Quintus 5,399 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 War Horse was largely boring and often a bit too twee for my own tastes, but the gorgeous photography made soldier on. John's music was mostly bad too imo, unusual for me to feel that way about his contributions. All in all War Horse feels pointless. Uhm no ! How many films with horses have ever come out that make this one pointless? And I don't even like the beasts. They're stately and fine animals, but I've never ridden one and don't want to.John using more themes than his colleagues combined that year and it was bad ????The themes were very beautiful I thought. But the underscore sounded more like overscore, imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,364 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Yep. The score works better on album than in the film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,012 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Depending how you look at it. Spielberg directed a very old fashioned film. And Williams scored it accordingly. Literally.Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Nah Williams approached it like an episode of Little House on the Prairie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,287 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I agree that it's staggeringly beautiful music in its own right but dramatically inconsistent, to say the least. Sometimes it feels like Spielberg and Williams are bordering on the edge of self-parody, but there are a handful of standout moments worthy of their long collaboration. Particularly as it goes along, the No Man's Land sequence and the sunset finale are worth the slog IMO. That "Remembering Emilie" piano solo dissolving into the horse's distant silhouette on the horizon may not be as good as it gets, but it's something close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 WAR HORSE is ALWAYS for the 21st century. Another homage to the old glossy MGM & Co. crap Spielberg got hooked on by tv in his formative years. Problem is that most of these movies had better scripts than Steven. The final act with the blind boy and the wounded horse just keeps on insulting children and grown ups alike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,012 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 The final act with the blind boy and the wounded horse just keeps on insulting children and grown ups alike.Good! We need more uncompromising and unapologetic cinema like this.Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Unapologetic for being imbecile, yes. On a rainy sunday afternoon the film is perfect. But so is FIRST KNIGHT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,012 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I've seen it only once, but my impression was Spielberg was kind of stuck between two aesthetics - his post-Schindler's List and family fare. You don't really get a sense of what kind of audience this film is made for. The book itself is for children, the film can't decide.Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muad'Dib 1,802 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I've seen it only once, but my impression was Spielberg was kind of stuck between two aesthetics - his post-Schindler's List and family fare. You don't really get a sense of what kind of audience this film is made for. The book itself is for children, the film can't decide.Karol Exactly. He's too damn worried nowadays of pleasing everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Yes, for once Pubs is right. "Insulting" was also a term that crossed my mind. Watch the animal films of Carroll Ballard. nothing insulting there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Or even TARKA THE OTTER. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Or JAWS 3-D! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 The scene between the English soldier and the German soldier at the trenches is truly great though. Spielberg's lesser movies always seem to have one special moment in them, regardless of the filmic quality overall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 The whole dash through no man's land was brilliantly conceived but it reminded me of Peter Benchley's words that Spielberg is the world's greatest second-unit director - ironically said on Spielberg's arguably second-best movie JAWS. The most egregious example of that is still AMISTAD, though: some of the best scenes on slavery vs. some of the most mawkish americana ever devised for this sort of movie. It's almost schizophrenic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 No way is JAWS Spielberg's second-best-movie. That would be CE3K. Numero Uno is A.I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamTheater 131 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Oh definitely I love A.I. but maybe I love Saving Private Ryan more.Or Hook (no kidding). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 No way is JAWS Spielberg's second-best-movie. That would be CE3K. Numero Uno is A.I.Preach. Though I might switch the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Sigh.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 People in the know know that Jaws is the director's finest film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 That's right bruv! *high fives* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Sigh....Something wrong, friend? What's on your mind Stef? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Right on, babe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Jaws is most likely his best film, but it might not be my favorite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 People in the know know that Jaws is the director's finest film. Quintus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 People in the know know that Jaws is the director's finest film.So you're saying that the people responsible for 9/11 are the ones who think Jaws is Spielberg's best? Seems legit. Quintus 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,012 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 People in the know know that Jaws is the director's finest film.You know, depending how you judge it. If you assume studio blockbusters with infinitely increasing budgets are bane of modern culture then it might as well be his very worst. Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightscape94 965 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Jaws fluctuates in the top spot for favorite movie of all time. It goes back and forth with 2001, depending on what mood I'm in. Spielberg's best film. You betcha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 People who think JAWS is Spielberg's best film I can tolerate, but those who give that title to DUEL are scum, plain and simple. They are always the types who blame Spielberg for the death of New Hollywood (Easy Riders and Raging Bulls), only having time for him at his pulpiest and least personal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 I can honestly say I have never seen or heard anyone claim that Duel is Spielberg's best film. In which circles do you move, Sharky? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 They're only people I've come across on forums, which is just as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 SpazyMongoloid.com? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Lol. Good to see QuintsRUs is back.The one who thought DUEL was SS's best was actually a very intelligent, worldly bloke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Sir David Attenborough likes Duel more than Jaws? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 Yeah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 He should stick to filming monkeys shagging each other! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 What a fucker.To think I've trusted his soothing informative tones for decades. Pfft.Never again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Duel certainly is one of his best films. Then again, I would say that, since I'm not part of the Spielberg fan club of JWfan. Alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK 3,307 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 SnowpiercerI was looking forward to this film quite a bit due to all the positive word-of-mouth but I am a little disappointed with what I've seen. It's premise is definitely intriguing, backed up by cool set pieces and action sequences. On top of that, you have a really great cast here, with Ed Harris as the emperor-like villain, John Hurt as wise-old man and Tilda Swinton as the wacky, unlikeable Hunger Games-style character. The problem is the plot doesn't exactly go smooth-sailing, at times burdened by awkward pacing (the film jumps randomly from exposition to action sequence to stylized drama moment with little warning), heavy-handedness with the "message" and some usual film cliches. It's largely that last half-hour, where the film nearly undoes what it established in the first hour. But overall, it stands out among its summer blockbuster peers, and I did enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay 37,364 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Yea, I didn't care for it. BB liked it more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,193 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 I didn't, as I said somewhere above. I loved the first half hour or so, and was all the more disappointed when it ended up being, in my opinion, utterly ridiculous. What was interesting is that Swinton's character reminded me a bit of John Hurt's Big Brother like chancellor in V for Vendetta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt C 454 Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 Transformers: Age of ExtinctionWhile Mark Wahlberg's presence elevates it above the first three pics (far more likable and engaging than the obnoxious Shia la Boeuf), it's clear director Michael Bay and writer Ehren Kruger haven't learned anything worthwhile. The pandering to the Chinese moviegoing audience verges on laughable, Bay still indulges in the sexist and racist jokes, and Stanley Tucci is just as grating as John Turturro was. But Bay keeps the action and CGI set pieces well-shot and choreographed (one of the few pluses of the previous pic), so it might be worth a 2D matinee if you can stomach the grueling 165 minute length. Better yet, wait for home video so you can fast-forward through the boring human scenes and go straight to the sweet robot-on-robot action. I read an article with the CGI supervisors of this movie, and they revealed that 90 minutes of the movie were pure CGI shots. Considering how little story this movie has, it would go down a lot better if it was an hour and a half long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DreamTheater 131 Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 While I'm a bit of a Michael Bay-fan in the sense of him as an action director first and storyteller second, I just hope this isn't going to become a trend where his films get ever longer, with more exposition / silly comedy and more drawn out action scenes. His earlier films and the first Transformers had that mix down quite well. I enjoy Dark of the Moon, but the hour long battle at the end was already reaching the limit of what I can take. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodBoal 7,538 Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 I just hope this isn't going to become a trend where his films get ever longer, with more exposition / silly comedy and more drawn out action scenes.It's already a trend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo 3,709 Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 Was it ever not a trend with him? It was definitely seeping in by Bad Boys II (which I don't mind). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filmmusic 1,829 Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 Sleepaway Camp (1983)Well, this seemed like oh-another-typical-slasher-movie but when it was finished I was in shock!Fortunately, at exactly that time a friend called, and with his help I got over it after a few minutes...Classic!! I imagine how it would seem to an audience of that time!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt C 454 Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 While I'm a bit of a Michael Bay-fan in the sense of him as an action director first and storyteller second, I just hope this isn't going to become a trend where his films get ever longer, with more exposition / silly comedy and more drawn out action scenes. His earlier films and the first Transformers had that mix down quite well. I enjoy Dark of the Moon, but the hour long battle at the end was already reaching the limit of what I can take.I was one of the few who didn't like the first Transformers, at all. Didn't bother with the second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,287 Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 Same, still haven't seen any of the sequels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crocodile 8,012 Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 Planet of the Apes A.D. 2001. You know what? It's not as bad as I remember. Love the ape prosthetics, production design and score.Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkissimo 1,973 Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 I remember the score being really boring. Lots of sampled percussion loops over standard Hollywood action music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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