Shutter Island

[xwolverine2]

great movie!... easily my best of scorsesse

 

[Matt]

great movie!... easily my best of scorsesse

Really? I think its easily one of Scorsese's worst movies. That said, Scorsese's worst is better than 95 % of other director's bests. Its a solid 8/10.

 

[Matt]

I just got back and I'm still in awe.

This movie was ****ing phenomenal from start to finish. The cinematography was some of the best I've ever seen. The dream sequences were some of the most beautiful things I've ever seen on film. Oh yeah, where the **** is the Oscar buzz for Leo? His performance was scary good.

All in all 10/10.

The Academy has always despised Scorsese. Unfortunately, with The Departed it reached the point where they could no longer deprive him his Oscar. So, instead they have started to take it out on his latest protege, Leo. Leo will not win a best actor award until late in his career. Some may argue that it is because Leo is an Italian and to an extent they may be right. At any rate, there have been at least two times in his career that Leo has been robbed...he deserved best actor for The Aviator over Jamie Foxx. Foxx was a guy playing Ray Charles. DiCaprio became Hughes in every sense of the world. He also deserved it for Billy Costigan in The Departed, however the Academy intentionally nominated his weaker performance so he would not win. Its arguable that he deserved it a third time for either Gangs of New York or Catch Me If You Can. Both were Oscar worthy. Leo will be in his 50s at least before he gets his "make-up," Oscar.

 

[-Arya-]

This movie would have been a great contender at this years Oscras if it was released in 09. *sigh* oh well.

 

[Matt]

This movie would have been a great contender at this years Oscras if it was released in 09. *sigh* oh well.

It was actually a smart move by the studio to not release it. Up in the Air is a more traditional Oscar movie and Avatar was an unstoppable force that will win awards not on the merit of being better than Up in the Air or Shutter Island, for that matter, but on the merit of being a superhyped James Cameron movie. If it got snubbed in favor of Avatar it would've had horrible PR.

 

[-Arya-]

It was actually a smart move by the studio to not release it. Up in the Air is a more traditional Oscar movie and Avatar was an unstoppable force that will win awards not on the merit of being better than Up in the Air or Shutter Island, for that matter, but on the merit of being a superhyped James Cameron movie. If it got snubbed in favor of Avatar it would've had horrible PR.

I know...

 

[Abraham]

Aviator 7/10 ( it actually was this movie that changed my opinion on Leo's acting abilities. Before that i just couldn't see his acting potential in his previous movies)


Bringing Out the Dead 7/10

It's been a long time since i saw Age Of Innocence so i can't comment on how i'd rate the movie now. HAven't seen AFter Hours but then again i've haven't seen many of Scorcese's flicks in a long time . The most recent flicks i've seen of Scorcese ( at least not crime related) are Aviator , Gangs of New YOrk , Kings Of Comedy and Raging Bull.
Actually i forgot about Ragin Bull when i wrote my earlier post
Bull this better then Shutter Island.

As for my score of Shutter Island. I dunno. Perhaps it's the fact that the movie is a mindf*** movie that definately needs repeat viewings to fully "understand" it ( if that is really possible).
Not only that but while i do think that the performances are good , i would'n't go so far to say that they are stellar ( like Daniel Day Lewis's performance in Gangs Of New York) or for that matter that the movie connected with me. Alot of times people tend to rate movies higher because of how emotionally invested they are with the characters. Take Taxi Driver for example. Even to this day i think alot of men can sympathise with Travis Bickle because they have been there ( well maybe/hopefully not the murdering part ) at some point in their life.

Hence why i'd rate this movie as a 7.5/10 . Hope that answers your question

Great Reply, I was more curious as to it being the best non-criem movie hes made given their are so many great ones (I'd consider GONY one of his crime movies though), and tragically I agree with the sentiment on Bickle being a character that's very relatable.

The scene where he is being rejected over the phone and the cmaera pans out to the empty hallway - as if watching him get rejected was more graphic that any of the brutal violence that would happily grace the screen in the coming third act was brilliant. It is probably my favorite Scorsese film.

It appears my scores would be much higher than yours though, with me giving Age of Innocence a solid 9/10.

You should check out After Hours, funny but unsettling, and a great 'over-one-night' movie. I'm seeing Shutter Island tomorrow, cant wait.

 

[Doctor Jones]

The Academy has always despised Scorsese. Unfortunately, with The Departed it reached the point where they could no longer deprive him his Oscar. So, instead they have started to take it out on his latest protege, Leo. Leo will not win a best actor award until late in his career. Some may argue that it is because Leo is an Italian and to an extent they may be right. At any rate, there have been at least two times in his career that Leo has been robbed...he deserved best actor for The Aviator over Jamie Foxx. Foxx was a guy playing Ray Charles. DiCaprio became Hughes in every sense of the world. He also deserved it for Billy Costigan in The Departed, however the Academy intentionally nominated his weaker performance so he would not win. Its arguable that he deserved it a third time for either Gangs of New York or Catch Me If You Can. Both were Oscar worthy. Leo will be in his 50s at least before he gets his "make-up," Oscar.

The academy has something against Italians?

But I do agree with you. I always did thinkg Leo won't win an Oscar until later in his career when he's deserved it numerous times. But this role was amazing. He's finding new ways to impress me.

I think my favorite scene was

Spoiler

when he confronts JEH in the cell. It was damn intense. JEH gave us answers but he also frightened us. Also the editing. When the match went out a few times I was clutching my seat. They did some great editing tricks there with the match. That white out, then black, then light on Leo's face. Then that simple violin kicks in and it's damn emotional.

 

[Doctor Jones]

I really enjoyed this film, looked great and had a fantastic vibe, like a contemporary version of a 60's thriller. But I'm shocked to hear how surprised some people were by the twist. I called it when I saw the first trailer...

I mean I went in with the firm theory that

Spoiler

Leo was patient 67 but still as a Marshall coming in from the island. Then at the end he is kept there. That was it. I never expected him being a patient there the whole time, although my suspiciouns mounted. BUt the thing that made me go wow was how the names were anagrams.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Wow talk about a mind ****. The movie was flat out great. I never read the book before and the twist was jaw dropping. I figured it was going to be a big one but not what it was. Also during the little interrogation scene did anyone notice that [BLACKOUT]when he goes to get the women a glass of water, when she picks it up to drink it, the glass isn't even there.[/BLACKOUT]

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who noticed that. But I

Spoiler

kinda shrugged it off when she put down the glass and it was there. But I didn't see her drink it.

 

[Carmine Falcone]

I think my favorite scene was

Spoiler

when he confronts JEH in the cell. It was damn intense. JEH gave us answers but he also frightened us. Also the editing. When the match went out a few times I was clutching my seat. They did some great editing tricks there with the match. That white out, then black, then light on Leo's face. Then that simple violin kicks in and it's damn emotional.

The entire sequence in block C was fantastic when it comes to lighting and suspense. Fair enough...you can say that about the ENTIRE movie, but block C was especially claustrophobic.

What this movie does so well is that sense of paranoia. The scene with ''Rachel Solando'' in the cave was mesmerizing, you felt that mounting desperation as her story proceeded. The fact that it was filmed through flames was a literal representation of Teddy's fevered mind at that moment. Also, another scene I loved for sheer creepiness and weirdness was the dialouge scene with Ted Levine in the jeep. That guy creeped me the **** out, all the stuff he was saying. Outrageous. Both scenes I mentioned had a high B-movie or pulp-factor indeed.

 

[Doctor Jones]

**** yeah! Block C had me scared. Also when they went out into the woods in the hurricane. Even if it was the hurricane, it still creeped me out. Loved the church scene too. I just loved the whole atmosphere of the film. It shows how far atmosphere can go. There was no cheap jump scares or anything. Steady and sensible, while frightening. You pretty much explained my feelings in the cave scene.

And the guard who drove him back in the jeep played Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs. edit, wait, you said Levine. Whoops. That voice. "There you are!" Sounds like he has a frog in his throat.

By the way, what was Teddy's response when the guard in the jeep asked him if he was violent to him? I didn't catch it. But that whole scene was fantastic.

"You don't know me."

"Sure I do. I've known you for hundreds of years."

I also thought Andrew Laeddis looked a hell of alot like DeNiro.

 

[SuperBatman]

Well maybe theres a chance it can survive for the 2011 Oscar's

 

[Spider-Fan]

Really? I think its easily one of Scorsese's worst movies. That said, Scorsese's worst is better than 95 % of other director's bests. Its a solid 8/10.

I agree that it is not one of his best movies, but that is really not a knock on the film. This is no Last Temptation of Christ or Goodfellas or Taxi Driver (or Aviator, Departed, Gangs of New York, etc). But, Shutter Island is still better than what most directors can do at their best. Scorsese's resume is just that impressive!

 

[Doctor Jones]

No, it's not his best but it's still fantastic work. It's a great way to start off the new decade of film and for Scorsese and DiCaprio's careers.

 

[Christopher Nolan]

cant wait to see this flick. thx for the comments, guys.

 

[Colossal Spoons]

**** yeah! Block C had me scared. Also when they went out into the woods in the hurricane. Even if it was the hurricane, it still creeped me out. Loved the church scene too. I just loved the whole atmosphere of the film. It shows how far atmosphere can go. There was no cheap jump scares or anything. Steady and sensible, while frightening. You pretty much explained my feelings in the cave scene.

Yeah man, that hurricane was freakin supernatural. I've been trapped in hurricanes before but that **** was scary haha.

Also during the little interrogation scene did anyone notice that [BLACKOUT]when he goes to get the women a glass of water, when she picks it up to drink it, the glass isn't even there.[/BLACKOUT]

Thank God somebody else saw that. I saw it and looked around the theater and nobody even seemed to notice. Thought I was going crazy.

 

[Big Daddy]

It was a great movie, best this year so far. But there were a lot of things that didn't make sense... like

Spoiler

why did George say the experimented on people in the lighthouse
why is the lighthouse heavily guarded, but all that's inside is the doctor's office
why have an office in a lighthouse on a small island?
Why did the lady write "run" on his notepad?
why would chuck provoke teddy's paranoia in the church by telling him this is a trap?

 

[Catman]

Also during the little interrogation scene did anyone notice that [BLACKOUT]when he goes to get the women a glass of water, when she picks it up to drink it, the glass isn't even there.[/BLACKOUT]

Thank God somebody else saw that. I saw it and looked around the theater and nobody even seemed to notice. Thought I was going crazy.

I saw it as well. It was a homage to Kubrick who used to pull stuff like that.

there have been at least two times in his career that Leo has been robbed...

Leo is a good actor, but he's never been the best. Even in What's Eating Gilbert Grape, where he successfully portrayed a mentally disabled kid, he was over-shadowed by Johnny Depp who was playing the straight man. That's like if Tom Cruise had out-performed Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man. The only time Leo was the best actor in a movie was in The Quick and the Dead, where ironically he wasn't playing his usual over-dramatic role. Leo will win an Oscar the day he does a comedy. Remember that I told you that.

 

[SentinelMind]

The Academy has always despised Scorsese. Unfortunately, with The Departed it reached the point where they could no longer deprive him his Oscar. So, instead they have started to take it out on his latest protege, Leo. Leo will not win a best actor award until late in his career. Some may argue that it is because Leo is an Italian and to an extent they may be right. At any rate, there have been at least two times in his career that Leo has been robbed...he deserved best actor for The Aviator over Jamie Foxx. Foxx was a guy playing Ray Charles. DiCaprio became Hughes in every sense of the world. He also deserved it for Billy Costigan in The Departed, however the Academy intentionally nominated his weaker performance so he would not win. Its arguable that he deserved it a third time for either Gangs of New York or Catch Me If You Can. Both were Oscar worthy. Leo will be in his 50s at least before he gets his "make-up," Oscar.

Uh, gotta disagree with you there, Jamie Foxx was Ray Charles from beginning to end of that movie, body language, speech, everything....he deserved that Oscar.

I agree DiCaprio is a good actor and should get an Oscar eventually....but he still has time. The Departed was a good performance, but I sometimes think he was a bit over the top.

 

[chaseter]

I really liked this movie. It was certainly very smart and very cerebral. I had two or three scenarios about what was really going on before I went and saw this movie. I have never read the book so I had no idea how it would end. Before seeing it, I thought to myself either there is something more going on there and ghosts are showing up to right wrongs and that Dicaprio was brought there or that he is going crazy. The movie then opened up a third option in the middle with talks about psych experiments.

The movie was beautiful. There were no jump out of your seat shocking/scare moments and that is what I liked about this movie. It was a gentle flow of moments and even the twists were shown to you gently...to allow you to process things. My only few complaints are that Mark Ruffalo wasn't the right choice for his character. He just felt like he was phoning it in. Also, some of the accents seemed a bit too much. It's just a detail that I felt they tried to hard to make as accurate as they could and it was annoying a bit. The score wasn't that memorable either.

The twist at the end was fantastic, I know some people hated it. I loved it. All the hints you were given during the movie finally made sense. Why his dead wife was bleeding from the stomach when he held her in his dreams, why the little girl was contacting him in his dreams, why George Noice was afraid him, etc... However, I was still hoping and thinking another twist was coming after the big twist at the light house. I felt like they were going to pull another 180 and while they were [blackout]getting him to say all those things on tape, they were going to turn it off and tell him that he was right about everything. Essentially confirming that they knew he found out about things and that this was all to make the world think he was crazy.[/blackout]

But, the ending was fine as is to me but I think that extra twist would have really made the movie fantastic.

I did have a question though, when he was talking to Mark Ruffalo at the end, he says [blackout]"Is it better to die a hero than to live a monster?"[/blackout] Was that him [blackout]faking that he had regressed so that he would be killed[/blackout]? It just seemed that way to me.

Good movie, very smart. 9/10

 

[Tissues]

I really liked the movie, but I'm finding myself liking it more and more as I think about it.

And I always thought elias koteas looked like de niro and it really showed in his scene in this.

 

[Bim]

cant wait to see this flick. thx for the comments, guys.

Same here

 

[Bunker]

Geez. It seems everyone liked the movie. It makes the mixed reviews even more baffling.

 

[xwolverine2]

Really? I think its easily one of Scorsese's worst movies. That said, Scorsese's worst is better than 95 % of other director's bests. Its a solid 8/10.

i give it an 8 as well... doesnt quite get the near-perfect rating for me simply because its not rewatchable. maybe one more time to see it [BLACKOUT]knowing he's crazy[/BLACKOUT] but thats it.

not a big scorsese fan but after the departed and now this movie im excited to see what he does next. Hopefully not a bio-pic kinda movie, i'd like to see him take on something more fiction this time.Every great director tries something new (different genres). He's been in his own little safety zone for too long... its great to see him do a film like this.