[Closed] Recent Viewing Part III

Indeed, but I didn't see that one on the big screen the other night.

Any film with an equivalent amount of philosophy to a Tarkovsky has a 'lot' of the damn stuff, however it is quantified.

How would it compare philosophically to the various versions of the BLADE RUNNER director's cut? There's a very atmosphere driven story that is quite happy to stop and discuss ideas almost as often as STALKER does.

There can be no other rating.

Peter

AMEN BROTHER!



-Erik-

It hasn't had good reviews, I'll probably watch the DVD ( or Bluray if I've upgraded by then )

If you are going to upgrade I can recommend some must-have titles that will make your jaw drop on the floor, multiple times.

Not Broken Arrow though...

Yes i agree Face/Off is a much better film thanks the the Hard-Boiled style of shooting action and the intense dynamic between the two leads. But Broken Arrow does have some of his trademarks too, though not as put in the foreground as with Face/Off, you do have a point there.

If you guys haven't read it, go and find it on eBay -- his two or three year run on the comic book "The Astonishing X-Men".



I don't remember how I stumbled upon it, but from the makers of the excellent short-lived TV series "Profit", I found another really good, although short-lived TV series, "Vengeance Unlimited".


The show, to me, isn't named so well, and implies something else.

Did somebody you know wrongly go to jail because somebody in charge wanted fame? Statute of limitations run out and the person who harmed you still out there free & clear? Suddenly, you get a surpriase envelope with news paper articles reporting the somebody getting off, then later being caught and arrest, with a final sheet of paper with a phone number.

Number called, you are paid a visit from Mr. Chapel (Michael Madsen). He'll take care of you. You have two options: his fee, or you owe him a favor.

"What are you? Out of your freaking mind?!"
Chapel: "Anything's possible."

Chapel: "In a world of chaos, wrinkle-free shirts keep me sane."

KC: "Quck question: Are you the Devil?"
Chapel: "No."
KC: "Just asking."

Chapel: "That's it, I'm out of your life forever."
"Oh."
Chapel: "Most people say, 'Oh, thank God'."


Who is Mr. Chapel? We never really find out, though through a series of episodes, we come to understand what happened to him that brought him to where he is, though the series was never resolved, with only 16 episodes, with the final episode titled after the TV series that beat it in ratings, "Friends". Like other good shows ended before their time, it was moved around and put up against shows it shouldn't have been.

It's well written, plotted, and seems to be filled with, for the most part, great acting from character actors.
The music is by Mark Morgan, whom has worked with Mark Snow, and indeed the scoring has an X-Files-like sound heard in some later seasons (no samples on his site). An easily identifiable eight-note theme.

IT had a few stumbling points:
There were some disgusting Left-wing crap shoved in a few episodes, with the most glaring being a gun maker called "Block" (sound familiar?) being an evil corporation that, after denied a government contract, sells guns illegally to neo Nazi's. Or the theme that cops and military are the bad guys. And one time they tried to throw a bone to the Right, only ended up being deeply insulting and not reflective of reality.

One episode had an added sub plot that was only mentioned once, and then never again -- just thrown in there for no reason and added nothing. And that same episode, the real bad person -- who devised the idea that led to the death of a person, got off scott free -- by Chapel's choice, and the most innocent bad person, got it.


It's not been released on VHS or DVD, so this is the only way to see it:

Episode 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ktz1rfibFaM
Episode 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo5gPGuCJS8
Episode 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zep9bNCoa2Y

So... PROMETHEUS. (vague spoiler warning, although I don't think I'm touching on the direct plot except in one case)
(a) liked the theme -- 'life is the most uncontrollable weapon of all' -- the many ironies, and the most surreal moments;
(b) superb imagery, and some fine sequences;
(c) David and Fassbender are a two-in-one worth travelling with for eternity;
(d) nice 2001 reference with the old man makeup;
(e) dialogue consistently lets it down;
(f) has the needless complexity of LOST mythology;
(g) tries to make a little too much sense given how little of it adds up, far better when connection to reality (and ALIEN) is tenuous;
(h) if Alien is the 'male rape' film, this is the 'your birth was an accident' film (one of many such accidents depicted in the film);
(i) you do have to wonder what might have been if they'd handed it over to Lynch or Jodorowsky or some other weird dude to film the second half;
(j) how did the Captain discover the WMD thing? (whenever this film tries to make sense, it makes no sense);
(k) 3D remains a gimmick, even when it doesn't detract;
(l) That Alien is better isn't the point, of course it's better.
See it in on a big screen, in 3D. Alas, because of the fairly familiar writing of Damon Lindelof, you will probably not need to see it again. For while it's all interesting, it's more interesting to think about than it often it to experience through the various one note characters.
Between this film and MI4, the theme of big cinema this year seems to be, 'often the high tech gear will not help you if you manage to do something stupid.' (I can think of no other reason why so many characters act stupidly here -- it has to be a theme.)
Oh and one more thing -- were there like 4 sequences based around the idea that while the people investigating something are enraptured by what's around them, someone at the back of the line is having a coronary that noone else seems to notice or think warrants attention? I checked out pretty early during LOST, but it was that sort of writing that did it for me. It just undercuts all the good work going on elsewhere in the picture. And it's an interesting film. The core theme is strong, the symbolism great, David is a fascinating character to watch...

Although I'm not so much of the opinion that everything has to have come from an earlier film, 2001 is probably more likely than AI. (It's robot - and Fassbender's David -- are more emotionally complicated than most of the robots in AI, which adhere fairly strictly to their programmed desires.)

All the 2001 references aside (Alien had them too), I'm not sure it's that appropriate to compare this film to that one. 2001 intentionally distances itself from getting caught up in what it depicts, which makes the film's perspective feel more intelligent than that of its characters. I wish PROMETHEUS had stepped back a bit from its story in the same way. It would give me more confidence that the film was more intelligent than the characters in it.

True true.
I must say, I do like the heart of the film. The specifics -- and the writing -- depressed me a bit, but it's what we have and it's better than the last new film I saw at the movies.

DEADWOOD

Just finished season 3

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I'll come back to you on that Thor, I'm tired after starting to watch GAME OF THRONES, just spent 3 hours watching the first three episodes back to back...........LOVE IT!

GAME OF THRONES = Fabulous! Both seasons! Stunning visual effects too!

I guess I'll have to see this now. *sigh

Peter