Wayne's World
Clue
(some of) Forrest Gump
What Non-Disney Movie Did You Just Watch? - The Prequel!
-
Evil Genie Jafar
- Anniversary Edition
- Posts: 1697
- Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 8:41 pm
- Location: Humacao, Puerto Rico; there's more to PR than San Juan!
Batman vs Dracula
Now I know I don't want to own the series. Everything here is just ok. The animation is incredible well done and fluid.... however, they messed with the characters' design so much you can barely tell it is them.
This movie is just as anyone would think, some episodes of the series being sold as a movie. However, I can't say if this was the original idea. I watched the movie in widescreen and looked GREAT! On top of that, the sound (5.1) was incredible and the DVD has very interesting features regarding this "movie".
Now I know I don't want to own the series. Everything here is just ok. The animation is incredible well done and fluid.... however, they messed with the characters' design so much you can barely tell it is them.
This movie is just as anyone would think, some episodes of the series being sold as a movie. However, I can't say if this was the original idea. I watched the movie in widescreen and looked GREAT! On top of that, the sound (5.1) was incredible and the DVD has very interesting features regarding this "movie".
"You're only second rate!"
-
Disney-Fan
- Platinum Edition
- Posts: 3381
- Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 8:59 am
- Location: Where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense
- Contact:
Just re-watched the Cat People (10-1942) with commentary and it is a masterpiece in manunipulating audiences in horror. This movie practically shows nothing (just shadows) and it is great at building suspence and horror. The night walking scene with the sudden bus entrance is horror film 101.
The Val Lewton movies are closest cinema has come to impact of psychological horror of the original Twlight Zones.
The Val Lewton movies are closest cinema has come to impact of psychological horror of the original Twlight Zones.
creid
(The babysitter bandit)...“stealing the valuable objects it took a family a lifetime to shop for.” – The Simpsons
(The babysitter bandit)...“stealing the valuable objects it took a family a lifetime to shop for.” – The Simpsons
-
Disney-Fan
- Platinum Edition
- Posts: 3381
- Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2005 8:59 am
- Location: Where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense
- Contact:
I've just watched another Scooby Doo DTV – Scooby Doo in Where's My Mummy?
The title of this DTV immediately tells the viewer what to expect – it is at once mocking, inter-contextual, yet traditional. The genius doesn't start and end with the title though – it continues throughout the film.
This time, the gang at Warner Family Entertainment and Hanna-Barbera Productions have really upped the anti – this film contains thrilling scenes of mass drought causing the River Nile to dry up, plagues of locusts, vast armies of the undead, people being turned to stone and finally a huge scorpion monster. Yet, despite how illogical and impractical these events are, by the end of the movie every thing is satisfactorily explained by the Mystery Inc. gang.
Wow, what plotting! It's a shame true storytelling like this is ignored because it's in the middle of a cartoon series DTV, yet substandard 'Scooby Doo' plotting like M Night Shyamalan's The Village with it's frankly totally ludicrous "twist ending" is hailed as a cinematic classic.
But the creators aren't just content to deliver a thrill-a-minute storyline, they're also confident enough to develop full and rounded supporting characters.
The hyper talented Christine Baranski plays the part of Amelia von Butch, an unethical tomb raider – a sort of twisted Lara Croft – to perfection. The arrogance and greed of her character is scripted and played perfectly.
But ignore that, lets examine the naming. The "Amelia" is obviously to spark more unconscious comparisons with the before mentioned Lara Croft, while the "von" is obviously there to put suspicion in out minds. After all, the "von" is from exotic European countries, and the European's can never be trusted. Not totally – for they are different from us Americans. Finally, the triumph of the "Butch" which in an instant comfirms our growing suspicions, while aptly describing her true nature.
Not since the introduction of Scrappy Doo has Scooby Doo presented us with a character it feels to right to hate.
Other characters include Jeremy Piven as a failed reality TV host. Playing Rock Rivers (again a wonderfully chosen character name). Here, Rock's presence enables the creators to throw in significant amounts of satire. It's clear that the scriptwriters are tired of the reality TV "fad", and they use Rock cleverly to be the target of their obvious frustrations – mainly by having him say stupid things and fall over, true, but it doesn't weaken the satire.
Finally, there's the Egyptians; Prince Omar and Amar Ali-Ackbar.
Contary to popular US perceptions of Arabs, Prince Omar is kind, generous and always thinking of his people and his nations treasures. Unlike von Butch there isn't a hint of greed present at all within the character. Thus, Prince Omar is the creators way of making the audience reappraise the Arab nations, while contrasting their portrayal with those of the materialistic Westerners such as von Butch. A masterstroke.
My heart did sink when Oded Fehr as Amar Ali-Ackbar first entered the picture, as he is presented as a stereotypical Egyptian sheik. However, after a few minutes I realised this was a clever ploy in order for the character to quickly gain the audience's acceptance, as he spends the rest of the time imparting local knowledge to the Mystery Inc. gang, and therefore the audience. I don't know how the writers managed it, but they have effortlessly created a character who does nothing but inform, without himself or the movie appearing "preachy". Bravo! I am literally in awe of your skills. Again, his no-doubt carefully chosen name must play a part – the "Ackbar" sparking comparisons to the well-loved fish-headed alien, part of the Rebel Alliance in the much beloved Star Wars films.
Now, if you're anything like me, you must be saying a thrill a minute storyline? Well rounded character which often play against type? Is it even possible to make this movie any better?
Yes! Yes they can!
The whole plot is a huge post-modern inter-contextual joke. Despite appearing like a traditional formulaic Scooby Doo episode, it's anything but!
All the ingredients are there; the wonderfully spooky set-up, the splitting up of the gang, the Scooby Snacks, the chases to music, the big food for Scooby and Shaggy. It's all there - even the dramatic unmasking at the end. But, it's all a clever decoy to throw the viewer off the real story – which is
Spoiler
Velma is the mastermind behind it all who is stopped by "those meddling kids" as she and Prince Omar seek to frighten von Butch away and keep Egypt's treasures for Egypt.
Unbeliveable! I literally could not see this Earth shattering twist coming at all, so skilful were the writers in wrong footing me with the comfort and familiarity of the still unbeaten Scooby Doo formula.
10/10
The title of this DTV immediately tells the viewer what to expect – it is at once mocking, inter-contextual, yet traditional. The genius doesn't start and end with the title though – it continues throughout the film.
This time, the gang at Warner Family Entertainment and Hanna-Barbera Productions have really upped the anti – this film contains thrilling scenes of mass drought causing the River Nile to dry up, plagues of locusts, vast armies of the undead, people being turned to stone and finally a huge scorpion monster. Yet, despite how illogical and impractical these events are, by the end of the movie every thing is satisfactorily explained by the Mystery Inc. gang.
Wow, what plotting! It's a shame true storytelling like this is ignored because it's in the middle of a cartoon series DTV, yet substandard 'Scooby Doo' plotting like M Night Shyamalan's The Village with it's frankly totally ludicrous "twist ending" is hailed as a cinematic classic.
But the creators aren't just content to deliver a thrill-a-minute storyline, they're also confident enough to develop full and rounded supporting characters.
The hyper talented Christine Baranski plays the part of Amelia von Butch, an unethical tomb raider – a sort of twisted Lara Croft – to perfection. The arrogance and greed of her character is scripted and played perfectly.
But ignore that, lets examine the naming. The "Amelia" is obviously to spark more unconscious comparisons with the before mentioned Lara Croft, while the "von" is obviously there to put suspicion in out minds. After all, the "von" is from exotic European countries, and the European's can never be trusted. Not totally – for they are different from us Americans. Finally, the triumph of the "Butch" which in an instant comfirms our growing suspicions, while aptly describing her true nature.
Not since the introduction of Scrappy Doo has Scooby Doo presented us with a character it feels to right to hate.
Other characters include Jeremy Piven as a failed reality TV host. Playing Rock Rivers (again a wonderfully chosen character name). Here, Rock's presence enables the creators to throw in significant amounts of satire. It's clear that the scriptwriters are tired of the reality TV "fad", and they use Rock cleverly to be the target of their obvious frustrations – mainly by having him say stupid things and fall over, true, but it doesn't weaken the satire.
Finally, there's the Egyptians; Prince Omar and Amar Ali-Ackbar.
Contary to popular US perceptions of Arabs, Prince Omar is kind, generous and always thinking of his people and his nations treasures. Unlike von Butch there isn't a hint of greed present at all within the character. Thus, Prince Omar is the creators way of making the audience reappraise the Arab nations, while contrasting their portrayal with those of the materialistic Westerners such as von Butch. A masterstroke.
My heart did sink when Oded Fehr as Amar Ali-Ackbar first entered the picture, as he is presented as a stereotypical Egyptian sheik. However, after a few minutes I realised this was a clever ploy in order for the character to quickly gain the audience's acceptance, as he spends the rest of the time imparting local knowledge to the Mystery Inc. gang, and therefore the audience. I don't know how the writers managed it, but they have effortlessly created a character who does nothing but inform, without himself or the movie appearing "preachy". Bravo! I am literally in awe of your skills. Again, his no-doubt carefully chosen name must play a part – the "Ackbar" sparking comparisons to the well-loved fish-headed alien, part of the Rebel Alliance in the much beloved Star Wars films.
Now, if you're anything like me, you must be saying a thrill a minute storyline? Well rounded character which often play against type? Is it even possible to make this movie any better?
Yes! Yes they can!
The whole plot is a huge post-modern inter-contextual joke. Despite appearing like a traditional formulaic Scooby Doo episode, it's anything but!
All the ingredients are there; the wonderfully spooky set-up, the splitting up of the gang, the Scooby Snacks, the chases to music, the big food for Scooby and Shaggy. It's all there - even the dramatic unmasking at the end. But, it's all a clever decoy to throw the viewer off the real story – which is
Spoiler
Velma is the mastermind behind it all who is stopped by "those meddling kids" as she and Prince Omar seek to frighten von Butch away and keep Egypt's treasures for Egypt.
Unbeliveable! I literally could not see this Earth shattering twist coming at all, so skilful were the writers in wrong footing me with the comfort and familiarity of the still unbeaten Scooby Doo formula.
10/10
Most of my Blu-ray collection some of my UK discs aren't on their database
-
Fidget1234
- Special Edition
- Posts: 865
- Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2005 1:01 pm
- Location: New England
- Contact:
-
DaveWadding
- Collector's Edition
- Posts: 2236
- Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 2:11 pm
- Location: Arizona
- Contact:
-
Evil Genie Jafar
- Anniversary Edition
- Posts: 1697
- Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 8:41 pm
- Location: Humacao, Puerto Rico; there's more to PR than San Juan!
I invited my friends last night to come and watch DOOM, they came at around 10:00pm.... and we watched it. Then, at 12:00am they decided they wanted to watch THE RETURN OF THE KING EE and we did, up until 3:00am when we reached the last half of the second disc.
And today.... The Corpse Bride
And today.... The Corpse Bride
"You're only second rate!"
-
DarthPrime
- Collector's Edition
- Posts: 2520
- Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 10:55 pm
Revenge of the Pink Panther
This is the first Panther film I have ever watched, and it was great. I have been meaning to watch the Sellers movies for ages and I finally managed to watch one last night on Encore. The only bad thing was the Pan and Scan version that Encore showed. The Pan and Scan was so bad that several times I was taken away from the movie because of it. Two characters would be talking and wouldn't appear on screen, but instead we have a desk, etc...
I will be picking up the Sellers movies on DVD very soon, and can't wait to watch these in their OAR.
This is the first Panther film I have ever watched, and it was great. I have been meaning to watch the Sellers movies for ages and I finally managed to watch one last night on Encore. The only bad thing was the Pan and Scan version that Encore showed. The Pan and Scan was so bad that several times I was taken away from the movie because of it. Two characters would be talking and wouldn't appear on screen, but instead we have a desk, etc...
I will be picking up the Sellers movies on DVD very soon, and can't wait to watch these in their OAR.
-
Escapay
- Ultimate Collector's Edition
- Posts: 12562
- Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2004 5:02 pm
- Location: Somewhere in Time and Space
- Contact:
Crash - Don't understand what all the fuss was over the movie anymore. It's a thought-provoking film, makes one re-examine his own prejudices. Of all the different story arcs in the film, I found the store owner vs. locksmith one to be the most poignant and strongest (especially the scene with the gun), while the most cliched/overused/weakest story arc was the one with the racist cop saving the wife in the car, which conveniently doesn't explode until she gets out. The actors all were pretty top notch, props to Sandra Bullock for playing a character against type, and to Brendan Fraser for having a rather minor role that makes me not cringe when I see him on the screen. And of course the natural talent of Thandie Newton and Ryan Phillipe shone through as usual. Still, while Crash is a great movie, I can't say it's the best of 2005. 7/10
Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit - For the first time EVER, I watched a movie by myself and laughed out loud. Normally when I watch something by myself, I have no inclination to laugh during the funny parts. But Wallace & Gromit has so many funny bits, so many subtle jokes, so many natural situations that turn out humorous, that I couldn't help but laugh! I found the movie to be really funny, with a solid story and very likable characters. 9/10
Escapay
Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit - For the first time EVER, I watched a movie by myself and laughed out loud. Normally when I watch something by myself, I have no inclination to laugh during the funny parts. But Wallace & Gromit has so many funny bits, so many subtle jokes, so many natural situations that turn out humorous, that I couldn't help but laugh! I found the movie to be really funny, with a solid story and very likable characters. 9/10
Escapay
WIST #60:
AwallaceUNC: Would you prefer Substi-Blu-tiary Locomotion?
WIST #61:
TheSequelOfDisney: Damn, did Lin-Manuel Miranda go and murder all your families?
AwallaceUNC: Would you prefer Substi-Blu-tiary Locomotion?
WIST #61:
TheSequelOfDisney: Damn, did Lin-Manuel Miranda go and murder all your families?
Just watched Only Angels Have Wings directed by American most underrated director (IMO) Howard Hawks and starring Cary Grant. I would give it a strong 8 as this is the model for Hawks action/adventure films.
creid
(The babysitter bandit)...“stealing the valuable objects it took a family a lifetime to shop for.” – The Simpsons
(The babysitter bandit)...“stealing the valuable objects it took a family a lifetime to shop for.” – The Simpsons
-
Disney Lover
- Special Edition
- Posts: 927
- Joined: Sun Mar 13, 2005 8:58 am
- Contact:
-
Evil Genie Jafar
- Anniversary Edition
- Posts: 1697
- Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 8:41 pm
- Location: Humacao, Puerto Rico; there's more to PR than San Juan!