Author Topic: Write about the last movie you watched (2006-2010)  (Read 5996718 times)

FroHam X

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #20890 on: October 14, 2009, 10:30:54 PM »
The Great Escape[1963]
John Sturgis' WWII prison escape epic about a prison camp in Nazi Germany housing the most prolific escape artists that are in German custody.  What is most interesting about the film is that it is based on a real event, and tries to stay as close to those events as possible.  It lets you know this straight away which adds a layer of credibility to the film making the escape that much more intense.  The biggest problem was the pacing.  It took its time, building a nearly three hour long movie around one event.  The first half dragged, followed by a great middle, followed by a dragging end.  It played almost like a television series, particularly in the beginning.  In an episodic arch characters are going about their normal prison camp lives with some hi-jinx and escape planning mixed in.  It did provide an excellent back drop for the kind of people that this camp held.  These were veteran POWs.  They didn't so much care about being caught, as long as they were causing trouble for the guards.  It felt like a well oiled machine; a regimen designed to escape.  Steve McQueen hams it up as the ultra-cool American, and while he lightens the mood and adds another dimension to the film, it comes off as a bit over the top.  His motorcycle chase scene, however, more than justifies his appearance.  This isn't the best war drama, but it has a certain quality that makes it fun to watch anyway.  The run time is daunting, but it went by surprising quickly.  It can easily be broken up into two or three sittings without losing anything.  One thing the length does add is that you get invested in the characters, you care for them on a personal level and want them to escape which makes the even all the more thrilling.
Rating: 3/5

Makin' me sad right here.
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smirnoff

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #20891 on: October 14, 2009, 10:44:19 PM »
12 Rounds

I never got on board with this one. Maybe it's just because Cena just isn't a familiar face (and can't act), I'm not sure. One thing I did not like was the camera work. It's not something I typically notice, but here it was bothersome. To me it was a poor imitation of the fast and choppy style you see in Tony Scott's recent films. It felt as if someone had picked up the camera for the first time and was going to town on the focus & zoom controls. I don't mind the style in Scott's films, but 12 Rounds got a little carried away.

This movie is very similar to Speed plot wise, but not nearly as good somehow. Not enough Keanu I guess.

12 Rounds 1.5/4
Speed 3.5/4
I never saw Speed but yea this film was pretty poor. Bad camera, bad cast, bad film. I wrote a review for my school paper. I gave it a D.

Haven't seen Speed eh. I'll bank that bit of info in case I get you for mdc ;) I'm sure by now you are at least familiar with the "stay above 50mph" thing though eh? It sounds ridicules (like most action plots if you think too hard about them), but the filmmakers really make it work. Honest to god tension!

I'd say it's right up there with The Rock in terms of straightforward 90's action films (a little better even).

Anyways, you pretty much said it all in that 12 Rounds review.


BlueVoid

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #20892 on: October 14, 2009, 11:02:32 PM »
The Great Escape[1963]
John Sturgis' WWII prison escape epic about a prison camp in Nazi Germany housing the most prolific escape artists that are in German custody.  What is most interesting about the film is that it is based on a real event, and tries to stay as close to those events as possible.  It lets you know this straight away which adds a layer of credibility to the film making the escape that much more intense.  The biggest problem was the pacing.  It took its time, building a nearly three hour long movie around one event.  The first half dragged, followed by a great middle, followed by a dragging end.  It played almost like a television series, particularly in the beginning.  In an episodic arch characters are going about their normal prison camp lives with some hi-jinx and escape planning mixed in.  It did provide an excellent back drop for the kind of people that this camp held.  These were veteran POWs.  They didn't so much care about being caught, as long as they were causing trouble for the guards.  It felt like a well oiled machine; a regimen designed to escape.  Steve McQueen hams it up as the ultra-cool American, and while he lightens the mood and adds another dimension to the film, it comes off as a bit over the top.  His motorcycle chase scene, however, more than justifies his appearance.  This isn't the best war drama, but it has a certain quality that makes it fun to watch anyway.  The run time is daunting, but it went by surprising quickly.  It can easily be broken up into two or three sittings without losing anything.  One thing the length does add is that you get invested in the characters, you care for them on a personal level and want them to escape which makes the even all the more thrilling.
Rating: 3/5

Makin' me sad right here.

I haven't read any reviews of the film.. just curious, why all the love?
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Bill Thompson

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #20893 on: October 14, 2009, 11:04:10 PM »
The Great Escape[1963]
John Sturgis' WWII prison escape epic about a prison camp in Nazi Germany housing the most prolific escape artists that are in German custody.  What is most interesting about the film is that it is based on a real event, and tries to stay as close to those events as possible.  It lets you know this straight away which adds a layer of credibility to the film making the escape that much more intense.  The biggest problem was the pacing.  It took its time, building a nearly three hour long movie around one event.  The first half dragged, followed by a great middle, followed by a dragging end.  It played almost like a television series, particularly in the beginning.  In an episodic arch characters are going about their normal prison camp lives with some hi-jinx and escape planning mixed in.  It did provide an excellent back drop for the kind of people that this camp held.  These were veteran POWs.  They didn't so much care about being caught, as long as they were causing trouble for the guards.  It felt like a well oiled machine; a regimen designed to escape.  Steve McQueen hams it up as the ultra-cool American, and while he lightens the mood and adds another dimension to the film, it comes off as a bit over the top.  His motorcycle chase scene, however, more than justifies his appearance.  This isn't the best war drama, but it has a certain quality that makes it fun to watch anyway.  The run time is daunting, but it went by surprising quickly.  It can easily be broken up into two or three sittings without losing anything.  One thing the length does add is that you get invested in the characters, you care for them on a personal level and want them to escape which makes the even all the more thrilling.
Rating: 3/5

Makin' me sad right here.

I haven't read any reviews of the film.. just curious, why all the love?

I'm more in line with you BV, not a bad movie by any stretch, but too much fat that could have been cut and I never felt that it justified the moments when it tried to be serious with the joking nature it treated the prison with.

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #20894 on: October 14, 2009, 11:12:42 PM »
Haven't seen Speed eh. I'll bank that bit of info in case I get you for mdc ;) I'm sure by now you are at least familiar with the "stay above 50mph" thing though eh? It sounds ridicules (like most action plots if you think too hard about them), but the filmmakers really make it work. Honest to god tension!

I'd say it's right up there with The Rock in terms of straightforward 90's action films (a little better even).

Yea, I know the premise of Speed I just find the idea of Bullock and Reeves in the same film kinda scary. They both have the potential to be really freaking annoying.

I'm not really an action guy. If I need an action fix I just watch Aliens, Die Hard or T2 again. I really should branch out more but I kinda like my little narrow-mined slice of film exposure.

Maybe after vampires I should do action flicks? It could be awesome or a total disaster. And I'd totally be relying on your guys for suggestions. Actually, that sounds good. The whole reason I started my site is so I'd force myself to watch different stuff.

So yea, sounds good. Month of November will be Action Flicks. Twitter suggestions here or PM me if you don't use Twitter. I'll keep a list of suggestions I plan on reviewing here.

Bill Thompson

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #20895 on: October 14, 2009, 11:14:26 PM »
Haven't seen Speed eh. I'll bank that bit of info in case I get you for mdc ;) I'm sure by now you are at least familiar with the "stay above 50mph" thing though eh? It sounds ridicules (like most action plots if you think too hard about them), but the filmmakers really make it work. Honest to god tension!

I'd say it's right up there with The Rock in terms of straightforward 90's action films (a little better even).

Yea, I know the premise of Speed I just find the idea of Bullock and Reeves in the same film kinda scary. They both have the potential to be really freaking annoying.

I'm not really an action guy. If I need an action fix I just watch Aliens, Die Hard or T2 again. I really should branch out more but I kinda like my little narrow-mined slice of film exposure.

Maybe after vampires I should do action flicks? It could be awesome or a total disaster. And I'd totally be relying on your guys for suggestions. Actually, that sounds good. The whole reason I started my site is so I'd force myself to watch different stuff.

So yea, sounds good. Month of November will be Action Flicks. Twitter suggestions here or PM me if you don't use Twitter. I'll keep a list of suggestions I plan on reviewing here.

Before I start handing out suggestions, what action movie shave you seen, or at least remember quite well?

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #20896 on: October 14, 2009, 11:23:32 PM »
Haven't seen Speed eh. I'll bank that bit of info in case I get you for mdc ;) I'm sure by now you are at least familiar with the "stay above 50mph" thing though eh? It sounds ridicules (like most action plots if you think too hard about them), but the filmmakers really make it work. Honest to god tension!

I'd say it's right up there with The Rock in terms of straightforward 90's action films (a little better even).

Yea, I know the premise of Speed I just find the idea of Bullock and Reeves in the same film kinda scary. They both have the potential to be really freaking annoying.

I'm not really an action guy. If I need an action fix I just watch Aliens, Die Hard or T2 again. I really should branch out more but I kinda like my little narrow-mined slice of film exposure.

Maybe after vampires I should do action flicks? It could be awesome or a total disaster. And I'd totally be relying on your guys for suggestions. Actually, that sounds good. The whole reason I started my site is so I'd force myself to watch different stuff.

So yea, sounds good. Month of November will be Action Flicks. Twitter suggestions here or PM me if you don't use Twitter. I'll keep a list of suggestions I plan on reviewing here.

Before I start handing out suggestions, what action movie shave you seen, or at least remember quite well?
I don't mind revisiting but here's what I remember:

Indiana Jones 1-4
Borune Trilogy
Die Hard
Taken
National Treasure
Lethal Weapon 1-3
Kill Bill vol. 1&2
Casino Royale
Quantum of Solace
Black Rain
Domino
Fast & Furious
12 Rounds

I think that about does it if you leave out the sci-fi/kung-fu/orient wirework fight films which would be an entire month within themselves. I'm just asking for straight up action.

THATguy

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #20897 on: October 14, 2009, 11:33:05 PM »
If you do any kind of action without seeing District B13, you are doing yourself a disservice.

chardy999

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #20898 on: October 14, 2009, 11:41:40 PM »
I'm just asking for straight up action.

Lock Stock & Snatch.
« Last Edit: October 15, 2009, 03:14:44 AM by chardy999 »
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jdc

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Re: Write about the last movie you watched
« Reply #20899 on: October 14, 2009, 11:49:31 PM »
Deep Water:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460766/

Back around 2002, I was just randomly looking at books on a table at a bookstore and picked up one called "A Voyage for Madmen," which was about a 1968  single-handed sailing race around the world and the tole it took on the members in the race.  Maybe 2 years later I actually read the book and loved it.  

Fast forward to 2 years ago, I found somebody mention this documentary about the same race on another site so I ordered it from Amazon.  So last weekend I actually sat down to watch it after having it for 2 years.  It mainly focuses on Donald Crowhurst and the breakdown he has after being on the sea by himself for 9 months.  It is a fascinating retelling of what can happen to somebody who makes a decision to try to cheat in the race and what that decision does to him over the next 9 months as he gets closer to having to finishing the race.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2009, 11:51:51 PM by jdc115 »
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