28 Film Discussion Threads Later

[Briare]

Saw Charlie Wilson's War last night. Pretty bad. It's too short, too fast-paced or, more to the point, not fleshed out enough. It seems to happily skim the surface, attempting depth, but sabotages itself with weak characterizations and hollow dialogue. I really think there's a good story buried in there, but it needs an entirely new treatment. The cast was fine, took awhile to get used to Julia Roberts and The Accent, but I liked the dynamic between Tom Hanks, Amy Adams, and Wilson's other assistants (Charlie's Angels). My friend thought it felt like a documentary, which is completely baffling to me.

A big step down from Closer, I'd say.

For some reason I find this incredibly disappointing.

[Li Lili]

I enjoyed the hell out of Shaolin Soccer until the fact that there wasn't really much at stake made the sight of endless CGI-aided balletics rather wearisome. Spirited enough to leave a pleasant aftertaste, but not nearly as much fun as Kung-Fu Hustle.

I found Shaolin Soccer better, more fun and silliness. KF Hustle was a good comedy and perhaps a bit more accessible though.


I finally watched The End of Violence... So long since I last watched a Western film, and I was quite disappointed by it, disappointed for a Cronenberg film, there was nothing that usually stands out from his films/

Otherwise, I saw many films in a film festival, not as many as I usually watched. Among them, I saw the latest Lee Kang-sheng's film (actor in Tsai Ming-liang's films) : Help Me Eros. Very influenced by Tsai's direction and greatly shot, however, I found it less powerful and less moving, A bit sober would perhaps give more strength. In a way, I prefered The Missing, his first film, very minimalist, eve, though to close to a Tsai's film.

[Sycophant]

Yeah. While I love botho films, I prefer Shaolin Soccer to Kung Fu Hustle, primarily for its sheer exuberance and silliness. I wonder if it isn't the last truly mo lei tau film we'll see from Chow.

[baby doll]

I also liked Shaolin Soccer more than Kung Fu Hustle, but I think that's largely because I saw it first.

[Rowland]

*raises hand* I liked SS more than KFH as well. It made me laugh more. *shrug*

[baby doll]

*raises hand* I liked SS more than KFH as well. It made me laugh more. *shrug*

It made me laugh, period.

[MadMan]

Saw Charlie Wilson's War last night. Pretty bad. It's too short, too fast-paced or, more to the point, not fleshed out enough. It seems to happily skim the surface, attempting depth, but sabotages itself with weak characterizations and hollow dialogue. I really think there's a good story buried in there, but it needs an entirely new treatment. The cast was fine, took awhile to get used to Julia Roberts and The Accent, but I liked the dynamic between Tom Hanks, Amy Adams, and Wilson's other assistants (Charlie's Angels). My friend thought it felt like a documentary, which is completely baffling to me.

A big step down from Closer, I'd say.

I'm actually questioning whether I want to see this movie now, if only because the film does indeed glamorize a man who helped arm people who later on decided to attack us. But in the end I've decided to check out appears to be a neo-con fantasy. Plus I'm a fan of Tom Hanks.

The Mariachi trilogy is really best described as an action trilogy that keeps upping its budget. It's interesting to see how the money changes the feel of the movies despite them all using the exact same aesthetic.

El Mariachi is a blaxpoitation movie with Mexicans. Desperado is a comedic John Woo movie with Mexicans. OUaTiM is Torque with Mexicans.

Heh that's an interesting take on the series. And it may also explain why I liked the first film so much. I for one love the series and all of the films in it although the first and third get only an 8.0 from me and the third gets a 7.5. To me they're an interesting body of action films, if only because of their style and the sort of mythical aspect of the main character that is straight out of a spaghetti's western.

It's generally considered the worst of the three, which I agree with, but I still dug it. I'd like to see a spin-off with Johnny Depp's character. It'd be like Zatoichi: The Early Years.

Hell yeah that would rock.

That's sad. I was really excited about this one, too (though tepid reviews have tempered my anticipation). Guess I won't be ordering it any time soon.

Meanwhile, I popped in Desperado primarily because I wanted something fairly light and figured things blowing up might be a benefit. However, I was actually really let down by it. It was pretty unthrilling, even less so than the mediocre El Mariachi--at least that one had kind of a delicious punk rock ethic to it. I may have to go back and look at some of the other Rodriguez films that I liked and see if it's true what some people say, that he can't structure a film/story. He certainly missed the mark here.

Is Once Upon a Time in Mexico at least better?

Once Upon a Time in Mexico is indeed better, although I don't know if you will enjoy its access and large epic scope as much as I did.
I for one actually though El Mariachi was the best, as it was the most tightly paced and effective part of the trilogy. I like Desperado a lot but its the weakest of the series, and the third act is pretty mediocre.

[Li Lili]

Yeah. While I love botho films, I prefer Shaolin Soccer to Kung Fu Hustle, primarily for its sheer exuberance and silliness. I wonder if it isn't the last truly mo lei tau film we'll see from Chow.

Yes, I wonder how his sci-fi will turn out... If I recall there will be KFH 2 and a new Journey to the West...
There were a time I used to watch and enjoy very much his films.

[Qrazy]

I'm actually questioning whether I want to see this movie now, if only because the film does indeed glamorize a man who helped arm people who later on decided to attack us.

That's a pretty silly reason.

[Sven]

A big step down from Closer, I'd say.

Must be pretty freakin' bad, then.

[Sven]

I'm with the Bone-man... KFH is much better than SS, if only because of the unpredictable element. I like both, but it always makes me sad when I'm watching a movie that pans out exactly the way I think it's going to, wonderful gags or no. KFH has a wilder, more intricate imagination.

[monolith94]

That's sad. I was really excited about this one, too (though tepid reviews have tempered my anticipation). Guess I won't be ordering it any time soon.

Meanwhile, I popped in Desperado primarily because I wanted something fairly light and figured things blowing up might be a benefit. However, I was actually really let down by it. It was pretty unthrilling, even less so than the mediocre El Mariachi--at least that one had kind of a delicious punk rock ethic to it. I may have to go back and look at some of the other Rodriguez films that I liked and see if it's true what some people say, that he can't structure a film/story. He certainly missed the mark here.

Is Once Upon a Time in Mexico at least better?

I liked OUATIM better than Desperado, but not as much as El Mariachi.

Why do I like El Mariachi the best of the bunch?

It feels more intimate. It feels more adventuresome. I found the lead actor much more relatable than Antonio Banderas. The lead actress actually looked like a real woman, as oppossed to Salma Hayek, who looks so very hollywood. I thought it had better humor. The action scenes seemed more tense. Just, everything about it seemed more honest, more sincere than either of the other two movies in the trilogy.

[Sycophant]

Yes, I wonder how his sci-fi will turn out... If I recall there will be KFH 2 and a new Journey to the West...
There were a time I used to watch and enjoy very much his films.

Word. I think he's directed and starred in some of the best comedies of all time. Considering that A Chinese Odyssey parts 1 and 2 are favorites of mine, I wonder how the intervening 13 years (and loss of Jeff Lau as collaborator) will affect his take on the story. He's certainly changed some.

[MadMan]

That's a pretty silly reason.

Normally I don't mention politics when it comes to movies, but in the case of Charlie Wilson's War politics apply. Thanks to Wilson and the Regan Administration we are dealing with serious blowback in the form of Islamic fundamentalist terrorists. Thus I must question whether or not I should go and support a movie that glorifies Wilson selling arms to Afghan guerrillas, many which years down the road turned around and supported and aided Bin Ladden, gave him safe haven, and enabled him to attack the United States. So no I don't really think is a silly reason.

That said I'm going on Doclop's word here about the film, plus the film's trailer, which isn't much but is better than nothing. I'll wait and see what more reviewers say, but as I said earlier I'm really wavering about going to see it.

[Winston*]

Two-Lane Blacktop is pretty great. Love that ending.

[number8]

I've watched SS a lot more than KFH, simply because it's funnier.

[Li Lili]

Word. I think he's directed and starred in some of the best comedies of all time. Considering that A Chinese Odyssey parts 1 and 2 are favorites of mine, I wonder how the intervening 13 years (and loss of Jeff Lau as collaborator) will affect his take on the story. He's certainly changed some.

Yes, I remember very well Chinese Odyssey, and especially liked very much the part 2. I also liked the one with Tony Leung and Faye Wong.
But, the newest one, A Chinese Tall Story, by Jeff Lau with Nicholas Tse was very bad though. Too much special effects and very low comedy.

[kamran]

Katherine Heigl regrets doing Knocked Up, calling it sexist and unbalanced in portraying women.

Usually, artists only feel comfortable criticizing their movies/projects when they have failed at the box office or have been poorly received by the critics. So it's a nice surprise to see Heigl say these things despite the film doing so well. Right on.

[Spinal]

Katherine Heigl regrets doing Knocked Up, calling it sexist and unbalanced in portraying women.

Usually, artists only feel comfortable criticizing their movies/projects when they have failed at the box office or have been poorly received by the critics. So it's a nice surprise to see Heigl say these things despite the film doing so well. Right on.

That article is pretty insulting towards her, insinuating that she can't have an opinion about the project just because she accepted money to be in it.

[kamran]

That article is pretty insulting towards her, insinuating that she can't have an opinion about the project just because she accepted money to be in it.

I didn't like that about the write-up either, but it does make me wonder why she didn't pick up on the problematic elements when she initially read the screenplay.

[Sycophant]

But, the newest one, A Chinese Tall Story, by Jeff Lau with Nicholas Tse was very bad though. Too much special effects and very low comedy.

I wouldn't go as far as "very bad." There were some gags that worked really, really well for me, despite the fact that, overall, the movie was pretty stupid and its CG looked like in-game renders from a PlayStation game.

[Rowland]

The thing is, you could just as easily criticize Knocked Up for portraying men as a bunch of buffoonish arrested developments. If anything, the women are portrayed as more well-rounded and grounded individuals than the men.

[Derek]

The thing is, you could just as easily criticize Knocked Up for portraying men as a bunch of buffoonish arrested developments. If anything, the women are portrayed as more well-rounded and grounded individuals than the men.

It's definitely the case with Rogen's friends who are shown as borderline retarded at times. I think the film takes the stance that a responsible woman is what saves men from descending into depravity (like giving each other pink eye), even if it can ultimately leave them feeling trapped like Rudd's character.

[Sven]

Katherine Heigl regrets doing Knocked Up, calling it sexist and unbalanced in portraying women.

Usually, artists only feel comfortable criticizing their movies/projects when they have failed at the box office or have been poorly received by the critics. So it's a nice surprise to see Heigl say these things despite the film doing so well. Right on.

Awesome!

And one could, I guess, make the argument about the film treating men like buffoony stereotypes, but then your lip-service about how the film reduces both sexes into caricatures speaks only to how bad the film actually is.

And the idea that Knocked Up treated women as well-rounded is just about the most absurd thing ever.

[Li Lili]

I wouldn't go as far as "very bad." There were some gags that worked really, really well for me, despite the fact that, overall, the movie was pretty stupid and its CG looked like in-game renders from a PlayStation game.

I thought it was just a mess, and I'm not too keen on Nicholas Tse nor on Charlene Choi who annoyed me.
I haven't watched very good HK films this year that I can remember... perhaps only a couple.