What Is The Last Film You Watched? (Older Films)

[filmmusic 1,847]

@Stefancos

Ok, yes, I agree with you there..

Still the story, even if it's not the most important element in that film, is better than then story in Terminator 3 and Salvation.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yeah, but is that just because of CGI?

[filmmusic 1,847]

Yeah, but is that just because of CGI?

well, i think it played its part too..

meaning, the creators wanted to show more what they can do, that deliver a solid story.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

CGI gave film makers a liberty to show things in a way they could not previously show them.

Many of the average directors don't know how to handle that and throw in everything but the kitchen sink. The really good directors use special effects as a tool, just like they use story, plot etc as a tool.

[crocodile 8,027]

Zemeckis used to be very good at using computer graphics.

Karol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Ron Howard too. Both are just Spielberg wannabee's though.

[crocodile 8,027]

Which reminds me, War of the Worlds is hated by many, but you can't fault it's special effects, even 8 years after. I've seen it a couple of weeks ago actually.

Karol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Steven Spielberg has always been a genius in the way he implements special effects. Not only are they often technically brilliant. But how he uses them, and not uses them is done masterfully.

Spielberg uses special effects as a tool, he doesn't allow them to overwhelm his movies.

His east successfull film SFX wise, are oddly enough the last two he made with Lucas. TLC and especially KOCS

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Just wtached "The Treasure of Sierra Madre".

i was always wondering what was the fuss about and this is in AFI's 100 best films ever etc.

Well, it was a great film indeed with great acting and suspense, without using any CGI (as one user pointed out in imdb)

All these classic films are certainly fine examples of what movies should be and offer great lessons to today's film directors.

Story, story, story, story FIRST!

whoever pointed out it doesn't have CGI, wow, what a dumbass. Why bring that up, seriously what is the relevance? CGI has it's misuses, but it's not the reason film work or don't.

Joey it's the reason when the producers/directors care ONLY for CGI and give all their attention to that or make a film as an excuse to use the latest CGI, and don't care for the story or the script!

That's why it's the reason.

perhaps but Treasure is a 40's film, there is simply no reason to say it's an example of a well made film without CGI. It's certainly not a reason why it's a good film. It's a good film for any number of reasons.

it is also the origin of Badges, We don't need no stinking badges quote.

[A24 4,356]

It's not the only reason!

I didn't say it's the only reason, but it's one of the main reasons (for adventure, fantasy, sci-fi films that is)

Why is Terminator 2 a great movie and still stands the test of time? (ok, many of you may not agree).

Because it has CGI that helps the story and compliments the film.

If you would ask me, Termy 2 is still great because of the quality of writing, the storytelling (the way Cameron conveys it to us) and the virtuoso technical execution. Like Steef and others have said, the story itself wasn't that new or great (repeating a lot of the the original film). Take the same script, but with another director at the steering wheel, and I'm not so sure if we still would be talking about it. Look at the direction and execution of the scene where the T-1000 raids the mental institution/prison. Amazing and timeless. This is the Cameron I've missed during Avatar.

Of course, the casting was perfect as well.

Alex

[JoeinAR 1,949]

the way a story is told is often as important if not moreso than the story itself.

I was shocked last night when David suggest we see the Conjuring this weekend. He's not a big fan of horror, but something about this one intrigues him. Still I expect him to back out like he did with Evil Dead, which was wise as he could not have handled that film's excessive gore.

[Romão 2,274]

Cameron is not one of my favorite directors, but I think he is the absolute master in pacing.

[Quintus 5,399]

the way a story is told is often as important if not moreso than the story itself.

I was shocked last night when David suggest we see the Conjuring this weekend. He's not a big fan of horror, but something about this one intrigues him. Still I expect him to back out like he did with Evil Dead, which was wise as he could not have handled that film's excessive gore.

How is he with The Walking Dead's far more consistently brutal and believable gore?

[filmmusic 1,847]

It's not the only reason!

I didn't say it's the only reason, but it's one of the main reasons (for adventure, fantasy, sci-fi films that is)

Why is Terminator 2 a great movie and still stands the test of time? (ok, many of you may not agree).

Because it has CGI that helps the story and compliments the film.

If you would ask me, Termy 2 is still great because of the quality of writing, the storytelling (the way Cameron conveys it to us) and the virtuoso technical execution. Like Steef and others have said, the story itself wasn't that new or great (repeating a lot of the the original film). Take the same script, but with another director at the steering wheel, and I'm not so sure if we still would be talking about it. Look at the direction and execution of the scene where the T-1000 raids the mental institution/prison. Amazing and timeless. This is the Cameron I've missed during Avatar.

Of course, the casting was perfect as well.

Alex

Another great one, True Lies!

If this was done today, it would be overloaded with CGI, and the story, directing etc, would go to second place.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

True Lies has a great story???

[JoeinAR 1,949]

It's not the only reason!

I didn't say it's the only reason, but it's one of the main reasons (for adventure, fantasy, sci-fi films that is)

Why is Terminator 2 a great movie and still stands the test of time? (ok, many of you may not agree).

Because it has CGI that helps the story and compliments the film.

If you would ask me, Termy 2 is still great because of the quality of writing, the storytelling (the way Cameron conveys it to us) and the virtuoso technical execution. Like Steef and others have said, the story itself wasn't that new or great (repeating a lot of the the original film). Take the same script, but with another director at the steering wheel, and I'm not so sure if we still would be talking about it. Look at the direction and execution of the scene where the T-1000 raids the mental institution/prison. Amazing and timeless. This is the Cameron I've missed during Avatar.

Of course, the casting was perfect as well.

Alex

Another great one, True Lies!

If this was done today, it would be overloaded with CGI, and the story, directing etc, would go to second place.

how more wrong could you be?

[filmmusic 1,847]

Can you explain more, where am I wrong?

by the way, in these things there may be no right and wrong.

There are just opinions.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Can you explain more, where am I wrong?

by the way, in these things there may be no right and wrong.

There are just opinions.

no there is a right and wrong. you should explain why Cameron would need to add a bunch of CGI. He made the film after T2 so the option was there for him to overload the film with CGI. He chose to do a lot of traditional effects.

[Marian Schedenig 8,229]

Zemeckis used to be very good at using computer graphics.

Zemeckis was perhaps the first mainstream Hollywood director to consistently use CGI as a tool rather than a big effect. There are several CGI heavy scenes in several of his movies where you don't notice that any kind of visual effect (traditional or CGI) has been used.

[Quintus 5,399]

Is that true? What's parts of Beowulf were cg?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Is that true? What's parts of Beowulf were cg?

All of it?

[publicist 4,643]

Filthy liar!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

There are several CGI heavy scenes in several of his movies where you don't notice that any kind of visual effect (traditional or CGI) has been used.

Listen! Gary Sinise had his legs amputated for that film! I'm telling you!

[crocodile 8,027]

Pacific Rimjob is indeed quite enjoyable, largely thanks to some typical Del Toro quirks.

Juvenile, daft and predictable.

But at least it knows that.

Karol

[Marian Schedenig 8,229]

Listen! Gary Sinise had his legs amputated for that film! I'm telling you!

I'm talking stuff like the fogged in car bridge in What Lies Beneath or the blended "continuous" shot in Contact.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

What Lies Beneath is probably tied with Panic Room for most CGI used in a neighborhood thriller.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Listen! Gary Sinise had his legs amputated for that film! I'm telling you!

I'm talking stuff like the fogged in car bridge in What Lies Beneath or the blended "continuous" shot in Contact.

Or Bill Clinton!

[A24 4,356]

The kid wanted to watch The Phantom Menace again, a film he loved as a youngster, and so we did. It's really a concatenation of all things bad, childish and silly. One of the two only good cinematic moments, IMO, is the when the energy doors are closing and the knights are all separated. It's also the only moment in the film where the characters don't explain to the audience what's going on.

Alex

[Quintus 5,399]

Yeah, that literally is the only natural and cohesive part of the entire movie. I do actually enjoy the threeway scrap, mainly due to Williams' instantly iconic choral barnstormer.

[A24 4,356]

BTW, the image quality of the original DVD is almost comparable to VHS. I never noticed this before because the last time we saw TPM was on an 32¨ tube screen.

[filmmusic 1,847]

The kid wanted to watch The Phantom Menace again, a film he loved as a youngster, and so we did. It's really a concatenation of all things bad, childish and silly. One of the two only good cinematic moments, IMO, is the when the energy doors are closing and the knights are all separated. It's also the only moment in the film where the characters don't explain to the audience what's going on.

Alex

The Star Wars universe should have ended in 1983!

Nothing after that!

[Quintus 5,399]

George would still be an ethereal legend and enigma. He would still own his universe.

[Matt C 456]

House (Hausu) (1977)

It's still mesmerizing to watch, in so many ways. Obayashi throws in every kind of cinematic technique and camera movement there is, and it's deliriously bonkers to watch. The production design, complete with stunning matte paintings, is still impressive. It's amazing a movie this schizophrenic and incomprehensible can be so entertaining to watch.

And even though the film throws in violent deaths, the overall tone of the film is light and silly. The iconic scene of Melody being eaten by a baby grand piano is hilariously bizarre than grisly. Again, the movie just defies description -- and the trailer does NOT do the actual film justice.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,608]

The kid wanted to watch The Phantom Menace again, a film he loved as a youngster, and so we did. It's really a concatenation of all things bad, childish and silly. One of the two only good cinematic moments, IMO, is the when the energy doors are closing and the knights are all separated. It's also the only moment in the film where the characters don't explain to the audience what's going on.

Alex

Alex, I agree, but it is a fantastic film to both look at, and especially, to listen to.

[Quintus 5,399]

Sorry Rich, it looks like a 90s Pixar and live action hybrid to me. Think Bedknobs and Broomsticks in space.

[Uni 306]

It's pacific rim without the monsters and robots.

Also MOS is minus the fun of The Avengers.

Ever consider a career writing Cliff Notes? You have a gift for brief, yet extremely accurate, summation.

Aliens

It was nice to see in an audience as well. A great moment was when Ripley suggests nuking the site; Hudson's "fuckin' A!" got a huge laugh (oddly, not as much response to "Game over, man! Game over!"). Excellent experience.

Ever so slightly jealous of you for this. I'd love to see it in a theater again.

"Game over" doesn't work any more simply because it became a cliche following the success of that film.

* * * * * * *

And for the record . . . of course story is always the first priority in a good film, something too many directors have lost sight of. Filmmusic had it right when he said something perfectly clear and correct but which several people still managed to misunderstand: the great classics somehow found a way to tell wonderful stories without the crutch of CGI. And it is used too often as a crutch by lesser storytellers these days.

The phenomenon is best summed up by George Lucas, who once said, "A special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing"--and then went on to conclusively prove his thesis by crafting a three-film special effect with no story.

[incidentally, this is the advantage books will always have over movies: technological advances can't intrude to alter the manner in which tales are told. Modern-day authors are limited to exactly the same tool Shakespeare, Hugo, Tolstoy, and the rest had to use . . . words. The skill to tell a good story is either there or it isn't. The lack of it can't be glossed over with eye-candy distractions.]

- Uni

[crocodile 8,027]

The phenomenon is best summed up by George Lucas, who once said, "A special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing"--and then went on to conclusively prove his thesis by crafting a three-film special effect with no story.

You've got to respect the man for sacrificing his own career to illustrate a point.

Karol

[Uni 306]

It's the only thing I have left to admire him for.

Y'know, maybe he could have done some damage control early on if he'd just said that's what he was after. "Hey--just compare the original trilogy to my prequels. Y'see? I WAS right!!"

- Uni

[Quintus 5,399]

Selfless, that's what he is. We have George all wrong. He made the biggest sacrifice of his career so that we might see.

[Wojo 2,453]

And in the end he gave, er, sold it all away and got the girl. I love a happy ending.

[A24 4,356]

The kid wanted to watch The Phantom Menace again, a film he loved as a youngster, and so we did. It's really a concatenation of all things bad, childish and silly. One of the two only good cinematic moments, IMO, is the when the energy doors are closing and the knights are all separated. It's also the only moment in the film where the characters don't explain to the audience what's going on.

Alex

Alex, I agree, but it is a fantastic film to both look at, and especially, to listen to.

Sometimes, yes, other times the direction is too awkward for that. Somehow the production design also reminded me of Return Of The Jedi. The scene of the photo I posted is another story. That one manages to work solely on a visual level. Not even sure if Georgie directed it because it's very complex and technical (with all the choreography and all). The quality is better and it feels different compared to the rest of the movie.

[Uni 306]

Sometimes, yes, other times the direction is too awkward for that. Somehow the production design also reminded me of Return Of The Jedi. The scene of the photo I posted is another story. That one manages to work solely on a visual level. Not even sure if Georgie directed it because it's very complex and technical (with all the choreography and all). The quality is better and it feels different compared to the rest of the movie.

Is it? Maybe. Sometimes I wonder if we're more drawn to that scene because it's finally the sort of action we've been waiting the entire movie to see, not because it actually sets a higher standard.

If you're including the elements of the fight prior to the screencap above, then I'd say it might actually be a little over-the-top, visually speaking. They're in a ginormous room, the purpose of which is never really made clear. (In the immortal words of Jim Plunkett: "Is this some kind of reactor? What does it power, the universe?!") And it's singularly, noticeably unoccupied. There isn't a person or droid anywhere. Does this make sense?

Not really. Which leads one to think it's just there to be impressive. The actors are fighting in front of a green screen, of course; the effects people could just as easily have placed them on an asteroid, or the surface of a star, or in Paris Hilton's bedroom. So the location, while being eye-popping, doesn't serve the story at all. And though that reactor may not power the universe, it becomes interchangeable with the rest of it . . . so who cares, really? Once again, it's just the same CGI crutch at work.

- Uni

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I agree with Alex. That duel really does work very well. It's the highpoint in a film that is boring both visually and story-wise.

As for the room being empty. Vader and Luke duke it out in Cloud City in a giant empty ravine of a room and we don't see anyone there. Never heard anyone complain about why that room is basically a big void, what the bridge is for etc etc...

[crocodile 8,027]

Something just struck me: What is the purpose of those energy barriers?

Karol

[Faleel 5,384]

As for the room being empty. Vader and Luke duke it out in Cloud City in a giant empty ravine of a room and we don't see anyone there. Never heard anyone complain about why that room is basically a big void, what the bridge is for etc etc...

Its for freezing carbonite duh.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Possibly. the point is. No one asked that question about TESB. Even though it's as valid a question (or not) as asking that the energy barrier room is for.

The real answer is of course, to provide a dramatic backdrop for the duel....

The prequels get bashed for spoonfeeding it's audience throughout the whole thing. In this instance it doesn't, and it's actually good!

[Quintus 5,399]

Sometimes, yes, other times the direction is too awkward for that. Somehow the production design also reminded me of Return Of The Jedi. The scene of the photo I posted is another story. That one manages to work solely on a visual level. Not even sure if Georgie directed it because it's very complex and technical (with all the choreography and all). The quality is better and it feels different compared to the rest of the movie.

Is it? Maybe. Sometimes I wonder if we're more drawn to that scene because it's finally the sort of action we've been waiting the entire movie to see, not because it actually sets a higher standard.

If you're including the elements of the fight prior to the screencap above, then I'd say it might actually be a little over-the-top, visually speaking. They're in a ginormous room, the purpose of which is never really made clear. (In the immortal words of Jim Plunkett: "Is this some kind of reactor? What does it power, the universe?!") And it's singularly, noticeably unoccupied. There isn't a person or droid anywhere. Does this make sense?

Not really. Which leads one to think it's just there to be impressive.

Bear in mind that we're dealing with the same guy who thought audiences would like to see a sweet little afternoon picnic upon a backdrop of the most spectacularly ridiculous waterfall ever committed to celluloid and which made Victoria Falls look like a puddle of piss.

Yes, George made the room a chasm to be impressive and that's all.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The OT is full of chasms anyway. It belongs with Star Wars.

Not even sure if Georgie directed it because it's very complex and technical (with all the choreography and all). The quality is better and it feels different compared to the rest of the movie.

It's very possible that he did not direct it. Often the big stunts and action sequences are done by an assistent director who specialises in this.

Much of the famous Desert Chase from Raiders was not directed by Spielberg.

[crocodile 8,027]

Which is a perfect time for Crocodile's Daily Christopher Nolan Adoration Post:

He directs every single shot himself and doesn't use second unit.

Karol

[Faleel 5,384]

Spielberg directed the fight between anakin and Obi-wan in ROTS right?