Last Film You Saw

#921

Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 1. What a mouthful. Anyway, pretty decent movie if you like the Hunger Games. Those who don’t I suspect may not care for it too much. It has a bit of a…meandering plot, I suppose you could say? Anyway, it feels more like a series of connected events, or even like levels in a video game, more than a single, tightly woven narrative. INVISIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD

[color=’#191919’]For instance, much of the second act involves Katniss filming propaganda videos or ‘proppos’ as they like to call them (stupid name I know). They want her reactions to be real and shot on location so that they will be inspiring to the other Districts. So we get a sequence of very similar scenes in which Katniss is dropped off in a jet in a bombed-out district, some stuff happens, Katniss makes a little speech, they broadcast it, then we get a brief scene showing some civilians from the district fighting back against the Peacekeepers. I feel that these segments get a little too repetitive and ultimately aren’t that important to keep showing. Additionally, while the first ‘proppo’ (ugh) she shoots has a speech that is almost great, I really think someone flubbed the writing for that speech a bit. It’s a minor point, but she says something like, “But now we know what they do! This is what they do!” I don’t know, maybe she would say that, maybe that’s what most people would say, but to me those two lines, said next to each other, just sounds really comical.

Additionally, the climax of the movie is basically sprung upon the audience at the last second, in much the same manner as the ‘twist’ at the ending of the last movie. It’s kind of annoying. I don’t know if the books are like this or if it’s just the screen writer or what, but whoever has apparently decided that having a twist was more important than properly building rising action towards the climax should be slapped.

Even with all that said, I still liked the movie over all. Also, I was looking pretty hard to spot where they edited in Philip Seymour Hoffman digitally or whatever they did to fill the small part he didn’t get to finish, but I couldn’t see it. Either they did a really good job or they wrote around it or something. Or, did he completely finish Part 1, and Part 2 contains all the missing parts?

Also watched another movie with Stanley Tucci in it: The Core. I’m pretty certain the science behind this movie is terrible and full of holes, but I found it very entertaining. Maybe that’s just I like Aaron Eckhart, I don’t know. But I liked the acting, liked the concept, liked the visuals, dated though they may be. Not a great movie, but entertaining.

Also I somehow didn’t realize that Stanley Tucci was also the dude in Transformers 4. Man I hated him so much, he was so annoying. But that’s probably somehow Michael Bay’s fault. I mean he screwed up just about everything else about that movie so I feel pretty secure in saying he caused that too.

EDIT: Saw Back to the Future for the first time. I know, I know. In any case, although predictable, it’s a lot of fun. Looking forward to watching 2 and 3 when I get a chance.

#922

Was recommended Werckmeister Harmonies as a horror movie but it isn’t really one. Kind of reminds me of the Seventh Seal, it has an oppressive atmosphere and stuff but there’s none of the comedy that the Seventh Seal had. Also I didn’t realize it was such a recent movie, 2000, it looked like it was from like the 70s or something as it’s shot in black and white. It was a good movie and had some great cinematography. I didn’t really understand the ending though.

#923

Saw The Amazing Spiderman 2 on cable with my neohews this evening. Wasn’t really into it. Was more routing for Electro than anyone else.

#924

Enemies Closer, which is kind of strange at times but it’s a good movie nonetheless.

#925

I haven’t finished it yet but I’m about halfway through the Holy Mountain. The visuals are cool I guess but the movie is bizarre as shit and kind of makes me uncomfortable at points.

#926

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. In a word, boring. Don’t waste your money.

#927

Europa Project - not bad.

First manned mission to Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, in search of life.

Europa was also featured in the movie 2010, the 1984 sequel to 2001: A Space Odyssey.

#928

Indeed, I liked Europa Project. It seemed superbly plausible, with a very good documentary style, and then threw in just enough horror-mystery to justify a movie.

Europa was also featured in the grossly underrated 2001 programming/simulation game MindRover: The Europa Project, in which the player programs rovers to complete random tasks and compete with other rovers (considering there’s not much else for personnel to do on a manned outpost on Europa).

#929

I enjoyed it. I loved when [COLOR=’#191919’]Thorin fell under the spell of the gold and his voice started sounding like Smaug’s. I love how the five armies came together in a huge final battle. I loved, loved, LOVED that they showed Galadriel’s full power as she repelled Sauron from Dol Guldor. Don’t mess with her! I loved how they finally linked the Hobbit movies with the beginning of the LotR movies. I just wish the other dwarves had more of a role in the final battle. They seemed to almost be relegated to the sidelines except for the few that joined Thorin on the overlook where the White Orc commanded the troops.

I hated the character of Alfrid and wanted him to die painfully and slowly. [COLOR=’#191919’]That did not happen and that’s a demerit in my book. I would’ve rather the character to not exist at all and they had him on a LOT. Get rid of that character.

2.5 stars out of 4.

#930

Why do some people rate out of 4 stars?

Anyway I watched the Interview yesterday, which was pretty good. Not too much of a fan of comedies but it had some funny stuff in it. And the action scenes were well done. Watched Exodus today. Was better than I was expecting but the directing seemed off and the editing was hard to follow at points. I’m surprised by this because Ridley Scott was the director and I would have thought he could do better.

#931

I agree with you about [color=’#191919’]Galadriel - that whole rescue scene in Dol Guldor was probably the best part of the movie. But there was little else to enjoy about the movie for me. Smaug is less frightening and less interesting when he burns down a city than when he was menacing Bilbo, the fight scenes looked painfully fake and lasted a ridiculously long time, most of the dwarves are next to impossible to care about because they hardly do anything or have any lines, Legolas was made to do increasingly ridiculous stunts that ultimately have no tension since we know he lives, etc, etc. Also, I really liked the scenes with Thranduil, and it’s a shame the super hasty “daddy issues” plot with Legolas wasn’t expanded into a more full subplot. That would’ve been more interesting to me than Legolas doing circus tricks. But then I just really like Lee Pace and what he does with the character, he and Smaug are probably my favorites out of this trilogy. I want to see a film where they meet and have a scenery chewing competition.

#932

My argument is always “still better than the Star wars prequels” and while I realize that isn’t exactly difficult, I enjoyed this part well enough. So, how long is the runtime for all six movies? Is it over a day?

#933

Watched “Into the Woods” yesterday (on Christmas day).

I seem to be in the minority here, based on the reviews I read, but my first thought after the movie was over was, “Is it possible to give a movie negative stars?”

I’ve never seen a more terrible movie. The only redeeming trait I could find in the movie was Chris Pine’s number, “Agony”. And that wasn’t saying much. That and the presence of Anna Kendrick. But that’s it.

I want my $8.50 and my 2 hours back.

#934

Nope, it falls a little short at about 20.6 hours, and that’s using the longest runtime listed on IMDB for the extended editions of all (available) films. The Battle of Five Armies extended edition would have to clock in at nearly 6 hours long to break the 24 hour mark.

#935

Muppets Most Wanted. Good family fun, with quite a few hearty laughs spread throughout.

#936

I recently watched the Despecialized versions of all three OT Star Wars movies. I didn’t realize it until now but I had never actually watched the original releases of any of these movies. I grew up on on the Special Editions, so it’s actually rather weird seeing some of the things that had been changed. With all the vehemence that most Star Wars fans have against George Lucas’ changes to the OT, I expected that I’d be delighted to finally see them as they originally were, and in most instances I was. But watching these versions, I realize now that I actually enjoyed some of the SE changes (or was at least used to them). It’s a bit like playing a newer video game and then trying to go back and play an older video game from the same series. It’s different and may not be entirely pleasant to look at, but it has its own charm. They definitely felt more like movies of their time with all the newer special effects removed.

#937

Plus, the original trilogy didn’t spoil the damn twist with Vader in a hologram conversation.

#938

^How did the new versions spoil anything? I’m not sure if I’ve ever watched them.

Watched the Taking of Deborah Logan. Pretty good horror movie. I like found footage movies. Best line was by the cameraman after they made him go first into a basement/attic for like the third time in the movie.

“White people and their fucking basements. And their attics.”

#939

The last movie I saw was “American Sniper” a movie that is causing uproar recently. I can totally relate to this as I am a Navy wife. Soldiers don’t always agree with the government or the wars but they do it to protect the ones they love and to give others a peaceful life which others always take for granted.

#940

John Wick. Also could have been called Headshot the Movie, or as my father prefers, ALWAY PUT ONE IN THE BRAIN!
youtube.com/watch?v=zfZTzcDFZ98

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