What is the last film you watched?

[Bryant Burnette 654]

Mission to Mars is not a movie that stuck in my head at all, but I was pretty disgusted with it when I watched it. If I recall correctly, it starts fairly well, but goes to complete crap once they get to the planet.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I hardly remember Mission To Mars. I think I saw it only once a long time ago. Red Planet is one I've seen a couple times.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I just remember that crappy music and Tim Robbins' face turning to ICE!

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Ennio Morricone does not compose crappy music!

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Bleh, I like Morricone as much as the next guy, but that score was just poor.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

It's decent for what it is, but it's not like he had anything amazing to work with. I certainly wouldn't call it crappy. Although it has been a long time since I've taken a listen. I'll revisit it once I hit Morricone on my listening spree.

[Maglorfin 196]

Caught What's Eating Gilbert Grape on TV yesterday. Still great, especially DiCaprio is terrific. After that, watched GoodFellas on DVD. Pesci's Oscar was very well-merited. A perfect mob movie.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I'll always enjoy his little outburst at DeNiro towards the end. That must have been a record, 20-something F-bombs in like 60 seconds.

[Bryant Burnette 654]

Caught What's Eating Gilbert Grape on TV yesterday. Still great, especially DiCaprio is terrific. After that, watched GoodFellas on DVD. Pesci's Oscar was very well-merited. A perfect mob movie.

I only saw What's Eating Gilbert Grape once, and at this point the only thing I can really remember about it is that I liked it an awful lot -- that's one I need to revisit at some point.

As for GoodFellas, it's undeniably a classic, but I've never been able to love that movie the way so many people do. I like it; I've got no problems with it. I just don't have an attachment to it, for whatever reason.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

As for GoodFellas, it's undeniably a classic, but I've never been able to love that movie the way so many people do. I like it; I've got no problems with it. I just don't have an attachment to it, for whatever reason.

People fetishize mob crime movies.

[Maglorfin 196]

I only saw What's Eating Gilbert Grape once, and at this point the only thing I can really remember about it is that I liked it an awful lot -- that's one I need to revisit at some point.

You definitely should.

Concerning GoodFellas, I remember reading somewhere that Pesci and De Niro were apparently so good in their roles that many wiseguys all over the world started to copy their performances.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Am I a clown? Do I amuse you??

[Maglorfin 196]

Hey, just breaking your balls.

[A24 4,327]

Morlock- currently watching Mission to Mars, and mystefied by the sense that neither DePalma nor his cast were particularly interested by the movie

It's an annoying film, isn't it? De Palma's delivery is all wrong. It does contain one good slow motion scene but I think that is true for every De Palma film.

[Marian Schedenig 8,179]

Bleh, I like Morricone as much as the next guy, but that score was just poor.

Repeating: That suspense cue with organ is brilliant. I don't get why everybody hates it, that bit in the movie is easily among the best suspense sequences I've seen in recent years. The rest of the score is just fine.

[Morlock 11]

Bleh, I like Morricone as much as the next guy, but that score was just poor.

Repeating: That suspense cue with organ is brilliant. I don't get why everybody hates it, that bit in the movie is easily among the best suspense sequences I've seen in recent years. The rest of the score is just fine.

I thought the problem with the organ cue was how subdued it was. Same for the seen. Not a genuine ounce of suspense in that sequence. The organ cue underlined how unexciting the proceedings were.

Morlock- currently watching Mission to Mars, and mystefied by the sense that neither DePalma nor his cast were particularly interested by the movie

It's an annoying film, isn't it? De Palma's delivery is all wrong. It does contain one good slow motion scene but I think that is true for every De Palma film.

The movie showed more than any other DePalma's lack of caring about dialogue (or rather, an intentional drive to surpass bad dialogue), and the characters are quite terrible across the board, the acting mystefiyingly wooden and disinterested. But, unlike other films of his with wooden characters, he seemed totally uninterested in anything revolving the humans, only the big F/X stuff. My favorite shot in the movie was the 2001 homage (interior of the ship). Although, something about the big finale was sonically pleasing (it also featured the only Morricone cue I liked).

[Marian Schedenig 8,179]

Bleh, I like Morricone as much as the next guy, but that score was just poor.

Repeating: That suspense cue with organ is brilliant. I don't get why everybody hates it, that bit in the movie is easily among the best suspense sequences I've seen in recent years. The rest of the score is just fine.

I thought the problem with the organ cue was how subdued it was. Same for the seen. Not a genuine ounce of suspense in that sequence. The organ cue underlined how unexciting the proceedings were.

I don't find it unexciting, quite the contrary. Even disconnected from the rest of the movie, I think it's quite brilliant in portraying the "time is running out" factor and the slowness of the situation. And the organ helps. I still find that sequence more thrilling than most whole movies I see these days.

[Morlock 11]

It felt like it started arbitrarily, Sinise reacts strangely, the fast intercutting at odds with the rather quiet soundscape, including the organ cue.

[Quintus 5,399]

Just got back from The Dark Knight and it was marvellous. Probably the best this year and within the genre, only second to Superman: The Movie. Ledger was indeed terrific, but he didn't "steal the show" as has been suggested all over the place. That is because the entire cast was simply splendid. If anything, special mention should go to Aaron Eckhart, whose noble, yet ultimately tragic character ark was executed to perfection, by his brilliant performance. The direction, the writing, the pacing, and yes, even THE SCORE were all top drawer and they all melded perfectly to make a rousing complete package. I don't care that Batman doesn't have a signature theme tune - he doesn't need one. Things are apparently done differently these days and the time of the heroic fanfare has passed. Brutal rhythmic strings are how heroics of the modern Dark Knight should be scored. Anyway, I loved the movie and it was a nice pick-me-up after the huge disappointment of Indy IV.

Oh and I caught Hang 'Em High the other night too, I'd never seen it before. Very good western which turns out to be much deeper and intelligent than initially expected. Great score to that one too.

[Red 75]

Things are apparently done differently these days and the time of the heroic fanfare has passed. Brutal rhythmic strings are how heroics of the modern Dark Knight should be scored.

Nolan's Batman films are quite a different beast compared to most other superhero movies. They can't all be scored in the same fashion as The Dark Knight.

[Quintus 5,399]

Which is why I specifically said the style was perfectly suited to TDK.

[Red 75]

You also said that the time of the heroic fanfares is over, and that just isn't true.

[Luke Skywalker 1,793]

yay, i got tickets for the premiere of the Mummy 3.

Glad i dont have to pay for this movie

[Morlock 11]

You're going to be seeing it, which in all likelihood will be punishment enough.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The trailer looks fine.

[Morlock 11]

Looks like fine dumb fun, I guess. But A. it's Rob Cohen, who is generally quite a terrible director and B. fine dumb fun doesn't cut it any more. There's too much variety of dumb fun nowadays to settle for this kind of one note dumb fun.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I will bet money some here will think it is better made then KOCS.

[Morlock 11]

I wouldn't be foolish enough to take that bet. But everything about the project leads me to believe that they are aiming far lower.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Lucas was aiming high, you think?

[Morlock 11]

Spielberg was.

[Ollie 1,059]

Lucas was doing things his way, Spielberg was along to keep the ship from sinking and keep some decency to the film. Frankly I don't think he was too enthused about doing a 4th film but probably felt obligated to do so.

[crocodile 7,990]

He already said he was doing it for fans, not for himself. Ironic.

Karol

[Morlock 11]

Saw Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Quite entertaining and unassuming. Nice little origins tale. Music often sounded like Rent, but not unpleasent. Neil Patrick Harris is good in the lead, and Nathan Fillion is totally channelling Shatner in this role. And he has one of the funniest lines I've heard in a while- "She's with Captain Hammer. And these (gestures with arms) are not The Hammer. (Walks away, than comes back) The Hammer is my penis."

Also saw Lodge Kerrigan's film Keane, from 2004. A rather intense film, about a man (Damian Lewis) who is looking for his kidnapped daughter. From early on, however, we get the sense that there's something about this guy, something unhinged. Was his daughter really kidnapped? Did he, in fact, have a daughter? The film walks the line between sympathy for the main character and terror at the posibilities of his true identity. It is a harrowing film, but one which I appreciated for it's ambiguity, it's sympathetic look at this person, even when we are not sure of who he really is. Lewis is excellent in the lead, as are Amy Ryan and Abigail Breslin as a mother and daughter who stay in the same hotel.

Last and most relevant to the board, I saw Lights, Action, Music, a documentry about film music. It interviews, among others: Elliot Goldenthal, Rachel Portman, John Barry, Terence Blanchard, Carter Burwell, Gustavo Santaolalla, David Shire, as well as directors Ang Lee, Apike Lee, Mira Nair, Julie Taymor, and Francis Ford Coppola.

The documentry itself is rather fluffy, very little info or insight, a lot of repitition. It holds interest only inasmuch as it's nice to hear these composers I love and the directors talking about music. However, the deleted footage, 2 hours of extended interviews, offers more of interest. I was particularly impressed with Spike Lee's comments. Incidentally, he is the only person to mention JW on the doc, and he sounds like a big fan. He also mentions Goldsmith, saying how Goldsmith was overshadowed by Williams, but is just as good. A big fan of them both (his love for Goldsmith was already apparant with his mention of him on The Inside Man commentary).

[Ollie 1,059]

He already said he was doing it for fans, not for himself. Ironic.

Karol

I know he said that about The Lost World, I must have missed where he said he was doing KOTCS for the fans.

[Morlock 11]

In general, Spielberg's film are more trustworthy than his comments.

[Red 75]

He already said he was doing it for fans, not for himself. Ironic.

Karol

I know he said that about The Lost World, I must have missed where he said he was doing KOTCS for the fans.

He said exactly that in this video.

[Ollie 1,059]

I wonder if Spike Lee ever approached John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith about scoring one of his films?

[John Crichton 4]

Saw Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Quite entertaining and unassuming. Nice little origins tale. Music often sounded like Rent, but not unpleasent. Neil Patrick Harris is good in the lead, and Nathan Fillion is totally channelling Shatner in this role. And he has one of the funniest lines I've heard in a while- "She's with Captain Hammer. And these (gestures with arms) are not The Hammer. (Walks away, than comes back) The Hammer is my penis."

Joss and co. said at Comic-Con that more Dr. Horrible is likely on the way. There will be a DVD release of the current "episode" later this year, hopefully with a boatload of extras. I'm waiting to get that instead of buying it on iTunes.

[Marian Schedenig 8,179]

I know he said that about The Lost World, I must have missed where he said he was doing KOTCS for the fans.

I didn't know that about either movie... neither surprises me though.

[indy4 155]

I think TLW is underated. Sure, it's nowhere near JP (which was Spielberg's most recent masterpiece, IMO), but it's an entertaining film. And some of the action sequences are great, especially the one with the two trailers.

[Henry B 50]

I think TLW is underated. Sure, it's nowhere near JP (which was Spielberg's most recent masterpiece, IMO), but it's an entertaining film. And some of the action sequences are great, especially the one with the two trailers.

Jurassic Park is Spielberg's most recent masterpiece, despite the fact that Schindler's List was released right after it? I just don't know what to say.

[indy4 155]

I have yet to see Schindler's List.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I would say Schindler's List is roughly 3,482 miles ahead of Jurassic Park (which is by no means a masterpiece).

[Morlock 11]

I wonder if Spike Lee ever approached John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith about scoring one of his films?

I'd doubt it. His relationship with Blanchard started early, and Lee seems to be exceptionally loyal to Blanchard. Lee goes on in the doc to talk about his love for melody. He really came off quite impressivly.

Saw Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Quite entertaining and unassuming. Nice little origins tale. Music often sounded like Rent, but not unpleasent. Neil Patrick Harris is good in the lead, and Nathan Fillion is totally channelling Shatner in this role. And he has one of the funniest lines I've heard in a while- "She's with Captain Hammer. And these (gestures with arms) are not The Hammer. (Walks away, than comes back) The Hammer is my penis."

Joss and co. said at Comic-Con that more Dr. Horrible is likely on the way. There will be a DVD release of the current "episode" later this year, hopefully with a boatload of extras. I'm waiting to get that instead of buying it on iTunes.

I was surprised about the whole iTunes thing. They've probably pissed a bunch of people who bought the episode off. It's not only available on Hulu (with commercials), but it's even available over-seas, which Hulu in general is not (the full episode link didn't work here, but the three acts individually did). I know that if I paid for it on iTunes, I'd be pissed.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I wonder if Spike Lee ever approached John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith about scoring one of his films?

I'd doubt it. His relationship with Blanchard started early, and Lee seems to be exceptionally loyal to Blanchard. Lee goes on in the doc to talk about his love for melody. He really came off quite impressivly.

Lee only uses Blanchard because he's black. Blanchard isn't even a composer, he's a jazz musician I believe. The scenario is much like Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu using Santaolalla.

[John Crichton 4]

I was surprised about the whole iTunes thing. They've probably pissed a bunch of people who bought the episode off. It's not only available on Hulu (with commercials), but it's even available over-seas, which Hulu in general is not (the full episode link didn't work here, but the three acts individually did). I know that if I paid for it on iTunes, I'd be pissed.

Hmm. It was originally available for free a few weekends ago on the Dr. Horrible website, and it was carried by Hulu, but it was all supposed to be taken down after a few days. Either Hulu left it up somewhere or it's a "pirated" copy.

No movies watched lately, but Dr. Horrible put me back in a Joss mood and I'm finally watching Buffy again for the first time in almost three years, the longest I've ever gone without watching it. I'm about halfway through Season 3 and loving every minute.

[Delorean90 42]

I would say Schindler's List is roughly 3,482 miles ahead of Jurassic Park (which is by no means a masterpiece).

JP is an exceptionally well-made film, though, very entertaining, and one of the most wonderfully paced/structured films I've ever seen in my life. Certainly not bottom of the barrel material, that's for sure.

[Red 75]

Lee only uses Blanchard because he's black.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

It's great that Spike Lee is proud of his heritage and everything, but he doesn't have to showcase it. He's that kind of director, why else would he make a World War II epic only starring black actors?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Lee only uses Blanchard because he's black.

don't be surprised, Lee is one of the biggest racists in Hollywood.