Just a bunch of stuff i've seen lately

[Mairosu]

SUPER 8 ... it's a children's movie for adults. Actually, a good children's movie for adults, which made me wear a grin from credits to credits. Actually, it rules. How'd they get PG13 on this, I wonder. ****1/2 / *****

CLOVERFIELD ... I hate "found footage". I loved Cloverfield. Inventive monster, engaging characters, very tense and sharply paced. And PG13 as well somehow, despite several grisly scenes and jumps. I guess kids aren't what they used to be. **** / *****

STRANGE DAYS ... this bypassed me for a long while, I got down and saw it yesterday night. Mind=blown. All I'm saying, rest see for yourself if you haven't already. And while at it, please explain me why do I have an urge to fuck Juliette Lewis into oblivion while not finding her attractive at all. ***** / *****

CLOUD ATLAS... loved it. loved it a lot. I am well aware that this one polarizes audiences, so I won't delve into explanations - I just thought this was one of those films which get people to love film in the first place - or dismiss it as pompous horseshit. ***** / *****

JOHN CARTER ... I've no idea why this failed - it's as good as it gets in the genre. Old school adventure, great FX, likable characters, likable story. It's campy, good, unpretentious fun, well staged and directed. Also PG13, despite the fact it has mano-a-mano combat galore, monsters and people getting slashed and shot. I guess the fact that the blood in this film is blue was enough to bypass censors. **** / *****

LOCKOUT ... Neon said it all when he bemoaned the lack of such films on the market. It's a welcome throwback to films of Carpenter and Hill - well done, with a witty action hero and great chemistry between two leads. And a whackjob villain to boot. There is really few things to dislike here. **** / *****

[Alien Redrum]

please explain me why do I have an urge to fuck Juliette Lewis into oblivion while not finding her attractive at all.

I know exactly what you mean.

[Neon Maniac]

Juliette Lewis is ugly beautiful. So was Martha Plimpton.

It's taken you 18 years to see Strange Days?

[Mairosu]

It's taken you 18 years to see Strange Days?

Yes. I do remember going to see it when it came out, and changing my mind at the 11th hour. I still not remember what I saw instead. Probably not as good as Strange Days. I was 15 anyway, so it's good I watched it now only for the first time. Made a much more lasting impression.

[Mairosu]

I remembered. It was a late showing and I went saw Screamers instead. Turned out OK as it seems.

[walls]

Is Screamers the one with Robocop?

Pretty much agrre with your list except that I havent seen Carter.

[Mairosu]

Is Screamers the one with Robocop?

Pretty much agrre with your list except that I havent seen Carter.

Yeah, Screamers is with Peter Weller.

Carter is really great fun. If you loved Indiana Jones and such, good odds you'll love Carter. Very retro, but it seemingly didn't strike a chord with today's audiences.

[walls]

Flopped bigtime in the theater and on video, im gonna redbox it this weekend.

I thought Screamers was pretty decent.

[Mairosu]

Screamers is great fun. Way better than expekted, I remember that much.

[walls]

I watched Screamers last night, I remembered thinking it was good but man it doesnt hold up all that great.

[Mairosu]

THE GREY ... by now, random readers noticed I quite enjoy this new "Liam Neeson does it" genre, he is like the thinking man's Chuck Norris for the new age. The Grey has Liam as a worker on an alaskan oil rig or something, whose job is to snipe down wolves which threaten the facility and the workers. So, when he takes off for holiday with the rest of the guys, it's only natural that his plane crashes, he survives, and they land in the middle of fucking wolf country in a middle of a blizzard. What is not natural is that the film explores much more interesting avenues than what you'd think, and keeps you entertained and surprised to the end. Shot in a very low-key naturalistic manner, THE GREY could've been even better if they completely shitcanned the soundtrack (not bad, but takes away from the overall verite feel). Quite a gem. ****1/2 / *****

[Neon Maniac]

I keep seeing this on netflix. Maybe I'll check it out.

[DJBenz]

THE GREY could've been even better if they completely shitcanned the soundtrack

Or if they'd actually shown him punching the wolf with his glass-encrusted fists.

[Mairosu]

THE GREY could've been even better if they completely shitcanned the soundtrack

Or if they'd actually shown him punching the wolf with his glass-encrusted fists.

I've no doubts that wolf fucking bought it.

[Mairosu]

GANDAHAR ... roommate is off work for a few days, which means I get to watch whatever else but Liam Neeson. First of today's feature was a french animated sci-fi film from late 80s, done by Rene Laloux (of "Savage Planet") fame. While the animation is nice, and the imagery and visuals quite breathtaking at times, the story is a touch too messy and a touch too french - rooted in french literary SF traditions, this is bound to have the unacquainted scratch their heads enough times for people to think they've lice. However, I've read a fair share, so I could appreciate it, so I won't dog it that much. It's just, did they really have to insert all those phallic references for no good reason ? *** / *****

THE WAY BACK ... Peter Weir's attempt to film an epic story about six poor sods running away from a Siberian prison camp all the way to India tries hard, but a) the heavy-handed McCarthyesque anticommunism stance is trite b) the film is essentially boring as all they do is walk, and other than an occasional natural hazard, nothing really stands in their way and c) the whole story, supposedly based on facts, is as authentic as J. Edgar Hoover's collection of love letters addressed to someone who bears a female name. Still, it's beautifully shot, and the acting performances are decent...a waste of time overall, though. ** / *****