[Closed] Recent Viewing Part III

Knight and Day (Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz)

Awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful, awful...

I turned it off 30 minutes in.

-Erik-

I didn't laugh once. I didn't mind the ridiculous over the top plot but IMO it insulted the viewers intelligence. Like I said with Battle: LA, there is nothing duller in a Hollywood action film then a lazy, uninspired shoot out scene. This film had about 500 in the first 30 minutes. I never felt that the main characters were in any sort of danger and the special effects were pants! John Powell even seems bored with that dull score he wrote.

-Erik-

I blame poor script writers, poor story tellers and poor direction. I didn't see the trailers but going in thought it would be something along the lines of Mr and Mrs. Smith which I thought was excellent! But Knight and Day was nothing but bad jokes, bad special effects and bad action sequences.

I saw another similar styled film last week which was equally over the top and didn't take itself to seriously but made an effort too not low blow it's audience. The film was called Red!

-Erik-

http://sdtom.wordpress.com/2011/06/25/s … wamp-1946/

For all of the hype this one got it was pretty dull.
Tom

the russian theme with choir when Salt gets her payback on the boat is quite impressive.

Tangled

pleasantly surprised by this. Stunning animation, love-able characters, good songs, and some nice surprising twists and humor. Very nice

I've only seen this once and it was perhaps my least favourite Malick but it is, as you say, simply stunning to look at (and listen to). Must see it again.

btw: the score's pretty horrible too.

I enjoy both quite a lot. The score was one of my most played in 2010.

I didn't say it wasn't wonderful - only that it was my least favourite Malick. It's a pretty high scale.

Yes, it's probably the kind of movie that will improve on further viewing. I think what I enjoyed most was the old fashioned machines and how accurately the time period seemed portrayed. Coupled with the gorgeous shots and the music it had a great atmosphere. I never really got into the story or very interested in the characters though which is essential for me when I watch movies.

I didn't know that Malick was inspired by a Bible story. Will read more about it which might make me appreciate his intentions more. Somewhere in Genesis I assume?

Peter

Yeah, it's only a chapter or so, but that film could be considered Malick's extension of that anecdote to see what emotions might have lain behind it. Much in the way Milton comes in on the side of the devil when he relates the temptation in Paradise Lost, Malick makes the Pharaoh more of a sympathetic figure in Sam Shephard's farmer.

Ah, here ya go:
http://www.jesuswalk.com/abraham/2_abduction.htm

Not sure what website that is, so hope it doesn't offend sensibilities. It's the Gen 12 reading that is most relevant.

SUPER 8

The film was a lot of fun. A wonderful mix of The Monster Squad meets E.T. meets The Goonies meet Explorers. I expected a bit more of a pay off during the last act a la E.T. but it was still a fantastic throw back to the 80's summer blockbuster.

Some one on my Facebook account mentioned that the train wreck was the best since The Fugitive. The train wreck was Ok. What made The Fugitive train derailment so good was that it was all done with practical effects. Super 8's was CGI to the max which made it less believable however what impressed me the most about it was the incredible sound design and editing.

Giacchino's score was serviceable but mostly forgettable. There's one theme that he uses over and over and over and over again which got very annoying. The bad guy motif is pretty much his bad guy theme from Secret Weapons Over Normandy. And while I expected more of a flourish to the end of the film Giacchino went down the restrained "Lost" route which was rather disappointing to me.

I don't know how anyone could compare this score to anything Williams wrote for a Spielberg film. This is actually Giacchino doing Giacchino.

-Erik-

Thanks. Ah, yes, I can see the clear parrallel. It does indeed seem like this story served as inspiration for Malick. Interesting stuff.

Peter