The Official Movie Discussion Thread

[bigtplaystew]

<p>I saw World War Z today and again the running theme this summer is good but not great. I enjoyed it. I was entertained for a couple of hours. But it didn't blow me away. I thought it had great pacing. It got into the action really quickly and kept going. My big problem with "end of the world" films is that they spend waaay too much time establishing poorly written and shallow characters. We all paid to see the world end and we know half these people are gonna die anyway. Skip the crap and get to the good stuff. They did that with this one.</p><p> </p><p>

I liked it overall but it had a lot of dumb parts. Just about any time the zombies do ANYTHING except stand around they look cartoonish and fake. The way they move and attack was so fake looking and corny it took me out of it at times. But again, these problems are the kind of thing most people won't be distracted by or even notice in some cases.</p>

[Timber]

<p>I was and still am worried about seeing WWZ, I read the book and really liked it, i'm gonna wait till it's on DVD and see it then. I wasn't impressed with the trailers. I wish they'd have done a Walking Dead style TV show with it, would have worked better that way, I'm sure they skip a ton of stuff, as they always do in book to movie. </p><p> </p><p>

I need to see Pacific Rim, as soon as it comes out. <img alt="" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/smile.png.142cfa0a1cd2925c0463c1d00f499df2.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p>

[djthefunkchris]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="bigtplaystew" data-cite="bigtplaystew" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25823" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai is a brilliant film. I loved watching it.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Quoting this instead of the spoiler one that this pertains to.</p><p> </p><p> In the comics, he was perhaps Kryptons brightest scientist along with Non (Zod's minion that ends up brain damaged by the time you see him in Superman II - the one with Christopher Reeves playing Superman). He was also at one time the lead Councilman on the Kryptonian Science Council. Historically him and Zod has had their share of confrontations. </p><p> </p><p> As far as when and how he might have turned into "The Gladiator"... I can't recall any stories like that. It didn't bug me because the guy playing Jor-El was one of the reasons I wanted to see the movie in the first place, and I was hoping for what I got. I knew they were going to update the story from the comics, but little things like that I'm not going to complain about.</p><p> </p><p> All in all, I just would have rathered having brainiac or something I haven't seen before. I kept thinking about the first two Superman movies, and to me that's exactly what this was a remake of, which disappointed me. </p><p> </p><p> However, what I find confusing is why people have been complaining about the ending because of what he did (not in the way you did). They say things like "He wouldn't do that, he would have found a different way"... When he did that and worse in the comics... to the same person. They then compare it to the Christopher Reeves version, and I say to myself... Did they even watch those movies..> He not only did the same exact thing, him and Lois had a great laugh together after they did what they did. Personally, I think that was worse.</p><p> </p><p> Loved the easter eggs in it though. Did you notice the name on the Satellite that got destroyed?</p>

[bigtplaystew]

Yea trust me I wasn't complaining to have the action stuff thrown in early on, especially with how slowly the story was moving for awhile after those scenes. I just thought for a film that took itself so seriously that it was a bit silly and kind of went against it's own rules there a bit.

 

All in all, I just would have rathered having brainiac or something I haven't seen before. I kept thinking about the first two Superman movies, and to me that's exactly what this was a remake of, which disappointed me.

 

I liked Zod because it gave Superman an equal, something to test himself with and really show more casual and mainstream audiences what we comics readers known Superman can REALLY do. Having an enemy that can be identified with was a smart choice IMO. Now for future installments I'd like to see a villain (or villains) we haven't seen before as I think Metallo or Brainiac create some pretty spectacular visuals that can really be special if they take their time with the special effects and make it look great (which they won't because rumor has it they want the next one out ASAP... possibly as early as Summer 2014. Yes... NEXT SUMMER http://screenrant.com/man-steel-2-sequel-2014-justice-league-2015-release-dates/).

 

However, what I find confusing is why people have been complaining about the ending because of what he did (not in the way you did). They say things like "He wouldn't do that, he would have found a different way"... When he did that and worse in the comics... to the same person. They then compare it to the Christopher Reeves version, and I say to myself... Did they even watch those movies..> He not only did the same exact thing, him and Lois had a great laugh together after they did what they did. Personally, I think that was worse.

 

Yes! I've heard this from a few people too. I hate to be like this but I really feel like these folks missed the whole point of the ending. About pushing limits, a central theme to this film as it's an origin story and he's figuring out how strong he is. It's like, did you REALLY not get ANY of this? lol. I know exactly what you mean. I hate getting all snobbish but I really can't even really talk films with people who can't manage to grasp even the most basic of themes of the film. There are people who just watch the movie with their mouths open, don't think, don't want to think, and don't care much about the movie after the leave the theater.

 

Loved the easter eggs in it though. Did you notice the name on the Satellite that got destroyed?

 

In the words of the great Stone Cold Steve Austin, "Oh hell yea!"

[milamber]

Just watched "Safety Not Guaranteed" and loved it. Easy to dismiss as a little indie movie with little substance. Good change of pace from all the popcorn blockbusters hogging the limelight.

[fullMETAL]

<p>I saw that too.</p><p>

I actually CHEERED at the ending.</p>

[brashleyholland]

<p>So Jim Carrey has refused to promote Kick Ass 2, stating that the Sandy Hook shooting left him unable to "...support that level of violence". </p><p> </p><p>

<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23027684" rel="external nofollow">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23027684</a></p><p> </p><p>

I wasn't aware of this previously myself, but it turns out that Ace Ventura is actually a gun control advocate. I'm never usually one to put on the tinfoil hat, but I wonder if The Mask has been pressured by any of the groups he's involved with to speak out against a movie that depicts violence on, by and between teenage characters? </p><p> </p><p>

Shame really, by all accounts Lloyd Christmas is supposed to do a great job in Kick Ass 2 <img alt="" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/frown.png.e6b571745a30fe6a6f2e918994141a47.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p>

[brashleyholland]

World War Z. Decidedly average.

[bigtplaystew]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="brashleyholland" data-cite="brashleyholland" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25823" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>World War Z. Decidedly average.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Yep. Pretty much how I felt. Didn't hate it but it wasn't spectacular.</p>

[shawn michaels]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="brashleyholland" data-cite="brashleyholland" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25823" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>So Jim Carrey has refused to promote Kick Ass 2, stating that the Sandy Hook shooting left him unable to "...support that level of violence". <p> </p><p> <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23027684" rel="external nofollow">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-23027684</a></p><p> </p><p> I wasn't aware of this previously myself, but it turns out that Ace Ventura is actually a gun control advocate. I'm never usually one to put on the tinfoil hat, but I wonder if The Mask has been pressured by any of the groups he's involved with to speak out against a movie that depicts violence on, by and between teenage characters? </p><p> </p><p> Shame really, by all accounts Lloyd Christmas is supposed to do a great job in Kick Ass 2 <img alt=":(" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/frown.png.e6b571745a30fe6a6f2e918994141a47.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I just hate when actors turn into prima-donnas. Shameful. It's a freakin' movie.</p>

[bigtplaystew]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="shawn michaels 82" data-cite="shawn michaels 82" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25823" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I just hate when actors turn into prima-donnas. Shameful. It's a freakin' movie.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I love when THIS is how they chose to make their statement too lol. Like they took the paycheck and shot the thing, but they won't do the legwork and promote it. Brave.</p>

[shawn michaels]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="bigtplaystew" data-cite="bigtplaystew" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25823" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I love when THIS is how they chose to make their statement too lol. Like they took the paycheck and shot the thing, but they won't do the legwork and promote it. Brave.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> Yeah. I mean, I shot the damn thing, but know I won't acknowledge it and the world is a better place. Ridiculous.</p>

[lazorbeak]

<p>Finally saw Man of Steel. The slow bits were pretty good, although I could've lived with 100% less "Superman is space Jesus." As mentioned, the action scenes were such a cartoon that I'm surprised WB didn't run a family friendly "The Man of Steel is the #1 animated film in America" promo. Maybe because of all the disaster porn that makes up the last act? The whole "destroy all of Metropolis" stuff was really just kind of gross- watching buildings fall while people scramble around and all is just not fun.</p><p> </p><p>

I know this movie was developed with input from Nolan, but its hard to miss the Marvel movie template at work here. Powers that are a burden, villain that is an evil version of hero with exactly the same powers, etc. And I swear the Kansas fight-scene is completely interchangeable with that fight in Thor against that robot.</p><p> </p><p>

I still enjoyed parts of it, and I actually loved Cavill's performance, but that whole last act had so many problems.</p><p> </p><p>

Oh, spoiler issue: <span style="color:#FFFFFF;">my other issue is that Superman doesn't have any agency in the film. It feels like he spends the whole movie doing what either his ghost dad or his adopted dad tell him to. Considering Jor-El makes a big deal of "we let you have a choice," in how he lives, he sure is bossy! He even gives Lois a bunch of directions so she can relay them to Superman later, so he can boss his son around by proxy. I don't mind that Jor-El and Zod have a history that we get into more in this story, but it feels like Superman's own thoughts are almost totally irrelevant because he's doing this because ghost dad asked him to.</span></p>

[djthefunkchris]

@lazorbeak, They did that same Marvel Template in Superman 2. I know I already pointed that out earlier, but I can't help having flashbacks when people talk about it.

 

The spoiler issue, I immediately thought of Smallville (the TV Show) when I read that.

 

Most everything I agree with though. I actually think some of those "slow-mo" scenes people were afraid would be highlighted too much, might have helped those scenes out.

[bigtplaystew]

I almost liked the slow Kevin Costner stuff more than the actiony stuff because at least the slow stuff had heart. I didnt hate the movie either though, just really was kind of perplexed at a few of the choices they made. I'm very excited Superman finally has a hit and I think, much like Spiderman it might be a boring superhero movie that leads to much better things overall.

[milamber]

Watched Man of Steel and it was amazing. Haven't smiled so much while watching a non-comedy since The Avengers. Over-use of shaky cam is the only negative thing I can say about it.

[lazorbeak]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="djthefunkchris" data-cite="djthefunkchris" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25823" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>@lazorbeak, They did that same Marvel Template in Superman 2. I know I already pointed that out earlier, but I can't help having flashbacks when people talk about it.<p> </p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> You already pointed what out earlier? When I mention a marvel movie template, I'm referring to a specific style of melodrama that Marvel has been making every summer for the past 5 years or so. The fact that Zod was in Superman 2 doesn't suddenly make Superman 2 a Marvel-style movie. Man of Steel clearly owes a lot more to the action and structure of Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk, etc. than it does to a 33 year old movie where Superman punches out a trucker for picking on him earlier. Except that unlike both Superman 2 and most of those Marvel movies, Man of Steel doesn't use humor to soften the 2.5 hours of melodrama.</p>

[djthefunkchris]

You already pointed what out earlier? When I mention a marvel movie template, I'm referring to a specific style of melodrama that Marvel has been making every summer for the past 5 years or so. The fact that Zod was in Superman 2 doesn't suddenly make Superman 2 a Marvel-style movie. Man of Steel clearly owes a lot more to the action and structure of Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk, etc. than it does to a 33 year old movie where Superman punches out a trucker for picking on him earlier. Except that unlike both Superman 2 and most of those Marvel movies, Man of Steel doesn't use humor to soften the 2.5 hours of melodrama.

 

I don't really get what your saying I guess. I thought it was structured quite a bit like Batman Begins.... It could have easily been named Superman Begins IMO.

 

You Said:

"I know this movie was developed with input from Nolan, but its hard to miss the Marvel movie template at work here. Powers that are a burden, villain that is an evil version of hero with exactly the same powers, etc."

 

Superman 2, powers are a burden, in fact he gets rid of them completely they are such a burden. Superman 2, Villain was the exact same Villain. Between Superman 1 and 2, we got the same story, without the high tech action obviously. Perhaps that's how it's like a Marvel movie for you?

 

Really, I thought Avengers was one of the most enjoyable movies I've had the pleasure of seeing in quite some time. So I don't mind the comparing Man of Steel to Marvel movies, since marvel has been putting out very fun movies. I guess I just don't understand exactly what you mean, unless your solely talking about the "action", but that's not what your statement said at first, so I didn't realize that's what you meant.

[bigtplaystew]

<p>Before I even saw the film I was a little disappointed we were getting yet another Superman origin story. We all know he crashed to earth "yadda yadda yadda alien jesus."</p><p> </p><p>

The thing with Batman is that while we all know his basic back story (parents killed, left him infinite funds to train and become batman), his true origins as far as how and why he became Batman weren't ever properly told, not on the screen anyway. So they took an amazing comic book (Batman Year One) and based a film script around it adding in influences from other great Batman books. They took the source material and based original concepts around previously established ideas to produce something new and different looking. I didn't expect I'd want to see another Superman origin only because it's been done ad nauseum in so many different medium that I didnt think it could be interesting.</p><p> </p><p>

It turns out those were the parts of the film I liked more than the action.</p>

[Fleisch]

<p>I have to say I was left with a bit of a bad taste in my mouth after Man of Steel (and not from the overly priced crap tasting popcorn). Usually when I go to the cinema I come out with 2 attitudes, indifferent or raving that what I just watched was amazing. Man of Steel however had me coming out of the cinema saying "Thank **** that's over". No matter how hard I tried to find something that could make me get into the movie and actually care about what was happening I just couldn't. To those of you who liked it all I can say is I'm jealous because I wish I had too! In my opinion it rates lower than the Green Lantern Movie (which again wasn't brilliant but it didn't have me dropping an F bomb upon leaving the cinema either). </p><p> </p><p>

I never listen to others opinions on films relating to Marvel or DC... hell any super hero movie to be honest and will ALWAYS go and watch it for myself - even if it gets panned (Elektra) but I did tell a friend afterwards who told me it was "brilliant" and that "I'd love it" to never speak to me again - jokingly of course!</p>

[djthefunkchris]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Fleisch" data-cite="Fleisch" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25823" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I have to say I was left with a bit of a bad taste in my mouth after Man of Steel (and not from the overly priced crap tasting popcorn). Usually when I go to the cinema I come out with 2 attitudes, indifferent or raving that what I just watched was amazing. Man of Steel however had me coming out of the cinema saying "Thank **** that's over". No matter how hard I tried to find something that could make me get into the movie and actually care about what was happening I just couldn't. To those of you who liked it all I can say is I'm jealous because I wish I had too! In my opinion it rates lower than the Green Lantern Movie (which again wasn't brilliant but it didn't have me dropping an F bomb upon leaving the cinema either). <p> </p><p> I never listen to others opinions on films relating to Marvel or DC... hell any super hero movie to be honest and will ALWAYS go and watch it for myself - even if it gets panned (Elektra) but I did tell a friend afterwards who told me it was "brilliant" and that "I'd love it" to never speak to me again - jokingly of course!</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> My wife said that to me after I said it was kind of disappointing. She didn't say she was joking, but she laughed about telling me that later that night.</p>

[bigtplaystew]

Man of Steel 2 announced with Batman. Here's hoping we get Joe Mangienello from True Blood.

[bigtplaystew]

<p>Pacific Rim was friggin awesome! </p><p> </p><p>

Tons of action and corny cheeseball "rah! rah!" guy movie crap but in a good way. If you can behind the cheese that are films like Independence Day and Transformers and stuff like that you'll dig this one. Great special effects, fun story, bad ass fight scenes. Can't ask for much more than that.</p><p> </p><p>

I think if you like anime or are a bit of a japan-o-phile you'll get an extra kick out of this one. It really is a live action anime done in an American style. It was a blast and an absolute treat to see in the theater.</p>

[Imarevenant]

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="bigtplaystew" data-cite="bigtplaystew" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25823" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>Pacific Rim was friggin awesome! <p> </p><p> Tons of action and corny cheeseball "rah! rah!" guy movie crap but in a good way. If you can behind the cheese that are films like Independence Day and Transformers and stuff like that you'll dig this one. Great special effects, fun story, bad ass fight scenes. Can't ask for much more than that.</p><p> </p><p> I think if you like anime or are a bit of a japan-o-phile you'll get an extra kick out of this one. It really is a live action anime done in an American style. It was a blast and an absolute treat to see in the theater.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I thought of it more as Del Toro's ode to the Toho Kaiju films. Of course as someone who loves those films, I'd see it that way. </p><p> </p><p> Anyway, it was good; just had to look way past the cheesy 80's action flick dialogue.</p>

[RKOwnage]

<p>Just had ACL reconstruction and a double meniscectomy yesterday, so I'm sure to be making some additions to this thread for the foreseeable future. <img alt="" data-src="//content.invisioncic.com/g322608/emoticons/biggrin.png.929299b4c121f473b0026f3d6e74d189.png" src="<___base_url___>/applications/core/interface/js/spacer.png" /></p><p> </p><p>

I watched Pan's Labyrinth last night for the first time. I'd give it an 8/10, I have to rewatch it as I was a bit distracted during certain points to read the subtitles. It was really cool and visually great though.</p><p> </p><p>

This morning I watched Ali, which was decent. My dad is a huge Ali fan so I know a lot about his life and story and whatnot, and I thought the movie kind of took a lot of his career out (despite being over 2.5 hours). It was enjoyable though, and I thought Will Smith did a good job. 6.5/10</p>