Amph What was the last movie you saw?

Shinsengumi Chronicles. It's currently free on hulu.

 

THX 1138
Watched Lucas' debut film (?) out of curiosity, and I must say its appeal flew right over my head. It's the most boring waste of time I've ever spent watching a movie. I can see some of its ideas have been reused in other films I have recently seen, most notably Equilibrium, and to some extent City of Ember and The Island. But where those films take concepts that are not really that interesting, and attach them to narratives featuring some form of action set pieces, there's nothing of the sort here, until the futuristic car chase in the final 15 minutes. This drains my attention span. And let me explain why the concept is not that interesting. What is presented here is a futuristic sterile society where the surroundings are all white, citizens are all routinely sedated to not be overly emotional, or "chemically imbalanced" as they put it, sex is considered a perversion and fellony, and man is completely separated from nature, not even able to see the sky, as this society is built entirely under ground. Everyone are monitored to be in line and are fed state propaganda about how good they have it. Who in their right mind would think this is a good idea? Nobody. And that's why the concept is utterly uninteresting. The same is the case with Equilibrium. It presents a society where emotions are forbidden so that man may be safeguarded by anger and hate which lead to aggression and war. Nobody would think that is a good trade.

Good science fiction presents a concept that is morally ambiguous. You as an audience member might initially think that the idea being presented has merit. It makes you think. Great science fiction challenges already established aspects of our societies, ideas and norms through a fictional analogy, and strives to make people reconsider accepted truths. There's nothing to think about here, though. There are no redeeming qualities in the way this futuristic society is organized, so there's no ambiguity, no need for pondering. Nobody in their right mind would find the future depicted here to be appealing.

However, while the central framing concept wasn't' interesting, the film did make time for what seemed to be observations/comments about the role and function of religion in our lives, consumerism and the way we value human life. Those observations I found interesting, but they were momentary instances in an otherwise, IMO, boring and uncompelling narrative.

2 out of 5.

 

'Prometheus', I liked it a great deal more in the theaters. I won't go as far as to say I violently hate the film as some detractors do but it has some pacing problems and the plot is pretty choppily constructed. I do however think the film has a lot going for it. Fassbender is brilliant as the robotic David who echoes the androids from Scott's previous Sci-Fi efforts. His performance definitely makes the film worth a look. I also kind of like the philosophical questions behind it. I think the Guy Pearce character could have been expanded a lot more and added to this whole mission of literally finding God. The film kind of wears out its' welcome by not giving it's audience enough credit and by having Naomi Rapace constantly reiterate the major themes. It's a flawed movie but it certainly isn't Ridley Scott's 'Phantom Menace'

 

For all The Phantom Menace's flaws, at least I kinda understood why people were doing what they were doing. I can't say the same for Prometheus.

 

Empire of the Sun A very ambitious if flawed epic depicting a young boy's point-of-view of the Japanese side of WWII. I have to say that Christian Bale was fantastic even back in the day, and he literally carries the movie. The film drags quite a bit in the middle parts, but the beggining and last 45 minutes or so are some fantastic film-making. And holy moly Ben Stiller was in this for a while! Took me by surprise.

 

yeah, it's all over the place in terms of the character stuff. four dots

 

I just got done watching all three extended edition Lord of the Rings movies. I'm exhausted.

 

Yeah that's what I gave it. I felt like Malkovich was only there for audience appeal or something.

 

no i was talking to the four dot ellipsis guy but ok hee hee and stuff.

 

Goddamn stupid internets.

 

it's okay. i give this misunderstanding three-and-a-half dots.

 

Out of how many?

 

ah, good question. how many indeed? i'll say out of 5.4 dots.

 

Dammit I was going to say 5.3674

 

oh darn it! heaven's uncle!!!

 

I recommend using the dancing turd scale:




Less confusion that way.

 

Just watched The Dark Knight Rises on blu-ray. Used subtitles just for Bane.

 

god i hope every line was "ARZY PARZY"

 

From Russia With Love

Connery's 2nd Bond film. I posted my own analysis in @Ender_Sai's Bond thread.

 

Recently watched Youth in Revolt

Not a great film, possibly low on the list of Michael Cera films.

 

In the Loop (2009)
Dir. Armando Iannucci

Hadn't watched this in about a year and a half... maybe more. Marveled at how many of the phrases in the film I used in real life at the time. I still find David Rasche's performance to be the funniest in the film, despite everyone else delivering. As good as it is, I can't help but feel that it gets outstripped by the third season of The Thick of It, which is one of the best seasons of any television show I've ever seen.

 

I love this movie. It's hysterical.

 

Fanny and Alexander

Ingmar Bergman=Great
I think it was the longest Bergman film I've seen. Also the most colorful. And the largest cast of characters.

 

oh man that movie is FANTASTIC. you watched the mini-series version, right?