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Depicts a well known and interesting social-psychological experiment in 1971.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Time has been kind to this film, I think mainly because its allowed me to move away from comparing it to the LOTR Trilogy. An Unexpected Journey has its own merits and is still quite an achievement, my love of the story really resonated on this watch and the additional aspects added are extremely good.
These are decent enough films in my opinion. My only problem with this first one, and also the reason it's my least favourite of Jackson's Tolkien films, is that it takes ages for us to get through the opening chapter. Seriously, those Dwarfs visiting Bilbo, wrecking the place, trying endlessly to persuade him... It's one of the dullest bits of cinema I've ever had to endure.
See, I understand the concept of the "reluctant" hero, but there are ways to overdo it.
- We want you to come!
- I won't.
- But we really want you to.
- Let me think.
- Take your time.
- I still won't.
- But can't you reconsider?
- No, I'm sorry, I won't.
- Okay, we're leaving then.
- Yes, I think you should.
[The next morning...]
- Wait, I'll come!
And this thing takes up - what? - 20 minutes? 30 minutes? The only explanation I can give is that even the editor had fallen asleep. I mean, the entire act amounted to absolutely nothing. Bilbo is with them anyway. That he didn't want to come in the first place, could have been conveyed a lot faster, with fewer back-and-forths or through a comical montage or something like that. Now, an entire bloody act of the film is spent - nay, wasted - on the dinner scene, with little consequence for the remainder of the story.
Jackson persistently delivers gorgeous films, and that includes his King Kong, but it's either in the openings or the endings that he knows no restraint. I always love to point out to people who unfavourably compare Star Wars tot LOTR/TH that at least the Star Wars films begin with a bang, end with a bang and rarely lull in between. But it takes ages for King Kong to get started, for The Hobbit to get started (as stated above) and for ROTK to wrap things up. Sorry, Peter, but stretching the feature-length doesn't make the film an epic.
I was joking to a friend yesterday that 40 minutes into the film they are all still at Bilbo's home. The opening of part one does drag admittedly though the films gradually picks up pace.
I am watching Desolation of Smaug as I type the extended version of course, this is my favourite of the Hobbit films.
I bought King Kong on 4K last year the film is stunning, Jackson is a very good visual story teller IMO.
I happily agree on both accounts. Smaug is a really good "middle part" in this trilogy; the film is driven by story, has some darkness in it and cool moments overall.
And yes, Jackson is one of those people whom I shan't condemn for making these CGI constructs and selling them as films. His films look amazing; the money really is on the screen. And Howard Shore continues to provide compelling scores.
Jackson knows how to create creatures that genuinely make your skin crawl.
I bought all of the scores that Shore did for the six Tolkien films, amazing music.
I will never forget the first time I watched The Fellowship of the Ring at the cinema when the Fellowship were approaching The Argonath with Shores theme playing I said to myself at that moment I am experiencing greatness.
A truly powerful moment. I have never read Tolkien but that moment always makes me want to. ;-)
The Great River that's the track, amazing.
I studied Tolkien at University looking at how he was influenced by Norse Mythology and the Viking saga's. Pretty sure we looked at LOTR's briefly in A Level English also.
I have had a tattered copy of LOTR since I was a child, think it was printed in the 1970's possibly earlier, its currently in storage.
I remember digging this one in theaters, thought it was entertaining enough and I loved returning to that universe, but the next two were real stinkers. Had there been an extra year or two of pre-production like LOTR had, the trilogy would've been so much better.
One thing you can never deny Liam Neeson: irrespective of the quality of the film around him, he gives 100% every time. Rarely has he ever given a disappointing performance, and it's true again here.
The Marksman is a fairly standard thriller-cum-road movie that ticks all the usual boxes and doesn't have too many surprises up its sleeve. But, with Neeson leading, it has a nice charm and added gravitas with some genuinely touching moments in the second half. I enjoyed it.
This is exactly how I feel about his films: regardless of the end product, you can't say he doesn't give 100%. Loved him in this, even if the full experience is rather dull.
Time is a funny thing. I had a moment watching The Marksman where I realised that Neeson was no longer playing characters who were simply "over the hill" but could still go toe to toe with the bad guys; here, he is fully embracing the fact that he is an old man - he's ten steps out of step, not just one. It felt strange, almost unbelievable for a minute. Then I remembered that Taken is nearly 13 years ago.
It really is, it's crazy how time flies. I figure most of these action-thrillers he'll do from here on out will be in a similar manner, though I wouldn't mind seeing one more all-out action film from him, a la Taken.
"Mickey and the Beanstalk" is a straightforward fairy tale. I think they made a mistake making the giant too goofy (and a shapeshifter as well) but it's fun seeing Mickey, Donald, and Goofy in their final Golden Age film together.
"Bongo" has been criticized for being too long and is definitely short on plot, but Bongo himself is an endearing character. The plot involves the supposed "fact" that bears express affection by slapping each other. Seen in context the idea isn't offensive, but it exemplifies some of the dopey stuff plaguing the second half of the story.
Nobody would call Fun and Fancy Free one the greatest works of classic Disney animation, but even a middling Golden Age feature like this one looks better than 2D animation ever will again. And it has a warmth computer animation simply can't synthesize.
Ok, nothing special. A bit cliche-heavy, and the score is annoying and lessens the movie.
a famous gangster. Things go wrong and he has to become a bit of a Dirty Harry in London.
It's an average 70s thriller and I do think John Wayne looks odd in a contemporary film, he suits being a cowboy.
Yes, The Duke had to change with the times, as Westerns were going out of fashion!
This has a silliness about it (the bar punch up, the protesting driver who's car is taken for a chase!)
with darker tones (the vicious hitman!). But it does have a cameo from the lovely Lesley Ann Down.
'McQ' is only marginally better, mainly for a great score and thrilling car chase finale!
By far the best Disney Star Wars film, visually stunning, an amazing score and sound design.
Where this film succeeds and the others often fail from Disney SW is that with Rogue One I care about the characters.
Oh, I saw that one in the cinema with a friend. Shocking to think that was the last thing I saw in the cinema in fact. I always mean to go to the cinema more but I never do unless a Bond film is out or something related.
In recent years I may go to the cinema once or twice a year, 20 years ago I went once or twice a month or more.
Technology has pushed me to being happy to watch films at home with a good set up, though Star Trek, Star Wars and Bond I have always been cinema visits for me since I was a kid.
I have watched every Bond film at the cinema since OP so will continue that with NTTD.
I think the last film I watched at the cinema was The Rise of Skywalker Christmas 2019.
I've been on a Duke kick the past year and this is one I still haven't seen. I do love McQ, but definitely prefer John Wayne in his proper western attire. I should watch Brannigan sometime.
Yes, well I think that's fair enough with the cinemas having been largely closed since then with the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic. I think there has been a decline in cinema attendance across the board as there are so many other options on offer such as streaming services and digital downloads.
Funny you should say that. I seem to remember I liked the movie overall, and I even found the score pretty good...for a Hans Zimmer score, that is, which I usually find annoying, generic, repetitive and the equivalent of a granular gravy poured over a perfectly good meal. But then, my memory may be treacherous since it's been ten years or so..
First, a Michael Keaton double bill:
The Paper: This was a tremendously exciting film to watch. I loved it. The highlight for me was the scene in which everyone decides to visit Keaton's office at the same time and ask him about this or that, until you can't understand what anyone is saying.
My Life: Very touching drama. I was first drawn to it by John Barry's score. My favorite scene is when Keaton visits his family and has a conversation with his father (Michael Constantine). This moment is magnificently acted by both of them ("you never came to see me once, you never saw what kind of business I made"). As for weaknesses, I would say a couple of moments are slightly too sentimental. But apart from that, it was splendid. It felt truthful in many ways.
Something current:
The Father: I didn't exactly know what this was going to be like going in, and I suppose that's the best way to watch it. Anthony Hopkins brings all the shades of the character to life-- paranoia, arrogance, denial, confusion, fear. The ending is heartbreaking. From among his fellow actors, I especially liked Olivia Williams' performance in the last scene. Her immediate reaction to Anthony's cryptic words ("I'm losing all my leaves" -- what a line) shows a desire to be empathetic but makes it so clear she will never really understand what he's going through. I read Frank Langella played the lead role on the stage. I would've loved to have seen that.
And now, for something completely different:
The Amazonian Angel: You can find this on YouTube. It's an example of the "cinema of the body". This means, and I quote, "the filmmakers create drastic visual and auditory experiences, making films that become visceral for the viewers." This film is not really about character or plot, but about a sequence of images and sounds that are meant to place you in a trance-like state. The textures of trees, leaves, water, statues, pigments and many other objects are explored in such close detail that you almost feel you can touch them, and they're complemented by ethereal sounds, music and bits of poetry. The film is self-described as a portrait of painter Lena Vandrey, and around the halfway mark, we begin to hear brief but interesting insights about her life (Vandrey's own words, but read in the voice of one of the directors I believe). The film takes on a slightly more cerebral quality at this point, but only slightly. I'd never seen something like this before. It was co-directed by Maria Klonaris and Katerina Thomadaki, two Greek artists based in France who've done other projects in the same style.
This is great. Smart, original and interesting. Looks amazing, too and has a splendid soundtrack. I checked it out on behalf of it being Aronofsky, and wasn t disappointed.
Finally seeing this film and wow I really have to say it’s good. I feel like it was a bit over hyped but I did enjoy the movie and will check out the other two films.
Coming to America
It’s actually a charming film I love Eddie and Arseno in the film and honestly it’s far better then most fish out of water films and honestly I love the cast.
Films I have seen in 2021
1. Casino Royale
2. Quantum of solace
3. John wick
4. Coming to America
5. My big fat Greek wedding
6. Batman: dying is easy
7. Across the universe
8. Batman hush
9. Batman ninja
10. Casino Royale 1954
I wanted to see this in the cinema, but never got around to it until it was too late. It s a good film about a disgraceful event.
Great thriller and picked the HD version on Google movies for only £2.99
Certainly an impressively ambitious project from Nolan, but this didn't engage me at all. Most of the time I was clueless to what on earth was going on and as a result the action and suspense just seem flat, no matter how impressively staged they are.
And when Robert Pattinson has more charisma than your lead, you have a problem IMO.
Was the main character supposed to be so uninteresting?
I enjoyed some of the ideas in the film and the music score is very impressive. But overall I was underwhelmed. Something I've never experienced with a Nolan film before.
Think it's a film that needs another viewing, so I will definitely give it another go.