What Movie Did You Just Watch? ... And Robin

[Avaitor]

Princess Protection Program (2009)

Though I must say, after this, I can definitly see why Avaitor likes Demi Lovato so much. She didn't do anything for me before, but now I see where he's coming from. But how he can insist she's cuter than Selena, I'll never know. She looked gorgeous in that blue dress.

Haha, thanks. I dunno, Selena is gorgeous too, but Demi gets bonus points for her black girl ass for me.

But both girls were quite good (not to mention good looking) in the movie, and their duet song was fun. The film itself is very poorly written and acted regardless, but they save it a lot.

[Goliath]

Haha, thanks. I dunno, Selena is gorgeous too, but Demi gets bonus points for her black girl ass for me.

But both girls were quite good (not to mention good looking) in the movie, and their duet song was fun. The film itself is very poorly written and acted regardless, but they save it a lot.

Duet song? Are we talking about the same film or was it so forgettable that I can't remember already? I guess Demi is just too "perfect" for my tastes. That may sound weird, but she's (at least in this film) the more "obvious" beauty; she's the standard against which the other girls in the movie are measured (that's partly why she becomes Homecoming Queen). Selena is a bit "different" in that she's not the "typical" perfect-model type of girl. I hope that does make sense somehow. Like her somewhat rounder, fuller face, I love that, but that's not what one thinks of when you think of a "stereotypical" beauty. Anyway, seeing stills from Monte Carlo, I just hope she doesn't get any thinner and actually gains a few pounds, because if there's one thing I get tired of about today's girls, it's how thin they are. I mean, I like slim, but not skinny.

Anyway... since this thread is actually about movies you've watched:

Manhattan (1979)

Never thought I would ever enjoy a Woody Allen-film this much. I've seen a couple of them, but whenever he was on-screen himself, I got annoyed pretty quickly. Not with this one, though. Nothing much happens and the main character is a whiny insecure person, but it's played so naturally and the dialogues are so 'real-life'-like and funny, that I really loved it a lot. Within the first 5 minutes, I knew I was gonna love this film, and that's really saying something.

Isaac (Allen), a very intelligent 40-something writer goes through various complicated relationships with women. I love how 1970's this movie is. Isaac has a relationship with a 17 year old girl, a student still, and nobody in the movie has any problems with it. His best friend has an affair while he's married and once he has had enough of her, he passes her on to Isaac, who starts dating her. All characters are liberal intellectuals who constantly walk around museums, art galleries and expositions and discuss philosophy and the finer things in life, as well as every aspect of sex and relationships in the most open way you can imagine. I felt totally connected. Makes you wish it would have never gotten "morning in America".

Another thing I liked about it, is how none of the actors or actresses are particularly attractive. Allen, of course, is not, but neither or Diana Keaton in this role, nor is the 17 year old Tracy. They just look like you and me and everyone we know. Regular, ordinary people. This is not something you see often in Hollywood. Had this film been made today, it would have starred only gorgeous people. Identification was a lot easier now that all people looked like people we know, instead of super-stars.

[Avaitor]

Duet song? Are we talking about the same film or was it so forgettable that I can't remember already?

"One and the Same", their duet, was played during the film during the scene when they were trying on dresses.

Here's the video for it if you still don't recall the song.

<iframe width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/m88McfxnTzc" frameborder="0"></iframe>

I guess Demi is just too "perfect" for my tastes. That may sound weird, but she's (at least in this film) the more "obvious" beauty; she's the standard against which the other girls in the movie are measured (that's partly why she becomes Homecoming Queen). Selena is a bit "different" in that she's not the "typical" perfect-model type of girl. I hope that does make sense somehow. Like her somewhat rounder, fuller face, I love that, but that's not what one thinks of when you think of a "stereotypical" beauty.

Yeah, I get what you're saying, at least for the movie. Demi's character is glorified more than Selena's, who was meant to be "relatable". In real life it seems to be the reverse for both, however. Selena acts and dresses like your basic Hollywood starlet, keeping herself a little reserved, while Demi's fashion taste is a little funkier, relying on excess accessories and varied color choices, and has openly struggled with her demons.

Kind of a yin-yang thing, which I think makes for a great team of talented, beautiful young women.

[Goliath]

"One and the Same", their duet, was played during the film during the scene when they were trying on dresses.

Oh yeah, I recall that scene, of course, I just didn't pay any attention to the song! So thanks for the video!

Yeah, I get what you're saying, at least for the movie. Demi's character is glorified more than Selena's, who was meant to be "relatable". In real life it seems to be the reverse for both, however. Selena acts and dresses like your basic Hollywood starlet, keeping herself a little reserved, while Demi's fashion taste is a little funkier, relying on excess accessories and varied color choices, and has openly struggled with her demons.

Well, I can't say much about that, as I don't follow Demi. I do get what you're saying about Selena, though I would still say she looks somewhat different from your 'average' famous/beautiful tv teen girls (like Miley Cyrus -whom I don't like at all- and Hilary Duff and Mandy Moore before them). But I'm glad you see what I meant.

[jpanimation]

Source Code (2011) 6.5/10 - one big disappointment. I thought Duncan Jones's Moon was some of the best 'classic sci-fi' I'd seen in years; add to that the extremely positive reviews this movie has received, and you can start to understand why my expectations for his second outing were admittedly a little high. It's the story of a guy who has his consciousness sent back in time to stop a bomb from going off on a train. This movie starts out well enough but quickly looses me as it becomes more apparent that this movies is nothing but a lackluster thriller wrapped in half-assed science fiction with a longing to have deeper meaning.

We'll start with the thriller element in this film, which doesn't really exist. I guess it's supposed to be thrilling as we worry whether or not he'll find the bomb or bomber in time. In actuality, we know it was the guy walking off the train who planted the bomb from the start, since the whole point of finding him is to stop a second bombing and yet our protagonist wastes our time checking the people who die on the train (you know, the ones who can't set off a second bomb). Also, is it really thrilling knowing no matter what, our protagonist can't die and will just keep Groundhog Day-ing it up until he accomplishes his mission?

Then you take the forced romance he has with a girl he's only spent a collective couple of minutes with and yet wants to spend the rest of his life with. It becomes his motivation for living and going back but it just doesn't work. Tack on the whole reveal towards the end about what has happened to him back in the real world and you have a movie what is trying to be something more then it really is. Also, having a self-serving scientist or military person doing something unethical for fame or profit as a big reveal towards the end of the movie is not as original as Hollywood seems to think it is. It was entertaining but none of these elements really come together as well as they could've.

[SillySymphony]

Past weeks' screenings:
(Rating scale 1-5 ✰s)

Rio ✰✰✰1/2 (3rd viewing)
Pete's Dragon ✰✰1/2
Unknown ✰✰1/2
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) ✰✰✰✰
Planet of the Apes (2001) ✰✰1/2

Saw Rise of the PotA today. Liked it a lot. The motion capture alone is phenomenal. The storyline has a more scientific approach for an Apes movie. I've read that it's a reboot of the series (like X-men: First Class), but it's still similar to Conquest of the PotA in the origins story sense.
And stay at least before the credits roll for an extra scene.

[ajmrowland]

LOTR back2back. awesome sauce

[yamiiguy]

Arrietty - 4/5 - Sweet, heartwarming film on an unlikely friendship.

Sarah's Key - 4/5 - Heart-wrenching film with great performances from the whole cast.

[dvdjunkie]

Gotcha beat ajmrowland:

I watched all three LOTR Extended Editions on Blu-ray in one-sitting yesterday. That is over 12 hours of movies. I agree it is awesome!!!!

[dvdjunkie]

Not the Messiah(He's a very naughty boy!) - (2010) Blu-ray

Filmed at the only European live performance at Royal Albert Hall, October, 2009, this is the retelling of the story of Mandy, impregnated by a Roman Soldier, who gives birth to Brian, who is mistaken to be the Messiah. Sound familiar? That's because this is the musical version of Monty Python's "Life of Brian" featuring all the surviving Pythons except for John Cleese. More of a tribute to ribald "Life of Brian" this performance features the BBC Orchestra and Chorus with soloists Shannon Mercer, Rosalind Plowright, William Ferguson and Christopher Purves as Brian. The music ranges from Handel to a very adult Mozart Duet to a rousing performance by Eric Idle as Bob Dylan, and of course the finale features "Always Look On The Bright Side of Life".

As a special treat the encore features the Royal Mounties doing the "Lumberjack Song".

All in all a great night of Python humor and if you aren't a Python fan, watch this, you just might be afterwards.

[jpanimation]

Manhattan (1979)

Never thought I would ever enjoy a Woody Allen-film this much.

My thoughts exactly. After watching Annie Hall (his so-called best and the best picture winner for 1977), which I found to be one of the most painful viewing experiences of my life, I was hesitant to ever watch another Woody Allen film (hell, if I didn't like his best one, why would I like any of his others?). Which is why I never expected to get sucked into this movie so quickly (to be precise, the very instant the classic Gershwin music started up against a black and white Manhattan backdrop). Not one of my favorites but enjoyable none-the-less.

[PixarFan2006]

I went to one of my local theaters and saw Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011). While obviously not the classic the Charlton Heston original was (The only Apes movie I've seen to be honest prior to this), this was still an entertaining movie and better than I thought it would be. The highlights of the film were the apes, most notably Caesar (Played by Andy Serkis) and the climax, which I will not spoil, but you can probably guess what happens.

3.5/5

[dvdjunkie]

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) Blu-ray

This classic comedy that introduced us to Jeff Spicoli and all of the antics of his friends in high school, at the mall, or just out looking to get laid, looks very impressive in its Blu-ray debut. Written by Cameron Crowe, and Directed by Amy Heckerling this movie has a huge cast of then relative unknown actors including Forest Whitaker and NIcolas Cage (billed as Nicolas Coppola), Sean Penn as Spicoli, Jennifer Jason Leigh, PHoebe Cates, Judge Reinhold and Ray Walston. Featuring a soundtrack that features The Cars, Oingo Boingo and The Go Go's, this film is a must see for every person who wants to relive the 80's, or just wants a great laugh. Universal has included a ton of extras on this low-priced Blu-ray release that came out with another great comedy "Dazed and Confused".

"Fast Times" gets a strong 5/5 from DVDJunkie.

[Dr Frankenollie]

I'm too lazy to write reviews right now, but in the past few days I've watched Fargo, The Third Man, Me and Orson Welles and Hitchcock's Rebecca.

[ajmrowland]

Gotcha beat ajmrowland:

I watched all three LOTR Extended Editions on Blu-ray in one-sitting yesterday. That is over 12 hours of movies. I agree it is awesome!!!!

so we did it at the same time then.

they were loud, but my dad would still try to interrupt just to say good night. never do that when im watching a movie.

[Flanger-Hanger]

Me and Orson Welles

I actually just watched this myself and liked it alot. Christian McKay was fantastic as Welles and truly fun to watch and the 30s setting and music was enjoyabe too. My biggest fear was that Zac Efron would just play himself and clash against the period setting, but he was fine.

[JiminyCrick91]

My biggest fear was that Zac Efron would just play himself and clash against the period setting, but he was fine.

A load of people don't give him any credit because of HSM but he is a very capable young actor as well as being good lookin'

-Skyler

[Dr Frankenollie]

Me and Orson Welles

I actually just watched this myself and liked it alot. Christian McKay was fantastic as Welles and truly fun to watch and the 30s setting and music was enjoyabe too. My biggest fear was that Zac Efron would just play himself and clash against the period setting, but he was fine.

^Agreed. Zac Efron was good and Christian McKay was brilliant. My favourite part was the breathtaking recreation of Welles' Julius Caesar production which was effective and nostalgia-inducing due to the great lighting, the talented actors who could successfully play actors themselves, the atmospheric staging and excellent music. I think the 15 minutes of the play make the movie worth watching alone.

[Scarred4life]

The Gamer- Meh. It certainly was an interesting concept, and certain aspects were well done (such as the way 'Society' was presented to the viewer), but other than that... I felt nothing for the characters, they had no personality whatsoever. And in some of the combat scenes, I was actually bored.

[Disney's Divinity]

Watched Hello Dolly! yesterday. Totally different than I imagined (I had no idea Barbra Streisand was in this).

I thought it was amazing. Usually I get bored by all the dance scenes in these old musicals, but I didn’t in this movie. I really enjoyed the scene where Barbra taught the boys to dance. Honestly, I thought Streisand was phenomenal in this. Her songs were great, and I loved her character. My favorite scene was probably the “It Only Takes A Moment” scene in the park--especially the part where the guy doesn’t understand what’s going on (he came in after the song started... ) and then the other people turn into a chorus. I thought it was sweet.

I watched it again this morning. Felt the same way, so I guess it stuck.