What movies have you seen recently?

[Fresh Tendrils]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

The Shining gets creepier with each viewing to me.

[Beantown]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

The book was just...such a better story that the movie seemed cheap an pointless to me.

Ill rewatch it at some point to appreciate Jack's performance and, maybe, the stylistic/artistic aspects but I know I am going to hate the story again.

[Lieutenant Dan]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

I love the film, but the book is the scariest I have ever read.

[DJ]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

The book was just...such a better story that the movie seemed cheap an pointless to me.

Ill rewatch it at some point to appreciate Jack's performance and, maybe, the stylistic/artistic aspects but I know I am going to hate the story again.

Jack's performance is so good I am willing to overlook some of the liberties Kubrick took with King's story.

[Beantown]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Jack's performance is so good I am willing to overlook some of the liberties Kubrick took with King's story.

See, it's arguably my favorite book of all time, and I didn't know about the liberties or that King himself disliked the movie heading in so...

...well, let's just say I was surprised. And that disappointment at how much was changed and left out and just lost in the adaptation completely ruined the movie for me on that first viewing.

[DJ]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Back to movies I've watched recently, I checked out Pumping Iron and Pumping Iron II: The Women.

Pumping Iron is an all-time classic. I'm a big fan of that era of bodybuilding; guys like Arnold were huge but didn't look like freaks. More of a focus on symmetry. Arnold is all over the place in the film, and as you find out with some excellent 25th anniversary features, that was by design. The film makers wanted Lou Ferrigno to be "the villain" but he just wasn't that guy, so Arnold somewhat morphs into this role, even though you never really grow to dislike him.

The movie is barely 90 minutes and I felt like it could've been 30 minutes longer, but then again, I like bodybuilding. I'm sure people that didn't care about the sport found it an appropriate length.

The training footage is inspiring to watch and the use of handheld cameras on stage during the Mr. Olympia contest really brought the viewer into the action, which I appreciated.

Pumping Iron II, as the title states, is all about female bodybuilders. The film builds towards a 1983 competition in Las Vegas (Ceasar's World Cup a show created for the movie), with all the big name stars, and newcomer (at that time), Bev Francis. Like the original, I think the intention was to have Francis, who sported more muscle mass than any other competitor at the time (she was a power lifter), play the "villain" but she's far too likeable and thus, Rachel McLish (the biggest name in the sport like Arnold) assumes that role.

There's more of a focus on what goes on backstage at a bodybuilding show in this film, and it's a unique inside look. The competition itself also receives a lot of air time, and I thought that was an improvement from the first Pumping Iron, which I thought skimmed the competition footage.

There's a parallel to the first Pumping Iron in that both marked a turning point for the sport of bodybuilding. The women, following Francis's lead, would become very muscular and less "athletic" looking, like what McLish and Carla Dunlap represented. Francis's entry into the sport was heavily debated at the time and in the film, you see a few judges voice their displeasure with Francis and grade her down, almost to prove a point.

I think in terms of story, Pumping Iron II is more compelling and offers a more complete look at the sport of bodybuilding, but it didn't have the cultural impact of the original. Pumping Iron also has more star power and Arnold really carries the film to greatness.

Both are must-watches if you like working out. If you don't like exercising, Pumping Iron may inspire you to get in the gym.

[goh]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Now You See Me
Mostly clever and intresting. Liked the magic fight scene.
The super amazing french girl and Mark Ruffalo seemed like a 21 year old and a 55 year old so awkward romantic subplot. She's 30 and he's 45.

Lords of Salem
Kinda like Close Encounters of the Third Kind but with witches and nowhere near as good. Not much happend really.

Suspiria
Utterly fantastic.
The music,the color schemes,the tension...I'm quite sure this would be in my top 5 horror movies.

[SPTO]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Emperor (2012)

Interesting little movie. The poster/dvd/what have you cover suggested that Tommy Lee Jones had a bigger part but this was basically Mathew Fox's film. The movie is an investigation on whether Emperor Hirohito should be hanged for war crimes in the prosecution of the war against the US but it's much more than that as it's a remembrance of Fox's relationship with a Japanese woman and the differences in the cultures of Japan and the western world.

Fox was a little wooden but it didn't kill the movie and I thought the contrasting of cultures was an interesting subplot to it all.

A solid ***

[Lieutenant Dan]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Emperor (2012)

Interesting little movie. The poster/dvd/what have you cover suggested that Tommy Lee Jones had a bigger part but this was basically Mathew Fox's film. The movie is an investigation on whether Emperor Hirohito should be hanged for war crimes in the prosecution of the war against the US but it's much more than that as it's a remembrance of Fox's relationship with a Japanese woman and the differences in the cultures of Japan and the western world.

Fox was a little wooden but it didn't kill the movie and I thought the contrasting of cultures was an interesting subplot to it all.

A solid ***

Thanks! I need to check this out. A little disappointed to hear it's light on Tommy Lee, but ah well. As long as it's good.

[daflyboys]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Emperor (2012)
The movie is an investigation on whether Emperor Hirohito should be hanged for war crimes in the prosecution of the war against the US but it's much more than that as it's a remembrance of Fox's relationship with a Japanese woman and the differences in the cultures of Japan and the western world.

I went in with the expectation of it focusing on more of the war theme than the love story, so I bailed.

[SPTO]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

I went in with the expectation of it focusing on more of the war theme than the love story, so I bailed.

The love story aspect wasn't completely all "romance" the way you see it in most movies. It was a way to explore the cultural aspects without bludgeoning the audience with it. I thought the guy that played Aya's uncle was pretty good and felt he should've had more screen time.

[Lieutenant Dan]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

I did see The Descendants this past weekend on free HBO preview. My parents had recommended it and I see why. It was really quite good, Clooney surprised me with some genuine range in this, and the girl that played his oldest daughter was great as well. The Hawaiian location shooting was exceptional.

It was a nice surprise.

[Beantown]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

I, and the girl that played his oldest daughter was great as well. .

I'm mad that they decided to remove MJ from the newest Spider-Man movie (last I heard), as she was supposed to play her. She was real good in The Descendants so I was intrigued.

[daflyboys]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

Oblivion.

I try to keep the actor Tom Cruise separated from the person Tom Cruise while I watch his movies. This story had its' merit for sure, but I'm getting tired of seeing Morgan Freeman every other time I turn around to watch a flick.

[SPTO]

Re: What movies have you seen recently?

The Frozen Ground (2013)

I'm not sure why this was relegated to the "Straight to DVD" heap as this was a very good film. It does have CSI trappings to it but I thought the relationship between Nick Cage and Vanessa Hudgens was very good and John Cusack does a tremendous job as the serial killer. There are a few very tense moments in this one and the interrogation scene a little over halfway through the movie was a highlight.

A solid ***