Last Movie You Saw

[Trevelyan]

This is a thread I am compelled to start at any forum I visit, because I am a huge film fanatic.

This is simple, all you do is say what movie you saw last. You can simply give the title, or express your views about it if you wish to as well. The films can be ones you saw at either the theatre or on DVD.

I’ll start off my first post by listing several films I have seen recently.
<O:p</O:p
“Batman Begins” ***1/2 out of four.
<O:p</O:p
“Star Wars – Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” ***1/2
<O:p</O:p
“Cinderella Man” ****
<O:p</O:p
“Crash” **** (Best film of 2005 thus far in my opinion)

“The Aviator” ****
<O:p</O:p
“Trainspotting” **1/2
<O:p</O:p
“Eraserhead” ***
<O:p</O:p
“Kinsey” ***1/2
<O:p</O:p
“2001: A Space Odyssey” ****
<O:p</O:p
“Inherit the Wind” ****
<O:p</O:p
“Dog Day Afternoon” ****

[JimRaynor]

Hostage-4
White Noise-2 1/2

[UnkHiram]

Batman Begins 3 2/3
Star Wars 2
Hostage 2

[Beowulf]

In order:

-Batman Begins
-Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

I started a separate thread for my movie reviews, found here:

FreeConservatives - Movie Review Thread (http://www.freeconservatives.com/vb/showthread.php?t=22178)

So I will just list the movies I have seen recently,

Last night - The Pacifier

Prior -

Hostage

13 Going on 30

Miss Congeniality 2

White Noise

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events

Racing Stripes

Saw

[PrezLeefun]

Batman Begins- Great

Mr. and Mrs. Smith- Light Humor- Quite Nice

Star Wars- Amazing

Crash- Best Movie of the year!

A Series of Unfortunate Events- Baby made the Movie Great

Madagascar- That is a Fun Movie

[iFocusNews.com]

A Beautiful Mind: A

Mr. & Mrs. Smith: B+

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith: B+

[BEST45CAL]

Team America: World Police (on DVD) last month.

http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/movie/team_america/01.jpg

[TechnoPrincess]

In the theatre: Madagascar

At home: National Treasure

[Wyatt_Junker]

At home: 2 Kids Screaming.

In the theater(of my mind): Charles Bronson, Deathwish Part 48.


Trust me, you don't want to see the trailer on neither.

[nene]

theater: Cinderella Man
home: Hostage

[Trevelyan]

"War of the Worlds" ***1/2 out of four.

I hate Dakota Fanning.

Anyway, very creepy and surreal.

[Riverboat]

In order:

-Batman Begins
-Star Wars: Revenge of the SithAlphabetical or chronological? ;)

[Trevelyan]

"Serpico" **1/2 out of four. I was so disappointed.

[Trevelyan]

"All the President's Men" ***1/2 out of four.

[PrezLeefun]

I loved War of the Worlds- I think Dakota Fanning did a great job. I beleived as a veiwer that she was truly terrified. It was great.

[TechnoPrincess]

War of the Worlds - ** out of ****

Dakota Fanning was okay, but Tom Cruise (as in most of his movies) didn't do a thing for me. I think there are several actors who could have done a much better job. However, Tim Robbins did a great job.

[UnkHiram]

War of the Worlds *** out of 4. The movie would have gotten 4 if they would have cast the lead role a little better.

[Rink]

Fantastic Four ***1/2 out of 4, it was very good, clean humorous and fun.

[PrezLeefun]

really Rink? I heard it was bad...

[SunnyBrook]

The Count of Monte Cristo - ***1/2 -- great dvd that holds your attention throughout; thought-provoking study on the pursuit of revenge; good discussion starter; lead by Cavaziel (sp?) who also portrays Jesus in The Passion

Lemony Snicket... - **1/2 -- yuck; too bizarre and unbelievable; weird movie

[UnkHiram]

Fantastic Four 7 out of 10. Better than "the Hulk", "Daredevil", "Electra", "Hellboy" and "Constatine" Not as good as "Spiderman 1 or 2", "X-men 1 or 2" or "Batman Begins"

[Trevelyan]

"Re-Animator" *** out of four stars.

Oh my God, was that John Kerry who played that crazy brain doctor? :grin:

[Pendragon_6]

"Return of the King"

[DesertFox]

I just watched Gladiator for the 716th time. It's still 5 stars.

[Marcster]

Just finished: Runaway Jury, which had a twist in the end I wasn't expecting. ***1/2 out of *****.

I have a subscription to Blockbuster Online, so I can contribute to this thread often.

[Trevelyan]

I have a subscription to Blockbuster Online, so I can contribute to this thread often.

Boo, Netflix all the way! :grin:

Anyway, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." *** out of four stars.

[Marcster]

Boo, Netflix all the way! :grin:

I'm considering switching over at some point in the future. I want to rent the boxed sets of M*A*S*H, but Blockbuster Online doesn't have 'em and NF does.

Also, Blockbusters delivery schedule has a few hiccups as of late, they used to "compensate" by sending out additional movies, but they don't seem to be doing that anymore.

It's a shame, I'll miss the in-store rental coupons and NF is $3 more per month.

[Trevelyan]

"Rosemary's Baby" *** out of four stars.

[Trevelyan]

"The Life Aquatic" **** out of four stars.

Just a warning, I will admit this movie is probably not for everyone. If you enjoy the films of Wes Anderson, or enjoy dry humor, you may then enjoy "The Life Aquatic."

[shoemoodoshaloo]

Saw

Finally a horror movie with a plot (take a hint rob zombie). For being low budget and filmed in 18 days, I give it a 4 out of 4 because of the lack of good movies in the genre.

[Bluemoon_Rising]

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith -- ***
Million Dollar Baby (again) -- ****1/2

[Longhorn_Platinum]

:moo: I'm not much of a movie-goër. The evening prices are too high, & I can't stand the thought of spending a sunny afternoon in a dark theätre. The last two movies I saw were:

11/6/2004 Friday Night Lights

8/4/2000 Thomas & the Magic Railroad

:moo: I made an exception for FNL, because I used to teach at Odessa Permian. As for T&tMR, don't laugh. I love trains. As for rating them, you can bet that if I went to see them, they must be worth five apiece, just because I say so.

[nene]

Million Dollar Baby - 4 outta 5 -

[Bluemoon_Rising]

"The Life Aquatic" **** out of four stars.

Just a warning, I will admit this movie is probably not for everyone. If you enjoy the films of Wes Anderson, or enjoy dry humor, you may then enjoy "The Life Aquatic."

The Life Aquatic is okay. It's worth the rental fee. I give it three out of five stars.

[DesertFox]

Predator 2 (50th time): Still 5 stars.

"It's okay, I'm the police!"

"I don't think he gives a shit."

[Bluemoon_Rising]

Predator 2 (50th time): Still 5 stars.

"It's okay, I'm the police!"

"I don't think he gives a shit."
:hahaha:

[Trevelyan]

"Wedding Crashers" *** out of four stars.

[Marcster]

Cradle 2 the Grave w/ DMX and Jet Li.

2 out of 5 stars -- good beginning and ending, but really stupid middle.

[ThomasMore]

Cradle 2 the Grave w/ DMX and Jet Li.

2 out of 5 stars -- good beginning and ending, but really stupid middle.

Is that like "Womb 2 the Tomb", starring Hillary Clinton?

Oops. Sorry, political flashback.

[Trevelyan]

<!--StartFragment --> I watched the Van Sant version of "Psycho." Since the original one is supposed to be so amazing, I decided to watch this one first and save the best for last, however, this version is pretty much a shot by shot and line by line remake, so shouldn’t it be the same, just in color? I don't understand the negative reviews. It seems they penalize the movie just for being the same, instead of actually reviewing its content and so on. I mean, if the original is such a masterpiece, then shouldn't something that is exactly the same be just about as good? Plus, the color would logically make the blood more effective.

Anyway, I'm just going to wait until the original comes from Netflix to give star ratings.

[TechnoPrincess]

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - very cute...not a GREAT movie, but it was nice to watch a cute story.

[Teenager]

Just some I saw recently. Not in any order.

-The Mummy Returns(twice)
-Batman Begins
-Big Trouble in Little China
-Hitch
-I Robot

and I think thats all.

[Wyatt_Junker]

I saw baby shit in pool today. I had great seats. I was right up front. It was so amazing you could even smell it, great special effects.

Later in the day I watched dog shit on rug. It was even better. I think I even saw a car chase in there, falling down his back leg.

Tonight I'm gonna watch kids sleeping. Its boring but oddly very peaceful. I give it 5 stars.

[Marcster]

Just finished watching Minority Report... which was 3.5 out of 5 stars
Started watching Collateral...

[Trevelyan]

"The Parallax View" *** out of four.

[Trevelyan]

"LA Confidential" **** out of four. Got ripped off for Best Picture.

[Trevelyan]

"Inherit the Wind" **** out of four.

[Marcster]

Collateral was pretty good. It had the Hollywood ending you've come to expect. 3.5 out of 5.

[hdmundt]

Last film seen in theater (to spend time with my stepson): Sum Of All Fears

Last film seen because of genuine interest in the film: The Tailor Of Panama

(As you may have gathered, contemporary filmmaking doesn't do much for me).

[Trevelyan]

"The Skeleton Key" *** out of four.

[Trevelyan]

<!--StartFragment -->"Patton" **** out of four.

"Soldiers in the Army of God" - Wow....there are some really scary people out there.

[Rink]

Last movie in the theaters was with my sweetie watching the movie 'stealth' on opening day :D

[Trevelyan]

Last movie in the theaters was with my sweetie watching the movie 'stealth' on opening day :D

Well, from the sound of the reviews for that film, my condolances. :grin:

[ThomasMore]

I heard the hype about "Batman Begins," and expected it to be good. I also get cautious whenever a film gets hyped (as War of the Worlds was), because I am usually disappointed.

I saw "Batman Begins" in the theatre last Sunday. Wow!

It is a real accomplishment to make it almost believable that a wealthy youth would want to reinvent himself as Batman, or that he would have the ability to be what Batman is.

This movie does both. It gives the whys and the hows, and it doesn't take too much suspension of belief to make it all work. Even the Batmobile is a fairly plausible machine, and from what I understand, it is a real one that really can jump some distance.

The cast did a fabulous job: Welsh actor Christian Bale was incredible as Bruce Wayne/Batman. His career looks limitless. As I understand it, he has been giving his interviews for Batman with an American accent.

(I always thought Bale should be the next James Bond: beneath the polished exterior, he has the bad-assed hardness that only Connery has shown to date.)

Michael Caine was perfect as butler Alfred. Katie Holmes did a surprisingly good job. Gary Oldman, playing against type as a good guy, was a very good Lt. Gordon. Liam Neeson did his usual stellar job. Even the actor who played bad guy Carmine Falcone portrayed it well, and his character was not over the top. "The Scarecrow" was the character least believable and most cartoonish...but then again, I guess it is a cartoon.

As a Chicago boy, I enjoyed the transformation of the city into Gotham City. Enough shots clearly depicted lesser-known Chicago buildings, upper and lower Wacker Drive, the Billy Goat tavern, etc.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0372784/

[ThomasMore]

Saw "March of the Penguins" yesterday with my girlfriend.

The cinematography was stunning, and the story both touching and heartbreaking without being maudlin. Definitely worth seeing, and worth taking children to.

For those unfamiliar, the movie is a French documentary filming the mating and child-rearing cycle of Emperor Penguins through one Antarctic autumn, winter and spring. The movie is distributed in the US by National Geographic, and the narration in English is by Morgan Freeman.

Although it is hard to imagine the work and commitment it took to stay with a flock of birds through an entire Antarctic winter, the result is spectacular and very worthwhile.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0428803

[DesertFox]

I again saw Gladiator this weekend, and it was still excellent.

[BEST45CAL]

Broken Flowers (http://www.brokenflowersmovie.com/home.html)with Bill Murray on August 21st.

Don't expect any fast action, cheesy dialogue, laser beams or explosions in this one. Definitely not for anyone with ADD or ADHD.

If you could tolerate, liked or loved "Lost In Translation," you'll love this one.

Why did I want to see it? Primarily because of the "psychic" cat that's featured towards the end of the movie. LOL

Excellent soundtrack, too. Lots of great songs.

I gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

[TechnoPrincess]

White Noise - avoid it

Hide and Seak - very good. I didn't get it till the end...

[Trevelyan]

Broken Flowers (http://www.brokenflowersmovie.com/home.html)with Bill Murray on August 21st.

Don't expect any fast action, cheesy dialogue, laser beams or explosions in this one. Definitely not for anyone with ADD or ADHD.

If you could tolerate, liked or loved "Lost In Translation," you'll love this one.

Why did I want to see it? Primarily because of the "psychic" cat that's featured towards the end of the movie. LOL

Excellent soundtrack, too. Lots of great songs.

I gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars.



Yeah, I love "Lost in Translation."

I really want to see this movie, but it is not playing anywhere around here. :(

Anyway, I saw "Bubba Ho-Tep".......it was.......interesting....

[Wyatt_Junker]

Bill Murray was in Lost in Translation?


Hmmm. All I saw was this.


http://www.geraldpeary.com/interviews/jkl/johannson.jpg


Movie was worth every cent.

[Hudson]

Shattered Glass: **** Excellent Movie.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0323944/

.

[Charity]

Luther
Racing Stripes
Mean Girls

[Trevelyan]

Shattered Glass: **** Excellent Movie.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0323944/

.

Indeed. ***1/2 out of four for me.

[Beowulf]

Went and saw "The Dukes of Hazzard" last week. Hey, I worshipped the TV show growing up. Hey, I enjoyed it.


Of course, my wife says I wanted to see it just to look at Jessica Simpson. She's right. *starts drooling*

[Rink]

Well, from the sound of the reviews for that film, my condolances. :grin:

Dont ever listen to the 'reviews' they arent worth the penny to listen to.

That movie 'stealth' was good. :thumb:

[Trevelyan]

Dont ever listen to the 'reviews' they arent worth the penny to listen to.

That movie 'stealth' was good. :thumb:

Oh, well, I wasn't talking only about the critics. You are actually the first person I have come across that has had positive things to say about the film.

[Trevelyan]

"Salvador" - ***1/2 out of four.

[Conserv_Atticus]

The 40 Year Old Virgin, pretty funny and pretty stupid at the same time.

[BEST45CAL]

Hotel Rwanda (http://www.mgm.com/ua/hotelrwanda/intro.html), starring: Don Cheadle (http://imdb.com/name/nm0000332/).

All I can say is WOW! This movie will really get your emotions going. An outstanding and powerful movie!

I think Cheadle should have gotten the Oscar® for best actor. He pulled off an exceptional and convincing performance in this one.

As bloody as the genocide was, this movie wasn't as graphic as I thought it would be. The story is excellent. The pace is very good, too.

Nick Nolte (http://imdb.com/name/nm0000560/)as the Canadian U.N. soldier Colonel Oliver also deserves a special mention. Another remarkable effort on his part.

Lots of great acting and a great script that tells a very sad story.

5 out of 5 stars for this one.

[BEST45CAL]

Hitch and XXX: State Of The Union wouldn't play on our new DVD player/recorder.

Both DVDs are Sony products. Hmmmmmm...

[Rink]

clean it up with one o them glasses cloths, as they sometimes can come from the factory 'dirty' you may hafta clean it up before playing.

[BEST45CAL]

Yep, tried that. The DVDs were brand spankin' new. No marks on them whatsoever.

The trailers, blooper reels (special features) played just fine, but the movies for each DVD did not play at all. They wouldn't track. The only thing on the display was: 01 01 01 and then C62 or something (whatever that means).

The same thing happened a few months ago when Ray was initially released on DVD (another Sony product). According to the resident expert at Hollywood Video here in town, approximately half of the Ray DVDs that were produced were improperly formatted by Sony and they wouldn't play on any DVD player.

So I think it's a Sony problem, unfortunately.

[BarryC]

The last movie I saw in a theater was The Dukes of Hazzard. I really enjoyed it. The last movies I watched here at home-
Black Dog and Godzilla King of the Monsters- both yesterday.
Better Off Dead- saw that the day before. And before that I saw Road Games. I like all these enough to own them.
Barry

[BEST45CAL]

http://i.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/020722/164859__better_off_dead_l.jpg

[BEST45CAL]

Just finished watching Frank Miller's Sin City (http://video.movies.go.com/sincity/).

Full of dark, gallows humor, action and extreme violence. Interesting special effects, great sound. Decent script, too. Very slick and stylish with a touch of film noir thrown in.

A very successful live action recreation of the comic book.

I don't see why everyone was so worked up about this movie. Just bad timing I suppose. The title of the movie is "Sin City" for a reason. There really aren't any decent characters in it except for one honest cop, played by Bruce Willis (http://imdb.com/name/nm0000246/).

An interesting and entertaining little flick consisting of 5 different stories that are all woven together by one character played by Brittany Murphy. (http://imdb.com/name/nm0005261/)

I give it 4 our of 5 stars for the extreme violence.

Rated R.

[Marcster]

Hide & Seek (Deniro, Dakota Fanning, Elisabeth Shue)

Pretty good, parts of it reminded me of The Others (Nicole Kidman - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0230600 )

The very last scene of Hide & Seek really threw me... I was like, huh???

[Trevelyan]

"The 40 Year Old Virgin" - ***1/2 out of four stars.

[BEST45CAL]

The Great Raid (http://www.miramax.com/the_great_raid/), Starring Benjamin Bratt (http://imdb.com/gallery/granitz/2522/Events/2522/TalisaSoto_Cohen_3098979_400.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Bratt,%20Benjamin%20(I)). Connie Nielsen (http://imdb.com/gallery/granitz/2752/Events/2752/ConnieNiel_Vespa_4249525_400.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Nielsen,%20Connie%20(I))is in it, too. Saw it Tuesday night.

A great movie and story. Very historically accurate and verified as such by a former WWII Navy veteran. Pace was a bit slow at times in the beginning, but necessary to tell the story correctly.

I still rate it 4 out of 5 stars.

Originally set for a US theatrical release in 2003 and then in 2004; the film was then pushed back indefinitely by Miramax. Two massive waves of layoffs were sustained at the studio, and the Disney-Miramax split reached its height. The movie remained in the Miramax vaults unreleased during this time of uncertainty. When the Disney and Miramax divorce was finally completed, numerous films like this one under the Miramax and Dimension label were finally released theatrically.

[BEST45CAL]

The Transporter 2 (http://www.transporter2movie.com/) Starring: Jason Statham (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005458/). Rated PG-13.


Great action and very enjoyable. Lots of style and thrills. Jackie Chan style stunts add more excitement. It won't be picture of the year, but it is very entertaining.

Better than the first one? Perhaps!

Francois Berleand (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0075710/) returns as the French inspector who visits Frank Martin in Miami.

This one gets 4 out of 5 stars for fake-looking CGI airplane. LOL

[Trevelyan]

"Layer Cake" *** out of four.

[Bluemoon_Rising]

Batman Begins

Four and half stars out of five

[Trevelyan]

"Lord of War" ***1/2 out of four.

[TechnoPrincess]

Exorcism of Emily Rose
I really liked it. Probably the best movie I've seen in a long time. Scary, honestly scary!

[Bluemoon_Rising]

I again saw Gladiator this weekend, and it was still excellent.
:thumb:

[Trevelyan]

"A History of Violence" ***1/2 out of four stars.

William Hurt should be nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

[ThomasIsUnderrated]

Ladies in Lavender - Four stars

[Elgalad]

Trois couleurs: Trilogy (Bleu (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108394/), Bialy (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111507/), Rouge (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111495/))


Three movies that are loosely connected by some common scenes and characters. All three were excellent, the last, "Rouge (red)" was by far the best. Not sure how I missed these when they first came out (mid 90's). The movies are in French (spoken language) but all are subtitled on the dvds. Blue is set in France, White in Poland, and Red in Switzerland.

Each of the three movies explores a theme, Bleu/Blue represents Liberty, Bialy/White represents Equality, and Rouge/Red represents Fraternity. These apparently represent the French motto: Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite. However, the movies make no political statements and those themes are instead applied to interpersonal relationships as opposed to political ones.

I gave the movies 4 stars for Blue, 4.5 for White, and 5 for Red (out of 5 stars possible). It's best to watch them in order: Blue, White, and Red, as the stories overlap a little.



-Elgalad

[Trevelyan]

"The Hustler" *** out of four stars.

[Trevelyan]

"American Psycho" *** out of four.

[Bluemoon_Rising]

Out of 5
Crash -- **1/2
Land of the Dead -- **1/2
Flightplan -- ***

[Trevelyan]

I saw "Saw 2." *** out of four.

The acting was like a 100x better than that of the first, which is really sad, because this acting wasn't anything that special.

But yeah, it is Halloween, and I was entertained enough. Better than the first in my opinion. Reminded me of the movie "Cube" somewhat.

[Trevelyan]

"Alien"
"Cabin Fever"
"Land of the Dead"
"Halloween"

[aaron11]

Batman Begins- Great

Mr. and Mrs. Smith- Great

Star Wars- Stupid

Crash- worst Movie of the ever!

A Series of Unfortunate Events- Baby was the only good thing going

[Bluemoon_Rising]

I heard the hype about "Batman Begins," and expected it to be good. I also get cautious whenever a film gets hyped (as War of the Worlds was), because I am usually disappointed.

I saw "Batman Begins" in the theatre last Sunday. Wow!

It is a real accomplishment to make it almost believable that a wealthy youth would want to reinvent himself as Batman, or that he would have the ability to be what Batman is.

This movie does both. It gives the whys and the hows, and it doesn't take too much suspension of belief to make it all work. Even the Batmobile is a fairly plausible machine, and from what I understand, it is a real one that really can jump some distance.

The cast did a fabulous job: Welsh actor Christian Bale was incredible as Bruce Wayne/Batman. His career looks limitless. As I understand it, he has been giving his interviews for Batman with an American accent.

(I always thought Bale should be the next James Bond: beneath the polished exterior, he has the bad-assed hardness that only Connery has shown to date.)

Michael Caine was perfect as butler Alfred. Katie Holmes did a surprisingly good job. Gary Oldman, playing against type as a good guy, was a very good Lt. Gordon. Liam Neeson did his usual stellar job. Even the actor who played bad guy Carmine Falcone portrayed it well, and his character was not over the top. "The Scarecrow" was the character least believable and most cartoonish...but then again, I guess it is a cartoon.

As a Chicago boy, I enjoyed the transformation of the city into Gotham City. Enough shots clearly depicted lesser-known Chicago buildings, upper and lower Wacker Drive, the Billy Goat tavern, etc.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0372784/

Excellent review, Thomas. And you're right about Bale as Bond. He'd be perfect. But he'd never take the role. He's an actor's actor and will pursue varied roles throughout his career. He’s the best Batman yet, and Batman Begins is the very best of the franchise to date. It’s the only one I like and respect.

[Bluemoon_Rising]

Out of Five Stars

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- ***

Bewitched -- *1/2

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (again) -- *****

[DesertFox]

I just saw Alien versus Predator. Pretty doggone good sci-fi flickture.

[Dowple]

Der Untergang

and

Les Rivières pourpres

[Teenager]

I saw the Incredibles three nights ago. I love that movie. It's my all-time favorite.

[Trevelyan]

I saw "Jarhead." I am still trying to decide whether I want to give it a *** or ***1/2 out of four. I think I want to wait until I see it again, whether it be theatre or DVD, to make that decision.


"Road to Perdition" had some of the best cinematography I have ever seen, thanks to the late Conrad L Hall, and well this film is not up there in my opinion, that does not mean it isn't a good looking film. The night scenes in the desert are particularly stunning.

<O:p</O:pSo pretty much it is a good movie, but not a movie on the level of "American Beauty" or "Road to Perdition."

[Thunderclasp]

Saw "Saw 2" last night, good movie. Makes ya squirm in your seat a little more than the first one!

[Teenager]

I just saw the Incredibles again, last night. I absolutely love that movie!

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

In the past couple of weeks:


House of Wax -- so-so, but NOTHING like the first one which was brilliant imho. There will NEVER be another Vincent Price.
Bewitched -- STUNK
Herbie, Fully Loaded -- thought is was a really good family movie, corny, but definitely something the whole family could watch (GREAT '80s songs in there). Wasn't hilarious, but it was mildly funny.

Counting down the days until The Chronicles of Narnia!

[Peachdiane]

I just saw the Incredibles again, last night. I absolutely love that movie!

Especially this line. My favorite!

Mr. Incredible: No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again. Sometimes I just want it to stay saved! You know, for a little bit? I feel like the maid; I just cleaned up this mess! Can we keep it clean for... for ten minutes!

We watched Air Bud and Chicken Run with the kids. Kids didn't care for the latter as much. Guess there's something more entertaining about a dog that plays basketball. ;)

[Wyatt_Junker]

I'm gonna get a little dark here, but has anyone seen the movie that is the opposite of Schindler's List? I forget the title.

The entire movie is about the meeting of Hitler's council that he formed to brainstorm and forge the Final Solution. You had to find a way to slaughter all those people that was cost effective, realistic and 'clean'. The conversations in that room, sickening as they were, showed some of the brightest folks of all Germany; confident geniuses. They were evil as all hell, but that's what happens if you exclude your humanity by enslaving it entirely to the brain.

When they finally settled on gassing and burning the 'scourge ghetto race', they were so proud of themselves.

And when they got to the formulation of chemical agent Zyke B, and what it did to the skin, turning it bright pink after inhalation, they all began to laugh in that room, beating their fists on the table like MTV addled frat boys at a Springer show, blowing smoke rings that landed on each of their heads like halos.

[Riverboat]

Counting down the days until The Chronicles of Narnia!Me, I'm counting down the days until Walk the Line opens. I was ambivalent about the choice of Joaquin Phoenix for the Man in Black until I read that the Man in Black himself picked the actor.

[Teenager]

Especially this line. My favorite!



Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Mr. Incredible: No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again. Sometimes I just want it to stay saved! You know, for a little bit? I feel like the maid; I just cleaned up this mess! Can we keep it clean for... for ten minutes! </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


Yeah, my favorite part is when Dash runs on water. That's like totally AWESOME!! http://www.giveupalready.com/images/smilies/mario2.gif (http://www.giveupalready.com/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=0&forumid=39#)

[Proud American]

Recent movies I have seen

Team America -- World Police. **** out of four. Great movie.
Bewitched * our of four. Terrible.

[dPrasse]

Monster in Law .... Jane Fonda played herself ;)

Saw Wallace & Gromit with one of my daughters ...

waiting for Walk the Line & Jarhead ...

[Elgalad]

"Jarhead" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418763/) : 3 stars out of 5

"Every war is different, every war is the same." -- Private Anthony Swofford

I saw Jarhead today. It wasn't exactly what I expected, but I'm not really sure What I expect out of Hollywood anymore. The movie presented a fairly accurate portrayal of a Marine's tour of duty, starting in Boot Camp through training in Pendleton, deployment in Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield, and finally combat action in Desert Storm.

I had a few bones to pick, though they were pretty minor. The obligatory boot camp opening was over the top, depicting harsh treatment that has not been sanctioned in Any military basic training since the 1960's. There was also a questionable war crime (?) scene near the end that wasn't resolved realistically. (sorry for the lack of detail, but no spoilers!) :smirky: Neither of these really 'ruined' the movie for me though, and had the movie been entertaining enough, I wouldn't have paid them much mind.

But that's just it.. I simply did not find the story all that entertaining. Yes, it gave a fairly accurate portrayal.. maybe Too accurate. Maybe that was the problem in fact. We see so many war movies that show lots of action and explosions, heroes demonstrating great courage and claiming glory, villainous enemies showing cowardice and outrageous behavior. None of that was in Jarhead. Not even the action. :unsmile: Good war movies don't require all of those things, but they should have Some of them, and this one didn't. None. Nadda. This movie needed viagra.

Neither did the movie even remotely address the political question underlying the first Gulf War. Oh, there were some scenes of the Marines' officers whipping them into a frenzy to take on the brutal invaders of Kuwait, but that was not really political so much as it was motivational. Every Commander on every side of every war in history has done that to their men, truthfully or not. No, the film did not have a pro or anti American message or even a pro or anti war one! (this very much surprised me)

Lastly, the ending was very anticlimactic, it seemed that the writer or the director was trying to ask a profound question of the audience, but this question was never really stated or resolved in any positive, negative, or really Any meaningful way. So I was left with a 'huh?' :question:

I gave the movie 3 stars out of 5. If you really like war movies a lot, steer clear of this one ~ it'll be a letdown. If you like the actors (Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, and Jamie Foxx were actually pretty good.. just not oscar quality) you may want to see it. If you want to learn how boring the life of a combat Marine can be, it could be educational.

In a nutshell... I don't feel I wasted my $5.75, but I'm Damned glad I didn't go see it when the tickets were full price.


Edit: I've since learned that this movie was autobiographical in nature, and the main character 'Swofford' is actually the author of the book, "Jarhead". This doesn't have any real impact on my mediocre review of the movie, but I am minded to point out that while I respect Swofford's right to express his viewpoint on his Marine experience, I believe it is a rather skewed one.

I feel Swofford's story presents a perspective towards the Marine Corps that I find personally offensive, since it needlessly Exaggerates negative experiences the author may have had while minimizing and even eliminating in most instances the true Heart of Marine Corps culture and tradition. Because of this, it is my firm opinion that the author is clearly serving a political agenda with this story, rather than providing an accurate recounting of his actual experiences as a Marine. I'll repeat though, that these opinions I have offer no real influence on my review of the movie and I'll leave my rating at 3 stars.


-Elgalad

[Elgalad]

"Saw" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387564/) 3.5 stars (out of 5)

Psychological thriller starring Cary Elwes (Princess Bride) and Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon). The movie presents an unusual premise ~ A serial killer is on the loose, leaving victims in deathtraps that allow for escape, but at what price?

"Saw" is pretty violent and not for the squeamish, definitely not for the kids. The acting is acceptable, but I found it a little stilted at times. The plot itself is full of bizarre and dark twists that keep the story interesting even though some scenes do seem to go on far too long, which unfortunately lowers the tension you might expect in a movie of this nature. This movie has been compared to Se7en and Silence of the Lambs. If you liked those movies, you'll probably find Saw worth watching.


"Danny Deckchair" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0337960/) 2.5 stars (out of 5)

I'll admit straightout that I'm not a big fan of chickflicks. :grin:

I didn't really expect this movie to BE a chickflick, it looked like another quirky Aussie comedy.. ah well.

The acting in this movie is surprisingly decent. The main actors are fairly unknown, save Miranda Otto who starred as Eowyn in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The story resembles "the Majestic" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268995/), with a man escaping from his stifling old life (and headed nowhere relationship) through a bizarre and remarkable event. He arrives in a new town, where he is able to 'reinvent' himself ala "Groundhog Day" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107048/), becoming everyone's best friend. Naturally, his past is destined to catch up with him.. but in the meantime, it's fun to watch.

Aside from its nearly total predictability, I didn't have any major faults with the movie. I don't usually go for these sorts of films, but I think persons who like watching romantic comedies might have fun with this flick. No serious questionable material (violence, nudity) though there is some language and suggestive content.



"Serenity" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379786/) 4.5 out of 5 stars

In case you didn't get it from the last review, I'm anything but objective when it comes to movies I like/don't like. :grin: That being the case, there should be no surprise that I Loved Serenity. I was only recently 'turned on' to the Firefly series, but I loved it so much (after renting the dvds) that I bought the entire set of disks containing the first (and only :sad: ) season. I look forward eagerly to adding the Serenity dvd to that set.

So did I have any other reason to "love" Serenity besides being a Fanboi? Actually, yes! But since the movie is really just a continuation of the series, I'll discuss both.

Serenity/Firefly is an unusual creation. The stories are set 500 years in the future, in a distant solar system that has no contact with our original home (Sol). Everything takes place within this solar system.. Humanity has progressed sufficiently to be able to terraform worlds and thus, the system in 'Serenity/Firefly' comprises numerous planets and moons all habitable to human life. Despite all of these factors, the stories are Not really 'science fiction'.. but more closely resemble 'westerns'. Since the 'core' worlds house the government and the 'civilized' folk, and the outlying worlds and moons are the frontier, this has the overall effect of creating a 'universe' that is very much like 19th century America.

Into this setting are thrown Nine totally dissimilar characters. These strangers, out of circumstance and common interest, begin an adventure that takes them from situation to situation, always one step ahead of the law. That is important, because.. most of the group are Outlaws. Criminals, Thieves, Rogues, Cuththroats, etc. yes, they aren't exactly 'good' guys. On the other hand, they Do have a rigid code of ethics that may seem convoluted, but one to which they cling to rigidly. This 'Robin Hood' plotline underscores the entire series and the movie, culminating with a final strike back against the 'evil' government that is constantly dogging their heels.

The stories are of course opportunities to develop these characters and allow them to interact with each other. To this end, they serve their purpose splendidly. Just when you think you are starting to 'get' a particular character, the writer/director throws a twist into the plot and you're left marvelling at the depth of a new mystery that has just been revealed. The dialogue is excellent, with dry humour and wit being the norm in nearly every conversation, but the interactions always seem believable, never forced.

If you like Westerns, you'll love Firefly/Serenity. If you like serious science fiction (not just special effects) you'll find something interesting here. If you enjoy mature dialogue and slowly building character development, it's here as well. Firefly/Serenity isn't for everyone. It requires investment in the characters and doesn't provide nearly as many instant payoffs as a series/movie like Star Wars (any) does. But what it may lack in special effects (and it really doesn't slouch in that regard!) it More than makes up in style.
:claps:



-Elgalad

[BarryC]

Normally I never go to movies in the theater. I never pay attention to what's playing. (In fact I have no idea what movies are in the theaters right now.) To know what I last saw in the theater I would have to ask a friend.

On DVD, VHS or on TV, I've seen many good movies recently.
Phantom Ship (1934)- pretty decent except for some corny acting.
To Sir With Love 2 - I'd venture to say that this is as good as the original, or pretty close. On DVD this is only available in PAL format, region 2, but I got a new player that will play it.
Once Upon a Time in the West - I've seen this before and am in the process of watching it on DVD now. It wouldn't play properly on my old DVD player, but now with my new one I can watch it and enjoy it. This is a Sergio Leone masterpiece with an Ennio Morricone score. It's interesting to see Henry Fonda play the role of a bad guy.
Ghost Ship - I just got this at a flea market last weekend for 3 bucks. It's quite good, although a bit gory in the beginning. I watched it last night.
Space Cowboys - This was another DVD that played kind of funky on my old DVD player. I just got to watch it last week. I think it's another good movie. Of course I like anything with Clint Eastwood in it.
I'm still waiting for Conrack to come out on DVD. I love that movie. I saw it once, and thought I had taped it off TV, but can't find a tape with that movie on it in my collection.

Barry

[dPrasse]

Green Berets , Sands of Iwo Jima , Strategic Air Command ( awesome B36 in flight shots) , now showing , not sure of the title ... but the Marines are at Guadalcanal ...
Heartbreak Ridge is coming up ...

yep , watching the AMC Veteans special ...

taking my youngest daughter to Zathura tonight ... looked interesting on Trump

[Wyatt_Junker]

I watched The Wizard of Oz last night with my boys. They are 5 and 2. For them it was their first time. For me it was... I dunno ... like the 35th.

They didn't budge. They were inside Munchkinland. They had actually slipped into another dimension with the access code and we're actually there! They were inside the TV. I'm serious.

I was drinking wine from a coffee cup. Probably too much. My mind began to retreat into quiet ruminations. I began to see Oz like I never had before. Even more than my Pink Floyd days.

Allow me to break this down for you...

First, this movie coincided with the rise of Freud. It was the initial baby steps of the therapeutic culture. And the Wizard himself mirrored the pharmaceutical industry.

Face it, all those characters were really fukked up. They had problems. Big problems. Some of them were missing vital organs. Or they had severe character defects.

Let's do this.

First, the Scarecrow. Trained in ju jitsu. He holds a black belt record of 17 and one in the recognized MMA world. Dude can juke with the best of 'em on the yellow brick road. His best move is his fall, his entire body goes limp, then he drops, skeedaddles and pops back up on his feet like an amphetamine junkie.

But his real problem is he's a dumbshit.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/wyattjunker/45.jpg

That's right. You heard me. No brains. A real dipshit.

Oz is the pusher. But he's expensive and isn't covered by the HMO. So Crow tries to cross the border into TJ to get some cheap prescription medication. Ritilan. For he is spastic.

Next, the Lion. Defect: pussy.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/wyattjunker/200px-Cowardly_Lion.jpg

Probably got his balls clipped at the zoo. And now he wears that little red bow on his mane. A pathetic piece of work, really. His drug of choice is an anti-anxiety agent. He's going to the Oz Man to get his score, but lacks the funds. And he can't go down south to TJ either. So he's kinda stuck.

Next freak, Tin Man. Problem: E.D.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/wyattjunker/tinman2.jpg

Dude was stiff when they found him, but after the lube job, he contracted erectile dysfunction. Face it. Tin is a weak metal. You can bend it with a plastic fork. And while he had a crush on Dorothy, he could never consummate his lust. He's going to Oz to score some Cealis<cite>®</cite>. Perhaps Canada.

Now, here's the real basketcase.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v625/wyattjunker/oz1_297_400_80.jpg

And she's even carrying a basket to prove it!

Look at that dazed expression. The entire movie, we were led to believe, had elements of reality seasoned with what were like peyote button croutons. She was a chronic hallucinogen queen. Probably a schizo. Gets whapped on the head and goes bananas. Starts seeing midgets in Grand Master Flash sequined outfits and flying monkeys. She needs help, fast. I sould suggest an anti-psychotic agent. We will start with lithium, your basic MAO inhibitor.

From there we will go holistic on her ass. Maybe start taking her to a 12 Step and get a sponsor. Then yoga, acupuncture, slaps to the cheek and salt cells just under the tongue.

Let's face it, watching Oz is like tripping on acid tabs without the lingering side effects. You have some very effed up people(if you can call them that) who need serious help. Its not a 'fun' movie. It is dangerous and requires supervision at all times. And please, DO NOT, put on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon at any time while you watch this flick. It just might put you over the top.

[Trevelyan]

"The Weather Man" ***1/2 out of four.

Seems like one of those love it or hate it, polarizing films.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory -- okay, not great. worth renting, but not paying exorbitant prices at the theater. I like Depp's character, even though a bit whacky. Didn't like the oompa-loompa one man band thing going on, I liked the original score much, much better.
:fruit: :fruit: out of :fruit: :fruit: :fruit: :fruit: :fruit: apples


Christmas with the Kranks -- good story line, not very well acted, imho. I was disappointed, expecting more from Tim Allen. I really like Jamie Lee Curtis, but her acting was too forced in this one. Best scene was at the tanning salon, though, thought I would roll out of my chair laughing. Did cry at the end when it all came together, but overall certainly not as good as either of the Santa Clause movies.
:fruit: :fruit: :fruit: out of :fruit: :fruit: :fruit: :fruit: :fruit: apples

[ThomasMore]

I saw The Weatherman with my girlfriend over the weekend. I frequently like Nick Cage, but this movie didn't turn me on. Until the very end neither Cage, his estranged wife, nor anyone else in the movie was at all sympathetic. Each was self-absorbed, profane and creepy. The characters' profane language didn't shock, but made them all look insipid and shallow. (Example: divorced Cage and his ex-wife having a loud argument on the front lawn about oral sex, then notice their young daughter looking on from the front door.)

The only redeeming element was Cage's belated signs of maturity at the end.

_____

A friend loaned me The Pianist, which I watched last week. This movie was well-crafted. Wladyslaw Szpilman was a concert pianist in Warsaw, a Polish Jew. After the Nazi invasion, the story chronicles the increasing oppression, the forced move into the Ghetto, the random cruelties, terror and executions, and the forced moves to the concentration camps. Szpilman's family is taken to the camps and is never seen again. Szpilman narrowly escapes the train, and takes up hiding -- and starving. He becomes a spectator to the Warsaw uprising, the Nazi razing of Warsaw, and the Soviet overrun of Nazi forces.

The movie is based on the real life of Szpilman. It is fair enough to depict some individual Jews, Poles and Germans as good, and others as evil. The movie was made by Roman Polanski, who I dislike on account of his past actions (he was convicted of statutory rape and fled the US) and the fact that he refuses to face the music for them, but the movie was well-made.

[Kathy29]

I saw War of the Worlds, an hour into the movie and I was ready to give the kids to the aliens myself. I never saw two more obnoxious kids in my life. The real mystery in the movie was how Tom Cruise as the father managed to put up with them. When he finally let the son go, I thought Thank Goodness, one down one to go.

[dPrasse]

Well , since I mis-heard the computerized voice on the phone , my daughter and I were 30 minutes late for Zathura and watched Chicken Little .... We'll see Zathutra "if someone learns to tell time !" geez ... no respect !! :D

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

Watched Madagascar last night. Real cute movie. We liked all the "references" to other movies, made it interesting. Starts slow, builds. Animation was good, and I loved the goof-real. The little Penguin movie short was very, very good, imho. It wasn't worth the price of admission at the theater (they are ASTRONOMICAL), but definitely worth the rental (and possibly purchase, because my kids really liked it and it was clean.) All in all I give it :fruit2: (http://www.freeconservatives.com/vb/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=privatemessage#):fruit2: (http://www.freeconservatives.com/vb/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=privatemessage#):fruit2: (http://www.freeconservatives.com/vb/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=privatemessage#):fruit2: (http://www.freeconservatives.com/vb/misc.php?do=getsmilies&wysiwyg=1&forumid=privatemessage#)out of five.

Watching Skeleton Key tonight. Bubba couldn't make it to stay up and watch it last night. Will give a report later, :smirky:

[Peachdiane]

Watched Madagascar last night. Real cute movie.

Agreed on your apple rating. The movie kept my middle son's attention the whole time. And he is NOT a movie person.... so that tells me they did a great job. :D

[dPrasse]

HMS ... take the kids to the matinee .... 1/2 price at our theatre ....

I did see "The Jerk" on TV last night .... Steve Martin .."I was born a Poor Black Man" ... sounds like Bill Clintons auto-biography opening ...

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

HMS ... take the kids to the matinee .... 1/2 price at our theatre ....

he he he, matinee??? Are you kidding??? I can barely get my kids in the same room during the day. Between the hours of 8am-6pm, I am in disguise working my undercover job as TaxiMama, LOL

[Peachdiane]

http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/Ottoson/main/images/momTaxi.gif

;)

[cerberus]

on DVD: Downfall: A
in theater: Good Night and Good Luck: A-

[Elgalad]

"Diarios de motocicleta (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0318462/)" (the Motorcycle Diaries) - 4 Stars (out of 5)

"Let the world change you, and You can change the world.."


I watched this movie initially without realizing that it was actually an autobiography. This was probably fortunate because had I viewed it knowing who it was about, I would not have enjoyed it nearly as much.

To that end, I'm going to review this movie on its Own merits first.

The movie is a brilliantly filmed and scored adventure set across the whole breathtaking landscape of South America. Two young well-to-do Argentinian college students, Ernesto and Alberto, set off in 1952 on a beat-up old 1930 Norton 500 motorcycle just before graduation to 'discover' the Latin America that they really know very little about. Ernesto will soon become a medical Doctor, and Granado will become a Biochemist. Their goal is to explore the continent, living off the land as vagabonds, until finally reaching a leper colony in Peru where they will do volunteer work in order to complete their medical internships.

Over the course of the adventure, they travel through Argentina, Chile, Peru, Colombia and finally, Venezuela. The trip lasts over 10,000 km and takes the boys the better part of a year to complete. Initially the adventure seems like a typical College romp as the boys chase skirts, sample fine wines, and basically get into as much trouble as you might expect a duo of hearty young lads to find.

Along the way however, the motorcycle gradually falls apart and the frivolity of the adventure turns into something more, a lifequest for meaning. The boys are forced to do oddjobs in order to earn their food and shelter. They volunteer their medical expertise on some occasions, their strong backs on others. They come across many examples of injustice and witness firsthand the wide disparity between the haves and the have nots. This has a lasting effect on Ernesto.

The film's most poignant moments are when the young men actually reach the Peruvian leper colony and see for themselves how society treats those considered 'outcasts'. The Doctors and Nuns who run the colony are all compassionate but still retain 'stigmas' about what is clean and unclean. (for example, no 'healthy' people are allowed to touch a leper unless they wear latex gloves ~ which the boys both refuse to wear and this helps to break down some of the artificial barriers that set the leper victims apart).

All in all, I found this movie a captivating, enriching, and educational essay on the geography and peoples of South America. We 'Yankees' often forget that the word America encompasses many other nations than our own and tend to dismiss those south of the border as all backwards, ignorant, third worlders. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is indeed a rich cultural heritage that spans across the entire continent of South America, but the peoples themselves are very diverse ethnically, socially, and economically. Argentina and Brazil are fairly wealthy nations, with well educated citizens and strong global economies.. but they are the exceptions, rather than the rule.

The movie finally ends with the boys separating in Venezuela, each having realized his life's true ambition: Alberto Granado returning to Peru to begin a medical research and treatment facility, and Ernesto.. or rather, 'El Che' Guevara choosing to return home and pursue a life of politics and revolution against the injustices he experienced.

Now that's the punchline, and while the movie is Not, and Ill repeat is NOT overly propagandizing, it does close during the credits with a harsh jab at the US and the CIA. Basically it points out that 'Che' Guevara helped Cuba liberate itself by leading the revolution (with Castro) and was rewarded for that by being 'murdered' by the CIA a few years later in Bolivia. Of course it does NOT mention that 'Che' was himself a brutal totalitarian who murdered thousands, eschewing pacifist revolution in favor of violent overthrows of democratic regimes.

So here's my conclusion: This movie is a beautiful piece of cinematography with a breathtaking musical score, great acting, great direction, good flow, and a fine story that captures well the moments and experiences that highlight a journey to adulthood. The movie is exceptional on its own merits, Oscar quality even. It is unfortunate that it details the younger experiences of one of the most violent enemies of freedom in the 20th Century. To this end, it is much like 'Max' (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0318462/), a movie about a troubled young artist named Adolf Hitler.



-Elgalad

[Elgalad]

Stephen King Presents, "Kingdom Hospital" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0324864/) 4 Stars (out of 5)


This is actually a television miniseries, but I'll rate it here anyway. I've been watching it on DVD. I hate commercials! :grin:

Stephen King himself has described this series as a cross between 'ER' and 'The Shining' and that's probably as close a description as there is. This version is actually an adaptation of a Dutch series called 'the Kingdom' and King has rescripted and recast it for an American audience. The casting is excellent, with Andrew McCarthy in one of the lead roles as 'Dr. Hook' and Bruce Davison as his foil, the dastardly 'Dr. Stegman'. Diane Ladd has a major role in the production as the kindly psychic hypochondriac, "Mrs. Druse" and Ed Begly Jr. plays the somewhat loopy, but good Hospital Administrator, "Dr. Jesse James".

The series revolves around a state of the art hospital in Maine that has been built on the ashes of an older hospital which itself was built on a Civil-War era factory. Both the factory and the older hospital had been burned completely to the ground, and the new 'Kingdom Hospital' is now quite haunted.

The very first episode is actually autobiographical for Stephen King, since it begins a long-running storyline about a famous artist who is struck by a van in a nearly fatal hit and run accident while jogging along a rural road. (this actually happened to Stephen King and has had a major impact - pardon the pun - on his more recent work) The artist's body is shattered by the accident and he lapses into a coma. While in this state, he discovers that he seems to be 'attuned' to the spirits inhabiting the hospital where his body lies. The ghost of a little girl named Mary desperately beseeches him to help her...

The rest of the series continues this plotline and adds many more. There is a great deal of dark comedy in here, as the 'evil' Dr. Stegman is constantly humiliated by his fellow doctors as well as the other inhabitants of the hospital and its surrounds (patients, homeless streetpeople). As the series progresses, the viewer quickly realizes that there is something very karmic about the abuses Stegman suffers, since he has committed some very nasty things in the past ~ and they are slowly catching up to him.

This series deals heavily with the supernatural.. Ghosts, psychic contact, and religious imagery. It is Not appropriate for children under 13, and Christian parents may want to consider carefully whether it is appropriate for their teen children as well. There is no bad language or nudity, having been made for tv, but there is some strong suggestive content and since it takes place in a hospital, some graphic depictions of surgical procedures and gore.

Mature viewers may find a great deal of entertainment in the storylines presented. I strongly recommend this to anyone who enjoys the works of Stephen King. It is definitely one of his better recent works.



-Elgalad

[Trevelyan]

I just got back from "Walk the Line." ***1/2 out of four stars.

What a wonderful movie. I enjoyed this film more so than I did "Ray", and also, I thought Phoenix's performance was greater than Foxx's.

If Phoenix does not win the Oscar for Best actor for this film, I will be genuinely surprised.

[Trevelyan]

"Shattered Glass" ***1/2 out of four stars.

[PrezLeefun]

Hello Everybody its beena while since I posted on this topic. So I am going to give my two latest reviews.

Zathura- *** stars. It was a very good fun family film. I got a little shock in the beginning because of one particularly foul word coming out of a six year old's mouth, but otherwise it was well done, upbeat, and touching.

Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire ***** stars. Now this folks was an amazing movie. As you all know by now I am a fan of the books. Readers are the toughest critics. And despite the fact that they cut about 25% of backstory that was essential to the plot in the books the script writers made the story flow with amazing ease and entered every neccesary fact.

The action was incredible and visually stunning. I laughed, became scared and even ( yes they got me) cried. Although I knew the story like the back of my hand I questioned every move Harry made- proving Daniel Radcliffe has truly come into his own as an actor and an exceptional one at that. (Not to mention he looks really good!)

Ralph Fiennes made Voldemort just as twisted and scary as I had imagined him to be. Supporting roles are just as worthy of praise as is Daniel's performance. The other young people playing Triwizard champions are amazing although they rarely speak with the exception of Cedric. Emma Watson (Hermione) and Rupert Grint (Ron) a true actors and play out romantic tension like I have never seen it before- perfectly done.

This may very well be up for awards in more than visual effects. My best advice- GO SEE IT.

[BarryC]

Just saw a Cary Grant movie called The Amazing Adventure, made in 1936. It's one of those movies he made before Topper and Bringing up Baby. His early films are relatively unknown. I got it (on DVD) ridiculously cheap from an Amazon marketplace seller, several months ago.
It's about a super rich guy who feels ill all the time. He goes to a well-known doctor who tells him that's he's sick from doing nothing. He makes a bet with the doctor that he will go get a job and work for a living, for the next 12 months, and get himself feeling better (which worked).
It's quite good, although not up to the standards of his newer films. The script was decent, but could have been a tad better. Also the DVD suffered from a somewhat less-than-perfect source print.
On the whole I'd give it a 7 or possibly 8 on a scale of 1-10.
The next DVD I plan on watching is Magnum Force. I started it last night but kept falling asleep.

[Trevelyan]

"The Color of Money" *** out of four.

[dPrasse]

Sky Captain ... pretty cool "alternative reality late 30's SciFi" flik ... the tricked out P40 was sweet ... *** out of 4

Submerged ... lots of action , but , had a confusing poor plot .... * out of 4

Sahara ... interesting movie , along the lines of Indiana Jomes type action flik , fun to watch *** out of 4

[BarryC]

Walk, Don't Run

Cary Grant's last movie, 1966. It's the only one of his movies made after 1938 that I've never seen. Got it on DVD from Amazon UK and watched it today. It's quite funny.
It's about a British businessman who arrives in Tokyo (2 days earlier than planned) on a business trip. It just so happens that it's during the Olympics, so there are no hotel rooms anywhere in the city. He answers an ad that's posted on a bulletin board in the U.S. embassy to share an apartment with a young woman, who happens to be American.
Later he meets an American architect who is also an Olympian, who also needs a room. This guy ends up sharing the apartment Cary Grant is already sharing with the young woman.
This movie is totally clean, but if it were made today, I bet it might not have been. Cary Grant is at his best here, as in many of his movies, and the other characters are great too. I'd give this at least a 9 out of 10, if not a 10.
I can't figure out why I've never seen it on TV. What a great movie.
P.S. I also got a Cary Grant movie from the 1940s called "The Howards of Virginia". Can't wait to see it.
Barry

[Teenager]

Polar Express last night.


It was alright. It could've been a really good movie, but something just didn't seem right. And that "something" took the charm outta the movie. Anyways, it was an ok movie.

[MSGT]

War of the worlds dvd. Spielberg builds suspense from the 1st min. A movie even Tom C couldn't screw up. Got a little hokey in 1 scene but a good time. ***1/2 of 5

[BarryC]

Finally found a DVD of Conrack, starring John Voight, on eBay. Just paid for it tonight. Amazon says the DVD is due for release on (get this!) January 1, 2010.
Can't wait for it to arrive so I can watch it. I saw it once on TV, and at the time I thought I remember taping it, yet I can find no such tape in my collection. Right now the cheapest VHS tape of this movie that I can find is $40. This DVD was only like $8.97 or something.

[UnkHiram]

Lets see

Saturday night --- War of the Worlds ** 1/2 stars (Tom Cruise could not act his way out of a paper bag)

Sunday night --- Polar Express ** not bad but hardly anything special

Honeymooners ---- ** Cute little movie

[Trevelyan]

"Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" ***1/2 out of four.

Hah, this movie is hilarious.

[ThomasMore]

"K-19: The Widowmaker (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0267626/)" with Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson.

A great reminder that there was no moral equivalency between the USA and the USSR.

[Charity]

Polar Express -at home-This movie is a whole new generation of animation.

Theatre-Star Wars III

[Proud American]

I just saw the March of the Penguins and the Honeymooners. MOP was a great documentary. Amazing story. The Honeymooners wasn't bad but I was disappointed.

[midnite]

Over the last 15 years I have been to one movie,Friday Night Lights

[sunsettommy]

The last two movies I saw at the movie house were,

The march of the Penguins and

Harry Potter #IV

Both good.

My wife saw them with me,her first two here in America!

[Proud American]

I rarely go to the movies but I do enjoy netflix. I just saw the documentary Inside Deep Throat. It was pretty good.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

Watched three:

War of the Worlds - stunk! What a horrible, horrible movie. I am SO glad I didn't waste any dollars seeing this one in the theater -- didn't even have to pay to rent it either, had a free movie rental coupon ... good thing too. Rating: Barely :fruit2: one apple out of five

Stealth - pretty good flick. I'm not much for movies like this, but my Bubba loves them. It was entertaining enough to keep me interested, so that says something for it. Some of the acting was stretched, some of it was thin, but overall worth the rental price in my opinion. :fruit2: :fruit2: :fruit2: apples out of five

Mr. & Mrs. Smith - I do not like Angelina Jolie, and I do not like Brad Pitt, so I fully expected to NOT like this movie ... didn't work out that way. I really enjoyed it! Thought it was funny, if not a little predictable in some respects. The beginning was much better than War of the Roses, and it ended much better for sure. All in all, I really liked this one the best out of the three. :fruit2: :fruit2: :fruit2: -3/4 apples out of five

On a happier and more exciting note -- pre-bought tickets today for me and my daughter to see The Chronicles of Narnia this Friday morning, first showing ... 9:50 am! Cannot Wait!

[ThomasMore]

I didn't expect to like Mr. and Mrs. Smith, either (for EXACTLY the same reasons). I liked it, too. Meaningless, violent, funny fluff. Total fantasy.

[Trevelyan]

"Shaun of the Dead" **1/2 out of four.

A little too uneven for my liking.

[Peachdiane]

Yesterday I took the kids to "Christmas Story" which the theater was showing free. :) An oldie but goodie... I wouldn't mind a leg lamp. :lol:

[Elgalad]

"Kingdom of Heaven" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0320661/) ~ *** out of 5

I was very disappointed with this movie. It had the potential to be another Gladiator or Patriot, but I almost fell asleep towards the end. This movie was Produced and Directed by Ridley Scott, who you might recognize from Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma and Louise, 1492: Conquest of Paradise, G.I. Jane, Gladiator itself (!) and Black Hawk Down.. So yeah, I felt pretty let down.

The acting was acceptable, and even rather good from Liam Neeson (very underutilized) and Ed Norton (very understated, but in a good way!). The special effects were also acceptable, with a few neat shots of siege weapons going off on a walled city (Jerusalem). The plot was acceptable, if predictable. Maybe you're starting to see a trend here though..? "Acceptable" is not what I expect from a blockbuster. I want to be wowed! And this movie just didn't do it.

Rather than go into detail on how history was rewritten to fit the politically correct climate of today's Hollywood mindset, I'll just say briefly: Christianity wasn't portrayed as 'evil', at least not any more so than Islam was portrayed as 'heroic'. Religion had a very small role to play in this story, which is really tragic, since the entire PURPOSE of the Crusades was to liberate the Holy Land from Islamic domination. :rolleyes: But of course, the Producer/Director/Writers decided to walk the safe route and portray this as a conflict of people, not ideals. Heck, the Hero of the story (Orlando Bloom's character) even 'loses his religion' and is portrayed as the better for it, since he then decides to fight for a Real cause.. though that part is never really explained satisfactorily. :question: That sort of ambiguity was also laced throughout the story. Often I felt like events proceeded from one thing to the next illogically or without any real purpose other than to 'move the story along'.

All in all, this isn't a Bad movie, but it isn't a Great one either. It's entertaining enough in its way I suppose, and I'd recommend it for anyone who enjoys Ridley Scott pictures or likes any of the main actors (Liam Neeson, Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Ed Norton, and David Thewlis) or is interested in the Crusades. But please don't expect any sort of history lesson. The actual historical events covered in this movie are mostly just hinted at, and much artistic license is used. I'd recommend this movie for adults and kids over 13. I don't remember seeing any nudity, and there was very little (if any?) foul language. There were some brief adult situations and of course, violent combat scenes.

Ridley Scott is currently producing "Tristan and Isolde" which will be out in 2006. I'll keeping my fingers crossed that it resembles some of his earlier better works and not this 'Kingdom of Mediocrity'. :whistle:



-Elgalad

[Trevelyan]

"King Kong" **** out of four.

[dPrasse]

Harry Potter ... lots of fun

Zathura , finally , fun adventure flick safe for kids

Cheaper by the Dozen I .... pretty funny !!

[Elgalad]

Fantastic Four (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120667/) ~ **1/2 stars (Currently on Video release)

http://img478.imageshack.us/img478/7295/poster9jk.jpg


I wasn't expecting a whole lot with this movie, so I wasn't too disappointed. I did see it on dvd, and with big special effects movies like this, you miss some of the Wow factor when you don't see it on the big screen. The special effects were alright, but no more spectactular than any other movie today. The acting was mediocre and could have been a lot better. The story was the real failure though.. The entire movie felt like it was written for the sole purpose of character development! Two hours (or 106 minutes, whatever) spent learning where the characters came from and what their powers are, gee. I was a bit underwhelmed. At least with the X-Men there was a real underlying threat that had to be dealt with and the focus was on That rather than on the characters' origins.

It's clear they intended from day one to make a sequel though, and after checking at the IMDB site, it's already in development, so.. the franchise could still turn itself around. But it's going to take a lot more effort than they put into this movie. I'm not fond of giving movies (and franchises) second chances, but with the serial nature of comic books, it's an exception I'll make.

As a comparison, I gave X-men and X2 four stars, the Hulk 3.5 and Spiderman 1 and 2 each got 4.5 stars. Clearly the Fantastic Four wasn't up to the standards of other comic book movies.

This movie was rated PG13, but I'm not really sure why it wasn't rated PG. There was no foul language, the action violence was mostly just explosions and comic book style "throwing heroes and villains around" without blood. There were a few brief scenes of the main villain blasting holes through people with electricity, so that may have been what pushed it over the top. No nudity or adult situations, but there was a Little bit of cheesecake with Jessica Alba's character in lingerie (yowza! :grin:). Fantastic Four is a safe bet for most kids and teens, but maybe a little much for kids under 10.

Speaking of the main villain though.. this one's for Doctor Doom. :smirky:

http://img478.imageshack.us/img478/5851/drdoomfull7yl.jpg
I've always wanted power. Now I've got an unlimited supply.


-Elgalad

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

Watched three more:

Sky High - Okay, I am a BIG time fan of old Walt Disney films of yore. This is very reminiscent of they way they USED to make the Disney flicks. I remember watching Kurt Russell in Disney films, and he lived up to my expectations with this one. It was a little sappy, a little childish, but isn't that the point? Good, clean fun, and even my teenagers, who won't admit it if you confront them, liked it. Several laugh out loud funny parts. Rating: :fruit2: :fruit2: :fruit2: - 3/4 apples out of five

The Island - This was totally not what I thought it was going to be. I thought the plot was pretty good, the scenes flowed well, it was interesting enough (at least enough that my Bubba didn't fall asleep during it's playing, which is unusual), BUT ... the ending stunk! I hate when a movie promises something and doesn't deliver in the end. Rating: :fruit2: :fruit2: - 1/2 apples out of five

Bad News Bears - Absolutely do NOT waste your money on this film. I was sadly disappointed. The original wasn't exactly "clean" but at least there was a meshing of characters, you were interested in them and you understood where they were coming from. THIS version is nothing but filthy language, for no apparent reason, stupid jokes which lame punchlines, and the cast did NOT meld well together. NOBODY can play Buttermaker like Walter Matthau, and Billy Bob Thornton can't even touch his shoes, much less fill them. Rating: NO apples whatsoever.

Looking forward to this Tuesday when Serenity and The Brother's Grimm come out.

[Trevelyan]

"The 40-Year-Old Virgin" ***1/2 out of four.

Best comedy of the year.

[PaulRevere]

I loved War of the Worlds- I think Dakota Fanning did a great job. I beleived as a veiwer that she was truly terrified. It was great.
All's she did was SCREAM! SCREAM! SCREAM! There were some scary special effects of anyone's worst nightmare proportions, but ...

... other than watching Tom Cruz kill Tim Robbins and millions of liberals in New York and Boston vaporized, I thought the movie was lousy.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

"Serenity" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379786/) 4.5 out of 5 stars

In case you didn't get it from the last review, I'm anything but objective when it comes to movies I like/don't like. :grin: That being the case, there should be no surprise that I Loved Serenity. I was only recently 'turned on' to the Firefly series, but I loved it so much (after renting the dvds) that I bought the entire set of disks containing the first (and only :sad: ) season. I look forward eagerly to adding the Serenity dvd to that set.

So did I have any other reason to "love" Serenity besides being a Fanboi? Actually, yes! But since the movie is really just a continuation of the series, I'll discuss both.

Serenity/Firefly is an unusual creation. The stories are set 500 years in the future, in a distant solar system that has no contact with our original home (Sol). Everything takes place within this solar system.. Humanity has progressed sufficiently to be able to terraform worlds and thus, the system in 'Serenity/Firefly' comprises numerous planets and moons all habitable to human life. Despite all of these factors, the stories are Not really 'science fiction'.. but more closely resemble 'westerns'. Since the 'core' worlds house the government and the 'civilized' folk, and the outlying worlds and moons are the frontier, this has the overall effect of creating a 'universe' that is very much like 19th century America.

Into this setting are thrown Nine totally dissimilar characters. These strangers, out of circumstance and common interest, begin an adventure that takes them from situation to situation, always one step ahead of the law. That is important, because.. most of the group are Outlaws. Criminals, Thieves, Rogues, Cuththroats, etc. yes, they aren't exactly 'good' guys. On the other hand, they Do have a rigid code of ethics that may seem convoluted, but one to which they cling to rigidly. This 'Robin Hood' plotline underscores the entire series and the movie, culminating with a final strike back against the 'evil' government that is constantly dogging their heels.

The stories are of course opportunities to develop these characters and allow them to interact with each other. To this end, they serve their purpose splendidly. Just when you think you are starting to 'get' a particular character, the writer/director throws a twist into the plot and you're left marvelling at the depth of a new mystery that has just been revealed. The dialogue is excellent, with dry humour and wit being the norm in nearly every conversation, but the interactions always seem believable, never forced.

If you like Westerns, you'll love Firefly/Serenity. If you like serious science fiction (not just special effects) you'll find something interesting here. If you enjoy mature dialogue and slowly building character development, it's here as well. Firefly/Serenity isn't for everyone. It requires investment in the characters and doesn't provide nearly as many instant payoffs as a series/movie like Star Wars (any) does. But what it may lack in special effects (and it really doesn't slouch in that regard!) it More than makes up in style.
:claps: -Elgalad

I would like to add my voice to that of Elgalad's -- Serenity is AWESOME! I was supremely disappointed when it was canceled, and thrilled when I heard they were making it into a movie. I can't for the life of me figure out why the Sci-Fi Channel did NOT pick up this series and keep it running.

The cast is one of the best ensembles I've seen in quite a while. They simply mesh perfectly together -- a great mix of quirkiness, straight players, and comedic as well as dramatic ability. I'd be hard pressed pick a favorite, as they all have character qualities that endear them to the viewer/fan. Consider me a browncoat!

The movie was all that I expected and more, and several UNexpected twists which broke my heart. It appears to have been written and shot with some finality, but I would absolutely be supportive if it were to become a series again, or they were to make more movies.

Rating :fruit2: :fruit2: :fruit2: :fruit2: - 3/4 apples

[Trevelyan]

"Munich" **** out of four.

I thought it was an amazing character driven film.

[Trevelyan]

"Heist" *** out of four.

[dPrasse]

Over Christmas/New Years school break , daughters and I saw Cheaper by the Dozen II and Fun with Dick & Jane .

Cheaper was ok 2.5 outta 4 not as funny as the original ...

Fun ... 3 outta 4 ....

[BritBrat]

Bloodrayne... it should've gone straight to DVD, Ben Kingsley (yes, of Ghandi fame) is in it... so is Meatloaf. But now he goes by the stage name of Meatloaf Aday

[Elgalad]

Bloodrayne... it should've gone straight to DVD, Ben Kingsley (yes, of Ghandi fame) is in it... so is Meatloaf. But now he goes by the stage name of Meatloaf Aday

That's his real name: Marvin Lee Aday

Bio from VH1 (http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/meatloaf/bio.jhtml)

I think it was his Mother that gave him the nickname, but I forget where I read that. :)


-Elgalad

[TechnoPrincess]

The Chronicles of Narna **** out of 4

[Elgalad]

Four Brothers (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430105/) ***


I wasn't expecting a great deal with this movie, really. Not even sure why I rented it, heh. Anyway, it wasn't really Bad, but it wasn't good either. It deals with four young men who are the grown up products of troubled youths. They have all more or less 'settled' into society but are brought back together upon the brutal gang-related murder of their adoptive Mother. The four naturally go on a rampage to avenge her.

The story is fairly predictable, though there are a few noteworthy efforts at keeping it fresh. For one thing, the story jumps Right into the action, instead of glossing over the childhood memories of the brothers. That helps set the pace at the beginning and if the director had stayed with it, it might have been a much better film. Unfortunately the action/adventure crashes to a melancholy halt shortly after it gets off the ground and must then try for a second wind. Once it gets going again though, it stays aloft.

The acting is slightly above par, and a real standout in Chiwetel Ejiofor (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0252230/), who plays the main 'bad guy'. I remember now that the reason I wanted to see this movie is that I had also seen this actor in Serenity (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379786/) and Josh Whedon (producer/writer/director) of that film mentioned in an interview that he had handpicked him for his role in that movie (as the main antagonist as well). 'Chewie' could be someone to keep an eye on in future I think. The other actors did a fair job. Mark Wahlberg and Sofia Vergara were the only two names I recognized from other films.

Four Brothers addressed some interesting elements of racial relations. The 'brothers' themselves are all unrelated of course, being foster children. Two are black and two are white, but they consider themselves Brothers not friends, since they grew up together in the same house with the same adoptive mother. There are some moments in the film where this is touched on.. for example, one of the men has two little children who, when one is told that the two men they've just met are their Uncles proclaims, "No you're not, you're white!" To which her sister says, "So was Grandma Eva!" And they are then told about their father being adopted like his 'brothers' were. The "N" word is also dropped a few times in the movie, sometimes by the white brothers, but this is never made an issue. Now That could be taken as both good AND bad for various reasons. All in all though, this movie was about revenge, not harmony.

This movie really isn't for kids, MPAA rates it R for violence, language and sexual content. There is a (somewhat) realistic shootout scene with graphic results as well as extremely foul language throughout the film.

I'd recommend this if you like modern gangster films or movies about Detroit (where it was filmed). I probably gave it a higher rating than I should, but it's one way to kill a couple hours when you can't find anything else good to rent (or watch on tv).



-Elgalad

[TechnoPrincess]

All's she did was SCREAM! SCREAM! SCREAM! There were some scary special effects of anyone's worst nightmare proportions, but ...

... other than watching Tom Cruz kill Tim Robbins and millions of liberals in New York and Boston vaporized, I thought the movie was lousy.

I have to agree...War of the Worlds was a huge disappointment for me and my hubby. We both thought there were actors who could have done a MUCH better job than Tom....

And the screaming and wide eyed terror thing did nothing for us...

[ThomasMore]

Just saw The Dish (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005MKKS/qid=1136698557/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-8843239-5163118?n=507846&s=dvd&v=glance), an Australian film. It is a light comedy about a radio telescope that sits in a sheep pasture near small-town Parkes, which NASA recruited to downlink Apollo 11's telemetry, and as it turned out, the first moonwalk. Based a true story, embelleshed a little. Good cast, led by Sam Neill and Patrick Warburton. Light fun, especially for us who remember Apollo 11.

[MSGT]

King Kong 2 out of 5 The first hour could have been cut and trashed. One full hour trying to build up the characters and I could have cared less about them. They did build sympathy for Kong later in the movie.

Narnia 4 out of 5 and yes I am biased. The special effects should have been better and I thought the kids sucked in a couple of places.

[ConspiracyBuff]

Man On Fire- Good movie, love Denzel, cant stand Fanning-4/5
Devils Rejects-not one to watch with children under 18-or your parents...Rob Zombie is a freak 2 1/2-5....just nasty
Hostage- finally saw this one, im in Europe so its a new release(haha), i love Bruce though and Die Hard is the best trilogy ever -4/5
A few Fav's-
Me, Myself and Irene (funny as hell), The Green Mile, Training Day, Blow, Dreamcatcher (little known movie based on a Stephen King novella-awesome film), The Boondock Saints and Braveheart-off the top of the head

[Charity]

The Cave
Not a bad movie but the ending left me kind of empty.

[Trevelyan]

cant stand Fanning


Hah, same here.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

The Cave
Not a bad movie but the ending left me kind of empty.

Charity, parts of that were filmed at a springs near where I live! My family watched it yesterday, but I was busy working on school work preparing for the first day back of homeschool :( A homeschool mom's work is NEVER done, :smirky:. (Shhhhh, don't type too loud, I'm sneaking in a few posts before my daughter gets up and we start school, LOL).

[DesertFox]

I just watched The Good, the Bad and the Ugly for the 700th time. Still a super movie.

This weekend I watched Once Upon a Time in the West for the infinity-plus-2 time. I sorta like it.

[Lazarus]

...This weekend I watched Once Upon a Time in the West for the infinity-plus-2 time. I sorta like it.Still not sure though, huh bro? I understand... Its not a decision one wants to rush into... :D

BTW, Fox (and anyone else) - If you are a fan of the Spaghetti Westerns (as I am) you should check out a movie called Last Man Standing, starring Bruce Willis... It has a strangely close affininty to A Fist full of Dollars, only it is set in the gangster wars of the prohibition period of the 1930's... I know that sounds like a hokey loser remake, but it actually is an outstanding film - very well done... A different environment but precisely the same story line as the Clint Eastwood western... Check it out - its fun to make the comparisons as you watch it...

[Lazarus]

The Chronicles of Narna **** out of 4Me too... And I can verify that rating - Its outstanding, especially if you are a Christian...

[MSGT]

Crash 4 out of 5 a very good movie that was able to capture realistic snapshots of human conditions. It's very rare for me to give 5 out of 5.

[Trevelyan]

"Hostel" * out of four stars.

Now usually horror films don't have to try particularly hard to please me, however, this film was just a complete and utter trainwreck.

[cerberus]

"Munich" **** out of 4

[DoctorDoom]

In a theater? Independence Day.

[TSawyer2112]

The Incredibles 3.5/4
Second Hand Lions 3.5/4
Rush R30 (30th anniversary DVD) 4/4 30 years and they still ROCK!!!

:thumb:

[Wyatt_Junker]

"Munich" **** out of 4

Let's translate your sig. Its about time someone did.

Killing for peace is like whoring for virginity.

WW2 US vets = whores

Good one.

As for Munich, I'm sure you and Stevo would have gotten along like old pals. E fukkin T and Jurassic Dumbass.

[DesertFox]

I don't use the feature that makes me wade thru everybody's sigline, so I didn't know cerberus had that idiotic line in his sig.

Killing for peace works. I flat-ass guarantee that no dead terrorist will kill again, or cause mayhem, or play loud music, or even take a shit in the wrong commode. He will be peaceful whether he wants to be or not.

[Wyatt_Junker]

Hit the sig button Major Fox. I just done re-diddled mine.

[DesertFox]

*groan*

[Trevelyan]

In a theater? Independence Day.

No, it doesn't have to be in a theatre.

[Wyatt_Junker]

http://www.drugs-plaza.com/movies/pictures/thirteen.jpg


Stayed up late last night and watched this. It was good but it kind of has that after-school-special vibe.

I was surprised finding out later that the girl on the right, the one who played the freewheelin slut Evie actually penned the script. Or so I think.

It was a frightening movie. And this is how my brain works; the mother reminded me of a Christ-figure. And the daughter symbolized mankind. The way the mother(Holly Hunter) loved her screaming shit-head of a daughter was inspiring. It was about redemption.

Sure it had that whole loss-of-innocence thing going, but bottom line - it was about how that innocence was, at least somewhat, regained.

[Trevelyan]

"Broken Flowers" ***1/2 out of four.<O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p
This movie leaves you with more questions than answers, but one of the few answers you are left with is satisfying, and at the same time kind of sad. <O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p
I am being vague to not spoil anything, but I am sure anyone else who has seen it knows what I am talking about. <O:p</O:p

Anyway, I love Bill Murray.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

In the theater - Hoodwinked!

A very delightful movie, and so funny. I didn't care for the beginning of the movie, it was rather lame, but once the action got started, I couldn't stop laughing (and neither could the jam-packed theater audience). What a creative spin on and old classic (Little Red Riding Hood). My kids figured out "whodunit,' before I did, but that still didn't make it any less enjoyable. The characters worked great. Animation was a bit sloppy in places (but that, of course, is because they didn't have ME as one of the animationists, :smirky: ). I'm actually glad we went and saw this in the theater, I'm afraid it will lose something in the transition to the small screen. Just the same, we'll probably get it when it comes out on DVD, because it's clean, it's fun, and it's okay for all ages.
Rating: :fruit2: :fruit2: :fruit2: :fruit2: out of 5

[Elgalad]

"Spanglish" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371246/) (on DVD) **** (out of 5)


A pleasant surprise, this movie isn't a blockbuster action flick, romantic comedy, thriller, horror, or any of the other usual suspects. Instead, it's a simple tale about relationships, family, and character. It came out in 2004 and I remember it got some decent reviews at that time, but I had never had a chance to see it until tonight.

The movie features Adam Sandler and Tea Leoni as a successful modern California couple, the Claskys. If the name Adam Sandler sets off warning bells though, think again. His performance in this film was incredibly understated and nothing at all like any of the slapstick comic roles he has played in the past. This couple has a pair of kids and a lovable old grandmother (played outstandingly by Cloris Leachman) and with John's (Adam Sandler) burgeoning success as a world class chef, all seems to be well with the world. Yet cracks have already begun to show in the foundation, as Deborah (Tea Leoni) is caught on a slow spiral downwards into self-absorption and depression, and her malaise sucks in the rest of her family as well.

Enter a Mexican immigrant maid named "Flor" (played by the breathtakingly beautiful Paz Vega). Flor's influence has significant effects on all of the family, and her insistence on ethical behavior and a strong sense of right and wrong stand in stark contrast to Deborah's carefree 'good intentions are all that matters' personality. The family rents a summer home on the beach and convinces Flor to come along. But Flor must bring her young daughter Cristina along as well. This further upsets the delicate balance in the family as Cristina becomes involved in a tug of war between Deborah and her mother; Deborah, because she wishes to provide better schooling and 'gifts' that Flor can not give Cristina, and Flor, because she sees these 'gifts' as bribes to earn Cristina's love and not something earned or deserved.

There are many other twists and turns in the story as well, and each of the main characters must come to terms with their role in their respective families and their ultimate responsibility first to their children.

I recommend this movie to anyone who loves a good morality tale. There is no questionable material, save a few minor foul words (I believe the 's' word was the worst, and I only heard it once), no violence, and no nudity, but there were a few brief adult situations ~ none of them were overly offensive though. The MPAA rated this movie PG-13, which seems appropriate.



-Elgalad

[Trevelyan]

<!--StartFragment --> "Hard Eight" *** out of four.

This is Paul Thomas Anderson's first film, and it is my least favorite of his four efforts thus far, however, it was entertaining and well acted.

[TechnoPrincess]

In the theater - Hoodwinked!

A very delightful movie, and so funny. I didn't care for the beginning of the movie, it was rather lame, but once the action got started, I couldn't stop laughing (and neither could the jam-packed theater audience). What a creative spin on and old classic (Little Red Riding Hood). My kids figured out "whodunit,' before I did, but that still didn't make it any less enjoyable. The characters worked great. Animation was a bit sloppy in places (but that, of course, is because they didn't have ME as one of the animationists, :smirky: ). I'm actually glad we went and saw this in the theater, I'm afraid it will lose something in the transition to the small screen. Just the same, we'll probably get it when it comes out on DVD, because it's clean, it's fun, and it's okay for all ages.
Rating: :fruit2: :fruit2: :fruit2: :fruit2: out of 5

Thanks for the review Homes. I wanted to take my son to see it, but wanted to know how it was from someone who actually saw it! :thumb:

[Trevelyan]

<!--StartFragment --> "The Aristocrats" *1/2 out of four.

Neither interesting nor funny.

[Wyatt_Junker]

<!--StartFragment --> "The Aristocrats" *1/2 out of four.

Neither interesting nor funny.

Agreed.

[Teenager]

The Sound of Music


An all-time classic. 5 stars.

[Trevelyan]

"Thumbsucker" **1/2 out of four.

Meh, I don't get the whole annoying teen angst thing, but it was decent.

[ThomasMore]

Crash 4 out of 5 a very good movie that was able to capture realis