What's The Last Movie You Watched? XIII

[C. Lee]

AGE OF HEROES (2011) Sean Bean

A good WWII adventure.

 

[nite-owl]

2/10

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

2/10

What a terrible film.

And I love that quote in your sig.

 

[Kane52630]

2/10

What a terrible film.

I love how the end credits look way more interesting than the film itself.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I love how the end credits look way more interesting than the film itself.

That's when you know that a movie has failed on every level.

 

[craigdbfan]

Spoiler

This movie was really good. It handles the characters nicely and makes good use of a non linear set up. The performances are great and the script is excellent. I'm mainly watching this because this director will be working on the Robocop reboot and wanted to get an idea of how he'll handle the movie.

The man knows how to make a good movie that's for sure. My main gripe and it's sort of a big one and that was the way he decided to shoot the movie. A lot of quick cuts and most of the shots are closeup barely exploring enough of the scenery and it has the problem of not keeping the "shaky" cam exclusive to some of the more intense action scenes. It abuses it and it detracts from how good the performances themselves are.

Shaky cam and quick cuts along with shots that are for the most part shot so closely does not mix well at all. Other than those complaints the movie is excellent.

More of a technical issue than anything but I'm going to watch the sequel now which got far more accolade in terms of improvement so I hope he's grown as director. I would hate to see a Robocop with constant shaky cam. Especially when the first one had so many great steady shots that really lets the moment sink in with Verhoeven great style of shooting.

7/10

Spoiler

The sequel to the first Elite Squad was such a step up from the first one in so many ways. On a technical note Jose (the director) has improved so much and he's learned to make his shots more dynamic and give the film far more expansive rich shots which make for a visually stunning film.

The best part is that the scope if far bigger and it doesn't sacrifice a great character arc or incredibly poignant questions about the conflicts and corruption within the police, government and entertainment sectors. The first movie established how the drug market is perpetuated by a middle and upper class who buy drugs and by those in the slums easily succumbing to the behavior while this sequel deals with the other part of the issue which is far more fascinating to see on screen.

A really amazing film that convinced me Padilha is well suited for making a great and possibly incredibly memorable Robocop movie. I wasn't very sure with the first Elite Squad but this much improved sequel showed he has the panache to approach such a timeless classic. He knows the subject incredibly well and it's a joy seeing that his technical advancements to improve and create more engaging visuals hasn't sacrificed a bit of his story telling and character development sensibilities.

10/10

Also forgot to mention that Wagner Moura is possibly one of the best actors of this decade. The guy needs to get more exposure and thankfully he will as he'll be starring in Neil Blomkamp (District 9) Elysium which comes out next year.

What an actor this guy is.

 

[Panthro]

Annie Get Your Gun (1950)

 

[Punisher Rising]

8/10

 

[Marx]

Driving Miss Daisy

 

[childeroland]

Wonderful.

 

[HisMagicTrick]

Due Date

6/10

 

[Doctor Jones]

Planet of the Apes (2001) - 7/10

It starts off as a bore and the reason for Whalberg to go out and get lost is quite weak. The plot kicks into gear before I really know him. But once he is imprisoned into the city, it gets better. I gotta say, the make-up is absolutely fantastic. I loved how you could also see the actor's within the apes, mostly in the eyes, where there's a lot of performance to be conveyed. I appreciate who Burton as co. went with a different take than just redo the original and did their own thing. It's not as bad as people make it out to be, but I was still surprised at times this was directed by Tim Burton. It has a nice pace, but the script has problems in areas. I'd rather see a follow up to Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

 

[darkseid26]

Shame, 9/10

 

[Kane52630]

Planet of the Apes (2001) - 7/10

It starts off as a bore and the reason for Whalberg to go out and get lost is quite weak. The plot kicks into gear before I really know him. But once he is imprisoned into the city, it gets better. I gotta say, the make-up is absolutely fantastic. I loved how you could also see the actor's within the apes, mostly in the eyes, where there's a lot of performance to be conveyed. I appreciate who Burton as co. went with a different take than just redo the original and did their own thing. It's not as bad as people make it out to be, but I was still surprised at times this was directed by Tim Burton. It has a nice pace, but the script has problems in areas. I'd rather see a follow up to Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Yeah I am one of the few who enjoyed Burton's Apes when I saw it in the theaters. Looking back at it now I see it as more of homage to the film series.

 

[DyeLorean]

Paranormal Activity 3

I think it actually is a fair scary movie. I haven't seen 2, but the plot is actually a little better, with less 'dull' moments of the characters just talking about anything. Acting improved, overall it was better than the first one in a lot of levels.
The ending to this 'found footage' movies are always a let down, I don't know why. The build up here is great, but the pay off isn't very satisfying. Still, I think that as a scary movie, it just works.

 

[CapedCrusader14]

Love and Other Drugs: 3/5

Meh. At least Anne was sexy.

 

[bullets]

The Guard 7.5

 

[The Amazing Lee]

Dan in real life - 7/10

 

[Two-Face]

The Iron Lady 4/5

 

[jacobed]

Went on a theater marathon

The Descendants - 9/10
The Artist - 7/10
Red Tails - 8/10

 

[ripse]

Event Horizon (1997), my score 7

 

[nite-owl]

7/10

 

[Panthro]

The Mummy Returns (2001)

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

Beastly

1/10

 

[Metallo]

Had a little 'Nam-a-thon in the last couple of weeks

The Deer Hunter

9/10

I think it was pretty gutsy as one of the first Hollywood films about the Vietnam War. Just a few years after America pulled out and the fall of Saigon too. I think its hard for films to have clear perspective of war so soon after the fact but this film pulls it off. Thats because at the core its not specifically about the war but the group of friends who were changed forever because of it.

The story of these guys is the story of a lot of veterans. They come from a small industrial town and get dropped right into the jungle and into a different world. DeNiro's Michael seems to be the strongest. Walken's Nicky drops into some kind of psychological abyss and becomes numb. He gets a taste for what he experienced over there and I don't think he ever could have reintegrated into society. John Savage's Steve has a breakdown in Nam and his injuries later on just make it worse. He doesn't want to go back to his life either.

The title is very telling. When Michael tries to shoot the deer after he comes home...he can't do it. Hunting. Killing. I don't think he looks at it the same.

It really is a touching tragic film. It feels like a true to life story.



Apocalypse Now

9.5/10

Arguably Coppala's last truly great iconic piece of work. He's done some good films since but I don't think hes reached that peak he had in the 70s.
Like Deer Hunter its not about the war. The war is just a backdrop. A very appropriate one. Its about some simple deeper themes of humanity and raw emotions.

The best work of Martin Sheen's career. Willard is detached on the outside but there's a lot going on inside. He seems to be...directionless when the film starts. Stuck between Nam and America. Certainly not at home back in the States anymore. The mission is all he has. I like how, as time goes on, its not the mission that drives him on to find Kurtz but the fact that he's intrigued by Kurtz. The Colonel is a riddle begging to be solved.

Brando was apparently his typical self wanting to do things his way but in the end I think it worked. He comes off as this bizarre enigma. I find myself thinking about the things Kurtz talks about. Its dark but there's also a kernel of truth to it. If you can shake off sentiments and drop the status quo you can be free to do a lot of things you never thought possible. The themes are universal. Thats why so much still applies to today's wars. The Taliban and Al Qaeda have been difficult to stomp out for the same reasons Kurtz lays out in Apocalypse Now.

I love how psychedelic and trippy the movie gets with the music and the editing. You feel like you're back in the late 60's when you watch this. Lance's drug induced haze through the later part of the movie doesn't hurt either.

Lots of great symbolism in that ending. I'm glad Coppola handled Willard's exit the way he did. Teaming up with Kurtz to fight off an air-strike wouldn't have been as powerful or mythic.



Apocalypse Now: Redux

9.5/10

I think it some ways its better and in some ways its worse than the theatrical version. They end up about equal to me. I prefer the flow and pace of the theatrical film but Redux adds some great stuff. I'm glad that the crew of the Patrol boat gets fleshed out more. Kilgore gets a few more good bits. Willard seems to be more likable but thats not really a plus or minus to me.

The biggest addition is probably the stuff with the French and their plantation. Its long but it ties into things discussed later in the film. At first I didn't see how it fit but as the film drew to a conclusion I realized a lot of what The French talk about is the same stuff Kurtz is trying to tell Willard. A lesson on human nature.



Platoon

9/10

The first movie to focus so much attention on the war and the soldiers experience during the war. Chris Tayor is an idealistic young man who signs up but soon learns there isn't a whole hell of a lot of glory in what he's doing. The cast in this is amazing and its cool to see how far some of them went. Forrest Whitaker, John C. McGinley, Johnny Depp, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Sheen, Kieth David, etc. all went on to have varying levels of success and got steady work after this.

Its too bad Sheen couldn't keep starring in this level of work and getting better. He's no RDJ but like Downey it seems like his drug use and wild ways really derailed his career. I'd just forgotten Sheens good dramatic work after his life turned into a circus.

Like Apocalypse Now there are some deeper ideas presented here than what we see on the surface but its more clear cut. Good and evil. How men have good and evil in all of them. Chris shows moments of kindness like when he stops the rape of a little girl and moments where he loses it and can be pretty cruel. Seems like an accurate portrayal of someone in that kind of hellish hostile environment for so long. They snap. Dafoe's Sgt. Elias and Berengers Sgt. Barnes represent each side of it. Elias has a peace to him and just wants to live through it all while Barnes is a cold hard killer who believes in what they are doing by any means necessary. Elias is almost Christ like. He and Barnes each showing Taylor a path to go down. They both seem to be trapped in Vietnam in a spiritual sense. I couldn't picture either one of them back in the real world after being in the jungle for years.



Full Metal Jacket

9/10

Probably the most surreal movie of the lot. Lots of dark comedy in this movie. Everybody remembers D'Onofrio's sympathetic then twisted performance as Pvt. Pyle. I hope he won a LOT of awards for it because he was great. When people think of R Lee Ermy this is what they think of. He's hilarious and an a**hole at the same time. Mathew Modine's Joker really makes most of the movie work though since its its him we follow throughout. A lot of the films humor comes from him. There is a stark contrast with him. He doesn't seem to like the grisly parts of the war but he wants to get into the thick of it. Much like Chris Taylor from Platoon he's a good guy early on but he goes through a sort of change. But Jokers change seems a little more skewed.

There's a lot of strange but fascinating sh** going on in this movie. Kubrick made a REALLY subversive film about the military, war, government, and just human beings in general. How society wants us to conform. I think the portrayal of the Marines and 'Nam are key parts of that message in the film.

The movie ends with The Marines singing the Mickey Mouse club theme confident in their place in all this. As crazy as that sounds it somehow seems strangely appropriate with what Kubrick is trying to get across. Its all a kind of group-think mentality. "Join up."



We Were Soldiers

8/10

Probably the least bleak and depressing film of the group but also the least psychologically complex. This film is about the brotherhood of soldiers and sacrifices they make...on each side of the conflict.

I think Gibson was trying to make his own "Saving Private Ryan" when he reteamed with his Braveheart writer (now in the directors chair too). The war drama really saw a resurgence after that movie.

The combat scenes are where this movie shines. It looks impressively realistic. Much like Platoon there is more of a focus on the actual combat and the film probably has some of the longest time and detail devoted to action. When napalm gets dropped one time (as friendly fire apparently) its horrible. Just horrible.

Not quite as good as some of the other films set during the Vietnam War and I found some scenes corny (the montage of Barry Pepper taking photographs) but its still a good movie. Oh and Sam Elliot is awesome in this.