What I've Been Watching: The Catch-All Film Thread

Dark Shadows As he does most times, Johnny Depp made the film worthwhile. Overall, though, this is not one of Burton's better ones. Parts of the plot were not well developed, but overall it was OK. Make sure you go to the matinee. If you aren't all that much of a Depp enthusiast probably worth waiting to rent this one.

The trailer for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmexgVvm4o8

No.. it's not a joke.

Originally Posted by JDR13
The trailer for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmexgVvm4o8

No.. it's not a joke.

The books by Seth Graham-Greene, including this and 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' are actually quite good, so I am looking forward to this one.

Battleship

Great special effects.Aliens and spacecraft very well done and cool-looking. Some awesome alien weaponry. But a very predictable plot. I mean i understand these movies are about action and effects, but try to surprise us at least a little bit.
Overall its OK, but nothing I would watch again. Worth seeing on the big screen, as long as it's the cheaper matinee prices. I paid $6. I really wouldn't pay any more to watch it. Liam Neeson has very little camera time, which is a shame. One of the better actors we have today,IMO.

And why in Gods name does every movie have to have a love story?? I mean seriously, there are movies if you like that stuff. I don't recall any aliens making an appearance in "The Notebook". Why does a love story have to be in every single movie? Ok end of love story rant.

Saw Wrath of the Titans yesterday.

Meh… I wasn't expecting much, but I was hoping to see some cool CGI monsters and decent fights at least. The plot was horribly cliche, and even the action was a letdown. The best scene imo was in the first 15 minutes, and then it was all downhill from there.

Mission: Impossible 4
Good big budget popcorn action flick.
B

Hugo
Scorsese's film looks fantastic. I didn't really care for the first half though. Too formulaic. The second half was magic.
Worth a look. C+

Battle: Los Angeles
Rubbish. An overblown B movie, ends with a cliffhanger.
F

The War Game [1965]
"Technically and intellectually we are living in an atomic age, emotionally we are still living in the stone age."
This is a brilliant, Oscar winning BBC mockumentary about WW3 as it (would have) happened in 1965. Based on hard data from WW2 (Hiroshima, firestorm after Dresden bombing, etc.) expert interviews and actual emergency plans. In only 45 minutes it teaches why, how and how much we would all be screwed in case of a light nuclear attack. The whole thing is cold, precise and unemotional. The given arguments are as correct as cynical, and the consequences unavoidable.
A masterpiece. If you have the chance, don't miss it. A

Green Zone
A serious war movie with a message. Pretty good film with high production values. Unfortunately it didn't offer anything new.
B-

Johnny English 2
Average. A couple of good jokes, but also too long.
Watchable. C

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
As good as everybody says. Only one action scene, but it doesn't need more. Surprisingly conventional for a Fincher movie, which isn't necessarily negative. Strong actors, unusual setting, very interesting story and characters. The only slight weakness is a lack of suspense.
A-

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Looks unbelievably expensive, has a lot of action and a few interesting ideas. Apart from that it's a typical Hollywood buddy movie.
Slightly better than average. B-
The new BBC mini-series with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman is so much better. Watch it instead. (A)

Prometheus

Incredibly disappointing. Completely hollow characters with a non-sensical plot. A few "for effect" gore scenes - but with zero tension. More holes in the story than I could possibly count. Only positives were the android and the visuals.

I feel like I did just after watching Phantom Menace for the first time - except I was partially prepared this time.

Originally Posted by DArtagnan
I feel like I did just after watching Phantom Menace for the first time - except I was partially prepared this time.

Damn…

Of course I'll still have to see for myself, but my expectations will be lower.

Originally Posted by JDR13
Damn…

Of course I'll still have to see for myself, but my expectations will be lower.

I hate to spoil the mood - and I keep telling myself I was being harsh, but I honestly don't think so.

I guess I'll have to wait another 33 years to see a potentially worthy sequel/prequel/spin-off of my once favorite franchise….

Originally Posted by JDR13
Damn…

Of course I'll still have to see for myself, but my expectations will be lower.

I have to say that the trailer felt so much like it was just laying everything out … in a way that made it feel desperate rather than awesome to me.

If you ask me, the trailers released make up a good 70-80% of the movie.

Originally Posted by Icefire
Battleship
… And why in Gods name does every movie have to have a love story?? I mean seriously, there are movies if you like that stuff. I don't recall any aliens making an appearance in "The Notebook". Why does a love story have to be in every single movie? Ok end of love story rant.

Yet another reason to watch Carpenter's "The Thing".

pibbur who intends to watch said movie Saturday, and who also clings to the hope that Dart are extremely harsh in his review of Prometheus.

Looks like fun : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Seuss'_The_Lorax

2 points struck me when reading this article, however :

Mazda used the likeness of The Lorax's setting and characters in an advertisement for their CX-5 SUV.[15] This was seen by some as the complete opposite of the work's original meaning.[16]

Some conservatives have criticized the film for having a strong environmentalist message. Lou Dobbs, the host of Lou Dobbs Tonight on the Fox Business Network, has criticized the film as being "insidious nonsense from Hollywood," and accused "Hollywood of trying to indoctrinate children."[23]

So, being anti-environmentalist is actually a good thing ?

Originally Posted by Alrik Fassbauer
So, being anti-environmentalist is actually a good thing ?

For some of the neo-cons, yes. They would rather defoliate entire forests, extinct species and strip mine vast tracts of land … than lose 1 job (some have said literally that). Not all conservatives feel that way about the environment, some just see it as government over-interference with business (of course, with that mindset we would still be dumping toxic waste in rivers and oceans, but hey) …

Originally Posted by EvilManagedCare
Dark Shadows As he does most times, Johnny Depp made the film worthwhile. Overall, though, this is not one of Burton's better ones. Parts of the plot were not well developed, but overall it was OK. Make sure you go to the matinee. If you aren't all that much of a Depp enthusiast probably worth waiting to rent this one.

I'll largely agree with this. I was just a bit disappointed, all said.

I watched Transporter 2 last night.

Completely over the top to the point of being utterly ridiculous. I wish I could have that 90 minutes of my life back.

So i watched Iron SKy , it was super and probably the best CGI effects ever used by a B movie.

Moneyball, a biographical sports drama about the Oakland Athletics baseball team and its general manager Billy Beane. The sport itself wasn't focused on that much but rather the management side of it. Intersting stuff. Liked it.

oh boy stumbled across an Adam West and Burt Ward movie where they play themselves

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukaUrYU4pho

What does an elephant always do?