respond. Suddenly, the race is on to save as many people as possible and stop the fatal assault – or die trying
My Thoughts:
This is a low-budget (I believe) direct to video horror movie. It's main star is Treat Williams... who is well known in the area of B-Movies. Even though he has never really impressed me in anything I seen him in... he doesn't bother me either. Even with it being low budget it does have a decent quality. Also has a pretty good story. But it is not a movie that will find it's way into any of my favorites lists. It is just an average horror flick... I would say if you can find it cheap it may be worth adding to your collection. But you may want to rent it... or catch it on cable first.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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Alex & Emma
Publish or perish! Alex has just 30 days to finish his rmance novel and collect his writing fee – money he owes to loan sharks threatening his life. So stressed-out Alex hires Emma to be he stenographer and discovers she's opinionated, direct, a cause of exasperation... and a source of inspiration.
From director Rob Reiner (When Harry Met Sally...) comes a movie about when Alex met Emma, a fun affair set in both the modern world Emma (Kate Hudson) and Alex (Luke Wilson) share and the 1920s Gatsby-like world of the book they're creating. With love & laughs, wit & imagination, Alex & Emma writes the book on romance. It's "the best romantic comedy of the year" (Jim Ferguson, FOX-TV).
My Thoughts:
This is a movie I have never seen before. A very good friend gave me this DVD when she was cleaning out her collection. Unfortunately it is the Full-Screen edition... which of course I always prefer OAR releases. But I can't complain.... a free dvd is a free dvd!
I definitely do enjoy a good romantic comedy. Unfortunately I wouldn't call this one a good romantic comedy. I tried to enjoy it... but I just found it more or less boring... and found it difficult to even get through. I was actually laying down watching this movie and found myself fighting sleep in no time. I didn't care for the whole idea of flashing to acting out the book he is writing. I can see how some would like such a thing... but for me it took away from the story more then it added to it.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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I definitely do enjoy a good romantic comedy. Unfortunately I wouldn't call this one a good romantic comedy.
:hysterical:
I know you're only recently converted to older films, so if you like romantic comedies, I definitely recommend It Happened One Night which I recently reviewed for the Oscar-thon. Then James Stewart again in The Philedelphia Story. You can't really beat either of those.
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Thanks for the rcommendations Jon! :)
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(http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/04/043396052918f.jpg)
Men in Black
Agent Jay (Will Smith) and Agent Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) are turning up the heat on alien terrorists and delivering hot new technology at the same time. Experience the galaxy's biggest sci-fi hit with a universe of exclusive special features, including 3 scene editing workshops, technical commentary and more!
My Thoughts:
This movie is just plan fun for me. It is a really good "Turn your brain off... Popcorn Movie"... it has a nice amount of laughs. I enjoyed the performances of both Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones in this movie. I especially enjoyed Will Smith firing off that little gun of his... the "Noisy Cricket". If you just want some mindless entertainment for about an hour and a half... this one I will recommend.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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I've never understand why Will Smith is a big star
He is not really a good actor and he is really annoying...
The films that he is usually in are usually better because of something else than him :
Wild Wild West because of Salma Hayek wardrobe,
Men in Black because of Tommy Lee Jones,
Idependance Day because it gives a reason to shout "USA, USA, USA we are the best!!!!",
Ali because it's about an hero in the United States,....
And the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of his name is that :
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI0dCVwdedE
Sure it didn't really help, since I've hated that crap in those years
edit : Can't embed the video, just copy without the "-" to see it
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I've never understand why Will Smith is a big star
He is not really a good actor and he is really annoying...
The films that he is usually in are usually better because of something else than him :
Wild Wild West because of Salma Hayek wardrobe,
Men in Black because of Tommy Lee Jones,
Idependance Day because it gives a reason to shout "USA, USA, USA we are the best!!!!",
Ali because it's about an hero in the United States,....
Oh, Jimmy! Look at that big wrong you did all over the page! :tease:
Will Smith is first a movie star, second an actor, but he is a very good actor. However, if you don't like the personality, you won't like the actor, so I fear he has zero chance with you! He was excellent in Ali, although as you say, he didn't need to be because Ali is enough appeal on his own. But he was essential to MIB, and Enemy of the State for that matter; the older star in each case needed him more than the other way around, because no matter how good they are, it wasn't their film. Transplant Smith with any other actor in those movies... bomb.
You're far too cynical regards Independence Day. Smith made it viable and watchable. Without him... bomb. Well, maybe not, but a damn sight less successful.
Finally I find it funny you listed Wild Wild West! There was nothing successful in that movie! :laugh: (Sorry, Pete) Smith is first to say how terrible it was
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Finally I find it funny you listed Wild Wild West! There was nothing successful in that movie! :laugh: (Sorry, Pete) Smith is first to say how terrible it was
This is why I've listed that the only reason to watch it (and not listen it) is Salma Hayek :P
But you're right with Enemy of the State, I like this movie and I can tolerate him in it. Every rules need an exception, no?
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Finally I find it funny you listed Wild Wild West! There was nothing successful in that movie! :laugh: (Sorry, Pete) Smith is first to say how terrible it was
No reason to be sorry!... to me it was just an entertaining average movie. Guess I wasn't as clear about that as I thought. :P
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No, you were clear! I was apologising because it's your marathon and I wasn't quoting your review, which is rude.
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oh! no problem there! :)
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Hollow Man
After years of experimentation, Dr. Sebastian Caine (Bacon), a brilliant, but arrogant and egotistical scientist working for the defense department, has successfully transformed mammals to an invisible state and brought them back to their original physical form. Determined to achieve the ultimate breakthrough, Caine instructs his team to move on to Phase III: human experimentation. Using himself as the first subject, the invisible Caine finds himself free to do the unthinkable. But Caine's experiment takes an unexpected turn when his team can't bring him back. As the days pass, he grows more and more out of control, doomed to a future without flesh as the HOLLOW MAN.
Kevin Bacon, Elisabeth Shue and Josh Brolin star in this intense thriller filled with extreme suspense, terrifying twists and incredible special effects.
My Thoughts:
This is a movie I have not watched in years. (Last viewing back in January 2001 when it was first released!) I forgot how much I enjoyed this movie. There was some very cool effects in this movie. As well as a good story. I think it did a good job of showing the psychological effects being invisible must have. I never been much of a Kevin Bacon fan... but this is one of the few that I do like him in. Mainly this one and Stir of Echoes (which is another one I haven't seen in a long time). I really enjoyed Elisabeth Shue in this movie as well.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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(http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/01/012236101970f.jpg)
Stir of Echoes
Tom Witzky (Kevin Bacon) is a blue-collar worker, a family man, the most ordinary guy in the world... who is about to be plunged into a shattering encounter with another world. And it doesn't matter that Tom doesn't believe in the supernatural. Because something supernatural has started to believe in Tom.
After he is hypnotized at a neighborhood party, Tom changes. He sees things he can't explain and hears voices he can't ignore. As the horrific visions intensify, Tom realizes they are pieces of a puzzle, echoes of a crime calling out to be solved. But when his otherworldly nightmares begin coming true, Tom wants out. He desperately tries to rid himself of his eerie unwanted powers - only to be seized by an irresistible compulsion to dig deeper and deeper into the mystery that is consuming his life. When at last he unearths the truth, it will draw him into the long-buried secret of a ghastly crime, a vengeful spirit... and the lethal price of laying that spirit to rest.
My Thoughts:
After watching Hollow Man I decided to watch this one and make it a Kevin Bacon double bill... As I said before I am not really a fan of his... these two movies is about all I liked with him that I have seen. This is a good twist on a ghost story. I liked how he became "open" to the ghost and what happened by becoming hypnotized. There is this one part of the movie that makes me cringe every time I see it. And it is just a minor thing. But it is one of those things that can be bothersome to some people. Kinda like anything to do with an eyeball. In this case it is a fingernail being ripped off. OUCH! Anyway... this is a good movie. I enjoyed every second of it.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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As I said before I am not really a fan of his... these two movies is about all I liked with him that I have seen.
:redcard:
I'm calling you out on this one! FOUL! SHENANIGANS! :laugh: What about Tremors, Pete? What about Tremors? :weep:
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Damn!.... yes... very true! I completely forgot about Tremors! I love that movie... so I must now correct myself. I enjoyed him in 3 movies! :o
Thanks Jon! :)
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Forgiven... ;)
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Junior
A male doctor (Arnold Schwarzenegger) becomes pregnant after his associate (Danny DeVito) talks him into taking an experimental drug.
My Thoughts:
Even though this is a (lets admit it) a stupid idea for a movie. It definitely has it's moments... and is really an entertaining movie. I think that is on the strengths of the stars. Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger make a great team. The way Arnold portrayed a man being feminine and going through the physical and emotional symptoms of pregnancy definitely had a few laughs.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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I never been much of a Kevin Bacon fan... but this is one of the few that I do like him in. Mainly this one and Stir of Echoes (which is another one I haven't seen in a long time).
I've never seen him in something that I didn't like, in fact I think that he is a great actors (probably one of the best of his generation). Just to name his film that I like (some of them could be surprising from me) :
Friday the 13th, Footloose, She's Having a Baby, Tremors, A Few Good Men, Sleepers, Wild Things, Stir of Echoes (much better than the sixth sense), Hollow Man and his short part in JFK. There are many others that I really want to watch someday, particullary Forty Deuce (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083962/) directed by Paul Morrissey a New York director that I really like.
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Friday the 13th, Footloose, She's Having a Baby, Tremors, A Few Good Men, Sleepers, Wild Things, Stir of Echoes (much better than the sixth sense), Hollow Man and his short part in JFK.
Who are you and what have you done with Jimmy? ???
And I'll thank you for keeping your opinions regarding Kevin Bacon's short part to yourself. :redcard:
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:hysterical:
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And I'll thank you for keeping your opinions regarding Kevin Bacon's short part to yourself. :redcard:
Not that part :laugh:
Bad translation from me, what I mean is a small role :laugh:
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As I said before I am not really a fan of his... these two movies is about all I liked with him that I have seen.
:redcard:
I'm calling you out on this one! FOUL! SHENANIGANS! :laugh: What about Tremors, Pete? What about Tremors? :weep:
I gotta give him a shout for The Woodsman, he was impressively better than average in this :2cents:
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I gotta give him a shout for The Woodsman, he was impressively better than average in this :2cents:
Never seen it.
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(http://www.invelos.com/mpimages/03/031398104704f.jpg)
Saw V
Detective Hoffman is seemingly the last person alive to carry on the Jigsaw legacy. But when his secret is threatened, he must go on the hunt to eliminate all loose ends.
My Thoughts:
This is a movie I never seen before. I went into it a bit hesitantly as I heard that the movie series starts to go downhill from this point. Maybe that helped me to enjoy it more then some people do as I still loved every minute of this movie. Of course it could also be because (As I have said many times before) I am more forgiving of horror movies then most people are. The movie is filled with all sorts of torturous devices, blood and gore. It even had a familiar face in it this time. This one has Julie Benz (Angel, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer & Dexter). Though it did take me a few minutes to recognize her since I am not used to seeing her as a brunette. I will admit that I was a little more confused while watching this one (until the end reveal) then I have been with the past movies... but that could be because I was already tired when I decided to watch this movie.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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Saw V? A mere half point off being perfect? Surely not!
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Don't forget that Pete like this franchise. Why? I've no idea, since the serie make no-sense after the second one...
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Yeah... I always loved this series... I don't know why... just have. But I will tell you this much... I am not alone on this. I am part of several horror groups/sites... and this is a very popular series... even though I see many people seem to think it lost something with this newest one. But I had enjoyed it just as much as the others.
But one odd thing I have found. As much as I have loved all 5 movies... for some reason I have never bothered to go back and watch any of them a second time for some reason. hmmmm.... weird.
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Nah, just normal! :P
I can understand them being popular as there are few new releases like them for people who do enjoy that sort of thing, but it worries me how and why they get made. There's no art, no conscience, it's just traps after traps because it looks cool. Filmmakers have a duty to audiences I think; they tempt us in on the promise of something cool, but we should leave with something a little more substantial. The first Saw film did that very well (though I wasn't a huge fan).
Actually I haven't seen part four or five, so I'm the worst sort of critic right now! I should watch it, but I have no intention to ever do so. Everything I've read suggests it's the same routine. If I saw one review that said they were finally trying something new and maybe even suggest there is some sort of plot, I might give them another chance.
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I have to admit, that I never have seen a single Saw movie, and I do not plan to change that :P
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Teen Wolf
What's a high school kid got to do to be popular? Just let down his hair and howl! Starring Michael J. Fox ('Back to the Future') 'Teen Wolf' is an outrageous comedy about a shy teenager with more than a changing voice to contend with... he's a budding young werewolf! And when his new-found powers help him score at basketball - and with the popular girls - he has some pretty hairy decisions to make.
My Thoughts:
OK... lets face it... Teen Wolf is far from award winning entertainment. But what it is... is good cheesy fun. Something to watch when you just want to sit back and enjoy. It is a real twist on the coming of age story. I think the whole werewolf idea is why I enjoy it so much... I definitely enjoy the monster movies... whether you can classify them as horror or not.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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I got talked into watching most of the first one on television. It was even the edited version and what the one character did - the one played by Cary Elwes - gave me bad dreams that night. So no more of those movies for me. I like some horror..but the ones that have vampires and ghosts and stuff like that..not just people being tortured for basically no reason.
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I'm a big horror fan, but I agree with Dragonfire - the Saw films have always left me cold. I was quite enjoying the first one up until the point...
...that the two cops actually catch Jigsaw in his workshop and have him kneeling on the ground, but don't even pull his bloody hood down! :thumbdown: Two experienced police officers acting completely against logic there really threw me out of the film and I never got back into it.
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Teen Wolf Too
Meet a college freshman who's having trouble fitting into his "genes" – family ones, that is – when he finds out his uncle and cousin are werewolves... and so is he! Now the clean cut science student is the star of the boxing team with a hair raising right hook and an animal attraction to his curvy coeds. Starring Jason Bateman (Necessary Roughness), this four fang film is sure to bring out the party animal in everyone!
My Thoughts:
Well... I would say this is more of the same as the last one.... and it it... but it just isn't as good. I mean it has it's entertainment value... but as no more then an average movie. I can understand why they released this one as a double feature along with part 1. As I know I for one probably wouldn't have paid extra money to have it in my collection. But considering I got this years ago for $7.50 at Walmart for both movies... who am I to complain? I have never really been a huge fan of Jason Bateman... I mean he is ok I guess... but not someone who I would seek out the work of.
My Rating:
Out of a Possible 5
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I tried watching the second one, but I just couldn't bring myself to be interested in bland characters being tortured for no reason but to entertain me.
I've watch the first one and find it ok, a little bit like Cube but only with 2 prisoners and not as good. The second one was not too bad, a copy of Cube and a plot full of non sense. The third, end of the serie for me since absolutly nothing make a little bit of sense. If I want to watch a movie were random people are tortured for no reason, I will watch something like Guinea Pigs (at least I don't have to endure a plot full of hole for 90 minutes)...
By the way : Welcome to the forum northbloke :dance:
I'm AESP_pres on the other forum and I'm much more active here than there.
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Saw V? A mere half point off being perfect? Surely not!
I used to be irritated by some of Pete's ratings myself. I also tend to try to look a little objective at a film when rating it, attampting to consider it's "general worthiness" in the result.
Then it dawned on me that Pete is doing it better, actually! He doesn't give a §$&% about what other are or might be thinking. The rating he applies is purely his own opinion and whether he enjoyed the film or not.
So, if, let's say, Casablanca bores the hell out of him (not saying it would or wouldn't), he rate it half a star. If Saw V tickles his fancy, he won't hesitate to give it four and a half. Hats off to that!
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I used to be irritated by some of Pete's ratings myself.
That's a bit harsh, being irritated because of someones rating of a movie :tease:
So, if, let's say, Casablanca bores the hell out of him (not saying it would or wouldn't), he rate it half a star. If Saw V tickles his fancy, he won't hesitate to give it four and a half. Hats off to that!
I like that too. I actually try to do it myself as well - but that's also why I went with little smiley face instead of a numerical score. I feel like a numerical score force me into comparing movies to one another and grading accordingly, whereas the smiley system let's me just say "i enjoyed that" or not. :)
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I used to be irritated by some of Pete's ratings myself.
That's a bit harsh, being irritated because of someones rating of a movie :tease:
:-[
Probably a translation problem (I might wanna look into that, as I use that phrasde a lot :fingerchew:). Think alng "confused", is where I was going at...
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I follow the same idea and will not rate something unless I mean it, though I do tend to end-up following the herd and agree with popular opinion on the very good and the very bad. I'm struggling with my Oscar marathon at the moment because I think they're all going to be 5 out 5 which looks silly, but hey, I obviously only buy Oscar winners when the Academy gets it right! :bag:
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Saw V? A mere half point off being perfect? Surely not!
I used to be irritated by some of Pete's ratings myself. I also tend to try to look a little objective at a film when rating it, attampting to consider it's "general worthiness" in the result.
Then it dawned on me that Pete is doing it better, actually! He doesn't give a §$&% about what other are or might be thinking. The rating he applies is purely his own opinion and whether he enjoyed the film or not.
Thanks Achim...
That is exactly how I see doing reviews. I don't care at all what others thought of a movie. I go strictly by what I see on the screen. After all... that is what a review is... is it not? Your own opinion of a movie? All I want to do is share my opinion. Just like I don't care if people don't agree with my view of a movie. I think that is only natural.
The only thing that will bother me... is people that sit there and basically tell you that you are an idiot for having a different opinion on a movie. Which I do see at a lot of sites... but also why I love this site so much... because it seems like everyone here respects other peoples opinions... whether they agree with them or not. Oh sure there could be a little poking in the ribs here... but that is just having fun.
So, if, let's say, Casablanca bores the hell out of him (not saying it would or wouldn't), he rate it half a star. If Saw V tickles his fancy, he won't hesitate to give it four and a half. Hats off to that!
Just for the record... I think Casablanca is a good movie... but I do find parts of the movie mind-numbingly slow. So I would say I would probably give it a rating of somewhere between 3 and 3.5 :P
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Just for the record... I think Casablanca is a good movie... but I do find parts of the movie mind-numbingly slow. So I would say I would probably give it a rating of somewhere between 3 and 3.5 :P
I feel sick. :shutup:
;)
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I can top that: I've never seen Casablanca or Gone With the Wind and don't intend to ever doing so. :p
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Just for the record... I think Casablanca is a good movie... but I do find parts of the movie mind-numbingly slow. So I would say I would probably give it a rating of somewhere between 3 and 3.5 :P
I feel sick. :shutup:
;)
:laugh:
I can top that: I've never seen Casablanca or Gone With the Wind and don't intend to ever doing so. :p
I have Gone with the Wind on DVD... but have never watched it yet. Mainly because it is such a long movie!
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I can top that: I've never seen Casablanca or Gone With the Wind and don't intend to ever doing so. :p
:redcard: :o
Go and stand in the corner. Or sit on the naughty step. Whatever you prefer. I would never try to persuade you to watch a film you didn't want to see, but for crying out loud, how can you possibly mention Casablanca in the same sentence as that bum-numbing pile of crap? Oh, it's pretty, but it's about as much fun as sticking pins in your eyes!
All that said, Casablanca would surprise a lot of people. It's very fast and funny, and I even managed to compare it with Star Wars the other day! You'd watch a new Star Wars film set entirely in Mos Eisley, wouldn't you? ;)
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I can top that: I've never seen Casablanca or Gone With the Wind and don't intend to ever doing so. :p
You know how conservative I can be on reviews.
Casablanca is really a good film. Forget all the hype that you hear about this and other supposed classics like Citizen Kane, it is an enjoyable movie despite the cardigan wearing pipe-smoking movie buffs who always want to disect it and explain with a load of bollox why it is a masterpiece. It is just a good movie to me.
(Jon quickly takes his cardie off) :hysterical: :laugh: :hysterical:
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I can top that: I've never seen Casablanca or Gone With the Wind and don't intend to ever doing so. :p
You know how conservative I can be on reviews.
Casablanca is really a good film. Forget all the hype that you hear about this and other supposed classics like Citizen Kane, it is an enjoyable movie despite the cardigan wearing pipe-smoking movie buffs who always want to disect it and explain with a load of bollox why it is a masterpiece. It is just a good movie to me.
(Jon quickly takes his cardie off) :hysterical: :laugh: :hysterical:
I wear my cardie with pride, goddamit! However you've hit on an excellent point and I may I direct you to my recent review, found in my Oscar marathon thread? :laugh:
Citizen Kane is a classic masterpiece of the highest order, but the important thing to realise about Casablanca is that it was never intended to be such a film. It's at heart a well written genre movie and if fate hadn't stepped in, it would have been no better or worse than the sort of regular films released in the Fox Film Noir series. The bloody script wasn't even finished even by at least halfway.
I love all movies, but I don't think I'm a pretentious cardie wearing boor. If a supposed classic doesn't float my boat, I move on. I like to analyse where appropriate and that's why I love Casablanca. There's nothing to analyse! It works, brilliantly well, and all the better that it confounds the scoresheet. Apparently Ingrid Bergman was always bemused that the film she put the least faith in came out so far ahead of everything else she did. Of all the films I've reviewed so far in that marathon (and for a while yet) it's the most watchable and timeless.
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I can top that: I've never seen Casablanca or Gone With the Wind and don't intend to ever doing so. :p
You know how conservative I can be on reviews.
Casablanca is really a good film. Forget all the hype that you hear about this and other supposed classics like Citizen Kane, it is an enjoyable movie despite the cardigan wearing pipe-smoking movie buffs who always want to disect it and explain with a load of bollox why it is a masterpiece. It is just a good movie to me.
(Jon quickly takes his cardie off) :hysterical: :laugh: :hysterical:
I wear my cardie with pride, goddamit! However you've hit on an excellent point and I may I direct you to my recent review, found in my Oscar marathon thread? :laugh:
Citizen Kane is a classic masterpiece of the highest order, but the important thing to realise about Casablanca is that it was never intended to be such a film. It's at heart a well written genre movie and if fate hadn't stepped in, it would have been no better or worse than the sort of regular films released in the Fox Film Noir series. The bloody script wasn't even finished even by at least halfway.
I love all movies, but I don't think I'm a pretentious cardie wearing boor. If a supposed classic doesn't float my boat, I move on. I like to analyse where appropriate and that's why I love Casablanca. There's nothing to analyse! It works, brilliantly well, and all the better that it confounds the scoresheet. Apparently Ingrid Bergman was always bemused that the film she put the least faith in came out so far ahead of everything else she did. Of all the films I've reviewed so far in that marathon (and for a while yet) it's the most watchable and timeless.
You are not a boor (despite the cardie) I was pulling your leg.
I am going to give Citizen Kane one more chance. On previous viewings i have been totally underwhelmed, perhaps because it has been so over-hyped?
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The problem is the sentence "It's a classic. Every movie fan has to see it!". I've tried that with a few of these classics (e.g. The Godfather) and was bored to death.
So my ground rule is: If the movie is from before my birth year I must have seen it at least once (on TV, by accident) to render at least a faint interest.
These are the movies from before 1977 that I own:
| Title | Original Title | Country of Origin | Production Year |
| Dumbo | Dumbo | United States | 1941 |
| The Seven Samurai | Shichinin no samurai | Japan | 1954 |
| Yojimbo the Bodyguard | Yojimbo | Japan | 1961 |
| Treasure of Silver Lake | Der Schatz im Silbersee | Germany | 1962 |
| Winnetou the Warrior | Winnetou I | Germany | 1963 |
| Mary Poppins | Mary Poppins | United States | 1964 |
| Frontier Hellcat | Unter Geiern | Germany | 1964 |
| Winnetou: Last of the Renegades | Winnetou II | Germany | 1964 |
| Shatterhand | Old Shatterhand | Germany | 1964 |
| A Fistful of Dollars | Per un pugno di dollari | Italy | 1964 |
| Winnetou: The Desperado Trail | Winnetou III | Germany | 1965 |
| Rampage at Apache Wells | Der Ölprinz | Germany | 1965 |
| Flaming Frontier | Old Surehand | Germany | 1965 |
| For a Few Dollars More | Per qualche dollaro in più | Italy | 1965 |
| Half-Breed | Winnetou und das Halbblut Apanatschi | Germany | 1966 |
| The Sons of Great Bear | Die Söhne der großen Bärin | Germany | 1966 |
| Winnetou: Thunder at the Border | Winnetou und sein Freund Old Firehand | Germany | 1966 |
| Asterix the Gaul | Astérix le Gaulois | France | 1967 |
| God Forgives... I Don't! | Dio perdona... Io no! | | 1967 |
| Chingachgook - Die große Schlange | Chingachgook - Die große Schlange | Germany | 1967 |
| Winnetou and Shatterhand in the Valley of Death | Winnetou und Shatterhand im Tal der Toten | Germany | 1968 |
| Asterix and Cleopatra | Astérix et Cléopâtre | France | 1968 |
| My Name Is Trinity | Lo chiamavano Trinità | Italy | 1969 |
| M*A*S*H | M*A*S*H | United States | 1970 |
| Tora! Tora! Tora! | Tora! Tora! Tora! | United States | 1970 |
| Blackie the Pirate | Il corsaro nero | Italy | 1971 |
| Trinity Is Still My Name! | ...continuavano a chiamarlo Trinità | Italy | 1971 |
| All the Way Boys | Più forte, ragazzi! | Italy | 1972 |
| Tecumseh | Tecumseh | Germany | 1972 |
| Man of the East | E poi lo chiamarono il magnifico | Italy | 1972 |
| The Godfather | The Godfather | United States | 1972 |
| Watch Out, We're Mad | Altrimenti ci arrabbiamo | Italy | 1973 |
| Apachen | Apachen | Germany | 1973 |
| Three Nuts for Cinderella | Tri orísky pro Popelku | Czech Republic | 1973 |
| My Name Is Nobody | Il mio nome e' Nessuno | Italy | 1973 |
| Ulzana | Ulzana | Germany | 1974 |
| The Godfather: Part II | The Godfather: Part II | United States | 1974 |
| Turn the Other Cheek | Porgi l'altra guancia | Italy | 1974 |
| One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | United States | 1975 |
| The Rocky Horror Picture Show | The Rocky Horror Picture Show | United States | 1975 |
| A Genius, Two Friends, and an Idiot | Un Genio, due compari, un pollo | Italy | 1975 |
| The Twelve Tasks of Asterix | Les Douze travaux d'Astérix | France | 1976 |
| Crime Busters | I due superpiedi quasi piatti | Italy | 1976 |
| Rocky | Rocky | United States | 1976 |
| Logan's Run | Logan's Run | United States | 1976 |
Blind buys were: Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Rocky Horror Picture Show
I disliked: The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
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Looking at that list, Karsten, I'd say you'd probably enjoy Casablanca. Perhaps not blown away, but it's a good, optimistic, do-the-right-thing story, well-told, with a straightforward plot and a great cast of characters. In that sense I can see similarities with Seven Samurai of all things, but definitely not with The Godfather, which you have to work at and has a much darker message buried in it. If you can't be bothered to dig or fail to like the message (it is about criminals after all) then The Godfather is the worst film ever made, not the best.
You also have to work at Citizen Kane! Richie, first time I saw it, I thought it was good, but couldn't see what the fuss was about. Third time was during a film studies course (where everyone was required to have patches on their elbows!) and it clicked. Then I found it heartbreaking and brilliant. I have seen very few American films since that can match just how clever I think that screenplay is. You may still not like it, but consider this:
When you watch it again, just think about whose point of view the story is from. It's split into segments as the reporter from the start interviews different people associated with Kane. We strictly what he sees (in fact we never see his face). We can only know what he is also learning and we can only piece it together as he does. Until one key point at which it is impossible that the reporter is privy to it as well. It is a scene for the viewer and it's very different, relating to the snowglobe at the beginning. It gives us key information to make sure the very last scene makes sense to us, while all the characters have given up. They have failed to see or consider the human element.