Movie Thread

[Gargamel]

Figured we could have a thread about movies we have seen, comments on them, etc. Probably been on in the past, but I'm starting a new one!

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Just watched the newest Karate Kid. When I was growing up, the original was the coolest movie evah! This one, with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, is pretty damn good actually. It follows the original script very closely, in the motifs it follows, a lot of scenes are almost copies. But it really carries it's own. The kungfu is very well done, and having Chan be the Mr Miagi of this one is pretty good. He brings an element of realism, or at least elements of good kung fu movies, to the movie.

Fans of the original and Kung fu movies will probably actually enjoy this one. The plot is identical, so don't expect any surprises, but the subtle twists and depth they did add make it worth watching.

I give it 2 1/2 (out of 4) Torpedos. Would have been 3, but the lack of originality in the script knocked it down a touch, but the overall quality of the movie is good. I would have been disappointed if I had paid to see it first run, but it's a quality second run or DVD flick.

[Dowly]

Still haven't seen it but heard it's a good 'remake'.

Here's a Nostalgia Critic's Old vs. New comparisation of the original KD and the new one:
http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/vid...new-karate-kid

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Saw Twilight Samurai few weeks back (and last night and last week and... ) and enjoyed it a lot. Just woke up, so I can't be arsed to write anything about it, so I just do some copy & paste magic.

I don't have a top ten list of all time favorite films but if I did Twilight Samurai would be on it. Nominated for best foreign film the same year that the Hollywood film the last samurai got a few nominations it is impossible not to compare the two. While I enjoyed the Last Samurai and it's message of questioning western cultural imperialism Twilight Samurai is a film on whole different level.

LS is a bloated Hollywood epic that delivers intense battles with huge numbers and a unrealistic unsatisfying bull**** love story. Do we really believe that the woman who lost her husband to Tom Cruise the smelly drunk white would fall in love with him?

Twilight Samurai is the opposite in everyway and in everyway it is a better film that is bound to move to tears the hardest of yall out there. It is the story of a petty samurai who after the long lingering death of his wife finds himself become a devoted father.

When Twilight comes and the other samurai go out to drink, he rushes home to clean the house, tend the field and care for his daughters. He has lost track of his imagine, he smells and all he cares about is what is best for his daughters.

When his childhood crush returns and revolution looms this petty samurai is forced into confronting his status as a samurai. Unlike last samurai the small battle between two samurai's at the end is more emotionally involved that any CGI enhanced battle could ever be. The romance in the film is so sweet, tender and believable that is makes the film special.

This could not be as special as it is without excellent acting, direction and above all writing. Holy crap see this movie.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Dowly

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Saw Twilight Samurai few weeks back (and last night and last week and... ) and enjoyed it a lot. Just woke up, so I can't be arsed to write anything about it, so I just do some copy & paste magic.

I drove about three hours with some friends to see this one in a little theater specializing in art/foreign/classic films when it was making its limited rounds here. Wanted to see it because

a) I heard it was awesome
b) samurai!!!
c) the star, Hiroyuki Sanada, is the guy who played Ujio in The Last Samurai, and the best thing about that movie IMO - which is how I became aware of him and his work

Also bought the DVD when it became available. This is a very good film, VERY GOOD. Pretty much swept the Japanese equivalent of the Oscars the year it was released.

[Reece]

What ever happened to 1945A? Is it available on DVD yet, not sure of release date etc! has anyone seen it?

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by frau kaleun

Pretty much swept the Japanese equivalent of the Oscars the year it was released.

37 awards in total IIRC.

[frau kaleun]

Originally Posted by Dowly

37 awards in total IIRC.

37 internationally, I think. Either wins or nominations. Here's a list but I'm too lazy to count 'em all.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0351817/awards

At the Japanese Academy Awards it was nominated in 14 categories and won in 12, including all the "major" ones: best film, actor, actress, director, screenplay, cinematography, editing, score, etc.

Apparently the only category it didn't win was for best supporting actress.

[flatsixes]

I'm a Netflix foreign movie junkie (mystifies the family). Over the weekend I watched a recent (relatively for me) Chinese film titled The Warlords, and starring (of all people) Jet Li.

Now I'm not much of a kung fu movie guy (I prefer Kursawa) and I was a little anxious that the storyline (19th Century civil war against the Qing Dynasty) might get a short shrift in favor of over-the-top stop-action karate. And, to an extent, it did. But it was still pretty entertaining.
Very good acting
Excellent costuming and art direction
Very good cinematography
Blood spilled > 4,000 gals (imp.)
Body count > 100,000.

3 Torps

[Feuer Frei!]

Yes, been plenty of movie threads.
For some reason they just peter out into oblivion. *shrugs shoulders*

Just saw Taxi Driver and also Awakenings last night (again).
Both are classics, especially Taxi Driver, with my second-favourite actor, Robert De Niro playing a crazed taxi driver, with a chip on his shoulder. And dam, Cybill Shephard looked good back then.
Jodi Foster in it as well.

Awakenings has Robin Williams and Robert De Niro in it, and it really moved me, a great movie with lots of 'feeling'.

Check 'em out if you haven't already!

[Gerald]

Taxi Driver,classical

[Feuer Frei!]

Originally Posted by Vendor

Taxi Driver,classical

It is no wonder, with Martin Scorsese behind the helm

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

Robert De Niro playing a crazed taxi driver, with a chip on his shoulder.

Not at all. If you have seen the opening credits you would know 'crazed' is not the truth, nor is the 'chip'. It is about a man who cannot live in a city(metaphore for world) which allows obvious misuses of the freedom imparted on it.

[Dowly]

Saw the 3rd movie in Yamada's samurai trilogy the other day (Twilight Samurai, Hidden Blade, Love and Honor).

Liked it quite a bit. Definite improvement over Hidden Blade, which was, IMHO, just recycled story of Twilight Samurai but with not nearly as good cast.

I'm drunk as a baboon, so I can't be arsed to give a too long of a review, but it was good. One thing that might hit the viewer AT FIRST is the age of the main actor, he seems young, but trust me, after the incident (it happens early in the movie, so this not much of a spoiler) where he goes blind, it's interesting to see how he visually starts looking older. There's no make up (atleast not much), but you can see it all from his eyes, how he is depressed by the situation etc.

That's all I can be arsed to write, it's not as good as TS and most websites rank it below Hidden Blade, but it's the 2nd best film in the trilogy if you ask me.

PS. Oh and there's some very nice visual stuff to see, to make the viewer feel sorry for the main actor after he goes blind. You have butterflies flying around etc. that you think are pretty peaceful and beautiful scenery, but he can't see it. Very nice touch IMHO.

Today, I'm gonna finally see Kagemusha and if I'm still in condition, Harakiri.

[Takeda Shingen]

OT: Nice avatar, Gargamel.

[Gargamel]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

OT: Nice avatar, Gargamel.

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