Movies you've seen recently

[Raithe]

Interesting stuff on Twilight. Given how difficult it can be to keep young people electively reading, I'm never one to hate on a book that generates excitement.

 

Heh, for the random anecdote Hurl, I once sent an old Enid Blyton book to a friend's daughter (they live in North Carolina), her kid loved it, took it to school and her teacher suddenly discovered Enid Blyton from her... and then promptly got the school to order in a bunch of them so the entire class could then read them...

 

I think I shall class that as one of my lifelong achievements. I addicted an entire class of american students to reading Enid Blyton adventures..

[HoonDing]

Never seen or read any Twilight, and never will. My sisters swear by it, though, but they also did with Da Vinci code and Harry Potter.

[LadyCrimson]

I can make fun of stuff like Twilight or not understand the appeal of Potter on a personal level, but hey....not everyone was into Star Trek. Things hit people differently, so I have no problem with there being a variety for all minds. But it does become a little annoying in entertainment, when because of $$$ there are periods when it starts to feel like companies focus entirely too much on one theme/thing for too long.

 

....like superhero movies. Are we done with those yet?

[Hiro Protagonist]

But it does become a little annoying in entertainment, when because of $$$ there are periods when it starts to feel like companies focus entirely too much on one theme/thing for too long.

 

....like superhero movies. Are we done with those yet?

 

Or the disaster movies in the mid-late 1990s.

[LadyCrimson]

Disaster movies is a theme that comes up at least once every couple decades seems like.

 

Speaking of superhero, I caved and watched that Spiderman reboot. I liked Martin Sheen, Dennis Leary...and I suppose it was less campy than the Rami films. But I found the character of Peter Parker in this one to be wholly unlikable for almost the entire movie (eg, too long). What a brat. The darker mood was fine (if a bit over-done...it's Spiderman, not Batman). Overall, I found the reboot to be, perhaps, a better movie....but it was less entertaining. If that makes sense.

[Oerwinde]

Can't remember if I got this here or on Facebook, either way, this looks like the most interesting thing to come out of the Twilight phenomenon:

 

[Blarghagh]

I read the original short story that it was based on and it was thought provoking and beautiful. Not thinking the same will be true for the movie.

 

A somewhat amusing article by iO9 about 9 Reasons to be Grateful for Twilight...

 

For no matter what way your feelings lay about the series, you can't deny the huge impact that Twilight has had on pop culture.

 

1. Vampire Diaries

We're pretty sure The CW only pulled the trigger on this show because they wanted a television version of Twilight — and instead, they got something much stranger and infinitely more wonderful. There is nothing else like TVD on TV, nor will you ever see its like again. A typical episode of Vampire Diaries packs in more "What was that" moments, more insane-but-logical plot twists and more genuine emotion than a dozen episodes of other shows. And this show takes a central conceit of Twilight — "vegetarian" vampires, choosing to feed off only animals — and turns it into a complicated metaphor for repression, and the ways in which denying your desires only gives them more power over you. If The Vampire Diaries was the only thing to have come out of Twilight, we would be Twi-Hards forever.

 

My girlfriend watches that show religiously and I have to admit, after the whole "oblargagtwilight" and "emovampireromance" raging it's become a very, very guilty pleasure for me. As a whole it's pretty well plotted, the teen drama is kept to a minimum, but it's real strength is in showcasing a number of promising young actors and actresses who will likely go on to have bright futures (i.e. Ian Somerhalder, Candice Accola). The only real downside of this show is that the dialogue is atrocious and repetitive. If I hear "from the vein" or "let bygones be bygones" one more I swear I'll throw something at my TV.

 

Thankfully, to balance out the loss of manhood from not entirely hating that show, I've been watching Breaking Bad which I am much too late to the table to. It is extremely fantastic and it deserves all the praise and awards it get.

Edited November 14, 2012 by TrueNeutral

[HoonDing]

Disaster movies is a theme that comes up at least once every couple decades seems like.

 

Speaking of superhero, I caved and watched that Spiderman reboot. I liked Martin Sheen, Dennis Leary...and I suppose it was less campy than the Rami films. But I found the character of Peter Parker in this one to be wholly unlikable for almost the entire movie (eg, too long). What a brat. The darker mood was fine (if a bit over-done...it's Spiderman, not Batman). Overall, I found the reboot to be, perhaps, a better movie....but it was less entertaining. If that makes sense.

In the comics, Peter Parker was exactly like that - a wiseguy brat, instead of the awkward nerd from the Raimi movies.

[Guest The Architect]

I watched Million Dollar Baby for the first time. It's the only movie directed by Clint 'I speak to empty chairs' Eastwood I've seen aside from Gran Torino. I'd give it 4.5/5. Well deserving of its academy awards.

[LadyCrimson]

In the comics, Peter Parker was exactly like that - a wiseguy brat, instead of the awkward nerd from the Raimi movies.

The comics I read as a kid, I don't remember him being unlikable tho. Smart alec, sure, somewhat arrogantly detestable, no. He was relatable in the comics because what kid hasn't had similar frustrations at some point or another. In the film, while his situations might be sympathetic, he was not. eg, the translation to the screen wasn't a good one. Or maybe the actor's abilty to portray "angst" just didn't do it for me.

[JFSOCC]

I was pleasantly surprised by skyfall. Finally a James Bond movie that felt like a James Bond movie.

[melkathi]

I watched Million Dollar Baby for the first time. It's the only movie directed by Clint 'I speak to empty chairs' Eastwood I've seen aside from Gran Torino. I'd give it 4.5/5. Well deserving of its academy awards.

 

Those are his really good ones. If you have watched those you don't need to watch the rest. Can't remember what the rest was, but I guess that's my point

[Amentep]

In the comics, Peter Parker was exactly like that - a wiseguy brat, instead of the awkward nerd from the Raimi movies.

The comics I read as a kid, I don't remember him being unlikable tho. Smart alec, sure, somewhat arrogantly detestable, no. He was relatable in the comics because what kid hasn't had similar frustrations at some point or another. In the film, while his situations might be sympathetic, he was not. eg, the translation to the screen wasn't a good one. Or maybe the actor's abilty to portray "angst" just didn't do it for me.

 

I agree that the new Peter Parker wasn't as sympathetic as the old one as he seemed overly arrogant. Oddly enough, though, I think they made better use of Spider-Man though, cracking wise a good bit when in costume which seemed to fit the attitude of this Parker really well.

 

But particularly early on I had a hard time being sympathetic for Peter (I think he comes off better as the film goes on).

[Pidesco]

In the comics, Peter Parker was exactly like that - a wiseguy brat, instead of the awkward nerd from the Raimi movies.

 

Actually, originally he was envisioned as being an unpopular nerd. Only later did Marvel turn Spiderman into a wisecracking ass.

[Amentep]

I watched Million Dollar Baby for the first time. It's the only movie directed by Clint 'I speak to empty chairs' Eastwood I've seen aside from Gran Torino. I'd give it 4.5/5. Well deserving of its academy awards.

 

Those are his really good ones. If you have watched those you don't need to watch the rest. Can't remember what the rest was, but I guess that's my point

 

Off the top of my head (I know he's directed more) Play Misty for Me, High Plains Drifter, The Eiger Sanction, The Outlaw Josey Wales, The Guantlet, Sudden Impact, Pale Rider, Heatbreak Ridge, Bird, Unforgiven, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and Blood Work were all pretty decent films.

[Orogun01]

I watched Million Dollar Baby for the first time. It's the only movie directed by Clint 'I speak to empty chairs' Eastwood I've seen aside from Gran Torino. I'd give it 4.5/5. Well deserving of its academy awards.

 

Those are his really good ones. If you have watched those you don't need to watch the rest. Can't remember what the rest was, but I guess that's my point

 

Off the top of my head (I know he's directed more) Play Misty for Me, High Plains Drifter, The Eiger Sanction, The Outlaw Josey Wales, The Guantlet, Sudden Impact, Pale Rider, Heatbreak Ridge, Bird, Unforgiven, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and Blood Work were all pretty decent films.

I love it when you talk film

 

PS: "Letters from Iwo Jima" and "Flags of our Fathers", also directed by Clint

[AGX-17]

La Jette, the french movie that 12 Monkeys was based on.

 

 

Disaster movies is a theme that comes up at least once every couple decades seems like.

 

Speaking of superhero, I caved and watched that Spiderman reboot. I liked Martin Sheen, Dennis Leary...and I suppose it was less campy than the Rami films. But I found the character of Peter Parker in this one to be wholly unlikable for almost the entire movie (eg, too long). What a brat. The darker mood was fine (if a bit over-done...it's Spiderman, not Batman). Overall, I found the reboot to be, perhaps, a better movie....but it was less entertaining. If that makes sense.

In the comics, Peter Parker was exactly like that - a wiseguy brat, instead of the awkward nerd from the Raimi movies.

 

Looks like you've never read Amazing Fantasy #15 (Spiderman's first appearance/origin story.) Peter Parker was a nerd harried by bullies. It wasn't until he got super powers that he later became a wise-cracking smartass, and only in the guise of Spiderman.

 

Man, it's funny when people who don't know what they're talking about think they know what they're talking about.

Edited November 15, 2012 by AGX-17

[Amentep]

I actually still haven't seen Letters and Flags...

[melkathi]

 

 

Off the top of my head (I know he's directed more) Play Misty for Me, High Plains Drifter, The Eiger Sanction, The Outlaw Josey Wales, The Guantlet, Sudden Impact, Pale Rider, Heatbreak Ridge, Bird, Unforgiven, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and Blood Work were all pretty decent films.

 

Don't feel that they come close o Gran Torino though

 

Obviously opinions vary

[Blarghagh]

You're actually missing what I consider to be his best flick, Mystic River.

[LadyCrimson]

Was watching Open Range again. Robert Duvall is always awesome, and I was thinking that Costner really does do Westerns/gunslingers pretty well. I miss Westerns.

 

I agree that the new Peter Parker wasn't as sympathetic as the old one as he seemed overly arrogant. Oddly enough, though, I think they made better use of Spider-Man though, cracking wise a good bit when in costume which seemed to fit the attitude of this Parker really well.

 

But particularly early on I had a hard time being sympathetic for Peter (I think he comes off better as the film goes on).

I think the reboot was a better Spider-Man (in the costume) but .. meh, maybe the next one I'll like better, since the origin stuff is done with. Something I remember not liking about the Rami films was making the spiderwebs organic...I definitely recall they were mechanical devices and that rubbed me the wrong way a bit. So neither was perfect for me or anything. Pros and cons in both.

 

....I'm sounding like a Spiderman nerd. I'm really not. Really.

[Guest The Architect]

I didn't know all those movies (apart from Mystic River) were directed by Clint, I tend to just skip straight into the film. I've seen Unforgiven, High Plains Drifter, Pale Rider (excellent films), The Gauntlet and Heartbreak Ridge (good films).

[AGX-17]

I didn't know all those movies (apart from Mystic River) were directed by Clint, I tend to just skip straight into the film. I've seen Unforgiven, High Plains Drifter, Pale Rider (excellent films), The Gauntlet and Heartbreak Ridge (good films).

 

You didn't know he won an Oscar for Best Director for Unforgiven?

[Guest The Architect]

Nah.

[aries101]

I've just watched The Artist - b/w homaging the great twenties in moves and films. After the first ½ hour, I was ready to give up on it, but then suddenly this amazing story unfolded.

 

I've also watched a great film called the Music Never Stopped. It is about a young man who in 1978 still thinks he lives in 1968. Through music he and his father heals both themselves and the generation gap (from 1968) in the US.