SturgisPodmore
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Posts posted by SturgisPodmore
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Yeah I don't know why people are saying this is a strictly winter franchise. It was at first, but since PoA it has varied, and now it's split directly in half between summer and winter releases, and if DH stays on schedule, it will remain so (winter '10, summer '11), although that's a little weird since technically those last two are same movie.
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Wow, that really sucks.
Two years?! This is the longest span yet between two Potter films.
I was looking forward to the winter release since the last one was in the summer. However, the Potter films that I consider to be the best were both released in the summer, so maybe it's a good sign.
~Sturgis, who knows it really has no bearing on the quality of the film... but is overall still irked
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Yes, I'm very impressed with the trailer. I particularly like that it focused on the serious elements of the plot - I was worried the marketing would be geared on the various romantic subplots from the books. I don't mind them of course - but the best parts of the book have to do with the serious stuff.
Also interesting is a glimpse of the extra fight sequence. A wise move I thought, as there is precious little action in the book save for the intense finale so it made sense to add an attack on the Burrow at Christmas. One other thing I have noticed is how dark the film is - not in subject matter, Potter has always been a dark story - but visually the colours are quite dull and subtle (more than usual). I'm not sure if that will be the overall look of the movie, and if so how it will affect the lighter subplots. Order of the Phoenix was quite colourful except in the last act.
I'm very, very excited for this film.
My thoughts, as well.
But an attack on the Burrow at Christmas?! What's this? Who attacks?
And is that where Harry is running through the woods and Ginny's wand spins out of her hand? I never heard about that, but I suppose it would help the pacing of the film, seeing as how there is very little action, like you said.
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So... has anyone seen the new trailer?
I'm talking about it here, so don't read on until you've seen it!
I like it a lot. It's concise yet enticing, and gets me pumped for the film. It's probably the best teaser for a Potter film aside from the "Double Trouble" PoA one (which of course will never be equalled). I love the moment when Dumbledore sets the cabinet on fire and Tom's face is intrigued. And I'm officially scared of young Tom Riddle.
~Sturgis, remembering the horrible first trailer for GoF, and pleased that this is much better
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I saw this film Thursday afternoon and again yesterday evening. Upon my first veiwing, I liked it but I wasn't sure it felt like Indiana Jones. I mean, there was a nuclear bomb explosion, aliens for heaven's sake, and Indy got married?! I think I was too caught up in wondering what would happen and just analyzing it to really enjoy it. I didn't get the feel of any flow to the movie and the end caught me off guard.
However, the second viewing erased my doubts and I realized this really is an Indiana Jones movie!
Though I was suprised by "Hound Dog" opening the film, I found the titles to be simply magnificent. It was very 50's and the look of the words themselves, especially when "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" came up, was really great and old-timish. I think the alien motif is tied together nicely throughout the whole film, as we see it begin briefly in the warehouse seen, which, after Cate Blanchet's wonderful reveal, becomes a great action sequence. (The Ark Theme heard as the doors open and when we see the Ark itself is simply brilliant by the way. Too funny!) While the weapons testing scene looks a little weird with Indy running around that fake neighborhood, I really like the amazing shot of the mushroom cloud set to some grand and forboding Williams music. Also, I have no problem with the refrigerator bit. Yeah, it's incredibly unrealistic, but I honestly laughed more at the giant cliff they fell off in Temple of Doom. It's like, "Yeah, he's Indiana Jones. He just did that."
I, too, was jarred by seeing Indy in a t-shirt; nothing wrong with it, just funny.
I like the government referrences, though like some have said, I also wish this subplot had been developed and resolved. When I saw this Max fellow, for a moment I wondered if they were trying to replace that Indy staple Marcus Brody, but then I saw his picture on the wall and smiled. (Also, seeing Connery's picture on Indy's desk was pretty much amazing, as well.
) Once Mutt enters, the real plot picks up and we get some more mystery aspect to the story, then the great line "Get that Greaser!" Haha! I actually wish, though, that the Williams action cue would have started with the fight and not had to pick up after the song snippet ended; I found this a bit awkward. The chase through Acedemia was quite brilliant, with all the terrified bystanders and that great in-one-side-of-the-car-out-the-other bit, and I laughed for almost a minute after Brody's head rolls into the Rusky's lap, with that great smile on his face; he was still there to help Indy and stick it to the bad guys! Also, the scene ends with the brilliant line "If you want to be a good archeologist, you've gotta get out of the library!" as the tenured professor Dr. Jones rides off on a motorcycle. Excellent!Then we get more mystery and the nostalgia-trip of a map sequence, which was of course a treat. The Mayan ruins scene was very nice, it really felt like Indiana Jones, with all the kreeping around in the caves and hidden doors and such. Then we finally see the cyrstal skull: a really creepy-looking artifact. (I also agree that we should have discovered its powers later in the movie, although knowing what it can do gives more urgency to the jungle chase when they have to get it back.) The discussion about psychics and aliens in the tent is creepy, and I LOVE the exchange "Be careful. You might get exactly what you wish for."/"I usually do."
Seeing Marion at the camp was good, and Indy's "well, shucks!" reaction to her appearance was priceless. I didn't expect the (inevitible) Mutt-is-Indy's-son "suprise" to come so early in the film, but I think it worked here, and what a great situation to do it in! I also love how when she tells Indy, he freaks out about her not making him finish school after his previous "follow your dreams!" comment. The snake bit is great, also. More bickering between Marion and Indy is fun, and when it plays her theme to the line "They weren't you, honey," and we see Marion's great smile, that is pure magic. The jungle chase seen was top-notch Indy action, and it certainly went over the top in its anics, as it should have; WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU EXPECT IN AN INDIANA JONES MOVIE? I do agree, however, that it would have been nice to see Indy doing some of those crazy stunts, or Mutt actually swinging on a real vine instead of CGI, but these are small problems with what is really a classic Indy action sequence with great moments from Irina, follwed by another Indy staple: bugs! They were clearly CG, which took away a bit of the fun, but I didn't mind it really, and the Rusky's death was pretty gross (after a nice fistfight with Indy!). More great over-the-top silliness with the tree-bending and waterfall scene, and then we reach the finale.
I wish there would have been more time with the natives; a pyramid action scene with Mayans would have been great fun. The opening of the temple is a really great sequence; I love the dark, driving music when the gold starts pouring from the obelisk and then the temple is opened; it's quite wonderful. The retracting stairs are another great booby trap (which the Ruskies apparently float down afterwards). The city of gold was cool, and the crystal skeletons chilling. Irina's quest for truth finally causes her demise (which looks pretty damn neat), and the protaganists' escape ("I don't think we wanna go that way.") lends to the movie's moral: too much knowledge can kill you, be happy with the mystery. The final climactic shot of the saucer rising into the air with rocks and dirt swirling in a cyclone around it was pretty phenomenal, especially with Williams blarin' the old brass.
The wedding scene isn't a problem! I mean Indy is in his 60's and he really needs to settle down. The door blowing open and the hat landing on Mutt's shoe is a nice touch, but I'm SOOO glad he didn't get to put it on. Harrison Ford is Indiana Jones, not some newcomer kid! This is an appropriate ending to a good movie and an excellent series. The main problems with this film are that there's not enough reconnecting with Marion, the blacklisting subplot goes nowhere, and there's no real life-or-death-decision scene. These, however, are less important to an Indiana Jones movie than top-notch action, witty exchanges, a memorable villain, great music, the quest for an artifact of unthinkable power, and an overall sense of fun and adventure, all of which Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has. B+
~Sturgis
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There were giants fighting in the book Prince Caspian. It is kind of a shame that they didn't put them in. And some comedic momemts with some slow-in-the-brain bears. I kind of wish those had been put in as well, because I remember chuckling at them in the book. And no, I don't remember the giants or gorillas doing any fighting in the first movie.
Prince Caspian the movie did have the one bear that shouted "For Aslan!" That was a strange moment, and really kinda inappropriate. I'm guessing he had some scenes that were cut out, because he just comes out of nowhere. And then he's standing there all during Peter's fight with Miraz; occasionally you see him make a little "oh!" with his mouth and then put his hands over it, as if to keep the word in. Hilarious. Not sure it was meant that way, but it's fine by me in any case.
Yes, I laughed at that silly dramatic bear both times I saw it...random silliness!
About "The Battle" from the original: I like it not because of its real epicness, but the feeling of it. It may not be amazing in terms of fighting and choreography, but the feelings it conveys... desperation, overcoming incredible odds, the journey the kids are going through... matched with the music (which is not revolutionary by any means but is the best music that could accompany this scene as far as I'm concerned), I just love it. When Jadis stabs Edmund, and Peter goes ape on her, it's like "Oh, it's personal now, b****!" I just love the emotion of the whole battle.
~Sturgis
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I agree about the battles in this movie, and overall I thought they were pretty great. I just considered the battle of the first movie to be a near-virtuoso pairing of imagery and music, and it gives me goosebumps every time I see it.
But yeah, in Prince Caspian, there were several definate badass moments: Peter jumping off the rock at the beginning of his duel with Miraz, Edmund powning that guard with a flashlight, and pulling a 180 in madair to tear that wolf thing a new one in Aslan's how, and Susan chucking arrows through the air. All of these moments had me going "Damn!"
~Sturgis
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My review is in the Last Film You Watched thread.
~Sturgis, who watched the first again last weekend...ah, the battle scene is simply amazing!
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Prince Caspian
Not perhaps as enchanting as the first, but then again it isn't meant to be. I thought it was a little slow towards the beginning and the Telmarine politics were hard to follow, but once the kids meet up with Caspian I think it really picks up. This is a darker, grittier sequel, and it does a good job conveying the disenchantment of the heroes. The battles are extremely well-done, and I found the raid on the castle to be a brilliant sequence, both fun and emotional. All the kids are pretty much badasses, and it's great fun to watch.
Although this film lacks a brilliant villain like Tilda Swinton, the acting is all around improved and I enjoy the family dynamics. There were still a few of those moments where they will linger on a little joke for too long, but it seems more self-aware ("You might have to call me again?" "Oh, shut up."). I also appreciate the film as an allegory (quite an obvious one in fact), which is how the story was written, but that's all I'll say on that "touchy" matter.
The score, though rehashing an unfortunate amount of music from the wondrous original, is overall darker like the movie, and Prince Caspian's theme is always an epic treat to hear. In terms of both the the film and the score, it is perhaps not as magical as the first, but as good a sequel as I could have hoped for and I'll look forward to seeing it again sometime down the road. B+
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If one doesn't like anything but traditional JW scores, then one doesna't like Narnia.
But I think the way it was done has given the franchise its own feel...moody, beautiful, and infused with synth for magical purposes. And from the sounds of the clips on Amazon, PC expands on this feel more, and I look forward to it.
~Sturgis
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Yeah, he's very good, with the fur and stuff, it looked quite real. I still think Jurasic Park has better effects, though. With King Kong, they look very good, but something about it just makes it obvious that you're seeing CG. I think Speilberg's films masterfully incorporate CG into their movies, which few other directors' do. Minority Report and War of the Worlds are other examples. I never noticed many effects problems in Lord of the Rings, but I feel there was something missing in the way they were incorporated into the film in King Kong.
The New York CG looks amazing for the most part, but on Skull Island, with some of the shots that are completely computer generated, it's hard not to notice that for me. I've never seen anything as real as the Jurassic Park T-Rex in any other movie, aside from maybe Tranformers.
~Sturgis
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Iron Man
It was really really good. Not only cool, but a really well-made, funny, entertaining movie. Robert Downey Jr. is hilarious and a very good actor. A
~Sturgis
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This will be my first Indy theater experience too, and I can't wait!
I'm seeing Iron Man tonight, and so I hope to see the new trailer as well. I heard there was supposed to be a new Dark Knight trailer for Iron Man, too, but I dunno.
~Sturgis
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I have good memories of seeing King Kong and listening to the score, but when I saw it on TV a few weeks ago, the nostalgia was overridden by bad acting, overdramatic directing, and completely unnessessary subplots in a movie that needs all the shortening it can get.
~Sturgis, who originally gave it an A and called it spectacular
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I haven't played the GTA games much, but I really enjoyed Saints Row, so I wanna get GTA IV soon, as I know it's much more expansive and involving.
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Yeah, I like the Arctic Monkeys pretty well, and I really enjoy the Fratellis, who are Scottish, I think, and they just have one CD out now.
My favorite modern-day band would have to be Yellowcard, though.
~Sturgis
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Few things are as highly satisfying as killing innocents in video games.
Seriously.
~Sturgis
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James Newton Howard. King Kong.
Took the words right out of my mouth!
~Sturgis, who totally "heart"s Ted, omg
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I probably listen to alt. rock more than anything else, but I place greater worth on film music. I have times when I listen to lots of film music for a while, then go back to rock...it goes back and forth. Rigth now I'm on a Beatles spree. (Shocking, right?)
~Sturgis
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The fight scenes in any of the Bourne movies are phenominal.
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Seriously. She can do whatever she damn well wants, she's J.K. Bleepin' Rowling!
~Sturgis
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Drumline
I'm sorry.
~Sturgis
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I greatly admire the Noth Pole because that's where Sinter Klass lives!
~Sturgis
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Delayed
in General Discussion
Posted
Yes, the "next Harry Potter" label given to Twilight is ridiculous, not only because those books appeal vastly only to teenage females, but especially now because the last one was recieved with lukewarm sentiments from what I've heard. That just didn't happen with Harry Potter.