What is the latest movie you watched and what did you think of it?

[megabyteme]

I just finished watching Drive, and I found it enjoyable- a bit slow for what I was expecting, but it remained interesting. With many people speaking so highly of it, I was hoping for a new milestone in the genre; a new high for action/thrillers. When compared to great movies (ones I would give a "9" to, as several people have been throwing out) such as Usual Suspects, or Braveheart, or even (ones I would give an "8" rating to) Sin City, or Saving Private Ryan, the film pales. However, if you are in the mood for a slow-paced, silent hero (some Charles Bronson movies come to mind) with violent bursts, it is worthy of the time spent.

The actors are all good in their roles, the filming is modern, and the story holds up (not flawlessly, but) well. I give it a solid 7/10, and would watch it again if I happened to stumble across it flipping through channels, or if it got uploaded when I was without good, newer options.

[brightsid]

@Artemis considering the look of Gosling in the movie my guess is that O'Neal in the film you mentioned is a prototype for the character. But Gosling is more brutal although he looks as charming.

@MBM For me this a top level work and an unbelievable transformation for Refn considering his previous work the Vahala shit. You're probably right it's not in the same level with Usual Suspects especially as a story(a bit different genre though) but IMHO considering the latest action movies it's not an achievement but it is the best I've seen this year. Also you underestimate the supporting cast and my guess is that you don't like the sweet beauty of Mulligan

[megabyteme]

It certainly was no made-for-television movie-of-the-week. It has got good production value to it. The stunts/special effects are well done. Heck, I even liked Albert Brooks' character- and I've NEVER said that before...

Yes, Mulligan is sweet, and fragile, and just needs to find a "good" man. She was good, too.

There's really nothing wrong with the show, it is simply more of a limited pallet than some of the more deeply-developed films I mentioned above. It is a good late-summer blockbuster (and has received favorable reviews from fans, and critics), but I doubt it will stand up as "great" over the test of time. There are better stories, more powerful actors, better directors, and certainly better sound tracks... It won't last as a "classic". It is more of a modern day [Charles Bronson] vigilante-style movie that is cool, but not GREAT.

[clocker]

Green Lantern- Ryan Reynolds.

I've managed to see all the big blockbuster films this summer (No, not Transformers...yet. I've been saving that one for a special occasion that I have yet to conceive.), so I was more or less obligated to see this one despite having no interest.

RR is an engaging screen presence and clearly buff enough for the part (although I suspect the CGI is pervasive and extensive) but really, the entire concept of The Green Lantern is shitballs stupid
and for me the viewing experience was a teetertotter of Ryan's likeability versus the script's insult.
Not a fair fight, as it turned out.

I think Green Lantern was storyboarded by a focus group of eight year old white males.
Applying Occam's Razor allows for no better explanation of the generic and derivative look and and limp plotline...preteens don't care about story but they sure do love shiny, 'splody setpieces
and GL steals- with little attempt at obfuscation- from all the movies you'd expect a kid to reference.
They may as well have added subtitles..."Hey! Look! The Mummy, here it comes...Hellboy! and get ready! It's...The Incredibles (aawww!).

Not only do youngsters prefer the familiar but, as Green Lantern consistently demonstrates, they have a decidedly "simple" sense of power and splendor.
Two examples (non-spoilery ) will suffice:

-Given that the primary ability granted the Lantern Corps (secretly funded/controlled by Coleman, I suspect citation needed...Ed.)
is materializing in energy anything you can conceive, the "constructs" that our hero comes up with are all based on toys that any middle class kid would have.
I think his weapon in the grand finale is a slingshot but TBH, I couldn't tell what the fuck was going on, so there's that but he definitely envisions a Gatling gun at one point and creates a
slot car track for another.
All the greatest weapons in the Universe turn out to be from Toys-R-Us, just made out of green light instead of plastic.

-Only a prepubescent boy would think that the Corps home planet made any sense whatsoever.
Created especially for the Corps by the Elder Immortals (or you know, "Mom & Dad")* and despite hosting regular and massive pep rallies, there doesn't seem to be any sort of auditorium or stadium for the participants.
Mainly because it would be much cooler to just hang out in the hills with all two million of your homies and celebrate by shooting into the sky at appropriately stirring moments.
Because that is what seems awesome before you hit puberty and discover girls and then reach adulthood and discover comfort.

Even the obligatory Easter egg setup for the sequel pissed me off.
Come on, the LEADER of the good guys is name "Sinestro" and uses Satan as a stylist, yet no one suspects he will betray them in the (literal) end?
Anyone who's seen Office Space saw that one coming from jump.

I guess I could say I didn't enjoy this movie.
In fact, writing this was more fun.


*Like all recent movies that feature supergod/elders, they are always depicted as living statues (almost literally in Green Lantern and Clash of the Titans).
This is because kids have no fucking clue what their parents do all day; if they're not directly in the kids face, they just disappear and stand waiting for the next parent/child interaction.
As an elderly person I can assure you that given unlimited power and life, I would not stand around on a spire, exposed to the elements and nap with my peers.

I do that now, actually.

[brightsid]

If you liked Albert Brook performance then we agree MBM
Anyway just watched Hanna and the only comment I have is that La Femme Nikita was good and there is really no need for the blond version
Too much american action movies this weekend for me

[megabyteme]

The original La Femme Nikita was FAR superior to the remake with Bridgit Fonda. No comparison, really. I will certainly give a nod to Drive as a superior film to the American Nikita remake, and Hanna.

Honestly, I liked the blonde girl in Hanna, and Eric Bana held his own with a solid performance. Unfortunately, Cate Blanchett has fallen into the category of actor who has grown arrogant in his/her career, and their portrayals come across as caricatures of what gave them notoriety in the first place. She's a female Al Pacino at this point, and she bogged down anything that the movie had going for it.

[brightsid]

Totally agree for Blancett MBM and I usually like the bad "guys" in the movies.
Speaking for worse remakes just watched The Experiment. I'm trying to remember a worst remake and nothing comes to mind. I'm getting older or the remakes are getting worse

[Artemis]

Totally agree for Blancett MBM and I usually like the bad "guys" in the movies.
Speaking for worse remakes just watched The Experiment. I'm trying to remember a worst remake and nothing comes to mind. I'm getting older or the remakes are getting worse

I'm not sure about that, the remake of Andromeda Strain was truly awful, almost to the point where I needed to drive a large nail into my head to relieve the pressure.

[IdolEyes787]

The Longest Yard .It is my most fervent wish that Adam Sandler meet with an unfortunate accident.
The Day the Earth Stood Still otherwise known as Keanu Reeves is out acted by a robot named Gort.
Swept Away.One word :Madonna.
The Wicker Man.Jesus H. Christ kill me.
The Killer Elite. A movie doesn't have to make sense to be good but it sure helps.
Get Carter.Sylvester Stallone is no Michael Caine.At this point he isn't even Sylvester Stallone.

I could add more but that would work against the years I spent in intense psychotherapy trying to forget them.

[Artemis]

Some of the worst offenders have been the classic TV series remakes:
Lost in Space : Dr Smith is an alien spider wtf???????????
Miami Vice : it is hard to pick one thing that sucked more, the whole production was awful, Colin Farrell should be ashamed.
Starsky & Hutch : Ben Stiller is one of those comedians who is rarely brilliant, the rest of the time his humor is pedestrian, and this take sucked bawls!

Of special mention for me in the why did they bother department is Flight of the Phoenix, I both read and enjoyed the book and adore the original, while the remake is a study in how production houses rely on CGI to carry a story these days, there was little character development in the remake and so the sub-plot(s) are almost completely missing.
Idol, the Wicker Man is another movie I enjoy and knowing that it was a Hollywood remake of a classic british film with Nicholas Cage as the star, the only way I will watch it is if someone nails me to a chair in front of a screen and tapes my eyelids open.