Which movie did you watch today and how would you rate it?

[Daioh]

Would I get marshmallow-fluffed if I admitted to liking Despicable Me? I'm not a big fan of children but this is funny.

Despicable me is pretty good, and there is nothing wrong with liking it
If you like it then you will like the sequel as well though it is a little bit sillier in tone

 

[spikepipsqueak]

I watched Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy last night and was REALLY disappointed.

.... the film just sucked.

How could they do that?

I liked the dolphin song and the improbability drive. Everything else sucked. They could have taken any of the books or even just parts, and made a good film - there was enough story! Instead, they tried to jam all the concepts into too small a production, and failed miserably.

Would I get marshmallow-fluffed if I admitted to liking Despicable Me? I'm not a big fan of children but this is funny.

I loved The Hitchhikers Guide. My sister and I were laughing our guts out we thought it was funny.

I think there is a human tendency to love the first form in which you encounter something, if it is good. The film changed a lot of what had been good in the other formats, and not for the better.

It certainly still had its moments but was not what it could have been.

If you can, access the series. It's dryer.

 

[Thomas II]

Watched "HER"...Interesting...Reminded me a bit of Sophia Coppola's "Lost in Translation"...

 

[Petrel]

Lost in Translation was an incredible bore.

 

[Narapoia]

Lost in Translation was an incredible bore.

I have to agree, it's the only Bill Murray film I never actually finished.

 

[Ford]

Lost in Translation was an incredible bore.

I have to agree, it's the only Bill Murray film I never actually finished.

I must disagree. "Broken Flowers" makes Lost in Translation look like an action film.

At first I thought Lost in Translation was boring...that nothing was happening in the film. Then as it progressed I noticed that things were happening, but were very subtle. Most films nowadays are painted in broad strokes, but that one was almost all minute details.

The film I watched the other day - Melancholia - tried to catch that minimalist vibe. It tried to tell the story of the end of the world through a a few emotionally distant characters but failed miserably.

 

[angelo]

Wayne's World Is there something wrong with me or is this highly rated so-called comedy crap of the highest order? How can others see humour while I see nothing but pure shite! 1.5/10

The movie may not have aged well. It could be stuck in a comic time warp, as some forms of comedy do. The movie wasn't absurdly funny, but was pretty good at the time. The sequel didn't amount to much.

If that is so, how come comedies in the ilk of Flying High, Naked Gun, and their sequals are still fresh and hilarious today as the day they were released? Others that comes to mind are Caddy Shack, National Lampoon's Vacation and sequels just a few examples.

 

[angelo]

Lost in Translation was an incredible bore.

Worst film Bill Murray ever made. He should stick to comedy because this crappola was NOT comedy.

 

[Thomas II]

Lost in Translation was an incredible bore.

I have to agree, it's the only Bill Murray film I never actually finished.

I must disagree. "Broken Flowers" makes Lost in Translation look like an action film.

At first I thought Lost in Translation was boring...that nothing was happening in the film. Then as it progressed I noticed that things were happening, but were very subtle. Most films nowadays are painted in broad strokes, but that one was almost all minute details.

The film I watched the other day - Melancholia - tried to catch that minimalist vibe. It tried to tell the story of the end of the world through a a few emotionally distant characters but failed miserably.

Melancholia was worse...

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Wayne's World Is there something wrong with me or is this highly rated so-called comedy crap of the highest order? How can others see humour while I see nothing but pure shite! 1.5/10

The movie may not have aged well. It could be stuck in a comic time warp, as some forms of comedy do. The movie wasn't absurdly funny, but was pretty good at the time. The sequel didn't amount to much.

If that is so, how come comedies in the ilk of Flying High, Naked Gun, and their sequals are still fresh and hilarious today as the day they were released? Others that comes to mind are Caddy Shack, National Lampoon's Vacation and sequels just a few examples.

Because I said some comedies are stuck in a time warp.

 

[credoconsolans]

I watched Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy last night and was REALLY disappointed.

.... the film just sucked.

How could they do that?

I liked the dolphin song and the improbability drive. Everything else sucked. They could have taken any of the books or even just parts, and made a good film - there was enough story! Instead, they tried to jam all the concepts into too small a production, and failed miserably.

Would I get marshmallow-fluffed if I admitted to liking Despicable Me? I'm not a big fan of children but this is funny.

I loved The Hitchhikers Guide. My sister and I were laughing our guts out we thought it was funny.

I think there is a human tendency to love the first form in which you encounter something, if it is good. The film changed a lot of what had been good in the other formats, and not for the better.

It certainly still had its moments but was not what it could have been.

If you can, access the series. It's dryer.

I have the movie DVD, the books, the TV series on video. They're all enjoyable. The series, however drier, does not give any inclination as to why Trillian would be with Zaphod and took the risks she took for him. For adventure? With someone that selfish and aloof? At least in the movie, he's shown to be more rock-n-roll charismatic and charming.

Lost in Translation was an incredible bore.

Another movie I liked a lot. Lot of absurdity and loneliness in that movie. I don't remember it being a comedy.

 

[Narapoia]

Lost in Translation was an incredible bore.

I have to agree, it's the only Bill Murray film I never actually finished.

I must disagree. "Broken Flowers" makes Lost in Translation look like an action film.

At first I thought Lost in Translation was boring...that nothing was happening in the film. Then as it progressed I noticed that things were happening, but were very subtle. Most films nowadays are painted in broad strokes, but that one was almost all minute details.

The film I watched the other day - Melancholia - tried to catch that minimalist vibe. It tried to tell the story of the end of the world through a a few emotionally distant characters but failed miserably.

I have not seen Broken Flowers, however on your recommendation I might give it a miss . Yeah, with you on Melancholia, I did not enjoy that film, no I did not.

 

[repoman]

I think that Broken Flowers must be good at least for introducing some people to Mulatu Astatke:



But, yeah also not in the mood for ponderous movies.

I saw The Bank Job (2008) a few days ago. I give it a 7.5/10

Set in the early 70s London. It was a good heist flick that was not filled with many WTF are the characters doing moments.

 

[Petrel]

I have not seen Broken Flowers, however on your recommendation I might give it a miss .

Good decision. It didn't suck quite as long and slowly as the other one, but it was.... minimalist enough to be going on with.
Subtle and nuanced? I'm not qualified to say.
Time better spent watching Groundhog Day again.

 

[angelo]

Wayne's World Is there something wrong with me or is this highly rated so-called comedy crap of the highest order? How can others see humour while I see nothing but pure shite! 1.5/10

The movie may not have aged well. It could be stuck in a comic time warp, as some forms of comedy do. The movie wasn't absurdly funny, but was pretty good at the time. The sequel didn't amount to much.

If that is so, how come comedies in the ilk of Flying High, Naked Gun, and their sequals are still fresh and hilarious today as the day they were released? Others that comes to mind are Caddy Shack, National Lampoon's Vacation and sequels just a few examples.

Because I said some comedies are stuck in a time warp.

I watched three quarters of this so called comedic genius when it was released and that to me was some effort. Perhaps I don't like Mike Myers but Wayne's World stunk from the opening credits. But then, I feel the same about [for me] the actor Will Ferrel. Among the most overrated actors in present day Hollywood.

 

[angelo]

I have not seen Broken Flowers, however on your recommendation I might give it a miss .

Good decision. It didn't suck quite as long and slowly as the other one, but it was.... minimalist enough to be going on with.
Subtle and nuanced? I'm not qualified to say.
Time better spent watching Groundhog Day again.

Even Stripes was as good as Groundhog Day That's where Bill Murray's forte is.

 

[TV and credit cards]

The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982) 9/10

This is one of my favorites. There are not many movies I'll watch a second time and few that I own. This one is in my Amazon downloads.
This is the 1982 version with Anthony Andrews and Jane Seymour. If you're not familiar with the story, watch closely or the Pimpernel may elude you too.
I've yet to read Baroness Orczy's book.
Set during France's Reign of Terror, the Scarlet Pimpernel has a number of very creative methods for saving as many of the French aristocracy from Madame Guillotine as he can.
Surely it couldn't be this fool:

Or could it?

A very well directed film and a very well written script. You can also watch it on YouTube ten minutes at a time.

Apologies if I wrote this up already on the previous board.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Wayne's World Is there something wrong with me or is this highly rated so-called comedy crap of the highest order? How can others see humour while I see nothing but pure shite! 1.5/10

The movie may not have aged well. It could be stuck in a comic time warp, as some forms of comedy do. The movie wasn't absurdly funny, but was pretty good at the time. The sequel didn't amount to much.

If that is so, how come comedies in the ilk of Flying High, Naked Gun, and their sequals are still fresh and hilarious today as the day they were released? Others that comes to mind are Caddy Shack, National Lampoon's Vacation and sequels just a few examples.

Because I said some comedies are stuck in a time warp.

I watched three quarters of this so called comedic genius when it was released and that to me was some effort. Perhaps I don't like Mike Myers but Wayne's World stunk from the opening credits. But then, I feel the same about [for me] the actor Will Ferrel. Among the most overrated actors in present day Hollywood.

First off, shy of a movie or two, Will Ferrell is not an actor. Secondly, you can not like Wayne's World. You made no indication you didn't like it the first time you saw it. If you had, I wouldn't have made any comment. You don't like it, you don't like it. Thirdly, hard to consider Myers a comedic genius. I would say he puts everything he has into quirky roles, but even his best stuff gets tiring (Austin Powers).

 

[Petrel]

The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982) 9/10

.

I didn't know about this. Will look into it. I read the books as a teenager. Liked the original movie, with Leslie Howard (I admired him) and my esteemed compatriot Raymond Massey.

 

[MarkW]

Catch Me If You Can

8/10

This dramatization of the life of the audacious con man/check forger Frank Abagnale, Jr., isn't a classic but it's a very well-made film that tells an interesting story. The cast is very strong, headlined by Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, supported by, among others, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen and Amy Adams.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Catch Me If You Can

8/10

This dramatization of the life of the audacious con man/check forger Frank Abagnale, Jr., isn't a classic but it's a very well-made film that tells an interesting story. The cast is very strong, headlined by Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, supported by, among others, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen and Amy Adams.

Love Tom Hanks' knock-knock joke.

 

[Ford]

Shaolin Temple Against Lama

The user review on IMDB sums it up well:

Creaky plot concerning palace intrigues in the late Ming Dynasty. In a slight nod to Hamlet, an evil Lord has killed the king and consorts with the lovely queen. Queen's son, the Prince, is a braggard who seeks the truth, and also to be the leading martial artist in China before fully assuming the throne. The evil lord leads the Black faction, which seeks to unite all the martial arts schools under their sway. Shaolin resists. This causes one helluva lot of fighting.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0201093/combined

One helluva lot of fighting, indeed! There is a fight every few minutes, and if your idea of a martial arts fight is two guys leaping and flipping and barely hitting each other while every single move is accompanied by an over the top sound effect, then this is your kind of martial arts movie! There is not a trope or cliche' that isn't used in this gloriously ridiculous film, and used often.

Bad guys attack good guy one at a time even though they outnumber him? Check.

Bad guys attack en masse but good guy is so good at kung fu they fail? Check.

Nobody ever gets tired despite fighting almost continuously? Check.

Literally everyone knows kung fu? Check.

Antagonists insulting each others' style of kung fu? Check.

Secret grip/strike/attack taught to the hero earlier in the film that is used in the final fight? Check!

(In all seriousness, though, if you turned the sound down and just watched the fights as athletic demonstrations, these martial artists top anything done nowadays with wires and special effects.)

Oh, and about the over-dubbing. The cadence of the original Mandarin obviously doesn't match English, but for the looping on this one they apparently tried to make the English dialog match the lip movements of the Chinese actors, and the...effect is...odd and...disconcerting to....watch yet...hilarious!

I don't know if I can wait until this comes on late night over the air television again. I may have to buy the DVD!

11/10

 

[spikepipsqueak]

Balibo 8/10

I was 18 when the Balibo 5 were murdered, and not much of a news junkie, but still this filtered into my consciousness.

This portrayal is disturbing and given an extra poignancy by the knowledge that the facts were suppressed for so long for political expediency.

 

[MarkW]

Flypaper

7.5/10

This modestly-budgeted crime comedy is better than many a big-budget film. The script, about a bank that is robbed by two heist crews simultaneously, is both smart and funny, although the ending feels a little bit rushed. Patrick Dempsey, in a role that would likely have gone to John Cusack in a more lavishly funded production, is a very effective lead, while Tim Blake Nelson and Pruitt Taylor Vince are scene-stealers as a pair of lovable rogues.

 

[angelo]

Frantic for the third time in recent memory. Harrison Ford was brilliant in this, as were his co stars. A good thriller. 8/10

 

[Unbeatable]

Oculus. It did its tagline "You see what it wants you to see" justice, keeping me guessing as to what was actually happening and what was an illusion. It wasn't the "random jump scares and generic creepy visions" film I'd been expecting from the trailer, which was a relief. It was just an artifact of doom film about a supernatural mirror, and this is probably my favorite execution yet (on film, at least; the SCP Foundation has done some interesting things with mirrors in print) of this incredibly familiar combination of tropes. Plausible characterizations, decent performances. I only caught one slip in Gillan's accent. 9/10

 

[bradw]

Gamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995)

Good goofy fun.

Very little CG. Lots of creature models and men in rubber suits.

7/10

 

[bradw]

Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964)

Boring, incoherent, and really awful cinematography.

3/10

 

[Daioh]

Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths
6/10
This is one I have mixed feelings about
I mean the plotline is fine, the characters are all fine and the animation is solid throughout
But this movie just lacked passion
It seems to be a bit like they were just ticking off plot points at times and sometimes just seemed to be going through the motions but without the love of the action and characters you get from other DC Animated movies
I liked this movie, but I really felt it could have been alot better then it was

 

[MarkW]

Ging chaat goo si juk jaap/Police Story 2

7.5/10

This one has all the basic features, both good and bad, of the first in the series. Jackie Chan returns as the indestructible Hong Kong policeman Ka-Kui Chan, trying to stop bomb plots while keeping girlfriend May (Maggie Cheung) out of the crossfire that his police work generates. If you like high-energy action and spectacular stunt work and are not in too demanding a mood when it comes to plot and dialogue, this is highly entertaining.

 

[angelo]

Shalako. The British should steer right away from trying to make westerns. They suck badly at it! Made in 1968 and starring Bridget Bardot and Sean Connery. Actually, I must confess, the only reason I tried to watch it is because I was hoping I would see more of Miss Bardot's charms. I was deeply disappointed! The plot sucks as well. The only reason I rate it 3/10 is because of Miss Bardot's presence, otherwise it rates. 1/10

 

[CJW]

Star Trek: Into Darkness. Horrid script, pointless action sequences, and a tired, senseless plot. A total waste of the character Kahn. Can we keep JJ Abrams away from this franchise? 2/10


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[angelo]

I think Star Trek has passed it's use by date now. For me [showing my age here] the original Star Trek series as well the movies with Mr Spock and Captain Kirk and Sulu were better than all of what followed.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Beasts of the Southern Wild 9/10

I really liked this movie. It is set on the other side of the levee in Louisiana. The people live as people should live. They are part of the environment. They survive and they are happy, save for the levee and what it is doing to their existence. We're it not for the levee and the repercussions of it's existence, they would live. No money, no religion, no jealousy, etc. You know, the way it was meant to be. The way very few people in industrialized nation get to live and the rest do not understand.
There is this little girl named Hushpuppy who lives with her father, Wink. Hushpuppy represents the fragility of her environment. They both exist on the edge. The movie is very realistic, realistic from the point of view of Hushpuppy. This is her world and you have to view it through her eyes. She's not narrating for nothing.
If for nothing else, watch this movie for the little girl's (Quvenzhané Wallis) acting. Her father Wink played by Dwight Henry is no slouch either. He has spent most of his life in New Orleans and brings a level of honesty to the part no other actor could.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I think Star Trek has passed it's use by date now. For me [showing my age here] the original Star Trek series as well the movies with Mr Spock and Captain Kirk and Sulu were better than all of what followed.

The one problem with the latest film was it wasn't original, it was a remix of the second film. At least time travel wasn't used.

What I'd be more interested in is how Starfleet seemed to recover quick enough from the devastation of the Romulan attacks in the last film. And apparently Star Trek babies are cool to run their own ship without anyone on the crew that has more than 2 years experience.

 

[angelo]

I like SF as well as the next person, but I can't watch it when it's too far fetched. The early Star Trek material was no where near as far fetched as it was as it evolved up to the present time.

Only recently I watched The Time Machine with Rod Taylor in the lead which goes back decades. Compared to the remake which has much better digitally enhanced effects but is much more less credible there's no comparison in my view.

I would rate the former 8/10 the latter 5/10

 

[credoconsolans]

Star Trek: Into Darkness. Horrid script, pointless action sequences, and a tired, senseless plot. A total waste of the character Kahn. Can we keep JJ Abrams away from this franchise? 2/10


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

He's already left. And he left with the franchise being a blockbuster.

I think Star Trek has passed it's use by date now. For me [showing my age here] the original Star Trek series as well the movies with Mr Spock and Captain Kirk and Sulu were better than all of what followed.

I hated the first Star Trek reboot, but the 2nd one was much better.

I think Star Trek has passed it's use by date now. For me [showing my age here] the original Star Trek series as well the movies with Mr Spock and Captain Kirk and Sulu were better than all of what followed.

The one problem with the latest film was it wasn't original, it was a remix of the second film. At least time travel wasn't used.

What I'd be more interested in is how Starfleet seemed to recover quick enough from the devastation of the Romulan attacks in the last film. And apparently Star Trek babies are cool to run their own ship without anyone on the crew that has more than 2 years experience.

The 2nd Star Trek movie occurs 2 years after the 1st. They've had time to repair.

I don't know how old the characters are supposed to be. The actor playing Kirk is already the same age as Shatner was when he first started playing Kirk. Scotty and Bones in the original Star Trek series were peers of Kirk. In the movies, both are 10 years older than he is.

Spock, as we all know, is nearly 100 years old.

 

[Unbeatable]

Vampire Academy. Until I saw the trailer, I had been dismissing this, based on the title, as probably some sort of Twilight/Vampire Diaries wannabe. But I actually found that the characterization, dialogue, and plot weren't irritating at all, and the mythology/politics of vampire society were intriguing. I realize now that this is an adaptation of a series of novels, so it makes sense that they put some effort into worldbuilding that sets the stage for a long-term myth arc. Still, I was amazed. 7/10.

 

[MarkW]

American Hustle

8.5/10

Very loosely based on the FBI's Abscam sting operation of the late 1970s, this is a somewhat overrated film with an outstanding cast. Amy Adams is the standout in a terrific ensemble; she and Jennifer Lawrence both snagged Golden Globes. David O. Russell's film doesn't really explore the moral ambiguities of the Abscam case, but it does very effectively capture the atmosphere of late 1970s America.

 

[Daioh]

The Mummy (1932)
6/10
Ok so I finally got around to watching the orginal Mummy movie with Boris Karloff in it
And it wasn't too bad
The plot moves along steadily and while some bits could have used a bit of extra time to play with it's different ideas it never feels too rushed or slow
The acting was also well done, with Zita Johann (man that woman has amazingly beautiful eyes) and Karloff being the ones I thought pulled off their roles the best (And the creepy Karloff scenes with her were fun to watch)
Also given the time it was made the special and practical effects as well as the use of costuming was all really well done and enjoyable to watch
So overall I thought this was a good movie and I am tempted to go back to some of the other classic monster movies

King Kong Returns
5/10
So this is one of the sequels to the original King Kong movie
And it is good in a kind of cheesy trainwreck kinda way
The acting is all over the place with the good guys being kinda bland, the monsters just kinda there but not doing anything and the villain (Awesomely called Doctor Who lol) even coming equipped with his own super villain cape
And to make it worse the voices are dubbed, and the ones that aren't are given horrible audio tracks to the point that it seems like everyone is constantly shouting because the audio is tuned too loud
THe story is rather simple and works for what is there, but once you get into the detail it become a bit comical as it either goes for the cartoonish Supervillain story or the "let just reference the original" angle with neither really working together..... or on their own for that matter
The effects..... well the less said the better
Except for the absolutely godawful King Kong suit which has two facial expressions "Surprided King King" and "Stoned King King" neither of which really work
But it is funny as hell
if you can stand really bad old movies for the laughter value then give this a watch, but as anything close to a serious movie I would just give it a miss

The Plank
2/10
So this is a short comedy movie about some guys needing a plank of wood to finish the floor of a house, so they go to the lumber yard to pick up a new one and hilarity ensues
It had some chuckles
but overall I wasn't blown away or laughing all the time
Apparently it wasn't supposed to have talking which mine did and I dunno if that affected the actual enjoyment
But a few chuckles then the end just kinda left this one as unmemorable

Bambi
7/10
So a couple of decades on I have gotten back to rewatching the old Disney movie
And I was kinda blown away by what was there
Now the plot is pretty simple as are the characters and while there are some very well done scenes (usually the bits involving the hunters) they are not what really stands out for me
What stands out is the traditional and gorgeous classic Disney animation coupled with a beautiful use of music and sounds (along with silence) to convey what they didn't need dialogue for
And that was a surprise for me coming back to it after all this time and hearing this use of sound and image to convey the story
And I really liked it and can probably appreciate it more as an adult then I could have has a young child
So this is a fondly remember Disney Classic and for me it stays that way even now

Rush Hour
6/10
So this is another movie I haven't seen in a while
And I found it held up quite well
Sure your mileage with Chris Tucker may vary (And ultimately this movie depends on how much you can handle his performance)
But the other actors all play their parts well, the plot moves along at a nice pace and the actions scenes are all fun to watch
So I would say this is worth a rewatch if you have seen it before and if you haven't and want a buddy cop action movie then you can do worse then this

 

[spikepipsqueak]

There are 2 versions of The Plank. The other one was funnier. Both are so dated as to not cut it anymore.

A couple of days ago I watched Mr H is Late, by more or less the same crew. I remember it as being the funniest thing ever. In the past I laughed at the situations, now I am put off by all the mugging. Times and tastes change.

Recently I've watched

The Man with the Golden Arm. Non singing Sinatra. I had no idea Hollywood addressed the hard drug issue that early in the piece. 7/10

Top Hat

Gay Divorcee Couldn't manage to get to the end of either. !935 "screwball" comedy is just annoying.

High Society The film equivalent of comfort food though The Philadelphia Story was better. 7/10


I watched bits of New Year's Eve which felt like a US version of Love Actually. Does anyone know if that was its history?

 

[MarkW]

Top Hat

Gay Divorcee Couldn't manage to get to the end of either. !935 "screwball" comedy is just annoying.

But these aren't really screwball comedies, they're Astaire/Rogers musicals. The only real reason to watch them is for Fred & Ginger's music and dance numbers--if that's not your thing, you won't enjoy them. The plots are always somewhere from inconsequential to idiotic--I've never seen Gay Divorcee, but in Top Hat,

Show

the entire plot is driven by the fact that no one--literally, no one--in the entire movie ever introduces himself or herself to anyone else by name.

 

[spikepipsqueak]

Top Hat

Gay Divorcee Couldn't manage to get to the end of either. !935 "screwball" comedy is just annoying.

But these aren't really screwball comedies, they're Astaire/Rogers musicals. The only real reason to watch them is for Fred & Ginger's music and dance numbers--if that's not your thing, you won't enjoy them. The plots are always somewhere from inconsequential to idiotic--I've never seen Gay Divorcee, but in Top Hat,

Show

the entire plot is driven by the fact that no one--literally, no one--in the entire movie ever introduces himself or herself to anyone else by name.

You're right about the dancing but what got on my wick was the contrived, 3 door farce nature of them, though if I had known about the hidden bit (thanks for telling me that) I would have enjoyed just observing it.

Now I wish I hadn't deleted them.(No I don't )

 

[angelo]

Man On Fire. Starring Denzel Washinton and the delightful Dakota Fanning. [whatever happened to her?] This 2004 thriller directed by the late Tony Scott is superior to most films of this genre. 8.5/10

 

[hyzer]

Chef
9/10, Great foodie movie

Fading Gigolo
8/10, touching, romantic and funny

 

[angelo]

That reminds me of American Gigolo starring Richard Gere. That wasn't a bad film either. It's been a while since I've seen it, but I thought it was a fairly good drama. Not sure I would rate it 8/10, more like 6.5/10

 

[marc]

Malifecent. 6.5/10

She was great, the visuals were great. The rest of the cast was forgettable.

 

[bradw]

Gamera 2: Assault of the Legion (1996)

Long stretches of boring human activity takes most of the fun out of this sequel to Gamera: Guardian of the Universe.

The monster battles are pretty good, with what appears to be a mix of man-in-a-rubber-suit monsters, models and CG.

Also odd, at least for a Japanese movie, is the Gamera-as-Jesus theme. There is a cross, a New Testament reference, a death-and-resurrection of Gamera and what almost appears to be divine intervention.

Not as good as the first in this series of 1990's Gamera movies, but the battle scenes almost overcome the weakness of the rest of the movie.

6.5/10

 

[angelo]

The Day The Earth Stood Still the original S/F epic is far superior to the remake. Although the modern effects were out of this world, the original version was much more plausible therefore better in my view. 7/10 for the original 5/10 the sequel.

 

[MarkW]

The Bourne Identity

9/10

The first in a trilogy which I continue to enjoy over a decade after its initial release. Three reasons why--the factors that I consider trademarks of the Bourne films: 1) Matt Damon's convincing performances as the amnesiac assassin who gained a conscience when he lost his memory, 2) the strong supporting casts in each film--this time out we get Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Brian Cox and a nice cameo from Clive Owen, and 3) the suspense and hard-edged action which the directors (Doug Liman here, Paul Greengrass in the sequels) treat us to. Not a classic, but a very well-executed action thriller.