Recently watched movies!

[jellydonut25]

[lhb412]

The Return to Oz

I really loved this movie. I'm not going to say that it's a better movie than the original, but I will say that it's more in tuned with my sensibilities. I never really liked the term 'dark fairytale,' and think the more accurate description (and more in line with actual fairy and folktales) is 'earthy fairytale' or 'harsh fairytale' - it seems so-called 'dark fairytales' have been just as glossed over as, say, Disney's Cinderella. Anyway, Return to Oz is a wonderful, proper, earthy fairytale. I especially loved Nicol Williamson's Nome King, a much more subtle villain when compared to the 1939 film's Wicked Witch, and I think much scarier.

[MekaGojira3k]

[jellydonut25]

[Dr Kain]

[jellydonut25]

[MekaGojira3k]

[jellydonut25]

[Reaper G]

[jellydonut25]

[eabaker]

[canofhumdingers]

[Dr Kain]

[Dr Kain]

[klen7]

[Dr Kain]

Actually, I was talking about Die Hard only. Those movies need to stop. Bruce Willis is too old now. As for the trailers, essentially 4 of the six trailers were got stared old folks in crappy action movies.

Anyway...

Dredd - I have to say, I was actually quite impressed with this. It was a very fun and enjoyable movie. Nothing spectacular, but still a really great comic book movie and I wouldn't mind them revisiting this version of Mega City 1 again. It really did feel like it was something ripped right out of the comics, which was a nice surprise and now I do wish I had been able to see it in theaters in 3D because I'm quite certain those bullet time effects would have been fantastic.

[king_ghidorah]

[Ultra T-Rex]

[jellydonut25]

[eabaker]

[lhb412]

Scaramouche

This film has everything: fencing, multiple love-triangles, revenge, slapstick comedy, credulity-stretching plot twists of a melodramatic nature - everything amazing! This film is just below Flynn's Robin Hood in my list of favorite swashbucklers, and this film actually tops Hood's classic final duel, as this film has probably the best climactic sword fight of any film.

My Favorite Wife

I found this old Cary Grant screwball comedy a bit tiring to be honest. I know that these romantic comedies are based on misunderstandings, deceptions and other such conceits, but Grant's character just comes across as spineless in his inability to sort out the problem and tell the truth.

[MouthForWar]

Watched quite a few movies in the past couple weeks:

Jack Reacher- This movie was fun but only because it was so incredibly stupid. Seriously, this movie is f*cking bonkers. Tom Cruise basically plays an action hero so perfect, he's more of an SNL version of an action hero rather than an actual one. Every woman he walks by stares at him lustfully, he can fight anybody and beat their ass in 30 seconds, and much like the Adam West Batman in that he knew way too much, and put the most absurd "clues" together to figure something impossible out. Either he's the smartest person in the world or he's surrounded by the dumbest people in the world. The action scenes are all legitimately good, and there is some decent filmmaking on hand. On the other hand, Reacher has to be one of the stupidest characters ever created. Jack Reacher was basically a Saturday Night Live version of an action hero... only I don't think the movie knows it. As my friend put it, "this is the stupidest movie I've ever loved." Also, Wernor Herzog playing the villain was a giant "WTF" that made an absurd movie all the more absurd.

Zero Dark Thirty- A wonderfully made film, but I can't help but feel its a bit over-hyped. There just weren't enough character moments for me to really get a lot out of it (although I realize that isn't really the point of a movie like this). However, Jessica Chastain was fantastic and gave a very understated performance, even if her character is a bit underwritten. I do like that the movie kept the propoganda to a minimum and presented everything in a fairly unskewed, "matter of fact"-ly light. I liked that it just showed the process instead of becoming a big message movie. Another good one from Kathryn Bigelow, although it isn't one of my favorites of hers. I'm very glad I saw it, but it isn't the kind of movie I'd watch over and over. Also, can we stop putting James Gandolfini in things? Cuz every time I see him in something now, I can hear him breathing and its really distracting.

Compliance- A smaller movie that is based on the true account of a fast food place that is prank called by someone posing as a cop and how the caller tricks the restaurant manager to humiliate one of her clerks in all kinds of horrible ways, including strip searching her, making her get naked and performing sexual acts. One of the most uncomfortable movies I've seen in a while, but very well done and with excellent performances. I looked up the real case afterwards and the movie pretty much followed it beat for beat, which made it even creepier.

Sleep Tight- A Spanish thriller about a guy who sneaks into a woman's house at night and sleeps under her bed, uses her toothbrush, etc. Very unsettling stuff and very well made. Some truly tense moments for sure, but again, not something I'd revisit over and over.

Mama- Saw a press screening of this earlier. A new horror movie produced by Guillermo del Toro. It has a lot of effective and unique stuff to it, but it falls back on some horror cliches, which drags it down a bit. Another pass at the script and this could have been a classic, but instead its just a very solid horror flick. Mama herself is a very interesting creation (one of the best cinematic "ghosts" I've seen in a long time). I made a thread for this movie if you wanna know more of what I thought. Of the few passable haunted house movies of late (pretty this, much just Sinister and Woman in Black), this is probably my favorite.

[king_ghidorah]

Jack Reacher looks so unbelielably lame.

Like I've said before...I've known tons of military cops and they're no superheroes, 9 times out of 10 they're even more idiotic than regular civilian cops.

So the movie has already lost me on the trailer alone.

[jellydonut25]

Silent Movie - had never seen it before. it's definitely funny. drags a bit at the one-hour mark, but overall a fun, quality Brooks film.

[MouthForWar]