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| TV & Media Non-Trek television, movies, books, music, etc. |
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#1276 |
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Admiral
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
Tucker, The Man and His Dream - DVD Island in the Sky - DVD Killing Them Softly - free admission The Palm Beach Story - free admission Red Dawn (2012) - free admission Gremlins - free admission Lincoln - free admission The Comedy - free admission People Like Us - DVD The Conspirator - DVD Bernie - Netflix Instant The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part One - DVD The Prophecy: Uprising - DVD The Prophecy: Forsaken - DVD Head - free admission The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) - DVD Monster House - DVD The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part Two - free admission Anna Karenina (2012) - free admission Holy Motors - free admission Double feature last night. First up, the new Keira Knightley movie. I thought it was alright, Jude Law was pretty good. And while settin' the majority of the film in a theater settin', usin' the stage, backstage, balconies & such as part of the story was interestin', it got pretty damn distractin'. The only other movie I could think of that used a similiar idea was Chicago... And then HM...which I had heard was a bizarre experience, but once it becomes clear what's goin' on, not so much. Sure, it takes a bit to figure out, and there are a couple of WTFs?!? but not nearly as mindbendin' as I was expectin'. Also, its the first I can remember seein' an erect penis in a movie that wasn't porn. Gonna try to see The Hobbit today, and Hitchcock tomorrow. |
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#1277 |
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Fleet Admiral
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
Thunderstruck ✭ Dark Shadows ✭✭ Moonrise Kingdom ✭✭ On the Road ✭ Like Crazy ✭✭✭✭ The Hobit: An Unexpected Journey ✭✭✭½ Cemetery Junction ✭✭✭ Albatross ✭✭ Chalet Girl ✭✭✭ happythankyoumoreplease ✭✭✭ |
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#1278 | |
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Admiral
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
196. The Hobbit (A-) 197. Galaxy Quest (A+) The Hobbit: Mostly enjoyed it. On one hand, it's not as tightly structured as the LOTR movies. On the other, nearly every criticism I've read about it could be applied to Jackson's earlier trilogy (particularly, the extended versions). A part of me is slightly disappointed that we won't have the choice of a disciplined edit and an everything-and-the-kitchen sink edit like we did with LOTR, but that's the commercial reality of making a relatively short children's novel into a nine-hour, three part epic. Galaxy Quest: I only find this film funnier and better made each time I see it. It's a pitch-perfect parody of Star Trek, and a terrific, pulpy space opera yarn, too. Theatres: 61+1 Home Video: 121+1 Computer: 13
__________________
"What do you hear, Starbuck?" "Nothing but the rain, sir." "Then grab your gun and bring in the cat." |
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#1279 |
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Fleet Admiral
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
The Perks of Being a Wallflower ✭✭✭½ It's faithful to the novel, but also lacks the guts to actually deal with the central topic head on. John Carter ✭½ 'tis garbage. I thought it was just getting a bad rap, but it's borderline unwatchable. Makes me want to remake it. |
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#1280 |
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The Tim Burton Version
Location: Defying Logic
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
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#1281 |
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Admiral
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
Tucker, The Man and His Dream - DVD Island in the Sky - DVD Killing Them Softly - free admission The Palm Beach Story - free admission Red Dawn (2012) - free admission Gremlins - free admission Lincoln - free admission The Comedy - free admission People Like Us - DVD The Conspirator - DVD Bernie - Netflix Instant The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part One - DVD The Prophecy: Uprising - DVD The Prophecy: Forsaken - DVD Head - free admission The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) - DVD Monster House - DVD The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part Two - free admission Anna Karenina (2012) - free admission Holy Motors - free admission Zoom: Academy for Superheroes - DVD The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 2D - free admission Lucky # Slevin - DVD Hitchcock - free admission After Porn Ends - Netflix Instant Watchd the gawd awful Zoom on DVD the other day. Saw it for four bucks at Wal-Mart the other night...and felt robbed when it was over. It was an interestin' idea, but the muggin' for the camera from Chevy Chase, Courtney Cox's pratfalls, and the general "screw this" Tim Allen just oozes throughout the movie...plus, the kids castin' sucked and why was there a Wendy's commercial right in the middle of it? Went to see The Hobbit in 2D the other day. I enjoyed it, especially since Ian McKellan got to kick some ass as Gandalf. I'll be goin' to see it in 3D and the HFR soon, too, since I can get into 'em for free. Took three tries, but I finally got through #Slevin on DVD. Great cast, but not a great movie. Hitchcock was an alright movie about the makin' of Psycho. Still think there could have been more to tell about that movie & its production, that this movie just hits the highlights without really talkin' about it, or informin' the audience about anything they wouldn't already know. And, finally, the documentary After Porn Ends, which takes a look at different porn stars, how they got into the industry, what they did while there, and what they are doin' now that they aren't porn stars. Watched it on Netflix last night after work. Did y'all know Asia Carrerra is in Mensa? |
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#1282 |
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Admiral
Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
143. Empire of the Sun (A-) Another of Steven Spielberg's early straight dramas, starring a young Christian Bale (as well as John Malkovich, in a rare non-crazy role, and Miranda Richardson) as a British schoolboy trying to survive in Shanghai following the Japanese invasion in World War II. As one would expect from Spielberg, it's technically excellent, and features a great performance from Bale, displaying all the potential he would go on to fulfill in his later career (a rare male child actor to become an adult star). 144. This Is 40 (B+) Judd Apatow has directed only four movies, but I suspect casual moviegoers would probably guess he's done a lot more, given how widespread his influence on the comedy genre has been, thanks to his many writing and producing gigs, and the proliferation of his disciples (including, recently, Lena Dunham, who cameos here, alongside expected figures like Jason Segel and Bridesmaids' Chris O'Dowd). This is a "sort of" sequel to Knocked Up, focusing on Katherine Heigl's character's sister and brother-in-law (Leslie Mann and Paul Rudd), but I think they'd honestly have been better-off without that connection, because it really raises more questions than it answers, both in terms of where Heigl and Rogen are despite this movie centering on a big family gathering (Heigl, obviously, was unlikely to return; perhaps as a consequence, Rogen misses an Apatow movie for the first time), and because this movie's Pete and Debbie don't really remind me of what I remember of the earlier movie's couple at all. That said, it's a fun comedy. Apatow's movies are generally criticized for being overlong, and certainly I could edit this down further fairly easily (excising the stuff with Debbie's employees would be the easiest subplot to ditch), but I didn't think the runtime was a big issue. The movie as a whole is generally observational in style, so it doesn't have a strong plot to begin with. Rudd and Mann are both in top form, and the expansive supporting cast (enabled by the aforementioned runtime) provides for plenty of good moments. The most emotionally affecting work is done by Albert Brooks and John Lithgow as their fathers. Cinema: 51 (+1) Home Video: 80 (+1) Computer: 13
__________________
"I'm a white male, age 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me, no matter how dumb my suggestions are!" - Homer Simpson |
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#1283 |
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The Tim Burton Version
Location: Defying Logic
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
352. Supergirl (✩✩✩) - DVD - I recently purchased this one on DVD. It's a shame that it wasn't included in the Superman movie set or even released on blu-ray, but hopefully someday it will be. I'm reviewing this because I got the version with the extra 10 minutes, bringing the runtime to 124 minutes. I hope to get the longest version at some point just to have, but what I saw was adequate. I like Helen Slater as Supergirl and I liked Faye Dunaway as the wannabe sorceress. It's a decent story and an underrated movie if you get past the Salkind-style camp. The intro is kind of catchy… Can't believe it cost $1 milion to make. 353. Finding Mrs. Claus (✩✩½) - Live TV - Mrs. Claus travels to Las vegas to help a woman in need, and following along is Santa himself to find out what she's up to. Stars Mira Sorvino and Will Sasso. Due to some magic that allows them to blend into society, the actors spend much of the movie looking like themselves. Not a great movie, but not bad either. 354. Naughty or Nice (✩✩✩✩) - Live TV - A career woman named Krissy Kringle was just fired from her job and accidentally gets Santa's Naughty or Nice list (in the form of a book) mailed to her. The book is magic and contains everyone's secrets which she uses to her advantage. Krissy's parents were played by Michael Gross and Meredith Baxter of Family Ties fame. I thought that was a nice touch. I tuned in expecting your usual lame Hallmark TV movie, but this one was actually really good. A little more effort was put into crafting a story more complex than your usual TV movie fare. This would have made a pretty good big budget picture. I plan to get this on DVD. I like Christmas movies and this one is worthy of my collection. Theatre: 22 DVD/Blu-ray: 137 Live TV: 141 Recorded TV: 5 On Demand: 45 Internet: 4 |
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#1284 |
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Admiral
Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
145. Rashomon (A+) Akira Kurosawa's first big international success, which introduced a whole new style of storytelling. It holds up exceptionally well. The 50s style of Japanese acting featured in Kurosawa's films can take a bit of getting used to, but once you do the calibre of the work is easy to appreciate. Machiko Kyo is the real star of this one, aided by the fact that her character changes the most pronouncedly between the tellings. It's also an interesting movie to watch from the perspective of a law student. 146. Three Kings (A) This is, in my estimation, the best film made about the Gulf War, but I can only think of three (this, Courage Under Fire, and Jarhead), so perhaps that's not that big a distinction. That said, still a terrific movie -- a more dramatic Kelly's Heroes for the 1990s (or maybe a grittier precursor to George Clooney's Ocean's 11). Much like David O. Russell's later The Fighter (and Silver Linings Playbook, if the reviews are to believed), it takes a pretty standard story arc ("guys engaged in immoral/self-interested conduct suddenly get a crash course in empathy and become real heroes"), but delivers it in a fresh, engaging way. It also functions as an interesting time capsule, given what happened later. Cinema: 51 Home Video: 82 (+2) Computer: 13
__________________
"I'm a white male, age 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me, no matter how dumb my suggestions are!" - Homer Simpson |
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#1285 |
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Admiral
Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
147. Les Miserables (A) Tom Hooper's followup to The King's Speech has proved critically divisive (though audiences seem to approve so far), for a variety of reasons. To an extent, the knives have been out for him since he had the temerity to beat David Fincher in 2010; the musical genre itself has detractors (and this one in particular); and Hooper makes some bold stylistic choices that will understandably attract supporters and critics. I think the style choices work, emphasizing the confined circumstances the characters always find themselves in (despite Les Miserables generally being thought of as an epic, it's really only epic in toto, rather than scene-to-scene). Among the actors, Jackman, Hathaway, Barks, and Redmayne are the top tier (as well a superb cameo by the original Jean Valjean, Colm Wilkinson). I also thought Seyfried was quite good, in a part that is rather thankless (the actress who originated her jokingly described her as "the most boring soprano ever in an 80s musical"). Baron Cohen is, weirdly, doing a French accent despite everyone else doing English ones. Crowe isn't a great singer, but he serves well enough, I think. The immediacy of the live-singing really works, and there are a number of changes made that on the whole work well (as well as reincorporating various parts of the novel that weren't in the musical); there's one addition at the end that works wonders. I saw this in Sydney, Cape Breton, on Christmas Day with my cousin Maggie, who had no knowledge of either the musical or the book, and she also loved it. It has flaws as a film, but as populist entertainment to invoke big emotions, it's a huge success, and I loved it. 148. Django Unchained (A) The following day, after driving home to Charlottetown (which took about seven hours) to attend a family Boxing Day event, I went to the late showing of Tarantino's latest. Tarantino's filmography might be broken down into tree parts: the 1990s crime films (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown), the early 2000s era of 1970s cinema homages (Kill Bill 1 & 2, Death Proof), and now the historical epics (which also have homage elements, of course). This is another historical revenge fantasy (albeit without the heavy historical revisionist elements; perhaps we'll get a sequel where Django takes down Nathan Bedford Forrest). The cast is uniformly strong, beginning with Christoph Waltz, who once again shows his effortless command of Tarantino's language (whilst playing a character the audience doesn't have to feel conflicted about liking). Jamie Foxx, in the title role, is much more subdued than most of the other actors (he's supposed to be the man of few words), but he's strong, and sells all the key moments. As the main bad guys, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson both deliver the goods. The latter delivers on one of my main hopes for the film, that Tarantino could get something new out of Jackson, who has been phoning it in for years; count on Quentin, I guess, since it was his Pulp Fiction that established his persona to begin with. Kerry Washington is fine, but the role is rather underwritten for the main female in a Tarantino film. Structurally the movie is a bit undisciplined (and I imagine there's been stuff cut out; Amber and Russ Tamblyn appear in the opening scenes in the background, without any dialogue), and there's a moment that feels like the climax, but isn't (though I can see the story reason why). Nonetheless, it's a lovely canvas, and Tarantino's music choices are as good as ever (Jim Croce's "I Got A Name" being my favourite). Cinema: 53 (+2) Home Video: 82 Computer: 13
__________________
"I'm a white male, age 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me, no matter how dumb my suggestions are!" - Homer Simpson |
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#1286 |
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Vice Admiral
Location: Nashville,TN
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
95. Goldeneye: A 96. Whistleblower: B+ 97. The Town: A+ 98. Ted: A 99. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: B+ Overall a well acted, written film just not perfect. I'd seen some commentary online where people said they had a hard time following the story as it jumps around as the investigation into the mole proceeds. I thought their were noticeable verbal queues and in some places musical queues to let you know from when we went from the "present('73)" and to the past. I do feel like the movie felt every bit it's running length. I good movie but no so good I'd want to own it. Doesn't have high re-watchability imo. Worth some awards for sure.
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"Picard never hit me." Q-Less(DS9) "Freedom is the Right of All Sentient Beings" Optimus Prime Twitter:http://twitter.com/#!/CaptainCraig1 |
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#1287 |
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Fleet Admiral
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
The Campaign ✭✭✭ Snow White and the Huntsman ✭✭✭ Despicable Me ✭✭½ - Aside from the minions and the youngest daughter's antics, this movie is kind of a bore House at the End of the Street ✭✭ - somebody at the core, there's a good movie dying to get out. Making it a scareless (literally) teen horror film was a mistake. |
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#1288 |
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Rear Admiral
Location: The Wired
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
Grand Total: 102
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"Formidable, are the World Delicacy Noodles." Chachamaru-Negima!? |
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#1289 |
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Fleet Admiral
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
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#1290 |
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Admiral
Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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Re: Movies Seen in 2012
149. Anna Karenina (B-) This will be my final new theatrical experience for the year, based on what's scheduled to come in. Joe Wright's first two movies were brilliant, but he got tons of flack from people accusing him of being the return of James Ivory, which led to him straying off to prove them wrong by making The Soloist, which I didn't see (like most people), and Hanna, which was quite interesting; even now, returning to classic literature adaptation in an historical setting, he was motivated to throw out his plans for a traditional version in favour of this highly experimental staging. It...kind of works. I'd kind of like to see what the more traditional approach would have looked like. The deliberately stagey approach is interesting, and seems like a shoo-in for the Production Design Oscar, but it also calls attention to the artifice of the proceedings, so it's hard to care about the characters a lot of the time. Though regardless they would have to deal with the miscasting of Vronsky, which is, needless to say, a problem. Keira Knightley does very well as the title character, and there's a knockout supporting performance from Alicia Vikander (also in A Royal Affair this year, which I haven't seen yet but plan to), among many familiar faces Wright has recruited (including Knightley's Pride & Prejudice love interest Matthew Macfadyen, amusingly playing her brother here. Jude Law is also very strong, as Anna's jilted husband, who the movie plays as a sympathetic character (moreso than Anna, even), a decidedly unusual choice. Cinema: 54 (+1) Home Video: 82 Computer: 13
__________________
"I'm a white male, age 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me, no matter how dumb my suggestions are!" - Homer Simpson |
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