Dixon Hill 4,234 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Agreed. Not Mr. Big 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,364 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 1 hour ago, Koray Savas said: Ex Machina Not terrible, but I don’t understand why this film got hyped with so much praise. It does nothing new and is fairly predictable. I liked the art direction, tone, and pacing, but otherwise pretty forgettable. One of the reasons why it was perhaps (over)appreciated by the critics is probably because most SciFi movies are big FX driven action movies that cause damage to the brain cells. Ex Machina is more like a cerebral, small-scale sci-fi thriller that puts theme, characters and sharp dialogue in the centre of the stage. Even though it doesn't exactly break new grounds, I certainly didn't find it dull. 7/10 Chen G. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundlefly 2,385 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 3 hours ago, Koray Savas said: Ex Machina Not terrible, but I don’t understand why this film got hyped with so much praise. It does nothing new and is fairly predictable. I liked the art direction, tone, and pacing, but otherwise pretty forgettable. Yes, it does. 6 hours ago, Romão said: It hasn't aged well, I think. In my view is clearly the worst of the trilogy. Gotham feels quite small. The scene that really irks me is Thomas Wayne exposition while riding the train. And Nolan did the death of Bruce's parents much more impressively It seems like it makes an effort not to exceed the dimension of a generic superhero film. There are some nice approaches, but the genre cage must not be left. The Dark Knight however... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 4,011 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 4 hours ago, dougie said: Batman Begins and Casino Royale were the beginning of the post-9/11 realistic/relatable/dark/disturbing craze. Nope, it started earlier. Its a natural process of maturation of the art-form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 4 minutes ago, Chen G. said: Nope, it started earlier. Its a natural process of maturation of the art-form. This gal makes a compelling point that "9/11 ruined everything" in film by using ID4 and War of the Worlds as contrasting examples. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 4,011 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 I’d sooner tear my ear off than watch another of Lindsay’s “web essays.” As an example, Titanic was pre-9/11 and it was a huge tentpole in which many people, including families, one of the leads and a toddler (!) find their death in a freezing watery grave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 9/11 taught the people in America that the stuff they put in the movies isnt all cool and awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 45 minutes ago, Chen G. said: I’d sooner tear my ear off than watch another of Lindsay’s “web essays.” As an example, Titanic was pre-9/11 and it was a huge tentpole in which many people, including families, one of the leads and a toddler (!) find their death in a freezing watery grave. Titantic had some uncomfortable imagery, but "dark and disturbing" didn't become a trendy trope until a few years after 9/11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Emmerich's 2012 seemed to revel just fine in post 9/11 gleeful destruction. Everyone slates it, but I had a blast at the cinema with it. I miss big daft Hollywood disaster movies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Reminds me of the opening to Filmtracks' review of GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 23 minutes ago, Quintus said: I miss big daft Hollywood disaster movies. Did you see San Andreas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 I didn't. Haven't heard of it. I'll look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 The Rock and that hot actress who played Silk Spectre I in Watchmen, and Alexandra Daddario, one of the two distractingly gorgeous mistresses Woody Harelson has in True Detectiveml. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Hhnnnnnnnnnnggg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Kickass Torrents! Now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundlefly 2,385 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 6 hours ago, dougie said: This gal makes a compelling point that "9/11 ruined everything" in film by using ID4 and War of the Worlds as contrasting examples. 9/11 ruined two buildings and 3000 people's lives, but if it's also responsible for the change from movies like Independence Day to movies like War of the Worlds I'll at least forgive the destruction of the towers itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 ID4 at least has a superior score to WotW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundlefly 2,385 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 2 minutes ago, dougie said: ID4 at least has a superior score to WotW. No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,698 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Horses for courses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 35 minutes ago, Brundlefly said: No. Yes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Some people only like WotW more because it was written by John Williams. ID4 and Mars Attacks! are far more exciting, but they choose to ignore this inconvenience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,493 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 WOTW didn't have any remotely endearing characters like ID4 and it was very ugly and bleak anyway, so it didn't inspire any reaction from me when the aliens started frying everyone. ID4 doesn't revel in the destruction of our civilization, it unites all these great characters with a common cause to whoop E.T.'s ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 15 minutes ago, Ghostbusters II said: ID4 doesn't revel in the destruction of our civilization, it unites all these great characters with a common cause to whoop E.T.'s ass. See that's just not realistic or relatable enough for sophisticated millennials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,493 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 Yeah? I'm one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundlefly 2,385 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 The film War of the Worlds has flaws, but the film Independence Day is pure shit! It's worse than Godzilla! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 I love X-Files too. I hope you get to see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,493 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 What the hell is going on?! My God in heaven! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 I haven't spoken to God since your mother died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 The score is one of the better aspects of Spielberg's annoying War of the Worlds movie, but even that doesn't get anywhere near close to the sheer thrill and blockbuster opulence of Arnold's ID4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 They're two completely different kinda films! WOTW was part of Spielberg's post 9/11 dark phase. Chen G. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 12 hours ago, Brundlefly said: Yes, it does. How? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 4,011 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 28 minutes ago, Stefancos said: WOTW was part of Spielberg's post 9/11 dark phase. For Spielberg, it was more of a post-Schindler's List dark phase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 SPR is quite optimistic though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Illustrious Jerry 3,356 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 I didn't like War of the Worlds- the film. The basement scenes are classic Spielberg, but hey. The score is much better than the film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 2 hours ago, Brundlefly said: The film War of the Worlds has flaws, but the film Independence Day is pure shit! It's worse than Godzilla! War of the Worlds is merely okay. Independence Day is pure fun! No one is giving it the Palme D'Or, but hey, there is a place for this sort of thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,493 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 "Classic Spielberg" is not how I'd choose to describe anything in War of the Worlds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bayesian 1,367 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 I don’t see how anyone could compare ID4 to WotW — in terms of score or anything else. They’re in completely different styles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,698 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 6 minutes ago, Ghostbusters II said: "Classic Spielberg" is not how I'd choose to describe anything in War of the Worlds. Really? Dysfunctional family? Teenagers? Parents split or divorced? Forced relocation? Unseen/hidden terrors? Emerging strong father character? Strong family unit? "Ordinary people under extraordinary circumstances"? It's fucking textbook Spielberg. It's one of the most "Spielbergarian" films ever made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundlefly 2,385 Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 50 minutes ago, Richard said: Really? Dysfunctional family? Teenagers? Parents split or divorced? Forced relocation? Unseen/hidden terrors? Emerging strong father character? Strong family unit? "Ordinary people under extraordinary circumstances"? It's fucking textbook Spielberg. It's one of the most "Spielbergarian" films ever made. So you would say that it feels like E.T.? 53 minutes ago, Iron_Giant said: I don’t see how anyone could compare ID4 to WotW — in terms of score or anything else. They’re in completely different styles. And in completely different quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabulin 3,517 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 5 hours ago, Iron_Giant said: I don’t see how anyone could compare ID4 to WotW — in terms of score or anything else. They’re in completely different styles. They're alien invasion movies. And there actually aren't that many in that genre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 4,011 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Yes, but the tone of choice is to different that it supercedes the shared genre, in my mind, to the point of making comparison moot. 6 hours ago, Richard said: Dysfunctional family? Teenagers? Parents split or divorced? Forced relocation? Unseen/hidden terrors? Emerging strong father character? That's not classic Spielberg. That's just Spielberg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unlucky Bastard 7,782 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 He repeats those tropes in so many movies, I was sick of it by the time of WotW. I wanted to see some alien attack action dammit! Not some boring family melodrama. I extend a similar complaint to the 2014 Godzilla. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,493 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 Showgirls It's such glorious vulgar trash. I don't know why everyone hates it. It's a rare type of flick that leaves you incredulous every scene and it has Kyle Maclachlan with a great hairstyle. Unlucky Bastard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,698 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 2 hours ago, dougie said: He repeats those tropes in so many movies, I was sick of it by the time of WotW. I wanted to see some alien attack action dammit! Not some boring family melodrama. That's Spielberg for you, Jerry. He doesn't do "big", he does "small". He's always done "small", but on a large canvas. In this regard, he's very much like Lean. SteveMc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,364 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 1 hour ago, Ghostbusters II said: Showgirls It's such glorious vulgar trash. I don't know why everyone hates it. I don't hate it (I don't hate anything by Verhoeven) but it doesn't give me much satisfaction either, not even on a trashy level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 4,011 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 13 minutes ago, Richard said: He's always done "small", but on a large canvas. In this regard, he's very much like Lean. Well, he is a student of Sir David in that regard. And he does it both better and worse than Lean. Few and far between are the things I hate more than the classification of films as "so-and-so intimate story being told against the big canvas of so-and-so". To my mind, if you want to make a big epic, by all means do so in such a way that the predicament of the main character is integrated into the larger events taking place. E.g. Lawrence of Arabia, where Lawrence is a driving force behind the large events which are taking place around him, and his mental stability is key to the success of those endeavors. But, if you don't want to make a big epic, don't bother too much with the huge canvas - it'll just be a distraction. e.g. Doctor Zhivago. Steven Spielberg manages to get away with it, because I don't recall a Spielberg film where one's attention was being drawn to the "canvas" - its just there. He's not a filmmaker who is awfully preoccupied with impressing upon his audience the "bigness" of his film. I don't think of Spielberg films as genuine epics. Really, Spielberg as a piooneer of the blockbuster, made a name for himself as making films which were the antithesis of epics: small, fast-paced and short adventure films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,364 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 10 hours ago, The Illustrious Jerry said: I didn't like War of the Worlds- the film. The basement scenes are classic Spielberg, but hey. To me, WOTW has the tone of an early Shyamalan movie, albeit bigger in scope. It's probably the main reason why I don't like it. That being said, I do like the first 5 minutes, before all hell breaks loose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 4,011 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 I think War of the Worlds is a perfectly servicable-to-good film. But vintage M. Night Shyamalan is hard to beat, in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,364 Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 The family in WOTW feels more Shyamalan dysfunctional, which to me comes across as 'forced' dysfunctional (and, yes, I like Unbreakable). Even more Shyamalan is the moment in the basement when Tom Cruise is going 'to take care' of that man, out of sight of the children. It's handled with an almost religious tone full of misplaced self-importance. Hated it! But again, I liked the atmosphere before the apocalypse (Tom watching the doomy clouds, etc.) Somehow the anticipating is stronger than seeing it all happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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