Saw Kill Bill volume 2 last night and was pleased with it, Tarantino knows all the tricks and uses them to great effect in this homage to the spaghetti westerns and Chinese wuxia films although I think he did better with the former than the latter. The scenes with Pai Mei, while amusing, didn't really add much to the movie (beyond the gimmick which is used as the end), the audience already knew that the Bride was deadly and determined and personally I had rather seen more of Sonny Chiba's great Hattori Hanzo (although I realize that didn't fit with the theme of this movie) or more scenes with Bill. As it is now, his ruthlessness and general bad ass quality is left largely unexplored. In Sergio Leone's epic Once Upon a Time in the West, Henry Fonda's character is established as he without mercy guns down an entire family, but the only such scene with David Carradine happens off screen and we're only treated to the beginning and the aftermath.
Movie thread
- Thread starter welsh
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megatron said:
Yeah, I don’t think there will ever be another movie in this genre as “good” as Commando. Really, it’s so bad, its good. All the one-liners, the completely idiotic and clichéd story, and the killing …ah the killing. It’s just amazing…..the woman (who’s helping Arnold out for no logical reason) fires a bazooka at the cop truck to get Arnold out!! Wow.
Kharn said:
YES, finally someone said it. So many people misjudge this movie. The whole background story about Omni consumer products (OCP) and how they slowly take over the city is amazing. The example really worked well in my Capitalism vs Imperialism debate in my Political science class last semester.
Azael said:
Vol. 1 better than Vol2? I really didn’t think so. Vol.2 is the real Tarantino movie; finally some character development. I liked Vol. 1, but I have to admit I was getting really bored during the 30 min sword slashing scene. Maybe it’s just because I’m not a big fan of sword-y action films. Heh, that probably explains why one of my favorite “action” scenes ever was in Raiders of the lost Arc when Jones shoots the show-off, attention whore swordsman. BOOM (that gun he has is pretty loud)!
yeah, recall was good and robocop ruled.
and to think donald trump is trying to copyright the 'you're fired' phrase --- the injustice!
ps
the story I heard about that raiders scene was that ford was sick that day and they had gone through a bunch of takes when he just did that out of exasperation as a kind of ad lib joke.
edit:
I really don't see what's so goddamn great about kill bill.
it's fun and all, but I think it's getting too much hype off the tarantino name.
and to think donald trump is trying to copyright the 'you're fired' phrase --- the injustice!
ps
the story I heard about that raiders scene was that ford was sick that day and they had gone through a bunch of takes when he just did that out of exasperation as a kind of ad lib joke.
edit:
I really don't see what's so goddamn great about kill bill.
it's fun and all, but I think it's getting too much hype off the tarantino name.
eom said:
Agreed, I just don't get it I guess. It has a really cool concept, and I've fantasized so many times about riding a street bike around the city with a friggin katana hanging off the side of it. I think that people think it's cool to tell others they like it; i.e. if you told someone that it sucked and they didn't hear all the praise it was getting, they'd agree. Roeper and Ebert see so many "artsy" pieces of tripe that they probably gave it "two thumbs way up" just because they're sick of seeing the same old thing. It's very original, but not necessarily good.
KQX said:
Not what I was trying to say, I meant that his homage to spaghetti westerns worked better than the wuxia one in Vol. 2. As for which movie is better, it's hard to say so close on my first viewing, but they both have their charms. One is a fast paced, silly slashfest while the other is a slower, more gritty tale of revenge and redemption. What I liked about this film was the characters, in the first one there weren't really any characters (with the exception of O-Ren Ishii), just caricatures.
SnaX said:
Nothing original about that
welsh
Junkmaster
Haven't seen either film. But I liked Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and True Romance.
Jackie Brown and Dusk till Dawn were fun but inferior.
I suspect that Tarantino has lost his touch.
Jackie Brown and Dusk till Dawn were fun but inferior.
I suspect that Tarantino has lost his touch.
I suspect Tarantino never had a touch to begin with. He should've been a script writer, not a director. Realise that True Romance is his best flick, but it's not directed by him
And oh, neither was From Dusk till Dawn, which was fun.
Jackie Brown was truely terrible, but the Kill Bill movie* isn't bad
* I don't get this whole thing, by the way. It's supposed to be one movie, right? So now that the second half is out, why are we referring to it as 2 movies. If another Kill Bill pops up, shouldn't it be Kill Bill 2, after Kill Bill 1 vol. 1 and Kill Bill 1 vol. 2?
And oh, neither was From Dusk till Dawn, which was fun.
Jackie Brown was truely terrible, but the Kill Bill movie* isn't bad
* I don't get this whole thing, by the way. It's supposed to be one movie, right? So now that the second half is out, why are we referring to it as 2 movies. If another Kill Bill pops up, shouldn't it be Kill Bill 2, after Kill Bill 1 vol. 1 and Kill Bill 1 vol. 2?
welsh
Junkmaster
Ok this week was serious flick week.
Saw 21 Grams and House of Sand and Fog.
21 Grams- not bad. The story plays with narrative form and time so it takes awhile to figure out what's going on. In that way it reminded me of Momento. Essentially the film notes that 21 Grams is the weight lost when a person dies, and basically is considered the weight of a human life. THe story explores the lives of three characters that intersect. Those characters are played by Benecio Del Toro, Naomi Watts and Sean Penn.
Overall the movie holds together well, a large part to Benecio Del Toro. Sean Penn is enjoyable but you don't like him. Naomi Watts once again takes on a controversial role in an "arts" flick and does well with it. Also we get to see her naked and that's a good thing.
House of Sand and Fog- straight up story about a contest over a house that was mistakenly sold in auction by the state for a $500 debt which the local municipality feels is owed by the character played by Jennifer Connelly. The house is sold at 1/4 it's price to the family of a Iranian refugee who are desperate to get back on their feet. The head of the family is played by Ben Kingsley, although the actress who plays his wife is wonderful.
Over all the story was uneven. Slow to get started and somewhat predictable. Ben Kingsley was great in the role, oscar worthy performance (from the days that oscars really meant talent and not popularity... days and days ago). Jennifer Connolly, is ok. I think she does the best with the role she gets, but overall the role is undeveloped and weak. She also tends to overact for what is a pretty weak script.
Saw 21 Grams and House of Sand and Fog.
21 Grams- not bad. The story plays with narrative form and time so it takes awhile to figure out what's going on. In that way it reminded me of Momento. Essentially the film notes that 21 Grams is the weight lost when a person dies, and basically is considered the weight of a human life. THe story explores the lives of three characters that intersect. Those characters are played by Benecio Del Toro, Naomi Watts and Sean Penn.
Overall the movie holds together well, a large part to Benecio Del Toro. Sean Penn is enjoyable but you don't like him. Naomi Watts once again takes on a controversial role in an "arts" flick and does well with it. Also we get to see her naked and that's a good thing.
House of Sand and Fog- straight up story about a contest over a house that was mistakenly sold in auction by the state for a $500 debt which the local municipality feels is owed by the character played by Jennifer Connelly. The house is sold at 1/4 it's price to the family of a Iranian refugee who are desperate to get back on their feet. The head of the family is played by Ben Kingsley, although the actress who plays his wife is wonderful.
Over all the story was uneven. Slow to get started and somewhat predictable. Ben Kingsley was great in the role, oscar worthy performance (from the days that oscars really meant talent and not popularity... days and days ago). Jennifer Connolly, is ok. I think she does the best with the role she gets, but overall the role is undeveloped and weak. She also tends to overact for what is a pretty weak script.
welsh
Junkmaster
The Relic-
On a scale of 1 to 10 for horror films I have to give this a 6.
It's better than most in the genre, and yet kind of predictable. No, actually it's really predictable.
If you haven't seen it, it's worth the rental. The plot borrows from some pretty good role models. It begins with an anthropologist taking some berries and goofy tea by some Amazonian natives. Then he's off trying to catch the boat back to Chicago where crates of these leaves have been kept. But it's a snafu and the leaves were actually left behind (later getting mailed by airmail to Chicago). When the boat arrives the crew has been wiped out, decapitated and their hyperthalamuses removed. Cool..
Monster begins to run amuck in the Chicago museum of natural history while evolutionary biologists try to figure out what's going on with those crazy berries. So it's kind of clever. There is the big showdown when the monster tears up a museum gala bash, there is searching for the beast in the catacombs of Chicago, there is lots of shadows and spookiness in the museum. It's fun. My favorite part is when Swat gets fed to the monster. Another part, when the dogs get sycked on the monster, one comes back without it's brain, the other basically goes "Fuck it you win, and watches as its' handler gets eaten."
I like this flick. Total popcorn and not to be taken seriously. Predictable but fun. Good cast.
Great? No. This is not Psycho, or even The Ring (which I caught again and loved). But it's smart enough, has a story, is shadowy, has a few surprises, keeps your attention, a nicely shot film with tension, and a good original monster.
There is also a chance for a sequel. If they could do Species 2 they should do Relic 2.
On a scale of 1 to 10 for horror films I have to give this a 6.
It's better than most in the genre, and yet kind of predictable. No, actually it's really predictable.
If you haven't seen it, it's worth the rental. The plot borrows from some pretty good role models. It begins with an anthropologist taking some berries and goofy tea by some Amazonian natives. Then he's off trying to catch the boat back to Chicago where crates of these leaves have been kept. But it's a snafu and the leaves were actually left behind (later getting mailed by airmail to Chicago). When the boat arrives the crew has been wiped out, decapitated and their hyperthalamuses removed. Cool..
Monster begins to run amuck in the Chicago museum of natural history while evolutionary biologists try to figure out what's going on with those crazy berries. So it's kind of clever. There is the big showdown when the monster tears up a museum gala bash, there is searching for the beast in the catacombs of Chicago, there is lots of shadows and spookiness in the museum. It's fun. My favorite part is when Swat gets fed to the monster. Another part, when the dogs get sycked on the monster, one comes back without it's brain, the other basically goes "Fuck it you win, and watches as its' handler gets eaten."
I like this flick. Total popcorn and not to be taken seriously. Predictable but fun. Good cast.
Great? No. This is not Psycho, or even The Ring (which I caught again and loved). But it's smart enough, has a story, is shadowy, has a few surprises, keeps your attention, a nicely shot film with tension, and a good original monster.
There is also a chance for a sequel. If they could do Species 2 they should do Relic 2.
John Uskglass
Venerable Relic of the Wastes
Er, I was'nt checking her performance. Ever noticed how in every scene you can see her nipples, or she's putting some skanky thing on?welsh said:
I actually like her as an actress, and have seen everything she's in sense Dark City, I think.
I liked Sound and Fog alot more then you did. I loved the wife of Kingsly (ever noticed how only she yelled in Farsi?) I loved the culture clash, though in the book Connolly is more Italian American. Can't say I saw the very end coming, though the fate of Ismail was obvious from the beggining.
The Relic was one of the first horror movies I ever saw. Not very good at all, and I'm extremely partial to Chicago movies. At least Species had lots of nudity and Forest Whitaker, right?
John Uskglass
Venerable Relic of the Wastes
Forgot in it.Malkavian said:
Just bought Resivour Dogs. I actually like it alot more then Pulp Fiction. Madsen makes it great. I constantly have Stuck In the Middle in my head now, I have no idea why.
Paladin Solo
So Old I'm Losing Radiation Signs
So Kharn, what is your favorite favorite movie. The one you think is the greatest on Earth, or Universe, and why...
Personally, I'm more of a war movie fan, but think that the best movie on this universe, is Forrest Gump. For any of you who haven't seen it, may you be eternally branded as nOOb, and I pity thee.
Personally, I'm more of a war movie fan, but think that the best movie on this universe, is Forrest Gump. For any of you who haven't seen it, may you be eternally branded as nOOb, and I pity thee.
welsh
Junkmaster
Madsen gets uneven rolls. I liked him in Reservoir Dogs
While Species has it's surprises (the death in the train for instance) I thought it was kind of hooky perhaps with a theme about the dangers of promiscuity and sexual appeal. It's a movie that's at its best when it's selling tits and ass though, you want to see more skin. The creature effects, by Giger, are impressive though.
Relic doesn't make that cheap shot. It relies on atmosphere and a bit more creative a plot and ideas. It's full of shadows turning a museum full of stuffed animals into a haunted house. Regretfully, those who read the book will be disappointed with it. If you haven't seen the film, read the book. By all accounts the book is better.
Madsen could have played the roll played by Sizemore in Relic, but I think Sizemore does it better. Linda Hunt and James Whitmore were fine in their rolls. Species has a better cast but they are all wasted.
But Madsen needs more rolls. I actually liked him in the remake of the Getaway and was probably better in that roll than was the original villian. That said, what he has done recently is mostly crap.
Relic, over all, was a better flick. The colors, the scenes. The problem with Relic is that it's too predictable.
You're right CC, most of House and Sand and Fog you see a lot of Jennifer Connolley. She's a housekeeper trying to hold on to her house which was wrongly taken from her. She gets your sympathy, but you never really get why she's so fucked up or why everything she does goes badly. In a lot of ways she is comparable to Naomi Watts in 21 Grams, but with Watts her story is more authentic adn the character is more beleivable. Watching the films together over a week, I was impressed with how much braver Watts has been with her roles than Connelly.
I like Connelly, I liked her in Dark City and I appreciate your dark mysterious characters, but in House of Sand and Fog she tries to do too much with too little. The cop is unbelievable and a dope. I agree though, the wife of Kingsley was great as was the culture clash, which I appreciated in the film. That said the Kingsley side of the clash is, overall, much better acted and believable, making the film uneven.
While Species has it's surprises (the death in the train for instance) I thought it was kind of hooky perhaps with a theme about the dangers of promiscuity and sexual appeal. It's a movie that's at its best when it's selling tits and ass though, you want to see more skin. The creature effects, by Giger, are impressive though.
Relic doesn't make that cheap shot. It relies on atmosphere and a bit more creative a plot and ideas. It's full of shadows turning a museum full of stuffed animals into a haunted house. Regretfully, those who read the book will be disappointed with it. If you haven't seen the film, read the book. By all accounts the book is better.
Madsen could have played the roll played by Sizemore in Relic, but I think Sizemore does it better. Linda Hunt and James Whitmore were fine in their rolls. Species has a better cast but they are all wasted.
But Madsen needs more rolls. I actually liked him in the remake of the Getaway and was probably better in that roll than was the original villian. That said, what he has done recently is mostly crap.
Relic, over all, was a better flick. The colors, the scenes. The problem with Relic is that it's too predictable.
You're right CC, most of House and Sand and Fog you see a lot of Jennifer Connolley. She's a housekeeper trying to hold on to her house which was wrongly taken from her. She gets your sympathy, but you never really get why she's so fucked up or why everything she does goes badly. In a lot of ways she is comparable to Naomi Watts in 21 Grams, but with Watts her story is more authentic adn the character is more beleivable. Watching the films together over a week, I was impressed with how much braver Watts has been with her roles than Connelly.
I like Connelly, I liked her in Dark City and I appreciate your dark mysterious characters, but in House of Sand and Fog she tries to do too much with too little. The cop is unbelievable and a dope. I agree though, the wife of Kingsley was great as was the culture clash, which I appreciated in the film. That said the Kingsley side of the clash is, overall, much better acted and believable, making the film uneven.
Paladin Solo said:
Dr. Strangelove, followed on heel by the Long Good Friday and Requiem for a Dream.
John Uskglass
Venerable Relic of the Wastes
Alien did EXACTLY the same stuff, but was an infinetly better movie (Alien is among my favorite movies of all time, John Hurt and Ian Holm are some of my favorite actors, and Yaphet Koto is also up there).
I liked Specie's cast, but I thought it worked best as a semi-porn movie. It's not as bad as Lost and Delirious, which works only as a porn movie, but it's erotiscism is it's greatest asset.
I thought it worked best as a throw back to old monster movies (like it's contemporary, Congo, which I actually liked more), and the setting. I have'nt seen it in a while, but I remember your description to be fairly accurate.
I've actually been to almost every building in the Meusem of Science and Industry. I was kind of an amature paleontologist for years.
Are you gonna bark all day little doggy, or are you going to bite?
I think you have a point there, but the mere presense of Whitaker, Kingsly and Maden made it a watchable movie.
Nail on the head there, though I thought he was great in KB2.
You have a point here. But I think you fail to realize that there's alot more in the diffirence between the screenplay than how brave the two actresses where.
Watts plays a partially domesticated crack whore, Connelly plays a lower class waitress who has had something of a breakdown.
House of Sand and Fog is, frankly, not as daring as the script for 21 Grahms. Thus I'm not exactly sure if all the credit deserves to go to Watts. Connelly had a disadvantage, as her mere presene got rid of the Italian-American aspect.
You'r entirely right here. I thought more could have been fleshed out with Ismail (I love the name, Shi'ite names are really cool). I hope the actress who plays the wife finds more work.
Anyone ever watch a non porno movie for soley pornographic purposes? For instance, the movie I mentioned above, Lost and Delirious, is about three young women at a catholic school, in a kind of an odd love triangle (Mishka Barton, Jessica Pare, a Latetia Casta look alike). Frankly, the movie's total shit. It seems to be self-consciously shitty, as half of the diologe is from Shakespear. My favorite conversation-
"You don't know what it's like " (loving a woman then getting dumped)
"Yes, I do"
"No, you don't"
"Yes, I do"
"I think I'll die without her".
I love how useless this conversation is, how totally meaningless this is in it's context. Anyone with an IQ above 60 would realize that, and anyone not constantly jerking off would guess the ending.
Problem is, the two main characters are REALLY hot, and there's this insane love scene.