What Is The Last Film You Watched?

[Quintus 5,399]

Paranormal Activity 2

Well, most of it. Same thing as the first, except they actually had some balls to do something more than flickering lights and thumping noises. I'll admit, I was a little freaked out as I walked through booth to turn off all the projectors afterwards. It's dark up there.

Is it better than the first [ridiculously overrated] one?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Think about who you are asking!

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I think both are absolutely awful. I wouldn't pay to see it if I were you. A lot of boring nothingness until the end, really. And even the end was stupid (again, just like the first).

[Quintus 5,399]

Think about who you are asking!

Think? Don't be daft, man!

[JoeinAR 1,949]

even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Paranormal activity is a film that makes me laugh at the people who said it scared them. It wasn't even worth the dollar we spent at the red box.

I wouldn't waste a full ticket admission for PA2, but apparently 40+million dollars worth of people did.

[Quintus 5,399]

Either that or a handful of people went to the most expensive theatre on the planet.

[Henry B 50]

Crash: a really good film that nevertheless overstayed its welcome and tied things up a little too neatly.

[Maglorfin 196]

MacGyver season 5 episode Two Times Trouble and ER season 4 episode Freak Show.

[Wojo 2,453]

HTTYD is my personal favorite score release of 2010, old, new or otherwise.

[Jay 37,287]

Back To The Future

Saw it on the big screen last night. First time I've seen the movie that wasn't on VHS tape or cable television, I believe. It looked great! I noticed a few small things I had never noticed before (the first shot with all the clocks has one clock with a guy hanging off the big hand!). The main thing I noticed was that the old-age makeup they used for Lorraine, Biff, and Doc Brown wasn't really the best. Lorraine and Biff just looked unnaturally fat, like it was obvious latex... while Doc Brown just has weird wrinkels that looked fake and were really obvious on the big screen. I now understand why there's that brief scene in the beginning of BTTF2 where he pulls his face off - they didn't want to keep applying old age makeup to Christopher Lloyd for 2 more movies.... I mean if you think about it, we only see 1985 doc in 2 scenes in BTTF1 - the rest of the time he's 1955 Doc with no makeup.

I really want to see BTTF2 & 3 again now. Gotta get that blu ray set.

[Wojo 2,453]

I never noticed a difference in Doc Brown's faces in the different years. Maybe I just assumed that part of the charm was that he didn't seem to age from 1955 to 1985, and took it for granted that we didn't see his counterpart in 2015, if still living.

[Jay 37,287]

If you get a chance, I'm sure it will be apparent on the blu ray. 1955 Doc is just Christopher Lloyd... but 1985 doc has weird makeup around his eyes and on his neck. Look for it in closeups, especially at the end when he reveals his bulletproof vest and taped up letter

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The makeup does look a bit ridic. It's funny to compare their movie future version with their actual current appearance via the passage of time. They're nothing alike. The movie versions are like caricatures, especially in the sequel. Marty's Mom will still be a fox.

Anyway, Poltergeist on HDNet last night. You can not convince me it is not a Steven Spielberg film.

[Trent B 337]

I really want to see BTTF2 & 3 again now. Gotta get that blu ray set.

I'm actually checking out the first Back To The Future on Blu-Ray right now just before hitting the sack.

There is some grain but considering how old the film is it's understandable. Other than that the quality kicks major ass! I think it's actually better looking than the DVD version.

BTW I too agree the makeup for the first one didn't look that great. At least they made it look better for Part 2 and 3.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Anyway, Poltergeist on HDNet last night. You can not convince me it is not a Steven Spielberg film.

Well, Tobe Hooper had to be doing something on the film while Spielberg was out directing E.T., but this promo trailer really shows Steven was the "go-to" guy on the set.

[A24 4,326]

The Ghost Writer: Meh. It was like the film itself was falling asleep during the first hour or so. The material and the character of Ewan McGregor just aren't fascinating enough to turn this into good cinema. Writer Robert Harris said he initially saw The Ghost Writer as a stage play and I'm afraid that's exactly how I felt about it too. Overall, the film is a little too nice and tame. Alexandre Desplat's score seemed good though. It sounds like a capable composer.

Alex

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I'm actually checking out the first Back To The Future on Blu-Ray right now just before hitting the sack.

I think it's actually better looking than the DVD version.

That's kinda the point of Blu-ray.

[Quintus 5,399]

Predators

Film is obviously a big gushing love letter to the original Predator movie, so answer me this; how the hell did they manage to make a complete bloody pig's ear of it? This film is SHITE. It's so bad it even achieves the seemingly impossible by actually being worse than the AvP movie... astounding!

Apart from a genuinely quirky and good cameo by Lawrence Fishburne, the characters are crud. The writing is straight-to-dvd cringe material, the direction is the blandest effort I've seen this year. The effects, especially the alien designs are badly over-baked, coming of as big clumsy caricatures of the genius Stan Winston originals, lacking heft and finesse - they're not scary bad guys.

The score is basically a shameless note for note lift of the masterful Silvestri original; only here it is so busy paying fan service that it completely forgets to be cohesive - the mish-mash of cues make absolutely no sense other than the fact that they are completely recognisable from the first movie and that's that. The entire score plays out like a random Predator's greatest hits album, it's terrible. John Debney is a hack. He's a hack's hack. A consummate hack of all trades; master of none.

If you still haven't seen this movie then don't. Avoid it. Give it a wide berth because it is horrendous.

*/*****

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Laurence Fishburne was the only good thing about it.

[Datameister 2,037]

John Debney is a hack. He's a hack's hack. A consummate hack of all trades; master of none.

He did an amazing job with the Phantom Manor attraction at Disneyland Paris...

[Quintus 5,399]

Laurence Fishburne was the only good thing about it.

Agreed. I edited that in, evidently whilst you commented.

[Taikomochi 1,136]

Laurence Fishburne was the only good thing about it.

Actually, I thought he was the worst thing about Predators. It was average to begin with, but his character came off as unnecessarily strange and annoying, imo.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

The Witches of Eastwick.

Mmm...I mean, it's good. It's entertaining. Nicholson is hilarious, the women are sensational. Then there's the beginning of JW's Hook/Harry Potter-styled fantasy music. This score is where it all came from, clearly. It is fairly good in the movie. I wish there were more bizarre, vulgar fantasy movies like this. It's pretty unique.

[Quintus 5,399]

I like it, but then I like anything with Jack Nicholson in it.

[Morlock 11]

The Ghost Writer: Meh. It was like the film itself was falling asleep during the first hour or so. The material and the character of Ewan McGregor just aren't fascinating enough to turn this into good cinema. Writer Robert Harris said he initially saw The Ghost Writer as a stage play and I'm afraid that's exactly how I felt about it too. Overall, the film is a little too nice and tame. Alexandre Desplat's score seemed good though. It sounds like a capable composer.

I felt like the film's rather sedate first half was helped tremendously by the score, which gave it the conspiratorial tone that only came ot the fore later on. The score and that absolutely wonderful shot of the note passing through the room are the only things that stuck with me, but I can see myself revisiting the film just for those stuff.

I'm still high on Breaking Bad. What a great, great, great show, I probably like it more than Mad Men.

[A24 4,326]

I'm still high on Breaking Bad. What a great, great, great show, I probably like it more than Mad Men.

I've never heard of Breaking Bad. It doesn't seem to receive the same kind of superlatives that Mad Men gets (especially Season 4, which I still didn't see), but I will be keeping an eye open for it.

Alex - watching season 2 of HBO's Big Love.

[Jay 37,287]

I agree with you Quint - Predators was freaking terrible. Such a let down. Laurence Fishborne was good, but his character was in and out of the movie way too quickly

[Ollie 1,059]

I actually enjoy the score to Predators.

At least he treats Silvestri's music with respect.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I agree with you Quint - Predators was freaking terrible. Such a let down. Laurence Fishborne was good, but his character was in and out of the movie way too quickly

It was not really terrible by any means. It was not great by any means. It was an average summer movie, seriously flawed (kind of like Trek 2009, except this story has fewer holes). Adrian Brody was actually quite good in it. He's good in most everything he does. The film suffers from a lack of a cohesive story and way to much is telegraphed early, but that's a typical summer movie. Drama was foresaken once it's revealed that they are on another planet. You know at that point that there is a futality that cannot be overcome by the characters. Really are early 21st century soldiers going to pilot a spacecraft home? Of course this is a direct sequel to Predator which in itself isn't a great film either. Way to much praise has been heaped on what is a slightly better film than this.

[Quintus 5,399]

Predator is one of the best sci-fi action movies of the 20th Century. Initially it was vastly underrated, however that has slowly changed over the years, with the film now being regarded as something of an icon of eighties macho movie sensibilities (like 'em or not, they're a big part of cinema during that era and perfectly valid as movies of interest, particularly from a social and cultural point of view). Of course, the fact that Predator is brilliantly made, superbly paced and endlessly quotable, probably helps.

Predators on the otherhand is none of those things and it certainly won't be in twenty years time either. It's a B-Movie with B-Movie sensibilities, masquerading as something more, purely due to the legacy left by the original film.

As for the Star Trek comparison; there is no comparison. And not just because ST 2009 is an immensely superior movie to Predators.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Predator is one of the best sci-fi action movies of the 20th Century. DISAGREE, UTTERLY AND COMPLETEY. Initially it was vastly underrated, however that has slowly changed over the years, with the film now being regarded as something of an icon of eighties macho movie sensibilities (like 'em or not, they're a big part of cinema during that era and perfectly valid as movies of interest, particularly from a social and cultural point of view). Of course, the fact that Predator is brilliantly made AGAIN WE DO NOT SEE EYE TO EYE, superbly paced and endlessly quotable, probably helps.

Predators on the otherhand is none of those things and it certainly won't be in twenty years time either. It's a B-Movie with B-Movie sensibilities, masquerading as something more, purely due to the legacy left by the original film.

As for the Star Trek comparison; there is no comparison. And not just because ST 2009 is an immensely superior movie to Predators.DISAGREE AGAIN, IT MIGHT BE BETTER BUT IT'S STILL A PISS POOR STORY

Predator is a film that is average at best, not great in anyway except for the brilliant monster design that ranks 4 or 5 all time. Clearly Frankenstein's Monster is #1, The Creature (from the Black Lagoon)is #2, The Alien (especially the Alien Queen) is #3.

[Quintus 5,399]

Well at least we agree on the monster.

THAT IS AT LEAST SOMETHING.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Quint, one problem I had with Predators, is one I've seen few discuss. How the hell would the Predators be in the know about who were the real badasses here on earth? They don't seem the type to be hackers into our computer systems, and it's not as if they can set up shop and ask for help.

[Wojo 2,453]

Well if the Predators spent all their time hunting humans, they wouldn't have time to build and design guns, spaceships, and chameleon field projectors.

Any alien race that can build a faster-than-light spaceship is techno-savvy enough to intercept simple communications systems that use radio frequencies, like the mid 1980s when the first Predator crashed into Arnold's jungle. The wealth of information we broadcast into space via radio and TV broadcasts would teach any savvy alien race about our languages and cultures long before they would have to hack our computers. Universal translators, higher brain capacities for communication, and a lot of time would get this done. With that chameleon field, they could infiltrate our world as themselves.

Predator 2 showed some predators who were more interested in giving Danny Glover a souvenir, recovering the body, and leaving Earth than with killing Glover for his trophy, which demonstrates different classes and maturity levels in the Predators' culture, which could include spies, hackers, and other learned sciences.

Of course, Predators ignores AVP's idea of Predators being in Antarctica thousands of years before man got technical, and so shall I. It's only been since humans have been broadcasting noise into space -- and launching probes with our return address -- that it would be easier for Predators and other E.T.'s to find us. Thousands of years ago? Not so much.

[Quintus 5,399]

Quint, one problem I had with Predators, is one I've seen few discuss. How the hell would the Predators be in the know about who were the real badasses here on earth? They don't seem the type to be hackers into our computer systems, and it's not as if they can set up shop and ask for help.

Honestly Joe, it wasn't the premise or the details which turned me off. It was the execution. I just thought everything was so ham-fisted and OTT, it was embarrassing. I'll believe any bullshit a storyteller wants to sell me, if he tells it well.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I knew what kinda of shit I was into in the first 60 seconds. One of the most ridiculous openings to a film I've ever seen.

[Wojo 2,453]

Oh cool, Koray, Quint, and Joey Jay all hate it? Now I know I hafta see it.

Screw you guys, I'm going back to first grade to learn how to read. Then I can run my dad's hotel company.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

AVP is a guilty pleasure, it's a film that actually had so much unreached potential. I still want to see an AVP western style taking place in the American west during the 1870's with cowboys and indians with much of the action taking place in the daylight.

[Wojo 2,453]

Will Cowboys and Aliens cut it?

[Jay 37,287]

Oh cool, Koray, Quint, and Joey all hate it? Now I know I hafta see it.

Hey! I hated it too!

[Wojo 2,453]

True, but if too many people hate it, then I think there's just something wrong with all of you, and I want to see it even more.

[Quintus 5,399]

Good luck with it, sucker!

Oh and in case you missed it: Joey didn't hate it at all.

[Wojo 2,453]

Damn my eyes. You know I'm not good at this reading shit.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Will Cowboys and Aliens cut it?

No, at least for not the vision I have in my head.

As the Great Eye stated I didn't hate Predators, I said it was flawed. I accepted it for what it was and got my 4 bucks worth. I saw worse this past summer.

[A24 4,326]

Righteous Kill: The film is seriously miscast. Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are too old and Brian Dennehy is way too old. He's like a walking mummy! That said, I didn't see the twist coming. */****

Look at this Tarantino styled poster! Yeah, right!

[Wojo 2,453]

After guiding the Steelers to a 62-14 win over the hapless Saints in Madden in the wee hours of yesterday morning, I stayed up until 6 AM to watch The Fly and The Fly II on Fox Movie Channel (uncut without premium package prices, all curse words left in, sweet). Sure, The Fly II is not as good, but it had been about a decade since I had seen it, and knowing now that Eric Stoltz was almost Marty McFly made me want to watch it. That and Daphne Zuniga was hot. A real jackhammer.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Predators

Film is obviously a big gushing love letter to the original Predator movie, so answer me this; how the hell did they manage to make a complete bloody pig's ear of it? This film is SHITE. It's so bad it even achieves the seemingly impossible by actually being worse than the AvP movie... astounding!

Apart from a genuinely quirky and good cameo by Lawrence Fishburne, the characters are crud. The writing is straight-to-dvd cringe material, the direction is the blandest effort I've seen this year. The effects, especially the alien designs are badly over-baked, coming of as big clumsy caricatures of the genius Stan Winston originals, lacking heft and finesse - they're not scary bad guys.

The score is basically a shameless note for note lift of the masterful Silvestri original; only here it is so busy paying fan service that it completely forgets to be cohesive - the mish-mash of cues make absolutely no sense other than the fact that they are completely recognisable from the first movie and that's that. The entire score plays out like a random Predator's greatest hits album, it's terrible. John Debney is a hack. He's a hack's hack. A consummate hack of all trades; master of none.

If you still haven't seen this movie then don't. Avoid it. Give it a wide berth because it is horrendous.

*/*****

While I had fun with the film, it is evident that most franchise movies these days aren't made by real filmmakers, rather they're geekfests made by fanboys who seem incapable of making a movie their own without lacing it with constant nods and references to previous films in a series to the point where you feel like you're just watching a patchwork compilation of previous work.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I hate when they use all the same one-liners as some sort of stupid reference and nod to the originals. Terminator Salvation and the Sarah Connor Chronicles did this to a nauseous extent.

I'm surprised Adrien Brody never said, "Get to the chopper."

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

A problematic movie. It has to balance a bunch of action setpieces, an intricate plot full of double crossing and mystery as well as trying to give us character moments we haven't seen before. The first half hour of the movie is almost all plot, but it hardly comes together to a satisfying experience. Ron and Harry spend most of the first half of the movie apart, which leaves us without the usual interaction amongst the main characters and instead we're forced to watch a sequence of poorly related moments that are supposed to set up the resolution of the plot, but don't land with the audience at all, because of their entirely unengaging nature. The movie doesn't really start to come alive until the friends make up and the whole high-school-prom-with-wizards thing starts.

Throughout the film, things continue to happen for no other reason than being in the book: most of it is not motivated by what is on the screen. A good example is the Beauxbatons carriage and the Durmstrang ship arriving to loud bombastic music, without the audience having any clue as to what the hell is going on. Apparently, rather than adapting the novel into a coherent two-and-a-half-hour screenplay, it seems like they tried to cram as much of the book as possible into the script and then ended up having to leave about a third of it on the cutting room floor. The end result is a well-produced but incoherent, largely unengaging and narratively lacking feature.

[Jeff 10]

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

A problematic movie. It has to balance a bunch of action setpieces, an intricate plot full of double crossing and mystery as well as trying to give us character moments we haven't seen before. The first half hour of the movie is almost all plot, but it hardly comes together to a satisfying experience. Ron and Harry spend most of the first half of the movie apart, which leaves us without the usual interaction amongst the main characters and instead we're forced to watch a sequence of poorly related moments that are supposed to set up the resolution of the plot, but don't land with the audience at all, because of their entirely unengaging nature. The movie doesn't really start to come alive until the friends make up and the whole high-school-prom-with-wizards thing starts.

Throughout the film, things continue to happen for no other reason than being in the book: most of it is not motivated by what is on the screen. A good example is the Beauxbatons carriage and the Durmstrang ship arriving to loud bombastic music, without the audience having any clue as to what the hell is going on. Apparently, rather than adapting the novel into a coherent two-and-a-half-hour screenplay, it seems like they tried to cram as much of the book as possible into the script and then ended up having to leave about a third of it on the cutting room floor. The end result is a well-produced but incoherent, largely unengaging and narratively lacking feature.

I often wonder what it would be like to watch the films never having read the books. So much is left out but for me it doesn't really matter because I know the back story.

In contrast to your assessment above, I like this approach to the films. There is just enough exposition and the stories are simple enough that you can follow the main plot line without reading the books but the films don't get bogged down in the details. The focus of the films, however, is on the events, moments, characters, and conversations that readers of the books love most.