DVDs and Films You Have Watched Recently #2

[Bellenda Carlisle]

Saw the Amazing Spider-Man a few days ago.

 

I can understand that it seems too soon after the Raimi ones for a lot of people but I can never get enough.

It was very obviously post Nolan Batman as except for the inherent science fiction of Spidey and the Lizard it was quite dark, "realistic" and gritty (whatever that means). I thought it did a pretty good job of feeling different from the Raimi trilogy but I really could've done without the "truth about his parents" storyline, that did nothing for me. The buildup in the first hour was fine with Garfield being a lot more weird as peter parker than I expected, he was so awkward he barely spoke which I thought was more realistic than a typical movie nerd. Once he became Spidey and the action kicked off though I was a happy man, that's what I was there for, the way he moved was great, he really felt like spidey should and I liked the fact that he got a bit battered because that happens a lot in the comics, he's not indestructable and he's often in over his head.

 

Lizard was fine but his CG wasn't the best and looking back on it he didn't make enough of an impact, taking second place to spidey's origin and other story elements, he was quite menacing when he was there though and one of his scenes was actually pretty scary.

 

The film was quite dramatic, I could've done without seeing the origin story again as any fan already knows it like the back of their hand but I guess as it's a fresh start it doesn't hurt to include it, plus Martin sheen is cool.

 

Looking forward to the inevitable sequel because this one spent so much time setting itself up that you feel it could really kick off in the next one (again, like the Nolan Batmans)

[BiffingtonClyro]

Wow, just watched Barton Fink for the very first time. What a tremendous movie. How the Coen Brothers came up with that storyline is unbelievable, just incredibly original. I think I'll be making my way through their filmography in the next few weeks.

 

Have a big cushion handy for the massive lob that Miller's Crossing will give you. It's unbelievably good.

 

I've had Miller's Crossing on dvd for a few years now but have never got round to watching it, by all accounts its tremendous.

[Chest Rockwell]

Saw the Amazing Spider-Man a few days ago.

 

I can understand that it seems too soon after the Raimi ones for a lot of people but I can never get enough.

It was very obviously post Nolan Batman as except for the inherent science fiction of Spidey and the Lizard it was quite dark, "realistic" and gritty (whatever that means). I thought it did a pretty good job of feeling different from the Raimi trilogy but I really could've done without the "truth about his parents" storyline, that did nothing for me. The buildup in the first hour was fine with Garfield being a lot more weird as peter parker than I expected, he was so awkward he barely spoke which I thought was more realistic than a typical movie nerd. Once he became Spidey and the action kicked off though I was a happy man, that's what I was there for, the way he moved was great, he really felt like spidey should and I liked the fact that he got a bit battered because that happens a lot in the comics, he's not indestructable and he's often in over his head.

 

Lizard was fine but his CG wasn't the best and looking back on it he didn't make enough of an impact, taking second place to spidey's origin and other story elements, he was quite menacing when he was there though and one of his scenes was actually pretty scary.

 

The film was quite dramatic, I could've done without seeing the origin story again as any fan already knows it like the back of their hand but I guess as it's a fresh start it doesn't hurt to include it, plus Martin sheen is cool.

 

Looking forward to the inevitable sequel because this one spent so much time setting itself up that you feel it could really kick off in the next one (again, like the Nolan Batmans)

 

 

I disagree with your assessment of their use of the origin story. In the Raimi one the origin felt uneccesary and boring, because it felt like they were doing it just because they had to. It felt a bit like - alright, get on with the fighting already, fuck this shit. It felt like a lot more of a core part of the film here. So, where you see the Lizard getting sidelined a bit, I found it well-paced. I was kinda surprised when I had been in the cinema for ages and they hadn't even really got to the "main villain" because of what I've been condiitioned to expect, but I wasn't bored at all. And this is coming from someone who has previously said repeatedly "I never want to see another fucking origin story in a superhero movie again".

 

There were things wrong with it that mean it's not quite on the level with the best superhero movies, but it was a damnsight better than most. Chatting to a friend about this, they said that Marc Webb just doesn't really know how to direct action. I think this is a pretty fair summary of the main problems with the film. There were no real memorable action sequences, and there were certainly enough opportunity for them. The subway fight and the school fight particularly should have been better (although the school fight did give us another great Stan Lee cameo). Also, I would have liked to have seen a bit of the general populace that had been infected with the Lizard bombs tearing shit up.

[Dirty Eddie]

Wow, just watched Barton Fink for the very first time. What a tremendous movie. How the Coen Brothers came up with that storyline is unbelievable, just incredibly original. I think I'll be making my way through their filmography in the next few weeks.

 

Have a big cushion handy for the massive lob that Miller's Crossing will give you. It's unbelievably good.

 

I've had Miller's Crossing on dvd for a few years now but have never got round to watching it, by all accounts its tremendous.

 

 

Barton Fink is indeed excellent. I actually re-watched Miller's Crossing again this week. I hadn't watched if for over a decade and simply remembered "it was good" without any details. Glad I had forgotten all but the key points as I got to enjoy it all over again. Brilliant stuff. I do love the Coen brothers.

[Foale]

Just watched 'This Means War'. Clich

[niff]

41 Year Old Virgin who Knocked Up Sarah Marshall was a gross out spoof comedy but in true Appatow style managed to make you like it. Some hilarious moments and scarily managed to find doubles of cast members from various recent movies. I have to be honest I fast forwarded some of the really gross bits.

[tiger_rick]

Watched American Reunion last night. Discovered I can download blu-ray rips and hook my laptop to the TV via HDMI cable so wanted something to try it out. I quite enjoyed it. I was a big fan of the first couple of films so I think as long as this one was quite true to the original characters, I was always going to like it.

 

I hope this is the end. It wasn't a film that needed making and I don't think there's anything of interest they can do with the characters or the situation.

[Loki]

Quite busy this weekend, but I did manage to fit in Jesse James (1939), the first and classic treatment of the James Gang story. It wasn't going for verisimilitude, but in terms of creating myth it was brilliant. Tyrone Power is a relatively forgotten actor, but at the time he was huge, and was a worth babyfaced hero. A young Henry Fonda was his older brother, but the real star was Nancy Kelly who played James' wife - a really strong performance in an age where most female parts were cursory.

 

I'd give it 4 cacti out of 5, and place it above "The Assasination of Jesse James" in the James Gang mini-genre.

[Chest Rockwell]

So I finally saw Aliens when it was on telly last night.

 

It really is as good as everyone told me it would be. It was so tense I was exhausted by the end of it; I don't think I could handle Alien from what I've heard.

 

I have a few minor complaints - Gibson is fucking awful, and the Queen Alien was a bit too 'human' in her behaviour in the end fight... you know, riding the elevator, holding the ankle, that kinda stuff. But even then I was cheering at the screen when Ripley came out in the Loading thingy suit and smacked the shit out of her. But yeah, Gibson was really intolerable. Why did that guy die so late in the film?

 

Also, I'm informed that the version we watched on TV was cut, and that if I saw the proper version I get to see the Alien properly fuck up Paul Reiser.. so that's a reason to watch this again at some point.

[Devon Malcolm]

So I finally saw Aliens when it was on telly last night.

 

It really is as good as everyone told me it would be. It was so tense I was exhausted by the end of it; I don't think I could handle Alien from what I've heard.

 

I have a few minor complaints - Gibson is fucking awful, and the Queen Alien was a bit too 'human' in her behaviour in the end fight... you know, riding the elevator, holding the ankle, that kinda stuff. But even then I was cheering at the screen when Ripley came out in the Loading thingy suit and smacked the shit out of her. But yeah, Gibson was really intolerable. Why did that guy die so late in the film?

 

Also, I'm informed that the version we watched on TV was cut, and that if I saw the proper version I get to see the Alien properly fuck up Paul Reiser.. so that's a reason to watch this again at some point.

 

Do you mean Hudson / Bill Paxton? I can see why he might irritate some but I think his character was a really good one and a perfect one for the story that was being told.

 

As for Paul Reiser, his death occurs off screen so it wasn't anything to do with a TV edit. I wouldn't imagine they edit Aliens for TV any more. Do you know if it was the director's cut you watched? The director's cut has Newt's parents finding the ship...

 

Hang on. You haven't see Alien? Go and watch it and then watch Aliens again!

[WildSybianRider]

.............. Hudson?

 

 

EDIT - gah, Gladstone quicker off the draw.

Edited July 16, 2012 by WildSybianRider

[Loki]

You mean Hudson? He's great!! Game over, man!! We're in real deep shit now, man!! He has most of the best lines.

 

You should find the original movie cut, that's the best IMO. Gladders prefers the "Director's Cut", but I don't. And, yeah, Alien is scarier.

[WildSybianRider]

Chest, do you mean Hudson?

[Harvey Dent]

I prefer Alien to Aliens by a long way, definitely check it out. I finally got round to watching the Blade Runner "Final Cut" yesterday, it is glorious.

[Keith Houchen]

Just remembered that someone lent me Watchmen ages ago. I'm not a fan of comic books, or comic book adaptations on the whole but they pass a couple of hours. I will let you know how this one goes.