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Quint ventures into SIN CITY and Marv beats his @ss down!!!
SPOILER ALERT !!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with a little look at SIN CITY, which opens tomorrow. As I write this most of my Austin friends are getting ready for the Austin premiere at the beautiful Paramount theater. I just got back from LA not more than a few hours ago and have decided to stay in based on a plethora of factors. I'd love to go see the flick at the Paramount again and see That Yellow Bastard in person (not to mention Goldie... I could see if she REALLY smells like angels ought to smell), but (one) I'm exhausted, (two) my girlfriend probably wouldn't smile upon me seeing the film twice before she gets to see it and (three) I have a lot of work to catch up on here.
I'm gonna start with my SIN CITY review as the flick comes out tomorrow... shit, I betcha as I type this there are people somewhere in line for the midnight show.
Harry's review was ejaculatory, Neill Cumpston's review was hilarious and Moriarty's review was everything else (yet shared features of both). I frankly didn't know what to do with my review of the flick since these guys have covered all the bases, related everything I felt, but I figure I'll just go ahead give my two cents even if they are very similar to the other filthy pennies you've taken a gander at in the last week or two.
I think the movie is everything that Harry, Drew and our little lady Ms. Cumpston have said it is, which is fucking unbelievable when you think about how high on the pedestal they've put the film.
You know already that this film is essentially the Frank Miller books moving with actors and a score. True. You know already that Rodriguez and Miller (and special guest Tarantino) knocked it outta the park. True. You know already that we get gratuitous nudity in all the right places. Mostly true. But if you don't know right now that Mickey Rourke is a living, breathing, dick-swinging, hardcore, ball-busting fucking Man God in the role of Marv, then you better learn it quick or you might get a visit from Marv and that, my friend, is something you don't want proven to you in person.
Rourke truly steals this film. I do admit that Marv's storyline was always my favorite, so I was set up to like it the best, but goddamn if Mickey didn't knock this one out of the park.
He gets a lot of help from Greg Nicotero and the folks at KNB. Harry gave equal credit to Mickey and Greg in his review saying it was Greg Nicotero and Mickey Rourke's Marv and I have to agree. This could be the best stuff KNB has ever done. Take a look at Marv's face... his exaggerated chin, his angular nose... It could have looked ridiculously like a bad DICK TRACY job if done wrong, yet somehow it stays true to the comics and doesn't look ridiculous on the screen.
Same can be said with the amazing work they did with the Yellow Bastard. Nick Stahl is awesome in the role, totally relishing in every gesture, every body position. He could very well have hated every inch of make-up that was applied to him, but he uses it so naturally you'd think it was his own skin. When he's waving them sick-ass knives around and whipping the hell out of little Nancy... well, he's scary.
Clive Owen is probably the least interesting of the 3 main anti-heroes, but what the character lacks in the gritty testosterone mastered by Willis and Rourke Owen makes up for in steaming charm. Damn if that guy doesn't have a great screen presence.
The supporting cast is on as well. Michael Clarke Duncan is cooler than he's ever been in this film as the big brawny representation of the real evils. Cold, systematic... he's almost a machine. Rosario Dawson is hotter than she's ever been (and wearing about a pound and a half of clothes throughout... I'm sure that helps). I heard Benicio Del Toro is in this movie, but all I saw was a guy that sounded a lot like him. It certainly couldn't have been Benicio... Goddamn that guy's a chameleon. Josh Hartnett is perfect in the few minutes he's onscreen (he's in it more than you think, fyi). Plays it cool and noir-y without a hint of whatever it is that people hate him for. Jamie King is hot-hot-hot. Rutger Hauer is very creepy for the small time he's in the movie and well cast. Elijah Wood is absolutely fucking perfect as Kevin. This casting was a stroke of genius. When you see those fingernails at work and that unwavering look of content on his face... Awesome, creepy and perfect.
Carla Gugino... Oh, Carla Gugino. She's got, perhaps, the best looking natural body gracing this earth right now and God bless her for showing it off. I'm trying to not sound like a pathetic pervo here, but her boobs are amazing. Big, but not Junk Yard Sal disgusting huge, hanging naturally, but not stretchy. Her nudity in this film is truly the perfect Frank Miller spank material brought to the flesh.
Speaking of nudity... Jessica Alba... I'll start by saying I agree with the other reviews that Alba, unexpectedly, is a great Nancy. She nails the vulnerability, the innocence... Her performance is solid. I disagree that clothing her in places where she wasn't clothed in the original books is a "better" choice. With as scene specific as this movie is I really don't think it was a change in heart to keep Nancy's boobs covered. Of every bit of nudity (male or female) in the movie, this is the only one that actually had an important reason to be there. Hartigan is supposed to see how he failed to keep his innocent little angel out of the sin of Sin City. Her being smokin' hot, wearing about as much as Alba wears in real life, helps, but the impact of seeing his little girl grown up and dancing naked for horny, drunk men... I know this sounds like a typical blue-balled fanboy wanting something to jack to a hot young starlette, but I'm serious when I saw it didn't bother me just because I'd want to see Alba naked.
I'm glad Alba's in the movie. She doesn't fuck up the character and she'll bring in so much ticket money it's not even funny... but I wish they didn't have to make any concessions to get her.
The only other thing I didn't like about the film was Michael Madsen. He can be so badass, but here he plays it so fucking over the top he's way out of place. Unfortunately, his bit as at the very beginning so when he first popped up I was worried that the rest of the movie was going to be played over the top and for laughs. It's not, thank God. I understand his character is small and has to be big to get noticed amongst the scene stealers like Clive Owen, Bruce Willis and especially Mickey Rourke, but he just goes too crazy with it. He's not in the movie long and I'm sure that his performance will grow on me, but at first view his line delivery made me scared that this wasn't going to be everything I wanted it to be.
That's the last thing I want to talk about. I felt very much like I felt when I first saw KILL BILL V.1 when the credits rolled on SIN CITY. I felt KILL BILL was as good as I was expecting it to be, but not better than I expected it to be. Does that make any sense? It's hard trying to relate this without making it sound like a negative because it really isn't. My expectations for SIN CITY were astronomical and the film met those expectations, which in and of itself is minor miracle. It was everything I wanted it to be, but not more than I wanted it be, if you know what I mean. Be excited for this film. It deserves your excitement, but try to reign it in just a tad so you don't expect to walk out of the theater with your dick hanging 2 inches closer to the ground if you know what I mean.
This is the best thing Rodriguez has done since FROM DUSK TILL DAWN in my opinion and the very best that most involved have been in a long, long time. Rodriguez's score in particular shines here. And yes, the trailer music IS in the movie and it rocks out with its cock out! If you want to know more, check out this great interview with Rodriguez, Debney and Revell at Soundtracks.net!
Rodriguez and Miller said at ComiCon last year that if this one is successful, they'd like to attack more SIN CITY books, even if it was only for a DVD release and keep at 'em until they've filmed each and every one of the stories. They said they eventually wanted a DVD package where you can just choose which story you want to watch and it'll play for ya'. I don't know about you guys, but goddamnit I want that. I got my fingers crossed for a massive weekend!
Enjoy, squirts! Let me know your feelings when you see the flicks by posting in talkback below! I'm curious to get a consensus on the overall geek reaction. So far it has been stellar!
-Quint
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Mar 31, 2005 9:55:57 PM CST
Mickey Rourke was also great in ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO
by iamlegolas
I hope after SIN CITY, he can start getting some decent work again, like back in the 80's. Can't wait to watch SIN CITY this Saturday!
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He nailed it. Uncredited and only onscreen for a short time, but he took those few lines and made them his. Nicky Katt.
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He is a great villian and it was great to see him without Ross and Chandler. Somebody get this man more work.
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I'll be at the theater for the first showing tomorrow, and go see it again with friends tomorrow night. And damn, i'd love to have that DVD set!
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I know this is off topic, but I didn't see any acknowledgement of Mitch Hedberg's passing anywhere on the site.
"I haven't slept for ten days, because that would be too long."
Miss you, Mitch.
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http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050330/REVIEWS/50322001
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...it's pretty much a given that ANY movie that presents a completely fictitional, heavlly-stylized cinematic world, realized almost entirely via various F/X techniques (Sky Captain, Dark City, Babe 2, ect.) is all but guaranteed to get a **** review from Ebert. I'm serious.
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But Ebert's review is still dead on.
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The make-up was supposed to look bad, right? Don't care. Still like it.
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This is a repost of my review from Harry's Sin City review... I just saw a sneak peak of Sin City. I went in with so so hopes. I enjoyed Robert R's original El Mariachi, and loved both sequils. Although much of his other work leaves me shaking my head. I also read the graphic novels of Sin City, and found them to be great. I would actually agree with most of what Charliechaplin (in harry's review talkback) has to say in his review of why it didn't make for good movie making, except I really also enjoyed seeing how far Devon Aoki has come in acting. She is still not all that great, but what a huge leap from 2F&2F and DEBS. She may actually have a little talent after all. My other disagrement is that I actually like RR as a director. To add to what has already been written, there are some obvious moments where it is Green Screen in action, and that really distracts. Then there are the still drawings. You will be amazed at how fucking old it gets and how quickly it happens. It is like they just couldn't figure out if it was meant to be a comic book or a movie, so they said fuck it, we will do both at the same time. The opening features Josh Harnett, who for the record, still sucks. He had more range in Hollywood Homicide and was less embarrasing in Pearl Harbor. He makes Al Gore look like Kid and Play in House Party 2! But back to the point, just as you find yourself getting into the scene, there is an awkward flash to a comic book still image. The opening lasts maybe three minutes, and by the opening credits, I was sick of the use of that trick. You can quickly separate the real actors from the bad ones. Del Toro steals every scene his in, unless Clive Owen is with him. Clive Owen sucks in every scene he is in, unless it is with Del Toro. It is odd, and will leave you wondering. Rosario Dawson is basically there to show her ass. She shows the same range she had when she was in the movie KIDS. And that ain't much. But she looks good doing it. The easiest thing is watching the obvious green screen errors, and how certain actors couldn't react to them. You can almost make a drinking game out of them. Combine it with the obvious bad dialouge (which works better in a comic book than it does here), and the moments where people do nothing but pose, and well, you will be drunk by the end of act 1. So, what does work? Well, as stated in the other review, Willis, Alba, Stahl, Del Toro, and Rourke. And I am again really proud of how far Devon Aoki has come. The Bruce Willis Jesica Alba story is the one that kicks the most ass, although Rourke was born to play that character. Expect to see him with an OSCAR nod, and a lot more work. He actually shows some range, and that he can play a little different characters than what he usually does. Next, the violence. It works. This seems like a really bad place, with really bad dailouge... er people. Next, the music. Strangely, it fits. Realizing the time period and noir qualities, electric guitar doesn't seem like it would fit. But hell, it is pretty cool. Finally, and the one thing I notice no one else has touched on. (until Now) Carla Gugino, until this movie, I never realized just how incredible her breasts really were. Wow. I am a fan now. Now, if they can fix the other problems (Those fucking drawn still shots, the bad dialouge, the odd color work, and the fact that when you stick someone's head in a toilet they forgot to flush, and it isn't the toilet from trainspotting) this movie will be great again. Get to work Robert, you have 24 hours.
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It's been a long time since I've seen any good mainstream big-budget noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooodity.
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Mar 31, 2005 11:08:22 PM CST
is going into this movie planning on it being my all time favori
by blackstormy
I'll be seeing this movie in 4 hours and I can't fucking wait. I do have really high expectations, but I have not heard a single bad to average review from any respected critic. I even heard that some christian website that reviews movies for adult content was disgusted by the violence and such but actually dug the themes of redemtion and thought willis gave an outstanding performance.
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There are no still shots in the movie, that's in the Comic-Con preview, which was made to prove to the fans that Miller and Rodriguez were really ADAPTING the books. It was a specific example to how true they were to the source material. That's not in the film, so you haven't seen the movie. Come back after you've seen it and then you're allowed the opinion you so desperately want.
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Absolutely fuckin owned dipshit. We gotta wait till May to see this over here, but there's no way I'm downloading this one. Can't fuckin wait. And to think, in the first Sin City tb on this site I said it was a stupid idea to film a comic book. I still think it is, but by all accounts Miller's books are storyboards of a film, so in this case it's fine.
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I thought something was up considering 'D.E.B.S.' came out after Harry's review and Devon Aoki allegedly doesn't even speak in this movie. What's up with the fake review, kdoc?
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http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/news/bal-artslife-news-hedberg31,1,6888591.story?coll=bal-entertainment-headlines
I know this isn't the place for it, but if any of you know who he is, this really, really, really is terrible news. -
Apr 01, 2005 12:02:06 AM CST
Yeah, Sin City is the thing to talk about, but the death of a gr
by iamjacksuserid
It's inapproprate to mention, but you can read my thoughts on my lame little blog here: http://yesanotherstupidblog.blogspot.com/2005/03/mitch-hedberg-1968-2005.html
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Apr 01, 2005 12:04:46 AM CST
Carla Gugino: I've wanted to see this woman naked for so long
by dented helmet
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Apr 01, 2005 12:34:35 AM CST
"the best thing Rodriguez has done since FROM DUSK TILL DAWN"
by mister grieves
That's a fucking bold statement my friend. I mean with all the celluloid gold Rodriguez has cranked out since then, I hope it's true. Moron.
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Apr 01, 2005 12:50:49 AM CST
That's true, Ebert did like Garfield and SkyGarbage and the worl
by orionsangels
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But I guess not. Too bad, he was a funny guy and will be missed.
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Apr 01, 2005 2:28:22 AM CST
Dick Tracy Movie. The original experimental painted colored movi
by orionsangels
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I can't wait to see naysayers reactions when they see the violence in this movie. I'll be the one laughing lol. Oh it's cool? Why was i hating on SW? I need to go apologize to the all the talkbackers.
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use a thesaurus ASSHOLE!!!!
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Apr 01, 2005 3:17:18 AM CST
Dented Helmet: the lovely Carla already did a nude scene in 1996
by frankdrebin
She hooks up with a couple of women for some midnight fun on the beach, but it turns violent. I was hoping for some softcore goodness, but the film's actually pretty sick & disturbing--and not in a fun way. She was also in another creepy film that nobody saw, 2000's "Center Of The World". So she's more than just the "SpyKids" mom. And just for the record, I am Domino Harvey.
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I just saw him last week at Caroline's , he was fucked up but still hilarious, rest in peace, Mitch
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okay, I'm alright, geeked out for a minute there. Finally a comic movie I can love!
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"Rodriguez is currently working on several special edition DVDs to come out later this year, including RoadRacers, The Faculty and Spy Kids"
Cant wait to finally get the underrated Roadracers in a good quality. -
And it was incredible. Watch for Robocop's gun. You see, make the fucking movie just like, exactly like the comic, and it's a nigh masterpiece. And it's nothing like Dick Tracy. I saw Weevil, but Marv didn't give him the beat down. Maybe it'll be on the DVD?
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Same here... i first saw her in a movie "Jaded". She's naked there but no 'nipple shots' or anything. right now all i can say is, FINALLY!!!
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Kdoc says "except I really also enjoyed seeing how far Devon Aoki has come in acting. She is still not all that great, but what a huge leap from 2F&2F and DEBS. She may actually have a little talent after all."
She doesn't fucking speak in the film you cockfag! Next time, actually watch the film before you decide to hand in your worthless bullshit fucking opinion.
And for the record - I HAVE seen Sin City and it fucking rocks!
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On every other site they are saying it is a good film, and that it looks good. But no where are they giving forth such unadulterated praise, which makes me question how good it really is.
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the movie is awsome, it tore the house down here in Southern California. I think the bruce willis segement was the best, but they were all good
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so damn good. and i think i am one of the only people who may have liked the dwight bit every bit as much as the rest of the movie, if only because clive owen and del toro are so fucking cool. i'm seeing it twice tomorrow. i am about as stoked as one can get.
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I've never read Miller's graphic novels. The movie sounds killer, but should I read it first? Does it matter? If there are mulitple books, which one(s) is the film based on? Thanks.
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The Long Goodbye, That Yellow Bastard, The Big Fat Kill, plus a short story from the collection Booze, Broads & Bullets. Go buy them all NOW.
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thank God for advanced screenings. the more i think about it, the more i realize how damn cool the whole thing was. listen not to the naysayers.
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So, yeah - I didn't like it. Not as in "OMG it sucked", I'm still giving it a 7/10... but it wasn't at all what I expected. In fact I can narrow it down to 3 distinct categories:
1) Censorship - This movie was NOT complete. Several sequences took the Kill Bill Vol.1 way out - either by faux-stylistically dropping to black during moments of intense violence, or by totally whiting out blood and gore (I'm talking solid white). It's obvious which parts work for style and which parts are flat-out censored... especially if you've read the GNs and remember exactly what was in the missing cells. I garauntee there's an unrated directors cut already waiting in wings for DVD.
2) Wooden performances - Worse... deliberately wooden performances. I'm talking really good actors standing still, awkwardly delivering lines - and it shows that they are not comfortable - that these actors know they should be doing something. Hands twitch, lines feel forced and fake... Maybe they just went with all first takes - who knows. But the acting goes from high school drama club to first rate oscar material and back again so often that it's positively jarring.
3) The soundtrack - This is not the emotionally charged type of music that blew us away in the trailer... this soundtrack seems like it belongs in The Big Combo. I know what they were going for - giving it that old noir feel, but that music never really worked to begin with. It's just the best that was available at the time. It never ceases to amaze me how poorly movies incorporate soundtracks these days. The music tells you how to feel, and Sin City's music tells you to feel unimpressed.
Artistically it was a really great attempt, but they made some poor decisions that really hurt the film, I think. I also noticed tons of makeup-related continuity errors. Bad ones. And if it were me at the AVID machine, I would have recut the stories so they flowed together a little more coherently... more Pulp Fiction and less Amazing Stories.
I do know, however, that the entire movie was shot digitally... and unfortunately here it's obvious. Movies shot on film, even the bad ones, feel more polished and professional than movies shot digitally. Ultimately this comes across on the same quality level as a really good student film. If it really WERE a student film, I'd be blown away. But it's an expensive hollywood blockbuster.
I don't know. I want to love Sin City - but I only kinda like it. Can I recomend it? Sure. I want this movie to succeed because of how much that would help Paramount to keep their Watchmen movie on track. But honestly, the graphic novels make for a much more intense experience than the movie.
7/10 -
So if you're in a movie and do not have any spoken dialog, then you aren't considered to be one of the actors? Odd to devote screentime to an extra, I guess.
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Involves Son of Kong fighting Mutant Nazi Monsters in Germany during World War II. Not kidding
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Saw it last night at 12am here in the OC. Great crowd. Being a fan of film noir and Sin City, and Mickey Rourke are a big plus going in. Last year I said Mickey Rourke was the best choice for Marv, (and I was right,) and because I wasn't the only one who had the sense to think so, they chose him and he nailed it like no one else ever could have. (See Angel Heart for one of Mickey Rourke's greatest roles.) Sin City Vol. 1, (because they are going to make a ton of these things I am sure,) was such a gift to comic book and movie lovers. Being 35, I know feel comfortable knowing my generation has taken over, and Robert Rodriguez has been practicing to get to this place. Sin City is not only his best film, in my factual opinion, but it is one of the most important films of the decade. Whether you like it or not, or feel like it doesn't work as a movie, or blah, blah, blah, you cannot deny that Robert Bodriguez has taken great material and preserved and translated it into a mean, fun movie. He has not compromised his integrity and he has my respect. Some of us have been stryggling to make movies on our own terms for ten years and Rodriguez stared at me through the final credits and said, "You aren't trying hard enough if you haven't done it yet!" Artists don't need to allow the Hollywood system to strip the soul of their work away anymore. Sin City proves it and entertains. The criticism I have read is from people who have trouble seeing outside the conventions and don't understand the source material. SIN CITY IS NOT FOR THE MASSES! It's a present and it is for us! Rodriguez even said that he would make more of these movies with Miller even if they had to send them straight to DVD, and I respect the hell out of that. (Part of me thinks they might even be better on a smaller screen and feel even more like you are watch a video/audio book on tape.) I wonder if Miller will ever bother to draw another Sin City installment? He might just write em and direct em. Who knows? I loved the ride and even though I knew what would happen next at every turn, I was surprised and mesmerized repeatedly. One viewing can not possibly satisfy. Thank you Frank Miller & Robert Rodriguez for a gift I never believed I would ever recieve in my lifetime! You complete me! These are my ramblings, and I share them with my fellow geeks! We earned this one and we should support it in every way we can! It could be the beginning of great things for us!
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Apr 01, 2005 1:40:14 PM CST
Sorry if someone's already posted this. Have you heard the Kevi
by right bastard
I've been avoiding most Sin City forums to avoid hype/spoilers. In case no one's posted it, here's a 1 hour interview with Miller and Rodreguez done by Kevin Smith: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4569989
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This is a college town, what the crap?! anyway, I'll get to see it tonight.
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Apr 01, 2005 4:07:48 PM CST
Quint from Jaws was creepy hard ass and he probably wouldn't lik
by orionsangels
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might as well be a barbie commercial.
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Please tell me this is a joke...http://www.thesuperficial.com/archives/000813.html
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You realize its april fools day, right?
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That's real classy. I'm sure Carla appreciated that one.
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Apr 01, 2005 7:43:53 PM CST
Just got out of an afternoon screening. I really liked it, but
by bob parr
based on the number of people who seemed appalled by it, I still think the chances of Sin City being a big mass market hit is still unlikely.
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First off, I have been posting on this site for years. I manage a F*cking video store in Orange County. Second, please don't see the movie. My post was a genuine love letter to something that has been a part of my life for quite awhile. Not all movies are for general audiences and this one is particularly rough and people who are sensitive to violence and adult material should stay the f*ck away. Lastly, why continue to visit this site if you believe it is so bias and tainted. There are enough favorable reviews of Sin City that one more wouldn't matter, even if I wasn't a regular talkbacker and was a studio "Plant."
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But the majority of the reviews are good. So I'm not sure what your point is, other than some people, including yourself, didn't care for it. Big whup.
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...the new Queen Latifah movie! It all makes sense! Dude, you have a passion for the negative. I was also under the impression that you hadn't seen the movie yet, so why so much hate. I read your post for the page where Harry's review was and it was clear there that you weren't a fan of the books either. Why do you care? Why not find a talkback about something you love and go celebrate that, rather than trying to bring down this moment for those of us who are really excited about something we love being handled with care and attention?
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I loved Marv. Rourke was great. The makeup, especially the chin and that gruff, gravelly voice made me think of William Smith. I wonder if Rourke did some study of Smith when they were in Rumblefish together. Thinking could use that hardass act of Smith's someday.
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It looked great, but the whole thing was so repetitive and absolutely pointless. Especially the level of pure sadism. I'm not against violence, but it should have a reason of some kind. It wasn't scary, it wasn't funny, there was very little logic to anything that happened. (I defy you: why did Goldie get killed? How? A huge cover-up for a cannibal? What the fuck???) And worst of all, you couldn't care less for the characters. It was devoid of any meaning or emotional resonance at all. I guess I don't get the comic book thing. You have to be stunted at age 12, where you mostly just want to be shocked, grossed out, thrilled by the perversity of the whole thing. I was bored from the get-go. Have to give it to them though it looks like a million bucks. Just empty calories. Worse, slightly disturbing.
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Now I know they've done it right! I'll be at the theatre bright and early tomorrow morning, thanks for the recommendation!
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Tell me how much you like it tomorrow, dickhead. Or are you one of those people who decides to like something before they've even seen it? Because all the "cool" people tell you to.
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I said in Harry's talkback and I'll say it here...this movie rocked. I agree about Alba and I agree about Madsen...it's wasn't a perfect film, but it did so many things right. I'm a big fan of the comics, so I'm coming to it from that place. It was relatively uncompromising and they only changed a few lines and really didn't pussy out overall with the violence and gore. They cut out a little of the sexual content (most notably naked Nancy), but they did so much right that it can be forgiven. I will definitely be buying the DVD to support this film even more.
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some of it was pretty brilliant. like if Fellini directed an Ellroy adaptation with a script by takeshi miike. some of it was ass wash. like an albert pyun movie with the color turned down. and what was the deal with that tired red shoe diaries direct to video saxaphone music.
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Rourke outgamed everyone. So the 1st third was fucking awesome. Clive Owen sucked. Bruce Willis did ok. But: If BRUCE CAMPBELL had Owen's role and LANCE HENRIKSEN or MICHAEL IRONSIDE had Willis' role the flick would have rocked the ass of the world.
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What a tough guy.
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I've read the stories, but they always seemed distinct to me. For some reason in the film, they seemed so similar I found myself losing interest toward the end of Yellow Bastard, especially since Rourke's chapter was so much better. I thought Willis was good, and occassionally stroke a pose perfect to Hartigan, but his narration was bland, and he just didn't seem excited by the material like everyone else was. Everything else was pretty perfect. I hadn't read Clive Owen's story so it was intersting to see it played out, although the talking head ran its course after about 3 seconds. I liked the little touches of the characters showing up in the other stories, I'm not sure if all of these were in the books, but they were perfect. I know I'm not the only one who was happy to see Marv again after he was fried. As far as Alba being naked, I wish she was, but it didn't take away from the character at all.
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Not to sound like an ass but...if you went to see this movie and you didn't like it at all, then I don't think you're the kind of person that should have paid $8 to see it in the first place. This is an ultra-violent slice of neo-noir and a comeback vehicle for the great Mickey Rourke. It also happens to be one of the best films of the past five years. Sitting in the theatre, I almost couldn't believe that I was watching it. It seemed too violent, too impossibly cool to have come from Hollywood. Mickey Rourke totally nailed his role and Robert Rodriguez filmed him like he was the ultimate bad-ass. For me, "Sin City" surpassed even my highest expectations and gave me back one of my fallen heroes in Mickey Rourke as Marv. I can't sing this movie's praises enough.
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what a great movie. Haven't walked out that happy and jazzed and pumped up after an adult movie for a really long time.
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and Nicky Katt fucking rocked his scene. That was great. I can't believe he's not in more.
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Who was it that was being wheeled out of the elevator? It kinda looked like the Elephant Man.
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I apologize if this has been answered before, but does anyone know for sure which segment Tarantino directed? I think it was Moriarty who said that QT's segment was unlike anything else in the film...so I'm guessing it's the scene with Clive Owen and Del Toro driving in the car, with the multi-colored lights on them? Anyone know for sure?
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It was. Good guess.
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that the music was noir inspired. i just think since the film is such a hyper stylized version of the genre (understatement) that it would have served it better to do the same with the music instead of rehashing what sounded like third rate library music. with a movie that is so incredibly visually inventive is it too much to ask the same from the score?
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I am the first to admit when I'm wrong. I thought Sin City was too highly stylized to be a big commercial movie. It did $12 million on opening day, which will likely lead to a $30 - 40 million opening weekend. Looks like it will be a hit after all.
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QT did the scene in the car with Clive and Benicio.
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Madsen sucked. Owen sucked. Everyone else did fine w/ what they had to work with. Rourke carried the movie on his shoulders. The film should have cut back & forth from storyline to storyline left & right. To still have Marv in action at the very end would have been much better.
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This movie was so much better than I was expecting. I really enjoyed it. I stated here more than once that I thought it would be awful, but I was very pleased with the movie and would see it again.
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That song was so out of context and dated. It was a cool song a few years back but didn't belong in Club Pecos.
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It was bad.
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If I had to take anything good away from that *menh* of a film it was Rourke.
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Thank you, mr. brownstone. I was about to flame that guys ass. BTW, Balltoucher, I wasn't talking about the narration. The narration was fine. This is what I'm talking about - every time Michael Madsen's Bob opened his mouth, I cringed. Every goddamned time. When Brittany Murphey was leaning out the window saying "Damn you" - I cringed. When Michael Clarke Duncan was standing over Gale (Rosario Dawson) - you could see the impatience in his posture as his stood there motionless delivering his lines. Frank Miller's own performance was more convicted and and believable than almost anyone else in the film save Clive Owen (who I thought delivered one of the best performances). Rosario Dawson's own performance varied wildly in quality. She was pretty good through most of The Big Fat Kill, but made me squirm in her few bits during the The Hard Goodbye. It's like trying to watch someone do Shakespeare when they don't understand what the fuck they are talking about. When I say wooden. That's what I mean.
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Apr 03, 2005 4:59:24 AM CDT
It was to violent for me to enjoy. But hey, at least there wasn
by lezbo milk
I really wanted to like it, I loved the look of the film, and the terse comic book like dialog, but it was just too freaking violent. It just got a little rediculous after a while. It was over-kill to the max. Sometimes less is more, and I really think with the style and stunning visuals, the movie didn't really need the over the top, gross, ultra-violent stuff.
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I have been avoiding reviews and talkbacks and forums up to now. Just saw the movie, and I must say that Mickey Fucking Rourke (thought I'd never say this) was the best thing in this movie. I mean, I actually believed this guy was unstoppable and would kick my ass in two blinks. With that said, this movie had flaws too, but made up for it in style. I felt the dialog was stunted early on, with Michael Madsen cashing in his paycheck before he showed up. But before long, I noticed that this movie slowly gave me the suspension of disbelief that I was looking for -- people who could take bullets, over-the-top violence, death-defying leaps, everyone is smoking a cig and no one gives a damn. This was indeed a comic book movie and I felt tranported to another world. The only question I have is why did some scenes show red blood and others did not?
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Were those shots altered in any way (well, obviously, the color treatment). I never thought Jamie King had such works of art as breasts! Were those real? No body double or anything?
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How are you coming to the conclusion that the movie was too violent? It's censored for chrissakes. Personally, I would have liked a little more red blood to put the proverbial cherry on top. And I also want those omited headshot scenes put back in for the DVD.
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What exactly did you expect from pulp characters that are noir charicatures? I had high hopes for this. The flick lived up to them.
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Apr 03, 2005 5:44:23 PM CDT
um, if Kevin killed Goldie because he wanted to eat her, why did
by burlivesleftnut
Thought the movie was great, but the catalyst for Marv's segment wasn't explained all that well. That didn't stop it from being incredible, but seriously, Goldie died for nothing as far as I can tell. And Michael Madsen's performance was TERRIBLE. As soon as he finished his first sentence, I wanted to bolt. What a retard.
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Sampling the reviews on rottentomatoes.com shows that the far left lefties (laweekly.com's reviewer for example) hate this flick because of its perceived treatment of women and the level of violence. These are the same assclowns who protest Nike for low wages in their SE Asian plants, failing to realize that the women who get jobs putting Air Jordans together have it much better than their sisters and aunts who either work in the rice patties and fight off water moccasins or get sold into prostitution by their families and getting raped in the ass by German tourists and having a high probability of dying from AIDS before they reach the age of 21.
These reviewer conveniently forget what FICTION is when they write their reviews. -
The 'yellow' guy in the last installment looked a little too otherworldly for me. I don't know if that was Miller's intent in the original comic or not - just thought it wasn't necessary - we knew he was the Bad Guy.
Burl, Madsen has been playing that character for some time now - that's what he does - it's his Calling. You can go all the way back to Kill Me Again to see Madsen playing the hardass in film noir. -
Apr 03, 2005 8:15:32 PM CDT
Madsen is over the top at first..but tones it down the second ti
by jon e cin
Or maybe I got use to it..I looooved the movie though!
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in Jaded, Judas Kiss, and Snake Eyes. (and the movie that occasionally runs in my head).
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"It seemed too violent, too impossibly cool to have come from Hollywood" ------ You are right. It's far too cool to come from Hollywood - it came from AUSTIN, TX BABY!!! I hope this movie's success helps build upon the growing film scene here. Fuck Hollywood, the signal to noise ratio of material from that shithole is comparable to that of quality programming on 500 channels of cable.
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....and I'm still thinking about the damn thing! I can't gush about this movie. At the same time, I really liked lots of it. Took my 20 y/o son with me. We talked about it a LOT afterwards. The Mickey Rourke story was the best for both of us. Hated to see him fry. Thought it was cool of Wendy to come see him off, so to speak. The Bruce Willis bookends were a damn close second. "Old man dies...young girl lives; fair trade". Pretty good story. The rest was "real purty" but ultimately less filling. Didn't hate anything, just wasn't as compelling. The ninja hooker story was...stupid. Not unwatchable, but kinda dumb. The scene at the tar pit with the Irish mercs and the badge was cool, but not exactly original or unexpected. Music - worked for me; no complaints whatsoever. Won't comment on the "look" or digital stuff...everyone else has had lots to say already...except to say I liked it. It worked. I tried to describe this to my wife and finally said it was like a Bogart film with an R rating and lots of people get killed in a spectacular fashion. Still can't quite decide if I can recommend it. Certainly, it's not for Grandma.
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Wendy explained that Goldie "worked the clergy" and that she learned a little bit too much about their, ahem "operation." That's why she was sticking to public places. As for the film, overall I loved it. My only complaint would be the pacing in some areas, especially THG, it went by way too fast. There were some moments that required a slow burn but were hurried, detracting from the intensity of the moment. But after THG the pacing became exponentially better. Nick Stahl (sp?) Mickey, Bruce, Clive, Elijah, Carla, Alexis, and Benicio get major cudos for their performances, good stuff. I am very pleased this turned out as good as it did. There are rough spots sure, but as far as I know this is the first major translation attempt coming from hollywood regarding a comic, so perfection right out the gate is a little unrealistic. Using the panels as keyframes is an excellent idea, and should be a continued practice, what needs to be perfected are how many inbetweens are required for a smooth playback. This can only come from trial and error, and experience. As more individuals attempt it, and become more comfortable with the process, the more fantastic the results will be.
As for the violence, I must be desensitized bigtime, for I found it a little mild! At any rate if Sin City is any indication of the future of comic translations, then put on your shades bitches, cause the future looks very bright indeed. Now where's the goddamn DVD! -
I didn't expect 'Sin City' to be as good as it was. I agree with Anla'shok (and others) that the pacing was far too fast during most of "The Hard Goodbye." I also noticed more self-conscious acting than is usual (and I don't mean "playing it noir") during certain scenes, but it wasn't distracting. On the other hand, there were some terrific performances: Benicio del Toro proves once again why film geeks worship him, Mickey Rourke was great as Marv, Clive Owen knew exactly what he was doing the entire time and looked cool doing it, and Bruce Willis was indeed better than he's been in a long time as Hartigan (his nuanced narration especially, which some have called boring, proved he understood the ins and outs of his character). Out of the "dames," Alexis Bledel came out smelling the best and was every bit the femme fatale Harry said she was. However, I'm especially impressed with Robert Rodriguez. Each story and the bigger picture itself had a symmetry to it, and for a man who usually makes what seem like films on the fly, it was impeccably outlined. As for QT's scene: it's markedly different, especially if you know which one it is beforehand. I don't know whether or not some of the acting decisions were made by Benicio or Tarantino or Frank Miller, or if the scene as portrayed in the comics (if it was portrayed in the comics at all) allowed the narration to bleed into a monologue, but either way, it was interesting and despite its quirks didn't hurt the film at all. In fact I rather liked it. As for all the machismo that some people have taken offense to -- I'd like to think that Miller was being critical of those attitudes when he wrote it, but either way you read it, it's still a cool movie and worth seeing in my book.
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So, early box office returns, despite the film being number one and making 28.1 million, show Sin City performing actually below it's 30 million+ projections. What that's got me wondering is where that leaves the future of more Sin city films, how that may affect the R versus PG13 comic book film argument, and the comic film genre as a whole. I know there's still lots of time to make money, and DVD sales will hopefully be good, so it's hard to say at this point, I'm just looking for a little speculation. Someone pointed out to me Saturday (my second time to see it), that possibly the NCAA Final Four was keeping the theater less than sold out, but I'm not sure how much water that theory holds. ............. anyway, I agree with most of what's already been said here. I dug Sin City, but I didn't walk out thinking "that's the greatest, most revolutionary thing I've ever seen". And yes, Madsen's first scene really annoyed me. He can really smolder sometimes, (he's been great in TILT), but he just seemed to be trying too hard to say, "Hey, quit looking at Bruuuuuuuuce". A couple of times, Brittany Murphy's accent got too grating, but not overall. All the other performances, I felt were quite good. I know everyone is clamoring over Mickey, and he was great (made me pull my Marv in the chair fig back out of storage), but I think Del Toro was the best performance overall. The guy just freakin' disappears into character! Oh, and Carla Gugino is magnificent!
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Apr 04, 2005 1:56:21 AM CDT
Hey scrivener, try and wrap your thinly stretched noodle around
by lezbo milk
For some people seeing: beheadings, dogs eating someones entrails, a cock and balls ripped off, a head pounded into mashed potatoes, canibalism, slit throats, a gun barrel jammed into someones skull - twice, severed limbs, suicides, hangings, executions, numerous beatings, animal killing, and torture.....all roled up into a nice two hour long movie....well, just maybe, quite possibly (gasp), some people might not find entertaining. I know it's hard to imagine that not everyone would find all that fun stuff a joy to watch.
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I thought I would see what people thought of the movie and check this page one last time and lo and behold, Ringbearer9 was trying to get in the last word on his conspiracy theories. Here is my last word. I won't stoop to the name calling that you have because I like to keep things polite and because you amuse me. (I thought your rant on Sin City over at Harry's review page was as absurd as any I have seen, especially since you didn't seem to have actually seen the film.) Here is my point, in which I will repeat for you, (and I make my own judgments based on my 30-some years of life experience, so you can stop calling me a liar.) I am a longtime Sin City fan who was really pleased with the film. I am also a Robert Rodriguez fan because I admire his independence from the Hollywood system. I am not trying to promote this film because I would just as soon not share it. When you love this kind of thing, you don't want the mainstream to embrace it because then it gets diluted a bit by overhype. My post specifically warned that many people will not like the movie and that it isn't for mainstream audiences. I am pleased it made a good amount at the box office because that empowers Rodriguez and support for these kinds of films. Instead of bashing everything and everyone who just wants to celebrate what they love, why don't you tell us something about what you do like and about the kind of movies you would prefer. Instead of slamming and spewing negativity, why not try and engage us in an intelligent discourse about how movies could be better and how our culture is affected? Why not bring something to these discussions instead of being abrassive and hostile. Shouting "plant" and condemning this site is petty and irritating to those of us who want to use the internet to connect with people in a positive way about these we love. Funny how you can reach out to anyone in the world with a computer and a connection, yet there are still so many people out there who just want to pick a fight. AICN isn't the NY Times or CNN or Fox news! It doesn't have to be unbiased in the first place. We're here to get excited about movies and have fun. It's a silly place for a fight and faceless arguments aren't as much fun as the ones where people aren't so tough in person. You never know, in real life you might find you actually like most of the people here and that we're all very much alike. I do love this site, but I don't know Harry personally, (though I wish I did.) My e-mail isn't even the same account as when I signed up years ago, so I wouldn't receive any e-mails from him, (but I wish I did.) I make movies too and I would love for you to see them someday Ringbearer9 so you can give your special brand of constructive comments. I am sure it would be helpful. Have a good week and let us know if you actually see Sin City. We would all honestly like to know what you think.
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so what if it fell just short of what they hoped to make. It was still the third best April opening ever. Not that I'm going to see any of that. As long as it means Rodriguez and Miller film the rest of the books, I'm happy.
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...it doesn't need to gross that much to be a success. Even if it tops out around $55/$60 million, that'll still be a $20 million profit, and I'm sure the DVD sales will be through the roof. That's what I love about Rodriguez: even though he *could* demand, and get, a $100 million budget (each Spy Kids movie raked it in), he chooses to keep his films thrifty and manageable. Imagine someone like James Cameron or Michael Bay trying to pull a movie as good-looking as Sin City in for only $40 mil.
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