main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

O.C, CA *** Official Movie & TV Review/Discussion Thread ***

Discussion in 'Pacific Regional Discussion' started by Kaui-Gone-Jim, Dec 3, 2002.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Kaui-Gone-Jim

    Kaui-Gone-Jim Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2002
    *** This thread is for all of us to give reviews or discuss ANY movie (or TV show/series) at all -- new or old. *** ;)

    Please participate and share your passion for your favorite films and TV shows! :D

    Peace,
    Jim

     
  2. Kaui-Gone-Jim

    Kaui-Gone-Jim Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2002
    "Six Degrees of Separation" (1994)

    Finally rented/watched this film for the first time yesterday. It stars Will Smith, Donald Sutherland, Stockard Channing, a VERY young Heather Graham, and many, many more.

    The movie is mostly of a New York art-dealing couple (Sutherland and Channing) recounting their experiences with a charming, yet deceitful, quick-study named Paul (Smith).

    Paul, passing himself off as the son of actor Sidney Portier, seems to have half of NY's social elite eating out of his empty pockets throughout the film. He is so likeable, though, that even after he is found out, he is given another chance to redeem himself.

    There are many references to art, books, famous people, films (Star Wars, Trek) to list here, especially during one discussion led by Paul on the Human Imagination. I had a smile when Lord of the Rings (the book) was mentioned -- as actor Ian McKellan (Gandalf, in the LOTR film) was present, playing an art buyer just in town.

    The title of the film comes from an observation that any two people on Earth can be connected through only six contacts -- if you find the right ones. Of course, this movie was before the instant one-to-one access of the Internet expanded so hugely throughout the globe, but it is a great example of how we all need and crave human interconnectedness -- and that this truly is a small world, afterall!

    If you enjoy philosophical, 'meaning-of-life' discussions -- or are a Will Smith fan -- you might like this movie.

    The Balcony Is Yours....
     
  3. jedi_janie

    jedi_janie Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Aug 20, 2002
    I've got that movie on my netflix list. Sounds really good. This past weekend I watched Remember the Titans and A Beautiful Mind. Both excellent films. Titans is definitely one I believe children should see so as not to repeat the past when it comes to racial bigotry. It was a "feel good" movie.

    Anyway...good idea on a subject Jim!
     
  4. Kaui-Gone-Jim

    Kaui-Gone-Jim Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2002
    Thanks, Janie! :D
    Would you do a review of 'A Beautiful Mind'? I have not seen that yet. I'm so behind in seeing movies -- I walk through Blockbuster and think: "So many movies, so little time..."
     
  5. jedi_janie

    jedi_janie Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Aug 20, 2002
    A Beautiful Mind was a very good film. Russell Crowe definitely deserved an Oscar (he lost to Denzel Washington) as did Jennifer Connelly(she did win for Best Supporting Actress). Also stars Ed Harris, Josh Lucas and Christopher Plummer.

    The story was very interesting. Basically it's about Dr. John Nash. A famous mathmetician who won the Nobel Prize for some of his work that influenced the global economic market. It starts out while he is at Princeton. He has a fantastic mathematical mind. I don't want to give too much away, but he is recruited by the Dept of Defense to unscramble Soviet "codes" that are embedded into newspapers and periodicals. There's a twist to that part of the story, but the suspense keeps you glued.

    He meets Alicia in one of the classes he teaches at M.I.T. (which is a great side story in itself that she is a woman in the late 40's attending M.I.T. in the first place) and she is able to see past some of his quirky ways and they fall in love. She really goes through a lot after they are married.

    It really is worth a rental Jim. I highly recommend it. Great script, perfectly acted and outstandingly directed.
     
  6. Kaui-Gone-Jim

    Kaui-Gone-Jim Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2002
    Thanks for that review, Janie! :D I will definitely rent that DVD soon.
     
  7. Kaui-Gone-Jim

    Kaui-Gone-Jim Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2002
    "Solaris" (2002)

    Starring George Clooney; Directed by Steven Soderbergh. In theaters now.

    This 'remake' of an older Russian sci-fi film is about a head-shrink (Clooney) that goes to investigate what is happening on a troubled space station that is studying a strange gas planet named 'Solaris'.

    Without giving too much away, I'll just say here that this is a thinking-type sci-fi film, much like the classic, "2001: a Space Odyssey". In fact, the long, slow scenes (with little dialog), and some of the music throughout this film, seemed like a mini-tribute to '2001' and Stanley Kubrick (in my opinion, anyways).

    If you like a movie where every detail is not clearly defined or explained (I need to see it one more time to be sure I 'get it' myself), with a love story thrown in (a nice touch in any sci-fi story), then you should give this movie a try.

    Peace,
    KGJ
     
  8. Kaui-Gone-Jim

    Kaui-Gone-Jim Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2002
    Anyone else want to see "ST: Nemesis" this weekend? PM me or post here.


     
  9. BobaFett-MP

    BobaFett-MP Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 13, 2001
    I'm a huge war movie fan, favorites being Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers. Memphis Belle, Tora!Tora!Tora!, Tuskegee Airmen, Midway, The Longest Day, A Bridge Too Far, Great Escape, Heart's War, Force 10 from Navarone, etc.

    Anyone else have any war movie favorites?
     
  10. SRB_Jedi_Knight

    SRB_Jedi_Knight Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    You have named quite a few of my favorites Britt. Although I also like the Big Red One as well. I have some others also.
     
  11. Aaron-Wan-Kenobi

    Aaron-Wan-Kenobi Temp CR Orange County, CA star 3 VIP

    Registered:
    Dec 8, 2002
    CLERKS

    The greatest movie dollar for dollar ever made. It has plenty of star wars references culminating on a debate about contractors on the 2nd death star. It also features the great song "Chewbacca" by Supernova. It is written and directed by Kevin Smith who is a huge star wars fan. Definately not for children but is good for anyone who enjoys star wars movies and toilet humor.


    P.S. Lando rules and needs more respect because he blew up the 2nd death star.
     
  12. Princess_Skywalker_

    Princess_Skywalker_ Jedi Youngling star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2002
    Yes there a few of us on here that are big Kevin Smith fans. He actually manages to reference Star Wars in ALL his movies. I also enjoy the comics references and the way his movies were all related through characters mentioned or seen in other movies of his. It's too bad he felt he needed to move on from that. Oh well, maybe he'll make another Jay & Silent Bob movie in the future. Or at least a Randall one. lol
     
  13. Kyps-dozen

    Kyps-dozen Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Jul 31, 2002
    ok...i don't know how she did it, but D_A dragged me to go se THE RING. i told her i'd get scared! and with out giving anything away.....it scared the cheese out of me! i couldn't sleep for a week. some how D_A slept just fine. we went with my sister and her two friends. all of us were scared witless. D_A slept in my sister's room with the two friends. i was all by my self!


    and for those of you who saw it, my sister thought it would be funny to call me in the mddle of the night after i'd just fallen asleep. i think i had to change my sheets in the morning.
     
  14. Kaui-Gone-Jim

    Kaui-Gone-Jim Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2002
    'The Ring' I will have to see when it gets on DVD. My favorite old scary movie is the original (black and white) version of 'The Haunting' (not the remake with Liam Neeson).
    It scared the c*&p out of me as a kid!

    My favorite movie with Jay and Silent Bob is 'Dogma' -- especially as I'm a recovering ex-Catholic. I liked the bong lightsaber used by jay in 'JASBSB', used against Mark Hamill as cock knocker (LMAO!)

    Britt, my fave war movies are Battle of Britain, Patton, Battle of the Bulge, Sink the Bismarck (just watched the James Cameron Bismarck Expedition special - awesome), Tora,Tora,Tora, Das Boot, and Sahara. When I was a teen, I tried to re-create Pearl Harbor in my parents fish pond with a bunch of plastic ship models, smoke, etc. -- was messy but fun! :D
     
  15. Aaron-Wan-Kenobi

    Aaron-Wan-Kenobi Temp CR Orange County, CA star 3 VIP

    Registered:
    Dec 8, 2002
    Kevin Smith is the greatest director alive except for George Lucas of course. I am a fan of all his films and own all his comics too. I even have an autographed copy of Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back. I would love to see an all Randall movie because he is my hero. I work in retail and would love to spit water on a jerk customer someday like he did.

    The Ring I thought was stupid and I wasn't really scared but I'm not easily scared. I was more scared when I saw Jedi as a 9 year old on opening day and Luke fell into the Rancor pit.

    The best war movie ever is Bridge on the River Kwai starring Mr. Ben Kenobi himself Alec Guiness. He is also great in Lawrence of Arabia and Dr. Zhivago. All those films are directed by David Lean. The second best war movie is Full Metal Jacket. Other good ones are Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, They Were Expendable, and Willow. What do you mean Willow's not a war movie? There is a big battle at the end.

    P.S. Lando rules!
     
  16. BobaFett-MP

    BobaFett-MP Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 13, 2001
    Thanks, you reminded me of two more war movies! Pearl Harbor (although innaccurate, I LOVED it!) and We Were Soldiers.
     
  17. Kaui-Gone-Jim

    Kaui-Gone-Jim Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2002
    Thanks for posting, guys! Yeah, I do like 'They Were Expendable' also -- the wake those PT boats kick up is way cool! My dad is a big John Wayne buff, and I borrowed that one just last year.

    'Pearl Harbor' had great flying/action scenes (but the Arizona explosion was overdone). I was working outdoors in Irvine when four B-25 bombers flew around the blimp hangars in Tustin, being filmed for the movie! They flew right overhead - VERY LOUD, VERY COOL!

    I enjoyed 'Clerks'. It should be required viewing, so everyone will see how demanding working with the public is - and that service workers are people and not just machines to be abused. (Sorry if I ranted...)
     
  18. darth_avery

    darth_avery Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    May 22, 2002
    on friday i went to go see star trek nemisis.....it was the best trek movie i've ever seen (and i've seen them all). i went to the 7pm premier at big newport. My friend is a trekky and when she found out i was an closet trekky she flipped out. So for her birthday i took her to go see nemisis. it was the best birthday present i've ever bought! Tom Hardy (no relation to jason) is the bad guy....he's soooooo hot! :p



    spoiler alert!







































































    it was kinda predictable if you are well read or if you are a movie junky. (both apply to me). they take a few elements from LotR like shinzan slidding himself along the pole the same way that super orc did with Strider's sword. But they also went back a referenced the death of spock with the death of Mr. Data......no matter what you think you know about the movie from the comercials, you may be right or you may be very very suprised!





















































































    end spoilers!




















    so i liked it a lot!
     
  19. Kaui-Gone-Jim

    Kaui-Gone-Jim Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2002
    Thanks for that report on 'Nemesis', D_A. :D
    I was thinking of passing on it but now I'll go see it this week for sure!

     
  20. Kaui-Gone-Jim

    Kaui-Gone-Jim Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2002
    Review Two-fer....

    'Robinson Crusoe On Mars' (1964)
    This film, directed by Byron Haskin, and starring Adam West (1960's TV 'Batman'), Paul Mantee, Victor Lundin, and a spider monkee named Mona, is probably the most realistic sci-fi film about the planet Mars to be made before the Viking Landers of the late 1970's showed us what the red planet was really like. Filmed mostly on location in Death Valley, CA, this film is about a marooned astronaut (Mantee) that learns how to survive the harsh conditions on Mars. If you enjoyed Tom Hanks island adventure in 'Castaway', you would definitely like this film. It is not on DVD yet, but is on VHS (eBay, etc.)

    'Silent Running' (1971)
    This directorial debut from visual effects whiz Douglas Trumbull (he worked on '2001: a Space Odyssey'), is one of the best sci-fi films concerning an environmental theme. Bruce Dern (father of actress Laura Dern) plays Freeman Lowell - a kind of astronaut/forest-ranger/space-hippie character that will do anything to save the last remaining trees of Earth, now tended aboard a half-dozen spaceships flying across the Solar System. As a teen, this movie was so moving that I once considered becoming a forest ranger, and the movie's musical opening scenes of the dome's forest and animals still gets me choked up today.
    The really cool 'stars' of this film are the robots, Huey and Dewey - which, like R2-D2, used special actors inside. And, on the current DVD, is a cool 'Making of' film that was previously sold separately.

    Enjoy!
     
  21. darth_avery

    darth_avery Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    May 22, 2002
    ok...here's my review of:
    LORD OF THE RINGS: The Two Towers

    on a scale of one to ten, TTT is a Billion, easily! It's way better than the first one. lots of fighting, narly stunts (legolas is my fave!) and wicked cool effects! i can't say much more with out spoiling it. i'm way too excited!

    -avery!
     
  22. BobaFett-MP

    BobaFett-MP Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 13, 2001
    I saw the Twin Towers! Went to the 8pm showing, didn't get out till 11:15!!!! Saw some AWESOME trailers for 'Dumb, Dumber, and Dumberer' (prequel to Dumb and Dumber, looks funny) and this one movie (I forget the name, like 'The Almighty Benjerman') where Jim Carrey receves God's powers for a week, VERy funny. Has Jennifer Aniston in it too. Saw an X-Men 2 trailer, awesome as usual and a new Vin Desiel movie that looks pretty good.

    As for the movie, it was pretty good, entertaining and most of the effects really looked great. A couple shots I thought could be knocked up a notch to match the rest of the film. Story line is pretty good, got confused a few times, but overall it was a thriller. The battles scenes are very neat, and I was really surprised to see the focus of the movie more on the Humans vs Orks battle rather than Frodo's journey.
     
  23. LordJedi

    LordJedi Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 15, 2001
    Ok, I have to take issue with you on Nemesis D_A. You're either forgetting Wrath of Khan or you haven't seen it. Wrath of Khan is by far the BEST Trek movie ever. They haven't been able to top the story or the villain since. Not to spoil anything from Nemesis, but they actually took elements from Trek 2,3, and 4 as well as (it seemed) from FOTR.

    With regard to TTT, I loved it. I was so looking forward to the Ents storming Isengard and I wasn't disappointed. I loved Helm's Deep. Gollum/Smeagol was PERFECT! The only thing I didn't like was the change of Faramir's character. And I could've watched Gandalf and the Balrog fight all night. Yes, I loved the movie :)
     
  24. darth_avery

    darth_avery Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    May 22, 2002
    TTT Spoiler: i cried when Haldir died! Karl Urban was supposed to be this big new character in the movie {a real hunk} but i think he got jipped out of screen time. not that they could have done much with Eomir. Grima Wormtounge was perfect! but i think they made Smeagol too human. in the book it said he had black skin and wispy hair but in the movie he was more of a nasty gray with stringy hair. OOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! when Legolas grabbed the reigns of that horse and swung himself over.....that was the awsomest part of the whole thing. That and the one liner's between him and Gimli. G:'I cand see anything.' L:' Do you want me to describe it to you or would you like a box?'......Gimli to Aragorn:'Toss me....don't tell the Elf!'....how funny!
     
  25. darth_avery

    darth_avery Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    May 22, 2002
    I have seen Wrath of Khan and i liked it a lot but i still think Nemisis is better nothing beets the enterprise and that pradator ship crashing into each other!....classic!
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.