8198 replies to this topic

[Campaigner]

That happens to me sometimes with actors. Thankfully, it hasn't with Hopkins. And Neeson didn't bother me in Begins. He does bother me in some films though. I guess an example of an actor that this happened to me with, acclaimed as he is, is Russel Crowe.

And as for Tom Cruise...see last post, I guess. I couldn't disagree more. I saw almost nothing of Cruise in Vincent (Collateral). His performances from The Last Samurai, to War of the Worlds, to Lions for Lambs were incredibly diverse and skillful IMO.

Don't get me wrong - I don't hate Tom Cruise at all... far from it in fact. It's just that I find it hard to separate the actor from the character anymore. But as I said, maybe that's my fault. Having said all that, I think Mission Impossible III was fantastic and I wasn't too much aware of Cruise (the actor) as I thought I would've been.

Ditto on Russell Crowe - which is a shame, because he's been so good in so many roles. I haven't liked him in anything since Gladiator, and even then I wasn't impressed as much as I was with him in The Sum of Us, Romper Stomper, L.A Confidential and The Insider - the last two of which will easily make my top 10 of the 90s film list. I think the guy disappeared up his own ass long ago and his films have suffered as a result. I know I'm probably in the minority, but A Beautiful Mind and Cinderella Man were just awful, awful films, and Crowe is mainly responsible for that.

[Nick]

I thought it was ok in parts but a majority of it was typical "daddy didn't love us & is to blame for our mediocre existence" boring bullshit. Regretted wasting my Saturday night watching it.

[Ogawa]

The critics loved that movie and so I was expecting something at least half-way decent. But no. I was annoyed from the very beginning with the slow-motion old lady dancers and then the movie went absolutely nowhere interesting for the next two hours. The only good part was when Hoffman was shouting about how the nursing home was "a place where people are dying" etc.

[Magnus Malcolm]

Don't get me wrong - I don't hate Tom Cruise at all... far from it in fact. It's just that I find it hard to separate the actor from the character anymore. But as I said, maybe that's my fault. Having said all that, I think Mission Impossible III was fantastic and I wasn't too much aware of Cruise (the actor) as I thought I would've been.

Ditto on Russell Crowe - which is a shame, because he's been so good in so many roles. I haven't liked him in anything since Gladiator, and even then I wasn't impressed as much as I was with him in The Sum of Us, Romper Stomper, L.A Confidential and The Insider - the last two of which will easily make my top 10 of the 90s film list. I think the guy disappeared up his own ass long ago and his films have suffered as a result. I know I'm probably in the minority, but A Beautiful Mind and Cinderella Man were just awful, awful films, and Crowe is mainly responsible for that.

I agree about Cinderella Man, actually. And though I don't hate it, I didn't think Beautiful Mind was too great. Funnily enough, Tom Cruise was originally wanted for that role, but he turned it down, don't know if it was time conflicts or what.

Gladiator has always annoyed me. He hardly had to act at all, the screenplay was written so everything he said would seem awesome. Very overrated film, IMO. Not to mention that it pretty much stole it's first 45 minutes.

I like M:I III quite a bit. The tension between Cruise and Hoffman carried me through, I was glad to see them back together. Fingers crossed that they work together again, they said they would.

Ogawa, I agree completely that the Hoffman freak out scene was the best moment in the film. He carries any film he's in for me.

[caley]

I quit this job!

Spanglish: Was watching this on TBS and I can't think of many movies in recent years advertised so differently from what they actually were. The commercials make it look like another one of those "lovable foreigner teaches rich family the meaning of life"-type movies when it is actually a pretty vicious and thorough evisceration of the modern yuppie woman. I think it's to Tea Leoni's credit that the character has absolutely no redeeming qualities. This is basically the equivalent of James L. Brooks throwing women he knows and interacts with on a daily basis under the bus. Adam Sandler is pretty great, too, actually.

[Magnus Malcolm]

Yeah, I liked Spanglish. When it came out all the critics were saying "move most disguised as heartwarming when actually depressing" by its' trailers. Sandler can indeed be good, in this, in Punch-Drunk Love, etc.

[Kennan]

The critics loved that movie and so I was expecting something at least half-way decent. But no. I was annoyed from the very beginning with the slow-motion old lady dancers and then the movie went absolutely nowhere interesting for the next two hours. The only good part was when Hoffman was shouting about how the nursing home was "a place where people are dying" etc.

Yeah, WTF. I rarely go the cinema, and I was expecting something I'd like, critical accolades, and her other flick, "Slums of Beverly Hills" being okay (though that might not hold up; I haven't seen it since release).

Acting was the highlight. But the flick and the writing itself delved into schmaltz and I wasn't expecting that. I mean over-schmaltz. C'mon!

[Damo Suzuki]

Oh hell yes! Kevin Conroy is the only person that should voice Batman. This is good.

[hummingbird]

Oh hell yes! Kevin Conroy is the only person that should voice Batman. This is good.

Glad to hear this is good, but what makes it so good? Previews are really not doing it for me.

Plus, so far the DC Direct line has been pretty disappointing between Superman: Doomsday which was abysmal, and the slightly better New Frontier.

[Campaigner]

Spanglish: Was watching this on TBS and I can't think of many movies in recent years advertised so differently from what they actually were. The commercials make it look like another one of those "lovable foreigner teaches rich family the meaning of life"-type movies when it is actually a pretty vicious and thorough evisceration of the modern yuppie woman. I think it's to Tea Leoni's credit that the character has absolutely no redeeming qualities. This is basically the equivalent of James L. Brooks throwing women he knows and interacts with on a daily basis under the bus. Adam Sandler is pretty great, too, actually.

Didn't mind that film at all - agree about Leoni's character.

Paz Vega is just about one of the most gorgeous things ever created. Anyone who says that she and Penelope Cruz look the same obviously can't tell the difference between pure beauty and whatever the opposite of that would be...

[Ogawa]

Paz Vega is just about one of the most gorgeous things ever created. Anyone who says that she and Penelope Cruz look the same obviously can't tell the difference between pure beauty and whatever the opposite of that would be...

Paz is indeed beautiful, but don't hate on Penelope. She's quite something as well.

Speaking of Paz, have you seen Sex and Lucia? Not a terribly good film, but MMM MM MMMmM!!

[Campaigner]

Paz Vega is just about one of the most gorgeous things ever created. Anyone who says that she and Penelope Cruz look the same obviously can't tell the difference between pure beauty and whatever the opposite of that would be...

Paz is indeed beautiful, but don't hate on Penelope. She's quite something as well.

Speaking of Paz, have you seen Sex and Lucia? Not a terribly good film, but MMM MM MMMmM!!

I don't really hate Penelope Cruz, but she's not in Paz Vega's league at all.

Sex and Lucia? I concur!

[Damo Suzuki]

Glad to hear this is good, but what makes it so good? Previews are really not doing it for me.

Plus, so far the DC Direct line has been pretty disappointing between Superman: Doomsday which was abysmal, and the slightly better New Frontier.

Well, its always neat to see Batman reinterpreted. Batman being the most versatile character in fiction ever created. Whether an imagining of the Dark Knight in a 40s noir setting, Batman in the American Civil War, Batman battling Dracula in a parallel world or Batman in a Victorian-era inspired steam punk Gotham city. He works in virtually any setting and any genre. Translating the traditional storytelling modes of American fiction to Anime instead of the other way around is just a another twist on Batman.

Most of the episodes were written by actual writers of the Batman series; Greg Rucka, Brian Azzarello, David Goyer and Alan Burnett. Storywise, Gotham Knight is coming from a good place with writers that know why Batman works so well.

Animation is varied in quality. Still incredibly cool to see the Anime versions of these characters. Deadshot being a particularly inspired idea. Though your experience may vary depending on how much you geek out over such things. For me, that would be "a lot".

My nitpick, and its a big one, is that they changed Renee Montoya's name. That it was done in Rucka's story makes it all the more puzzling/insulting.

I don't think Warner Brothers will ever be comfortable with Montoya in her current incarnation. They try their hardest to obscure her character when possible. Though I am willing to bet Rucka could do little to help that given the losing battle he has fought on Montoya's behalf for the past decade. But still, it will never cease to disappoint me that women are marginalized in media. Fuck you, Warners.

[JeffTweedysFatStomach]

Just popped this in for the first time ever...

[velocity]

A disappointment, am I right?

[Undercooked Sausage]

Oh hell yes! Kevin Conroy is the only person that should voice Batman. This is good.

Hell fucking yeah, Kevin Conroy!

Downloaded it and watched the first act, was really disappointed, and turned it off.

my friend says deadshot comes in though and i should watch it, i'll do it later.

[Magnus Malcolm]

A disappointment, am I right?

I'd say that you are. IMO, that film is one of the most overrated out there.

[Ogawa]

A disappointment, am I right?

I'd say that you are. IMO, that film is one of the most overrated out there.

Once Upon a Time in the West > The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Yojimbo > Sergio Leone

[held]

underworld usa

astounded I'd not seen this earlier. brilliant noir by sam fuller. one I'd not overlooked but essentially never caught up with. great flick. well worth seeing.

[Magnus Malcolm]

underworld usa

astounded I'd not seen this earlier. brilliant noir by sam fuller. one I'd not overlooked but essentially never caught up with. great flick. well worth seeing.

I'll have to see that one.

Speaking of films caught up with, I finally checked this off my "Should've seen This" list-



I didn't like it as much as I'd hoped. Snazzy, cool film making and camera work, to be sure, but for whatever reason the film felt kind of stagnant. They never really justified Costello as a perfectionist before he screwed up, so I could only become too interested in him. I was surprised at how some of the scenes seemed to drag on, as it's a relatively short film. I also called his relationship with the piano player would be as soon as

Spoiler

she saw him after the killing. Meaning, that he'd get picked up, she wouldn't fuck him over, and then at some point he'd get a hit on her.

. That took away from the fun too. Despite the "cool" factor, this was disappointing view.