What Movie Did You Just Watch? ...Rises

[ajmrowland]

I mean, you didn't even see the Devil-baby (though, I guess, it wasn't really necessary to show the Devil-baby).

It wasn't just unnecessary to see Adrian, but it's scarier if you don't see him - your imagination can probably create something scarier than any special effect or puppet could have.

I have watched only one film in the past week, and that is The Dark Knight Rises. This film is the final nail in the coffin of going to the cinema for me; not because of the movie itself, but the agonising amount of adverts I had to sit through first. No amount of closing my eyes and trying to escape to my happy place could allow me to stop hearing the dreadful jokes and the modern music that sounds exactly the fucking same for every damn song.

As for the film itself, as I have written a detailed review (http://onethousandandonemovienights.blo ... ew_22.html), I'll try to be brief here: I liked it. I love its predecessors and wasn't expecting it to be better than The Dark Knight, and even though I lowered my expectations quite a bit, it still failed to fully exceed them. The actors we're already used to in the series - Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman and Christian Bale - are all still good, but disappointingly underused (even Bale!). Nolan said in one interview he wanted to end the story rather than keep blowing up the plot bubble, but regardless introduced far too many new characters. Nonetheless, the performances for these new characters are generally excellent: Tom Hardy is menacing and at times oddly charismatic as Bane (but unsurprisingly not a patch on Heath Ledger's Joker), and although I slightly prefer Michelle Pfeiffer, Anne Hathaway is fun as Catwoman. John Blake seemed to be more of a clunky plot device than an actual character, and sometimes the film seemed to be spectacle-driven rather than focusing on substance and characters. The big, explosive set-pieces took centre stage instead of the characters; it's hard to criticise them though because they're don't just impress the eyes, but also the mind too. While it's not the masterpiece I was hoping for, it was still good fun.

A few final things: in the penultimate scene with Alfred in Florence, they should have ended it with him looking up instead of being condescending to the audience; I find it hard to believe that Gordon was able to remember putting a coat around young Bruce's shoulders when it happened thirty years ago, and he may have done the same to someone else during a more meaningful experience; and they missed a gigantic opportunity in the scene with the bomb in the Bat. Why, why, why couldn't Batman have said: "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb"?

I do want to see this movie and your review is encouraging.

Oddly enough, the movie theater is the only time I dont really mind the advertising, and not all the music sounds exactly the same to me, but then the ones that arent on the radio a million times arent always memorable.,

[dvdjunkie]

We don't have the advertising in our theaters that you all seem to despise. Kansas law prohibits it and that is a good thing. We get only three trailers before the main feature and that is all we need.

Our IMAX theater is the same way. They have a demonstration of the IMAX 3-D and massive surround sound (Dolby 7.1), then three trailers and the main feature.

When I lived in California that was my main complaint. Going to Regal Theaters where you had to sit through the same stupid commercials you see at home on television was just annoying. Then they showed almost a half hour worth of trailers before the main feature. That is pushing the limits of most movie-goers.

I have seen The Dark Knight Rises four times already. Once in IMAX 3-D, once in the Main theater in 3-D and twice in 2-d, and frankly I don't think the 3-D makes the movie any better. I do agree with most critics that this is the "perfect" conclusion of the Trilogy even with a couple of plot holes that weren't explained very well.

I plan on seeing this movie one more time in our World Class IMAX theater before it goes away.

www.warrentheaters.com

Check it out, this is why I brag about our theaters so much!

[JiminyCrick91]

I have seen The Dark Knight Rises four times already. Once in IMAX 3-D, once in the Main theater in 3-D and twice in 2-d, and frankly I don't think the 3-D makes the movie any better. I do agree with most critics that this is the "perfect" conclusion of the Trilogy even with a couple of plot holes that weren't explained very well.

If you saw it in 3D it may be the only place in the world that is showing it that way as it was not made in 3D nor converted after thanks to Nolan's request.

-Skyler

[dvdjunkie]

My bad!!! Our IMAX theater is so big that you get lost in almost any film and it seems like a natural 3-D to me. You are correct, not in 3-D. The same with our Main Balcony Theater, with a screen that is taller than a four-story building it puts you right in the movie you are watching.

That being said, I still have seen it four times and am going again this afternoon to see for the fifth time.

Good catch, and thank you for not letting me ramble on like an idiot!!!

[dvdjunkie]

Das Boot (1981) Blu-ray Director's Cut

When I saw the ad in the Best Buy circular that showed "Das Boot - The Director's Cut" for only $4.99 (with $5 upgrade coupon) I had to add it to my collection.

Released in theaters in 1981 the film ran 149 minutes. It has become one of my most favorite films of all time. Sony Pictures then released the Uncut TV Mini-series which ran just under five hours long, and when it was released on DVD I added that along with the original theatrical release of this great WWII film.

While the Blu-ray version is the Director's Cut, it doesn't have a lot of the extras that are available on the Five-hour version of the film. But what it does have is a fantastic commentary by Director Wolfgang Petersen that makes up for all of the missing extras. And at $4.99 you can't beat the price.

Petersen presents a story about a U-boat crew during the later days of WWII is an in-depth look at the crew who make their work look easy while being very tedious. Petersen kept the cast of the film indoors for the entire time they were shooting the film to add realism to the story. It wouldn't have been as riveting if they had to use a lot of makeup to hide tan lines.

Starring Jurgen Prochnow, Herbert Gronemeyer and Klaus Wennemann, this film takes you below the surface with a submarine crew who has to make their way through the British convoys that are hunting down these ill-fated U-boats. Petersen tells us that over 40,000 young men manned the fleet of German U-boats and less than 10,000 made it home alive.

I know some people out there refuse to watch a film in its original language with English subtitles, but this film is best watched this way, although the main actors all speak English, so if you choose to do so, you can watch this movie in English with only the background players voices being dubbed. Petersen did film the movie with that in mind, and as much as I like to watch my movies in my language (English) I refuse to watch this one except the way it was intended German with English subtitles.

The realism and the claustrophobic conditions of being under the water really are played out well. This is not truly a war film in its presentation but a deeply characterized script that has no flaws, and no matter which version you choose to watch, you will be thoroughly entertained by this film.

Unfair of me to rank this film any lower than 5 stars because I love it so much. 5/5 on the Junkie Meter. If you want to see a film that is almost 'perfect' in every way, then take the time to watch, at least, the Director's Cut of "Das Boot".

[TheSequelOfDisney]

Over the past few days or so, I've watched:

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp - This is the third Powell and Pressburger film that I've seen, and I have to say that it's my least favorite; that being said, it's far from being bad. All of the actors were great (especially Deborah Kerr), but I just couldn't get into the story. Maybe it's because it's a war film and those aren't my favorite, but it is still pretty good. I probably won't add this to my collection any time soon. I still need to listen to the commentary, and maybe that will help me to like the film more. Again, it's not bad, but I certainly prefer The Red Shoes and Black Narcissus over Colonel Blimp.

Bottle Rocket - Another Wes Anderson film, the third that I've seen, and I have to say that I was a little bit confused about it. I know that there was a Bottle Rocket short that was filmed a few years before this film, and maybe that could've helped me "get" the film. Like Blimp, this one was good but I like the other Wes Anderson films that I've seen (Moonrise Kingdom and The Royal Tenenbaums). The ending was brilliant and entirely hilarious, but it took awhile for me to really get into the film. Not good, but not at all bad.

Rushmore - This is the fourth Anderson film I've seen and I liked it quite a bit more than Bottle Rocket; it was witty and hilarious. Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman were perfect as frenemies. I liked pretty much everything from beginning to end. I don't like it as much as Moonrise Kingdom and The Royal Tenenbaums, but it's definitely an improvement, in my opinion, over his first film (BR).

L'Heure d'été (Summer Hours) - What a sweet little movie; Summer Hours is about a three-generation family and focuses mainly on how that family interacts and how some certain artistic possessions/objects affect the family. It might be a "small" film, but it certainly packs a punch. The French setting is beautiful and it ties in wonderfully with the themes of the story. This one is really quite good and is definitely worth a watch.

歩いても 歩いても (Still Walking) - Still Walking is wonderfully beautiful, too. Similar to Summer Hours, this film is all about family coming together; we find out about their lives after a son dies, and we get to see how all of these different characters act/behave with the rest of the family. This is a simple but stirring drama that really makes you think about your family; no wonder this has a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Fantastic film.

Fantastic Mr. Fox - The fifth Anderson film I've seen, and wow! I had never read the Dahl story so I had no idea what it's about, but I was completely blown away. I really like how Anderson tells stories, and this one seems practically perfect. The voice cast is awesome, headed by George Clooney and Meryl Streep with quite a few actors that Anderson's worked with before, and the stop-animation is fantastic. The writing is super witty (I think I might just start saying "What the cuss?" much more often), and I was laughing pretty much all the way through. Fantastic Mr. Fox is definitely one of my favorite animated films that I've seen in the last decade or so, and I'm glad that I've finally seen it. I'll definitely try and pick up this Blu-ray whenever I get the money to do so. Love this one!

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - This is the sixth Wes Anderson film, and it's kind of in the middle for me. Like Bottle Rocket, I wasn't thoroughly over-excited about what happened, but I think I was able to get into the film a little bit more than Bottle Rocket. The smart crassness/wittiness is always present, and Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett and Anjelica Huston were great in their respective roles, but it wasn't overly interesting or fun. Not good or bad, but in the middle somewhere. There's only one more Anderson film I've yet to watch (The Darjeeling Limited, which I've borrowed from the library and I'm going to watch soon), and then I'll rank them.

[Disney's Divinity]

Saw Super 8 and Silent House when my sister visited yesterday.

Silent House was awful, and felt like at least 5 other films I've already seen. I actually really liked Super 8, though I felt the drama with the parents was dull. I also wish they hadn't shown a close-up of the alien, but I liked that they made it/him sympathetic for being tortured even though he ate a few humans.

[Avaitor]

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

It's August, which means it's Summer Under the Stars month on TCM. Yesterday was John Wayne day, and I caught this John Ford directed classic right at 8. The Duke considers this his favorite performance of all the ones he's done, and the one he most wished to have earned an Oscar for. I'm not so sure if it's my favorite John Wayne performance, but he did a great job here. It's a wholly engaging western with some gorgeous cinematography, and I think it was the beginning of the "aging" John Wayne factor we'd see in later movies of his, like The Searchers and True Grit, which he did win the Oscar for.

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House

And today is Myrna Loy day. I caught this one just before the 8 PM slot, since I have plans tonight and can't rewatch The Thin Man like I wanted to. Miss Loy had a beautiful, angelic voice and a wonderful gift for timing and expression, and the film's real star, Cary Grant, rarely ever did a bad performance. The supporting cast was also quite strong. The actual film wasn't so good, though. It's supposed to be a comedy, but I got very few laughs out of it. Oftentimes it felt like it was supposed to be more of a drama, but the melodramatic parts didn't work well enough for it to be. It's not a bad film, but it's not one I plan to revisit often.

[Dr Frankenollie]

Frenzy - In previous Hitchcock films, every shot is precise and meticulously directed; Psycho is a prime example of this. Frenzy is quite different, probably because the Master was away tending to his wife (who suffered a stroke during production), so some shots had to be completed without him. The backdrop of this thriller is late 60's/early 70's Britain, and the potentially nostalgia-inducing mood comes straight from the simple, unstylised presentation of London at the time: there are lines peppered with informal slang, thick cockney accents, traditional English breakfasts and a lot of establishing shots of fruit markets where a lot of the action takes place. To its credit, this all gives Frenzy a unique atmosphere and a style. Regardless of this unusual trait, it's still adorned with the recognisable traits of Hitchcock: a man wrongfully accused, an anti-hero on the run for his life, et al. Although it begins slowly, this underrated classic features some incredible filmmaking. We see the villain lead an assuming victim into his apartment, and the camera smoothly pulls back, down the stairs and out onto the busy, bustling streets. It's chilling and mesmerising - a man is raping and murdering a helpless young woman, while the world around them is unknowing, and keeps moving on. The lack of music and complete and utter silence makes it all the more poignant and powerful.

Acting-wise, it's certainly not the best in Hitchcock's impressive filmography, but Barry Foster is nevertheless great as the villainous Necktie Killer. The shocking rape scene is intense mainly because of Foster's animalistic grunts and raspy repetition of "Lovely...lovely...lovely...LOVELY..." getting progressively louder and louder. Even this late in his career, Hitchcock still blatantly takes risks, making the protagonist a temperate anti-hero and showing us a lot from the villain's POV; intrinsically, this is a typical Hitchcock thriller, as he chose to return to his roots after making unsuccessful films about political espionage and more romantic movies. However, there's definitely a darker, more brutal edge to it, and there's a surprising amount of bloody violence and nudity.

Little-known amongst the movie-going public, Frenzy deserves more recognition. It's definitely not one of Hitchcock's masterpieces and it's not a great movie, yet there are quite a few ingenious, brilliant sequences.

[Dr Frankenollie]

Sleepy Hollow - A much weaker, more flawed film than I originally thought: Ichabod Crane's backstory is unnecessary, Brom Bones' dislike of Ichabod is poorly handled (he doesn't like him because Katrina kisses him, but Katrina was kissing anybody as part of a light-hearted Halloween game) and the romance between Ichabod and Katrina seems very forced to me. Moreover, I thought the child actor playing Young Masbeth was poor and a lot of the dialogue made me cringe ("Thank God you're here" the servant girl says to Ichabod, etc.) Christina Ricci was pretty wooden as Katrina, but Johnny Depp was okay as the squeamish, rational detective from New York (an unexpected but ultimately logical change from him being a schoolteacher). Despite the number of unfortunate problems it suffers, I do think the explanation from the person controlling the Horseman and the intricate connections between all the murder victims are ingenious. It's a shame that the rest of the film is rather lacklustre and the characters not worth caring about.

From Dusk Till Dawn - During the first half, I loved the usual cleverness of Quentin Tarantino's dialogue and the typical dark, dry wit adorning the immensely quotable lines. George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino were suitably threatening as a pair of murderous brothers on their way over the border to Mexico, with Tarantino in particular being both quite disturbing yet not unlikable due to his character's child-like tendencies; the juxtaposition inTarantino's role made him quite compelling. The best character however is Harvey Keitel's: Jacob Fuller, a widowed former preacher who has lost his faith. Jacob is intelligent, tactful and impressively daring at points, and Keitel makes him a strong presence.

The twist that leads into the completely different second half comes out of nowhere and is mind-blowingly surprising, and although it may have been the point to pay tribute to the gory, sex-filled B-movies of old, I would have liked to see the relationships between Clooney, Keitel and Tarantino's characters played out instead. From Dusk Till Dawn is a fun, exciting and frequently exhilirating ride, but also a sadly missed opportunity for another classic in a similar vein to Pulp Fiction. Also, as an afterthought, the dance sequence with Salma Hayek is overlong and quite boring, at least after the initial shock at seeing a snake wrapped around her.

[Lazario]

Also, as an afterthought, the dance sequence with Salma Hayek is overlong and quite boring, at least after the initial shock at seeing a snake wrapped around her.

Shockingly, I disagree. Sitting through the movie, I adjusted to the time Rodriguez was taking with every sequence that set the film in a calculated mood. Her dance didn't feel the slightest bit boring after the other scenes in the bar. It made Fred Williamson stop playing with those stupid dominoes (which anyone who's seen him in even a blaxploitation movie trailer knows he doesn't give a shit about). We didn't have to play any games of Spot the 80's Horror Icon (did you catch Tom Savini and Greg Nicotero - special effects gurus behind Friday the 13th, Maniac, Evil Dead II, Day of the Dead, The Burning, and... yes, Misery's famous foot breaking?). George Clooney shut up (I know he was...mostly compelling up 'til they got to the bar but then they turned the arrival at the bar into him proving over again that he was tough... as though the opening scene didn't do that magnificently). And, I'm no drinker but, I did think their use of her balancing skills and creative method of serving him beer was fairly erotic. Tarantino was a very good looking man and, in particular, had a very sexy jawline. Which got a bit of a workout in closeup. The music held the scene in-place/pace. Then, consider it like a swan song for the character who's about to die and it seems to work even better upon re-viewings. I actually look forward to it whenever I watch the movie.

If the scene had a victim, it was Juliette Lewis. They should have pretended she wasn't there. As they also should have in the moment where he tries to console Seth after he kills his brother. And the moment where she tries to warn Richie that Santico was about to attack him. And Keitel when he noticed the bloody knife wasn't being claimed by anyone.

[Dr Frankenollie]

Shockingly, I disagree. Sitting through the movie, I adjusted to the time Rodriguez was taking with every sequence that set the film in a calculated mood. Her dance didn't feel the slightest bit boring after the other scenes in the bar. It made Fred Williamson stop playing with those stupid dominoes (which anyone who's seen him in even a blaxploitation movie trailer knows he doesn't give a shit about). We didn't have to play any games of Spot the 80's Horror Icon (did you catch Tom Savini and Greg Nicotero - special effects gurus behind Friday the 13th, Maniac, Evil Dead II, Day of the Dead, The Burning, and... yes, Misery's famous foot breaking?). George Clooney shut up (I know he was...mostly compelling up 'til they got to the bar but then they turned the arrival at the bar into him proving over again that he was tough... as though the opening scene didn't do that magnificently). And, I'm no drinker but, I did think their use of her balancing skills and creative method of serving him beer was fairly erotic. Tarantino was a very good looking man and, in particular, had a very sexy jawline. Which got a bit of a workout in closeup. The music held the scene in-place/pace. Then, consider it like a swan song for the character who's about to die and it seems to work even better upon re-viewings. I actually look forward to it whenever I watch the movie.

I'm not going to argue that Hayek's dance was an unnecessary scene, because it's obviously not a serious film, but one that merely strives to entertain. I disliked it because it was spoiling the excitement that permeated through the movie from the get-go, and it seemed very random. I wanted to see more between Jacob and Seth, who had an interesting relationship before the vampires appeared. I knew next to nothing about the movie so I had initially assumed it was a serious thriller, and to me Salma Hayek's dance was slowing the plot down and was only used to arouse some of the audience. Moreover, I definitely could have done without Tarantino displaying his foot fetish again.

If the scene had a victim, it was Juliette Lewis. They should have pretended she wasn't there. As they also should have in the moment where he tries to console Seth after he kills his brother. And the moment where she tries to warn Richie that Santico was about to attack him. And Keitel when he noticed the bloody knife wasn't being claimed by anyone.

Agreed, mostly. I cringed when she warned Richie; that was the point that all logic flew out of the window for the film. Why would she care about her creepy, sex-crazed kidnapper? Lewis was a poor actress compared to Keitel, Tarantino and Clooney, and an annoying flaw.

[Lazario]

I'm not going to argue that Hayek's dance was an unnecessary scene, because it's obviously not a serious film, but one that merely strives to entertain. I disliked it because it was spoiling the excitement that permeated through the movie from the get-go, and it seemed very random. I wanted to see more between Jacob and Seth, who had an interesting relationship before the vampires appeared. I knew next to nothing about the movie so I had initially assumed it was a serious thriller, and to me Salma Hayek's dance was slowing the plot down and was only used to arouse some of the audience. Moreover, I definitely could have done without Tarantino displaying his foot fetish again.

To me, the bar scene itself was the moment the movie switched gears for a slower speed. And that includes shifting characters backward in exchange for turning the set into their playground. They wanted the Titty Twister to be the bar version of Disneyland. And this truly devastated their character arcs. Seth became a childish, arrogant, obnoxious prick. Richie became a silly pimp (and, yet, look underneath the surface at sexual dynamics- there's no mistaking Hayek's Pandemonium is the top and in the end, she uses him like a toy and already has a philosophy that men are dogs). Kate was completely ignored, until the moment where she allegedly toughens (that really out-of-place bit of "sarcastic" attitude in response to Sex Machine's suggestions of anti-vampire tools which they throw out the window to make her whine again: "I don't think I can take much more of that noise"). And Jacob is, again with no follow-through, turned into broken-winged mediator. Not exactly a progression on the whole "I'm running the show!" moment earlier. Something they apparently wanted us to remember as a flashy stop-off rather than a road that goes anywhere. If they were trying to throw anyone the arc of "this is really affecting me," it was Seth. Jacob was becoming more of a ghost in each passing minute.

After all that, they needed some animal magnetism. As for the "foot fetish," how do you know for sure Tarantino knew he'd be cast in the role? When he wrote the script, he didn't even know Rodriguez would direct it.

[KACENAID]

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days - This viewing is courtesy of my nephew, who wanted to see it, I myself had never seen the two previous films. Overall, I think the film was mostly harmless, but nothing special, with a couple of mildly amusing parts. Of course, I'm not the target audience and my nephew was, and he enjoyed it, so I guess that matters.

[Avaitor]

So some family things have affected my chance to catch up with Summer Under the Stars. I wasn't in the mood to watch a movie during Johnny Weissmuller day, although I did have a documentary on the MGM Tarzan film on as background noise during part of that day, or on Marilyn Monroe day.

I did record Now, Voyager and watch Mr. Skeffington on Claude Rains day yesterday. It was a surprisingly highly effective melodrama featuring great performances by Mr. Rains and Bette Davis, who was the main star.

I'm also going to have to miss Van Heflin day today.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

The Darjeeling Limited - The last of the Wes Anderson films; this one was kind of on par with Bottle Rocket and The Life Aquatic (though it's a little bit more funny than either of those). I like that it's completely different but still has that signature Anderson flair and imagination. The main stars--Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman--were great as the three brothers, as was Anjelica Huston as their mother (which that whole subplot made me think of Powell and Pressburger's Black Narcissus). It wasn't wildly terrific, but it was pretty decent. I also watched the short Hotel Chevalier which definitely helped in understanding Schwartzman's character. Overall, I liked it, but I won't be rushing to buy the Blu-ray or DVD.

Of the Anderson films, I'd rank them:

1. Moonrise Kingdom
2. Fantastic Mr. Fox
3. The Royal Tenenbaums
4. Rushmore
5. The Darjeeling Limited
6. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
7. Bottle Rocket

The Little Mermaid - My second favorite DAC. I don't think there's much to say about this; this is probably--no this is definitely--my most watched DAC. I love it to pieces, and it definitely holds a spot in my heart. I haven't watched it in awhile so it was good to see it again. This does need a restoration, though (it didn't look all that wonderful up-converted).

Aladdin - I hadn't seen this one in awhile, either. It's definitely one of my favorites too. It's quirky and fun, but has a lot of heart. With a fantastic score and brilliant songs, it's definitely a gem in the Disney cannon.

Sleeping Beauty - Wow, this one is a stunner on Blu-ray. Seriously, it's breathtaking. Sure there isn't much plot, but it's visually amazing, with a fantastic adaptation of Tchaikovsky's ballet score. It isn't one of my personal favorites, but it's certainly one to watch if you want to experience amazing art (moving tapestries, and whatnot).

White Material - An interesting French film (brought to me courtesy of the Criterion Collection) about a woman living in a near onset of a civil war/revolution in northern Africa. She seems to be getting everything together while the rest of her country is in an upheaval. There's some great acting by Isabelle Huppert (as Maria Vial, the woman), along with some good supporting actors. I might just pick up the Criterion Blu-ray if I find some extra money.

Pocahontas - More Disney! I hadn't seen this one in a long time, either. I couldn't care less if it's historically accurate: it's entertaining and that's all I care about when watching a film. There's some gorgeous animation by Mr. Keane, and wonderful songs and score by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz. Entertaining and dramatic from beginning to end; I can't wait to see this in all of its high-def glory (though I would much prefer if the Blu-ray included "If I Never Knew You" within the film instead of just an extra).

Anatomy of a Murder - A really good courtroom drama. I really got a Chicago vibe (sans the singing, of course). It's really really well acted and you were totally enveloped in the drama; though I pretty much knew the Manions were lying, it was still interesting to see how the prosecutors were trying to pin them but Biegler wouldn't have it. Really well done and I'd certainly like to add this to my Blu-ray collection.

Lord of the Flies - I have no idea why I decided to watch this film; I loathed the novel (I had to read it sophomore year of high school and it took my a really long time to get past the first few chapters). I do have to admit though that it is a pretty good film. All the characters were how I imagined them in the novel (though I thought the character of Simon did more, but it's been 5 years since I read the thing). I still wonder how in the world something like that could be seen as "real" (cause there's no way those 10 year-old English boys would know how to do all that stuff. Plus, how in the world did they get knives? Was it common practice to carry knives around with you as a ten year-old aboard a plane? But I digress...) Anyway, it was pretty good. I doubt I'll watch it again anytime in the near future, though.

Charade - What a ride! This one has a great mystery (though, I figured out pretty quickly that Walter Matthau's character was the killer) that definitely kept you guessing till the end. Audrey Hepburn gives a great performance as Reggie Lampert, as does Cary Grant in his various role(s). A wonderful mystery with great performances; I'm definitely considering getting the Blu-ray whenever I get some extra cash.

[PeterPanfan]

I think I said I saw Moonrise Kingdom about a month ago - I loved it.

I reviewed it in full on my new blog:

http://thefilmrookie.blogspot.com/

[TheSequelOfDisney]

^ Nice review, PPf!


The Dark Knight - Yup, this was the first time I've seen this (I know, I'm behind), and it was pretty decent. I'm not that much of a superhero/comic book movie fan, so I wasn't too "involved," but I did like everything I saw. The standout, obviously, is Heath Ledger, but Christian Bale does well as do the other supporting actors. It's good but not necessarily my cup of tea.

Mean Girls - I hadn't seen this one in a really long time, and I certainly forgot how funny it was. Ever since I started watching 30 Rock last summer, I've been a big fan of Tina Fey, so it's nice to see her in something besides that (yeah, I know, this came out two years before 30 Rock). Lindsay Lohan is pretty good (I guess she hadn't quite hit her downward spiral), as are Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried and Lacey Chabert. Great performances, and a pretty good storyline.

Lilo & Stitch - Love this one; out of the last decade of DACs, this one is undeniably my favorite. There is so much heart and love, mixed really well with drama. The animation is beautiful, and since I'm an Elvis fan, I loved the music (along with the Hawaiian numbers). I just don't know what else to say besides the fact that I love it. No wonder it spawned three sequels and a TV series.

[ajmrowland]

The Darjeeling Limited \Lord of the Flies - I have no idea why I decided to watch this film; I loathed the novel (I had to read it sophomore year of high school and it took my a really long time to get past the first few chapters). I do have to admit though that it is a pretty good film. All the characters were how I imagined them in the novel (though I thought the character of Simon did more, but it's been 5 years since I read the thing). I still wonder how in the world something like that could be seen as "real" (cause there's no way those 10 year-old English boys would know how to do all that stuff. Plus, how in the world did they get knives? Was it common practice to carry knives around with you as a ten year-old aboard a plane? But I digress...) Anyway, it was pretty good. I doubt I'll watch it again anytime in the near future, though.

out of curiosity, which one did you watch? The original or the remake? there was like a 1960 one and a 1990 one, or something.

Anyway, I never read the book or saw the movies, but I always feel the need to assume that people underestimate kids when reading posts like yours. Well, i'll just have to pick up the book or watch a movie soon enough.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

^ It was the 1963 version (I've heard that the remake pales in comparison). I don't know, for me it just seems a little too far-fetched (if adults were stranded on the island, a la Lost, it would seem more believable to me--though that wouldn't be the story Golding wanted to tell). I still don't understand how kids would have knives; I guess the TSA wasn't involved back then... Plus, unless one of the kids' parents was a butcher, I highly doubt they would be able to kill and cook a pig. However, times were different back then, and maybe kids were taught those sorts of things.