damosuzuki said:

Until two weekends back, I’d never watched a James Bond film, and knew very little about them. I’ve just never really had any interest in that style of movie. One of the podcasts I follow is reviewing the entire Bond franchise, so I took it as an opportunity to try something different and watched the first few films in the series. I can’t really say I enjoyed any of them very much. I found it very hard to stay focused on Thunderball, during the underwater scenes in particular. From Russia With Love was the one I enjoyed the most, partly because I found the actress in it almost painfully sexy, but also because it seemed like the tightest film plot-wise.

I was a little surprised at the overall level of silliness here. I knew the Moore-era films were meant to be fairly light-hearted, but I was under the impression that the Connery films were at least somewhat serious, hard-boiled spy films.

Dr. No: 1.5/5

From Russia With Love: 3.5

Goldfinger: 3

Thunderball: 1

You Only Live Twice: 2

My dad likes the older Bond films and began salivating when I told him of the upcoming 50th anniversary Bond blu-ray box set. If I ever do give him that as a gift, I will no doubt watch a few of these since I don't recall seeing any of the pre- Roger Moore films in its entirety. Except for, oddly enough, On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

The Queen of Versailles (2012) - A documentary that follows a billionaire couple as they begin construction on a mansion inspired by Versailles. During the next two years, their empire, fueled by the real estate bubble and cheap money, falters due to the economic crisis.

Simultaneously hilarious and sad.

trailer edit

[Edited 8/17/12 12:34pm]

Intouchables (2011) - After he becomes a quadriplegic from a paragliding accident, an aristocrat hires a young man from the projects to be his caretaker.

I found it difficult to stomach the racial stereotypes. Which is a shame because there is a good movie in there somewhere. 1/2

We Are Skareboarders

Just watched it this morning. Highly recommended for anyone who was ever a skateboarder, is currently one, is thinking about becoming one or just likes watching people on boards. The questions it asks and the answers provided are important and thought provoking. For those who don't know the history, who a majority of the people talking are, or why they're saying the things they're saying, it won't be quite as powerful. So for that reason I'll give it a solid 7 out of 10.

sexton said:

Metropolis (1927) - In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city's mastermind falls in love with a working class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.

The restored scenes look fantastic on blu-ray. Minus 1/2 because sadly the original version is still incomplete. 1/2

OK, but wait, which version are you rating? Is this the new one with all the old footage they found edited back in? Because I was completely blown away by that version! I've been a fan of this since the 80s when it was always on the "Midnight Movie" or "Cult" shelf at VHS rental stores. When I watched the newest edit recently I was completely blown away that they were able to find that much more film. The rest of it will never be found as it was likely only ever part of Lang's original reels.

sexton said:

Real Steel (2011) - Set in the near future, where robot boxing is a top sport, a struggling promoter feels he's found a champion in a discarded robot. During his hopeful rise to the top, he discovers he has an 11-year-old son who wants to know his father.

Typical Hollywood feel-good movie. With robots. 1/2

I agree that it is "typical", and your rating is probably fair, but for me it was good enough that it rose above those cliches. Much, MUCH better than I was expecting. Better than I think it had any right to be, honestly. There was really good chemistry between the three leads (the kid, the guy and the woman). I'm actually looking forward to the sequel.

CynicKill said:

Some feel the reason "Exit Through The Gift Shop" didn't win the Oscar was because of the rumor that was going around that it was a hoax.

If it was a "hoax" it deserved to be nominated for Best Picture. That's an outstanding piece of work right there. But then, so is pretty much everything Banksy does. I think the history it supplies, questions it asks about art and the story it tells are all important. It left you thinking, and so few pieces of cinema do that these days.

IMO, Thierry Guetta/Mr. Brainwash was/is a character created by Banksy and/or a conglomeration of the artists involved with this documentary. It even seems a bit obvious if you look at how much work he did in such a short time and how much nearly all of that work resembles the output of the other artists involved. It also works in the context of what Banksy and the other artists are saying in the first half of the documentary.

That's the way it works best for me, and if that's the case I find it to be quite brilliant. It's another way for those guys to work without being themselves.

Cerebus said:

sexton said:

Metropolis (1927) - In a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city's mastermind falls in love with a working class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.

The restored scenes look fantastic on blu-ray. Minus 1/2 because sadly the original version is still incomplete. 1/2

OK, but wait, which version are you rating? Is this the new one with all the old footage they found edited back in? Because I was completely blown away by that version! I've been a fan of this since the 80s when it was always on the "Midnight Movie" or "Cult" shelf at VHS rental stores. When I watched the newest edit recently I was completely blown away that they were able to find that much more film. The rest of it will never be found as it was likely only ever part of Lang's original reels.

I should have clarified I watched the complete Metropolis, not the Giorgio Moroder edit which is also available on blu-ray. I found it disappointing that, as you pointed out, the few remaining missing scenes will never be found. So close.

sexton said:

The Queen of Versailles (2012) - A documentary that follows a billionaire couple as they begin construction on a mansion inspired by Versailles. During the next two years, their empire, fueled by the real estate bubble and cheap money, falters due to the economic crisis.

Simultaneously hilarious and sad.

I really want to see this. Looks like I'll have to wait until November.

high-ly recommended!!

sexton said:

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

It was like an Occupy Wall Street fantasy. Anne Hathaway was good. But there was no defining performance like Heath Ledger's Joker from the last Batman film. And I still don't like Christian Bale as Batman.

I went to see the big batman movie myself this week. For the most part a perfectly enjoyable blockbuster I'd say, though I thought there were some plot elements, some basic ‘why is that happening’ stuff, that seemed a touch lazy or not fully explained. I'm not sure I picked up everything, mind you - between the pounding score, Bane's muffled voice and Batman's kinda cookie monster growl I'm pretty sure some dialogue & plot points passed me by. I was also a little underwhelmed to find myself in a movie where the climax is based around a timer counting down to a bomb's detonation...but overall a really good, exciting, very watchable movie. I'm a person who has little patience with and tends to get exasperated by long movies, but I thought this generally moved well, though I was checking my watch during the middle section.

3.5/5

[Edited 8/18/12 10:58am]

Sparkle - A nice movie for teens and young women, especially if they are a Sparks fan, positive, ends almost happily ever after. Mike Epps was a trip. Whitney as a mom would have had me in my place, yes ma'am. Her solo had tears in my eyes.

Expendables 2 3/5 cause I liked it and I laughed, not because it was great movie making, but I found it much better than the first. Chuck Norris was a wonderful addition and Van Dam made a great villian. His villian name (Vilain) alone let's you know it's a tongue in cheek movie. Lots of Boom, lots of red splats, lots of corny one-liners.

Antichrist (2009) - A grieving couple retreat to their cabin in the woods, hoping to repair their broken hearts and troubled marriage. But nature takes its course and things go from bad to worse.

I liked this a little more the second time around. Beautifully grotesque.

Bad Blood: Hatfields & McCoys 1/5 "Mega Snake" had far better acting

Mega Snake 2/5 I was bored?

Total Recall 3.5/5

LOVED it - I'd give it more stars if the action ever stopped long enough for anyone to take a breath. I hadn't seen the old version since I saw it at the cinema so I couldn't remember what I thought of it, so I revisited that one as well over the weekend. What a weird movie! Arnie just says "arghhhhh" a lot and the violence is pretty full-on like punching people to pulps. Kind of crappy sets and everyone just walks around in ordinary 80s clothes
The new one is spectacular, Jessica and Colin are lovely to look at Kate turns into a complete witch though and keeps coming back like horror movie monsters do loved The Fall totally cool!
All those critics who say old one is better probably haven't seen it again since they were 12 years old!

Bourne Legacy 3.5/5
Motorbike chase goes on too long

Dhobi Ghat - The lives of four people intersect in Mumbai: a washer-man who wants to become an actor, a banker-turned-photographer, a painter looking for inspiration, and a newly-married immigrant who journals her experiences on home video.

3.5 out of 5

Finally a decent Indian film. I think I fell in love with Munna half way through the movie.

4.5/5

Based on the true story of the Bondurant brothers, bootleggers during prohibition in Virginia. Love Tom Hardy and Guy Pearce's characters - for different reasons - total opposites.

[Edited 8/29/12 12:38pm]

When I was a Singer (or just "The Singer" as it is called here) 2.5/5

Gerard Dippetydo is aging dancehall singer who meets a much younger woman and falls for her.

He kind of hangs around until eventually she returns his advances. I couldn't believe that he was so charming that she would eventually give in to his advances. Slow

Sunstorm Swedish crime thriller 3.5/5

Although lead is not a detective or policewoman, but a tax accountant who returns to her home town in far northern sweden (where my auntie is from!) a desolate place where you could expect temps of -35°C during the winter months. I felt the characters weren't dressed warmly enough much of the time This is yet another religious "mystery", possibly because there are some pretty extreme congregations up there in the middle of nowhere where weird shit happens and "if your hand offends thee cut it off" is taken literally. I liked the pregnant police officer who goes into labour at the climax of the film and misses all the action

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

Some parts were very goofy. If the best elements of this movie (Gwen Stacy, the web shooters) were combined with the best elements of the 2002 movie, that would be the perfect Spider-Man film. 1/2

Neophyte said:

4.5/5

Based on the true story of the Bondurant brothers, bootleggers during prohibition in Virginia. Love Tom Hardy and Guy Pearce's characters.

Can't see the pic, what's the name of it.?

morningsong said:

Neophyte said:

4.5/5

Based on the true story of the Bondurant brothers, bootleggers during prohibition in Virginia. Love Tom Hardy and Guy Pearce's characters.

Can't see the pic, what's the name of it.?

Lawless.

Neophyte said:

morningsong said:

Can't see the pic, what's the name of it.?

Lawless.

Hey, they talked about it on the news this morning and gave it good reviews, as an entertaining movie though not quite historically accurate. They said Shia had to gain weight for the role so he'd look like the rest of the guys.

One Day 3.5/5 I really liked this. I thought I was going to end up gagging, but I got drawn in and found it sweet, sad but still sweet. I might view it again, one day, soon, seriously.

Good Deeds 3/5 eh, I have my own opinion about things. I did the math based on my families generational gaps and 5th generation black ivy league is possible, but I'm still not sure how realistic it is. There are some big holes, and a little too heavy on the fairytale for my liking but I was entertained for the most part. And I get the point which gets a + for me.

Man on Wire

4/5 stars

A little long for the story. But an incredible story, not only for the insanity of his feat, but for the fact that it was totally illegal and carried out in the same way that a bank heist might be.

Also, in the back of my mind is the obvious fact of what has happened in NYC since he did this, but the movie makes absolutely no mention of 9/11. And it doesn't need to. It's a celebration of crazy human desires, carried out in a way that does not hurt anyone. And the buildings play a huge part, reminding us that they were towering symbols even before that fateful day.

[Edited 8/29/12 16:46pm]

This was a weird ass anime film imo. But I liked it out of 5 stars

The Mill and the Cross 3.5/5 I like how it was based on a painting

NDRU said:

Man on Wire

4/5 stars

A little long for the story. But an incredible story, not only for the insanity of his feat, but for the fact that it was totally illegal and carried out in the same way that a bank heist might be.

Also, in the back of my mind is the obvious fact of what has happened in NYC since he did this, but the movie makes absolutely no mention of 9/11. And it doesn't need to. It's a celebration of crazy human desires, carried out in a way that does not hurt anyone. And the buildings play a huge part, reminding us that they were towering symbols even before that fateful day.

I liked this one too.

Battleship 3/5
Not as bad as everyone had led me to think it would be.
I can see its target audience being 13 year old boys.
My 12 year old asked incredulously at the end credits "that was Rihanna???"
It's confusing to grow up in the Rihanna tribute show family, because the Rihanna HE knows is a bit different LOL

The Horse Boy: Documentary from filmmaker Michel Orion Scott chronicles the journey of the Isaacson family as they travel through Mongolia in search of a mysterious shaman who they believe can heal their autistic son. This film delves into the strange world of autism, horses, shamanism, and Mongolia while telling the story of a family that will go to the end of the earth to find a way into their son's life.

3 out of 5

Ocean Heaven 3.5/5 I think he can act. Zero martial arts. Very emotional. And from what I understand Jet Li didn't take any money for this, not sure how true that is but still.