#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 The Shallows Blake Lively is in nearly every scene, no wait in nearly every shot of this film and that's a good thing. She gives a strong and convincing performance of a young woman who's on a holiday in Mexico, goes surfing at the beach her mom went to when she was pregnant of her and gets attacked by a Great White. The script is effective in allowing Lively to create a character and some background which comes in handy after her attack (she's a med school drop out, which means she's intelligent, resourceful and able to dress her wound) The first part of the film is all beautiful and bright and could have been for a holiday promo for Tijuana, as Blake's character and the stunning natural scenery are captured in eye popping slow motion. (the director allows her to give a good performance, but also doesnt neglect the fact that she's stunningly gorgeous. In some shots she reminded me of Gillian Anderson). There's an interesting style change as the tone of the photography shifts from holiday promo to nature thriller and the slow-mo becomes ominous, the crashing waves forbidding. Stylistically and story wise the film is actually more similar to Gravity then Jaws. With a little Cast Away thrown in. For the most part it's a survival story, though at the end the action is ramped up a bit too much. Like Gravity it has a strong female lead who has been given a back story that's a little bit too Hollywood. (but again, the performance rises about those cliches and make them harmless) The shark looks impressive and for the most part quite realistic. But like Bruce in Jaws it's presented more as a movie monster then a real animal. (If there's a whale cadaver nearby, why would the shark have any interest in humans?) The shallows is best in it's build up and suspense to shark attacks rather then the attacks themselves, which happen very quickly and are, for the most part bloodless. (I'm guessing this is a PG13 film). Like Spielberg the director uses point of view camera angles, lot of the shots are from water level and all the other tricks to create an unsettling feel. But isnt able to sustain it to the extent that would have made this film a small classic. There are breathtaking shots that seem to function little purpose then to be breathtaking, which sometimes undermines the tension (the jellyfish scene for instance) For a thriller like this to really work it needs to be super focused, and sometimes, despite the very simple premise, it doesnt seem to fully know what it is. Still, an excellent lead, a solid premise told effectively in 86 minutes and some really excellent camerawork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Whale... Cadaver? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Spoiler Blake Lively's character Nancy, while surfing stumbles upon a dead whale. Which actually leads to her being attacked. There's a good scene where she actually has to climb on top of the whale carcass to escape the shark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 I'm just amused by your usage of cadaver as a synonym for corpse or dead animal body, when cadaver is primarily associated with human bodies. Then again, I've no idea how Dutch people talk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Maybe in America, not where's I'm from though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 1 hour ago, Stefancos said: The shark looks impressive and for the most part quite realistic. Looked awfully fake CGI for me. The whole finale on the buoy was 'Deep Blue Sea' level and some of the short scenes were also a bit, pardon, fishy in regards to skin color and especially movement. A bit lame for 2016, i thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 They were decent. Especially considering this is a low budget film. The biggest problem is the lack of weight. a Great White is a massive and very heavy animal, even in the water. And CGI isn't great in suggesting a massive tonnage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Maybe it was a malnourished shark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 16 minutes ago, WojinPA said: Maybe it was a malnourished shark. Say that to my face. I dare you! I double dare you motherfucker! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 It was a pixelated shark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 15 minutes ago, Sharkus Malarkus said: Say that to my face. I dare you! I double dare you motherfucker! He's dissin' your mum! You gonna let him get away with that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 19 minutes ago, Sharkus Malarkus said: Say that to my face. I dare you! I double dare you motherfucker! Your participation in this conversation adds nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 3 minutes ago, WojinPA said: Your participation in this conversation adds nothing. 38 minutes ago, WojinPA said: Maybe it was a malnourished shark. Looks who's talking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Just now, Stefancos said: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 I just noticed I'm arguing you with no reason for three in threads. Silly is getting this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Not my fault you dislike me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 2 hours ago, WojinPA said: Your participation in this conversation adds nothing. That's the only reason I participated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 That's usually my excuse as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Breathmask 555 Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Jason Bourne A.k.a. Unnecessary Summer Blockbuster Sequel #324. Matt Damon returns as the titular character in a movie that is entirely pointless. It's a textbook warning case of what happens when your main character has no motivation or personal stakes in the film's events. For most of the film, you're just watching Damon speedwalking through crowds while men with guns run after him. There's some hogwash about Bourne avenging his father jammed in there, as if we're supposed to care because it's his father, even though the nature of their relationship is never established. The film's ending is another half-arsed open ending. Are these franchise movies ever going to have a proper ending again? Jason Bourne is a cash grab. Its stunt work and crowd scenes are impressive, but that's about it. Even the title is as unimaginative as possible, as if they just couldn't be bothered to come up with a new word for the The Bourne [somethingsomething] format. It was a chore to sit through this movie and about the umpteenth disappointing sequel of this summer. So far, 2016 has not been particularly great for summer movies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Agreed. It's technically skilled, but there's no reason for this film to exist. And for a film named after its lead character it's surprisingly uninterested in him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Breathmask 555 Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 It certainly feels like nobody gave a shit. I didn't see it coming, but it's worse than The Bourne Legacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 The Bourne Legacy is fine. Dunno why people hate it so much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 Because it gets bad at the end of the movie. First 2/3 were okay, like the cabin scene with Oscar Isaac, which was actually pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 They were at least trying something new, unlike Jason Bourne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 They probably wanted to be like the original trilogy. TFA didn't try anything new either. It's called nostalgia cinema. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 It's basically just the same as the previous two Paul Greengrass ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 The first Greengrass Bourne movie was good even though it's much more plot driven than the feel-o-rama approach of Identity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 It was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 1 hour ago, Alexcremers said: Because it gets bad at the end of the movie. First 2/3 were okay, like the cabin scene with Oscar Isaac, which was actually pretty good. Exactly. I enjoyed it well enough but there's no third act. There's a chase sequence and then Moby starts playing and you're just sitting there like "It's over? Okay, I guess." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeping Strings 2,358 Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 David Brent : Life On The Road - 'fly-on-the-wall' comedy catching up with where Brent is now, 15 years after 'starring' in The Office (cashing in private pension plans on order to fund his increasingly desperate attempts at a music career is the answer). As toe-curlingly funny, tragic and poignant as the original series was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Really? That's encouraging then, after what I'd heard. On 12/08/2016 at 3:17 PM, WojinPA said: Your participation in this conversation adds nothing. Is this like when you chime in to tell us all which games you haven't played, movies you haven't seen and scores you haven't listened to? Koray Savas 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 I don't remember. You responded to an eleven day old post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Relevance is irrelevant to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Well then use your imagination. It means whatever you need it to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Close your eyes, make a wish, count to three. Dixon Hill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweeping Strings 2,358 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 The Shallows - whilst it doesn't quite hit the giddy heights of Jaws, this still packs plenty of 'surfer girl vs. Great White' tension and thrills into its brisk 85-minute runtime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,528 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 On 23/08/2016 at 0:11 PM, Lonnegan said: Relevance is irrelevant to me. Of course it is, Lee, as your continued predilection for irrelevancy demonstrates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 (Read: irreverency) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Richard was quoting Spock, Lee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Super obscure though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Proud of myself for not getting the reference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Ignorance is bliss? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 More an affirmation of something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Star Wars fan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wojo 2,453 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 I'm a Star Trek fan and even I Googled it to see which episode it's from. Sadly it's from a movie, not a very quotable one. Nobody quotes episodes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Nonsense! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,528 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 2 hours ago, Lonnegan said: Proud of myself for not getting the reference. Proud of yourself, little man? Lee, if you don't get that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muad'Dib 1,802 Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 12 hours ago, Sweeping Strings said: The Shallows - whilst it doesn't quite hit the giddy heights of Jaws, this still packs plenty of 'surfer girl vs. Great White' tension and thrills into its brisk 85-minute runtime. Eh. It was kinda weak for me. Some good scenes here and there and Blake's sexy body but overall I think it didn't quite work. The terrible beggining and ending could have been completely cut and the movie would have been fine, maybe even a little better. Everytime I found myself liking the film a scene came up next that made me dislike it again. The shark was nicely done, though. There were some particular shots where the CGI was virtually perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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