Cool News
Harry's DVD Picks & Peeks - 3rd wk of Jan - Punk Musical, MGM, Kong, Express, Powerpuff, Notebook, Election & more!!
Hey folks, Harry here… Had a bunch of late discs come in right at the end of my deadline – and decided to make my way through them, good news is – next week’s selection has been here for most of two weeks (not kidding) so I’m doing good on that one. We’re finally getting into good releases again – and some volume. As usual, the titles and the images are hyperlinked to Amazon, where you can learn more on the title – or you can purchase the item in question which would result in a tiny portion going to support this column’s continued efforts to bring you as much coolness as possible on a regular basis. Well, enough delaying, you deserve this…
Tuesday, January 20th, 2009
MOONLIGHT – THE COMPLETE SERIES
I’ve watched a couple of the episodes off this series and it looked like a pretty good show, I’m a bit into vampire overload – it seems everywhere that you turn there’s fangs in a neck somewhere. However, one of those actresses I adore is a part of this series. That is, of course, Shannyn Sossamon (A KNIGHT’S TALE & RULES OF ATTRACTION & KISS KISS BANG BANG). Show got canceled early in life, so this is all there is and will be, unless some channel plays hero. The show has a pretty rabid fanbase, I can kinda see why.
REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA
Starring the little girl from SPY KIDS all growed up. This film from Darren Lynn Bousman is seven shades of surreal and isn’t for all tastes. This was a FANTASTIC FEST darling and garnered its lovers as well as its haters… But the film is pop-insanity. The sort of film that never gets seen in more than a few screens – and most of those being at a really quirky cool film festival. That said, it was one of my gifts to Yoko for her recent birthday, cuz… well, she’s quirky cool too!
KING KONG (Blu Ray)
Most of you know that the original KING KONG (1933) is my all time favorite film (tied with THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD). And like most people’s favorite films, we usually despise the concept of them being remade. For some reason, I don’t feel that way with KING KONG.I love that original so much… nothing can touch it. I love every second of it. I never fast forward to Skull Island. I sip the film in every time. And when it gets remade – I get giddy. I like the Dino version. I really like Peter Jackson’s version. I love KING KONG VS GODZILLA. There’s just something about that big ape that just makes me giddy. And Peter’s version is exactly that. It’s like watching KING KONG through his eyes. In his eyes, Denham is a fool, Jack is secondary… and ANN truly loves KING KONG and it is returned. I love that, though I don’t agree. In fact, all the technological wizardry, the advances in acting methods and what not… it all goes to show just how fucking dead on right they got it right out of the gate in 1933.
This Blu Ray has both the theatrical & the extended version of KING KONG, and has commentary, storyboards/art & picture in picture stuff which you can access from the Extended cut. Personally, I'm happy with this disc as is right now. Nice stuff. How does it look on Blu? Fucking Astonishing.
MGM: WHEN THE LION ROARS
The day that Ricardo Montalbahn died, I had a friend scheduled to come over and spend a few hours chatting about life and the future. She had some amazing developments occur and frankly just had to share. I’d finished my obit for Ricardo and decided to put something on in the background that I wouldn’t have to change and my default station to have on the screen while hanging out is Turner Classic Movies… and they just happened to be playing MGM: WHEN THE LION ROARS. This is a superior documentary about the history of one of the greatest studios of all time that at this particular juncture is a shadow of its former magnificence. And this doc kinda nails it. Louis B Mayer was a movie man… the long line of replacements have been from the business world… and they kinda can’t compare. Mayer was a genius that understood the very specific business of movie making. When the government broke the studio theater ownership, they never really could recover. This documentary is magic, any serious film geek worth their salt will see this and probably own it. Patrick Stewart hosts and is excellent.
MAX PAYNE
Pretty silly shit, but I have to say… as far as John Moore movies go, this is probably my fave. Now, you need to know that is faint praise. The movie is gorgeous to look at – and the bullshit effects do kinda make sense by the end, but I have to say… I just like Mark Wahlberg – he’s got all the dimensionality of Stallone’s COBRA here and is at most… half as badass. But I like Mark, that’s why it hurt so fucking bad when he sucked so amazingly in THE HAPPENING, which had a cosmic hole of suckage all around it that prevented any quality from accidently HAPPENING.
SAW V
SUCKS
CITY OF EMBER
I really wish two things were different about this release… 1. I wish Walden didn’t mention JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH on this DVD, cuz that film sucked and this does not. And 2. I wish this was a Blu Ray and not standard def… and it was pretty chickenshit of Fox to release this film on DVD only. This is Gil Kenan’s live action follow-up to MONSTER HOUSE and while I don’t feel the film is as great as MONSTER HOUSE, I do feel that it is entirely successful. It reeks of atmosphere and style… while also providing a Hardy Boys style mystery in a post-apocalyptic future – that’s about 79,700 years shy of THE TIME MACHINE future, but I see how they got there. Right? Right. If you didn’t catch it in theaters, and from the box office returns, I’d say most of you didn’t. You should check it out asap.
THE EXPRESS
This is a really good movie. It’s based on the college football legend, Ernie Davis – a brilliant Syracuse football player that had talent seeping from every pore. And if you want to see just exactly how far we’ve come in the last 45-46 years… watch this. The racial problems in this film and at this time are just so unthinkable by me. Growing up in seventies Austin, well it makes the behavior of the UT Longhorns in that 62 Cotton Bowl just unbelievable, but I don’t doubt it. The world has grown so much. But more than that, it was Ernie Davis’ personal story as told in this film that just really captured me. His idol was Jim Brown, who left Syracuse for the Cleveland Browns the year he went to Syracuse ( a university that I applied for and was accepted to, btw, but ultimately chose not to go to). I’ve met Jim Brown, I know Jim Brown from his movies and high light reels, but I hadn’t really been familiar with Ernie’s career. I’m very grateful to this film for curing that. It led me to reading up on him. What an amazing athlete and man.
MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION – Criterion Collection
Douglas Sirk was a very particular genius in film – he took the soap opera life we saw in the fifties… and layered and layered and layered in subtle ways that the censors at the time could never catch. MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION is right there with WRITTEN ON THE WIND and IMITATION OF LIFE as one of his bests. Personally, I can’t wait to see Criterion releasing his titles on Blu-Ray. Here, they do a great job with this title. Here’s the extras:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer
Audio commentary featuring film scholar Thomas Doherty
Magnificent Obsession (1935, 102 minutes): a new digital transfer of John M. Stahl s complete earlier version of the film
Douglas Sirk: From UFA to Hollywood (1991): a rare 80-minute documentary by German filmmaker Eckhart Schmidt in which Sirk reflects upon his career
Video interviews with filmmakers Allison Anders and Kathryn Bigelow, paying tribute to Sirk
Theatrical trailer
PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film critic Geoffrey O Brien
THE POWERPUFF GIRLS: Complete Series – 10th Anniversary
Once… a long time ago, I was blissfully ignorant of this thing called THE POWERPUFF GIRLS, but thankfully… around 9 and a half years ago.. a scary fat Mexican put me on his couch and raped my mind with THE POWERPUFF GIRLS and I’ve been Genndy Tartakovsky’s bitch ever since. Guillermo was so happy to spring these wonderful animated powerhouses onto me, and when he first said he was going to show me, I thought it was something I’d have to politely tolerate. I also gave this set to my wife on her 22nd birthday, as they were amongst her favorites on Cartoon Network. Again… proven coolness.
THE NOTEBOOK (Limited Edition Gift Set) Blu Ray
When this came in, my bride Yoko told me I’d have to watch this without her as she is standing in protest of this film – refusing to be yet another lovesick puppy enraptured by this catnip for hopeless romantics. Instead, she came home to find me showering after the film, as my face needed the tears washed away. This film is stunningly beautiful and the romance is solid and genuine. This is a great modern romantic film and it is sad sad sad, but in all the best ways. This edition comes with NOTEBOOK paper, NOTEBOOK envelopes and NOTEBOOK envelope stickers to seal it all up with. There’s a pair of book marks and a notebook of memories from the movie… cuz, apparently the movie isn’t quite enough. I’m sure all of that is right up the fans of this movie’s hearts, and that’s cool. That said, I really love this flick. Ryan Gosling is just a great actor and he’s surrounded by folks like Joan Allen, Rachel McAdams, James Garner, Gena Rowlands and Sam Shepard… all of whom are in rare form thanks to the very wonderful direction of Nick Cassavetes!
EL NORTE (Blu Ray) Criterion Collection
A truly great film, given beautiful treatment by the Criterion folks. Ebert called this film “The Grapes of Wrath for our time,” and it certainly has that type of theme in play. The film is a tale of siblings fleeing some pretty serious issues in Guatemala and trying to make their way to the dream of the United States. It is a tough immigrant tale detailing the hardships that such a journey means. The film is tremendous if for no other reason than it makes one understand the love and hope that the United States holds for so many that try to make their way here. It’s the same hopes and dreams that was at the root of all people that made the journey here. This is just what it was like in the EIGHTIES. Great double feature with THE VISITOR, which gives one the perspective of what it would be like today. Here’s the Criterion extras:
DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer supervised and approved by director Gregory Nava
New audio commentary featuring Nava
In the Service of the Shadows: The Making of El Norte: a new video program featuring interviews with Nava, producer and cowriter Anna Thomas, actors Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez and David Villalpando, and set designer David Wasco
Wall of Silence, a new short documentary by Nava and Barbara Martinez Jitner, concerning the building of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border
The Journal of Diego Rodriguez Silva, the 1972 award-winning student film by Nava
Gallery of Chipas location-scouting photographs
Theatrical trailer
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by novelist Héctor Tobar and Roger Ebert's 1983 review of the film
DOMINO (Blu Ray)
I kinda love this badass version of Keira Knightley. Maybe it’s just the joy of seeing her not in period garb. Maybe it’s watching her with a shotgun. I still vastly prefer Richard Kelly’s script to Tony Scott’s shaky cam directing. And I’ve always been disappointed by the acid sequence, it read so much better. However, I really enjoy the film and it is elevated on home video, where the shaky doesn’t bother me as much as in theaters. Here you have a commentary by Tony Scott and Richard Kelly. There’s another track with script notes with both of them as well as a producer and Tom Waits. There’s deleted scenes (HD) and trailers… and lastly a few featurettes. Nicely done Blu Ray.
ELECTION (Blu Ray)
1999. I reviewed this film with Roger Ebert on his show… and I remember watching it in the Chicago Critic’s screening room and just thinking how great it all was. ReWatching it was a treat. Not a single moment fell flat. Alexander Payne’s note perfect direction and the great performances from EVERYONE INVOLVED just make me a very very happy camper. Only major extra is the feature commentary by Alexander Payne. Watch the last High School great capper of Matthew Broderick’s career (till the next one)
13 GOING ON 30 (Blu Ray)
By no means great cinema, but there’s just something so incredibly wrong with this film… It’d be like if BIG, was actually about Tom Hanks with the consciousness of a child dating and getting laid. But because it’s the body of Jennifer Garner… I suppose it’s ok. Cuz there’s nothing perverse about a 13 year old girl’s consciousness being in an adult woman’s hot body as Mark Ruffalo paws at it. EWWWWWWWW. Anyway, for you sick puppies (Jeff Mahler) that love that sort of thing, go ahead and buy it. You know you need it. Ironically enough, it is PG 13.
FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS OF INVENTION: In The 1960’s
I don’t know a damn thing about this dvd, but I’m a big fan of not eating the yellow snow, along with all the other pearls of wisdom that the Mothers of Invention and Frank Zappa gave us in their time ruling the world. For $15, I’ll give it a shot.
THE MACHINIST (Blu Ray)
Why get this on Blu Ray? All the better to count his ribs with! One of the most amazing physical transformations… all the more amazing when you look at BATMAN BEGINS and you see what he got back up to with not a whole hell of a lot of time to do it. Christian Bale has quickly emerged since AMERICAN PSYCHO as one of premiere actors working today – and this is one of his most amazing performances. Do take note that this is all region, but in PAL – so check out your system specs and whether or not it can handle PAL or not. Could be a while before we see this release in the U.S.
THE END OF AMERICA: Director’s Cut
Liberal propaganda? Yeah, but it also happens to be true. The title and the cover image is intentionally dramatic, but watch this documentary and then research the issues it brings up and you’ll find that they are right about their assertions and if you’re not unnerved by the dangerous and un-American path that our ex-Fearless Leader was trailblazing… well, I just don’t know what to say. Brilliant doc. Should be required viewing.
Coming up very soon we’ll be looking at VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA, THE BOURNE TRILOGY (Blu Ray), PALM SPRINGS WEEKEND, PARRISH, ROME ADVENTURE, SUSAN SLADE, PRIDE AND GLORY, THE INVADERS-SECOND SEASON, HULK VS., FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD, GOODBYE MR CHIPS, MARY POPPINS, ROCKNROLLA, GROUNDHOG DAY (Blu Ray), CANNERY ROW, WATERLOO BRIDGE, ZODIAC (Blu Ray), THE YELLOW ROLLS ROYCE, THE ALL NEW SUPERFRIENDS HOUR, YOU’RE A GOOD SPORT CHARLIE BROWN, ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, EDGE OF THE CITY, SOMETHING OF VALUE, A PATCH OF BLUE, A WARM DECEMBER, IN BRUGES (Blu Ray), The Original PINK PANTHER series on Blu Ray, BATMAN (1989) & BATMAN RETURNS & BATMAN FOREVER & BATMAN AND ROBIN on Blu Ray, DEAD & BURIED (Blu Ray), 42ND STREET FOREVER Vol. 4, M.A.N.T.I.S.: Complete Series, ROMAN POLANSKI: WANTED AND DESIRED, DOWNFALL (Blu Ray), THE STEWARDESSES 3D, SHARKS IN VENICE, BECOMING CHARLEY CHASE, FANTASTIC FLESH: THE ART OF MAKE-UP EFX, FEMALE PRISONER: CAGED!, STARBALLZ and much more…
This Blu Ray has both the theatrical & the extended version of KING KONG, and has commentary, storyboards/art & picture in picture stuff which you can access from the Extended cut. Personally, I'm happy with this disc as is right now. Nice stuff. How does it look on Blu? Fucking Astonishing.
New, restored high-definition digital transfer
Audio commentary featuring film scholar Thomas Doherty
Magnificent Obsession (1935, 102 minutes): a new digital transfer of John M. Stahl s complete earlier version of the film
Douglas Sirk: From UFA to Hollywood (1991): a rare 80-minute documentary by German filmmaker Eckhart Schmidt in which Sirk reflects upon his career
Video interviews with filmmakers Allison Anders and Kathryn Bigelow, paying tribute to Sirk
Theatrical trailer
PLUS: A booklet featuring a new essay by film critic Geoffrey O Brien
DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES:
New, restored high-definition digital transfer supervised and approved by director Gregory Nava
New audio commentary featuring Nava
In the Service of the Shadows: The Making of El Norte: a new video program featuring interviews with Nava, producer and cowriter Anna Thomas, actors Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez and David Villalpando, and set designer David Wasco
Wall of Silence, a new short documentary by Nava and Barbara Martinez Jitner, concerning the building of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border
The Journal of Diego Rodriguez Silva, the 1972 award-winning student film by Nava
Gallery of Chipas location-scouting photographs
Theatrical trailer
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by novelist Héctor Tobar and Roger Ebert's 1983 review of the film
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+ Expand All
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Because the Blu-Ray only has the commentary, and none of the other extras from the DVD set. Yay for triple-dips!!
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Craig McCracken did.
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What with HDMI connections?
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But still, there's no excuse for not porting the 3-DVD set
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It's just HD. There's no PAL/NTSC issues.
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Jan 25, 2009 1:57:11 AM CST
my King Kong blu ray is almost bare bones, what extras are you t
by lavatory love machine
there's just a PIP and commentary, and neither is good because you have to ruin one viewing of the movie to watch them
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I feel the LotR trilogy is some of the finest movie making of all time, but Peter's version of King Kong was too much of everything. He desperately needed to cut that movie back by about an hour at least.
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I like the extras on the Extended Cut and the Picture in Picture stuff. Is there a double disc waiting to happen? Most likely. But probably not for a couple of years.
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I would've love three 90 minutes movies, one for until they reach the island, one on the island and one back on NY
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Jan 25, 2009 2:33:28 AM CST
no one is unhappy with the disc, it just not "loaded with extras
by lavatory love machine
no one is unhappy with the disc, it's just not "loaded with extras" like you said before correcting it...remember LET THE RIGHT ONE IN on blu on US on march 10th
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I loved Monster House, and I agree this isn't quite as good as that, but it was visually stunning and a fun little kids movie. Like Monster House, it didn't shy away from being a tiny bit scary. Reminded me or the kinds of films I saw when I was a kid. We need more like this. I think Gil Kenan is going to have a great career. Can't wait for more. Honestly, so much shit gets put on bluray. Why not this?
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Oh and the Powerpuff Girls rule you all.
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about a year/ year and half back. I'm thinking some writer saw it on HBO and was so moved by it. 1 year later we have the biopic film.
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amazing - i feel like im one of the few that love jackson's version - its amazing to take in from start to finish - the care and detail in every shot is astounding - this is a movie made by a real lover of movies - the picture quality on this disc is jaw dropping - i have a 52" tv (i wish it was the size of harry's though) and this movie looks fantastic that big in hd - demo quality
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cartoon boxed sets in high def. I'll have to wait for BTAS, unfortunately.
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You're locked in a room, and to escape you have to either a) watch SOUTHLAND TALES b) watch DOMINO twice in a row or c) cut off your arm. What would you do and as a followup question do you think this would be a fucked up enough scenario to include in SAW VI?
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good god what will we be watching in 30 years?
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...is that there is no scene where Jennifer Garner calls her parents to tell her that she has been "kidnapped" and we see her mother break down crying and we have to think over the whole movie that she is close committing suicide, because she saw "one of the kidnappers" wearing her son's underpants and is now imaging how he gets gang raped by some pervs again and again and again.
Although 13 Going On 30 doesn't have one single moment that is as iconic as the piano scene in Big. -
Some of the SD extras probably run at 720x576, 50i, instead of 720x480, 60i. Shouldn't affect the feature, which is encoded 1920x1080, 24fps.
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I am going to say Porn is a safe bet...
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Especially the Jungle scenes on Skull Island. In Black & White, you can see just how much PJ copied the look and feel of the original Skull Island. Here's an example of PJ'S King Kong in B/W. http://tinyurl.com/anqn8u
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My take on PJ'S King Kong. Well I appreciate his love for King Kong. I love the original too. The 1933 King Kong DVD. Is my second favorite that I own, after Disney's Snow White. PJ really poured his heart into this film and it shows in the visuals, but sadly, and I'm not saying anything that hasn't said before. Yes poor casting (Minus Watts), too many characters no one cares about and the ridiculous 3hr, nearly 4hr's, if you count the extended version, ultimately make this a very tedious watching experience. What does work is Naomi Watts as Ann Darrow and the relationship between her and King Kong. I know, It's been said a million times. I thought I'd say it again for 3 people who haven't seen it. Anyone who's lonely in this world can relate to King Kong in this film and wishes they had an Ann Darrow to care and comfort them, but it can't last and that's why King Kong's demises is so sad in this film. The part that always gets me is when they're a top the Empire States Building and Ann waves her hands screaming "NOOO!!!" to the biplanes headed their way. That she would do that for him is just such a beautiful thing.
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Jan 25, 2009 6:02:00 AM CST
The scene that always gets me in Jackson's King Kong..
by spifftacular squirrel girl
... has to be towards the end with Kong playing on the ice in New York. It was just a perfectly happy moment that was all the more heartbreaking because you just know what was going to happen next.
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The part that always gets me is when they're a top the Empire States Building and all I can think is... damn, she must be f'ing freezing! Sorry but PJ's Kong never quite clicked deep down for me, never quite made me suspend my belief enough to just 'go with' moments like that. What's the extended cut like btw? An improvement?
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I am a huge horror fan and a rabib Saw fan. The first was awesome, the second was ok, the third was the best IMO and the fourth was ok too. Part V wasn't the greatest but it was passable. Tobin Bell is awesome enough said and the traps were cool and gory and the ending was pretty good....I DID believe how it ended but still it was good. I think there are haters and thats the way it is...its COOL to hate. I see absolute SHITTE here get some sort of write up but Saw V gets a word...SUCKS...thanks for the brilliant commentary....but I will still take a slightly disappointing Saw sequel over PG-13 Tween crap anyday. And any movie where an actor actually sticks their head in a class box of water CGI free and actually has the balls to do it has gotta get some credit...lol.
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You just give a simple suck to Saw V but you not for Max Payne. It was an action movie that didn't have one redeemable action sequence which is pretty fucking shameful. Glad you love the Notebook, that is one great romance right there. I absolutely love Gosling and McAdams in that film and I like how they make James Marsden out to be a nice guy. It was very refreshing.
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Jan 25, 2009 6:59:35 AM CST
I always feel sorry for Peter Jackson, when someone...
by derlanghaarige
...mentions King Kong.
He made a wonderful movie that just was totally out of place in the times of a cynical, Die Hard 4 and TDK loving times. He made a movie that was pure Old-school Hollywood (and this is a compliment.). -
Jan 25, 2009 7:02:23 AM CST
P.S.: I'm not saying that TDK was as bad as Die Hard 4.
by derlanghaarige
Die Hard 4 was horrible, TDK has its problems, but it's at least watchable.
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It is NOT fucking funny.
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Ain't meant to be funny. Although it's fucking hilarious how much it annoys you pasty face.
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Thank you, Harry, for giving us other geeks hope that we may one day find true love. Perhaps I will be mocked, scorned, or ostracized from this board, but knowing that someone like you that never compromised his geeky nature could be blessed with a neato lady is truly inspiring. Thanks, boyo.
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In case you've forgotten, he does sleep with Elizbeth Perkins despite being a 13 year old boy in a 30+ year-old man's body. And I thought the whole kidnapping thing was a stroke of genius and helps both drive the plot and helps things feel more grounded in reality despite the rather fantastical premise. I re-watched it the other day actually and was surprised at just how well it holds up. The last time I saw it I was younger than David Moscow and now I am almost as old as Tom Hanks and the movie still works. That's remarkable. I've never seen 13 going on 30 though.
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but just the Skull Island part, especially on the Extended Edition, was worth the price alone. I love's me the monsters! And I can't remember the last time I almost had to look away from the screen on a movie then watching Andy Serkis being slowly taken and eaten alive. Had to have been at least 20 years.
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Beautiful movie, as in AMAZING to look at. And yeah, I dropped the cash for the Blu-ray so that I could see the extra footage integrated into the flick. Extended Edition all the way, for me. But if there was a much shorter "Popcorn Edition" included, it would have been the PERFECT Blu-ray release.
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JDanielP, im curious what's the extended material? Extra talky scenes or action? I'm curious because of how good the cutting room floor footage was in PJ LOTR trilogy.
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More action. That's all you need to know. If you liked Jackson's KING KONG, then grab the Extended Edition on Blu-ray, today! Personally, I love it!
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Just an FYI, for those interested, PAL/NTSC will only apply to the special features as someone mentioned for most feature films. The extras from a foreign disc may be encoded in SD PAL which might not play on US Region A Blu-Ray players. Most feature films will be encoded at 1080p at 24 frames per second which all players can handle. HOWEVER, there are some films that weren't shot at 24fps that are then converted to Blu-Ray. Spanish horror hit [REC] comes to mind, as the Blu-Ray's of that available in foreign countries are typically encoded in 1080 at 50Hz or 50 fields per second which is 25 frames per second. This is equivalent to the frame/field/Hz stats for SD PAL and as a result many Region A Blu-Ray players including PS3 can't playback 1080 at 50Hz.
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somehow manages to be a meticulous, well decorated, almost nightmarishly ornate, cooly retro-aesthetic, but DEAD movie. I love King Kong. Both the '33 and the '76 versions managed to be incredibly obsessively mythical viewing experiences to me as a child... and they still entertain me today... but the new one is like watching a scientific diagram of what should be cool in theory, but just seems dead... why do you think it failed to gel? Certainly the indulgent time spent on dull characters that are not very well written is part of it... and the cheap use of "Unsolved Mysteries" style stacatto slo mo is sickeningly repulsive. Kong himself looks great though! Maybe it did just needs an editor to carve out the dead flesh that weighs this film down into irritating dullness for some viewers. I did really enjoy the LOTR extended cuts. So it's not a matter of time... its a matter of cheap silly content that seems like filler and diminishes the emotional potential and overall mythic mood.
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The extended version of Peter Jackson's "King Kong" includes the deleted lagoon sequence which is a big effects sequence where the crew is attacked by a huge water creature or Pirhanadon. If you remember, they made a toy figure of it, but it wasn't in the final cut of the movie. Another cut sequence is a triceratops attack scene. You may not want "more" King Kong footage, but you won't be disappointed with the new footage included.
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It was made as a B movie, complete with shitty acting and an over-the-top ridiculous storyline. Apparently when a B movie that's made as such is made really well, everyone hates it.
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The episode where they use nothing except Beatles lyrics makes this worth the price alone. 10 Years! Damn...Pink Floyd was right about that "One day you look behind you..." line.
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Thx JDP and Austinite... you've convinced me to give the Extended Edition a look and i'll add it to my Blu Ray rental list (although right now my opinion of the theatrical release is more in line with what ufoclub wrote).
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Never saw a single episode, but saw the feature on a lark in 2002. I think I had just come out of feardotcom and really needed something to wash the aftertaste of that piece of crap away. I think that's why I bought a ticket to PowerPuff Girls. Anyhow, that movie was a fucking hoot. My favourite line, delivered by a hyper-evolved monkey: "We monkeys have been under humanity's thumbs for too long... now, we must OPPOSE THOSE THUMBS!" haha
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The scene from the Teaser Trailer were Ann Darrow is acting on the beach of island and screams, and Kong is heard growling from a distance, is in the movie.
The stegosaurus scene from the original 33 version is remade, sorta, but now with a triceratops.
The build a raft scene to cross a swampy lake from the 1933 version is remade in the extended version. Only it's not a brontosaurus in the water. It's a strange type of sea monster. -
Whatever you do, don't diss Kelly. Harry probably do a MiraJeff on you and un-black box you.
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Bush is just the tip of the iceberg, you deluded Democrat. I'll definitely check out El Norte though, thanks.
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Jan 25, 2009 12:57:04 PM CST
Is it now official that Richard Kelly is a one hit wonder?
by rbatty024
Don't get me wrong, I love Donnie Darko and I even saw Southland Tales in the theater, but can we really expect anything good to come from this guy? Doesn't he have some box movie (no, not a porno) or something coming out?
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Agreed Donnie Darko was awesome and I really liked Southland Tales. What did you not like about ST? I expect good things from Richard Kelly still...
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The HD DVD of Kong was awesome, some of the jungle scenes looked almost 3-D.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgDB6Ac2rSc
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People complaining about the length need to get a grip. Wow boohoo, theres 1.5 hours of awesome action scenes with dinosaurs and giant monsters, this movie must suck....
I mean seriously, you're complaining that the movie is giving you too much goodness. And the slow buildup is necessary so you have some vested interest in the characters. Personally, if I'm laying down money for something, I want the most bang for my buck, and kong absolutley delivers in that regard. -
Was terrible. Such a lame lame lame wasted ending. And the weight lose no matter how crazy, just seemed kind of pointless.
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Was there anything to like about that movie? I must have missed that.
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oh man oh man can't wait to get my hands on that frank Zappa dvd.
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Good stuff this week. That Kong BR looks amazing. Any ideas why City of Ember didn't get released in Blu-Ray? Unfortunately I missed it in theaters (I don't think it was out for any longer than a week or two), but I was really looking forward to it in BR.Anyway, my Netflix queue thanks you.
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I love her but she needs to fire her agent and get some better roles.The catacombs was a big stinky piece of shit
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Wait, Journey the Center of the Earth is bad but Domino and City of Ember are good? Nice try.
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there some scene extended with an extra line of dialogue or two but there's only two new scenes, both with huge previously unseen monsters on the island, one with a charging brontosaurus and one on a swamp with a swamp monster, both are great
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...Denham insistence on keep shooting the movie, on the swamp scene he gets some footage which would've make it the great movie ever at that time so when later the camera is destroyed you can of feel bad that it's lost too
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Jan 25, 2009 5:18:08 PM CST
Does Bale's body transformation make it a good movie?
by lavatory love machine
because I thought the Machinist was a generic, stylish looking early Shaymalan wanna be, his performance and appearance were freakish but far from enough
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Jan 25, 2009 5:28:46 PM CST
That City of Ember cover looks almost as bad as the movie....
by dannyglovers_dickblood
.....seriously, who the fuck designs this horse shit? How long would it take for an Art Department person involved with the film to whip something up? This cover will seriously detour people from checking out this piece of shit.
And The Machinist in Bluray? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. -
Fuck anyone that doesn't find that shit funny.
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He was pretty fucking brilliant in it. The movie was a huge mess and yet I feel like it was worth it because of Head's AMAZING performance.
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Jan 25, 2009 6:50:00 PM CST
"government broke the studio theater ownership, they never reall
by prossor
Thank fuck too, one of the wisest things the gov did do. The death of the studio system allowed the daring and creative director-centric era of the 1960s and 1970s to blossom. And frankly, fuck the studio system, up its generic monotonous asshole. Sure some great movies came from that time like the film noir genre toward the end, but overall it was for the worse, with studios dictating things creatively, even if the movies were entertaining they had the same look, same mugging actors. It doesnt matter if they were well made, i'd rather watch a crappily made movie that has the director's heart and truth than some nice looking cookie cutter crap.
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...but it was a remarkably BORING b-movie. Therein lies the difference.
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No, he didn't create it, but he definitely worked on it. Had a very big hand in the movie, too.
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Well, I guess that works too! Have you actually seen it?
As for the cover, it's no worse than the original moronic decision to make posters with the "E" symbol - when no-one actually knows what it means (Ember is not exactly ubiquitous!). Not to mention getting clubbers in under the mistaken impression it was about the disco biccies.
It reminds me though of the sneaky cinema worker who put the posters for Superman Returns, Eragon and X- Men 3 together so they spelled "S E X". A-hyuk hyuk hyuk! -
But I would rather watch this Star Wars trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgDB6Ac2rSc -
Of course that should have read DETER. But fuck.....
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Isn't that the version with the infamous Spider pit? Or was that in the original Jackson version too? I canna remember.
Oh and Ufoclub, the only way to carve the dead flesh from it would be to completely remove Adrien Brody from the film. I liked Watts, Black did what he could and Kong/Serkis is/are great, but how does an Oscar-winning actor manage to have absolutely NO chemistry whatsoever with the leading lady? It's the black hole of the film. I'm thinking probably anyone BUT Brody would have worked better than he did. I usually like him as an actor, but a romantic lead he ain't. Can drive a car though... -
I CPO.
Jesus dude, now you've got me talking in textspeak. You bastard! -
am I the only chick who disliked The Notebook. I did not think it was romantic at all. I did not cry and I did not have a need to watch it again. I have nothing agaisnt it or the actors, I just dont see the big deal.
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Did somebody remake it already?
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Jan 25, 2009 9:51:32 PM CST
SecretNerd -- you must have a clit-dick like Chyna.
by dannyglovers_dickblood
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--as it is unfulfilling one. It really feels like the first act of a much bigger story (which I believe it is), and it ends just when it looks like it's about to finally get going. Due to its box-office failure, there won't be another chapter, so I don't see much point in seeing this one other than to enjoy the underground sets. At one juncture someone who has been outside the city comes back with the claw of a giant beetle. I think the entire audience at Fantastic Fest expected a scene where the kids would be attacked by a giant beetle Ray Harryhausen style, but this never happens. Someone at the Q & A even asked the director about it, but he said there was never going to be a giant beetle and the claw only represented the "danger" outside. This is clearly a lesson to be learned in storytelling. Don't use the technique of foreshadowing unless you intend to pay off or your audience will just end up disappointed. The film looks good, but just never really comes to life.
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to read all the books. I just finished the fourth and final book last week. It makes me sad that we'll (likely) never see a sequel, because the overall story is one of failure, rebirth, betrayal, redemption and humanity. This film could have been better, but I still enjoyed it.And, there were no giant beetles in the book... I don't think there should have been one in the movie either. Plus, in the book, the mayor has a mostly minor part, but I'm still glad to see Bill Murray in anything.If you dug the film, though... check out the books.
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True, Tartakovsky had a hand in Powerpuff, his isn't the name that should be dropped here. Praising him for the series and movie instead of McCracken is like crediting Truffaut for "Breathless" instead of Godard.
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Hey I like the guy as much as anyone..going back to braindead and meet the feables, but Kong Kong probably should not have been made off the high of LOTR's...It's a big mistep, i dont know a single human being (outside of the combined loser patrol that will chant it's praises here) that felt it was anything but ineffectual. Even next to the DeLaurentis production
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..it feels DEAD..perfunctory even
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be V wary of anyone who says they like it
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Jan 26, 2009 1:36:47 AM CST
Jackson's Kong is easily one of the worst movies I've ever seen
by flip63hole
I look at it as one of the defining point in film history where artistic integricy clearly takes a back seat to over the top CGI-ness. Yes, more-so than The Phantom Menace. If JarJar was unbelievable fatty comedian running under a dinosaur while holding a 100 lb camera then it would be a tie for "The Film That Helped Destroy Movie Goodness". Naomi Watt's character is painfully hilarious to watch. She's in love with a giant murderous monkey. Fucking retarded.
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King Kong was mediocre but you gotta admit Kong vs T-Rex was sweet. The final act was perfectly executed as well.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXtiiqIaXRc
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The director took all the flab out of his arse and shoved it into a movie. I have never been more bored than seeing a classic from my childhood inflated into a massive ego project for a man, who thinks he's infallible.
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PJ's Kong was magnificent, a true love letter to the original. the island scenes alone outshine all 3 Jurassic Park movies in dino action. and holy christ the movie looks awesome on blue ray. how can anybody find it boring? the action sequences are so intense, especially the scene where Kong fights the 3 V-Rex's... and the nightmarish bug scene, fucking brilliant. my only complaints is that the billy elliot kid was way too good of a shot considering he wasnt really aiming that machine gun. jack should have taken at least one in the nose.
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of how much of a whiny little beyatch the Billy Elliot kid was. Both in and out of character. And a walking cliché to boot! Actually he was every bit as bad as Brody. If they wanted to chop the thing down they could have lost the whole character/subplot and also avoided beating us over the head with the book thing. Heart of Darkness - yes. O.K. We get it. Fuck off (and I actually LIKED the film!).
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I think the problem is that it was different from what people were expecting (it was certainly different from what I was expecting, but not in a bad way)
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You can get the DOUGLAS SIRK boxed set (7 of his films, including Magnificent Obsession) for 8.99 - saving 61 quid.
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It's a bad Hitchcock wannabe movie with Christian Bale doing his best Karen Carpenter impression.
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Is such a polarizing film. You'll either love it or hate it. However, it's a film that must be seen at least twice before coming to an opinion. There is so much going on, there is no way most people can comprehend what's going on without 2 viewings. While I disagree with its political leanings, it's much better with a second viewing.
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Jan 26, 2009 11:15:17 AM CST
You mean I have to watch "Southland Tales" again?!?!?
by the reluctant austinite
Once was painful enough. This unfunny "satire" cast "all against type" because--you know--I can. And that'll confuse people because this film is a "smart satire" of politics--or something--and if the audience is confused and doesn't get it, they'll surely think it's smarter than they are and praise it as art. With the Rock!
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Domino is the shit! Why does everyone hate on it? I'ts a really great action flick with 2 tons of style. Seriously, how can you dislike a movie with that lapdance scene of Kiera? Plus, what's up with all of the Tony Scott hate that's been going on lately?
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...the whole big summon Kong ritual. I really liked the shocking violence of the natives in PJ's work but then he has all of these actors pretending to be having epileptic seizures in the grip of some cult-induced Kong fervor and it just lost me. Kong and Watts were great everything else sucked.And the rest has been said a million times before me...Although you may sing the praises of Naomi Watts, she holds no candle whatsoever to the singularly undeniable beauty and talent of Jessica Lang back in De Launretis's '76 version. I'll take Jessica Lang's "Dwan" and Jeff Bridges' "Jack" and Rick Baker's 'man in suit' Kong over PJ's excellent but somewhat overly cgi-Kong, Watt's 'good but not film saving' Ann Darrow, and 'that Giant creepy and cavernous nostrils guy' "Jack" any day and twice on sunday.
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I'm right there with you on that one... the much lashed '76 Kong, is a perfectly (yes it is campy) constructed emotionally resonant work. Maybe it's because I was so young and just had the natural ability to look past or even not perceive it's satirical, 70's commentary on the oil industry, hippies, sex, and new age trends... but despite that, despite not having dinosaurs, it really works and has a strong modern ending (Dwan is surrounded by what she always wanted, the paparazzi, but she is in anguish, screaming out to Jack, but he just gives up trying to reach her, and all is lost) It really rings true as tragic.
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Prossor, are you really saying that the parade of shit that passes for movies these days is better than the studio product from the 30s, 40s, and 50s? Historically, there was always an independent film world, and it created and continues to create interesting films. When the Studios stopped being movie studios, and became just another big business, that is when the quality of films started falling. Don't get me wrong, there have been many great films made since the death of the studios, but you cannot discount the brilliant movies made within the system. Those guys, as the MGM docu points out, were really interested in movies as an art form, not just how much the film would make in its opeining weekend. I was thinking of this as I watched Australia this year. There was something about the filmmaking, which was not showy at all, but it looked three dimensional. What I started to see was that the film had actually been lit, that time and care had been taken for each shot to look right, and I frankly hadn't seen that sort of look for a long time, even in very well made films. Also, many filmmakers, even those who work outside the system, like to work with the same cast and crew over an over, not just because they are talented, but because you develop a way of working with people over a period of time, to the extent that you can almost read each other's thoughts. Your point seems to be the exact opposite of the MGM doc, which showed what a movie factory could do. The best cinematographers, best editors, best actors and writers, all living and working together. And remember that even in the sixties and seventies, when the greats of that era started making inroads, the studio system wanted them, because they spoke to a new generation of film goers, all of whom would pay to see a movie. Film has always been a business, more so for the independent, who has only this one chance to make his money back. The difference is that in the good old days the business was making beautiful, powerful movies. Now, the business is business, and movies are somewhat of an afterthought. Citizen Kane was a studio movie, as was the Wizard of Oz, as was Gone With the Wind, Maltese Falcon, The Godfather, even Mean Streets and Raging Bull. I see breaking up the monopolies as a necessary evil. Mayer never would have made Saw V.
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...not Tartakovsky. All due respect, but Powerpuff is not Genndy's series. Never was, never has been.
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I think they should bring back intermissions for movies in theaters, that way you can have a really long movie, but give people the chance to take a leak, everybody wins!
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That should have been the title. When I watched this film, all I could think of was that I was watching one man's 2+ hour masturbatory fantasy. The movie just makes me feel dirty.
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Well, with the exception of the HDTV version, which was the poster child for the format at the time. The Bd is ever so slightly different, but pretty much the same great quality. This isn't a format rant. They both look amazing.
The only bizarre thing is that they left tons of space free on the Blu-ray, even WITH the extended cut. Why they couldn't have used it and filled the extra space up with a higher bitrate is beyond me. Well, not beyond me, but you get my drift... -
Cover is amazingly bad. The logo E was pretty cool, why didn't they go with that? Who ever is in charge of making Blu Ray covers is doing a terrible terrible job.
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Because pretty much no-one would know WTF the E symbol means as I said above - the clubbers would be annoyed though.
And don't they know that if you're going to do the floating photoshop heads/little person/people running down below that one of them must have a gun? Those are the rules, after all! -
Out of the three "action thrillers" I rented recently, this, Bangkok and Babylon AD, I found this the best of the three. Which ain't sayin a hellava lot.What Moore missed out on is something I'm suprised filmmakers haven't jumped on yet, although Wanted came close. One of the biggest draws of 300 was the slo-mo battle scenes, with sword carnage in slow motion, hyper detail (and yes digital blood). Since Max Payne, the game, had the first use of Matrix' "bullet time" in a game, why not put that effect in the film. Not like The Matrix, but a slow motion gunfest, like a 21st century Peckinpah would stage. At least it would have a "cool" factor this movie lacked.
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Every scene on the island seemed to be pushed to the most over the top extreme. Did we really need the giant bug sequence and if we did did it have to be so long and drug out to the point of absurdity. Did the scene when they take down Kong have to be so drawn out. He's down, wait no he's not. I really think if PJ showed some restraint and cut back some of the special effects for the sake of special effects excesses the film would have been much better. Ironically, I found the final battle on the building to be too short and anticlimactic, but maybe I was so numb by that point from having my senses relentlessly assaulted by overlong special effects laden action sequences.
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Was that what it was called in the Game, Bullet Mode? Anyway, that was the main feature of the game and what made it cool. How could they not include that in the movie. Did the writer, producers, director even no anything about the game or do any research?
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Just like Resident Evil, which didn't seem to have a basic understanding of what made the game fun/successful...
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More than 90% of the talkbackers LOVED King Kong when it came out. You all attacked anyone like me who said the film was shit. As usual, you can all go fuck yourselves cause most of you are so swayed by hype you can't even see a film for what it is.
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the boards were filled with hate before the thing even came out. you are delusional. i love it myself and all i remember is the hate heaped upon from day one.
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Go find some of those old threads. PJ's Kong was the devil from day 1 and even before like slappy said. And congrats for being king arsehole for hating something from the start. A little less sugar there sunshine...
And Stabby, you do realise that criticising a scene about giant bugs (or a story with a giant monster animal island) as being absurd is, well, absurdly redundant don't you? Like I say, even though I like the film it has many flaws, Brody chief among them. But your criticism of outlandish and over the top stuff? It's about a 25 foot gorilla mate.
Jim Henson come back and save us from fashionably negative arseholes! -
I mean I know it bombed, but why does that matter? there is NO fucking reason a movie released in 2008 should not get a hi def home video release, fucking bullshit
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