Rate The Last Movie You Watched

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by molson

Very interesting. Some of those changes though, I think represent progress in filmmaking. Especially the moving cameras/fake documentary stuff. Camera-shaking can get out of hand, but subtle but constant camera movement can do a lot for action and war movies. I'm sure when Griffith and Eisenstein pioneered editing and jumping movie scenes from one physical place to another, and others started playing around with moving the camera at all - people were freaking out and complaining about a lack of realism. But now you couldn't imagine film without that stuff.

One of the other things, the whole speed up/slow down stuff from "Watchmen" and "300" are two films by the very same director. So, that's more the personal stylingos Zach Snyder than an over all trend.

Still, some good stuff in that link.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by DataKing

The Expendables (8 / 10): This was obviously one of those "check your brain at the door" sort of movies. I went in expecting a bunch of cheesy one-liners and a lot of explosions, and I got exactly what I was expecting. Yes, some (ok, a lot) of the dialogue fell flat, but those instances were mostly involving the more minor characters. The scene with Stallone, the Governator, and Willis actually didn't do all that much for me, but again this was mostly about the action. There was one surprisingly good dramatic scene with Rourke though, which I appreciated. It may have been a little out of place, but on its own the scene was quite good. But really, this was mostly about a lot of visceral action and testosterone, and did not disappoint.

Yah, I pretty much agree with all of this.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by molson

I've somehow never heard of this movie. I'm sure I've never seen the trailer, and I go to about 4 movies a month. I think there was a big marketing fail here if an $11 weekend was disapointing. I'm glad I heard about it here though, so I can make sure to check it out.

Part of the marketing fail is having a 60mil budget when Cera, who gets a lot of hate on the internet for playing the same role, is the main character. Budget wise it will be saved by worldwide movie and DVD sales.

[Pyser]

a prophet - 8/10

french prison movie which is a lot like godfather in a lot of ways. very cool movie.

[korme]

Drag Me to Hell (2009) - A predictable horror film that somehow got GREAT reviews. You know how people describe some instances as cheap laughs or gratuitous nudity? It's on par with how I felt some of the gross-out scenes were. Unnecessary and ridiculous, and not to mention stupid. I hated it from start to finish. Oh, and poor CGI/editing. Wow, was that guy really floating or dangling by strings I couldn't tell... 1/10.

[fpres]

Bronson (2009) - 8/10 -- I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, but it was available from Netflix streaming so I gave it a whirl. I was pleasantly surprised. Great job by Tom Hardy (from Inception, RockNRolla, ST Nemesis fame)...he makes this film, IMO.

[k0ruptr]

Salt - 8/10 I really enjoyed it, lots of twists and turns, at one point I was confused as fuck, then realized what happened. decent movie though. Mostly all action with drama. I tend to enjoy all kinds of movies so I rate pretty high for the most part if it keeps me interested. And this one did.

[KWhit]

Originally Posted by korme

Drag Me to Hell (2009) - A predictable horror film that somehow got GREAT reviews. You know how people describe some instances as cheap laughs or gratuitous nudity? It's on par with how I felt some of the gross-out scenes were. Unnecessary and ridiculous, and not to mention stupid. I hated it from start to finish. Oh, and poor CGI/editing. Wow, was that guy really floating or dangling by strings I couldn't tell... 1/10.

Agree. This movie was horrible!

[cubboyroy1826]

Scott Pilgrim vs The World - 8/10

Started off a little slow and I was a bit worried but after the first boss, I mean Ex this movie was awesome. Loved all the video game tie ins. This movie was flat out written for Michael Cera

[Mustang]

Hot Tub Time Machine : 6.5/10. Seems they could have done alot more with this. Best part of it was the running Crispin Glover bit though.

[fpres]

Children of Men (2006) - 9/10 -- Great story. Great acting. I don't remember hearing about this one when it came out, but I'm glad I caught up with it eventually.

Napoleon Dynamite (2004) - 3/10 -- I hear that you either really like this or you really don't. Outside of a few brief chuckles, I found this fairly boring.

[Karlifornia]

Piranha 3-D- 8/10 if you're a horror fan, 4/10 if you're not. Luckily, I am! There were some really sweet deaths, but the Jerry O'Connell character was awful.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by fpres

Children of Men (2006) - 9/10 -- Great story. Great acting. I don't remember hearing about this one when it came out, but I'm glad I caught up with it eventually.

Yep, this is one of the best movies I've seen in the past 5 years. I love how it was shot.

[Groundhog]

Scott Pilgrim vs The World - 4/10
Hmmm... I was expecting to love this, but outside of a few cool moments (bass guitar battle) it just didn't do it for me. I think I just lost a couple of geek points.

Ellen Wong upgraded this from a 3 to a 4 all on her own.

[Scoobz0202]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Yep, this is one of the best movies I've seen in the past 5 years. I love how it was shot.

Whenever I think of beautiful cinematography one of the first scenes that pops in my head is the shot where the battle stops as people watch in awe at them coming down the stairs. And then just like that it resumes.

[tarcone]

Letters To God 8/10

Based on a true story. Very good movie. If you want a good cry, watch this. I teared up the entire movie. Also, very inspirational. The kid in this movie was a true warrior.
There were some holes in the script, but I can over look that.

[ISiddiqui]

Inception - 9/10: Holy crap that was amazing! Just a wonderful, intelligent, mind-bending movie. DeCaprio, Gordon-Levitt, and Page were incredibly in their parts (especially Leo) and the plot was just wonderfully written. Really made you think (during and after the movie) and loved how it was shot and done. Christopher Nolan does it again!

[Crapshoot]

Scott Pilgrim vs The World - 8/10

Great movie, a laugh a minute, but a couple of the cliches were so over the top it knocked off a couple of points. Still, Michael Cera is awesome, and the cast (especially the girl playing the drummer and his roommate) were both enjoyable as hell.

[Groundhog]

Battle of Algiers - 9/10
One of those "classic" movies that I'd been meaning to see for years. Very glad I did. I loved the intelligent way it handled the two sides, and there were no good guys or bad guys. If this movie was filmed in the past couple of years, I imagine the tone would have been somewhat different, to put it mildly...

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by HiFiRevival

Broken Flowers - 6/10

Weird, disjointed, too cool even for an indy flick yet the ending came together well enough that it bumped up several points for me. The occasional fun, quirky bits throughout the film but not enough on their own. Would have been a 3 or so without the last 10 minutes or so.

I saw this a few months ago via Netflix too and agree with what you had to say. It was breezy and bizarre, but well acted and fine in the end.

[Young Drachma]

Children of Invention 7/10

I saw this on Netflix last night. Not a bad flick. I mean, it's a cerebral movie about two children whose immigrant mother leaves them to the latchkey doldrums and it shows how the kids cope. It's a bit plodding, but it's entertaining on the whole and a really interesting story about what people do to make ends meet.

I enjoyed it.

[Matthean]

Finally saw Inception and I'll just echo the obvious praise for it. I really don't get how people thought it was confusing though.

[fpres]

All About Steve (2009) - 4/10 -- I found this a bit hokey and a little preachy at times, but I didn't think it was as bad as critics are making it out to be (Sandra Bullock won a Razzie for this). I have certainly seen many worse movies. Bullock herself elevates my rating by 2-3 points.

Ping Pong Playa (2007) - 7/10 -- Lots of laughs which is what I like in any comedy.

[Izulde]

Avatar: The Last Airbender
Yes, the acting was so horrible that it produced untold moments of unintentional comedy and hilarity. But from a visual and story standpoint, I found it extremely enjoyable. No I haven't seen the series, but I've long since taken the viewpoint that a movie adaptation should be treated as separate from an original source.

Unlike most of the rest of the world, who pronounced doom and gloom on it, I was actually sad to see it end, and am very much looking forward to it. Did it help that I went in with zero expectations? Yes. Could I see why everyone's hating on it? Absolutely.

But it's better than you think.

[terpkristin]

Has anybody seen The Ghost Writer? I don't remember seeing it advertised in theaters, but FiOS is saying it's available to watch On Demand. I probably wouldn't have paid attention to it, but I happen to be reading the book it's based on right now, without knowing it'd been made into a movie. My version calls the book "The Ghost" but looking it up on Amazon brings up movie tie-in versions.

Edit to add: Was it a straight-to-DVD release? It looks like it's got some good actors and actresses in it...

/tk

[Young Drachma]

Watched Takers last night. T.I. really can't act, but he's got screen charisma. Anyway, it's not a good movie by any stretch but it was entertaining if nothing else. 6/10

Saw the remake of Death at a Funeral today and I had absolutely no interest in it prior, I only saw it because I was with family and they wanted to see it. Anyway...it had funny moments and was generally well acted in spite of itself. 4/10

[molson]

The Kids Are All Right - 7.5/10

I'm definitely getting older. This is the kind of movie you would have had to beat me over the head with a shovel and then drag me into the theater in a burlap sack to see just a few years ago. Now I see it and I feel things and think about mysteries of human nature and relationships.

I need to take shit down a notch and find something stupid on Netflix streaming.

[larrymcg421]

Originally Posted by molson

The Kids Are All Right - 7.5/10

I'm definitely getting older. This is the kind of movie you would have had to beat me over the head with a shovel and then drag me into the theater in a burlap sack to see just a few years ago. Now I see it and I feel things and think about mysteries of human nature and relationships.

I need to take shit down a notch and find something stupid on Netflix streaming.

I liked this as well. It was very subtle and well acted. It wasn't perfect (I thought the affair scenes were played too broadly), but overall it was a very mature and funny movie, something you don't see very often. I'd probably give it 7/10.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by terpkristin

Has anybody seen The Ghost Writer? I don't remember seeing it advertised in theaters, but FiOS is saying it's available to watch On Demand. I probably wouldn't have paid attention to it, but I happen to be reading the book it's based on right now, without knowing it'd been made into a movie. My version calls the book "The Ghost" but looking it up on Amazon brings up movie tie-in versions.

Edit to add: Was it a straight-to-DVD release? It looks like it's got some good actors and actresses in it...

/tk

I saw it. As HiFi noted, it did a quick turn on a limited release.

It was an interesting movie, and, yet, I don't know that I would necessarily recommend it. It was functionally well made, but I remember feeling at the end that I can't say I really found the experience much to speak on. The acting was very good (no surprise, given the actors), and the atmosphere (mostly a rainy, New England shore setting) was well done. The mystery was intriguing, to figure it out. But I think what did it in for me is I just didn't really care too much for McGregor's character, or, really, anyone in the film.

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I saw it. As HiFi noted, it did a quick turn on a limited release.

It was an interesting movie, and, yet, I don't know that I would necessarily recommend it. It was functionally well made, but I remember feeling at the end that I can't say I really found the experience much to speak on. The acting was very good (no surprise, given the actors), and the atmosphere (mostly a rainy, New England shore setting) was well done. The mystery was intriguing, to figure it out. But I think what did it in for me is I just didn't really care too much for McGregor's character, or, really, anyone in the film.

I have it on dvd right now from netflix and it is one of those movies that you look at the subject and the actors in it and think you just need to force yourself to like it.

I've tried but have been unable to make it through the movie yet. I just think it is unenjoyable or boring or bland or who knows what.

[terpkristin]

Wordplay - 8/10

In grad school, I was completely addicted to crossword puzzles, and have recently started doing them again regularly thanks to an app on my iPod Touch (though since I don't want to pay for the Times crosswords, I end up doing the free ones from the Washington Post). I actually enjoyed seeing the process (and rules) behind making crossword puzzles. Seeing the tournament was fun, too, though I predicted who would win based on the lead-in and setup.

Definitely would recommend it for crossword fans, especially if you find it on public TV like I did.

/tk

[Buccaneer]

I had a number of reviews written up but lost it due to a posting glitch. I don't remember where I had left off (or if I had already scored these) but here are just the scores of the movies I can remember off the top of my head (since I watch these with my son):

Ratatouille (8/10) - bumped up from a 6/10 I posted a while back
Cars (10/10)
Enchanted (8.5/10)
Night at the Museum 2 (7.5/10) - better than 1
2012 (5/10)

[ISiddiqui]

Amelie - 8/10: A really cute and adorable flick, done in a very awesome narrator focused way. I'm a huge fan of "Pushing Daisies" and I can easily see the influences Amelie had on that show, from the look of it, to the narrator focus and the backgrounds of the people. I enjoyed how the story was told in a quirky way, which a focus on individual characters likes and dislikes, regardless if it was relevant to the plot (a postmodern technique that I really tend to enjoy). And all the cast was great in each of their roles.

[Scoobz0202]

Never Let Me Go comes out the 15th of September. I've seen some short blurbs from early reviews and I must read the book before it comes out. The book has always been on my TBR list, and I have it on my bookshelf, but I just haven't got to it. I think I am going to move it to the top and start it tomorrow.

From what I've gathered, its a movie/book that you do not want to read spoilers about. So to those interested, keep that in mind. Here are a couple spoiler-free blurbs I've seen.

“In certain directorial and thespian hands, Ishiguro’s work could have been turned into mawkish slop. But, with these actors, the film’s a thing of rare beauty. … Never Let Me Go is the most haunting film about love and death I’ve ever seen.”

For anyone who has read the 2005 Kazuo Ishiguro novel Never Let Me Go, the idea of a film adaptation seems far-fetched as best. But director Mark Romanek and screenwriter Alex Garland have managed to do it; Never Let Me Go (in select theaters 9/15) perfectly captures the novel’s beauty and haunting poignancy. … Try, if you can, to stay as spoiler-free before viewing.

Never Let Me Go is a perfect example of British film at its very best; it’s a sombre piece of work, yet its sheer quality will lift the gloomiest of spirits. … The film, adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel of the same name, stars three of our brightest young actors - Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightley. All of them are still only in their mid-20s, yet they have a global reputation that is richly deserved. And all of them are outstanding in never Let Me Go. As such, this beautiful looking film is a perfect opener for the LFF, as the festival’s artistic director Sandra Hebron observed yesterday. Describing it as “accomplished and imaginative,” she added: “It combines impeccable film making, outstanding performances and a deeply moving story, and I couldn’t wish for a stronger or more appropriate opening night.” I couldn’t agree more.

Of course, "select theaters" means it won't be released around me on the 15th.

Here is the trailer. I haven't seen it because I'm avoiding spoilers at all costs (I'm not even sure if there are spoilers in it, but...) but for those who have read the book, or those who do not care, here ya go:

[Mustang]

Crank 2 - 7/10 : Awesome in its stupidity. There is something about movies that you know going in that you are just going to become dumber for having watched it, but you still do it anyways.

[Buccaneer]

Since I'm down for a few weeks recovering from surgery, been mostly catching up on audiobooks and few movies that I haven't scored yet:

Fargo (9/10)
Memoirs of a Geisha (9/10) - Ziyi and Michelle. mmmm....

[Buccaneer]

Finally got around to watching HBO John Adams. Great historical production settings, but way too many factual errors. Casting was great except for Giamatti as John Adams, which was bad, imo. (7/10)

[Bad-example]

Tried to watch Avatar today. Got 30 minutes in before giving up. I find it amazing that people rave over the 3d when it looked like crap to me. It was half blurry and extremely inconsistent. Once the headache started kicking in I just had to bail. I don't see trying the 3d thing again. Yikes.

[Kodos]

Just watched Kick-Ass. Very entertaining movie, and like most others before, LOVED Hit Girl. 4.5 out of 5.

[terpkristin]

Watched The Ghost Writer on FiOS On Demand. Oddly, it didn't deviate much from the book....and to that end, it leaves the viewer (and reader) with more questions and a feeling of incompleteness. What were the motivations of the characters? What happened next?

I understand that on some level, it was intended to be a kind of a "what if" about Tony Blair, and I suppose to that end, the story is still being written. But it was still frustrating.

I suppose if I were to rate the movie without having read the book, I'd give it maybe a 5/10 or something. But since I've read the book and know what they had to work with, I'll give it a 7. Great characters. But no further insights from what I got in the book.

/tk

[Groundhog]

Tomorrow, When the War Began - 8.5/10
Hmmm, wow. Very solid, and not just "solid for an Aussie movie", but solid even in comparison to a Hollywood picture. I haven't read the books and I was very dubious considering two of the main actors are only known from their characters in two awful daily soap shows over here, but yeah, this was an enjoyable movie. The special effects, especially during one particular scene in the middle of the movie, are well and truly above and beyond what you'd expect to see in a local production. The only issue I have is that the script is a little forced in places, but the actors do well with what they've got, and I'll be damned if Caitlin Stasey hasn't blossomed into a BABE. I feel like a pervert, because I haven't seen her on TV since she was about 14 or so.

[Young Drachma]

Saw The King of California (2007) last night while channel surfing. It was well-acted and not bad to past the time away, though it took me a bit to get into it.

I watched You, Me and Everyone We Know (2005) the other night via Netflix on demand. It's an indie flick by writer Miranda July who also stars in it. It's very quirky, unusual and strange at points. But I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Here are some clips from it:

[fpres]

Son of Rambow (2007) - 8/10 -- Nice feel-good story. It brought back memories of trying to film a movie with some friends at that age.

The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) - 5/10 -- I didn't like this nearly as much as the original. The characters were pretty flat, and the ending was disappointing. Plus, no klaatu barada nikto? Tsk tsk.

[samifan24]

The Town - 8/10 - I won tickets to an advance screening from a local radio station. I thought it was a very good crime film with an emotional center. Ben Affleck does a great job both in front of and behind the camera. A lot of people will probably compare it to The Departed because both are crime films set in Boston but I think they're actually quite different. I highly recommend seeing this one in theaters.