DominicCobb

I love them all Erik. Great job. 

Following (1998) - Christopher Nolan's first film is pretty impressive considering the budget. It's actually a really cool neo-nbir film with a killer twist. There's not a great thematic reason for the non-linear storytelling, but it makes the film all the more interesting and is very well done. Of course this is still a no budget film so acting and production values leaves something to be desired. B+

The Right Stuff (1983) - I can't believe how good this movie is and how long I've gone not seeing it. This is an expertly made film, which keeps your rapt attention even with its three hour plus runtime. A compelling tale of innovation, exploration, boldness, and camaraderie. Exciting stuff. A

Inception (2010) - You know what? I love this movie. Who would have guessed? Seriously, though, this is a fantastic piece of work. It's easy to get caught up in the action and the ending and think that's all there is. But there's so much more. There's a lot of depth here, not just in the plot (literally and metaphorically) but in the themes and meaning of it all. There's a lot of intriguing things mulling around in this, like the meaning of dreams (obviously) but also the true nature of reality and time and space. There's also a really cool overarching metaphor for filmmaking that I really appreciate. What's crazy and what makes this film so good is how intricate it is, in its plot and characters and themes, and yet how simultaneously entertaining everything is. It's a neat trick, and I wish there were more directors out there coming up with complex blockbusters of this type. An all time favorite. A+

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - What a strangely beautiful film this is. It's a true testament to Stanley Kubrick's abilities that this film moves at such a slow pace yet I am enthralled throughout. Honestly I find it hard to find fault in this film. It's so unique in its plot and structure and storytelling, and it's a uniqueness that very much fits the story. It's a bizarre and mysterious and breathtaking tale of evolution, the likes of which have never been seen before or since. The deeper meanings of things are perfectly ambiguous, just like life and the universe itself. Surely a masterpiece. A+

Interstellar (2014) - I saw this opening night and have been mulling it over since. If I were to review it in one word I would say incredible. But since I have more words I will say more things than that. If feel like some people might look at me and say I have a bias towards Christopher Nolan. I'd like to just say for the record that's simply not true. I'm actually a really objective film viewer, more than most anyway. I've seen a lot of stuff, stuff from all different genres and all different directors and all different languages. I don't let any preconceived notions get in the way of it. Yes, I do think Nolan's the best director working today, but that doesn't mean I'll blindly follow anything he does. I can point out the flaws in all his films, even Inception. True, yes, I love Nolan's style, so that affects how I view his films. But other than his style, the big budget, and some thematic through lines, Interstellar is almost nothing like anything he's ever done before. It's certainly not a whole lot like Inception. But the differences make it great in it's own way. It's hard to see why others aren't loving it like I did, but that's something I can accept and understand. I'll even admit that Interstellar's not perfect, though it comes close. I have some feelings as to why, though I won't get into that now (and I'd like to see it again to really assess). But, at the end of the day, you have to admit that even if you don't like Interstellar on the whole, there's a lot in it that's impossible not to like. I find the story really interesting and compelling, others might disagree. But no one can argue the sheer filmmaking mastery on display. Visually, this film is perfect, from direction to cinematography to art direction to special effects. Sound wise, it's perfect. Hans Zimmer does the music and I swear it's one of his best scores ever. The acting is fantastic all around, especially from Matthew McConaughey. Most importantly, this is a story with real emotion. It's a powerful experience and if you don't at least get a little choked up (let alone cry) during a few different scenes then you probably have no soul. This is a truly special film. There are movies, and there are films. This is more than even a film. This film transcends mainstream cinema and even most independent cinema in the quality of the experience. And this is an experience, a cinematic experience the type I haven't had in a long time. This is a great film - certainly the best of the year, one of the finest I have ever seen, and perhaps even Nolan's best. A masterpiece. A+

I like it a lot. It succinct, and gives a nice feeling to it. A feeling or mystery and hope and adventure. Basically what I like about Star Wars. Great title, excited to see how it plays into the film's narrative.

Also, thanks for making this it's own thread. I'm trying to avoid spoilers so I don't want to visit the spoiler thread but I'd like to talk about stuff like this (which is a big deal and obviously not a spoiler because how can anyone avoid a film's title).

Also oh my god guys they've finished filming Episode VII and they gave it a title it's actually finally going to come out. I seriously can't believe it.

Gods and Monsters (1998) - A semi interesting story with a great performance by Ian McKellan. But Brendan Frasier ruins it. Plus some of the dialogue sucks and the symbolism is obvious and weak. B-

Frankenweenie (2012) - A nice little picture. There's not a whole lot of momentum and I wish I knew the characters better, but it's a technical marvel. B

Sweet Smell of Success (1957) - Fantastic film. Sharply written, well directed, and filled with great performances. A commentary that, at its heart, isn't as dated as it might seem. A-

The Theory of Everything (2014) - This was pretty good I guess. The pacing could have been better (I found myself too often drifting out of interest with the story) and I felt that it sort of falls apart in the second half, particularly towards the end (which is mostly because of how the central relationship was handled). It's all really tragically conventional. Stephen Hawking's life and ideas are way too interesting for a film this trite. Eddie Redmayne is fantastic, though. B

Fruitvale Station (2013) - A tough but powerful watch. Very well made with great performances. Which only makes the ending that much harder to watch. People should watch this movie. A-

Fury (2014) - Good performances and filmmaking. There are some downright fantastic sequences in this film, but it doesn't all come together as well as it should. The first act is particularly problematic with its slow pacing and delayed character development. B

Amores perros (2000) - Very impressive directorial debut from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. I have some minor quibbles - it could probably be a bit shorter, I'm not even remotely as invested in the middle story as the others, etc. - but for the most part this is a great film. A-

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014) - Wow, wow, wow. Brilliant film. Hilarious, exciting, thought provoking. Inarritu's latest impresses as well. The work that went into crafting this film is mind boggling. And let's not forget the performances. Michael Keaton gives a career best performance here. Edward Norton is a scene stealer. Emma Stone's great, and so is everyone else. What an amazing film. Highly recommended. My favorite of the year so far. A

Nightcrawler (2014) - A slickly made thrilling satire of the news industry. Some things pushed the boundaries of believability and other things could have been fleshed out further, but they do not get in the way of your enjoyment of this awesome movie. Jake Gyllenhaal gives a great performance, and he made a surprise appearance at the screening I went to, so that was pretty great. B+

12 seems a little old to be considered a child and to believe something like that.

There was a montage after they escape from prison set to ELO's Livin' Thing that was cut from the film. This annoys me as ELO's Livin' Thing is one of my all time favorites.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Ain't No Mountain High Enough the first song on Mix 2, and I Want You Back is the second?

AntcuFaalb said:

timdiggerm said:

AntcuFaalb said:

Bingowings said:

There are plenty of ANH edits using ANH:R as a source.

Any theatrical ones?

I'd pretty much like to watch pre-SE ANH adywanized.

But if there are going to be changes like upgraded effects, why not use the SE?

I shoud have clarified; sorry!

By "pre-SE" I just mean the cut, not the SE changes; that is, (SE - extended Mos Eisley entry sequence - Jabba the Hutt scene - others?)^adywan.

I'm more than happy with the SE and Adywan changes (just not the additions!) in this context.

 So the Purist edition.

Finished the ep, it was alright, nothing special. I like how they gave Zeb some depth.

C-3PO and R2-D2 struck me as nothing but fan service. It was weird, when I saw them appear I was like "yeah okay whatever," but when I saw the Rex type droid I was actually really surprised and happy (seriously they should just do a whole show based on Rex). 

Oh shi, only two minutes into the new episode but I got to say huge points for the Star Tours reference.

I think it makes sense that eventually all TVs will be 4K (why not have them at the highest resolution noticeable by the human eye), but I agree they're not that big of a deal and I don't see them becoming the next big thing like HD TVs were. I'm just waiting for when they have become so prominent that I can get one for a low price.

The Time Machine (1960) - A childhood favorite of mine. Re-watched for editing purposes. Classic adventure tale with an atypical (well not so much anymore) method of travel. I love pretty much everything about this film - if you haven't seen it yet, you should. A-

Shoot 'Em Up (2006) - A tons of fun, over-the-top 90 minute shoot out, basically. Funny, too. B

Good Will Hunting (1997) - A modern classic. Great performances abound (RIP Robin Williams). Great story, still chokes me up even though I've seen it before ("It's not your fault" - amazing scene). Also major points for being set in Boston/Cambridge. A

Gone Girl (2014) - Saw this last night. Amazing. Gripping from start to finish. This is a fantastic story - if you don't know anything about it, good, keep it that way and see the movie. Everything's great here. Fincher once again is proving he's one of the best directors out there. The whole cast is phenomenal too. Ben Affleck definitely gives his best performance here (he was great!). Shout out to Rosamund Pike, who does an equally great job. What came as a surprise to me was how funny this film is. Lot of dark humor. Long story short, this is a highly engaging film that flies by even though it's 150 minutes. Highly recommended. A

Rainboy lol.

Just watched because why not. I have to agree this show is very good, and I am excited for its future. Will definitely continue to watch.

Some complaints. Animation obviously sucks as everyone has been saying. It ranges from good (ships, surfaces, stormtroopers, even some imperials) to distractingly horrendous (egad, those wookies). Ultimately, though, this is something that will get in the way of my enjoyment of the show.

Specific criticism of this episode: I thought Act III was rather lacking. My investment dropped a bit, it was mostly just an action sequence. Kanan pulling out his lightsaber was pretty lame, actually. Awkwardly handled, missed opportunity. Plus it wasn't really a reveal because Ezra and us saw it before. The Obi-Wan appearance was cool but "a new hope" made me roll my eyes.

Of course, like I said, this was episode specific. The show has a lot of potential. I still haven't formed a solid opinion on any of the characters yet, but that's normal. Kanan made the least impression which is probably because his defining trait was hidden until the end. Anyway, I like what I've seen of them all so far.

Should be a good show.

Hrm, when I watch it the whole screen turns black after a few seconds. Wish I could help.

TheBoost said:

I would love to see another movie about a character that is SO CLEARLY Indiana Jones, but a different actor with a different name.

Same feel, a new hero theme, slightly different settings, same over the top action bits. 

"In the Spirit of Indiana Jones come... ... BROCK CARMICHAEL, Treasure Hunter!" 

 How about Brock Landers: Angels Live In My Town...

Obviously it's not the DVD's fault. It's George's fault for ordering the creation of one of the shittiest looking DVD transfers of all time. And it's your fault for wasting our time with this nonsense that, while hilarious, is probably killing our brain cells.

It's like some of you are just trying to up your post count.

SilverWook said:

Am I the only one who initially read that as Pope Frink? ;)

 No, I did too, oddly enough.

DrCrow, as a fellow lover of the OT, I am asking you to heed my advice. I know from reading from other posts that you've been having some troubles recently. I feel for you and I want to help. This fight is not worth you fussing over. I really think you need to calm down and not worry about it. I can tell you're really feeling bad about this. Don't. If you need to take some days off from this site, then do so. I'm being sincere, I don't think it's worth it.

Wait, I've never been paid in Laserdiscs. Have I been ripped off?

Sweet!

Alright. I understand why dirty talk offends some. I get it. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but I get it. I get that some people's senses of humor aren't as liberal as my own. I get it. 

But I don't get why I should be off-handedly talked down to for defending a joke that I thought was funny. I will not apologize for thinking the joke was funny and supporting my reasons why.

You guys talk about respect as if it's something that only you understand. Like if I or someone else indulges in an occasional obscenity we don't know the meaning of respect. I don't get why you guys can't respect my sense of humor. You don't like vulgarities. I understand that. I'm not going to say that you need to get over yourself. So why should you say that we should get over ourselves? To us, they're just words. There's no sincerity to them. They are jokes. They give us a laugh. They make us feel better. 

I am sorry for the rant but I am not sorry for my beliefs. Hope you can understand that.

Sure they signed the Declaration in Philly, but it was the Tea Party that really began the movement. 1773 came before 1776 of course. And then the War began in Lexington (just a bit outside of Boston) in 1775. 

Warbler said:

DominicCobb said:

However now that I think about it I'm here in the city that started the greatest independence movement of all times

 You're in Philadelphia?

 Well obviously the exact start is debatable but I like to think this was it: