Movie & TV Reviews

[Phoenix]

Not sure if this topic has been done before but it might be a fun way of discussing views on the latest Movies or TV shows that the members have seen or want to comment on...

I decided to open the thread based on my viewing of 'Django Unchained' last night and the subsequent diametrically opposite opinions of the movie with my partner.

I thought 'Django' sucked, she loved it.
Most movie reviewers have given it a high score (but what do those fuckers know?)

Firstly, too fuckin' long...even sprawled out in Gold Class I was on the verge of developing bedsores.

I thought the Christoph Waltz character (Dr. King Schultz) was too similar to his character in 'Inglourious Basterds' (Hans Landa). I think Tarantino is getting a bit boring by rehashing the same actors to play similar roles in different movies, case in point, Samuel L. Jackson (Stephen) as another trash talking, uppity 'nigger' (similar persona to the characters he played in 'Pulp Fiction'-Jules Winnfield and 'Jackie Brown'-Ordell Robbie)

Tarantino has again gone down the historical revisionism path with 'Django Unchained' as he did with the Jews taking their revenge against the Nazis in 'Inglourious Basterds'.
In 'Django' the 'niggers' get their bloody revenge against their 'masters' in blood-curdling scenes reminiscent of the 'Kill Bill' intallments.

Then in typical Tarantino fashion, he pulls one of the most ridiculous scenes out of his arse, i'm still scrathing my head wondering why Tarantino himself and Australian actor John Jarratt play small roles as a couple of cowboys with AUSSIE accents escorting Django (Jamie Foxx) to a mining company. Tarantino's aussie accent is nothing short of bizarre and even Jarratt's accent is over the top...crazy scene.

I liked DiCaprio as plantation owner Calvin J. Candie and it was good to see good ol' Don Johnson as another plantation owner, Spencer 'Big Daddy' Bennett in possibly the movies best scene, when leading a gang of hooded horsemen in a raid against Schultz and Django...very funny but even that was a little drawn out.

I give 'Djang Unchained'... 2/5 stars

[EgejskaMakedonia]

Good review Phoenix.

The last movie I went to see was 'Les Misérables.' I probably should've done my research beforehand because I had no idea it was a musical. Needless to say, when they started singing I knew it wasn't my kind of film. The storyline is decent, but I've never particularly enjoyed musicals. It drags on a fair bit too.

In terms of recent TV shows, there are a few that are definitely worth viewing. Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, Boardwalk Empire and Breaking Bad spring to mind. I'm up to date on all of them except for Breaking Bad. Great shows and a fair bit of variety between them.

Get on them!

[Phoenix]

Good review Phoenix.

The last movie I went to see was 'Les Misérables.' I probably should've done my research beforehand because I had no idea it was a musical. Needless to say, when they started singing I knew it wasn't my kind of film. The storyline is decent, but I've never particularly enjoyed musicals. It drags on a fair bit too.

In terms of recent TV shows, there are a few that are definitely worth viewing. Game of Thrones, Walking Dead, Boardwalk Empire and Breaking Bad spring to mind. I'm up to date on all of them except for Breaking Bad. Great shows and a fair bit of variety between them.

Get on them!

EM, how many stars are you giving Les Mis...?

'The Great Gatsby' by Baz Luhrmann looks promising.
'A Good Day to Die Hard' also looks action filled.
...and looking forward to 'Zero Dark Thirty', I want to see how acurate it is to 'No Easy Day', the alleged real account of the bin Laden raid by ex SEAL Matt Bissonnette (pseudonym Mark Owen) who was about the 3rd person to enter bin Ladens bedroom during the raid...(but apparently not the first shooter to pop bin Laden)

[Big Bad Sven]

The last movie I saw at the cinemas was ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’

At first I was a bit worried as I thought the movie was going to be about me and my shitty life but was pleasantly surprised when the ‘middle earth’ settings came in

Well for the good parts of the movies, seeing it in 3D and High Frame Rate technique I was blown away at the picture quality. The High Frame Rate technique technology is amazing, it does look like real life. At times the image looked like it was being ‘sped up’ and it kind of looked weird, but most of the time it was great. If you watch this movie you must watch it at a cinema that supports this technology.

The story was pretty cool and a lot of the orc and goblin designs were great as well. Some of the fight scenes were awesome

I found the first half of the movie was a bit slow and at times boring, but it picked up. Some of the dwarves were hard to understand with the Scottish accent.

My biggest gripe of the film that were a lot of cheesy scenes and it was not too violent as they tried to make it for kids. There so many times certain characters should of died or not survived but thanks to ‘dumb luck’ they did

I enjoyed the movie, but still think the original trilogy was better.

I give the ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ a 3 out of 5 macedonian suns

[Big Bad Sven]

Not sure if this topic has been done before but it might be a fun way of discussing views on the latest Movies or TV shows that the members have seen or want to comment on...

I decided to open the thread based on my viewing of 'Django Unchained' last night and the subsequent diametrically opposite opinions of the movie with my partner.

I thought 'Django' sucked, she loved it.
Most movie reviewers have given it a high score (but what do those fuckers know?)

Firstly, too fuckin' long...even sprawled out in Gold Class I was on the verge of developing bedsores.

I thought the Christoph Waltz character (Dr. King Schultz) was too similar to his character in 'Inglourious Basterds' (Hans Landa). I think Tarantino is getting a bit boring by rehashing the same actors to play similar roles in different movies, case in point, Samuel L. Jackson (Stephen) as another trash talking, uppity 'nigger' (similar persona to the characters he played in 'Pulp Fiction'-Jules Winnfield and 'Jackie Brown'-Ordell Robbie)

Tarantino has again gone down the historical revisionism path with 'Django Unchained' as he did with the Jews taking their revenge against the Nazis in 'Inglourious Basterds'.
In 'Django' the 'niggers' get their bloody revenge against their 'masters' in blood-curdling scenes reminiscent of the 'Kill Bill' intallments.

Then in typical Tarantino fashion, he pulls one of the most ridiculous scenes out of his arse, i'm still scrathing my head wondering why Tarantino himself and Australian actor John Jarratt play small roles as a couple of cowboys with AUSSIE accents escorting Django (Jamie Foxx) to a mining company. Tarantino's aussie accent is nothing short of bizarre and even Jarratt's accent is over the top...crazy scene.

I liked DiCaprio as plantation owner Calvin J. Candie and it was good to see good ol' Don Johnson as another plantation owner, Spencer 'Big Daddy' Bennett in possibly the movies best scene, when leading a gang of hooded horsemen in a raid against Schultz and Django...very funny but even that was a little drawn out.

I give 'Djang Unchained'... 2/5 stars

lol at your use of 'nigger'

I agree, tarintino sucks and is over rated. His movies have gotten worse and worse

The only good movie he made, was from Dusk till Dawn, and it wasnt really his movie

[Phoenix]

The last movie I saw at the cinemas was ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’

At first I was a bit worried as I thought the movie was going to be about me and my shitty life but was pleasantly surprised when the ‘middle earth’ settings came in

Well for the good parts of the movies, seeing it in 3D and High Frame Rate technique I was blown away at the picture quality. The High Frame Rate technique technology is amazing, it does look like real life. At times the image looked like it was being ‘sped up’ and it kind of looked weird, but most of the time it was great. If you watch this movie you must watch it at a cinema that supports this technology.

The story was pretty cool and a lot of the orc and goblin designs were great as well. Some of the fight scenes were awesome

I found the first half of the movie was a bit slow and at times boring, but it picked up. Some of the dwarves were hard to understand with the Scottish accent.

My biggest gripe of the film that were a lot of cheesy scenes and it was not too violent as they tried to make it for kids. There so many times certain characters should of died or not survived but thanks to ‘dumb luck’ they did

I enjoyed the movie, but still think the original trilogy was better.

I give the ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’ a 3 out of 5 macedonian suns

I watched 'The Hobbit' in 3D, early in the new year.
I agree that 3D is the way to go for that type of movie which relies greatly on the special effects to carry what was otherwise a long and drawn out succession of never ending battles for those poor little bastards and their desire to return to their mountain home. (a bit like a fantasy version of the story of the Macedonians and the ugly bastards that have hounded us)

That type of movie I put squarely in the special affects basket and go along for the effects while being a bit more accepting of the general lack of substance.

I agree with your 3/5 rating BBS.

[George S.]

phoenix & others i have to agree tarantino doesn't cut out well with his acting abilities.Not very interesting.I was surprised my other half like it.Nothing surprises me when the likes of my other half can stand for hours watching soapies i'm totally bored.I like some good old fashieoned acting but then where's the talent there ain't any.

[EgejskaMakedonia]

EM, how many stars are you giving Les Mis...?

'The Great Gatsby' by Baz Luhrmann looks promising.
'A Good Day to Die Hard' also looks action filled.
...and looking forward to 'Zero Dark Thirty', I want to see how acurate it is to 'No Easy Day', the alleged real account of the bin Laden raid by ex SEAL Matt Bissonnette (pseudonym Mark Owen) who was about the 3rd person to enter bin Ladens bedroom during the raid...(but apparently not the first shooter to pop bin Laden)

My bad, I'd give Les Mis 2/5 stars.

A good day to die hard seems like the generic Russian bad guy storyline, but you can't really go wrong with action packed films. Even if the story line is lacking, all the explosions, fighting and stunts keep them entertaining.

I've been meaning to see 'Gangster Squad' recently. Seems like my kind of film and has decent reviews.

[Soldier of Macedon]

lol at your use of 'nigger'

As Macedonians, we can't expect respect for our cause when such derogatory terms are being used for another people that have been oppressed. Not saying we should walk on egg shells, but let's be a bit more mindful about the language, because such use of that term (and the spelling) can be perceived as racist, even with the quotation marks.

[Phoenix]

As Macedonians, we can't expect respect for our cause when such derogatory terms are being used for another people that have been oppressed. Not saying we should walk on egg shells, but let's be a bit more mindful about the language, because such use of that term (and the spelling) can be perceived as racist, even with the quotation marks.

SoM, I understand your concern but it was used in the same context as found in the movie (and most Tarantino movies).

[Risto the Great]

Anyone seen Frankenhooker?
.... perhaps don't.

[chentovist]

Has anyone seen An idiot Abroad Season 3 - Venice & Macedonia?

http://www.avclub.com/articles/an-idiot-abroad-venice-macedonia,90862/

[DraganOfStip]

I guess it's just a matter of taste.Personally,I think Django is Tarantino's greatest work since Jackie Brown (Kill Bill vol. 1 and 2 were an absolute DISASTER),though the "Basterds" weren't bad as well.And this is by far the most hilarious scene in any of his movies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=36X0alcgpko

[Phoenix]

I saw Zero Dark Thirty last night.

I guess the challenge with this type of movie is to entertain the moviegoer when the general plot and its end are widely known.

The movie concentrated heavily on perhaps the lesser known activities of the post 2001 hunt for Osama bin Laden (OBL). The now controversial interrogation techniques used by the CIA, waterboarding, humiliation strategies, including the use of the Abu Ghraib style 'dog collar'. The extensive use of CIA 'Black Sites' around the world and other nasties.

I found this an interesting perspective from an American produced movie. Too often in American made movies, they're portraying themselves as the 'good guys', no matter the situation.
In 'Zero Dark Thirty', the early interrogation scenes by CIA operative 'Dan' are pure evil...too often in modern US cinema, this type of scene is reserved for the villians who are seldom Americans but nearly always some Eastern block communist, or similar.
The tortured captive 'Ammar' pleads to 'Maya' (central CIA character played by Jessica Chastain) to spare him from the "animal" 'Dan' (who runs the CIA's interrogation program, played by Jason Clarke)

These interrogation scenes are a large part of the movie and it's here that we see the evolution of the 'Maya' character as she becomes increasingly desensitized to the interrogation process and develops a single minded focus in her 'personal' crusade to get OBL
In the process we witness the dramatic setbacks of poor intelligence, mistaken intelligence, the hurdles of an American political sytem to overcome, the dark shadow of the Iraq WMD fiasco in granting approval for the OBL compound raid and the negating activities of the ISI (Pakistani Intelligence).

The actual OBL raid was a relatively small part of the movie but it was done fairly well, largely filmed in a ghostly green, to give the viewer the impression of what the raiding SEAL team were seeing through their night vision goggles.

My criticism of this scene relates to the logisitics of the raid, in the movie it was portrayed as a raid by the 2 stealth helicopters (and crews) alone.
From the several books that I've read about the raid, the force was much larger, along with the 2 stealth choppers and their crews, apparently the Americans had another 2 chinook helicopters in the region with full compliments of heavily armed forces to provide added security to the raiding party in the event of Pakistani military intervention, as well as extra CIA operatives on the ground to keep any interested onlookers away.
Also, this period of American counter terrorism has been labelled - "counter terrorism on an industrial level".
In books written by Chris Martin ('Beyond Neptune Spear' & 'Shaping the World From the Shadows'). It is alleged that on the night of the OBL raid another dozen or so operations were also carried out by other US special forces elements as part of the wider hunt for OBL. This apect was not mentioned in the movie.
Other sources suggest that there were a myriad of US air assets in the sky above the compound providing jamming of pakistani radar and providing a real time video link back to US command and the President himself.

It was good to see James Gandolfini (Soprano's fame) as CIA head Panetta on the big screen.
Harrold Perrineau, for the Sons of Anarchy fans out there (Damon Pope) plays a smallish role as a CIA team member.
Joel Edgerton plays the role of a SEAL leader but it's a pretty small role.

Overall, not too bad...A little bit too long for me at around 157mins.
Some of the characters, particularly 'Maya' are apparently a composite of several real life CIA (female) operatives that were involved in the long hunt for OBL, even in the book written by one of the SEAL's that raided the compound, 'No Easy Day' he talks about a female CIA operative that was there on the day of the raid and who was absolutely convinced that OBL was in the compound. Interestingly, the 'Maya' character is the only one prepared to give a 100% chance that OBL is in the compound, the other CIA 'experts' were only 60% confident in their intelligence at the briefing with Panetta in the movie.
Pretty close to most media reports since 2001 and having several details that were mentioned in 'No Easy Day' as well as other sources written about the raid itself, CIA involvement and elements of close quarter battle techniques.

I went with my partner, she enjoyed it and it served as a 'fill in the gaps' exercise for her, between the terror of Sept.11 to the news that OBL was finally killed.
The audience at our screening was very diverse in both gender and age, so I think it's a movie open to all and should not be confused with a plain ol' shoot 'em up movie.

I give it 1/2 out of 5

[Risto the Great]

Really excellent Phoenix. Worth watching based on your review.