What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 30 Jul 2008, 00:32

gasteropod wrote:I don't think calling it a masterpiece is a dumb statement.

To me Masterpiece means Masterpiece not a film which is very good, like most people use it

. Masterpiece gets so overused, it no longer means anything.

gasteropod wrote:The script is super-strong thanks to Jonathan Nolan, it's a shame he didn't work on Batman Begins as well, since all the films he writes are amazing (Memento, The Prestige, and The Dark Knight) and I found that Batman Begins had some dodgy lines thanks to Goyer.

I completely agree. It is brilliant but not a masterpiece. I didn't realise Nolan's brother wrote the script.

gasteropod wrote:Something that I find a niggle is that Batman continues to use his gruff voice even when he's talking to someone who knows who he is, and on Batman Begins he does it even when's phoning Alfred in agony and going through mental trauma from the Scarecrow's spray lol

Yeah that is weird.

I liked the scarecrow cameo. The villians in The Dark Knight are much stronger. The Scarecrow and Liam Nissan's character were pants.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 30 Jul 2008, 00:42

bradavon wrote:
Markgway wrote:I didn't buy the burnt-face equals psycho act. He lets the Joker go, but intends on killing Gordon's child? Bollocks.
It makes perfect sense. He's supremely pissed off at Gordon for Gordon not getting to Rachel in time. Even before his face gets half burnt off he's turning bad, he's starting to think it's maybe better to use violence after all.

Wrong!
He's angry at Gordon for not taking Harvey's warnings serious that he has corrupt cops on his team, and those corrupt cops are later responsible for kidnapping Rachel and Harvey, thus causing her death. He blames Gordon for it.

It sounds like you didn't really like it at all. What's your favourite superhero film?

Obviously it's not a masterpiece (what a dumb statement) but it is very well made, acted and the script is super strong (especially for a superhero film).

So youre dictating now what people are allowed to call a masterpiece or not!? The Godfather is widely labeled a masterpiece. Why is this movie not allowed that same respect in your book!?

gasteropod wrote:It's like stringed instruments in minor key being taken up higher and higher, I think it happened when the Joker was speaking about how he got his scars at one point. I found it effective.
I don't recall disliking any of the music, so I guess I must've liked it.

It's not really music, just a tone that gets louder and louder and higher and higher.

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 30 Jul 2008, 00:46

bradavon wrote:
Yi-Long wrote:I believe that after The Killing Joke came out, it was kinda thought of as THE origin story for the joker from then on.
I'd still say it's a standalone story.

It IS a stand-alone story, but that stand-alone story had such an impact on the industry that from that story onwards, THAT was now the Joker's origin story, and Barbara was now in a wheelchair, which in fact they also could have included in this movie, but maybe they planned on saving that for another movie....

BTW, have you even read that story, or any of the later comics!?[/spoiler]

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 30 Jul 2008, 01:01

Was surprised to see Eric Roberts get such low billing among the also-rans.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 30 Jul 2008, 01:22

bradavon wrote:
The scene when Rachel dies and Batman stands with his head bowed is extraordinary. He saved Harvey Dent because his life is of more importance to Gotham City, putting his own feelings aside. Fantastic

That wasn't Batman's intention though.Joker gave the locations of Rachel & Harvey the wrong way round,batman thought he was heading to Rachel.Joker tricked him,he didn't choose to save Harvey first

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 30 Jul 2008, 01:25

Did he? Ooo I didn't catch that.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 30 Jul 2008, 01:26

yep he did,definitely

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 30 Jul 2008, 01:28

Yeah, I did catch that btw (didnt catch Brad making that mistake though).

He said he would go to save Rachel, and left it to Gordon to save Dent

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 30 Jul 2008, 01:32

Haha, so that's why I was a bit confused when it was Gordon who went for Rachel

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 30 Jul 2008, 04:34

That's what I thought... but they never commented on it afterward so I assumed Bats changed his mind and went for the "moral" choice.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 30 Jul 2008, 09:57

Naked Lunch commentary: 3/5

Sometimes interesting but Cronenberg has a monotone way of talking.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 30 Jul 2008, 13:53

Yi-Long wrote:So youre dictating now what people are allowed to call a masterpiece or not!? The Godfather is widely labeled a masterpiece. Why is this movie not allowed that same respect in your book!?

Please read this:

https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... 733#117733
And this: https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... 736#117736

. Good point about Harvey's motives though.

Yi-Long wrote:It IS a stand-alone story, but that stand-alone story had such an impact on the industry that from that story onwards

Regardless, it doesn't lessen (IMO) the impact of what we've been given instead.

Yi-Long wrote:BTW, have you even read that story, or any of the later comics!?[/spoiler]

Nope. There is no dislaimer at the start of Dark Knight to say we should have

.

I've not read a comic book since I was a kid, they're not my thing.

saltysam wrote:That wasn't Batman's intention though.Joker gave the locations of Rachel & Harvey the wrong way round,batman thought he was heading to Rachel.Joker tricked him,he didn't choose to save Harvey first

Interesting. I missed that too. Pity my interpretation was stronger

.

Yi-Long wrote:He said he would go to save Rachel, and left it to Gordon to save Dent

I caught that bit. I thought it was a ruse.

Markgway wrote:That's what I thought... but they never commented on it afterward so I assumed Bats changed his mind and went for the "moral" choice.

Me too exactly.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 30 Jul 2008, 15:06

The Joker is so smart in this movie he tricked you guys as well

classic moment Joker dressed in a nurse's outfit ambling away from the exploding hospital in the background all the while fiddling away with his detonator

Yi-Long · Post by **Yi-Long** » 30 Jul 2008, 15:49

The movie is filled with a bunch of classic and memorable moments, which will no doubt make it a classic. Some say it's overrated, and while it's not 'perfect', I do believe that in 10 years time, it WILL be widely regarded as a 'classic'.

Think about it: great story, great acting performances, GREAT memorable villain, lots of surprises, and alot of memorable scenes with a big impact.

memorable moments include 'the taped clown 'hostagetakers'', the cellphone in the guy's stomach, the boat-sequence (which I DID feel was great and very much in tune with the Joker's style and the message of the movie), the escape from Hong Kong, the birth of Two-face, the hospital-explosions, including a drag-Joker who cant get the bombs to go off, the entrance-scene where Joker kills all his fellow bank-robbers and gets away with it, the Batman vigilante who gets killed on national tv, etc etc.[/quote]

This is a classic, both within the genre (obviously) but also outside it's genre.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 30 Jul 2008, 16:33

I'm hoping to see it this weekend

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 30 Jul 2008, 17:15

saltysam wrote:classic moment Joker dressed in a nurse's outfit ambling away from the exploding hospital in the background all the while fiddling away with his detonator

I loved that scene. It doesn't work at first

.

the boat-sequence (which I DID feel was great and very much in tune with the Joker's style and the message of the movie)

Agreed. It did work but was unnecessary.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 30 Jul 2008, 19:13

bradavon wrote:
Yi-Long wrote:So youre dictating now what people are allowed to call a masterpiece or not!? The Godfather is widely labeled a masterpiece. Why is this movie not allowed that same respect in your book!?
Please read this:

https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... 733#117733
And this: https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/ ... 736#117736

That reply was unnecessary and misguided. This is a film discussion forum, the merits of a film are definitely a kosher subject. In no way was the topic being derailed and thread ruined.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 31 Jul 2008, 00:16

Harold & Kumar Go White Castle 2/5

Stoner comedy is uneven but has some laughs and a couple of quite charming leads.not something i'd watch again in a hurry butb watchable enough to make me check out the sequel.

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 06 Aug 2008, 21:55

The Mummy 3 (Tomb of the Dragon Emperor): 0,5 / 5
Makes The Mummy Returns look like a masterpiece.
Half a point for Anthony Wong and Jet Li.

Hancock: 1 / 5
Not as good as its trailer.

HungFist · Post by **HungFist** » 06 Aug 2008, 22:07

The Boston Strangler (USA, 1968) – 2,5/5
Solid thriller.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 06 Aug 2008, 22:33

tom2681 wrote:The Mummy 3 (Tomb of the Dragon Emperor): 0,5 / 5
Makes The Mummy Returns look like a masterpiece.
Half a point for Anthony Wong and Jet Li.

No marks for Yeoh?

Aren't Li and Yeoh just a cameo?

tom2681 · Post by **tom2681** » 07 Aug 2008, 00:39

I'd have to deduct points for Yeoh.

She's the most unconvincing witch I've ever seen.

And Jet's part is slightly bigger (I think).
He and his crappy-looking CGI alter-ego get a lot of screen time.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 07 Aug 2008, 02:23

Jet gets above the title billing on the poster so it can hardly be a cameo.

Shingster · Post by **Shingster** » 07 Aug 2008, 04:26

I think Brad's been reading the DVDTalk advanced review, which IIRC said Li & Yeoh's roles were glorified cameos.

grim_tales · Post by **grim_tales** » 07 Aug 2008, 09:51

Surely its hardly a cameo? Jet plays the frickin' Emperor!