Movie review thread...
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[quote name='Kirwan' timestamp='1359402086' post='340105']<br />
The tiny bit I've seen on the "controversy" is the inclusion of any torture scenes at all. Certain right leaning pundits want it swept under the carpet that any torture was done at all, so any scenes of that nature are controversial just for existing.<br />
[/quote]<br />
Thats an incorrect summary.<br />
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The 'right' was apprehensive before the movie was released because they feared it would be a Democrat propaganda film. The reaction from that side of the spectrum has been largely positive.<br />
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The 'left' are the source of the controversy. Without getting into an argument about the facts, the left is unhappy that enhanced interrogation appears in the film for two reasons.<br />
The first is that they don't believe the evidence gained from those interrogations lead to the OBL (via his courier). The second is they are unhappy that it was included in a non political way.. if it was to be included they wanted an obvious moral judgement included in the movie. However the movie is apparently matter-of-fact in its portrayal.<br />
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Most of the criticism hasn't even been from the political classes its been from within hollywood. Some of the calls for thought censorship has been a bit creepy IMO -
[quote name='red terror' timestamp='1359405649' post='340129']<br />
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It's not the torture that is controversial - although Bigelow wants people to believe that strawman is the root of the controversy - it's that the film purports to be a true story, yet distorts the reality. In the U.S. you see right-winger media slugs like Joe Scarborough praising the film saying it "proves that torture works." And the criticisms are not exclusively from political comms, most of them I've read are from artists & film critics, 'tho I did have to laugh at Bret Easton Ellis [url="http://ggsidedocs.blogspot.com.br/2012/12/frank-bruni-new-york-times-its-hard-not.html"]comment[/url]. For me, I was somewhat unnerved by the torture-to-capture connection, but was laughing more at some of the ham-fisted dialogue. A good film, 8/10 (I saw a dvd dub, not on the big screen), but great propaganda 10/10.<br />
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RT, why did you ask me about politics surrounding this film when you clearly know that there are politics involved and in fact have an opinion on them? -
[quote name='Nepia' timestamp='1359408093' post='340139']<br />
RT, why did you ask me about politics surrounding this film when you clearly know that there are politics involved and in fact have an opinion on them?<br />
[/quote]<br />
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I was more inquisitive about the "blinding" part of it. -
[quote name='red terror' timestamp='1359412768' post='340156']<br />
I was more inquisitive about the "blinding" part of it.<br />
[/quote]<br />
All good, TBH I didn't put much thought into the use of the word, I'd just read a few celebrities were putting the movie down due to the content without actually seeing it. -
[quote name='Nepia' timestamp='1359197181' post='339721']<br />
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Just watched it and agree - it was a cracking film, and it was basically two movies in one, a thriller and then an action film. Strong performances all round, as I assume Maya was supposed to be annoying as hell, from a range of actors (TV, Aussies, Brits). The thriller part was tense and the action part was intense.<br />
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Great direction by Bigelow, I thought Hurt Locker was a wee bit overrated, but I think she got the mix right in this one, only one bad line in the film IMHO, the MF line by Maya.<br />
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It is a pity that politics will blind some people to the merits of it as a film as it is damn good.<br />
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Pointless fact: The guy (in the movie) who killed UBL is a Kiwi (at least an Aussie actor born in NZ).<br />
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I watched this last night, and also enjoyed it. Started well, got a wee bit slow in the middle, but the last 30mins or so was pretty tense.<br />
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Didn't seem to glorify or dehumanise things, and painting anyone any different. -
Watched the "Sound City" movie last night, the doco by Dave Grohl on the fairly famous LA recording studio. It's pretty good. obviously Dave plays a fairly central part, and due to his personality, and infectious enthusiasm, it makes it very watchable. Lots of interviews with some fairly big rock names (Tom Petty and Neil Young get plenty of time. oh, and Rick Springfield).<br />
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The first hour is the story of the studio, including its part in the rise of Fleetwood Mac, and how that really made the place. The decline during the 80s as computers started to take over, and its saviour and renaissance after "Nevermind".<br />
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The last 40 mins is Dave Grohl's crusade against Protools, and music made on laptops, and a "making of" of the i assume to be soon released Sound City album.<br />
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A good little rock documentary with a good soundtrack. -
Thanks to a pre release promo through work I saw Hansel and Gretel.<br />
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Pros: Whats her name looked nice in leather, another hot chick got her gears off, some random violence involving some ridiculously over the top CGI blood....<br />
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Cons: Whats her name and Whats his name trying to convince people they weren't fucking off screen, awful dialogue, machine guns in the late 19th century ( what the fuck ? ), annoying characters, ridiculous storyline, people saying "fuck" and "shit" in a period movie......<br />
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Yeah so kinda sucked overall, made the Expendables look like Schindlers list.<br />
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4/10. -
[quote name='mariner4life' timestamp='1359934778' post='341594']<br />
Watched the "Sound City" movie last night, the doco by Dave Grohl on the fairly famous LA recording studio. It's pretty good. obviously Dave plays a fairly central part, and due to his personality, and infectious enthusiasm, it makes it very watchable. Lots of interviews with some fairly big rock names (Tom Petty and Neil Young get plenty of time. oh, and Rick Springfield).<br />
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The first hour is the story of the studio, including its part in the rise of Fleetwood Mac, and how that really made the place. The decline during the 80s as computers started to take over, and its saviour and renaissance after "Nevermind".<br />
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[b]The last 40 mins is Dave Grohl's crusade against Protools, and music made on laptops, and a "making of" of the i assume to be soon released Sound City album.[/b]<br />
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A good little rock documentary with a good soundtrack.<br />
[/quote]<br />
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I couldn't handle watching the guy behind the fucking Foo Fighters do that. -
To be fair, the vast majority of the Foos music is recorded on analogue, including their last that was done entirely on tape. Pretty sure they do all their recording either in Sound Coty (when it existed) and Dave's own studios.
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[quote name='mariner4life' timestamp='1359940988' post='341630']<br />
To be fair, the vast majority of the Foos music is recorded on analogue, including their last that was done entirely on tape. Pretty sure they do all their recording either in Sound Coty (when it existed) and Dave's own studios.<br />
[/quote]<br />
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To be fair, their music is fucking boring as fuck, and wouldn't sound good or interesting recorded on anything. -
[quote name='Tim' timestamp='1359947913' post='341666']<br />
To be fair, their music is fucking boring as fuck, and wouldn't sound good or interesting recorded on anything.<br />
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Now, now. I'm not a fan, but I know people who are, they play their music, it's catchy wallpaper to me, which is to say, I don't hate it, but I can appreciate some of it. -
Saw Django after our snow delay and to be honest, I'm still wondering what to think.<br />
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I did sit there at one point and feel very strongly that I wasn't enjoying it. It just seemed intent on getting from one bout of violence to another as quickly as possible. And the scenes involving Django's wife were particularly harrowing. The only respite from this is the humour, which in itself is also heavy handed.<br />
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Overall it was a cartoon - a very long cartoon. No surprise really since the character is based on a comic book hero but I thought there would be less of a slapstick element to it.<br />
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Maybe I'm just bored with Tarantino? -
[quote name='Luigi' timestamp='1359988412' post='341749']<br />
Saw Django after our snow delay and to be honest, I'm still wondering what to think.<br />
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I did sit there at one point and feel very strongly that I wasn't enjoying it. It just seemed intent on getting from one bout of violence to another as quickly as possible. And the scenes involving Django's wife were particularly harrowing. The only respite from this is the humour, which in itself is also heavy handed.<br />
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Overall it was a cartoon - a very long cartoon. No surprise really since the character is based on a comic book hero but I thought there would be less of a slapstick element to it.<br />
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Maybe I'm just bored with Tarantino?<br />
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I saw it over a week ago, and have stayed quiet. Tarantino is trying too hard to be a hipster, and it's getting stale. Don't get me wrong, I liked the film, but didn't love it. There was a lot of good stuff - I'd give the film 7/10. I don't ordinarily like DiCaprio, but I thought he was brilliant. So too Waltz and Samuel L., whereas Jamie Foxx was kinda forgettable in the title role. I think what might have bugged me the most, and it's a pet peeve of mine, is lazily dropping contemporary music (like rap) on top of a period piece (pre-Civil War). It takes me out of the movie in the same way if the characters had been riding their horses and communicating with smart-phones. I hates it, I tells ya. The scene with Tarantino and the Aussie mate... wtf? Part of my disappointment may be from unfulfilled expectations... years ago I really thought he was going to be a brilliant writer & directer, but now I think he's satisfied with simply being a stylist and not particularly interested in exploring his themes with any degree of depth. -
Finally saw Django and I thought it was brilliant. I thought it was the perfect mix of violence, humour and narrative, with perfect performances from a stellar cast, and I think it's cartoonish-ness was intended. The only problem with the film was length - it could have been trimmed by about half an hour and still done the same job. Glad I saw it on the big screen with a theatre full of people cracking up.<br />
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[quote]Part of my disappointment may be from unfulfilled expectations... years ago I really thought he was going to be a brilliant writer & directer, but now I think he's satisfied with simply being a stylist and not particularly interested in exploring his themes with any degree of depth.[/quote]<br />
Tarantino is a brilliant writer and director, just because he doesn't make the sort of films you want him to make doesn't make this untrue. Tarantino loves his cult films and has set out to make those types of movies and he does that brilliantly. Furthermore, amongst the style I think he highlights the themes he wants highlighted. Many esteemed directors make the same kind of films with the same themes over and over again but do dramas so get critical credit for it, Tarantino just does it his own way. <br />
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Tarantino has got a great little list of films now, I really can't separate Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol 1, Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained. -
The Watch.<br />
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Average, disposable comedy/sci fi. The guy from the IT Crowd is understated and brilliant though.<br />
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Ben stiller is not a good straight man I have decided. His expressionless dialling it in performances have been numerous of late. He's better when he's maniacal but he looks like he's channelling Reality Bites.<br />
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Jonah Hill is only funny when he's fat. Vince Vaughan is only funny in Swingers.<br />
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It'll do for a late night bit of fluff but utterly forgetable.<br />
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5/10 -
[quote name='Nepia' timestamp='1360280393' post='342322']<br />
Tarantino is a brilliant writer and director, just because he doesn't make the sort of films you want him to make doesn't make this untrue.<br />
[/quote]<br />
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He actually does kinda make the movies I want to see. (And really, if it was otherwise, I wouldn't have taken time & money out of my pocket to go see it.) I love Peckinpah. I love Leone. I love Fuller. Django Unchained made me shrug my shoulders. My opinion. Honest disagreement. That is all. -
[quote name='red terror' timestamp='1360291068' post='342357']<br />
He actually does kinda make the movies I want to see. (And really, if it was otherwise, I wouldn't have taken time & money out of my pocket to go see it.) I love Peckinpah. I love Leone. I love Fuller. Django Unchained made me shrug my shoulders. My opinion. Honest disagreement. That is all.<br />
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I should really of put IMHO to be fair ... wasn't intended to be a go at you!<br />
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But I do think he's brilliant ... I'm going to watch The Master tonight and I'm trying not to pre-judge it but it's hard with Paul Thomas Anderson, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and the Phoenix guy involvement, they're all overrated to me (and Anderson was one of the directors my comment was aimed at ....). I have liked them all individually various times and the subject matter is intriguing so maybe? -
[quote name='Nepia' timestamp='1360280393' post='342322']<br />
Tarantino has got a great little list of films now, I really can't separate Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol 1, Inglorious Basterds and Django Unchained.<br />
[/quote]I can, Pulp Fiction #1 for me, Reservoir Dogs was less refined but would be my #2, Django at #3.<br />
Saw Zero Dark Thirty tonight, it was rivetting viewing; Ms Bigelow certainly knows how to make a decent film. -
[quote name='canefan' timestamp='1360325235' post='342690']<br />
I can, Pulp Fiction #1 for me, Reservoir Dogs was less refined but would be my #2, Django at #3.<br />
Saw Zero Dark Thirty tonight, it was rivetting viewing; Ms Bigelow certainly knows how to make a decent film.<br />
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Ms Bigelow directed one of the all time great movies,[Taniwharugby will back me up on this] I wonder how much better Avatar would have been with her directing and her ex Cameron producing.
