Page 1 of 10 123 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 247

Thread: The Mist

  1. #1
    Piss off, ghost! number8's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Brooklyn
    Posts
    30,529

    The Mist

    Is one of the best horror movies in a very long time.

    I love you, Frank Darabont.
    Quote Quoting Donald Glover
    I was actually just reading about Matt Damon and he’s like, ‘There’s a culture of outrage.’ I’m like, ‘Well, they have a reason to be outraged.’ I think it’s a lot of dudes just being scared. They’re like, ‘What if I did something and I didn’t realize it?’ I’m like, ‘Deal with it.’
    Movie Theater Diary

  2. #2
    The Pan Qrazy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    17,502
    How similar if at all... on a purely narrative/thematic sense... is it to Carpenter's The Fog?

  3. #3
    Piss off, ghost! number8's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Brooklyn
    Posts
    30,529
    Zero similarities.
    Quote Quoting Donald Glover
    I was actually just reading about Matt Damon and he’s like, ‘There’s a culture of outrage.’ I’m like, ‘Well, they have a reason to be outraged.’ I think it’s a lot of dudes just being scared. They’re like, ‘What if I did something and I didn’t realize it?’ I’m like, ‘Deal with it.’
    Movie Theater Diary

  4. #4
    Cinematographer Mal's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    1,070
    I dunno... Thomas Jane is hot... but $9 on a movie I don't want to see anyway? Eh.

  5. #5
    You should add ratings to your sig directly after viewings, 8. This change will improve your lives as much as ours.

  6. #6
    Oh yeah. This is what I like to hear.

    Have you checked out the mixed critical reviews over at RT, though? They're a bummer.
    The Act of Killing (Oppenheimer 13) - A
    Stranger by the Lake (Giraudie 12) - B
    American Hustle (Russell 13) - C+
    The Wolf of Wall Street (Scorsese 13) - C+
    Passion (De Palma 12) - B

  7. #7
    Piss off, ghost! number8's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Brooklyn
    Posts
    30,529
    Quote Quoting Boner M (view post)
    You should add ratings to your sig directly after viewings, 8. This change will improve your lives as much as ours.
    I consider that false advertising. :twisted:

    Anyways, review: http://www.justpressplay.net/movies/the-mist/review/
    Quote Quoting Donald Glover
    I was actually just reading about Matt Damon and he’s like, ‘There’s a culture of outrage.’ I’m like, ‘Well, they have a reason to be outraged.’ I think it’s a lot of dudes just being scared. They’re like, ‘What if I did something and I didn’t realize it?’ I’m like, ‘Deal with it.’
    Movie Theater Diary

  8. #8
    I was handed a free screening pass to this when I saw No Country, but I'm working on the night of it. Too bad, sounds intriguing.

  9. #9
    Quote Quoting Zac Efron (view post)
    I dunno... Thomas Jane is hot... but $9 on a movie I don't want to see anyway? Eh.
    Even if it was free, why would you bother watching a movie you don't want to see?

  10. #10
    Administrator Ezee E's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Denver
    Posts
    30,597
    Quote Quoting DavidSeven (view post)
    Even if it was free, why would you bother watching a movie you don't want to see?
    Indeed. Although I try it sometimes on DVD if I hear good things.

    What is The Mist all about anyway? I never heard anything until a few weeks ago.

    Barbarian - ***
    Bones and All - ***
    Tar - **


    twitter

  11. #11
    The Pan megladon8's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    29,050
    How was Thomas Jane, anyways?

    I really like him. He's got great charisma, and talent to boot.

    He's not Johnny Depp, but I really like the guy.

    Also incredible to see how far he has come - he was homeless, living out of garbage cans at one point.
    "All right, that's too hot. Anything we can do about that heat?"

    "Rick...it's a flamethrower."

  12. #12
    pushing too many pencils Rowland's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    7,225
    Quote Quoting megladon8 (view post)
    Also incredible to see how far he has come - he was homeless, living out of garbage cans at one point.
    For real? And he still did that guest spot on Arrested Development. Huh.
    Letterboxd rating scale:
    The Long Riders (Hill) ***
    Furious 7 (Wan) **½
    Hard Times (Hill) ****½
    Another 48 Hrs. (Hill) ***
    /48 Hrs./ (Hill) ***½
    The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec (Besson) ***
    /Unknown/ (Collet-Serra) ***½
    Animal (Simmons) **

  13. #13
    Cinematographer Mal's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    1,070
    Quote Quoting DavidSeven (view post)
    Even if it was free, why would you bother watching a movie you don't want to see?
    What didn't you understand about that sentence ::

    Thomas Jane is hotttttt.

  14. #14
    The Pan megladon8's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    29,050
    Quote Quoting Rowland (view post)
    For real? And he still did that guest spot on Arrested Development. Huh.

    I think that was the point of the joke.

    He always wanted to be an actor, and he ended up moving to Hollywood hoping that, on an off chance, someone would hire him.

    He used up all his cash, couldn't get a job, and lived on a park bench and ate out of a garbage can.

    I don't know what his first acting job was, but he got something, made some connections, and it wasn't too long after that he started to get pretty good roles.

    It's cool he's remained very humble and "average joe"-like. He's said one of the things he absolutely hates the most about acting is the working out. When he was doing The Punisher, he would actually refuse to do his workout on paydays until he actually had the check in his hand, because he hated it so much.
    "All right, that's too hot. Anything we can do about that heat?"

    "Rick...it's a flamethrower."

  15. #15
    Here till the end MadMan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    A land of corn and technology
    Posts
    20,076
    This film actually has a pretty solid cast, and looks interesting. The trailer featured what appared to be some silly moments, but anything taken out of context can be a bit odd or silly. I will probably see it, hopefully during X-Mas break in a couple of weeks.
    BLOG

    And everybody wants to be special here
    They call your name out loud and clear
    Here comes a regular
    Call out your name
    Here comes a regular
    Am I the only one here today?



  16. #16
    WHY isn't everyone rushing to the theater to see this??? I am judging you all!

    <-- hasn't seen it yet. Tomorrow.


    I hope it makes money. Doesn't seem like it's been marketed very well.
    The Act of Killing (Oppenheimer 13) - A
    Stranger by the Lake (Giraudie 12) - B
    American Hustle (Russell 13) - C+
    The Wolf of Wall Street (Scorsese 13) - C+
    Passion (De Palma 12) - B

  17. #17
    What is best in life? D_Davis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    24,138
    This movie is awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome.

    Man - what a kick ass ride. Hopefully I'll have a full review tomorrow.

    Darabont + King = gold in my book.

    Darabont just knows how to get the best out of a King story, and how to adapt his stories to the screen.

    And Jane was really good.

  18. #18
    What is best in life? D_Davis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    24,138
    Oh yeah, and the almost complete lack of a score? Brilliant. I love the lack of music in this film. It is used for punctuation and not saturation, which is a major problem with most modern horror.

  19. #19
    The Pan megladon8's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    29,050
    Sounds awesome, D. I know you're a fan of King, so I imagine you went in with high expectations - or at least higher than usual.

    I can't wait to see this.

    I noticed in the trailer that the moment when they are outside and see something absolutely enormous walk over them is in the movie - it's described as so big they can't even see the top of it. I am anxious to see how that is on the big screen.
    "All right, that's too hot. Anything we can do about that heat?"

    "Rick...it's a flamethrower."

  20. #20
    What is best in life? D_Davis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    24,138
    Quote Quoting megladon8 (view post)
    Sounds awesome, D. I know you're a fan of King, so I imagine you went in with high expectations - or at least higher than usual.
    Actually, as a fan of King I always approach his adaptations with the lowest of expectations. I try to leave my feelings for his written work at home, and I try to enjoy the film for what it is. I have not read The Mist, so I did not have any preconceived notions about the source material. What did give me hope though was the director's pedigree, especially when he is working with King.

    It's just a really good horror film. It is a AAA B-movie.

  21. #21
    The Pan megladon8's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    29,050
    Quote Quoting Daniel Davis (view post)
    Actually, as a fan of King I always approach his adaptations with the lowest of expectations. I try to leave my feelings for his written work at home, and I try to enjoy the film for what it is. I have not read The Mist, so I did not have any preconceived notions about the source material. What did give me hope though was the director's pedigree, especially when he is working with King.

    It's just a really good horror film. It is a AAA B-movie.

    Interesting...that must make it easier on you when the movies suck :P

    I always loved the Stephen King manages to tell two (sometimes even more) stories at once. His stories can be taken as straight-on horrors, or as surprisingly poignant (often family-related) dramas. "'Salem's Lot" is a great story about a child seeing ultimate evil, "The Shining" is about a man struggling with alcoholism, etc.

    Is there any of that in the film? Or is it a straight up monster movie?

    Either way is fine with me
    "All right, that's too hot. Anything we can do about that heat?"

    "Rick...it's a flamethrower."

  22. #22
    What is best in life? D_Davis's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    24,138
    There is something innately mysterious and frightening about a dense fog, while at the same time it can birth intensely romantic moments. In a thick fog, it feels as if the inner world has become small and incredibly close, while the outer world has grown to an almost unfathomable size; things near become more intimate, while things in the distance seem worlds away. There is something almost supernatural about fog and mist, phantasmagoric natural occurrences that trigger within us feelings of instinctual fear and wonder. The Mist, directed by Frank Darabont, based on the novella by Stephen King, expertly captures all of these atmospheric elements.

    A strange, unearthly mist envelopes a small town, and a group of strangers and acquaintances find themselves trapped in a grocery store fighting for their lives and sanity against a terrible onslaught of creepy-crawlies. Darabont and King have teamed up before with spectacular results, but this film marks their first excursion together into the realms of true horror; at its core, The Mist is a superior monster movie, an midnight-style genre film filtered through A-class execution.

    Most of the film feels small and modest, but at certain points vistas are revealed and we are allowed a glimpse into the great and wild unknown. During these moments, the film opens a window into a Lovecraftian world. While I have yet to read King's original story, I wouldn't be surprised to find it dedicated to the great master of murky, unnameable horror - did I see Cthulhu? These shifting moments, from small and personal to grand and spectacular, are handled with great skill. To strengthen the intensity of the intimate and personal moments, Darabont uses documentary-style techniques that lend a television news-like appearance to the situations, and, conversely, when the moments become bigger and more epic, he relaxes the camera and lets things happen within the frame with little manipulation.

    Many lesser examples in the genre rely upon the film's ability to manipulate the audience. All too often we know exactly what to feel because of the pervasive music. But in a stroke of brilliance, The Mist is almost totally devoid of a soundtrack. Yes there are a few musical cues. However, these moments are used as punctuation, and are not used to dictate emotions in an over-saturation of choral cacophony. The sparse music lends the film an eerie and natural organic atmosphere.

    Also adding to this natural atmosphere are the actors. Rather than use larger-than-life stars to fill the roles, The Mist's cast is made up of bit-players and character actors; a lack of big names limits the amount of security given to the characters. Thomas Jane is excellent as David Drayton, the film's “hero,” and Andre Braugher is equally impressive as Brent Norton, Drayton's somewhat hard-headed neighbor. My two favorite performances are given by Toby Jones and Marcia Gay Harden. Jones plays the lovable grocery store clerk, Ollie, and utilizes his awkwardness to great effect. Harden plays Mrs. Carmody, a religious zealot taking advantage of the rampant fear and using it to to lure people into her psychosis. It is so rare to mention great actors and characters when discussing a horror film, and The Mist only makes me realize how terrible most of the others are in this department.

    The Mist is gross, and feels wet and sticky; the humidity of the lingering moisture can almost be felt, and the nastiness of the twisted invasion is pervasive and unrelenting. It truly is a superior horror film and deftly captures the things that make Stephen King's stories so endearing. King's horror almost always works on two levels - the physical and the spiritual - and here we get to see both in expert fashion. The decent into hell is both frightening and strangely compelling, and as I was drawn into the murky midst, I couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder, even while I cringed at the horrible situations, and experienced true empathy for the characters and their plight. The Mist is a gripping experience, and thanks to its brave ending, it is one that will not quickly be forgotten.

  23. #23
    The Pan megladon8's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    29,050
    Excellent review, D.

    Awesome that you picked up on the Lovecraft stuff - it's very much a Lovecraft story, told through the eyes of Stephen King.

    It's great that the cast of B-listers was effective...I think it would have only weakened the movie if they had gone with someone like Tom Cruise for the lead.
    "All right, that's too hot. Anything we can do about that heat?"

    "Rick...it's a flamethrower."

  24. #24
    Alone again, naturally eternity's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    2,690
    That ending.

  25. #25
    Quote Quoting eternity (view post)
    That ending.
    Hahahahahahahahaha. Just watched it too.

    The ending worked in a strange way. The incrementally overextended, self-inflated nature of the coda made it less emotionally devastating than you'd imagine it being, and instead transmorphed it into something cruelly deserved - they didn't go through that apocalyptic journey to not let themselves take the higher ground and transcend petty earthly things like conflict and military men with flamethrowers. Hmm, that might not make sense, but I think the ending succeeded in making it the appropriate big thematic joke of the whole affair: the world works in dichotomies - proving yourself or being afraid, being level-headed or fanatical or humanistic, being noble civilians suffering in solidarity against the institutions of the world vs. ummm the institutions in the world - and the 5 passengers fulfilled more than enough their role.

    The ending is such a double-edged sword in the simultaneous

    SPOILERS
    [
    ]

    More thoughts hopefully later! I liked it! Superior stuff!
    The Act of Killing (Oppenheimer 13) - A
    Stranger by the Lake (Giraudie 12) - B
    American Hustle (Russell 13) - C+
    The Wolf of Wall Street (Scorsese 13) - C+
    Passion (De Palma 12) - B

Page 1 of 10 123 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
An forum