Movies205's Reviews and Discussion Thread, VOL 2.- THE SUMMER HAS RETURNED!

[Movies205]

What a lovely conversation to be having especially since we just surpassed last year's thread

 

[Hunter Rider]

What a lovely conversation to be having especially since we just surpassed last year's thread

Go and check out my thread on Bug,it's Friedkin's new movie and looks great

 

[Movies205]

Mighty Joe Young
Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack
Rating 8/10

MJY is the conclusion to the Ape Trilogy, King Kong (1933) and Son of Kong (1933) precede it, in all honesty though it somewhat of a half-truth since it was made 16 years later in 1949, and introduce us all to Ray Harryhausen SFX magic, though Willis O'Brien gets top bill for SFX, Ray actually did 90% of the SFX according to O'Brien story-boards and what not. But none the less it is directed and written by the people who brought us King Kong so like I said, though it can belong to that trilogy, it still brings it own flair to the table.

Jill Young has brought up her pet gorilla since she was a child. Twelve years later, when the gorilla is fully grown, Hollywood promoter Max O'Hara travels to Tanzania, Africa, and convinces Jill to bring her extraordinarily large gorilla, Joe, back to America. While in Hollywood, Joe is used in a stage production and is exploited to no end. It doesn't take long until Joe is sick of being mistreated and he escapes to run loose in civilization.

First off this movie was not made during the big move to "Talkies" so it doesn't suffer from the laughable and hammy acting that King Kong (1933) did. Though the acting at times can be play a bit hammy at times, all of the actors manage to make you care about them and Robert Armstrong is just delightful as the short-sighted crazed buesiness man. To be honest, I'd consider Mighty Joe Young to be a remake of King Kong. It does exactly what a remake should do, it takes an idea, and then adds a spin to it. Instead of King Kong being god-like, he's now simply an over-sized ape, and instead of being in love with the woman, he loves her like a sister or mother. As you can see these types of changes bring it to be lighter fare then King Kong was, but it still has a dark moment or two, esepcially when he starts killing lions. But in the end what all of this does is create an exciting new tale that seems fresh and at the same time, brings us back to the days of Kong, exactly what a remake should do.

The SFX is gorgeous and a huge improvement over King Kong (1933), it's amazing seeing the technological advances of Stop-Motion from 33' to 49', I suggest everyone to check these two movies out simply for that. It was nice to see the use of green-screens was a lot less evident this time around. Though this movie is a lot less iconic, there are no amazingly iconic scenes in this film, King Kong is far more lush in it's scenery. But what Mighty Joe Young does is it keeps up the pace and is far more interesting since it provides us with some interesting characters.

Now I'd only rank it at an eight for a couple of reasons. First off it's pure-entertaining fluff, it simply doesn't have the emotional or beautifully poetic nature King-Kong had which made it the classic it is. Some of the acting/script gets a bit too hokey/dated. Some of it can be a bit too light thus killing the mood like Joe getting drunk and going crazy. But all in all a fun adventure.

 

[Movies205]

Go and check out my thread on Bug,it's Friedkin's new movie and looks great

Bah I'm going play C&C Generals

 

[The Hero]

Wow, I'm honored. I'm happy that me review helped you decide.

Anyway, isn't that a near perfect ending? I couldn't think of any ending that is much better.

The ending was great. What fascinates me is that,opposed to the modern "reveal everything in the middle and go out with a bang" approach,older movies are more prone to longer,more novel-type endings.

A perfect example is Dreamcatcher. While the book ended with a long,character-arch-closing conversation about the previous events,the movie forces in a pointless action scene and just....ends. Right there. No explanation for anything that just happened. Damn it,I hate that movie more than words can express. Damn you,William Goldman!!!

Sorry,I got a little sidetracked there.

 

[War Party]

Dead Alive
Directed by Peter Jackson
Rating: 8.5/10

Just watched this flick, part of me loves it and the other part wants to throw up. It's been on my must-watch list for at least 5-6 years, I think I first heard about this in middle school but just haven't gotten around to seeing it till now. The movie cast feels like it came out of a community theatre since they got some chops/experience, but they just don't quite cut it with the big leaguers, I mention this because the first 20-30 minutes is a compressed version of "Only the Lonely". The first act sets up a story of a love-sick girl falling for a guy who's completely controlled by his mother, so it needed some decent acting chops to hold it afloat. The whole act plays out well and is entertaining, but it feels slightly forced, and leaving you with a feeling of this feels like a student film, but once the zombies come in that feeling disipates. Now the gore in this film is quite funny and entertaing but at times can become too much and over-bearing. Toward the end, I just had to fast-forward, for example the lawn-mower scene i just started fasting forward through cuz it got boring and just down right disgusting. I also dig how the set-up from the beginning is held through the entire movie and leads to a satisfying and meaningful conclusion. This movie was a lot of fun, even if it gets too disgusting at times for it's own good, and hell it has a ninja priest that alone is worth the price of admission. And before you ask, I'd still take Evil Dead 2 over this

The lawn-mower scene was great. This was a fun flick and I would love to see Jackson do another horror film.

 

[Mr.Webs]

You didn't tell me about it last year me and Mr Webs need to set up a winter edition otherwise it will be lots of lists and polls threads

Exactly what I was thinking! Yet, I fear Movies would procede to assassinate us if we did so. The compromise sounds interesting though.

Hero, right you are. All of Dreamcatcher is brilliant...save for the last ten minutes or so. Damian Lewis is a great actor...I wish he'd make more American films, but no, he has to make only British films that I have to buy so I can see them!

 

[Movies205]

Exactly what I was thinking! Yet, I fear Movies would procede to assassinate us if we did so. The compromise sounds interesting though.

Hero, right you are. All of Dreamcatcher is brilliant...save for the last ten minutes or so. Damian Lewis is a great actor...I wish he'd make more American films, but no, he has to make only British films that I have to buy so I can see them!

Dreamcatcher=Boring, but I like the english accent and the **** weasels...

 

[Hunter Rider]

I should have a review of The Inside Man but the ****ing DVD froze half way through and won't work,now i can;t find the receipt to get it exchanged for another copy,i was enjoying it as well,so im pissed today

 

[Movies205]

I should have a review of The Inside Man but the ****ing DVD froze half way through and won't work,now i can;t find the receipt to get it exchanged for another copy,i was enjoying it as well,so im pissed today

Is your avatar from "A Better Tommorrow" because I haven't seen that yet Saw WTC last night, I'll post a review up.... sometime

 

[Hunter Rider]

Is your avatar from "A Better Tommorrow" because I haven't seen that yet Saw WTC last night, I'll post a review up.... sometime

It's from a Better Tomorrow 2 (out here September 11th)
You need to see A Better Tomorrow ASAP
Look forward to the review

 

[Movies205]

It's from a Better Tomorrow 2 (out here September 11th)
You need to see A Better Tomorrow ASAP
Look forward to the review

They should put a John Woo Box Set

 

[Hunter Rider]

They should put a John Woo Box Set

Yep,i wish he'd go back to Hong Kong

 

[Movies205]

Yep,i wish he'd go back to Hong Kong

I thought he was making a HK Film now with Chow Yung Fat?

And what's this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...0526120-3757545?_encoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=130

 

[Hunter Rider]

I thought he was making a HK Film now with Chow Yung Fat?

And what's this
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001BKBDO/ref=imdbpov_dvd_0/104-0526120-3757545?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=130

He's prepping Red Cliff which will star Chow and Tony Leung but it seems to be taking forever

That 2 DVD boxset isn't available here,we get ABT2 for the first time on September 11th but it is swishly remastered

BTW have you seen Bullet in the Head ?

 

[Movies205]

No Just Hard Boiled and The Killer(WHich is Awesome)

 

[Hunter Rider]

No Just Hard Boiled and The Killer(WHich is Awesome)

Love those movies,i miss the HK daysCheck out Bullet in the head,it's a bit different than his crime flicks

 

[Movies205]

Will do

 

[Movies205]

So I ordered the following DVDs:

1. Winsor Mccay: The Master Edition
2. Akira Kurosawa's Dreams
3. Frankenstein: The Legacy Collection
4. Persona Special Edition
5. Memento SE
6. The Haunted Palace/Tower of London Midnite Movie Double Feature
7. Invisible Invaders/Journey To The Seventh Planet Midnite Movie Double Feature
8. WB Gangsters Collection
9. 8 1/2: The Criterion Collection

Which translates into the following films:

Frankestein Legacy Collection:

1. Frankenstein
2. Bride of Frankenstein
3. Son of Frankenstein
4. Ghost of Frankenstein
5. House of Frankenstein

WB Gangster Collection:

1. Public Enemy
2. Petrified Forest
3. Little Ceasar
4. Angels with Dirty Faces
5. White Heat
6. The Roaring Twenties

19 Films, and the first cartoons ever made

 

[Movies205]

I'm not sure whether I should buy these titles or not, I've only seen Fritz the Cat out of this batch...
----
Product Title Price Description Selection #
The Invisible Man: The Legacy Collection $22.46 Special Club Price 03626009
The Killing $3.98 Sale Price ($3.97 off) 03214400
The Brood $3.98 Sale Price ($3.97 off) 03287604
Logan's Run $4.98 Sale Price ($4.97 off) 00250704
Fritz the Cat Free Sale Price ($7.95 off) 02923407
The Tomb Of Ligeia/An Evening Of Edgar Allan Poe Double Feature Free Sale Price 03446408

Edit Selections Average DVD Price
for this order, excluding sets: $2.59

You're Earning FunCash
what's FunCash? $20.00



Subtotal $35.40
Shipping & Processing $12.94
Tax $0.00

Total $48.34



Subtotal $34.89
Shipping & Processing $12.94
Tax $0.00

Total $47.83
---

On Amazon.com it'd be $88 so I save $40... Tacked on to my already pre-existing $14... I'd have to order by tonight... It something like $4.30 a movie, which is the equilvalent of a rental pretty much...

 

[Hunter Rider]

Will do

CoolIt features Woo's best dramatic scene IMO,hard to watch

 

[Hunter Rider]

So I ordered the following DVDs:

1. Winsor Mccay: The Master Edition
2. Akira Kurosawa's Dreams
3. Frankenstein: The Legacy Collection
4. Persona Special Edition
5. Memento SE
6. The Haunted Palace/Tower of London Midnite Movie Double Feature
7. Invisible Invaders/Journey To The Seventh Planet Midnite Movie Double Feature
8. WB Gangsters Collection
9. 8 1/2: The Criterion Collection

Which translates into the following films:

Frankestein Legacy Collection:

1. Frankenstein
2. Bride of Frankenstein
3. Son of Frankenstein
4. Ghost of Frankenstein
5. House of Frankenstein

WB Gangster Collection:

1. Public Enemy
2. Petrified Forest
3. Little Ceasar
4. Angels with Dirty Faces
5. White Heat
6. The Roaring Twenties

19 Films, and the first cartoons ever made

Interesting selection,i want a review of Dreams

 

[Movies205]

I've seen Dreams and loved it! It's such a beautiful film, but it does tend to be a bit style over subtance, none the less it's one of my favorite films. And now it shall grace my dvd collection.

 

[Eric Draven]

It's from a Better Tomorrow 2 (out here September 11th)
You need to see A Better Tomorrow ASAP
Look forward to the review

I wasn't that huge of a fan of Better Tomorrow 2. Well, besides that crazy-ass end shoot-out. That was a great scene. But everything preceding that just sucked. I guess that's what happened when Tsui Hark took over directing duties....

 

[Mr.Webs]

Dreamcatcher=Boring, but I like the english accent and the **** weasels...

Dreamcatcher= Atmospheric and well-shot.