| 20 JUL 2010 at 12:21pm |
TravellerGuild Master
Posts : 4040
Joined: 3 JUL 2010
Location: US
Status : Offline | Hey guys, most other gaming sites have: "What are you listening to" and "What are you reading?" threads, that I've tried to institute here on JA's OT in the past, but the threads didn't catch on.
Well, I have noticed that most of you do in fact often comment on movies and TV shows, each in it's own separate thread, which then soon gets lost in cyberspace somewhere in the ether.
It would be so nice if we had one thread for all of our cinematic ramblings, I've been thinking.
Anyway, as for myself, movies I have watched recently:
1) Angel Heart: If you enjoyed Jane Jensen's Sins of the Fathers, or have an interest in voodoo and dealings with the devil and similar types of mumbo jumbo, you might enjoy this one.
I personally found it quite riveting viewing for most of the movie, and I enjoyed the 'twist' ; though I did find some of the supernatural aspects a bit... incredible? (Well, taking into account that the movie plays out in a very realistic setting - right until you get to end, that is. It reminded me a bit of the Balck mirror game, inthat regard, although the twisted ending was quite well done in this movie).
Those who don't enjoy blood, "dark" plots or supernatural twists, need not bother.
2) Alexander: If you like exciting battle scenes, and enjoy Oliver Stone's movies, this one is a must-see for you IF you can handle history being given some slight twists, and the known facts twisted and condensed.
To criticism regarding historical inaccuracies, Stone replied as follows:
Oliver Stone has, .. defended many of the most glaring historical issues by claiming that he had no time or resources to accurately portray a multitude of battles at the expense of storytelling. He goes into great detail explaining how he merged all the major aspects of the Battle of Granicus and the Battle of Issus into the Battle of Gaugamela, as well as heavily simplifying the Battle of Hydaspes into a straight-forward clash, while merging the near-death of Alexander from the siege of Malli.
So, as long as you don't expect the movie to be a history lesson, I'd say it amounts to an enjoyable diversion.
This past weekend, we took some kids (honest, I was sacrificing my time for the kids' pleasure, here.. ) to go and see the newest Shrek release, Shrek Forever After in 3-D.
(As an aside, I will never again settle for seats towards the front and on the side when it involves a 3-D movie. I had to keep twisting myself into uncomfortable positions to try and get the proper 3-D effect, and it really detracted from some of the viewing pleasure, let alone leave me with a slightly sore neck and back at the end.)
As for Shrek - as usual, it was a rollicking good romp, and the 3-D format certainly worked for me.
I can't decide if I'm getting tired of Shrek or not. Though I do think another sequel, even, will be in order, I do think that we need to move on in time, and shift the focus to Shrek's kids, having them as teenagers in the next movie, and finally moving away from the Shrek & Fiona love story, which is certainly getting old for me.
In other words, I love the characters and the type of humor, etc, but I really think we should start looking for new inspirations when it comes to plot, and move on to the new generation as in "The children of Shrek and their adventures".
Next up: Robin Hood
I'm an absolute sucker for the Oliver Stone + Russell Crowe combo, so I'll be off to see RH on the big screen this week; I've been wanting to for ages, and luckily it's still showing around here.
* * * Just call me Trav. * * *
“Despite my ghoulish reputation, I really have the heart of a small boy. I keep it in a jar on my desk.” - Robert Bloch
"They are not reciprocally sublated--the one does not sublate the other externally--but each sublates itself in itself and is in its own self the opposite of itself" (Hegel, from The Doctrine of Being)..."
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| 20 JUL 2010 at 1:24pm |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
Posts : 16540
Joined: 28 JAN 2007
Location: AU
Status : Offline | I want to see Toy Story 3D.
I have the doll of Buzz Lightyear, and one of my favourite movie quotes of all time is 'to infinity - and beyond'. [smiley=rofl.gif] [smiley=rofl.gif]
As for TV: I've just finished watching Little Dorrit - which is the only way anyone should experience Charles Dickens. I'm a real fan of those bonnet and bustle dramas and luckily the Brits turn them out by the bucketload.
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| 20 JUL 2010 at 2:25pm |
colpetSchattenjger
Posts : 1630
Joined: 12 APR 2003
Status : Offline | Other than Inception, I recently saw 9. It was a CGI film about sentient dolls that overcome an evil machine. I also saw Cairo Time - a romantic film about a married woman going to meet her husband in Cairo. A perfect film devoid of guns, violence, explicit sex and rude humor. Not for everyone .
Occasionally visiting Uru Live (KI 0063722 .&&
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| 20 JUL 2010 at 3:35pm |
TravellerGuild Master
Posts : 4040
Joined: 3 JUL 2010
Location: US
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Caroline (20 JUL 2010 1:24pm)
I want to see Toy Story 3D.
If you do, plz let us know what you thought, even tho it's ostensibly a kidz movie. We had a toss-up between going to see Toy Story3D and Shrek 3D and Shrek just made it, so I'd like to know if I had missed much.
PS. I loved that old movie made of Great Expectations with Michael York as the protagonist. I don't enjoy reading C.D. in general, but Great Expectations is an exception - it's a great favorite of mine.
@ Colpet:
Sentient dolls, huh? :
"A perfect film devoid of guns, violence, explicit sex and rude humor. Not for everyone." [smiley=laughing.gif] I hear ya...
* * * Just call me Trav. * * *
“Despite my ghoulish reputation, I really have the heart of a small boy. I keep it in a jar on my desk.” - Robert Bloch
"They are not reciprocally sublated--the one does not sublate the other externally--but each sublates itself in itself and is in its own self the opposite of itself" (Hegel, from The Doctrine of Being)..."
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| 20 JUL 2010 at 3:49pm |
MaraPrivate Detective
Posts : 542
Joined: 6 JUL 2007
Status : Offline | Has anyone here seen Passengers? I seldom go to the theatre and I purchased the dvd of this movie. I've yet to see the whole thing but I like what I've seen so far; It's about a plane accident and stars Anne Hathaway.
Mara
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| 20 JUL 2010 at 5:09pm |
anthonyJourneyman
Posts : 1270
Joined: 11 JUN 2003
Status : Offline | I saw Toy Story 3 and was disappointed.
The theme is identical to prior movies and thus it comes off a bit stale. What do we toys do with ourselves when Andy gets too old for us?
Other plot devices are similar to the previous films. There's an evil toy who starts out friendly. Buzz Lightyear changes his personae.
We've seen it all before.
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| 20 JUL 2010 at 5:16pm |
Terry PenrodGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 6693
Joined: 16 OCT 2004
Location: US, Texas
Status : Offline | .
Originally Posted By Mara (20 JUL 2010 3:49pm)
Has anyone here seen Passengers? I seldom go to the theatre and I purchased the dvd of this movie. I've yet to see the whole thing but I like what I've seen so far; It's about a plane accident and stars Anne Hathaway.
I liked the film quite a bit, but don't want to say more for fear of spoiling the ending for you. Enjoy!
Cheers, Terry
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| 20 JUL 2010 at 7:45pm |
Lady KestrelGuild Master
Posts : 4038
Joined: 27 SEP 2004
Location: US, NJ
Status : Offline | I just watched Avatar on DVD. I loved the special effects and the story, but I'm really tired of Hollywood making villains out of soldiers. The over-the-top Apocalypse Now senarios are really getting old.
"Where is the fountain that throws up these flowers in a ceaseless outbreak of ecstasy?"
-Rabindranath Tagore
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| 21 JUL 2010 at 4:25am |
MarkGuild Master
Posts : 3803
Joined: 10 OCT 2002
Location: US, Georgia
Status : Offline |
So, those blue injuns weren't the villains?
Please proofread your posts carefully to see if you any words out.
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| 21 JUL 2010 at 6:27am |
Lucien21Guild Master
Posts : 4876
Joined: 9 JUL 2003
Location: 0
Status : Offline | While I was in New York I saw..
Toy Story 3 - An excellent edition to the series and a superb movie. Just as much fun for the adults as the kids.
Knight and Day Entertaining Spy movie with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. Lots of laughs and lots of action as Cruise turns on the charm and Diaz provides the laughs (and is smoking hot).
Sice I came back i've seen...
Predators - More or less a modern updating of the original Predators movie.
It was ok. Plenty of action, most of the SFX are fine and it didn't suck as bad as the AvP movies.
Fun if you liked the Arnie original.
Inception
Superb film from Christopher Nolan.
It's a heist movie, but not one you will have ever seen before. Cobb is a extractor, someone who steals corporate secrets from the dreams of their rivals. But when one scam goes wrong he is forced to pull of the mother of all jobs, An Inception.
When you are inside a dream within a dream, how do you know what is real?
Amazing SFX, an intelligent script and a decent cast all fire on all cylinders in this mind bending movie.
Film of the year so far.
Dear Diary, My teenage angst bullsh*t now has a bodycount.
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| 21 JUL 2010 at 7:47am |
TravellerGuild Master
Posts : 4040
Joined: 3 JUL 2010
Location: US
Status : Offline | Wow, well, I'm definitely putting Inception on my "to see" list... Thanks Colpet and Lucien.
LadyK; I enjoyed Avatar. What a pity you didn't get to see it on the big screen. Those flying scenes are awesome when you're watching it on big screen, and I believe even better if its Imax.
* * * Just call me Trav. * * *
“Despite my ghoulish reputation, I really have the heart of a small boy. I keep it in a jar on my desk.” - Robert Bloch
"They are not reciprocally sublated--the one does not sublate the other externally--but each sublates itself in itself and is in its own self the opposite of itself" (Hegel, from The Doctrine of Being)..."
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| 24 JUL 2010 at 12:04am |
JKingSchattenjger
Posts : 2349
Joined: 4 MAY 2008
Location: 0
Status : Offline | Interestingly a friend of mine has claimed that Avatar is even more enjoyable on the small screen, provided your small screen is big enough and your laser is blue. I'll have to test that sometime.
Recently I haven't been seeing many movies, but I did go to The 5 Drive-in to see "The Karate Kid" and "Grown-Ups" a few weeks ago. Both were surprisingly enjoyable.
Of The Karate Kid I can only say one thing: ignore the title. Taken on its own it's a very good flick with a strong story, sympathetic characters, and a rousing conclusion which can even teach children a valuable lesson or two. This is not surprising, since it's essentially a copy of its namesake, exchanging karate for wushu and Los Angeles for Beijing. If you haven't seen the original 1980s film, just do yourself a favour and go find it somewhere and watch it. Or watch the new one. It's got lovely cinematography to go with it, too, yielding many lovely shots of Beijing.
Grown-Ups, on the other hand, is essentially your typical Adam Sandler comedy, mellowed. Five childhood friends, their families in tow, re-unite after 25 years to pay homage to their basketball coach, the man who inspired them all to succeed in life. Along the way they all rediscover their lost zest for life. It's nothing special, but the cast of veteran comedians is strong, and the humour is largely tasteful and quite effective. A great way to spend approxiately ninety minutes.
This weekend I'll probably be sitting down with my brothers to watch "Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage", a documentary of the greatest rock band of all time. I expect it should be excellent. I'll let you all know.
You can't kill someone in a studio.
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| 24 JUL 2010 at 12:10am |
JKingSchattenjger
Posts : 2349
Joined: 4 MAY 2008
Location: 0
Status : Offline | I may as well also comment on the TV I've been watching. This has mostly been season 3 of "Star Trek: The Next Genration". Quite possibly the greatest thing to come out of the 90s, Season 3 of TNG is best described as "awesomeness in 26 acts". "Sins of the Father" alone is enough to give the season a place in the pantheon of excellent TV.
I've also been watching "Eureka", which recently started up again. Last season was pretty weak, being little more than a soap opera, but the opening episode of the season managed to shake things up some, and the second episode heroically did not backtrack. I'm still not convinced that they'll manage to keep it from sucking, and I'd much prefer James Callis with his native accent, but I'm hopeful!
You can't kill someone in a studio.
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| 24 JUL 2010 at 12:34am |
DonaJourneyman
Posts : 801
Joined: 19 MAR 2005
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Lucien21 (21 JUL 2010 6:26am)
Knight and Day Entertaining Spy movie with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. Lots of laughs and lots of action as Cruise turns on the charm and Diaz provides the laughs (and is smoking hot).
The movie was bad, but in a 'so bad it's good' way and I can see it becoming my guilty pleasure. I absolutely adore both Tom and Cameron and had to actually go check Tom's age again... unf unf unf. He's never looked that good
I don't watch movies often, but once I start, I can't stop... it's all I can do for days. I'm dying to see Inception, been waiting for it for almost a year! Sadly, the local cinema is closed and won't be opening anytime soon because they found a couple of skeletons while renovating (apparently it was built on an old Jewish cemetery - go figure). Even my desperate attempts to find a cam recording failed. Baww.
I have to agree with Anthony, Toy Story 3 was not that good. I enjoyed it, it was fun, but nothing super memorable like the first one.
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| 27 JUL 2010 at 1:49am |
JKingSchattenjger
Posts : 2349
Joined: 4 MAY 2008
Location: 0
Status : Offline | As I mentioned I've been watching Eureka of late, and I'd have to say I am becoming a little worried about the direction in which the show is going---or perhaps more to the point, not going---so far this season. The greater narrative was helped by the hijinx at the outset of the season, but I am seeing a considerable staleness in the episodic aspects of each, er, episode. There's only so many crises one can conjure up before it gets really, really old, and I think they're starting to hit that now.
Of course there's nothing wrong with episodic television: some of the most successful and enjoyable television shows of all time have been episodic. But to start on a new, encapsulated story every week you need good writing and good characters to anchor the audience. I don't Eureka has much of either right now. The show started out having both, but the characters have now been twisted so far out of shape I'm not sure even the sheriff can be salvaged.
Still, I'll keep watching. Maybe I'll be surprised.
You can't kill someone in a studio.
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| 27 JUL 2010 at 2:54am |
Lady KestrelGuild Master
Posts : 4038
Joined: 27 SEP 2004
Location: US, NJ
Status : Offline | I missed the early Eureka episodes, although I managed to catch some in reruns. I'm still enjoying it and am curious to see where they will go with it. My current favorite, however, is Warehouse 13. Season 1 just came out on DVD, and I'll be adding it to my collection.
"Where is the fountain that throws up these flowers in a ceaseless outbreak of ecstasy?"
-Rabindranath Tagore
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| 27 JUL 2010 at 6:00pm |
colpetSchattenjger
Posts : 1630
Joined: 12 APR 2003
Status : Offline | I watched a few movies this past weekend:
It's Complicated - good entertainment and nice to see a romantic comedy staring more mature leads.
When in Rome - absolute drivel. I fast forwarded most of it even though it was pay per view.
Bounty Hunter - It was awful, but I'd watch Gerrard Butler reading a phone book.
Leap Year - I loved it. Amy Adams is just so darn cute and Matthew Goode played a suitable suitor.
A Single Man - one of the more exceptional films I've seen this year, also staring Matthew Goode. Colin Firth is almost unrecognizable from his Darcy days and does a touching performance as a man who loses his partner. He deserved his Oscar nomination.
As for TV, other than my usual Antiques Roadshow (BBC version), this season of True Blood is way better than last year's. I am particularly enjoying the Eric/nazis/werewolf arc.
Occasionally visiting Uru Live (KI 0063722 .&&
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| 27 JUL 2010 at 6:13pm |
TravellerGuild Master
Posts : 4040
Joined: 3 JUL 2010
Location: US
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By colpet (27 JUL 2010 6:00pm)
Bounty Hunter - It was awful, but I'd watch Gerrard Butler reading a phone book.
[smiley=rofl.gif] Heh, I think I understand the sentiment.
I feel very guilty that I have not posted anything yet about Robin Hood, which I went to see last week, but I'm still trying to make up my mind about the movie...
Otherwise, I didn't watch anything because I went ice-skating for entertainment instead...
Oh, btw, JKing, I happen to have the DVD box set for Star Trek TNG season 3. I didn't like the first one at all, (Evolution), but watched The Hunted and The High Ground, and found them a great improvement.
Sigh, sigh, I whish I had more time to watch the rest of it.. : *Makes a note to watch "Sins of the Father*
* * * Just call me Trav. * * *
“Despite my ghoulish reputation, I really have the heart of a small boy. I keep it in a jar on my desk.” - Robert Bloch
"They are not reciprocally sublated--the one does not sublate the other externally--but each sublates itself in itself and is in its own self the opposite of itself" (Hegel, from The Doctrine of Being)..."
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| 27 JUL 2010 at 6:51pm |
Terry PenrodGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 6693
Joined: 16 OCT 2004
Location: US, Texas
Status : Offline | .
Originally Posted By JKing (27 JUL 2010 1:49am)
As I mentioned I've been watching Eureka of late, and I'd have to say I am becoming a little worried about the direction in which the show is going---or perhaps more to the point, not going---so far this season. The greater narrative was helped by the hijinx at the outset of the season, but I am seeing a considerable staleness in the episodic aspects of each, er, episode. There's only so many crises one can conjure up before it gets really, really old, and I think they're starting to hit that now.
Of course there's nothing wrong with episodic television: some of the most successful and enjoyable television shows of all time have been episodic. But to start on a new, encapsulated story every week you need good writing and good characters to anchor the audience. I don't Eureka has much of either right now. The show started out having both, but the characters have now been twisted so far out of shape I'm not sure even the sheriff can be salvaged.
Still, I'll keep watching. Maybe I'll be surprised.
Could this be a response by the writers to broaden appeal by pandering to short attention spans, channel-hopping and expanded cable TV schedules?
Not too many years ago, the vast majority of viewers had to watch regularly scheduled shows at pre-determined times with very limited ability to record content themselves. There were also far fewer channels / networks to choose from and most did not broadcast 24/7.
Now we have hundreds of channels available on-demand 24/7 and millions of people have some form of DVR / TIVO plus easy access to streaming web content as well as pre-recorded DVDs.
We have also seen the rapid rise of reality TV, which pretends to be unscripted and unpredictable.
Along with continual Internet updates for news, weather, sports, etc., all the above has probably contributed to even shorter attention spans that require quick, little blurbs of abbreviated content and ever increasing sensationalism to remain interesting.
So, are a growing number of TV producers and writers consciously attempting to mold their stories, plots and characters accordingly?
Cheers, Terry
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| 27 JUL 2010 at 11:24pm |
New WolfboySpace Cadet
Posts : 133
Joined: 27 JUL 2010
Status : Online | Angel Heart is a fantastic movie. I also recommend The Ninth Gate, if you like it.
I've been engaged in Caprica lately. It's a lot like the show it's spun from (remake of Battlestar Galactica), but engages in a lot more of the cyberpunk concepts that I enjoy.
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| 27 JUL 2010 at 11:52pm |
TechnoSpikePrivate Detective
Posts : 581
Joined: 26 APR 2005
Location: PT
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By colpet (27 JUL 2010 6:00pm)
.
As for TV, other than my usual Antiques Roadshow (BBC version), this season of True Blood is way better than last year's. I am particularly enjoying the Eric/nazis/werewolf arc.
Oi! How about some spoilers warning!? True Blood is one of my favourite TV series, but I'm still waiting for the new season to "pop up" in my TV, soooo... I've seen the trailer so I knew about the werewolfs, but now I'm really curious about that nazis reference!
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| 28 JUL 2010 at 2:54am |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
Posts : 16540
Joined: 28 JAN 2007
Location: AU
Status : Offline | The past four months, my family and I have sat in front of our TV 6 nights a week to watch a cooking competition Masterchef that is run like Survivor and Big Brother. They are all locked in a house together where they bond and they get kicked out if they fail to replicate impossible haute cuisine dishes or come second in the team challenges. They've been taken to Melbourne, Canberra, London and Paris and the entire nation has followed them all avidly.
So avidly in fact, that our election campaign's first debate had to be rescheduled not to clash with the Masterchef finale because, quite simply, most of the nation couldn't give a brass razzoo about the politicians but we all needed to see who would win: Callum the boy wonder or Adam the pocket-sized Samurai. (Both from Adelaide btw)
[IMG]http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/1866/a13600x4002b9123.jpg[/IMG]
So I have a lot of free time now. :
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| 28 JUL 2010 at 3:38am |
Lady KestrelGuild Master
Posts : 4038
Joined: 27 SEP 2004
Location: US, NJ
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By Zanafarr (27 JUL 2010 11:24pm)
I've been engaged in Caprica lately. It's a lot like the show it's spun from (remake of Battlestar Galactica), but engages in a lot more of the cyberpunk concepts that I enjoy.
I've been enjoying Caprica, too, although we probably won't get any new episodes until the fall or January, and, of course, the season ended with a cliffhanger. I'm wondering how everything will eventually tie in with Galactica.
"Where is the fountain that throws up these flowers in a ceaseless outbreak of ecstasy?"
-Rabindranath Tagore
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| 28 JUL 2010 at 11:04am |
colpetSchattenjger
Posts : 1630
Joined: 12 APR 2003
Status : Offline | Originally Posted By TechnoSpike (27 JUL 2010 11:51pm)
Originally Posted By colpet (27 JUL 2010 6:00pm)
.
As for TV, other than my usual Antiques Roadshow (BBC version), this season of True Blood is way better than last year's. I am particularly enjoying the Eric/nazis/werewolf arc.
Oi! How about some spoilers warning!? True Blood is one of my favourite TV series, but I'm still waiting for the new season to "pop up" in my TV, soooo... I've seen the trailer so I knew about the werewolfs, but now I'm really curious about that nazis reference!
My apologies, Techno. :-[
Caroline, Top Chef is one of the few shows I watch. They are shooting a Canadian version too.
Occasionally visiting Uru Live (KI 0063722 .&&
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| 28 JUL 2010 at 11:37am |
CarolineJA+ Overseer
Posts : 16540
Joined: 28 JAN 2007
Location: AU
Status : Offline | I see we both watch the UK version of antiques roadshow. Love all those lovely old things and quite often I manage to guess the value correctly.
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