What is the last film you watched?

[Lurker 5]

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.  Hugely disappointing, I was really hoping to see some good jabs at the news industry but the movie was too infantile.  The newsmen were too stupid, this was your basic Will Ferrell comedy set amongst a news room.  I like Will Ferrell comedies, I was just hoping for something a little more with such a great premise.  Will Ferrell would make a great idiotic and pompous news caster, instead he ended up playing... Will Ferrell again.  And Steve Carell was completely wasted in this role.  There were some good laughs though, the jazz-flute bit was great.

My favorite movie from last year and I thought Steve Carell stole every scene he was in. I don't even like Will Ferrell, but I found him very funny in this movie. I've watched it several tmes since getting the DVD, after seeing it several times in the theater.

Neil

[Morlock 11]

Stepford Wives

I thought it was great. It's a nice funny movie with good moments and not so bad ones. The socialogical undertone is very well hidden and beautifuly portrayed in subtly.

Mention must be made of David Arnold's wonderful score. One of the best waltzes ever composed for a film, IMO.

Mystic River

This movie is very good however it didn't diserve the praise it got. Clint's direction isn't even noticable, there is nothing exceptional about his work.

Bullocks. There is plenty that is exceptional in his work. He does what Spielberg did with Schindler's List- he totaly dissappears into the work and doesn't even once make us think about a director, which also helps to forget it's a movie and sink in.

Absolutely brilliant, in every respect.

Tahiti is not in Europe!

Marian -

I was thinking over the movie this week, and it's such a constantly delightful movie. No slow stuff, nothing dumbed down, even the chase at the end. Not a single major flaw I can think of, save maybe Ben Kingsley's accent.

I Heat Huckabees

  You can't review a movie like this since everybody will interpret it differently. I liked it but this is probably going to be a love it or hate it thing.

I don't see how many people will love the movie, but I liked it a lot. I liked the style, and I loved it's message. It finds boundless optimism in endless nihilism. Just like me.

I was in the hospital for a couple of days, and watched a crap load of tv, so I caught a few movies:

The Tailor of Panama. I love the first half of this movie. It's fresh, fun, energetic, with a wonderful offbeat score. The second half just left me cold, all the intrigue, politics and quasi-deep stuff. Love Davey's main titles.

National Lampoon's Animal House. One of the movies I feel like hugging just for existing. Such a hillarious, positive movie. Belushi gives what is one of the absolute best comic performances ever.

Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. This movie's tagline should be "Come for Alan Rickman and Michael Kamen, stay for nothing else". The movie holds so much promise in it's main titles, Kamen's wonderful, rousing theme......and then we have Costner. I like the guy. He seems like a very nice guy. He's given some very good performances. But his appearance in this movie is one of the least convincing performances. He seems to be going for something, but that something is not Robin Hood.

Rickman, on the other have, provides one of the most brilliant performances ever. It is a singular performance in movie history, I've never seen anything like it. He just leaps out from the rest of the movie and goes off. I am in awe of what he did here.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

You're so right on PoT. Costner mumbling along like that is supposed to be Robin Hood? What the hell? The guy who played Robin Hood in Mel Brooks's Men in Tights was more convincing.

And Alan Rickman rocks. Even harder perhaps than he did in Die Hard.

[MrScratch 294]

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.  Hugely disappointing, I was really hoping to see some good jabs at the news industry but the movie was too infantile.  The newsmen were too stupid, this was your basic Will Ferrell comedy set amongst a news room.  I like Will Ferrell comedies, I was just hoping for something a little more with such a great premise.  Will Ferrell would make a great idiotic and pompous news caster, instead he ended up playing... Will Ferrell again.  And Steve Carell was completely wasted in this role.  There were some good laughs though, the jazz-flute bit was great.

My favorite movie from last year and I thought Steve Carell stole every scene he was in. I don't even like Will Ferrell, but I found him very funny in this movie. I've watched it several tmes since getting the DVD, after seeing it several times in the theater.

I thought it was very awkwardly paced and for every joke that hit, there were 2 or 3 that missed. And, I would have liked to seen more newsroom antics. Local news is fodder for comedy and spoof and it just seems like Ron Burgundy barely scratched the surface. For instance, we never actually got to see Koechner do a sports report or Carell do a weather report. How funny would it have been to see that "retarded" character stumble his way around on the air. But, the bit where Ferrell and Applegate are politely cursing at each other while the credits were rolling was money. That's more like what the movie should have been about.

Jeff

[JoeinAR 1,949]

while not a movie, I saw the show Fat Actress, and her guest this week was C3PO, he's going on the same diet as she's on too.

[Lurker 5]

For instance, we never actually got to see Koechner do a sports report or Carell do a weather report.  How funny would it have been to see that "retarded" character stumble his way around on the air.

Steve Carell does at the start of the movie, getting the numbers all wrong and calling the mid-west the "middle east".

Neil

[SeekUYoda 0]

The Incredibles - still incredible. I loved it, especially Edna. And the score.

[ChrisAfonso 186]

Me too

-Chris, waiting impatiently for his DVD... it's bigger! It's badder!

[MrScratch 294]

Steve Carell does at the start of the movie, getting the numbers all wrong and calling the mid-west the "middle east".

True, and that was quite funny, but I wanted to see more than just those few seconds of Carell doing the weather.

Jeff

[Morlock 11]

The Incredibles - still good, but underwhelming. I liked it, especially Edna. And the score. But the villain still sucks ****.

[QMM 4]

I don't see how many people will love the movie, but I liked it a lot. I liked the style, and I loved it's message. It finds boundless optimism in endless nihilism. Just like me.

Yeah I really liked the movie for that too. Mark Wahlberg's character alone makes the movie worth it, plus Jon Brion's great score.

"Where're you guys? I'm at the fire"

"I have no idea what you guys are talking about, I thought we were going to talk about petroleum."

Max

[ChrisAfonso 186]

The Incredibles - still good, but underwhelming. I liked it, especially Edna. And the score. But the villain still sucks ****.

But you have to admit his exit was hilarious, given the "cape debate" earlier

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Casino Royale. Nowhere near as good as it could and should have been. There were some good laughs, but they were far between. The movie goes on for too long in way too many directions, leaving gaping plotholes large enough to drive a Pakistanian army truck through.

Orson Welles rocked hard, though.

[A24 4,345]

Casino Royale. Nowhere near as good as it could and should have been. There were some good laughs, but they were far between. The movie goes on for too long in way too many directions, leaving gaping plotholes large enough to drive a Pakistanian army truck through.

Orson Welles rocked hard, though.

It's a stinker. But some scenes are very stylish in a 60s kind of way.

[Morlock 11]

My Best Friend's Wedding. One of my favorite movies ever, and by far my favorite modern romantic comedy. This is such an intelligent movie, with a really great script. Great performances all around (I loved M. Emmet Walsh in his only role where he is not the least bit creepy), the only place where I've really, really liked Julia Roberts. Rupert Everet is great, and Dermot Mulroney is particulaly note worthy. The scene on the boat is such a great scene.

And James Newton Howard wrote a wonderful score. It's kinda like his Dave score, thoguh a bit lower key. Full of life and melody, he nailed the beautiful gentle moments as well as the big comic moments.

The ending of the movie is perfect in a particulaly sublime way. Very few modern comedies have had such perfect endings (Parenthood is the only other one that really comes to mind).

[JoeinAR 1,949]

thanks to Molaram at Spielbergfilms.com I saw this.

I love John's cue, Parade of the Ompaloopa's.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

LOL

[MrScratch 294]

That picture would be even funnier if it incorporated the chicken getting its head cut off!

Jeff

[A24 4,345]

Tin Men (1987). Still a pretty good movie.

[Morlock 11]

The Bourne Supremacy. Quite boring and uninteresting the second time around.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Superman the Movie

what's left to be said, not a perfect film, yet its perfect entertainment, and that score.

[QMM 4]

The Incredibles

Still a fantastic film, would've had no problem if it was nominated for best picture

Giacchino's score is great as always and his Incredits along with the great animation makes one of the best credits of recent memory

[ChrisAfonso 186]

A Bug's Life.

Very funny (Never seen it before) Especially those two little guys with the eyebrows (I don't know what that species is called in English).

Chris -

[Lurker 5]

I watched the new Rocky DVD last night. This is the absolute best I've ver seen the movie. It's a wonderful transfer. And bravo to MGM for including the original mono track!

The movie is just as entertaining as it ever was. It's just about perfect in every detail.

Neil

[SturgisPodmore 0]

Sorry to bring this back up, but I think I've seen more stereotyping demonstrated by our posters in this thread than I've ever seen here before. Alex, I thought you would at least try to defend yourself when I said how ridiculous it was that you were saying young people just can't have valid opinions. I guess expected too much of you. Marc, I agree with you whole-heartedly.

Alex, if you can't understand that the Potter films are based around magic, then I guess you can't reason that there are "events" that occur that have to do with magic. It's pretty simple. Oh well. I guess some people just are that biased.

And to say that there is little room for emotional depth in the Potter films is absolutely asinine. From what you've said about them, I can gather that you haven't ever even seen the third film.

~Sturgis, who happens to appriciate little editing, long flowing shots, and black-and white movies . . . but of course, being young, I must not understand it fully

[JoeinAR 1,949]

~Sturgis, who happens to appriciate little editing, long flowing shots, and black-and white movies . . . but of course, being young, I must not understand it fully

glad to see you can appreciate a scene without 2.4 second edits.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

King of Kings.

[John Crichton 4]

I finally saw all of Superman II the other night on TV. Complete, commercial free, and widescreen thanks to Turner Classic Movies. I know there's a whole story around this film's production. I know the basics, and if someone (Neil?) could link the site that explained it all that was linked somwhere on the board a few months ago I'd be most greatful.

This movie has tons of potential. It doesn't feel like the traditional sequel with a completely seperate story, but as a logical extension of the first movie. The problem is the execution. The first half moves waaaaaaaaaay to slow, and then the second half moves way to fast with little explanation and good plot threads chucked to the side. And it looks like they're working on half the budget of the previous film, with the final fight in Metropolis really showing this.

There's lots of great things going on in the first half. The Luthor, Lois/Clark, and Zod plots all have wonderful things going for them. The problem is it just plods along with no energy. The opening credits are the worst "recap" I've ever seen, going on forever. And the business in Paris should have been a quarter as long as it was. And once the movie finally gets going, it gets going to fast with numerous plot holes.

Reeve and Kidder are spot on as in the first film. Hackman is too, but the only point to Luthor most of the movie is making (usually pretty decent) wisecracks while waiting for the one small thing he's supposed to do. Terrence Stamp is mostly magnificent, but some of his "Knell before Zod!" moments are too over the top. I really enjoyed the big guy from Krypton (can't remember the character or actor's name), he brought a lot of humor into what could've been a completely unimaginative character. And why they dumped Ned Beatty's wonderful Otis in favor of Tesmacher (I thoight she turned good in the first one?) is beyond me, especially as she vanishes part of the way in anyway.

And the score. Man, I thought the rehash in Chamber of Secrets was bad. Yeesh. And to make it worse (and I'm not sure if this was just poor audio quality on the broadcast) but the orchestra sounded borderline incompetent, like they shouldn't have been let within a mile of anything even remotely connected to Williams. Horrible, horrible performance.

I think that's it. Rant over.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

John, you can read about the Superman II story here.

I watched Hook yesterday. It's something of a guilty pleasure to me. I'd love to have a complete release of the score, though. It maybe a bit OTT for the film itself at times (although it's not as bad as it could have been), but I still got goosebumps several times just from the music.

[A24 4,345]

Sorry to bring this back up, but I think I've seen more stereotyping demonstrated by our posters in this thread than I've ever seen here before.  Alex, I thought you would at least try to defend yourself when I said how ridiculous it was that you were saying young people just can't have valid opinions.  I guess expected too much of you.  Marc, I agree with you whole-heartedly.

Alex, if you can't understand that the Potter films are based around magic, then I guess you can't reason that there are "events" that occur that have to do with magic.  It's pretty simple.  Oh well.  I guess some people just are that biased.

And to say that there is little room for emotional depth in the Potter films is absolutely asinine.  From what you've said about them, I can gather that you haven't ever even seen the third film.

~Sturgis, who happens to appriciate little editing, long flowing shots, and black-and white movies . . . but of course, being young, I must not understand it fully

I've never said those things. Please, remain in the realm of reality.

That said, indeed, the Potter films possess little magic.

----------------

Alex Cremers

[Justin 2]

2001: A Space Odyssey.

Visually it's a wonderful film. The middle section (Hal) is of course the most classic of the film. IMO the first part drags for no real reason. The film builds as the monkey uses the bone but then it cuts to another 'monkey's screaming at one another' scene. I know it's supposed to be slow but sheesh. Also the final part is fascinating. The book explains the sequence much better. As the film stands now you really don't have any idea what the hell is going on. Honestly if they'd shortened the opening part and expanded the final part of the film, it could have made more sense. Oh well, it's still a classic in many respects.

Justin

[A24 4,345]

2001: A Space Odyssey.

Visually it's a wonderful film. Oh well, it's still a classic in many respects.

It sure is. I simply drool over the visuals. It doesn't get any better than this! BTW, the same cinematographer did also Superman The Movie and Polanski's Tess. But we mainly see Kubrick's vision, of course.

About The Boy. Hugh Grant in a surprisingly good comedy.

[Lurker 5]

Greetings, a 1968 Brian DePalma comedy. A very funny movie about a week in the lives of three friends hoping to avoid being drafted. I really enjoyed it.

Neil

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The Lord of The Rings trilogy, the Extended DVD Editions.

I started yesterday only only just now finished (ROTK's credits still playing)

Wonderfull, exhausting but thoroughly satisfying.

After (once again) seeing how this music functions in the film I must say I utterly disagree about what alex loves to say about these scores, that they double up on the emotion already present on screen.

This is is a lot of cases simply not true.

Many a battle scene is scored with very emotional, reflective music instead of the usual action stuff (The fight with the cave troll in and Boromir's last stand in FOTR, Haldir's death and several other battle scenes in TTT, such as the Forth Eorlingas scene.

In ROTK, Frodo's desperate climd on Mount Doom in scored with a light flute tune instead of something more action driven or depressing.

In many of the scenes it is the music that changes the way the scene makes us feel.

Alexcremers is wrong, not that he will ever admit that though.

[A24 4,345]

Many a battle scene is scored with very emotional, reflective music instead of the usual action stuff (The fight with the cave troll in and Boromir's last stand in FOTR, Haldir's death and several other battle scenes in TTT, such as the Forth Eorlingas scene.

Highly manipulative and very Braveheart-ish. Even worse compared to standard action scoring. Brrrr.

To see a good battle scene, watch SPR or the final duel in Rob Roy. Cheers.

----------------

Alex Cremers

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Apples and oranges Alex, Braveheart and LOTR are filmings of myth, SPR is not.

I expected a better put down from you, oh well.

[Marian Schedenig 8,207]

The Wizard of Oz - finally! Lovely movie, one I'd like to see undubbed now - the TV version, was of course, dubbed, though thankfully the songs mostly were not (except for some of the Munchkin's lines - who, incidentally, were called dwarfs in the German dub...).

Oh, and for the first half of the movie, I couldn't stop wondering where I'd heard the witch theme before. Then I remembered: Horner's Casper.

Marian - who wants to play Rainbow Islands now...

[John Crichton 4]

John, you can read about the Superman II story here.

That's not the same site I remember, but it'll work fine. Thanks, Marc.

I also watched the Austin Powers trilogy recently. Since I went crazy on the Supes II review I'll keep it short: all time comedy classics. First one's the perfect Bond parody, then the series takes on a life of it's own in 2 and 3. And unlike most here, I do like the third one. A guily pleasure, I guess.

[Lurker 5]

I just watched Executive Decision, a very good suspense film with a muscular Jerry Goldsmith score. A lot of the airplane hijacking stuff is alarming to watch in this post 9/11 world, but I didn't let that bother, because the suspense in the film is well handled. This would make a very good double feature with Air Force One. Similar settings and similar scores, though ED was more militaristic while AFO is more patriotic. Also AFO is a straight out action film, while ED limits the action, preferring to keep the suspense going until the last possible moment. Then all hell breaks loose.

This was Stuart Bairds first film to direct, and the super airplane, the Remora, reminded me of the Scimitar, the bad guys ship in the Baird directed Star Trek: Nemesis.

John, you might be thinking of this site. And yes, you should be ashamed of yourself for liking Goldmember.

Neil

[Justin 2]

Many a battle scene is scored with very emotional, reflective music instead of the usual action stuff (The fight with the cave troll in and Boromir's last stand in FOTR, Haldir's death and several other battle scenes in TTT, such as the Forth Eorlingas scene.

Highly manipulative and very Braveheart-ish. Even worse compared to standard action scoring. Brrrr.

In the words of Jerry Goldsmith "That's what we're here to do. Good film is manipulating your audience."

Wise words.

Justin

[John Crichton 4]

John, you might be thinking of this site.  And yes, you should be ashamed of yourself for liking Goldmember.  

Neil

Yup, that's the one. Thanks. With both these sites I guess I and anyone else interested have all we ever wanted to know.

John- not embarassed for liking Austin Powers in Goldmember. We all have our vices.

[A24 4,345]

Apples and oranges Alex, Braveheart and LOTR are filmings of myth, SPR is not.

I expected a better put down from you, oh well.

Err ... Apples and oranges? Rob Roy doesn't qualify as myth?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Many a battle scene is scored with very emotional, reflective music instead of the usual action stuff (The fight with the cave troll in and Boromir's last stand in FOTR, Haldir's death and several other battle scenes in TTT, such as the Forth Eorlingas scene.

Highly manipulative and very Braveheart-ish. Even worse compared to standard action scoring. Brrrr.

In the words of Jerry Goldsmith "That's what we're here to do. Good film is manipulating your audience."

Wise words.

Justin

someone has watched their Star Trek First Contact extra's.

[A24 4,345]

Many a battle scene is scored with very emotional, reflective music instead of the usual action stuff (The fight with the cave troll in and Boromir's last stand in FOTR, Haldir's death and several other battle scenes in TTT, such as the Forth Eorlingas scene.

Highly manipulative and very Braveheart-ish. Even worse compared to standard action scoring. Brrrr.

In the words of Jerry Goldsmith "That's what we're here to do. Good film is manipulating your audience."

Wise words.

Sorry Justin, not the right context. Infact, Goldsmith is known to do the opposite. He didn't go for the obvious with his music so he couldn't have meant that good films have "highly" manipulative music. I mean, writing reflective sad music for a duel/battlescene is telling your audience at beforehand that a key character is going to die. That's the same as writing victorious music before the good ones actually won. The music dictates the audience how they should feel.

----------------

Alex Cremers

[SturgisPodmore 0]

I've never said those things. Please, remain in the realm of reality.  

That said, indeed, the Potter films possess little magic.

Fine. I was basically quoting many of your recent posts in this thread, but whatever. I can see we both have our opinions on these matters, so bully for us.

~Sturgis

[SturgisPodmore 0]

On Friday the 18th (ya I know it's been a while), I saw Robots with some friends. It was so cool to see the ROTS trailer on the big screen. I actually whispered "The dark side of the force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural" with Palpatine. During Anakin's line my friends looked at me like "what the heck was that," and I responded (un unison with the audio) "Not from a Jedi." They were not amused.

Anyway, although I was almost disappointed that the trailer had ended and the movie had started, I really enjoyed Robots. It was very funny and original.

I also watched Napolean Dynamite with my family this past Saturday. It had me in stitches. I had seen it before, but it just never fails to make me laugh till I cry. It was the funniest movie of 2004, and it's one of my favorite comedies.

~Sturgis, who likes your sleeves!

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

Napoleon Dynamite is so strange, and I've gotten to think it's pretty damn hilarious after seeing it a few times. I just have to see Tina Majorino as Deb and I'm in near hysterics. No clue why, the movie just makes me laugh.

LOL

Ray Barnsbury

[Lurker 5]

I just watched Blow Out. It was as great as ever.

Neil

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Many a battle scene is scored with very emotional, reflective music instead of the usual action stuff (The fight with the cave troll in and Boromir's last stand in FOTR, Haldir's death and several other battle scenes in TTT, such as the Forth Eorlingas scene.

Highly manipulative and very Braveheart-ish. Even worse compared to standard action scoring. Brrrr.

In the words of Jerry Goldsmith "That's what we're here to do. Good film is manipulating your audience."

Wise words.

Sorry Justin, not the right context. Infact, Goldsmith is known to do the opposite. He didn't go for the obvious with his music so he couldn't have meant that good films have "highly" manipulative music. I mean, writing reflective sad music for a duel/battlescene is telling your audience at beforehand that a key character is going to die. That's the same as writing victorious music before the good ones actually won. The music dictates the audience how they should feel.

----------------

Alex Cremers

sorry Alex, Justin is 100% correct. If you had watched the Jerry Goldsmith Tribute you would have seen Jerry state that the art of film music is to manipulate the audience.

Words from the master himself, poking fun at critics who say the music or film was manipulative.

You should watch it.

[A24 4,345]

A composer can put the audience on the wrong foot. This is called "manipulating" the audience. There are different kinds of manipulating. Much of what I heard in the LOTR trilogy was extremely obvious and predictable, once the course was made known. Instead of being "complementary" with the visuals (a much lesser form of manipulation and Jerry used it well) or "contrasting" the visuals , the emotions were generic, accommodative and too broadly appealing (easy to digest) to be really interesting.

----------------

Alex Cremers