| Author |
Message |
|
| billyweeds |
 Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 3:49 pm |
 |
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
|
http://tinyurl.com/6xe9xl
Stephanie Zacharek sometimes does something so outrageous that I love her for it. This review of Mamma Mia! accomplishes it: she says the best performance in the movie is Pierce Brosnan's, and pans Meryl Streep.
All this while saying Streep is a great singer and Brosnan's singing voice sucks. Zacharek rocks. |
|
|
| Back to top |
  
|
| tirebiter |
| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 7:48 am |
|
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 4011
Location: not far away
|
Syd: Thanks for the Watchmen Trailer. I feel beter now about its chances. The graphic novel really is a masterpiece, so it (like V for Vendetta before it) should be read before being seen.
I trust I've made myself clear. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| Rod |
| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 8:32 am |
|
|
Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 2944
Location: Lithgow, Australia
|
| The Dark Knight is a considerable improvement on Batman Begins, starting quite well. But Chris Nolan's inability to film action and build emotional engagement leads to another over-extended, clumsily staged anti-climax. Batman himself has become a ponderous nonentity. Ledger's Joker is spectacular but actually rather underused, so Gary Oldman and Aaron Eckhardt have to do all the work. |
_________________
A long time ago, but somehow in the future...It is a period of civil war and renegade paragraphs floating through space. |
|
| Back to top |
|
| Befade |
| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 1:20 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 3784
Location: AZ
|
| Sounds like you were first in line, Rod. The sheer excitement! |
_________________
Lost in my own private I dunno. |
|
| Back to top |
|
| seagull |
| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 1:37 pm |
|
|
Joined: 11 Jul 2008
Posts: 1525
Location: Philadelphia PA
|
| I saw a line around the block and batman posing with adults..where I live. |
_________________
Palin : Bush in a pantyhose. |
|
| Back to top |
|
| Syd |
| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 1:41 pm |
|
|
Site Admin
Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 12921
Location: Norman, Oklahoma
|
tirebiter wrote: Syd: Thanks for the Watchmen Trailer. I feel beter now about its chances. The graphic novel really is a masterpiece, so it (like V for Vendetta before it) should be read before being seen.
I trust I've made myself clear.
It looks pretty faithful to the graphic novel, which I own and love (except for the pirate story comic, which is boring). The trailer gives away a spoiler at the end, but, unless you've read it, it doesn't mean that much. |
_________________
I had a love and my love was true but I lost my love to the yabba dabba doo, --The Flintstone Lament |
|
| Back to top |
|
| Rod |
| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 9:00 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 2944
Location: Lithgow, Australia
|
Befade wrote: Sounds like you were first in line, Rod. The sheer excitement!
About sixty-fourth in line is more like it. Forty freaking minutes I stood in queue. Nightmare....
Anyway, long review:
http://ferdyonfilms.com/2008/07/the-dark-knight-2008.php#comments |
_________________
A long time ago, but somehow in the future...It is a period of civil war and renegade paragraphs floating through space. |
|
| Back to top |
|
| McBain |
| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 11:36 pm |
|
|
Joined: 26 May 2004
Posts: 1987
Location: Boston
|
Rod wrote: The Dark Knight is a considerable improvement on Batman Begins, starting quite well. But Chris Nolan's inability to film action and build emotional engagement leads to another over-extended, clumsily staged anti-climax. Batman himself has become a ponderous nonentity. Ledger's Joker is spectacular but actually rather underused, so Gary Oldman and Aaron Eckhardt have to do all the work.
I pretty much agree with this, though I'd argue the film is ultimately quite sucessful. I do wish the action scenes were better. I also wish that there was a sweeping musical theme like the Burton era Batman films.
I would call The Dark Knight one of the best comic book films to date.
I want to stress how great Heath Ledger is though. He's *awesome*. It's the most memorable performance on film I've seen in quite a while. I loved every minute that he was on screen. |
_________________
A life, Jimmy. You know what that is? It's the shit that happens while you're waiting for moments that never come. |
|
| Back to top |
|
| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 11:45 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
|
The Wackness is a delight. The story of a male virgin dope dealer on Manhattan's upper East Side circa 1994 becomes a what-is-it mix of black comedy, sensitive drama, love story, and teen coming-of-age flick. What sets it apart is its indescribable mix of hip-hop sensibility and old-fashioned heart, plus a simply spectacular display of acting chops by the always unpredictable Ben Kingsley as a bong-using, pot-addled, adolescent-wannabe shrink. Sir Ben (as he infamously insists on being called, but why not? His talents require "sir" as far as I'm concerned) is hilarious and touching, silly and serious, over the top but down to the bone. This should be an Oscar-nominated performance but probably won't be given the style of the movie.
Stepping right up to the plate in the leading role and matching Sir Ben note for note is Josh Peck, the twentysomething former star of Nickelodeon's Drake and Josh, who has a lovely, funny, warm, totally endearing charm.
This movie must be seen. It's one of the very best of the year. And a fitting addition to the amazing resume of Ben Kingsley. How many actors can claim performances as different yet as accomplished as Gandhi, Schindler's List, Sexy Beast, and now The Wackness? He's a demon genius of some sort. |
Last edited by billyweeds on Sat Jul 19, 2008 11:54 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
| McBain |
| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 11:48 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 26 May 2004
Posts: 1987
Location: Boston
|
While I'm not a big fan of the old Adam West Batman, the TV series does contain one of my all time favorite moments of camp comedy:
After Batman and Robin are put in some silly death trap by a villain from which they of course escape, this exchange occurs:
Robin: "Boy! That was our closest call ever! I have to admit that I was pretty scared!"
Batman: "I wasn't scared in the least."
Robin: "Not at all?"
Batman: "Haven't you noticed how we always escape the vicious ensnarements of our enemies? Haven't you ever wondered why?"
Robin: "Yeah, because we're smarter than they are!"
Batman: "I prefer to think it's because our hearts are pure."
Pure. Comedy. Gold. |
_________________
A life, Jimmy. You know what that is? It's the shit that happens while you're waiting for moments that never come. |
|
| Back to top |
|
| McBain |
| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 11:50 pm |
|
|
|
Joined: 26 May 2004
Posts: 1987
Location: Boston
|
Syd wrote: tirebiter wrote: Syd: Thanks for the Watchmen Trailer. I feel beter now about its chances. The graphic novel really is a masterpiece, so it (like V for Vendetta before it) should be read before being seen.
I trust I've made myself clear.
It looks pretty faithful to the graphic novel, which I own and love (except for the pirate story comic, which is boring). The trailer gives away a spoiler at the end, but, unless you've read it, it doesn't mean that much.
I'm re-reading Watchmen right now. |
_________________
A life, Jimmy. You know what that is? It's the shit that happens while you're waiting for moments that never come. |
|
| Back to top |
|
| McBain |
| Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 1:19 am |
|
|
|
Joined: 26 May 2004
Posts: 1987
Location: Boston
|
| I googled up the Danny Elfman Batman score... As much as I think Tim Burton's Batman is dated and silly, I loved that score. The new Batman movies have nothing like it. |
_________________
A life, Jimmy. You know what that is? It's the shit that happens while you're waiting for moments that never come. |
|
| Back to top |
|
| Rod |
| Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 1:31 am |
|
|
|
Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 2944
Location: Lithgow, Australia
|
McBain wrote: I googled up the Danny Elfman Batman score... As much as I think Tim Burton's Batman is dated and silly, I loved that score. The new Batman movies have nothing like it.
Agreed. |
_________________
A long time ago, but somehow in the future...It is a period of civil war and renegade paragraphs floating through space. |
|
| Back to top |
|
| Joe Vitus |
| Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:47 am |
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 14498
Location: Houston
|
| Don't understand the pans for Tim Burton's Batmans. I think it's a classic. Is it just that Burton is going through his period of neglet, the way so many good directors do? Will we have to wait another decade for people to come around and decided, Planet of the Apes or not, he did make a few good flicks? Batman Begins was soooo bad (I mean, they had Batman flying, what idiocy was that?) and sooooo long, I can't imagine watching The Dark Knight. It's like telling me someone made a sequel to The Legend of the Lone Ranger. |
_________________
You've got a great brain. You should keep it in your head.
-Topher |
|
| Back to top |
|
| billyweeds |
| Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 7:04 am |
|
|
|
Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 20618
Location: New York City
|
I agree wholeheartedly about the boring, almost unwatchable Batman Begins, and can't begin to understand what all the shouting was about.
That said, I'm certainly going to be in attendance at The Dark Knight, which sounds different (more exciting, more violent, better acted). I will see it in IMAX. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
