Films Thread

[iamshack]

When Danny McBride was showing off his hotel model I was laughing, that was really funny to me. He said something about retiring to one of the towers with his bride, and if they pissed him off then he would banish them to the other tower.

Yeah, I like how he said it would have 8,000 rooms.

This is funny, because as a Vegas resident, MGM is one of the biggest hotels in the world (if not the biggest), and it has around 4,500 rooms.

[Brian]

Really liked "Up In the Air". Sad to think I have some of the qualities Clooney has in the movie.

[caulfield12]

Can someone explain to me the appeal of James Cameron's last two movies? I mean not that Avatar was terrible but I just don't understand how Titanic and Avatar have been so captivating that they have set box office records. Sure Avatar has impressive visuals, but the movie itself was incredibly predictable and cliched and without the visuals is an average movie at best.

 

 

A large part of it the "visual" experience of seeing both those movies in a theatre, they don't translate as well to watching on a DVD player or computer.

 

Then, you have "universal" plots that everyone can connect to around the world...the Titanic being the most famous ship to ever sink even though it was now almost 100 years ago, everyone has heard of it. With Avatar, you have these anti-militarism/pro-environment that are resonating with people all around the world. Of course, most posters see things mostly through an "American lens," but from living abroad now for basically 3 1/2 of the last 4 1/2 years, you can begin to understand why Avatar was #1 in 107/108 markets around the world, with India being the exception, where a Bollywood film was 1 and Avatar was 2. It hasn't even opened yet in China, where 2012 is still the #1 movie.

 

When the final story is told, with the swell of international/overseas box office (it's sitting around $650 milllion now overall in less than 2 weeks), it will definitely be one of the top 3-5 (I'm guessing 3) box offices successes in our lifetimes.

 

You have the CGI/action for the men, the beauty/cinematography of the film appeals to almost everyone and then the love story to keep the females interested, too. And the themes relating to the environment (dovetails with Copenhagen and the green movement) AND the fact that MUCH of the world was accusing the US/Bush of being too unilateral and not willing to negotiate, there's obviously that political element as well that is popular outside the US.

 

It's the same reason in 2012 that statue of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil and the Vatican were the targets of destruction in 2012...instead of Muslim holy sites like Mecca or mosques collapsing....part of it is also "political correctness."

 

As far as hype, Paranormal Activity or the Blair Witch Project or even Twilight got a lot of hype, but Twilight is struggling to make $300 million domestically after starting out with almost double the numbers of Avatar...you have to have some substance to back the hype or word of mouth will kill a picture quickly. I think that's already happening with Sherlock Holmes. There was a lot of critical hype about "The Hurt Locker" and "Up in the Air" but it's still not enough to create a mass audience, or the movie "Precious" would be another example.

 

The reverse is happening with Avatar...people are saying "forget the backlash, forget the hype," you HAVE to go see it in the theatre in 3-D or on an IMAX screen. People don't want to miss out on that opportunity. It's one of those "water cooler" movies that seemingly EVERYONE has an opinion on...where even the biggest critics admire elements of it and the biggest Avatar fangroups acknowledge its limitations.

 

Plus, we love to cheer for the underdog, so while it seems strange to be cheering for 10-12 foot tall blue people instead of Americans/Blackwater types, that's the position you are forced into by Cameron, to empathize with the Na'VI people...especially after their homes and lives are disrupted by a brutal military assault reminiscent of German/Italian planes fighting Africans resisting with bows and arrows during World War II.

 

Whether you call it Pocohontas, Dances with Wolves, LOR: Return of the King (the battle scenes, the uniting of all the world against a common threat of evil), it's a movie that at least makes you think a bit.

 

Is it better than Titanic or Batman/Dark Knight or Shrek 1, well, it doesn't really matter, does it? For that matter, I think Michael Bay could care less how many holes are in Transformers 2, it's profitability that matters most to him. At least with Avatar, you saw a unique director's artistic vision win out over what is normally produced in Hollywood. Sure, the dialogue is campy and the two villains (Stephen Lang and Giovani Ribisi) overact, but Cameron is a little like John Grisham or Dan Brown, an excellent storyteller but not a great writer. However, there are many well-written scripts that come apart at the seams because of the story or the directing, Cameron blends all those things together, which is what sets him apart.

 

 

[Steve9347]

It's Complicated

 

It's hilarious!

[T R U]

It's Complicated

 

It's hilarious!

 

You cant be serious

[Brian]

Really liked "Up In the Air". Sad to think I have some of the qualities Clooney has in the movie.

 

I already want to watch this again. I think it has a lot of "rewatchable" qualities.

[Kyyle23]

[Brian]

Caught the end of it today and forgot how much I liked it and think it is underrated. "O", the teen remake of "Othello".

 

Flame away.

 

We get a new Films thread for New Years?

[knightni]

We get a new Films thread for New Years?

We'll have a new one before the summer films come out.

[Steve9347]

(500) Days of Summer was exceptional.

[Kyyle23]

(500) Days of Summer was exceptional.

 

I wouldnt say exceptional, but me and my wife enjoyed it. It was pretty funny in moments, and i liked the narrative style and the way they jumped back and forth between the days of their relationship.

Summer is a b**** though, holy s*** did she do him wrong

[Yoda]

Finally got to see Avatar and not because I was waiting till I heard just about every mixed review I can get plastered with, but because I wanted to clear my mind of all the hype and money that has been advertised to develop and promote this movie. I walked in to the movies with no real enthusiasm or expectations that I planned (without making any real plans) to see it on such a mellow and frigid afternoon.

 

Anyways, because my thoughts and feelings are fresh I think its best that I say I was impressed, less than impressed and then again I somewhat rejuvenated. So much like the reviews I had been lobbed with, my very own reaction to the sequence of the film proves just how I perceive the highest making, and what seems to be the longest movie, to be produced and released.

 

And just a side note, I'm still up for grabs on whether or not I should take a trip to see it at the IMAX before making an official review on the film. Of course, my initial judgment of the story itself will prevail if I do see it in 3D.

 

[fathom]

(500) Days of Summer was exceptional.

 

Watching it with the wife right now, and 45 minutes in, I'm bored as hell. I hate the actress that plays Summer. She's not even attractive. If Minka Kelly was the lead actress, then I'd probably be more entertained.

[Kyyle23]

Watching it with the wife right now, and 45 minutes in, I'm bored as hell. I hate the actress that plays Summer. She's not even attractive. If Minka Kelly was the lead actress, then I'd probably be more entertained.

 

Couldnt disagree with you more, I think Zooey Deschanel is girl next door hot. To each their own though

[SoxFan1]

I'm about to watch Inglorious Basterds for the first time, I'm excited.

[SoxFan1]

I'm about to watch Inglorious Basterds for the first time, I'm excited.

Umm, wow. I thought it was freaking amazing. The opening scene was absolutely brilliant. Landa's character was the highlight of the movie, no doubt. Intimidating and enthralling.

 

The opening scene, IMO, was a total homage to Sergio Leone and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. VERY similar, even down to the Ennio Moriccone-esque musical selection. That was really awesome to see. Totally captured me from the opening moment.

[Brian]

The opening scene, IMO, was a total homage to Sergio Leone and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. VERY similar, even down to the Ennio Moriccone-esque musical selection. That was really awesome to see. Totally captured me from the opening moment.

 

Tarantino credits spaghetti westerns as his major influence in most movies. Kill Bill 2 is a prime example.

[Kyyle23]

[SoxFan1]

Tarantino credits spaghetti westerns as his major influence in most movies. Kill Bill 2 is a prime example.

Ah, never saw either of the Kill Bill's, for some reason I was just never intrigued despite good reviews and recommendations from others. Will have to watch them soon.

 

I can't wait.

[BigSqwert]

Finally watched Brazil for the first time. Visually stunning and a good watch overall even if a tad long.

[LosMediasBlancas]

I love Vince Vaughns character in Made. You just want to absolutely kill him throughout the whole movie for being such an idiot.

 

 

I saw "You Kill Me" with Ben Kingsley, Tea Leoni, Luke Wilson, and Bill Pullman the other night and that was a decent movie. Some of it was a little forced, but there are a few pretty funny moments

 

I've only recently started to appreciate what a true talent Kingsley is. He's put together a string of good performances recently.

[juddling]

Finally got around to watching Nacho Libre at the urging of some friends. Those people are no longer my friends.

[The Critic]

Finally got around to watching Nacho Libre at the urging of some friends. Those people are no longer my friends.

I liked Jack Black in High Fidelity. And nothing else ever.

[Kyyle23]

I liked Jack Black in High Fidelity. And nothing else ever.

 

I actually liked the Tenacious D movie. Especially the Sasquatch scene. Be Kind Rewind, School of Rock and Tropic Thunder werent bad either. But he has made a bunch of duds too

[FlaSoxxJim]

Add King Kong and Kung Fu Panda to the Jack Black keeper list, I think. I also liked School of Rock.

Edited January 6, 2010 by FlaSoxxJim