Rate The Last Movie You Watched

[NorvTurnerOverdrive]

Originally Posted by korme

If anyone could post their thoughts on Tree of Life, I'd be interested. I'm thinking about picking it up tonight.

dude, terrance malick. badlands! (haven't seen TOL. i still haven't seen new world either. but days of heaven is an all timer for me. and... badlands!)

i'm sure this post was a huge help. you're welcome.

[sabotai]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

Bridesmaids reminded me of a boy movie crossed with a chick-flick. It had its moments, but wasn't anything near as good as boy movies without trying to appeal to girls.

I just watched Bridesmaids and this is what I thought of it too. It was pretty much the standard chick flick with the addition of raunchy humor among the supporting cast. I'd give it a 3 out of 10.

[ISiddiqui]

Prometheus - 9/10: WOW! I guess I can understand some of the negative reviews if one went in expecting something Alien or Aliens like. But this was just a wonderful suspense laden mystery sci-fi. Reminded me a bit of Arthur C. Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama - if there was some evil afoot. I also like how they didn't answer everything, but left things up in the air (the cynical ones would say it was for a sequel, but you know...). There wasn't necessarily great characterization, but the acting was solid and the story & visuals was the star. Kind of like 2001 - except that I actually really liked this movie as opposed to 2001 .

[SteveMax58]

Originally Posted by Noop

John Carter - 8
Everyone said it sucked but then again everyone is a mindless sheep. I thought this was a good action movie with an interesting plot. I liked the idea of there being a race of aliens who secretly control wars (can you tell I am into conspiracy).

Just watched this & felt the same way about it. I can't seem to figure out why this one was kind of dumped on.

I actually found it more entertaining than most of the Marvel origination movies (which I liked). Very good pace to the movie as there didn't feel like any "filler" time was in it (unlike the Marvel movies)...and this was a 2+ hr movie.

I thought it was much more similar to Avatar but much more entertaining (I don't "get" the love for that movie at all).

[JSmith44]

Real Steel 6/10

Watched this with my sister and a friend this weekend. Very formulaic and the ending was no surprise, but it was an ok watch. At no point did I have problems with the robot looking obviously CGI, which after looking it up, for the still shots they did use a real robot.

[Young Drachma]

Moonrise Kingdom is an acquired taste kind of movie, depending on whether you're a Wes Anderson fan or not. But as someone who hasn't spent a bevy of time immersed in his past catalog, I really enjoyed it.

[JediKooter]

Brave 7.5/10

I really enjoyed this movie. It was nice to see a female lead that wasn't some poor girl that needed her man to save her or needed some other cliched crutch to get her through the story.

The hair and cloth were absolutely fantastic and like every other Pixar movie, each scene had so much going on and was very detailed.

Overall a good story.

[chadritt]

Its Pixar thats not about cars so I will definitely see it, I just wish I had some idea what it was about other than "redhead girl gets defiant."

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by chadritt

Its Pixar thats not about cars so I will definitely see it, I just wish I had some idea what it was about other than "redhead girl gets defiant."

If you really want to know...

Spoiler

She doesn't want to get married, so she finds a witch to put curse on her mom to make her mom change her mind. Unfortunately, she wasn't very specific on how she wanted her mother to be changed and the proverbial 'hilarity' ensues.

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Moonrise Kingdom is an acquired taste kind of movie, depending on whether you're a Wes Anderson fan or not. But as someone who hasn't spent a bevy of time immersed in his past catalog, I really enjoyed it.

VERY excited to see this, Bernie, and Safety Not Guaranteed.

[larrymcg421]

Safety Not Guaranteed 9/10

Really enjoyed this. It's got a very original idea for the story and really good performances from the cast. Aubrey Plaza from Parks & Rec was so good in this. The story really goes in places that you don't expect. Highly recommended if this comes to your area.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Julio Riddols

VERY excited to see this, Bernie, and Safety Not Guaranteed.

Here's a teenager's view of Moonlight Kingdom.

I’m no stranger to quirky films, but this is one of the strangest I’ve seen. It follows the summer story of two deeply in love twelve-year-olds. Both Suzy and Sam don’t excel at fitting in, but they are good at understanding each other. Both escape from mildly ridiculous, but very relatable settings to go on their two person adventure.

The colors and costumes of this movie were what made me want to go see it; they are stunning. However strong the premise of the film, I wish the adult characters had a more consistent depth.

They flipped between two-dimensional caricatures of adults and truly relatable people. Both Sam and Suzy were consistently developed and continually endearing. The camera work’s literalness was very interesting because it mimicked Suzy’s binoculars, but it created a first person tint to a third person omniscient movie that confused me at times.

It encapsulated the endlessness of summer and the drama of childhood. After all, isn’t summer full of limitless potential?

With the price of movie tickets being high, I wouldn’t pressure you to see it in theaters, but it’s worth a watch on a rainy August afternoon.

I tend to agree with the bolded parts of her review. But I absolutely thought it was so endearing that it's a must-watch if you're able to get it at a theater near you, especially if you don't have to watch it alone. Heh.

I watched it heavily with the lens of the kid's eyes, rather than focusing as much on the adults who were not as colored inside the lines as they needed to be. I thought the caricature of all of this was generally well done, though.

[Izulde]

The Amazing Spiderman

Was out in limited release in Japan today, so I went and saw it ahead of the US release date.

First off, the 3D is so not worth it for this one. I've noticed 3D effects in other movies. Here? Maybe once or twice and even then it wasn't that noticeable.

Now, in terms of a relaunch, this particular Spiderman isn't immediately engaging like Toby Maguire, but as the movie goes on, he becomes far more likable. I also thought Emma Stone made a much better love interest than Kirsten Dunst (and yes, she's hot as a blonde, so I'd vote Hot now). Of course, part of that is the type of love interest each one was, but I'll spoiler tag that.

I liked the way they handled some of the major scenes and enjoyed seeing how some of the central plot points from the first origin movie played out differently here. Still the same basic result, but the method of going about it was refreshingly different and puts a slightly different spin on Peter/Spidey.

In terms of the major baddie, well... let's just say it's hard to make it a good, engaging one, given who it is. That particular villain, because of what he is and his antecedents in the enemy culture, is extremely difficult to be an exciting opponent and for the most part, he was okay to at times approaching good.

Overall, if I had to rank it against the original trilogy, I'd put it behind Spiderman 2 but still ahead of Spiderman 1 and 3 of the Maguire films. Had there been a more interesting bad guy, it could have challenged 2, I think.

Ultimately, I rate this a solid 7.75 or 8. Really good overall and promising for future films in this cycle. Oh, and be sure you stay partway through the credits, as there's a scene that sets up the sequel, but I couldn't hear very well because I was by the exits and the sound was muffled there.

Oh yeah, love interest notes:

Spoiler

Mary Jane Watson in the Dunst/Maguire trilogy didn't have much agency or indeed much to her at all besides being cute and the girl next door damsel in distress factor. Gwen Stacy, on the other hand, is far more proactive and forceful a character, going so far as to play a key active role in the film's conclusion.

It was interesting to note what the Japanese audience laughed at and what they didn't in terms of the humorous lines/scenes. If I can remember it by the time it releases in the US, maybe I'll comment on it.

[Dodgerchick]

Brave - 7.5/10

I was expecting the whole movie to be about a brave little girl but it went a different direction. Still enjoyable though.

[Young Drachma]

Drove entirely too far to go see Safety Not Guaranteed. It's as odd as you'd expect it to be, but cute without being too sappy and weird without going the full Downey. If the trailer worked for you, you'll probably enjoy it. I feel like the male lead was a bit too old for Plaza and I tend to hate those kind of stories. But that's just one in a series of personal pet peeves, not actual problems with the flick.

[ISiddiqui]

Brave - 6/10: It WAS pretty, but I think the story fell a bit flat. It went in an unexpected direction and I'm not sure I completely liked that, but I was a fan of an exploration of mother-daughter relationships and maturing from a teen to an adult. However, on the later, I think they stopped short of where they should go and certain ways they made the characters act seemed very out of place to me. Oh well, at least it was pretty!

[spleen1015]

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter - 5/10: I went into this with no expectations. I don't know any details of Lincoln's life to know how well this correlates there, but I thought they fit his fight with vampires into the Civil War fairly well. Some of the action sequences were pretty cheesy to me. Also, there's a sort of revelation towards the end of the movie that was pretty silly in the sense that it shouldn't seem like a surprise, like the characters made a big revelation especially when it was already discussed earlier in the movie.

I don't think any of you guys would find a lot to like in this movie.

[Julio Riddols]

Midnight Son 9.5/10 Oh shit, what a refreshing film. Zak Kilberg does a solid job in his first role as a guy who has a hard time dealing with the peculiar circumstances of his life as he slowly learns that he might be a vampire. This movie is another example of why I like indie films. Even though the vampire thing is kind of overdone, this is as fresh a take as there has been on the genre. Unpredictable and believably acted for the most part. My only minor qualm was the side story regarding his love interest, but by the end of the film I was satisfied with the way that resolved. Highly recommended.

[Swaggs]

Caught the new Fright Night on cable last night and thought that it was actually pretty well done. I'd nick it a bit because I thought some of the effects, while not cheap looking or horrible, were a little overdone (particularly the vampire transformation scenes). Colin Farrell hit the mark perfectly and seemed like really enjoyed the role. The rest of the cast was pretty solid, as well. The story and scenery were well done, as well (the setting was Las Vegas during this housing crisis, so the disappearances were explained and believable). Good popcorn flick. I'd give it 7.5/10.

[korme]

Moonrise Kingdom - 8/10
No other director puts his style on a movie like Wes Anderson. Sometimes it feels a little indulgent in this movie, with all the long close ups, but most of the time it works pretty well and has all of his trademark cinematography. The story was pretty cute, and it was a fun time just under two hours.

[Pyser]

nah, id give moonrise kingdom a 4. terrible third act, none of the story lines came together as promised in the opening of the movie...

just didn't to it for me.

[korme]

Hey man,

[molson]

Headhunters: 7.5/10

A Norweigian thriller about a corporate headhunter/fine arts thief who runs into your typical corporate headhunter/fine arts thief-type problems. It was a fun, basic thriller that worked because it was fun and basic and had a foreign flavor and a good pace that kept my attention (without having to think too hard or keep track of too much). There were sudden and unexpected moments of graphic violence and absurd hilarity - occasionally at the same time. The thought crossed my mind - maybe this whole thing is considered a comedy in Norway.....that's a stretch, but it had that darker/gallows humor kind of feel. I hear the rights to the American remake have already been picked up.

[Julio Riddols]

Originally Posted by molson

Headhunters: 7.5/10

A Norweigian thriller about a corporate headhunter/fine arts thief who runs into your typical corporate headhunter/fine arts thief-type problems. It was a fun, basic thriller that worked because it was fun and basic and had a foreign flavor and a good pace that kept my attention (without having to think too hard or keep track of too much). There were sudden and unexpected moments of graphic violence and absurd hilarity - occasionally at the same time. The thought crossed my mind - maybe this whole thing is considered a comedy in Norway.....that's a stretch, but it had that darker/gallows humor kind of feel. I hear the rights to the American remake have already been picked up.

This seems to be a thing from northern European films I see. Elements of gruesome or graphic detail usually right alongside something you can laugh at. Troll Hunter and Rare Exports also have those elements.

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by korme

Moonrise Kingdom - 8/10
No other director puts his style on a movie like Wes Anderson. Sometimes it feels a little indulgent in this movie, with all the long close ups, but most of the time it works pretty well and has all of his trademark cinematography. The story was pretty cute, and it was a fun time just under two hours.

Pretty much my thoughts. Was a delightful way to spend my afternoon today.

[korme]

Chronicle (2011) - 2/10
After their accident, three kids acquire telekinetic powers and after having a bit of fun with it at first, one keeps taking his powers to another level and uses it for EVIL!!!!!

Spoiler

Once the guys started flying around like Superman, I was out on the movie.

[CrimsonFox]

2001: A Space Odyssey 10/10 - Watched the Bluray and can't STOP watching it. Such a masterpiece. I must confess, I had tried this movie MANY times in the past and never made it through although I was much younger when I did. I think from that I just never got back to it. The bluray is great because the commentary from the 2 main actors was awesome. Plus all the extras. Love every section, from the apes to the space part, to HAL, to my favorite part, the Jupiter section.

And love it even more when it is synched up with Pink Floyd's Echoes, a la The Dark Side of the Rainbow

[ISiddiqui]

Moonrise Kingdom - 9/10: A very Wes Anderson film. Extremely quirky and full of great dialog and humor, but this one has something for the non-Anderson fans (who I never understood anyway ), because the extreme preciousness that is complained about is mostly focused upon the two 12 year olds - so it works much better since they are, in fact, of the precious age. And the two 12 year olds don't disappoint. A fantastic job! Also Bill Murray (as always), Francis McDormand, Jason Schartzman, and with much fun, Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, and Harvey Keitel do a wonderful job acting wise. Making it a period piece also makes some of the quirky bits a bit more palatable to some (though I kind of liked anachronistic stuff in other Anderson movies).

A good success, though as a Wes Anderson fan, I'd put it below The Royal Tenenbaums and tied with Fantastic Mr. Fox.

[Chief Rum]

Haven't been able to go to a lot of movies lately, but I caught a couple over the past few days.

The Amazing Spiderman (8/10)-- From the second this one was announced a couple years ago, I thought the concept was inane. Rebooting a series that was just "rebooted" in 2002? Stupid, money-grubbing Hollywood types.

So they had to hit a homerun for me to accept this as a legit reboot. And, you know what, they pretty much did. The new Spiderman (Andrew Garfield from The Social Network) did a great job, and, not surprisingly, Emma Stone was great as Gwen Stacy.

Like Izulde says above, the baddie isn't all that sexy, so that holds it back a bit, but overall, very well done blockbuster-superhero-origin story. I look forward to seeing where they go with it.

Savages (7.5/10)-- I am a big fan of crime movies, and I generally like Oliver Stone, so this one was in my wheelhouse.

The acting is terrific in this one, all the way around. The dialogue was solid and the plot was interesting to follow (even though it meandered a bit, as Stone tried to keep us guessing how the main stars were going to react to the Mexican cartel intruding on their business). Salma Hayek and Benicio del Toro were terrific in their roles, IMO.

It was maybe a little more fascinating for me, too, because much of it is based in Orange County, where I have lived most of my life.

One odd decision that affects my judgment on it...

Spoiler

...Stone decided to film two endings, so if you haven't seen the movie and looked at this spoiler anyway, you are warned.

The first ending was tragic, and yet, I really enjoyed the simplicity of it. I thought it fit better with both the overall story direction and also with who the main protagonists were.

The second ending was like a Hollywood copout, although it wasn't awful, just formula. The second ending did satisfy for me one doubt I had while watching the first, better ending--I kept asking myself why DEA guy (Travolta) wouldn't just reveal the drop point and nab the big cartel queen.)

[korme]

The Tree of Life

What the hell did I just watch?

[korme]

The Amazing Spider-Man
Andrew Garfield is unquantifiably better than Tobey Maguire. I liked this story much better than the Spiderman 1 of 2002, it felt much more organic and not so cheesey. The cinematics felt natural, well as natural as you could imagine with a guy gliding around city buildings. It was really well done. 8/10

[korme]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Moonrise Kingdom - 9/10: A very Wes Anderson film. Extremely quirky and full of great dialog and humor, but this one has something for the non-Anderson fans (who I never understood anyway ), because the extreme preciousness that is complained about is mostly focused upon the two 12 year olds - so it works much better since they are, in fact, of the precious age. And the two 12 year olds don't disappoint. A fantastic job! Also Bill Murray (as always), Francis McDormand, Jason Schartzman, and with much fun, Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, and Harvey Keitel do a wonderful job acting wise. Making it a period piece also makes some of the quirky bits a bit more palatable to some (though I kind of liked anachronistic stuff in other Anderson movies).

A good success, though as a Wes Anderson fan, I'd put it below The Royal Tenenbaums and tied with Fantastic Mr. Fox.

I'll need to see it more to properly rank it in my Wes list, but here goes my pecking order:

Rushmore
Life Aquatic (most people down on LAwSZ, I love it)
Royal Tenenbaums
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Moonrise Kingdom
Bottle Rocket
----
Darjeeling Limited

Darjeeling is the only one that would get a rotten tomato from me

[sabotai]

Count me as another fan of The Life Aquatic. I loved that movie.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by korme

The Tree of Life

What the hell did I just watch?

A Terrance Malik film. If you aren't ready for that, I think your reaction is pretty much spot on. It was exactly what I thought when I saw "Thin Red Line."

Let me guess, lots of shots of sunlight through trees/leaves? Other random shots of nature? Slow moving. No real narrative. More meditative?

While I appreciate the beauty of his films, I don't particularly enjoy them.

[korme]

Pretty much spot on, H_B. There was a 15 minute interlude where it was nothing but shots of nature or the earth or the solar system with no dialogue or narration or anything.

[ISiddiqui]

That part was super beautiful. A great slice on creation & evolution.

[Subby]

The Amazing Spiderman (7/10) - Not as edgy and dark as I was hoping, but a lot better than the Maguire franchise. Way too many convenient plot elements (blue collar guys get cranes to line up in fifteen minutes while city is under attack by lizard man!) Tighter script, less mugging from Garfield would have pushed this up into the 8 range. I thought they did a great job with the webs and they didn't get hung up on him swinging through the city for half the movie. Would still like to see the web slinging to be less of a sure thing, but not a huge quibble. Still a very enjoyable entry in the mindless summer blockbuster genre.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by korme

Chronicle (2011) - 2/10
After their accident, three kids acquire telekinetic powers and after having a bit of fun with it at first, one keeps taking his powers to another level and uses it for EVIL!!!!!

Spoiler

Once the guys started flying around like Superman, I was out on the movie.

You are being very generous giving this a 2 in my opinion.

This has got to be probably one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Had it not been for some decent special effects, this would have been no better than your typical affair put out by the Asylum.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by korme

Pretty much spot on, H_B. There was a 15 minute interlude where it was nothing but shots of nature or the earth or the solar system with no dialogue or narration or anything.

Yeah. That's how Malik rolls.

If you're not expecting it, it can come as a real shock and a "wtf?" type moment. It's like thinking you're about to drink a glass of water, but it's vodka instead. You may like vodka, but the unsettled expectation makes it digusting.

That said, even knowing what his films are like, I don't particularly like them. Again, amazingly beautiful, but just a bit too much of everything. For all the beauty of his films, they are far from subtle and I find it all a bit repetitive after a time.

[JediKooter]

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter - 6/10

I went into this with zero expectations as I'm not usually a fan of any late 20th to early 21st century vampire movies or tv shows. I'm glad they did not play up the stupid and ridiculous gothiness or too much leather, that has been way too prevalent of vampire entertainment the last 20 years or so.

This movie stars a young Liam Neeson, without the accent, who plays Abraham Lincoln and the chick from The Thing prequel. The guy who played the lead bad vampire, I think did a pretty good job and reminded me of Terrance Stamp's portrayal of General Zod in Superman 2. The movie takes place mostly during Lincoln's early life, long before he was president and shows his development from country boy to vampire hunter.

Overall, not a great movie, but, not a horrible movie by any stretch. If you catch this for a early showing or some other discounted price...I say go see it.

[RomaGoth]

Take Me Home Tonight - 2/10

This movie takes place in the 80's and is ridiculously predictable throughout. It stars Topher Grace (Eric Foreman from That 70's Show), and he has exactly the same personality in this movie (in fact, I was wondering if this was just Eric Foreman after he left Wisconsin).

Terrible movie, I am glad I didn't actually pay for it.

[korme]

Shocked at how well it was received by critics, too

edit- talking Chronicle

[panerd]

Originally Posted by RomaGoth

Take Me Home Tonight - 2/10

This movie takes place in the 80's and is ridiculously predictable throughout. It stars Topher Grace (Eric Foreman from That 70's Show), and he has exactly the same personality in this movie (in fact, I was wondering if this was just Eric Foreman after he left Wisconsin).

Terrible movie, I am glad I didn't actually pay for it.

I have a blockbuster movie pass and decided to pick up a spy movie with Richard Gere in it the other day. (The Double) When I got home the wife saw the box and said "That's the guy from that 70's show!" and I realized his co-star/nemesis was Topher Grace. I didn't even bother watching at that point. Though I guess somebody could say the same about Richard Gere. We have gone through a lot of movies though in the past couple of weeks...

21 Jump Street (9/10): Probably wouldn't go that high normally but this was one of her picks and I actually found myself laughing a lot. Jonah Hill just cracks me up for some reason. (I am even tempted to try The Sitter out but that looks like it will be horrible.

Safe House (7.5/10): Pretty standard action/spy movie that Denzel makes enjoyable. I even thought Ryan Reynolds was pretty solid.

Tower Heist (5/10): Michael Pena and Matthew Broderick cracked me up and the movie was bearable but I wouldn't recommend.

The Grey(9/10): Not what I was expecting at all. Sort of a Alaskan deliverance with bad ass wolves. Really enjoyed it.

Man on a Ledge (7/10): Really preposterous storyline but still fun to watch.

In Time: (2/10): Really interesting sci-fi premise that everyone stops aging at 25 and their currency is time. Justin Timberlake is funny on SNL but couldn't pull this one off at all. Didn't even finish watching can't imagine what the ending was.

Drive: (10/10): Discussed on FOFC a lot. My favorite movie I have seen this year.

Crazy, Stupid, Love (7/10): Enjoyable pick of the wife. Not sure I would give it 7 if I chose it but not bad for a chick flick. My wife thinks I have a man crush on Ryan Gosling.

Cowboys and Aliens (4/10): Couldn't get into it. Didn't seem like Harrison Ford was even trying to act.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (9/10): Fun movie. Knew what to expect going in and wasn't disappointed.

Contagion (7/10): Movie wasn't terrible but a deadly virus movie just makes me uncomfortable.

Next up: Tree of Life. Though I am sort of worried with the discussion above.

[Pyser]

Originally Posted by korme

Pretty much spot on, H_B. There was a 15 minute interlude where it was nothing but shots of nature or the earth or the solar system with no dialogue or narration or anything.

that part was amazing. AMAZING.

the rest of the movie...not so much.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Watched Double Indemnity this weekend and really enjoyed it. 1944 Film Noir about insurance fraud. Fred Macmurray played a pretty fantastic lead, and I'm surprised he didn't take more roles like this. Witty dialogue ("Your name is Neff?" "Yeah, with two F's, like Philadelphia." "Can I fix you an iced tea?" "Sure, unless you've got a beer that isn't working."), solid cinematography (I really enjoy the use of shadows, mainly as people are entering and leaving) and a decent story. I give it an 8.5/10, pushing a 9.

[Fidatelo]

Ted - 7/10

I enjoyed myself; my wife was less impressed. The 2nd half definitely dragged at times, but that's pretty typical for comedies. Worth watching if you like to laugh and can be cool with a walking/talking teddy bear.

[molson]

Tree of Life was more like a painting than a movie, or at least, that's the mindset I tried to go with, and that worked pretty well.

[Logan]

So I'm watching Kicking and Screaming (1995 - not the Will Ferrell version) and I realize that the topless college girl I'm looking at is a 25 year old Perrey Reeves, aka Mrs Ari from Entourage. Amazing.

[chinaski]

Hunger Games: Based off of the popularity of the books, I sure hope they're are a whole lot better than this crap ass movie. Boring action, mediocre acting, predictable story. Just meh in so many ways. Very lucky to skip this in the theaters. 3/10.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by chinaski

Hunger Games: Based off of the popularity of the books, I sure hope they're are a whole lot better than this crap ass movie. Boring action, mediocre acting, predictable story. Just meh in so many ways. Very lucky to skip this in the theaters. 3/10.

Definitely agree with you on that. All I could think of when the scenes of the game show host were playing was, "Running Man rip off!". Never read the books, so I can't compare it to them, but, not very impressed with the movie or really bought into the dystopian setting. Freejack's setting was more believable than this was. The acting was so/so.