Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

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Chienfantome
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by Chienfantome »

I've seen Loveless last week too. Very good film. I really like this director who never lets me down.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by Shrykespeare »

Justice League - 9/10

I know most of y'all don't trust my rather lowbrow tastes, and I'll admit, I'm easy to please --- but I freakin' loved this movie.

The plot wasn't an incoherent mess. The characters came together nicely. I ALMOST got the same level of fist-pumping joy as in the first Avengers movie.

Can I see why critics are shitting on this film? Maybe a little. But I don't care. I enjoyed this as much (if not more) than Thor: Ragnarok, and I'd go see it again in a heartbeat.

If I'm bringin' on the haters with this critique, bring it on. (Gently.)
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Buscemi2
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by Buscemi2 »

Critics have never really cared for DC or Zack Snyder. You think Whedon's involvement would have helped (critics love Whedon) but I guess some grudges are still held (Richard Roeper loved it as much as you did, though).

I was going to see Justice League tomorrow but because I didn't get to see Wonder today, I had to buy advance tickets for a showing tomorrow (which is well on its way to selling out) for that. I'll likely see it after Thanksgiving as it will run on IMAX until the 14th (seeing how it was shot in 1.85, it should look amazing blown up).
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Ron Burgundy
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by Ron Burgundy »

Zach Snyder's 300 is a good movie, but somehow, he's never reached those heights again.
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Buscemi2
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by Buscemi2 »

Actually, I'd say 300 is one of his weaker films. Outside of great visuals, it's not any different from the other gladiator movies made in the wake of Gladiator (Ridley Scott, now that's someone who hasn't reached his heights in a while).

A maligned Synder film that deserves more respect is Legend of the Guardians. This film just couldn't win with critics, audiences, or Snyder fans but it's perhaps his best.

Back to the reviews.

Wonder 8/10

It's no surprise that this is getting such admiration from audiences (even if some critics found it a little too cliche). Jacob Tremblay (under some really impressive makeup) does a great job in the lead, a young boy who has hidden his physical condition from the world until his mother gets him to attend school. There, he learns about the cruel world of fifth grade but also learns that there's also some good and the importance to "choose kind". It's the classic underdog story, told in four different perspectives (the boy, his sister, a classmate, and a family friend), and though some of it works better than others, the whole product is that well-made, mid-budget, audience-friendly movie studios don't make anymore. The film is beautifully shot (by Don Burgess, Robert Zemeckis' longtime cinematography) and despite me not being a fan of Stephen Chbosky, he doesn't do too badly here (probably because he's not adapting his own work or trying to remake something).

I wouldn't be surprised to see this play into 2018.

Edit: I forgot to mention that before the movie (well, before the trailers), the 1940 Oscar-winning animated short The Milky Way was shown (the Drafthouse pre-show featured animated shorts and documentary footage of penguins and pandas). I had seen it previously on a DVD compilation of Oscar shorts owned by Warner Bros. but it was interesting to see an old MGM cartoon on the big screen. I'd seen Mickey Mouse and Looney Tunes shorts before but never from Tex Avery's old stomping grounds (speaking of which, I'd love to see Northwest Hounded Police or King-Size Canary on a big screen).
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by undeadmonkey »

Shrykespeare wrote:Justice League - 9/10

I know most of y'all don't trust my rather lowbrow tastes, and I'll admit, I'm easy to please --- but I freakin' loved this movie.

The plot wasn't an incoherent mess. The characters came together nicely. I ALMOST got the same level of fist-pumping joy as in the first Avengers movie.

Can I see why critics are shitting on this film? Maybe a little. But I don't care. I enjoyed this as much (if not more) than Thor: Ragnarok, and I'd go see it again in a heartbeat.

If I'm bringin' on the haters with this critique, bring it on. (Gently.)
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Last edited by undeadmonkey on November 20th, 2017, 12:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by transformers2 »

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 7/10
What a letdown from the typically brilliant Martin McDonaugh. The laughs are minimal, the tone is all over the place and its stunningly reliant on melodramatic plot devices. A handful of great scenes and excellent acting from its reliable veteran cast and budding star Lucas Hedges make it a decent watch, but I'm absolutely bewildered by the Best Picture/Screenplay buzz its currently receiving.

Lady Bird 7.5/10
Greta Gerwig's solo directorial debut is a very solid yet undeniably familiar coming-of-age comedy. Saiorse Ronan further proves why she's one of the best young actors in the business with her grounded, authentic-feeling performance as the title character and Gerwig's script does a good job of playing up the soul-searching that teens go through when they're about to take the plunge into adulthood and exploring the complicated relationship that exists between a child and an overbearing parent. Even though it's a pretty straightforward film, I wouldn't be shocked if it ended up making some noise in this year's weak awards field.
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Buscemi2
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by Buscemi2 »

Coco 9/10

This might be the least comedic film Pixar's done and a strong contender one of the better films they've made. A cross between the classic Mexican theme of family and the Disney Renaissance, the film is a very beautifully made adventure of the afterlife and Dia de los Muertos. The flavor of Mexico and its culture is shown proudly and its story of a boy chasing his dreams against his family's wishes is simple but effective. The animation is stunning and the characters are memorable (especially the stray dog that befriends the boy). It also recalls a time when the story in an animated film was more important than cheap humor to draw an audience.

It's no surprise that this has become a box office juggernaut in Mexico and is already performing well stateside. It is deserving of its success.

Meanwhile, Olaf's Frozen Adventure should have stayed as a TV special. It's only of interest to fans of Frozen. Another short shown before my showing, a Student Academy Award winner called Dia de los Muertos, doesn't have the most polished look but is admirable for what it is (a low-budget animated short made by three students from Sarasota, Florida) and builds up Coco better than the annoying snowman does.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by JohnErle »

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (7/10) - Way too contrived to be believable, and too quirky for it's own good. Not since Northern Exposure has a tiny American town has such a collection of verbose oddballs. You can always feel the writer's hand at work here, making it impossible to suspend your disbelief, which is fine for an outright comedy like In Bruges, but the more serious subject matter here deserved a more serious treatment. I liked the arc of Sam Rockwell's character, and the cast is excellent, but McDonagh needs to reign in his comedic instincts if he ever wants to tackle a hard-hitting drama again.

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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by numbersix »

Interesting that 3 Billboards isn't impressing on these boards. I'll have to wait until Jan to see it.

Ingrid Goes West: 6/10
Initially impressive awkward-comedy about a delusional young woman who forces her way into the life of an Instagram star. Aubrey Plaza is great as the twisted Ingrid, but the film develops a kidnap plot that ruins the spirit, and ultimately th efilm fails to dig deep into the characters.

The Florida Project: 7/10
While not as brilliant as Tangerine, this is an impressive portrayal of the life of impovrished kids living in motels next to Florida's Disneyland. The main kid, a girl, is incredibly charismatic and engaging. It's only when the film tries to develop a plot does it start to lose its magic, building up to a poor conclusion. Still a great watch.

The Little Hours: 5/10
Starts off as funny. What isn't funny about a bunch of nuns screaming potty-mouth abuse at someone! But that's basically it. The premise, in which a young man escapes to the convent and pretends to be deaf-mute, is flimsy and the story ultimately goes nowhere.

Spiderman Homecoming: 5/10
There's lots of wit and charm in the first act of this film, but it all falls apart by the end, with Michael Keaton's villain being so underwhelming, and Spidey being saved for a 5 minute moment of heroism in the next Avengers film. Disappointing, as John Watts's direction showed promise.

Girls Trip: 5/10
The love of this film is bewildering. The plot is pretty rote, and the jokes ranging from tired to predictably outrageous. There's some fun in the supporting cast, but there's nothign special about this film

Good Time: 7/10
The Safdie Brothers deliver a breath-taking thriller that's gritty and at times shocking, without ever feeling contrived. There's one or two surprises throughout that I didn't see coming, and make for an entertaining mess of a film. Lots of energy here.

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Buscemi2
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by Buscemi2 »

One of the theatres here got two prints of Three Billboards (while The Florida Project left after just two weeks and Wonderstruck died after only a week). I can't really see it playing outside of the college crowd (it doesn't have the local appeal of Winter's Bone or the wide appeal of Gone Girl, two state-themed movies that played for months). Either way, I'll wait on it so I don't have to be around people who will be disappointed to find out that it was shot in North Carolina.
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W
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by W »

I've been waiting for Three Billboards around here. We finally got one about an hour and a half away. Hopefully it'll be closer next week.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by BanksIsDaFuture »

Add me to the list of people disappointed by Three Billboards. Great performances, but the story has huge holes that are impossible to ignore with a confusing conclusion.

Still better than Seven Psychopaths though.

It's odd that it was marketed as a comedy, since it's mostly deadly serious and deals with some heavy themes. Some of the tonal shifts were disturbing.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by Buscemi2 »

Sounds a lot like I, Tonya, from what I've read about the film. Trailers make it look like a wacky comedy but apparently it's a serious biopic. Seems like Neon is trying to make The Bronze (that awful gymnastics comedy from last year) out of Foxcatcher.
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Re: Rate That Movie Part IV: Movies Never Sleep

Post by Buscemi2 »

Roman J. Israel, Esq. 3/10

This is more or less Denzel Washington's I Am Sam. In his hopes of getting a third Oscar, Washington's performance as an ambiguously disabled lawyer is more believable than Ben Affleck in The Accountant (last year's big star playing a disabled character movie) but the end result is a flat and uninspired drama that has no idea of what it's trying to be. Dan Gilroy was the wrong choice to direct a film about social justice (and the script, which was a hot commodity last year, isn't so strong either) and it only feels as if he wanted to top his brother's Michael Clayton. Apparently the cut shown at Toronto was worse but I'm not sure if I want to know how much worse.

But at least it's better than The Accountant.
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