What Movies Are You Watching?

[Jazzooo]

Captain Philips. Relentless but effective thriller. Hanks is a sure bet for a nomination, as is the film I think.

Going to see Ender's Game in one hour.

[Monte Smith]

Every once in a while, a picture comes out that simultaneously blows your mind and tugs on your heartstrings, and really redefines what it is possible to accomplish in a motion picture. But more often there are movies like Koi...Mil Gaya, Bollywood's science fiction blockbuster from 2003. This one stars Hrithik Roshan, the director's son (handy), as a mentally-incapacitated adult who is still in elementary school. The beautiful Preity Zinta (she really is pretty, let's see what Scott thinks, though) plays a neighbor woman who is actually contemplating sleeping with him when ALL OF A SUDDEN this tiny Indian hill station's world is turned topsy-turvy by the presence of alien space craft! And rain. Cue song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WbsBod5RLE

Long story short, hero's development issues vanish, he becomes a stud, and the basic plot of E.T. is retold. Two Montes.

[A. Kingstone]

[mjb]

Continuing my viewing of Woody Allen movies I happened to miss. This time I caught .

Walt,

How is Lucy Punch in this. I've not seen her in anything that suggests she has much, if any, talent.

PS _ I rather liked "Whatever Works."

[stonemonkts]

[font=Quando]

PS _ I rather liked "Whatever Happens."

Me too.

[Jazzooo]

Thumbs up for two: Ender's Game and Last Vegas. The latter was the big surprise--I've seen too many comedies with big names that just didn't make me laugh. This did!

More about Ender's Game later.

[walto]

PS _ I rather liked "Whatever Happens."

Me too.

I hope you guys don't mean "Whatever Works" (I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that.)

Lucy Punch plays a stereotypical tart with a heavy accent. She mostly has to be hot, stupid and amoral, all of which she pulls off.

[stonemonkts]

I meant Whatever Works. I know it wasn't one of his better films. but IT WORKED FOR ME. Pun intended.

[stonemonkts]

Turkish-German Faith Akin's "Head-On" - Excellent. I enjoyed his "The Edge of Heaven" from 2007, so I decided to see this feature from 2004. I loved it. As Charlie Rose would say, here is a trailer for the film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSyJwq3FSq8

[Jazzooo]

About Time, another charming love story that revolves around time travel starring Rachel McAdams. Next time, she gets to go through time. It's from the same writer who did Four Weddings and a Funeral and a few others like that. Good acting all around, some fun surprises but could have used more; more than a tad flat in the 3rd act. Still, recommended for a romantic comedy night.

[Jazzooo]

Ender's Game, adapted from the book written by the prolific and batshit-crazy Mormon author Orson Scott Card. I'm partial because I not only read the fascinating book, but also the entire series that sprung forth, following these characters as they aged and changed their priorities.

I really have no idea if the film communicates what was so compelling about the story and the characters to someone who hasn't read the book, but I have to assume they did a good job because I enjoyed the film a lot. It's beautiful to look at (though the weightless scenes were trumped by Gravity) and well-enough acted. The plot twists should work on the uninitiated. With Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley.

[timoleon]

akin is a very good case of european cinema,combining brilliantly turkish and german elements in his works.
"soul kitchen" was pretty good and funny and the music documentary "crossing the bridge:the sounds of istanbul" is a must see.

Turkish-German Faith Akin's "Head-On" - Excellent. I enjoyed his "The Edge of Heaven" from 2007, so I decided to see this feature from 2004. I loved it. As Charlie Rose would say, here is a trailer for the film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSyJwq3FSq8

[LennyH]

I saw Gravity in 3D at an Imax.

I liked it. Based on the reviews I expected more but that's how it often works. This film might have been made to be seen in 3D and I might find, when I see it pop up on cable, that it's not the same without 3D but I'm just not sold on 3D as an artistic medium. They're still hurling stuff at you, etc, to wow you just because it's 3D and because they can but I'm constantly aware that they're doing that. I haven't ever had the feeling, with a 3D film, that I'm watching something that's enhanced by 3D without feeling that it's at least somewhat gimmicky.

3 Stars.

[Monte Smith]

I saw Ender's Game and happily I never read the book, so the twist in the story worked for me. I enjoyed it.

[A. Kingstone]

Beauty And The Beast - Jean Cocteau

The Messenger

Is there a way to shrink images once you paste them?

I had pictures of both films but my post was the size of Manitoba.

[A. Kingstone]

You'll need to re-size them before you post.

And I hope you're talking about The Messenger that came out a few years ago and not that horrendous Joan of Arc dreck that should have never made it past the cutting room doors.

The Woody Harrelson film. Excellent.

[A. Kingstone]

Yes, it was.

Probably more so for me since my older brother was a door knocker during a decent percentage of the Iraq War.

Holy shit! Did he see the film?

[sozamora]

I saw Ender's Game and happily I never read the book, so the twist in the story worked for me. I enjoyed it.

I've found that the book made a big impression on people who read it when they were young. I read it as an adult, and it comes across to me as a simplistic but passably entertaining Mary Sue fantasy.

The first sequel Speaker For The Dead was ok too, but made the hero so perfectly wise he just came across like the grown-up version of the Mary Sue from the first book. It would be ok if Card had imbued him with some incredibly insightful thoughts to justify the premise rather than simplistic and obvious cliches, but it wasn't convincing.

That said, I haven't seen the movie and probably won't until it's on cable or netflix.

[Coda]

This clip is about the sound and music of this movie. It's worth a listen.

[walto]

Continuing my Woody Allen marathon. This week I saw Melinda and Melinda as well as Blue Jasmine. I liked them both, and, as lots of people have noticed Blanchette is very good as Jasmine (as is the woman who plays her sister). But as with nearly every Allen movie, the dialogue is unbelievable/stagy (sort of like Paul Simon lyrics), and there is too much reliance on coincidences, parties, etc. The "realistic" movies aren't really much more believable than the silly ones for those reasons. To me, almost all of them are enjoyable, anyhow.

[Gentle Giant]

Watched Grown Ups 2 with my girls last night. Best sequel since Godfather 2. Nice cameo by the J. Geils Band.

[Jazzooo]

I just suffered through Killing Season, with Robert deniro and John travolta. Despicable torture porn masquerading as a war revenge adventure. Deniro is fast becoming the new Nicolas cage, turning in average performances in total crap.

[Chazro]

12 Years A Slave - WOW! Powerful and surely to be an award winner in many categories. But not a feel-good flick, deadly serious and not a giggle to be found. Lot's of cameo's by a bunch of my favorite actors. As the credits rolled at the end, a lady of color sitting behind me says loudly (and happily!); "free at last, free at last!". Tellyawhat, the lead actor; brit Chiwetel Ejiofor, is having a star-making banner year. Between this movie and his leading man status on the Starz networks 'Dancing On The Edge' (an excellent Jazz(!) murder mystery miniseries), his status as an a-list actor this year is practically guaranteed!

[A. Kingstone]

Life Of Pi

I figure I'm the only one pulling for the jackal.

[Jazzooo]

Hunger Games #2--Good, true to the book.