FG Film Reviews

Post by **spot** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 10:48 pm

flopstock;1233736 wrote: I watched Seven Pounds tonight.

Will Smith was a wonderful teenaged actor, I thought.

He will go down in movie history as a great adult actor.:thinking:

I'm just sayin':D

You don't think great actors focus more on live stage performance, interacting with an audience? I'd always thought that was a key element to their art.

flopstock · Post by **flopstock** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 6:29 am

spot;1233739 wrote: You don't think great actors focus more on live stage performance, interacting with an audience? I'd always thought that was a key element to their art.

I think actors who want to be considered great focus on stage. I think actors that are great, simply become the character. They connect and become the person you are looking at.

Stage is just another listing on a resume for the wannabe. Mathew Broderick was a wonderful young actor. He went to stage and is now slightly over the top in everything I've seen lately..:thinking:

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 8:32 am

flopstock;1233736 wrote: I watched Seven Pounds tonight.

Will Smith was a wonderful teenaged actor, I thought.

He will go down in movie history as a great adult actor.:thinking:

I'm just sayin':D

I dont think hes a great actor. Hes good but not great. What he has going for him is hes very likeable.

Post by **spot** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 11:44 am

flopstock;1233778 wrote: Stage is just another listing on a resume for the wannabe. Mathew Broderick was a wonderful young actor. He went to stage and is now slightly over the top in everything I've seen lately..:thinking:

I suspect the stage in the US is rather different to what we have here in that case. Perhaps it's the distances involved.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 4:06 pm

I love war films and went on Sunday AM to see the new film "The Inglorious Bastards" with Brad Pitt. Let me say first that Brad Pitt was recently quoted as criticizing the film "Valkyrie" and the part that Tom Cruise played. Wow--a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Both were rotten films in my opinion.

"Bastards" was absolutely nonsensical. Pitt was a American Lieutenant dropped into German occupied France along with a squad of Jewish soldiers whose mission was to capture, maim and kill Nazi's and bring terror to the Reich. Now, while the idea of Jewish soldiers killing Nazi's has merit and can be justified, the films depiction of these events is ludicrous. Some theater attendees cheered and clapped (mostly 20's & 30's) as one of the American Jewish soldiers scalped a Nazi. The final scene of a movie theater in France being burned down with Hitler, Goering and Goebbels inside was the last straw. I realize that this film was meant to be fictional, but give me a break, even as fiction it sucks bigtime.

flopstock · Post by **flopstock** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 6:14 am

Lon;1233979 wrote: I love war films and went on Sunday AM to see the new film "The Inglorious Bastards" with Brad Pitt. Let me say first that Brad Pitt was recently quoted as criticizing the film "Valkyrie" and the part that Tom Cruise played. Wow--a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Both were rotten films in my opinion.

"Bastards" was absolutely nonsensical. Pitt was a American Lieutenant dropped into German occupied France along with a squad of Jewish soldiers whose mission was to capture, maim and kill Nazi's and bring terror to the Reich. Now, while the idea of Jewish soldiers killing Nazi's has merit and can be justified, the films depiction of these events is ludicrous. Some theater attendees cheered and clapped (mostly 20's & 30's) as one of the American Jewish soldiers scalped a Nazi. The final scene of a movie theater in France being burned down with Hitler, Goering and Goebbels inside was the last straw. I realize that this film was meant to be fictional, but give me a break, even as fiction it sucks bigtime.

I've never been a big Pitt fan. My first war movie I watched more then once was The Dirty Dozen . The Great Escape was another good one.:thinking:

flopstock · Post by **flopstock** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 6:17 am

spot;1233877 wrote: I suspect the stage in the US is rather different to what we have here in that case. Perhaps it's the distances involved.

A stage is a stage dear. Folks on stage are always trying to deliver it to the folks in the back row. They seem to have problems turning it off after a while.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 6:01 pm

flopstock;1234115 wrote: A stage is a stage dear. Folks on stage are always trying to deliver it to the folks in the back row. They seem to have problems turning it off after a while.

Im sure English stages are way better than American stages.

Something about the way we occupy foreign countries makes our stages inferior somehow.

Post by **spot** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 5:40 am

Nomad;1234270 wrote: Im sure English stages are way better than American stages.

Something about the way we occupy foreign countries makes our stages inferior somehow.

I'm sure your stages are magnificent, it's just the way your compatriots act that I had in mind.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 2:52 pm

spot;1234401 wrote: I'm sure your stages are magnificent, it's just the way your compatriots act that I had in mind.

Yea, they are magnificent. Except the ones that arent.

This is one of our local theatres. Every seat is acoustically identical due to the cubes in the walls and ceiling.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 3:23 pm

Anyone seen The Midnight Meat Train yet?

Spock?

YouTube - Midnight Meat Train - Trailer!

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 8:32 pm

Nomad;1237945 wrote: Anyone seen The Midnight Meat Train yet?

Spock?

YouTube - Midnight Meat Train - Trailer!

no....been eating carrot cake.

Post by **spot** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 10:36 am

Nomad;1237945 wrote: Anyone seen The Midnight Meat Train yet?

Spock?

No, I suspect it would ruin my week.

What I might try to get to is The Soloist

almostfamous · Post by **almostfamous** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 10:07 am

I watched two great movies last night that I highly recommend checkin out.

1. Passengers with Anne Hathaway, Patrick Wilson, Clea Duvall, David Morse, many many others that I enjoy from other movies. It was a little suspenseful, a little enlightening and a little awesome. Only in the last 5-10 minutes did I really understand what had been happening. Good Stuff, lots of little kernel thingies

2. Fighting with Channing Tatum, Terrence Howard, Luis Guzman, and others. Nothing tooooo spectacular plotwise but I enjoyed it all the same.... it didn't hurt that Channing Tatum is a bowl full of hotness :yh_drool:yh_giggle

Post by **spot** » Sun Sep 20, 2009 11:09 am

almostfamous;1244354 wrote: it didn't hurt that Channing Tatum is a bowl full of hotness :yh_drool:yh_giggle

Been there.

I'm pretty sure there's a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking.

I plan on finding out what that is some day.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:33 am

almostfamous;1244354 wrote: I watched two great movies last night that I highly recommend checkin out.

1. Passengers with Anne Hathaway, Patrick Wilson, Clea Duvall, David Morse, many many others that I enjoy from other movies. It was a little suspenseful, a little enlightening and a little awesome. Only in the last 5-10 minutes did I really understand what had been happening. Good Stuff, lots of little kernel thingies

Excuuuse me but Ive already done a review on Passengers with the ridiculously attractive Anne Hathaway.

Dont bogart my territory please.

almostfamous · Post by **almostfamous** » Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:39 am

Nomad;1244887 wrote: Excuuuse me but Ive already done a review on Passengers with the ridiculously attractive Anne Hathaway.

Dont bogart my territory please.

Yeah, well, nobody listens to you anyway so :p

...not that anyone listens to me either but :p:p:p:p

Kathy Ellen · Post by **Kathy Ellen** » Sun Sep 27, 2009 2:54 pm

"Tortilla Soup"

This is a movie for our FG chicks....It's from 2001, but I'm not sure if anyone watched it. This is one of my favorite movies, and I have watched it about 10 times so far. It's one of the movies that I can watch over and over.

Here's a good review....

Tortilla Soup (Movie review)

Tortilla Soup (2001)

Tortilla Soup Recipe : : Food Network

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 7:45 pm

spot;1239174 wrote: No, I suspect it would ruin my week.

What I might try to get to is The Soloist

Have you seen this yet?

I finally got around to it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Jamie Foxx was good and as always so was Robert Downey Jr.

On a lighter note The Proposal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPgZcW8MCaA was a welcome dive into non-reality. Its a typical light romantic comedy but it was refreshing. Or maybe I just need some escapism. Either way it was a relaxing couple of hrs.

Post by **spot** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:26 pm

Nomad;1262627 wrote: Have you seen this yet?

I finally got around to it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Jamie Foxx was good and as always so was Robert Downey Jr.

I'm not sure it actually showed in any of the Bristol cinemas, it wasn't released in the UK until two months ago and it flitted very tentatively across the country in three weeks. Perhaps it was at one of the multiplexes but it certainly isn't any longer.

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:05 pm

I watched "Inglorious Basterds" not too long ago and it was horribly more boring than I'd expected. I wanted to see Nazi's heads being clipped off every 15 minutes but sadly it was 3 hours of pure foreign language and subtitles.

Like a horribly uninspired Schindler's List, without an ounce of historical accuracy, directed by a director that has failed miserably with dry humor.

The Nazi getting the :lips: kicked out of him was hysterical however.

"HE GOES YAAAD!":thinking: or someden like adat!

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 4:47 pm

spot;1262636 wrote: I'm not sure it actually showed in any of the Bristol cinemas, it wasn't released in the UK until two months ago and it flitted very tentatively across the country in three weeks. Perhaps it was at one of the multiplexes but it certainly isn't any longer.

You can rent movies now :eek:

Tan · Post by **Tan** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 8:31 pm

You guys are hilarious! Especially Nomad! Too funny.

I give FG three thumbs up.

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 8:41 pm

Nomad;1262741 wrote: You can rent movies now :eek:

he would need a tv. for that.:yh_rotfl

Post by **spot** » Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:15 am

Nomad;1262741 wrote: You can rent movies now :eek:

I can also do wicked things with torrents. I watched the first fifty minutes and decided things were going to get unnaturally better so I stopped before I got too annoyed. It's a glossed-up version of reality, it's dreadfully overoptimistic. Oh - and the synching of the music to the pretend-playing of the cello in particular was vilely unconvincing, either the actor should have played it himself or they should have hired an actor who could. Like that Aussie fellow who played Aubrey in Master And Commander who learned enough fiddle-playing to hold his own on screen. Russell Crowe. Wonderful bit of acting, that was, from everyone involved.

So - The Soloist - I'd have got on a great deal better with a $4m documentary than a $60m fictional prettifying. As usual I blame that Spielberg chappie. The left-over $54m would have been better spent publicising the truth that Dreamworks made such desperate efforts to avoid showing.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 11:55 pm

spot;1262780 wrote: I can also do wicked things with torrents. I watched the first fifty minutes and decided things were going to get unnaturally better so I stopped before I got too annoyed. It's a glossed-up version of reality, it's dreadfully overoptimistic. Oh - and the synching of the music to the pretend-playing of the cello in particular was vilely unconvincing, either the actor should have played it himself or they should have hired an actor who could. Like that Aussie fellow who played Aubrey in Master And Commander who learned enough fiddle-playing to hold his own on screen. Russell Crowe. Wonderful bit of acting, that was, from everyone involved.

So - The Soloist - I'd have got on a great deal better with a $4m documentary than a $60m fictional prettifying. As usual I blame that Spielberg chappie. The left-over $54m would have been better spent publicising the truth that Dreamworks made such desperate efforts to avoid showing.

If you over analyze everything you watch then yea, youre going to find flaws.

Its ok to just feel a movie, get lost in a film on an emotional level rather than being stoically indifferent to the intent of the story. Films by nature are meant to provide escapism.

Post by **spot** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 8:40 am

Nomad;1272352 wrote: Its ok to just feel a movie, get lost in a film on an emotional level rather than being stoically indifferent to the intent of the story. Films by nature are meant to provide escapism.

The reason America wallows in its current state of moral degradation is exemplified by, for example, "Shoot em Up". Those watching leave the cinema convinced that good guys win and bad guys lose. Their notion of who is good and who is bad is reduced to recognising who won and who lost. If you lose, your bullets fail to hit people. If you win you never miss.

Reality is so much more interesting.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:08 pm

spot;1272402 wrote: The reason America wallows in its current state of moral degradation is exemplified by, for example, "Shoot em Up". Those watching leave the cinema convinced that good guys win and bad guys lose. Their notion of who is good and who is bad is reduced to recognising who won and who lost. If you lose, your bullets fail to hit people. If you win you never miss.

Reality is so much more interesting.

I thought we were discussing The Soloist.

At any rate I was implying some films shouldnt be analyzed, they should be absorbed on an emotional level.

Post by **spot** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:17 pm

Nomad;1272579 wrote: At any rate I was implying some films shouldnt be analyzed, they should be absorbed on an emotional level.

But why, when the emotion is triggered by impossibly unreal and immoral fakery? You seem to think that still leaves the emotion genuine. I beg leave to differ from that conclusion.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 10:49 pm

spot;1272580 wrote: But why, when the emotion is triggered by impossibly unreal and immoral fakery? You seem to think that still leaves the emotion genuine. I beg leave to differ from that conclusion.

How is discovering a challenged yet gifted musician, then proceeding to help him find stability immoral fakery?

Are you anti Wizard of Oz too?

I have a funny feeling that wasnt entirely true either.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 11:11 pm

Let me provide a service for you.

Ill begin posting anti American films that show us in a more accurate and realistic light.

Heres one you may enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhiAOU29Org

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRjcFbBAPC8

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4700154.stm?ls

Post by **spot** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 9:02 am

Nomad;1272583 wrote: How is discovering a challenged yet gifted musician, then proceeding to help him find stability immoral fakery?

Are you anti Wizard of Oz too?

I have a funny feeling that wasnt entirely true either.

I'm anti anything that has a happy ending. Nine times out of ten it's just a plain old-fashioned lie and the few where it's not just shows that the story was cherry-picked to provide it. I'm all for movies which reflect the real world. Very few of those are made in the USA.

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:53 pm

spot;1272658 wrote: I'm anti anything that has a happy ending. Nine times out of ten it's just a plain old-fashioned lie and the few where it's not just shows that the story was cherry-picked to provide it. I'm all for movies which reflect the real world. Very few of those are made in the USA.

I'd not so long ago in the past watched a television show called "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" of an Assistant District Attorney using quote"unethical/unconstitutional"unquote means to receive evidence that negated any doubt whatsoever of a molester's guilt in abusing a child and the judge responded withYouTube - Alex/Liz scene from Guilt

The ends justify the means,..ALWAYS!

I thought it was a rather happy ending given the "circumstances" aside from the "one month suspension without pay"

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:18 pm

Becoming Human parts 1,2 and 3. If you missed this series from PBS, you should catch it from their website. Fascinating stuff!

NOVA | Becoming Human Part 1

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 2:48 pm

Ahso!;1273205 wrote: Becoming Human

I decline.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 10:00 am

New York, I Love You

I'm a stickler when it comes to movies and I hardly ever watch one more than once.

This may be the most artistic movie I've ever watched. It may have something to do with the fact that I'm a native New Yorker and can relate somewhat, though I believe I'd love this movie anyway. It didn't get the kind of critical reviews I think it deserved, but too many critics are not art lovers, they're more into all the techno stuff like most viewers.

This is from wikipedia,

New York, I Love You - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Watch this movie if you're a romantic or just enjoy artistic ability, otherwise you are probably better off staying away.

I give it 10 Nomad popcorn kernels.

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Sat Jan 30, 2010 9:02 pm

I'm not one to be easily impressed but does anyone else want to see "Shutter Island"?

Leonardo DiCaprio | Shutter Island | Trailer & Official Movie Site

Kathy Ellen · Post by **Kathy Ellen** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:52 am

K.Snyder;1287039 wrote: I'm not one to be easily impressed but does anyone else want to see "Shutter Island"?

Leonardo DiCaprio | Shutter Island | Trailer & Official Movie Site

Thanks K, I just put it in save in Netflix.... Sounds great...u

I just watched "Night at the Museum...Part 2" It was a funny movie.

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 11:41 am

I saw AVATAR yesterday and I was impressed the 3-D was amazing and the film making and content was Oscar worthy. :-6

Yes I want to see:

Shutter Island

Book of Eli

Alice in Wonderland

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 3:52 pm

I have seen 2,113 movies and that does not count TV. I will post my review of these films in a later post. Can you hardly wait?

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 4:02 pm

spot;1272658 wrote: I'm anti anything that has a happy ending. Nine times out of ten it's just a plain old-fashioned lie and the few where it's not just shows that the story was cherry-picked to provide it. I'm all for movies which reflect the real world. Very few of those are made in the USA.

But the Wizard of Oz is a political story, spot. Surely that must peak your interest some. And from the viewpoint of Baum, he was presenting the facts of the late 1890s, of course, a little slanted his way.

Kathy Ellen · Post by **Kathy Ellen** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 4:23 pm

chonsigirl;1287211 wrote: But the Wizard of Oz is a political story, spot. Surely that must peak your interest some. And from the viewpoint of Baum, he was presenting the facts of the late 1890s, of course, a little slanted his way.

Geeze, I never knew that Chonsi...had to look it up...very interesting indeed. Thank you.

Political interpretations of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kathy Ellen · Post by **Kathy Ellen** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 4:29 pm

CARLA;1287137 wrote: I saw AVATAR yesterday and I was impressed the 3-D was amazing and the film making and content was Oscar worthy. :-6

Yes I want to see:

Shutter Island

Book of Eli

Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland looks spectacular Carla.

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Sun Jan 31, 2010 11:46 pm

Kathy Ellen;1287118 wrote: I just watched "Night at the Museum...Part 2" It was a funny movie.

Not my type of comedy(Perhaps some instances) but I have to imagine I'll see it eventually! :yh_winks! :yh_kisses!

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 6:39 am

Precious

This is a movie (based on the novel "Push") of a young overweight Harlem girl of 16. The person who plays the mother (Mo 'Nique) is an incredible actor. This should be the movie of the year IMO.

Post by **LarsMac** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 9:49 pm

Originally Posted by spot

I'm anti anything that has a happy ending. Nine times out of ten it's just a plain old-fashioned lie and the few where it's not just shows that the story was cherry-picked to provide it. I'm all for movies which reflect the real world. Very few of those are made in the USA.

I get enough of the real world every day.

I don't need to pay $5-10 to see the real world.

When I got to a movie, I want to be told a story. It should do a good job of telling the story.

In the process, they can challenge my views, preach to me, or whatever, as long as they can tell a good story.

I do prefer to see the good guy win, but that isn't always a requirement.

Post by **LarsMac** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 10:04 pm

Saw a movie last night on Cable. "Traitor"

Don Cheadle, SaÃ¯d Taghmaoui, Archie Panjabi, Guy Pierce and Jeff Daniels.

Well done movie, with current events theme.

Cheadle is a Muslim, former Ranger, son of Sudanese father and American Mother, who fights with the Mujhadeen during the Russian occupation, and goes undercover to seek out and stop a "terrorist cell"

Some interesting plot twists keep it moving well.

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:06 am

"Surrogates" starring Bruce Willis. A tired-looking Bruce Willis fits nicely in a role where everyone in the world is using robot "surrogates' to live out their lives outside the home. Now, someone has developed a weapon that will kill your robot...and you at the same time.

Good action, nice science fiction plot, overall a good popcorn movie.

"Pandorum" Two men wake up on an interstellar ship and apparently, they are the only ones left...or are they? If you like a creepy, suspense-filled movie, this one's for you. You won't see the ending coming, and it's a great one!

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Tue May 04, 2010 8:37 pm

5 Minutes of Heaven

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZOE7HgvI3c

Nomads Rating:

In February, 1975, in Northern Ireland, seventeen year-old UVF member Alistair Little kills the catholic Jimmy Griffin in his house in Lurgan in front of his younger brother Joe Griffin. Alistair is arrested and imprisoned for twelve years while Joe is blamed by his mother for not saving his brother. Thirty-three years later, a TV promotes the meeting of Alistair and Joe in a house in River Finn, expecting the truth and the reconciliation of the murderer and the victim who actually seeks five minutes of heaven.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Tue May 04, 2010 8:47 pm

Georgia O'Keeffe

Nomads Rating:

Biopic of American artist Georgia O'Keeffe and her husband, photographer Alfred Stieglitz.

Loved this film. Really enjoyed her spirit and I have a new found interest in her art.

http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/