What is the Last Film You Watched? - Part II

[Morlock 11]

The Remains of The Day. This is the stuff. Great film.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Whoa, I haven't posted an update in here in weeks!

Time to do some catching up:

Week 28:

111. Die Hard 4.0 (Live Free or Die Hard) (2007)

The fourth entry into the Die Hard series was plenty of fun. I enjoyed myself immensely. It's not an extraordinarily great film. It's nowhere near the original, and the third one tops it as well. But as an action film, it delivers in spades. The action is rough, intense and inventive. It's also the most violent PG-13 movie you'll ever find. It has a few problems, though. It takes rather a long time for the villain's motive to be revealed (and in the end, it's just about good old money anyway), and the inter-agency bickering seems motivated by nothing other than when several agencies meet up on film, there has to be some obligatory conflict and ego flashing. Steef also hit the mark quite well about parcours. It seems to be in every action film these days. I wonder how long that will last. Still, despite it's shortcomings, it's good fun, if you check your brain at the door.

112. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

It was an okay way to spend a little over two hours in a darkened theatre. But in the end, this film is little more than a haphazard summary of the novel. It feels a lot like CoS in that way, except that it has a more interesting look. I've read praise for the trio's acting, but I actually think they all fared better under Newell's direction (the character moments were excellent in GoF - it's a shame the rest of the film was so messy). Rickman and Staunton steal the show. I didn't need that much of Filch, though. And I just never felt any connection between Oldman and Radcliffe. The scenes where their relationship is supposed to be established and developed feel like little more than obligatory investments for Sirius' eventual demise, which happens so sudden and without any build-up that the moment ends up empty and hollow anyway. Order of the Phoenix just seems to be going through the motions more than actually telling a story of its own.

As an added note, I saw this film in IMAX 3D, where the climax at the Ministry was entirely in 3D. It's an imperfect technique, however, as there are ghost images on the edge of your vision, that I'm told can get worse the farther you are from the center of the room. I also found myself having trouble to get used to the quick changes in depth during the action scenes, when there's quick cuts from close to wide shots. And after all, this was not shot for 3D, so the 3D remains little more than sophisticated cutouts. Still, just for gimmick's sake, it was nice to have seen.

113. Thunderbirds Are Go (1966)

After two seasons of television, Gerry Andersons now classic Supermarionation series leapt to the big screen. In this, the first of two motion pictures, the show's origin is still felt. The movie's structure suggest they are basically two large-scale TV episodes stitched together with an inane dream sequence. Still, the world of Thunderbirds looks quite nice in the cinema format, with a wider screen and camera work to match. But in the end, it's a movie I'd only recommend to the fans.

Week 29:

114. Thunderbird 6 (1968)

The second outing is both more interesting and more disappointing. The title promises a new fantastic Thunderbird machine, but what it turns out to be in the end is severely underwhelming. The plot, nonsensical as it may be, is quite good by a Thunderbirds-standard, and the film is actually a lot darker and more violent than the TV-series. People are shot and killed in this film, and bodies are seen being dumped over water. You wouldn't find that on the show. Still, the film is rather short for a motion picture, and there's too much nonsense about an old biplane. Half of that could have been excised and this probably would have been a better film for it. Again, one I'd only recommend to fans of the show.

115. Finding Kraftland (2007)

Having its European premiere at the Úbeda Film Music Conference, Finding Kraftland is, in all honesty, not much more than an overproduced home video. It was originally only meant to be shown once to a familiar audience and it sort of shows. The film itself is entertaining, but if it hadn't been preceded by a panel from Richard Kraft himself, we wouldn't have cared half as much. The highlight of the whole thing, though, is Marc Shaiman's song (which you can find on YouTube), which was met with much laughter from the audience, the James Horner and Hans Zimmer lines in particular, including from the few compposers sitting in front of me.

Week 30:

116. Face/Off (1997)

Hrumph. I thought this would be tongue-in-cheek over-the-top fun. But God, it's awful. I don't want to waste too much time on this pompous piece of drivel. It tries to make us care about flat characters and have poetic violence. It just doesn't work for me. Me no likey John Woo, I guess.

117. The Insider (1999)

Nice drama. Pacino does a lot of shouting, but dammit, the man has charisma oozing out of every orafice. I can't halp but watch the guy and love every second of it. Crowe is also good in his role, as is most of the supporting cast. Another Michael Mann film I thoroughly enjoy (although it doesn't have as much rewatch value as, say, Heat or Collateral).

118. Unbreakable (2000)

Shyamalan's best, and one of the best "comic book movies" out there. I don't have much to say on this film, other than that I enjoy it very much. The performances are good and the film works very well, although the ending's title cards seem a little tacked on. Special note also to James Newton Howard, who again does an excellent job on a Shyamalan film.

119. Jerry Maguire (1996)

Another film I personally just enjoy every time. Tom Cruise gives an excellent performance in a role he was perfectly cast for. Cuba Gooding, Jr. gives the film a character with enough energy for two movies yet his Rod Tidwell never feels like a charicature. The cast really delivers on this film, which is one of the best romantic comedies I've seen. Good stuff.

Week 31:

120. Almost Famous (2000)

The second time I've seen it this year, and still very enjoyable. Kate Hudson is the sparkling center of the every scene she's in, and the young Patrick Fugit is a good precense as our main character. All the cast is very good, really. I don't have much to add since last time, really. I look forward to watching the director's cut some time down the road.

121. Minority Report (2002)

It's the first time I saw it since its theatrical run in 2002 and I enjoyed it all over again. The final act really didn't bother me as much as it did the first time (possibly partly because I knew it was coming), and I think there's more to this film than may meet the eye. Cruise gives another good performance. Nice film. Not great, but good enough to enjoy and want to come back to.

Week 32:

122. Arlington Road (1999)

A thriller that moves really rather slow and isn't the better for it. The acting doesn't seem particularly inspired; I never get the feeling these are real people, they remain actors acting out a screenplay. Even Tim Robbins, who does a considerably good job at giving his character some depth and nuance, falls flat a few times. I actually became a bit bored and annoyed by the characters as the film progressed, but the final twist in the film is nicely found and lifts the whole film up a bit. It doesn't make me really want to go back and re-evaluate the film, though. You'll get pretty much everything there is to get out of this film the first time.

123. Ratatouille (2007)

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Brad Bird is an animation genius. Ratatouille feels like excellent filmmaking all the way through not. Not just great animation, but great film as well. These characters have a depth and spark an interest found in few animated movies in recent years. The simulation of fur and water on this movie is staggering, and the world these characters inhabit is a sight to behold. Michael Giacchino officially has nothing left to prove to me, as he provides another excellent score.

I hear Brad Bird will be tackling a live-action project next. I'm interested in seeing what he'll come up with, but I have a feeling he may be missed in the animation world. Pity.

[Red 75]

118. Unbreakable (2000)

Shyamalan's best, and one of the best "comic book movies" out there. I don't have much to say on this film, other than that I enjoy it very much. The performances are good and the film works very well, although the ending's title cards seem a little tacked on. Special note also to James Newton Howard, who again does an excellent job on a Shyamalan film.

Absolutely. I'm glad someone else (besides Morlock) feels the same way about that film.

[Morlock 11]

Yes, I am a big fan of Unbreakable. Many things going for it, works from begining to end. I just love the epic, tragic scope the film is given at the end.

123. Ratatouille (2007)

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Brad Bird is an animation genius. Ratatouille feels like excellent filmmaking all the way through not. Not just great animation, but great film as well. These characters have a depth and spark an interest found in few animated movies in recent years. The simulation of fur and water on this movie is staggering, and the world these characters inhabit is a sight to behold. Michael Giacchino officially has nothing left to prove to me, as he provides another excellent score.

I hear Brad Bird will be tackling a live-action project next. I'm interested in seeing what he'll come up with, but I have a feeling he may be missed in the animation world. Pity.

I found the film dazzling, but the story left me underwhelmed. Far too simple, lacking a good villain, with the bad character of Linguini. Still a very entertainign film, and shows you the greatness of the form of computor animated films, but I think it misses the mark story-wise.

I like all the movies on your list from The Insider on, save for Arlington Road, which I saw once and do not recall a thing about. I think Face/Off is almost worth watching for Travolta and Cage, but it is just too loud and dumb otherwise. Haven't seen much John Woo, but I am certainly not a fan of his Hollywood movies (M:I2 is one of my least favorite films in the world).

Just finished watching The Duellists with Ridley Scott's commentary. He consistantly gives the very best commentaries out there.

[TIEfighter 0]

118. Unbreakable (2000)

Shyamalan's best, and one of the best "comic book movies" out there. I don't have much to say on this film, other than that I enjoy it very much. The performances are good and the film works very well, although the ending's title cards seem a little tacked on. Special note also to James Newton Howard, who again does an excellent job on a Shyamalan film.

Absolutely. I'm glad someone else (besides Morlock) feels the same way about that film.

I really enjoyed that one too!

BTW, i saw transformers last night, must say that it was quite entertaining, and funnier than i expected. The filmmakers didn´t take the project to seriously, which was a good idea in my opinion (though some jokes were just too flat), because....come on...it´s giant transforming robots from outer space ;-)

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

Yes, the story was a bit lacking in Ratatouille, and the second half a bit unevenly paced, but I still enjoyed this film very much. It's not Pixar's best, or even Bird's best, but quite nice.

And you're right about Face/Off as well. Cage and Travolta do a good job of chewing scenery (most of it when they're playing the other's character), but like you said, the movie ends up just being loud and dumb. I too have not seen much Woo (none of his older stuff, actually), but this and M:I-2 are two of the more miserable action films I've seen. M:I-2 still takes the #1 place, though. It's so bad it becomes hilarious.

[A24 4,333]

Little Children. It's the first time I see something of Tod Field (In The Bedroom and some Carnivale episodes) and I was pleasantly surprised. An intelligent, full-blooded 3 star tragical comedy with a superb cast. The title of this film (and the novel, of course) is extremely well chosen. Recommended.

Alex

[QMM 4]

Little Children. It's the first time I see something of Tod Field (In The Bedroom and some Carnivale episodes) and I was pleasantly surprised. An intelligent, full-blooded 3 star tragical comedy with a superb cast. The title of this film (and the novel, of course) is extremely well chosen. Recommended.

Alex

Patrick Wilson? (the male lead) I thought gave a great performance, I've never seen him before other than hearing he'll be playing Nite-Owl in Watchmen.

[A24 4,333]

You haven't seen Hard Candy (with Patrick Wilson) yet? Wow, you better run to the DVD store, mister!

[Morlock 11]

Little Children. It's the first time I see something of Tod Field (In The Bedroom and some Carnivale episodes) and I was pleasantly surprised. An intelligent, full-blooded 3 star tragical comedy with a superb cast. The title of this film (and the novel, of course) is extremely well chosen. Recommended.

I liked it. Mainly for Jackie Earl Haley, though. I've seen protraits of the dark side of suberbia before (though Wilson and Winslett, my favorite actress, were excellent). The title is perfect. Liked the score a lot, and the end titles are just fantastic, fun, Thomas Newman.

You haven't seen In The Bedroom? You probably won't like it, since we rarely agree on dramas (aside from Mystic River, and, now, The Remains of the Day), but I love it.

I first saw Patrick Wilson on broadway, he was the lead in Oklahoma!. I noticed him than in Angels in America and Phatom of the Opera.

I've been thinking about Hard Candy....with all the DVDs I bought, I haven't gotten to the video store in a while.

[A24 4,333]

I liked it. Mainly for Jackie Earl Haley, though.

Jackie Earle Haley was great. Of course, the part was more noticable.

I've seen protraits of the dark side of suberbia before.

I've seen cowboys on the prairie before but that doesn't mean I can't like another Western. At least, Little Children isn't as run of the mill as a lot of other movies (which themes I've also seen before).

Liked the score a lot

I didn't notice the score but that can be a good thing in my view.

You haven't seen In The Bedroom? You probably won't like it, since we rarely agree on dramas (aside from Mystic River, and, now, The Remains of the Day), but I love it.

We don't agree on dramas when a film is overdoing the drama or emotions. For that reason I hold The Remains of The Day or Howard's End much migher than Mystic River (Yes, the last time I didn't like that much anymore).

Alex

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

123. Ratatouille (2007)

The simulation of water on this movie is staggering

Nice animation with cartoonish look (as it should be, since it is a cartoon)

But how is that ILM has perfect (or 99.9%) water simulation right now and has had always the best one for years since the phantom menace more or less (TPM, The perfect storm, AI, AOTC, POTC, Master and Commander, POTC2, Poseidon, ROTS, POTC3) and i seldom see it praised?

Beowulf trailer was also praised, and its water is nothing special.

[Morlock 11]

But how is that ILM has perfect (or 99.9%) water simulation right now and has had always the best one for years since the phantom menace more or less (TPM, The perfect storm, AI, AOTC, POTC, Master and Commander, POTC2, Poseidon, ROTS, POTC3) and i seldom see it praised?

That would be bacause ILM has a lot of other things the people don't like about it (and by people, I mean me).

[A24 4,333]

Curse Of The Golden Flower: Not as good as Yimou Zhang's previous efforts.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

But how is that ILM has perfect (or 99.9%) water simulation right now and has had always the best one for years since the phantom menace more or less (TPM, The perfect storm, AI, AOTC, POTC, Master and Commander, POTC2, Poseidon, ROTS, POTC3) and i seldom see it praised?

Woopiedoo, they can make water, good for them.

NOT!

[QMM 4]

The Bourne Ultimatum

Really, out of all the trilogies released recently, how many of them have all been consistently enjoyable and how many have the third film ending up topping the other two?

Woo, what a way to go!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Apart from LOTR? none that I've seen.

[Red 75]

I'm sure there are others. I think.

[QMM 4]

By recently, I was pointing towards Pirates, Spider-Man, etc

[Morlock 11]

Curse Of The Golden Flower: Not as good as Yimou Zhang's previous efforts.

I liked it more than Hero, though. Doesn't come close to Raise the Read Lantern, of course.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

bourne ultimatum, very good, and brokeback mountain, not so good, rather bland.

[Trent B 337]

I just watched the Extended Edition for Dune. I honestly quite like the Extended Edition better and man it's been years since I've seen the film. I forgotten how good it was.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

A.I. Artificial Intelligence

It's already been one night since I saw this film, and I still feel I should wait more before I post this - it hasn't yet sunk it completely. There's a lot of weird things going on in the movie - the weirdest of them is that of all the imperfections it has (the dramatic shortcomings, the tear-jerking excesses, the underdeveloped characters), none of them are real. The film is so "unorganic" (pun intended, I admit) that what to us are flaws in the narrative might or might not have some purpose, some meaning after all. Yeah, it's that ambigous.

The movie made all of the sense in the world when I applied Morlock's theory that the film starts off from a human perspective, if only to gradually shift it to a completely mecha point of view - humans are not developed nor are they given room to justify themselves because they matter not to the storytellers. Even if the protagonist's motivations are unacceptable by our human standards (David's psychopathic obsession with his mother), it still doesn't matter because it's mechas telling the story and to them, for a robot to do what he was irresponsibly prorammed to is only reasonable. But then, once David has "committed suicide" (it's a beautiful, meaningful shot - David sitting on the window of that huge building), the story takes another turn and becomes a mecha fairy tale; the kind of tale mechas would read to their children about how orga/mecha relationships worked*. On the one end, the superficially deep David; on the other, the deeply superficial Gigolo Joe.

And the music. Thank God for the music. This is the more symbiotic collaboration between Williams and Spielberg since perhaps Schindler's List. The music doesn't make the film, and yet it makes its (mechanic) heart beat. Monica's Theme, the Blue Fairy theme... Abandoned in the Woods... To say that Williams' peak had passed when this movie was made is crazy.

-Ross, who thinks Osment and Law don't get enough praise for their work in the film, either. Typical. Kaminski gets it all because it's flashier.

(* that is, if mechas could have children and they'd feel the need to instruct them through simplistic stories to help their intellectual growth, which I know is a contradiction in itself, but the point I'm aiming for is that we're dealing with mythology, the stuff of legend, not a real and detailed account of what really happened in the story)

Question: Why would Gigolo Joe run away from justice? Shouldn't he be programmed to turn himself in above all cirucmstances? And wouldn't he have some kind of recording device that'd prove Samatha's murderer real identity?

[A24 4,333]

It's just Pinocchio, Ross.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Yes, well, what isn't?

[A24 4,333]

I ... don't ... know ...

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

But how is that ILM has perfect (or 99.9%) water simulation right now and has had always the best one for years since the phantom menace more or less (TPM, The perfect storm, AI, AOTC, POTC, Master and Commander, POTC2, Poseidon, ROTS, POTC3) and i seldom see it praised?

That would be bacause ILM has a lot of other things the people don't like about it (and by people, I mean me).

But how is that ILM has perfect (or 99.9%) water simulation right now and has had always the best one for years since the phantom menace more or less (TPM, The perfect storm, AI, AOTC, POTC, Master and Commander, POTC2, Poseidon, ROTS, POTC3) and i seldom see it praised?

Woopiedoo, they can make water, good for them.

NOT!

Yeah i take it. ILM is a bunch of untalented people that do not do anything good.

fine...

[Morlock 11]

I think that Stefan's point was more in the direction of 'Who cares?'.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence

The movie made all of the sense in the world when I applied Morlock's theory that the film starts off from a human perspective, if only to gradually shift it to a completely mecha point of view - humans are not developed nor are they given room to justify themselves because they matter not to the storytellers. Even if the protagonist's motivations are unacceptable by our human standards (David's psychopathic obsession with his mother), it still doesn't matter because it's mechas telling the story and to them, for a robot to do what he was irresponsibly prorammed to is only reasonable. But then, once David has "committed suicide" (it's a beautiful, meaningful shot - David sitting on the window of that huge building), the story takes another turn and becomes a mecha fairy tale; the kind of tale mechas would read to their children about how orga/mecha relationships worked*. On the one end, the superficially deep David; on the other, the deeply superficial Gigolo Joe.

I think the film doesn't really start from human perspective- it's always from Mecha perspective (Hence the uber-mecha's narration, about mankind's failure, followed immidiately by Professor Hobby (undoubtably a mythic figure in Mecha culture) declaring his vision). This is the concept of the mecha storytelling- not to become overly preachy from the begining, but to tell a Pinnocchio story, with the mecha POV becoming more and more prominant as the story progresses, until the mythic ending, where the part of humanity that mechas could never understand, which cannot be imprinted in a machine, is lacking. What really got me going was the flesh-fair, when I realized that this was not so gruesome a spectacle as it is presented. It is a bit morbid perhaps, but is a human cry against artificiality, and all they are are destorying hunks of metal and chips.

And the music. Thank God for the music. This is the more symbiotic collaboration between Williams and Spielberg since perhaps Schindler's List. The music doesn't make the film, and yet it makes its (mechanic) heart beat. Monica's Theme, the Blue Fairy theme... Abandoned in the Woods... To say that Williams' peak had passed when this movie was made is crazy.

A stunning piece of work. One of the few JW scores that I would prefer to hear in the movie (and it's given plenty of room in the mix). Williams leaving the Prokofiev world he often inhabits and settling in a world where Kachaturian and Shostakovich would be more comfortable, with nice-sized helpings of John Adams (although the Strauss Waltz is really phenominal in the film).

-Ross, who thinks Osment and Law don't get enough praise for their work in the film, either. Typical. Kaminski gets it all because it's flashier.

Well, I think Kaminsky did a good, solid job, but Osment and Law really do fantastic work. Remember that period? Where Jude Law couldn't help but giving absolutely brilliant in everything? Than Cold Mountain came and broke the streak.

Question: Why would Gigolo Joe run away from justice? Shouldn't he be programmed to turn himself in above all cirucmstances? And wouldn't he have some kind of recording device that'd prove Samatha's murderer real identity?

That episode is one that I never understood. It doesn't fit in at all. Seems like an elaborate Red Herring, who's only goal is to get Joe on the run in the forrest, for Brendan Gleeson (wonderful as always) to pick up. And what is that guy from the sitcom with David Spade?

It's just Pinocchio, Ross.

It is well known that there are only about 7-8 stories out there (if that many), and Pinocchio is one of them. Live with it.

[Hitch 57]

BRIEF ENCOUNTER (1946) - Directed by Sir David Lean. Stiff upper-lipped acting by top cream of British talent. Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson are both married and begin a sordid love affair. Have the hankies at the ready. I'm still wringing out my chins.

TRANSFORMERS (2007) - Biggest load of s*** ever committed to celluloid. That and hammy acting by Megatron. The Razzies line starts here.

[A24 4,333]

I think the film doesn't really start from human perspective- it's always from Mecha perspective ...

How sure are you? What the foundation of this assertion (aside from the narration)?

It is well known that there are only about 7-8 stories out there (if that many), and Pinocchio is one of them. Live with it.

Few are so strikingly similar though. BTW, 7 or 8? Where does that number come from?

[Morlock 11]

I think the film doesn't really start from human perspective- it's always from Mecha perspective ...

How sure are you? What the foundation of this assertion (aside from the narration)?

None, and I haven't a clue what Spielberg saw in the film (although I think this is what Kubrick saw). And most of hte interviews I've seen on the subject have been rather cryptic.

That being said, I am 100% sure that the film can be interperted as such, and I know that looking at it in this different light elevated the film from a mediocrity to a masterpiece in my eyes. Aren't you always saying that the best films are the ones that do not limit the audiences imaginations, but give food for thought? I know that I've thought about the humanity (or lack there-of) I've seen in A.I. more than any other sci-fi film.

It is well known that there are only about 7-8 stories out there (if that many), and Pinocchio is one of them. Live with it.

Few are so strikingly similar though. BTW, 7 or 8? Where does that number come from?

Well, the wat I see the film, the whole idea is that it is Pinocchio, it is an archetypal fairy-tale, but one told entirely by a robot, which is what makes this so much more than Pinocchio. It examines the concept of Pinocchio fairy-tales, as well as love and humanity.

I don't recall the exact number- but Billy Wilder said that there are really only a tiny amount of stories out there, and everything else is just variations on those stories.

[A24 4,333]

None, and I haven't a clue what Spielberg saw in the film (although I think this is what Kubrick saw). And most of hte interviews I've seen on the subject have been rather cryptic.

That being said, I am 100% sure that the film can be interperted as such, and I know that looking at it in this different light elevated the film from a mediocrity to a masterpiece in my eyes. Aren't you always saying that the best films are the ones that do not limit the audiences imaginations, but give food for thought? I know that I've thought about the humanity (or lack there-of) I've seen in A.I. more than any other sci-fi film.

Hmm, I have to see it again but I already know of two moments where I believe the perspective is human: 1) We get a distorted view of the kid mecha through the special glass of the door. The mecha is distorted, not the humans. This tells me it's a human's point of view. 2) When David is abandoned we get to see him from the mother's perspective (who sees David in the side mirror of her car, if I remember correctly). Anyway, the camera is looking at David from a distance. The camera (together with the mother) is leaving the boy. If this was really told from the mecha's perspective then the camera should have stayed with David when the car took off.

Alex

[Morlock 11]

As to the first point, I do not recall. The second point is certainly valid, but it does work dramatically to emphasize the idea of 'abandoned in the woods'. Even from Mecha POV, the mother's sense of abandonment works. But I do agree that it would be somewhat breaking with the concept of strict Mecha pov.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

How strict does it really have to be to be valid? Must you sacrifice drama? And I thought gray areas helped keep the audience awake.

Also remember that the Mecha point of view only gradually takes over the film. We see a lot of human drama in the first part - what Alex calls "the apartment part": Monica torn between her two sons, the "hide and seek" game, her reaction when David drops the perfume... Monica is indeed more than the object of desire in the narration.

Alex, do yourself a favor and watch it again. I'd add "with an open mind", but let's be realistic here.

[odnurega1 0]

I just finished watching "The Edge", starring Anthony Hopkins. Not a bad movie. I'd watch it again....

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It's a very good movie, actually. Baldwin and Hopkins really play of each other.

[odnurega1 0]

It's a very good movie, actually. Baldwin and Hopkins really play of each other.

I've always liked both actors (especially A. Hopkins). In all the films that I have seen with Anothony Hopkins starring, I have yet to see him give a bad performance....

[Red 75]

A.I. is maybe too deep, so much so that people don't understand it. I'm a fan of it and I don't even fully understand it.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Oh that old excuse.

People use that a lot for the last 2 Matrix films.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

You mean those movies about explosions and unintelligible big-word mumbo jumbo?

[Red 75]

I don't. If anything, the Matrix sequels are horribly conceited.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Affirmative!

[Morlock 11]

That was my reaction when I didn't like A.I. - I don't like it now, but I sense there's more to it- and that got me to watch it again and again, until I found what I was looking for. There are films I've liked that I haven't fully understood.

I don't accept it as an excuse for a film supposedly being great, that the rest of the world just doesn't get, which is generally coupled with an inability to articulate the deep thought of the film. With A.I., I don't think the problem is too deep that only a select few of us could understand, I think it is just misunderstood- which is why I try to offer a different view of the film, so that perhaps people will look at the film differently the next time they come upon it.

[Red 75]

Misunderstood would definitely be a better adjective to use.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Does it even try to be understood? And if it doesn't, why isn't it a flaw?

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I don't think it does try.

Which I also think would be sort of a problem, no?

- Marc, who's tried to watch that film twice and was bored about two-thirds through both times.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

I was actually hoping somebody would answer: "because it would loose so many layers of meaning", so that I could confirm my suspicions.

[Morlock 11]

All I know is, once I saw the film in this particular light, it made me think long and hard about life, love, and the persuit of hapiness, and that ain't a bad thing. I will refrain from editorializing why very few others saw it in the same light (especially concidering that I don't really know what the filmmaker's intention was).

[A24 4,333]

Alex, do yourself a favor and watch it again. I'd add "with an open mind", but let's be realistic here.

I already saw it three or four times. I still sorta like the first act. I completely hate the second act, except for Jude Law's introduction. What can I say, there isn't much to like there: The hunt scene, the torture scene, the know-it-all professor scene, how the story forgets Law's character (compared to the introduction). All rather poor moments and poor ideas. To tell you the truth, I don't like Spielberg that much anymore. I think his narratives are very sloppy. To me the last good Spielberg is Schindler's List, eventhough it doesn't improve with multiple viewings.

A.I. is maybe too deep, so much so that people don't understand it. I'm a fan of it and I don't even fully understand it.

Don't be silly, I love films that are hard to understand.

[Neimoidian 14]

"Transformers". The movie has finally arrived at my part of the planet. I enjoyied it. It was stupid and cartoonish, but fun which cannot be told about some of previous Bay's productions. On the other hand, I am not going to look forward to the dvd edition of this flick. One time is enough with it. Shia has a potential of becoming a big star, a Michael J. Fox of his generation or something. He broughts a lot of credibility to this incredible story and his character is a fun to watch (even though we have already seen many of his type). Megan Fox doesn't do much, but is an eye-candy. The coolest character however was John Turturo's guy. Terrific! The fx were superior, a great effort from ILM. The music- mostly typical MV sound, with two or three better moments (I seemed to like Decepticons Theme and that music from the scene when AAutobots were coming to Earth).