If any of you Watchers live in UK go and see this:
http://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/film-review-ex-machina-1201405717/
http://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/film-review-ex-machina-1201405717/
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What I've Been Watching: The Catch-All Film Thread
- Thread starter xSamhainx
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Been wasting some time watching some recorded scammer videos, and this one takes the cake.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j4pGJZV4jE
The title says it all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j4pGJZV4jE
The title says it all.
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CelticFrost
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Just watched Vice(not inherent which I saw as well)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETtLM0NI-Ug
I will give it a 3 out of 10 because the concept was there. Just not very well executed. I can't stand watching bullets flying every where but never coming close to main characters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETtLM0NI-Ug
I will give it a 3 out of 10 because the concept was there. Just not very well executed. I can't stand watching bullets flying every where but never coming close to main characters.
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EA's commercials?
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I just can't believe this.
Not a single Oscar nomination went to Snowpiercer. Any category.
That's how probably the most important movie of this decade (and it will be hard job to beat it's sociological and psychological analisys of humanity) gets treated in Hollywood.
The academy decadence seems to continue. Didn't even bother to check what exactly is on their lists after seeing what isn't. Probably another yucky stuff about sexism, racism and other whatnot.
Not a single Oscar nomination went to Snowpiercer. Any category.
That's how probably the most important movie of this decade (and it will be hard job to beat it's sociological and psychological analisys of humanity) gets treated in Hollywood.
The academy decadence seems to continue. Didn't even bother to check what exactly is on their lists after seeing what isn't. Probably another yucky stuff about sexism, racism and other whatnot.
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CelticFrost
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this is was not complete
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I watched only three movies on that list myself so your not alone.
As most of them don't even interest me.
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D
DArtagnan
Guest
Interstellar 7/10
Points are for the acting, drama, excellent music, and a nice take on the effects of relativity.
Visually, it was good - but not great. Nolan is hit and miss when it comes to making a visual impression, but I really loved his work on Batman Begins - which I think is tied with Inception for his overall best work. I'm not a big fan of his other movies, though I wouldn't call them bad.
I'm also not a fan of "hard" sci-fi (to me, that's like doing your best to minimise the appeal of sci-fi) - and I don't like 2001 at all, so this movie obviously wasn't meant for me - but I still liked most of it. I did cringe something bad when the female "scientist" started talking about love as the one great mystery we should have faith in - and the less said about Nolan's typical issues with pacing and exposition, the better. Also, while I love Michael Caine - there's such a thing as using an actor too much and creating identical roles for him 5 or 6 times. I don't know if there's some kind of obligation involved, but overexposure is the result.
But it was an experience and it made an impression - so that counts for something.
Points are for the acting, drama, excellent music, and a nice take on the effects of relativity.
Visually, it was good - but not great. Nolan is hit and miss when it comes to making a visual impression, but I really loved his work on Batman Begins - which I think is tied with Inception for his overall best work. I'm not a big fan of his other movies, though I wouldn't call them bad.
I'm also not a fan of "hard" sci-fi (to me, that's like doing your best to minimise the appeal of sci-fi) - and I don't like 2001 at all, so this movie obviously wasn't meant for me - but I still liked most of it. I did cringe something bad when the female "scientist" started talking about love as the one great mystery we should have faith in - and the less said about Nolan's typical issues with pacing and exposition, the better. Also, while I love Michael Caine - there's such a thing as using an actor too much and creating identical roles for him 5 or 6 times. I don't know if there's some kind of obligation involved, but overexposure is the result.
But it was an experience and it made an impression - so that counts for something.
CelticFrost
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Citezenfour
This review is taken off of imb, I hope you enjoyed this democracy as much as I have.
"Citizenfour begins in a tunnel with dim overhead tubing. The scene is disorienting for we don't know exactly where we are.
A.O. Scott of the Times suggests that Laura Poitras' tightly edited documentary might presage a "dystopian allegory." It might also represent a birth canal through a new born will emerge.
And then suddenly bright sunshine bursts into view. For, the exciting first scenes of Citizenfour promises the same exhilaration of freedom that Beethoven's opera Fidelio's "Prisoners Chorus" as prisoners emerge from the bowels of prison, into the light of day and gleefully sing "Oh what joy, in the open air freely to breathe again!" Monday, June 3, 2013 is the day the world of the National Security Council (and other intelligence agencies) secrecy metaphorically died as Edward Snowden let loose on the world the dirty little secrets that the US government, through the abuse of "spyware" was keeping tabs globally of the private thoughts of nearly everyone, regardless of caste or class. Dramatically, Poitras builds tension, as a voice off the screen, muted in tone and pitch—the better to create a sense of balance, in a documentary that has already been attacked for being partisan—through the use of the first e-mails Snowden began contact with her, as the text flashes in black and write across the screen in an old fashioned Hollywood spy caper.
More, she gives immediate substance to her viewers of what encryption is o outwit government hackers as in the following frames messages are quickly made readable in standard English. Not only that, this cinematic technique provides something graspable to the average Joe or Jane of, perhaps, cryptography and mega-data that are used daily in print or on television with endless repetition that might simply remains meaningless. So, Citizenfour also seeks to show the ordinary citizen the means of government intercepting Internet, tapping the telephone, sweeping billions of personal messages a day out of the public's view and behind closed doors.
Even through Snowden's exposure of abuses of "powers that be, with the connivance of corporations continue to disregard the constitutional and legal safeguards that protect US citizens from arbitrary rule.
Citizenfour is a film about the whistle blower Edward Snowden. Although we might think we know the man, Poitras' documentary introduces to Snowden in the flesh: a man who has risked his life and freedom to expose the American government's perversion of its democratic vocation and of conspicuous misuse of power. He comes across as a thoughtful young man, then 29, of substance, well centered and at peace with himself.
For eight days in Snowden's room in Hong Kong's Mira Hotel, Poitras filmed the conversations he had with Glenn Greenwald and the Guardian's defense and intelligence correspondent Ewan MacAskill patiently answering questions and with the patience of a teacher explaining the ins and outs of the deceitful spying that the NSA with the cooperation of friendly governments.
Her camera captured the former Booz Allen analyst on loan to the NSA who had no intentions of hiding his identity. Worried about Washington's vendetta to use the 1917Espionnage Act against whistleblowers exposing government malfeasance, Snowden left the US to sound the alarm of the oppressive control of the American spy agencies on the lives of ordinary citizens.
And if Snowden is crystal clear of anything, he is careful not to unnecessarily outing operatives, nor exposing them to bodily harm.
"Pin the target on my back," "nail me to the Cross," he says to Poitras, as he openly tells her that he is assuming full responsibility for leaking highly classified documents, not unlike the pope announcing urbi ed orbi his message od good will on New Year's.
Citizenfour, a last minute addition, kicked off the 2014 New York International Film Festival, as a character study of Edward Snowden, that Festival director called "icily chilling." For Stewart Klawans, Citizenfour is a "character necessary character study," to counter the campaign "to distract people from the substance of Snowden's revelations that predictably, entailed an effort to disparage him as a person."
And the film has become the object of attacking a person's character or motivations rather than a reasoned argument that Poitras' film presents. Simply look no further than Citizenfour's cast of characters—Snowden, Greenwald, Poitras, William Binney, Julian Assange, Jeremy Scahill and Macaskill and The Guardian—all whistle blowers who have not shied away from exposing government and private industry deceptions and corruption.
So far, it looks as though Citizenfour is a strong contender for an Oscar in the best documentary category. Still, the spotlight is not on Snowden but MacArthur genius winner, George Polk and Pulitzer Prize recipient Poitras.
Her talent is obvious, so the coverage has hardly a hint of faint praise. Nonetheless, critics on Slate and Daily Beast see the chinks in her cinematic armor, and even The New Yorker's George Packer remains skeptical of what they see as Poitras' "advocacy journalism," riddled with simplification and broad generalizations.
She has become the handy scapegoat since Snowden is out of government's harm's way, living in perfect domesticity in Moscow, with his longtime companion, whom he thought he lost forever.
Although she like Greenwald and nameless millions if not billions will forever be under permanent US surveillance, Citizenfour is a strong antidote to our government's campaign to besmirch Snowden, Poitras and company who performed the daring act, in the case of unfettered US spying to say "the emperor is wearing no clothes." The strength of Poitras documentary lies in honesty and her sense of moderation and fair play: moral goodness that the talking heads will continue to attack and demean. And try as they might, thanks to Snowden the cat is out of the bag on the NSA. And yet, alas, the spying goes on., without a vigorous citizen countervailing force to blunt our government's abuse of power and rendering democracy a hollow shell."
This review is taken off of imb, I hope you enjoyed this democracy as much as I have.
"Citizenfour begins in a tunnel with dim overhead tubing. The scene is disorienting for we don't know exactly where we are.
A.O. Scott of the Times suggests that Laura Poitras' tightly edited documentary might presage a "dystopian allegory." It might also represent a birth canal through a new born will emerge.
And then suddenly bright sunshine bursts into view. For, the exciting first scenes of Citizenfour promises the same exhilaration of freedom that Beethoven's opera Fidelio's "Prisoners Chorus" as prisoners emerge from the bowels of prison, into the light of day and gleefully sing "Oh what joy, in the open air freely to breathe again!" Monday, June 3, 2013 is the day the world of the National Security Council (and other intelligence agencies) secrecy metaphorically died as Edward Snowden let loose on the world the dirty little secrets that the US government, through the abuse of "spyware" was keeping tabs globally of the private thoughts of nearly everyone, regardless of caste or class. Dramatically, Poitras builds tension, as a voice off the screen, muted in tone and pitch—the better to create a sense of balance, in a documentary that has already been attacked for being partisan—through the use of the first e-mails Snowden began contact with her, as the text flashes in black and write across the screen in an old fashioned Hollywood spy caper.
More, she gives immediate substance to her viewers of what encryption is o outwit government hackers as in the following frames messages are quickly made readable in standard English. Not only that, this cinematic technique provides something graspable to the average Joe or Jane of, perhaps, cryptography and mega-data that are used daily in print or on television with endless repetition that might simply remains meaningless. So, Citizenfour also seeks to show the ordinary citizen the means of government intercepting Internet, tapping the telephone, sweeping billions of personal messages a day out of the public's view and behind closed doors.
Even through Snowden's exposure of abuses of "powers that be, with the connivance of corporations continue to disregard the constitutional and legal safeguards that protect US citizens from arbitrary rule.
Citizenfour is a film about the whistle blower Edward Snowden. Although we might think we know the man, Poitras' documentary introduces to Snowden in the flesh: a man who has risked his life and freedom to expose the American government's perversion of its democratic vocation and of conspicuous misuse of power. He comes across as a thoughtful young man, then 29, of substance, well centered and at peace with himself.
For eight days in Snowden's room in Hong Kong's Mira Hotel, Poitras filmed the conversations he had with Glenn Greenwald and the Guardian's defense and intelligence correspondent Ewan MacAskill patiently answering questions and with the patience of a teacher explaining the ins and outs of the deceitful spying that the NSA with the cooperation of friendly governments.
Her camera captured the former Booz Allen analyst on loan to the NSA who had no intentions of hiding his identity. Worried about Washington's vendetta to use the 1917Espionnage Act against whistleblowers exposing government malfeasance, Snowden left the US to sound the alarm of the oppressive control of the American spy agencies on the lives of ordinary citizens.
And if Snowden is crystal clear of anything, he is careful not to unnecessarily outing operatives, nor exposing them to bodily harm.
"Pin the target on my back," "nail me to the Cross," he says to Poitras, as he openly tells her that he is assuming full responsibility for leaking highly classified documents, not unlike the pope announcing urbi ed orbi his message od good will on New Year's.
Citizenfour, a last minute addition, kicked off the 2014 New York International Film Festival, as a character study of Edward Snowden, that Festival director called "icily chilling." For Stewart Klawans, Citizenfour is a "character necessary character study," to counter the campaign "to distract people from the substance of Snowden's revelations that predictably, entailed an effort to disparage him as a person."
And the film has become the object of attacking a person's character or motivations rather than a reasoned argument that Poitras' film presents. Simply look no further than Citizenfour's cast of characters—Snowden, Greenwald, Poitras, William Binney, Julian Assange, Jeremy Scahill and Macaskill and The Guardian—all whistle blowers who have not shied away from exposing government and private industry deceptions and corruption.
So far, it looks as though Citizenfour is a strong contender for an Oscar in the best documentary category. Still, the spotlight is not on Snowden but MacArthur genius winner, George Polk and Pulitzer Prize recipient Poitras.
Her talent is obvious, so the coverage has hardly a hint of faint praise. Nonetheless, critics on Slate and Daily Beast see the chinks in her cinematic armor, and even The New Yorker's George Packer remains skeptical of what they see as Poitras' "advocacy journalism," riddled with simplification and broad generalizations.
She has become the handy scapegoat since Snowden is out of government's harm's way, living in perfect domesticity in Moscow, with his longtime companion, whom he thought he lost forever.
Although she like Greenwald and nameless millions if not billions will forever be under permanent US surveillance, Citizenfour is a strong antidote to our government's campaign to besmirch Snowden, Poitras and company who performed the daring act, in the case of unfettered US spying to say "the emperor is wearing no clothes." The strength of Poitras documentary lies in honesty and her sense of moderation and fair play: moral goodness that the talking heads will continue to attack and demean. And try as they might, thanks to Snowden the cat is out of the bag on the NSA. And yet, alas, the spying goes on., without a vigorous citizen countervailing force to blunt our government's abuse of power and rendering democracy a hollow shell."
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CelticFrost
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I found the acting by Mathew Mcconaughey to be great in this movie as it has been in the last few rolls he has taken on. It hard to believe some of the fluff movies he use to do and now to see him as one of the better actors we have.
As for the rest of the movie, it had a good story behind it. I just found at times it to be very slow, to the point where I wanted to push fast forward. I do agree with you about the point when they brought "Love" into the equation.
It is not a bad movie, it just isn't a movie worth a academy award.
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Just a moment ago watched interstellar.
Two words: incredible film. I was struck speechless in a very good way. The experience was so inspiring, touching and thrilling! I was honestly surprised as I had not read anything about this film previously.
I will have to reflect my experience and organize my thoughts, but rarely i've felt so invigorated after watching a movie. Quite easily 9/10 type of film, but like said I have to reflect my thoughts a bit more, but "wow" was basicly the first thought that came into my mind when credits began rolling!
Two words: incredible film. I was struck speechless in a very good way. The experience was so inspiring, touching and thrilling! I was honestly surprised as I had not read anything about this film previously.
I will have to reflect my experience and organize my thoughts, but rarely i've felt so invigorated after watching a movie. Quite easily 9/10 type of film, but like said I have to reflect my thoughts a bit more, but "wow" was basicly the first thought that came into my mind when credits began rolling!
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CelticFrost
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Have you seen Whiplash yet? I found it to be a much better movie than Birdman. Not that Birdman wasn't a good movie.
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D
DArtagnan
Guest
I liked Birdman, but I guess I missed why it's THAT good. Keaton is excellent, as are the other actors - especially Norton.
But the plot is a bit too familiar - and if you've seen Sunset Boulevard, you've seen the best example of a very similar story.
Still, not bad - and I'd give it 7.5/10.
But the plot is a bit too familiar - and if you've seen Sunset Boulevard, you've seen the best example of a very similar story.
Still, not bad - and I'd give it 7.5/10.
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I just saw Whiplash. Great movie as well. Simmons was just wonderful. He really gave it all his oomph. I love the passion that obviously went into Whiplash. But I definitely liked Birdman better.
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