Superman VS The Elite (2012)

Fantastic. It really explores Superman's Morals and ethics in the modern world and explores whether or not they're outdated. The new superheroes that challenge superman, 'The Elite' are the dark, edgy and gritty Superheroes that a lot of people cry out for. I could go on and on about this, but I'd advise people to go, get a copy and watch it, especially those who are the naysayers of Superman.

4 out of 4 balls

Yeah, all you naysayers!  Check it out!

Nay.

"The Ninth Configuration" with director's commentary.

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Just got back from seeing this. It kind of had an Explorers (1985) vibe but not exactly. Great movie with a great cast.

Bingowings said:

FanFiltration said:

"The Ninth Configuration" with director's commentary.

 

I can't interrupt that film even to listen to Bill Blatty (something I never tire of even when he is talking utter nonsense, God I hope I can spend some portion of an afterlife chatting to his spirit, even if it's a long distance phone call from heaven, where he will be, to hell where I am frequently informed I shall be).

I had to switch the picture off for the commentary and just listen because everytime I see those faces I just want to listen to what the guys are saying.

The dialogue is like the tunes on a favourite album.

As insightful as the composer's thoughts might be you don't want him talking over the actual tunes.

Agreed! I was doing chores in another room, and was only focused on the commentary soundtrack.

Tobar said:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xE94RKIE7xQ">Safety Not Guaranteed</a> (2012)

Just got back from seeing this. It kind of had an Explorers (1985) vibe but not exactly. Great movie with a great cast.

darth_ender said:

Treated by my sister-in-law and her hubby, I went to see the new Mission: Impossible movie.  I'd seen M:I and M:I2, but I never saw the third and had little desire to see this one.  Hearing it was directed by Brad Bird of Pixar fame gave me higher hopes, but still I had concerns.  You see, I am a big fan of the original Mission:Impossible series from the 60s, and seeing the first two movies handle it the way they did was just not what I wanted: instead of a clever team that was always one step ahead of the bad guys, it was a clever, ever arrogant Tom Cruise performing super human feats with a tiny bit of help from his "team."  Oh, and there was one mask "surprise" after another after another.

Ghost Protocol really did it for me.  It showed real teamwork, it was frightening.  It had surprisingly good humor and even seemed to poke fun at the overused mask plot device: the good guys never use any.  The opening even was a modern take on how the original series used to open.  The whole movie was a far more true to the source material, while still being modern and showing an extremely athletic (but not overly unrealistic) Tom Cruise.  My only gripe was the slower final act, which would have a hard time following what preceded it.  It was a surprisingly good and exciting movie, and pleased the true M:I fan inside me. 

doubleofive said:

You might like 3. It was a lot more down to earth than 2, but I haven't seen 4 yet. Anything with more Simon Pegg (who was featured in 3) is great in my book.

 Mr. OFive--I finally took your advice.  I watched M:I3 last night.  That was a very exciting movie.  Still not the real Mission: Impossible  formula I really enjoy, but a very exciting and enjoyable action flick in my mind.  As you said in our discussion on this back in December, it is very dark, and Hoffman, who is not really physically intimidating at all, makes a frightening antagonist.  He really comes off as truly ruthless.  The action was quite exciting, and there were times where I felt desperate watching them.  In spite of others' protestations, Abrams is still a good director in my mind.

So my official order of the four films:

Ghost Protocol (light-hearted, somewhat self-parodying, action, and closer to the true M:I formula)
M:I3 (very exciting, a few nice surprises, frightening at times)
M:I (an adequate action flick, with no true Mission: Impossible times in spite of its sanctimonious desecration of the sacred character Jim Phelps)
M:I2 (40 mask "surprises" + front wheelie while shooting out gas tanks x pointless white dove trademark = stupid movie)

darth_ender said:

Mr. OFive--I finally took your advice.  I watched M:I3 last night.  That was a very exciting movie.

darth_ender said:

M:I2 (40 mask "surprises" + front wheelie while shooting out gas tanks x pointless white dove trademark = stupid movie)

greenpenguino said:

The Bourne identity (Both the 1988 and the 2002 versions)

I like both versions. I like the 1988 version for it's staying closer to novel than the 2002 one, but I like the 2002 for it's action-y stuff and the score. I like that the shakey cam is more subdued in the 2002 film than it's later sequels.

(1988) four out of five balls

(2002) three and a half out of five balls

Exactly. The Liman movie was about as good as a spy thriller could be in the early 00's. Then you read the novel and get overwhelmed by the story and want for more, which the TV movie attempts to give. Both are good for what they are and are highly enjoyable. I still love this bit from the 88 version:

"My arm's broken!"

 -"No it isn't."

LMS: I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

I love this dark little gem. Like Scorsese's Bringing Out the Dead is a spiritual sequel to Taxi Driver, this film is Mike Hodges spiritual successor to Get Carter. Here Clive Owen is a former crime boss who has relinquished his ways and finds that his brother has committed suicide. He goes back to town to find out why. The interesting bit is that this time around we know the reason why and get to examine the characters deeply and almost at our own pleasure. Nothing is explained or set up, and is is an absolute pleasure to see a film so confident as to let us discover things for ourselves. Brilliant little thing. Not to mention a fantastically nasty part played by Malcolm McDowell.

3.5 balls out of 4. Now I need to go back and re-watch Croupier.

Bingowings said:

Lost In Space

This is what the interweb is calling Prometheus. Get it? Lindelof's uninspired writing and lack of resolution? Yea?

Beyond the Sea (2004)

What a conflicted film. There are parts that are great and then parts that are just so contrived... It's a shame.

       THE RING:   An odd little horror film that manages to maintain a high creepy quotient without providing many jumps. They might have done more to explain the haunting. How does it work? Why was she doomed? Why does her boyfriend Noah have his image dissolve in pictures? Maybe a visit and talk with a seemingly kook paranormal investigator could have filled in some missing pieces.

       If you like lots of skin-crawling spookiness, it might be worth a spin.

George Lucas said:

They might have done more to explain the haunting.

I often lament that we never got the Lost In Space reunion movie Billy Mumy had been trying to get off the ground in the early 80's. Irwin Allen and the somewhat splintered rights to the series seem to have been the stumbling blocks at the time.

Somebody at Fox should have been floating the idea of an LIS movie the minute the cash from Star Wars started rolling in.