Recent movies I've seen that are definitely worthwhile...

Where The Wild Things Are

Pandorum

Zombieland

Surrogates

 

I'm jealous. I wish to see all of these, but life, as usual, seems to get in the way...

 

Thumbs up for Zombieland - a couple pf logic holes, but well done. Concept, script and acting were all solid. The one surprise twist was a real hoot.. A

Thumbs down for Pandorum. I knew going in that it was basically Resident Evil in space, but it had log holes you could drive a truck through; disappointing. It was bad - not horribly bad, and not sao bad it became good. C-

Didn't see Where The Wild Things Are or Surrogates.

Did see Paranormal Activity. Basically "The Blair Witch Project" in a townhouse. Overall it was ok, though it dragged in parts; granted, it had to drag to build suspense for the bump in the night bits. I was blah on it, but someone who really gets spooked by bump in the night movies will probably dig it. From my perspective, C+.

Andy

 

Druvas, I'm a movie reviewer with Ft Benning's Public Affairs office and submit reviews for their paper, The Bayonet.

It's a good job.

:mrgreen:

 

The last time I was at Ft. Benning was in 1986 for Airborne School. I remember going to the Infantry Museum there, very nice. Are you a civillian with the PAO or military?

Last movie I saw was a small, indie release, "Call of Cthulhu". It was a b&w, silent movie. I thought they did a really good job of capturing the essence of the story. It was entertaining, but if your not already a CoC fan, you probably won't enjoy it.

 

Ah, Fort Benning... "Hello hello infantry, queen of battle follow me..." Sand Hill was my hell (but a hell of a good diet plan)!

Sounds like you have a good gig! I'm jealous!

 

I feel sad. I just watched No Country for Old Men for the first time.

 

It was a good movie, but I am over the depressing, self-loathing, dark ending type movies. I want something with lots of explosions and the promise of a better tomorrow right now. Will we ever get anything as good as Conan the Barbarian again? Isn't Arnold about the right age to do a King Conan movie? His term as Gov. is almost up!

 

Interestingly, I was brought here to be a Drill Sergeant. Got injured in training, so now I'm back to my MOS (46R-Broadcast Journalist) in the PAO. It is a good gig. Not as good as my last one (network rock jock), but it'll do.

 

Anyone here seen "9"?

 

I have to disagree with you on Where the Wild Things Are. First, it's not a movie for kids and both bored and scared my 10 year old daughter who is a very bright child.

It was, however, a psychologists dream and many adults will like how the monsters represent an aspect of the child's personality and/or family. (That's not a spoiler....you should grasp it quickly.) However, the monsters were so intermixed in personality that it was never clear as to the point some were trying to make.

It honestly seemed like they were trying to stretch things too far.

OTOH, I thoroughly enjoyed "Cloudy with A Chance of Meatballs." Loads of fun and actually has a good message in it if you really think about it.

Oh, and I want to see Zombieland. Have heard great thins about it.

 

Zombieland kicked ASS!

Instant classic... Army of Darkness type one-liners. Really enjoyed the movie.

 

"Nut up or shut up!" is my personal favorite.. that went right into the one-liner inventory <g>

Andy

 

I didn't see it as that. I saw it as a flawed, filmed execution of a novel. I enjoyed almost all of it, up until the Llewellen Moss character was eliminated. At that point I lost interest.

Although, due to Josh Brolin's good acting, I look forward to Jonah Hex next year.

 

I didn't see it as that. I saw it as a flawed, filmed execution of a novel. I enjoyed almost all of it, up until the Llewellen Moss character was eliminated. At that point I lost interest.

Although, due to Josh Brolin's good acting, I look forward to Jonah Hex next year.[/quote]

Like I've always said, Brolin does a good movie make (in my best Yoda). I found it depressing because everyone of interest dies and the one good man that lives is so broken by his experience that he quits. I didn't read the book, and mayhaps I shall, but if it is as sad as the movie, I doubt I will.

On another note, some of the best people I met in Infantry school at Benning were my Drill Sergeants. I still remember my lead DS, Sgt. Yjuarte. He was more than just a hard-nosed kick your ass type; he reminded me of my personal hero Teddy Roosevelt- Speak softly, but carry a big stick. He was a true leader, and hopefully, made a fine CSM. I'll never forget his stories about jumping into Panama trying to don his pro-mask in mid air...

 

And I'm ok with that. That was one of the books my Dad read to me as a kid, but the book as it stands is subject to lots of interpretation and filling out. The interpretation Spike Jonze did was wonderful.

And no, it was not a kid's film. But, as I said, ok with that.

Now, that is a kid's movie.

One of the best movies of this year. And DEFINITELY not a kid's film.

I just saw Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant. Very much enjoyed it.

 

The film is actually done as a postmodern tale. It wasn't intended to have a tidy ending as most stories of that style are deliberately written to have a "crap happens, that's life" view where there doesn't need to be a clear, logical explanation for why the characters act as they do. Javier Bardem's character is, from a mythological perspective, akin to a god of death/force of entropy. The conversation between Tommy Lee Jones' character and the old man in the wheelchair is one of the important points of the film in that it gives the explanation that the world hasn't always been set in a specific pattern, it's always been in flux. Plus, the story isn't about Brolin's character. It's actally about Tommy Lee Jones'. Hence, the narration.

 

I guess my biggest problem with WTWTA is that it was advertised as a children's movie until after it came out. Lots of people were in the theater when we saw it (the day it came out) with their children. Many kids were extremely board and were running around the theater.

I'm also looking forward to seeing Cirque De Freak. The books are okay but I'm not a juvenile and haven't trained my brain to review juvenile literature. I liked the concept so I find them worthwhile.

Is there an age range you'd give the Cirque movie? I'm sure if WTWTA bothered my daughter that she couldn't handle this one.

 

Commonsensemedia.org is a great site to go to in regards to what is appropriate and what isn't for children to watch. They give suggested ages for movies, and my wife and I have found these to be spot on.

 

I'd say a movie aimed at teens and late pre-teens. Adults who like dark fantasy have a good chance at enjoying it, too. Witty script, the vamp stuff is sans the "ickier" aspects of being a vampire.