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Harry's DVD Picks & Peeks - 2nd wk of 2010: Hurt Locker, Moon, Gambit, Moonwalker, 8 ½ & much more!
Hey folks, Harry here with the 2nd week of 2010’s DVD PICKS & PEEKS. Working to catch up from my little vacation – and this is the first really and truly great week of releases. There’s a lot of really good stuff here. As always the images and titles link over to AMAZON – and this week, there’s quite a few Amazon Exclusives from Universal’s vaults – which you should definitely take to considering. IF you happen to get the itch to purchase any of these titles through the Amazon links, this column will get a small portion of that purchase price which keeps it cranking along. Now excuse me, I have to continue writing. Here ya go…
THE HURT LOCKER
I loved this movie upon first viewing. But when I put on the Blu Ray – and watched the film for a second time, I realized… that there was a point where I completely check out of the film. When he goes off base at night to search for the missing kid – it all rang completely bullshit to me. There’s a good chance that this sort of thing happens often in Iraq, honestly – I’ve no idea of what it is really like for service men over there, but I don’t imagine there’s a lot of non-uniform wandering out at night through unsecured neighborhoods and areas of Iraq. That said – the tension, emotion and psychological tautness that this film unleashes is amongst the very best work of 2009. If you haven’t seen it, do so soon.
MOON
Easily one of my favorite films of 2009. Not only is this a smart work of science fiction. Not only does it have one of the great performances of 2009 in Sam Rockwell’s Sam Bell. But it was also mostly accomplished via old fashioned methods of visual effects which just make it look so friggin good. Especially on this BluRay! In addition to the film, you get Duncan Jones’ wonderful short film, WHISTLE, a pair of commentaries, a visual effects doc and two Q&As… one at a Science Center and the other at MOON’s SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL debut. All geeks must own this!
Michael Jackson - MOONWALKER
Region 1/NTSC… that’s right, it’ll work in your US systems – where you can enjoy the crazy awesome that is MOONWALKER. When will this hit Blu-Ray? I’ve no clue, but it can’t come soon enough. Till then, this is as good as it gets.
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THE SIMPSONS: The Complete Twentieth Season
No commentaries or anything special. Just the episodes from the season. FOX can do better, and has done better. Fuck this release.
IN THE LOOP
The Smartest Comedy of 2009 easily goes to IN THE LOOP, which has been described as a Political OFFICE, and that’s not a bad shorthand for what this film is. The film also has the best creative cursing I’ve seen in a film in quite a long time. Hysterical. If you love sharp British biting satire, it really doesn’t get much better than this.
FAME (worthless remake)
I recently got this – and the original (coming soon) on Blu Ray – and I have to say… The remake of FAME is depressing on many levels. For one, when you go back and revisit Alan Parker’s original film, you’ll notice that it seems like a real school, with real youngsters of varying amazing talents. Here… these kids just depress me. And the school? Doesn’t at all seem like a school for learning. I really disliked this.
HALLOWEEN II
I’ve always liked the original HALLOWEEN 2, even though it was… in no way… nearly as cool as Carpenter’s original classic. With Rob’s HALLOWEEN remake, he managed to make a film that at times really gave me hope, but then became boring as hell as it tried to puppet the original. The theatrical cut of this film is an improvement in a manner of speaking on his first remake. But the Extended Cut is actually worthy of contemplation. The first thing you have to do is completely give up on everything we know about Michael Myers and just let Rob take you. You still won’t find a great film or even necessarily a very good one, but it is a tolerable experience. Now you just have to weigh your investment to receive a tolerable experience.
DEPARTURES
Last year’s Best Foreign Film Oscar winner was this – an incredibly bittersweet film about death and those that profit from its cold grasp. Brilliant little film that is both sad & funny with 7 scoops of real sentimentality that makes you care about every moment, performance and story element. Great film.
8 ½ Criterion Blu Ray
I received this Blu-Ray shortly after watching the Weinstein’s NINE, which greatest claim to fame is that it made me deeply want to watch the original source material… Fellini’s great 8 ½. Here, Criterion has truly done a great job on the transfer. Beautiful. This is a film where one of the great masters of cinema, sat down and created a film that is all about the inadequacies of the creative process. The fears, doubts, joys and contemplative moments. Marcello Mastroianni’s Guido Anselmi is brilliant – and oddly, with NINE, I found myself actually wishing for a straight remake, rather than a musical, because the only interesting aspect of that film was Daniel Day Lewis’ take on Guido, which was very much worth checking out. It comes up short of Mastroianni’s, but really only because annoying musical numbers that didn’t really work, kept interrupting Daniel’s performance. Here’s what you get in this great edition:
High-definition digital transfer of restored film elements
Introduction by filmmaker Terry Gilliam
Audio commentary w/ Gideon Bachmann and NYU film professor Antonio Monda
"A Director's Notebook", a 52-minute film by Federico Fellini
"The Last Sequence", 52-minute documentary on an alternate ending for 8 1/2
"Nino Rota: Between Cinema and Concert", a compelling 48-minute documentary
Interviews with actress Sandra Milo, Lina Wertmuller & Vittorio Storaro
Rare photographs from Bachmann?s collection
Gallery of behind-the-scenes and production photos
U.S. theatrical trailer
New and improved English subtitle translation
PLUS: A booklet featuring writings by Fellini and essays by critics
THE BROTHERS BLOOM
One of my wife and mine’s favorite films we’ve seen since our four years together. A wonderfully story about a pair of con men/brothers. This isn’t a film set in the real world, it is a film that takes place in a created world, with characters that know they all have parts to play in the scheme of the day. The result is acting in a created reality that has been ever so delicately manipulated by Mark Ruffalo. The result is something that is so perfectly attuned to my sensibilities that it reminded me of some of my other favorite complicated scheme movies like TOPKAPI, GAMBIT (released this week) and THE STING. A great film that will grow with age.
CLIFFHANGER (Blu)
One of Renny Harlin’s best movies, though he still had no idea how to direct the villain side of the story. This was the movie that introduced my brain to DIGITAL WIRE REMOVAL – the shots of Stallone in impossibly dangerous settings were and always will look incredible, no where more so than on Blu Ray. This is a beautiful looking disc. You’ll probably love the Renny Harlin/Sylvester Stallone commentary – because… well, it is those two talking – which is quite something to witness. There’s deleted scenes, a Stallone making of doc, special effects and storyboards. So it’s not a lame disc. They did a good job on this.
LAST ACTION HERO (Blu)
Sadly, this is just the film. Honestly, I would have loved a modern day look back at what happened on this film. How the script lost everything that it was setting out to do, leaving a film that, while still handsome & entertaining, is actually missing everything that was cool about the original concept. It is just the film – so weigh that.
BIG FAN
If you don’t love Patton Oswalt, you can go choke on a giant crust-covered dildo. Seriously, Patton is awesome, and BIG FAN is an illustration in why he’s awesome. He’s fantastic in this film about a sports fan that has to deal everything he loves sort of shitting on him. This is a small tiny little film that will win you over. In many ways it is Patton’s very best work to date… other than when he landed in the top of that tree in MAGNOLIA.
HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW
A really fun 80’s slasher flick. Not painfully original, but rather good. I think it’s the revenge aspect that I dig about this… that or all the lovely scream queens that make up the Sorority. The extras are pretty solid, with a commentary, storyboard comparisons and more. Nice little disc.
ACTING SHAKESPEARE
Of all the actors that I’ve shared laughs and stories with, Ian McKellen is my very favorite. He’s the very definition of delightful, a soul that makes one happy to be alive. But at the same time, I’m such an Ian McKellen unapologetic geek. He’s one of those actors that I’d watch read a telephone book, so when I spotted this release… Of Sir Ian performing assorted great Shakespearean monologues… well, that’s just flat out porn. It is truly intellectual masturbation of my favorite level. He’s so fucking good. But even more than that, Ian comments on Shakespeare, the plays, roles and his relationship to them. This is bliss. My favorite thing of this particular week.
BILLY JACK (Blu)
I find it next to impossible to describe with any degree of accuracy the crazy joy that is BILLY JACK. It is awkwardly bizarre like some crazed SNL joke of a movie, that just happens to be pretty damn badass all at once. It is a ridiculously fun film – this disc is a beautiful transfer, accompanied by a pair of commentaries, a featurette and TV spots that are amazing too. Wasn’t Keanu working on a remake of this? What happened to that?
RESURRECTION
This is a wonderful movie for Ellen Burstyn and for a young Sam Shepard. After she dies, then miraculously returns to life, Ellen has the ability to heal people. Dan Petrie directed a helluva good film here. This is actually an Amazon Exclusive – and a damn fine one at that.
THE HOUSE OF SEVEN GABLES
Getting your Hawthorne rubbed out with the wonderous performances from Vincent Price and George Sanders… well, it is pretty much a wonderful telling of this classic piece of literature. I just love that George Sanders is the more evil brother, and the better brother is Vincent Price. ONLY IN HOLLYWOOD! Heh. Nice to finally be able to get this!
THE BLACK SHIELD OF FALWORTH
This is an Amazon exclusive of a really tremendously fun little flick. Now, there is a Blu Ray that exists here, but it’d cost you $57.98 – and there’s only one copy available. Now – why is it so cool to get this? First off, Tony Curtis is a Knight – and the holy fuck hot, Janet Leigh is his Lady. But by far the greatest reason is to add another Torin Thatcher performance to your DVD library. Who? Blasphemy! Torin Thatcher is the amazing evil sorceror from 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD!!! Here he plays the master of Knights. Great job. Universal’s first cinemascope film btw!
ONIMASA
Often referred to as the Japanese GODFATHER – ONIMASA is an incredibly great Yakuza film. It is a contemplative film, that holds its violence like a cocked fist waiting to be unleashed. Very much a melodrama, but an enthralling one. Wonderful film.
KITTEN WITH A WHIP
You either have clicked and purchased this instantly – or you’re probably pretty hopeless. This is prime time Ann-Margret at her hottest, youngest, yummiest va-va-voom teenage wiggily best! This is a CULT CLASSIC that purrs and snaps its way into any cult movie lover’s heart! Wait till you see what Ann has in store for John Forsythe. Wonderful fucking movie. LOVES IT!
GOLIATH
A very funny independent film, which won a lot of people over at SXSW last year. This comedy features a fella that loses everything in life he cherished, but nothing moreso than his cat Goliath, who he searchers for. If you’re one of those fucking freaks with cats instead of the infinitely superior canines… you’ll probably love this. Me, I just look at a man with a cat and shake my head. Is that really his substitute for pussy?
THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING WOMAN
One of my fave Joel Schumacher films – mainly because as an Altman fan, I came to love Lily Tomlin – and there are not nearly enough Movies that STAR and FEATURE the great and powerfully hilarious Lily Tomlin! However, this is one of them. And I love that silly monkey suit character! Really dated, but in a hilarious way. This too is an Amazon Exclusive.
GAMBIT
Hey there! How great is this movie? Well, it is hands down the best film ever shown by Quentin Tarantino at his QT FESTS. It is also so great, that the Coen Brothers flirted with remaking it. And – if you really want the best double feature off this particular PICKS & PEEKS – this and THE BROTHERS BLOOM will play beautifully together. Although, put this as the second film in that double, because no insult to Rian Johnson, but GAMBIT is 20,000 leagues better… but only because of how amazingly beautiful everything is in this film. It is a dream – and has one of the best narrative tricks that I’ve ever seen in a film. GREATNESS! An unappreciated jewel of cinema. DISCOVER IT and then SHARE IT with EVERYONE you know! Once again, you can only get this from Amazon!
DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY
Brad Pitt gave this film a whirl a while back, but try as he must, he couldn’t beat Fredric March on all cylinders. This film came out before the Production Code came out, so it is a bit racy – but mostly, this is just a great production from the height of Hollywood’s Golden Age. You’ll see Clarence from IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE. You’ll love this movie. There is simply no other option. And again, it is an Amazon Exclusive.
Well, that brings me caught up to this week’s offerings, which I’m working on. Here’s the titles: Season 5 of WEEDS, PANDORUM, THE INVENTION OF LYING, WHITEOUT, GAMER, MAGNOLIA (Blu), CHE Criterion Blu, SMOKIN ACE 2: ASSASSINS BALL, KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS, THE KEEPER, OUTRAGE, BLOOD CREEK, ACROSS THE HALL, RED CARTOONS: ANIMATED FILMS FROM EAST GERMANY, NUNSPLOITATION COLLECTION, PENTHOUSE, EVERYBODY SING, COMRADE X, ROSALIE, MAN FROM ATLANTIS Pilot, THE BRIBE, EARTH II and more!
Readers Talkback
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as in the john saxon/gene roddenberry tv movie?
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i'm blending genesis II and planet earth and this is something else altogether. nevermind. very much want to see moon.
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Jan. 21, 2010, 6:06 p.m. CST
Harry this site is your job. What do you need a vacation from it
by DOGSOUP
You already do what you love and you need a vacation from it? It's not like you shovel coal all day or wipe the shit off demented old people.
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was pretty awesome. Watched it once and then with my girlfriend again that same night. Was a cool 2nd viewer... when you have the perspective of knowing what really is happening.
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GAMBIT? Haven't even heard of this one, but man that's such a positive recommendation I might just have to take a chance on it...<p> Any talkbacker's out there seen it?
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The series that was released on DVD about 5 years ago?
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Looks really interesting. How informative is it? Would a writer have any use for it?
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and for the record, i own a cat...i own several
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that thing you said about cats made me lose any little respect i had for you harry, and you have the nerve to judge others calling them a "f'n freak, look in the mirror emo spideys bich
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I have to see that movie!
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JettL, you have to be careful owning several cats. They're essentially solitary creatures, lone hunters, and often times react badly to being 'room mates'. Can make them a bit mental.
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I recently saw the trailer for Moon and shit, if the movie is even slightly as good as the trailer I know I'll love it.
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They're either a food source or a menace. Do not trust felines!
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Couldn't wait for it to end. ZZZZZZ
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The comedic timing is superb. That one is a future purchase for sure.
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Patton Oswalt is great. However- the only character that I really liked throughout the movie was the lawyer brother. None of the other characters were redeemable. Bunch of sad sack jackasses.
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If only it were on Blu-Ray! I already have a cherished DVD copy recorded off TCM, but am grateful for this release nonetheless. And what a great week of releases! Three of the year's best films, and several other treasures.
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That's probably what would happen if somebody did what the dude does in The Hurt Locker. It's still a cool movie, I just don't see why everybody thinks it's the best movie of 2009. Inglourious Basterds and District 9 were way better.
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Because I love 2001.
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Soylentmean, 'Melmacians' - pls enlighten me?!
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Jan. 21, 2010, 6:34 p.m. CST
If you knew what we did over here...we wouldn't be doing our job
by Bandit 37
"but I don’t imagine there’s a lot of non-uniform wandering out at night through unsecured neighborhoods and areas of Iraq." I'm reading this on my net-book doing just that. There is a lot of down time out here between missions.
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Anybody know how good the quality is on those things?
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Great film. As far as first-time-director-makes-indie-sci-fi-films from '09 go, I liked this one best. I'm sending it back to Netflix (arrived without delay BTW) and going out to Best Buy and get a copy for myself. I like supporting great movies that way.
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Cats are literally a hundred times more intelligent, easy-going and easier to manage. Hey dog, why did you poop on my floor, vomit on the poop and then eat it? Oh, yeah, because you're a dog. The cat, however, is planning on taking over the fucking world.
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I think anyone who keeps a dog shacked up in an apartment or a backyard the size of a kitchen in cruel. That's why I own a cat. A big honkin' cat that all the chicks dig.
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ALF, or Gordon Schumay, was from Melmac where they rightfully hunted and ate cats
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information drones sending back info on our day to day lives
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...together completely at the end...or maybe it pulls together too completely, I'm not sure...<P>Anyway, really liked it, but it felt lacking at the end.
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There actually WAS a BILLY JACK SNL skit from its first season (?) starring none other than Paul Simon as "Billy Jack", spoofing the entire "flour child" scene where he takes out the racists that dumped flour on one of the hippie kids at the diner. Might even be on YouTube, and if so, it is DEFINITELY worth looking for.
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My first double-feature ever inside a cinema. Fucking love those movies.
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My cat Psycho follows me from room to room and insists on sitting next to or on me when I'm surfing the net or watching tv. Also the cats in my apt complex (of which there are many) tend to congregate in small groups that I suspect by their coloration are related to each other. Two cats will think nothing of sleeping together in a pile for warmth even if they later fight over scraps of food.
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HALLOWEEN 2 is a vile, repugnant, poorly-made piece of shit where every existing print (as well as Rob Zombie himself) should be sealed in a drum and dumped into the Atlantic.
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Brilliant film. I'm really tempted to purchase that Blu Criterion of 8 1/2... I imagine the best deal is through the actual Criterion website?
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There's a petition to get Sam Rockwell an Oscar nom/win. He deserves it. Patton Oswalt was the best thing about Big Fan. Movie was just o.k.
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I agree about that night scene in Hurt Locker. I've only seen the movie once, but that one scene took me out of the movie. Everything else in it is perfect though. As for Last Action Hero I think the movie is awesome. I have no idea what the original script was like, but you definitely have me intrigued to know more!
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I've got a job I love too. And I definitely need a vacation from it now and then. Even when you have your dream job and are enjoying yourself, it's still a job, something you have to do every day. It still tires you out and wears at you. You need sanity breaks. Especially when you've been doing it for a number of years.
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on talkbacks ten-thousand times, but does AICN get paid or compensated in any way by the BDA for constantly hyping and linking to Blu-Ray?
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Is amazing how much is lifted straight from this flick. I just had the opportunity to see it for the first time recently, and its absolutely brilliant. The opening scene from Falling Down is eerily similar to a scene here. The dancing scene in Pulp Fiction is a direct homage to 8 1/2. So much more I'm sure have been inspired by this film. Check it out!
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Dogs are obedient and give you affection. Cats are aloof and you have to keep a box of their shit inside your house.
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Dogs win.
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I want to see it, but I need to read other people's opinions so I can ignore them.
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but then, frank likes EVENT HORIZON, and will probably like PANDORUM. and frank likes cats. a friend had a dog that would eat the shit out of her cat's litterbox. frank doesn't hate dogs, but dogs have no class
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Own a cat. Works for me. Dogs are officially shite. Can't even clean their own arses. They have to get other gay dogs to do it for 'em. I'm hoping cats win in the forthcoming 'Cats and Dogs II' because the outcome of the first film was a travesty.
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James sneaks out of his camp and has trouble getting back in - he has to run for it back to the guards and lie about going to a whorehouse. Maybe that scene smelled of contrivance a bit, but it wasn't really just casual wandering around.
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Watch Gambit and see that it very much resembles Modesty Blaise. The comic strip and novels, NOT the videos. The similarities are strikin. Caper in an exotic local and time period and where everything goes wrong. Caine was the original model for Willie Garvins look and sound. and MacLaine, especially in the beginning bears some resemblance to Modesty when roleplaying. Its certainly closer than the "official" ones. Compare and decide for yourself
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the film is excellent, the original poster with his painted face is perfect. This cover makes it look like a fucking inspirational family comedy.
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No press screenings in Austin that I was made aware of.
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Is this the one where Tony Curtis says it?
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Already purchased, Harcourt! Thank you so much! I was not even aware of it's existence. Is there anything similar made by Branagh or Patrick Stewart? Also, Soylent, there was NO pre-screening of Legion. Makes me think it is a bomb. I also haven't seen Quaid or Bettany on any talkies this week promoting it, also not a good sign... although they might have been scheduled for Conan and got bumped for his big farewell!
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"Allright Miss fake eyelashes, off with the blouse". The best racist villans ever.
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that's awesome. lol but will it be the entire contents of that original VHS release or just the Moonwalker movie from the end? And yeah Fox obviously rushed out Simpsons to coincide with the anniversary. i'm sure they'll re-release it in the near future with the typical extras and commentary for every episode.
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Hey Harry. Don't know if you've seen this or not, but Ian McKellen posted this on his facebook page a while back. Some guy does an awesome impression of him doing the theme to ducktales. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqyD8E1QATs Not quite shakespeare but fun.
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Dude, watch Kurosawa's Ikiru. You won't believe how much shit every director from Lean to Hitchcock to Scorsese rip right out of that movie... even audio cues and soundups. Also check out The Bicycle Thief and Hitchcock's The Wrong Man for subjective camera stuff that's been copied ad nauseum. <p>Also, I had a feeling Big Fan had characters with no redeeming qualities... it looks great, but like most indies that go for the realistic 70's vibe, they always miss the humanity that always existed in characters like Joe Buck, Sonny from Dog Day Afternoon, and McMurphy in Cuckoo's Nest. (The Wrestler actually got it right). Also the hope that's always there in those movies. I wanna check it out but I also heard that it's confused if it wants to be a comedy or a drama or that it switches at a certain point... I don't know man, that's never good. <p>Also, I haven't seen The Incredible Shrinking Woman in about 25 years and I'm positive that it's one of those movies so of it's time that simply watching it will put me in a time machine and transform my reality back to my parent's kitchen circa 1983(?)watching it on tv. For that reason, I must see it again...
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Harry, what are the specs on the Amazon.com exclusive of Resurrection? I agree, this is a joyous film, but if it's just and old pan & scan transfer dumped onto a DVD-5, I'm not spending $15. I can always watch my VHS tape.
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I think I'll still end up seeing it. I'm in a giving mood (at least in terms of purchasing movie tickets, fuck you toothless hobo leprechauns)
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It's fuckin' awesome! I hope the movie is too.
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To laugh.
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people who only like dogs have no brain.
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Cats in the road=target practice with my car.<P> Dog in the road=<P> A. stop car<P> B. stop traffic<P> C. make sure dog gets to safety<P> D. back up over a sack of cats<P> E. drive forward over the sack of cats<P> F. back up again<P> G. pull forward and park car on the bag of cats<P> H. smoke a cigarette with the car parked on top of the bag of flat cats<P> and continue on my way...
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If you like 2001 for its deeply metaphorical and sociological subtexts, than I can tell you right away: Moon is not nearly as stimulating. If you like 2001 for its atmosphere and cinematography, you will find much to appreciate in Moon. The script plays like an amateur science fiction author's short story (think Kilgore Trout; a few clever ideas that are more effective in theory than application). From a technical level, though, the film is fantastic, with a totally engaging and mesmerizing performance by Rockwell. Duncan Jones still has a long way to go to being hailed as the next Kubrick.
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Like dogs.<p>Hate dog people.
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Both have plusses, both have minuses. I love both, probably equally, but I hate having to take care of pets. It's a draw. Billy Jack really is a pretty awful movie.
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Jan. 21, 2010, 9:53 p.m. CST
Cats are great for juggling. Also, they're great for holding fi
by SoylentMean
with their kerosene soaked fur.
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And making Kevin Spacey HAL (for the sake of argument) is pretty fuckin' canny. Great stuff.
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when I thought of it.
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The cats lose.
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holy cats!
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improved pavement surfacing.
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How's tricks? Love Ikiru, but on that theme, Rashomon is huge. The whole aspects of the truth/from a certain viewpoint thing has been done a million times, and it's strange to think of J.J. Abrams & Star Trek owing their lens flares to Kurosawa & Rashomon, but there you go. Of course neither NewTrek (tm & c) nor the great lensflare photoshop craze of the nineties used it anywhere near as well/in context as "The Emperor". <p> And... Kikuchiyo FTW!!
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I'm not saying that just to be contrary. It was sloppy, unrealistic, and the characters were one-dimensional. However, the action scenes were amazing.
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... Is the very definition of average. I don't get the American love affair with him.
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Somebody here is a Modesty Blaise fan? Wow. I corresponded with Peter O'Donnell for years. Met him while I was in London some twenty years back. Wonderful, funny, gentle man. Had to stop typing a few years back when arthritis caught up with him. What a wonderful script. Jeeze, I wish someone would make a decent movie. "My Name Is Modesty," God help me, comes closest. Sigh. Jason Statham would make a GREAT Willie Garvin, dammit.
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Don't know about that. The writer was embedded with a bomb squad in Iraq for some time. He may know something about it.
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Cats have staff.
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is like picking the retard kid for team sports before last because they'll feel included when, in reality, they're awful.
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BLOOD CREEK. suprisingly good. could have used a decent name, tho
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It's one tense scene after another and a fascinating look at the addictive madness of being in combat. The part where Sgt. James, ventures outside the military base at night didn't strike me as so far-fetched, not nearly as far-fetched as that scene in DISTRICT 9 where the two main guys bust into the military compound. Now, THAT was frakkin' ridiculous. But still, I liked DISTRICT 9.
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Harry, if you really want a treat get the full "Playing Shakespeare" set from the BBC. You get not only Ian, but an amazing group of RSC actors. The "Dueling Shylocks" segment between Patrick Stewart and David Suchet is fascinating, as is almost every other moment. Can't recommend it enough for fans of this sort of thing.
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loser, have fun picking up all the shit..oh yeh..like YOU ever do it..
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The movie is astonishing, we played it at FANTASTIC FEST a while back. Tremendous film, do not hesitate to pick it up. Bizarre beyond words.
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i keep a couple of korean children on leashes and they're fucking great. i've even trained them to harvest my crops on farmville while i'm masturbating to old stallone movies. you guys are missing out. look into some korean kids as pets. they'll knock your socks off. and then you can make them clean those socks.
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and would never want a dog...but, are you a jock/preppy/douche at heart, Harry? Because only such would make those comments. All of the most imaginative, geeky, artistic types through history have loved cats.
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not interested in korean kids. though i would like to have a couple of korean chicks. korean chicks are hot! agree with harry on hurt locker. the part where he leaves the base took me right out of the movie also. plus, and i could be totally wrong, but when ralph fienes bought it i thought the guys should have moved to a slightly different position when they took over the sniper rifle.
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Moon was great, respect opinions and that but quite shocked it was found 'boring' by someone. I saw Patton Oswalt do stand up and can only assume he's a better actor.....don't just wanna spout off but the performance I saw was woeful with boring, predictable comedy. If Americans want to be genuinely proud of a stand-up comedian who is a true original look no further than Doug Stanhope. Listen to him and then tell me Patton Oswalt is 'good'.
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I know most people have no tolerance for it either way, but I kind of liked it in the theatrical cut. Unfortunately the added 20 minutes is mostly to make you hate the characters. In the shorter version Laurie and Annie have kind of a sweet relationship as fellow survivors helping each other out. In the director's cut they are constantly screaming and crying at each other.<p> As for Moonwalker, is that really legit? Looks like a bootleg, but I want it anyway.
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And I still havn't seen hurt locker.i hated patton oswald's character.what a miserbale cunt.how lame do you have to be to take a vicious beating from a celebrity and not become set for life from that situation.Naw I think i'll go bsck to living in my mom's house working at a toll booth watching giants games in the parking lot on a small shitty tv.WHo The Fuck Does This???
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I'll always have soft spots for those films as they were among the first films I saw at the cinema after lying about my age to get in (they were rated 15 in the UK). Lithgow was pretty fucking good in Cliffhanger, he's always a reliable villain, even if it's in Santa Claus.
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wasn't this released previously as Feast a couple years back?
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It just seemed odd.
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I haven't read the original script, but something was lost in translation. If you know anything about military protocol, you'd know this movie is very Hollywood.
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Jan. 22, 2010, 5:51 a.m. CST
man that Last Action Hero cover is awful, just awful
by The_Crimson_King
what would've been wrong with the original poster? anyway I actually read the original Last Action Hero script once on this website and although it was better than the final movie it still wasn't great, for one thing there's a plot twist in it that doesn't make much sense
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they each have their pros and cons, although I currently only have two cats, I did have a dog once for a number of years until he died
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They watched that on MST3K, and that is the only way I would ever watch that movie again.
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If you don't want to actively care for an animal, get a cat. But my cat acts like a dog except it is much less affectionate. "Moon" was excellent. Not as startling as I think the director planned, but damn well done. Rockwell's performance is absolutely Oscar worthy. "The Brothers Bloom" does unravel a bit at the end but still one of the best movies of the year. Truly enjoyable.
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OK it goes it bit far some times but generally its fantastic. Don't understand the flak it get. I would like to see Harry do whole article on the film, explaining what his problems with it are and what was in the original script.
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I like to bite in and rib you sometimes just as much as everyone else does; it's all in good fun, and you never seem to lose your cool with any of it. <br> <br> However, two things popped up in this column that are pretty shameful. First, this sentence, possibly the worst sentence ever written in English: "One of my wife and mine’s favorite films we’ve seen since our four years together." <br> <br> What in the fucking fuck does that mean!?!?!? Holy Fuck, that's some fucking grammar that would embarrass a fucking six year-old. Jesus, Harry! <br> <br> Oh yeah, and one more thing you should be absolutely ashamed of, this statement: "and oddly, with NINE, I found myself actually wishing for a straight remake" Okay, now I understand that you were saying that you would prefer a straight up remake instead of the musical bore that was thrust upon the world recently. However, how the fuck could you ever say you wished that Hollywood would remake 8 1/2? Come on, bro!
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One of the best films of 2009. <br><br> And as a Patton fan, I'm pissed that BIG FAN never got to my town. (We couldn't get this or BLACK DYNAMITE, but TRANSYLMANIA managed to play in three theaters. Fuck.)
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Showed beyond a shadow of a doubt with pure scientific evidence that DOGS are better than cats!!<P> And who's gonna argue with the BBC and science??<P> (The BBC doc can be found on youtube)
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...much like their owners. Dogs are outdoorsy and friendly...much like their owners. I like all (or most) animals, but when it comes to owning them...dogs win...and they crap outside instead of inside...which is a plus. Although with modern technology, some of you cat-owners can let your cats use your toilet: <p> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3K6whhsTjA <p> You might catch your cat's worms, though, and you'll find his/her shit and piss in your toilet waiting for you...
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You don't have to walk them. They aren't needy for attention. They are independant and very intelligent. My cat would never let me dress her up in anything meanwhile a dog would just sit there and be made a fool of.
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Was thinking that Harry and the crew relate to him, unattractive, ugly,weak looking but famous
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and I resisted the obvious "pussy" jokes.
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Why is it that so many guys' macho threats and insults involve homosexual acts? Telling someone who doesn't like "Big Fan" that he or she can go "choke on a big, crust-covered dildo" just reeks of homophobia -- or maybe even repressed homosexuality. Also, the fact that you hate cats makes you a douche. (For the record, I love both cats and dogs equally.) The topper is your love of "The Brothers Bloom," which I found to be so goddamn smug and cloying I had to turn it off about 40-something minutes in. I know the fact that I didn't even watch the whole thing sort of disqualifies my opinion, but that movie was fucking terrible. What a waste of great acting talent.
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Jan. 22, 2010, 8:29 a.m. CST
Avatar favourite movie of 09, but Hurt Locker was brilliant
by Miyamoto_Musashi
Number 3 for me, if it wins the Oscar, would be happy with that and think its a very worthy winner, unlike Slumdog, Crash or Chicago
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and he is in Pog form!
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Possibly the most perfect slice of '80s in cinema.
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but definetely couldn't connect with it, didn't really care about the characters.
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Looks like if you going to want to own any catalog titles that haven't been put on DVD, you'll have to pray that Criterion gets a hold of them unless you're looking to pay 15-20 bucks for a featureless DVD-R that in all likelyhood will become defective in a few years.
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{g} C'mon, cats are like earning the love (or the friendship or at least the grudging respect) of a little dark elf or an imp or something. Why are there millions of Lolcatz photos on the net, and only two dog parallel sites? Because cats reek of awesome. And cuteness. And also they sometimes reek. {g} (But not as much as dogs.) That having been said, wolves or foxes would be okay. But even then: wolf here, panther here. Which is cooler? (hint, which one feels like it has to hunt in packs to accomplish anything?)
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to own that you think will never come to Blu-Ray, you better buy them up now on DVD. There's already quite a few films that just got realeased on DVD 5-10 years ago that are now out of print. If you're a film collector, you better get on it before you either forced into buying a DVD-R or digital download.
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Jan. 22, 2010, 9:02 a.m. CST
will people still have DVD/Blu-Ray collections in 15 years time?
by Miyamoto_Musashi
Or whatever the format is, or will people just download movies to their entertainment hard drive machine. <p> How many people are still buying CDs. <p> The only storage device I hope that hangs around for a while are books
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That's a good question, but the real question is that will these more obscure (of course what does the entertainment industry consider too obscure to go on Blu-Ray or digital download) be available. I'm just saying if you see a copy of one of your favorite 60's-80's films that doesn't have a huge following I'd scoop it up now before the only way you can see it is paying 125 bucks for a out of print DVD on Amazon.
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Sweet!!! Been wanting to see that movie for some time.
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You should see the chum I have'ta clean off the deck every morning.
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I love em all
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I have a high tolerance for blood and violence in horror movies, but Halloween II was just too violent (just because Zombie wanted to go over the top with the violence not that the violence really added anything to the entertainment value) and hillbilly for me. <br><br> Why is everyone in Zombie's universe white trash? Still don't get it. The only legitimate businesses in his universe are strip clubs. Everyone lives in squaler that look like one step removed from no electricity or running water.<br><br> I wisely avoided this movie in the theaters. Watched it at a friend's house on BluRay and nearly shut it off.
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Clancy Brown played John Danziger
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Movie just didn't hold up on second viewing. <P> Plus I don't think Renner does anything special in the movie. If you think he does, you just haven't seen enough Renner. He plays the same messed up best at what he does doesn't follow the rules guy in everything. Mackie was much better.
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Jan. 22, 2010, 10 a.m. CST
Dogs are for people desperate to be loved by something, ANYTHING
by Stegman84
Cats are for people who are actually comfortable with who they are, and don't need constant unconditional affirmation to feel good about themselves. In film terms, Cats are Near Dark, while Dogs are fucking Twilight. I'll take independant badass cats over doe eyed emo dogs any day.
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I'm just taking the piss in response to Harry's idiotic anti-cat comment. Whether you are a dog person of a cat person, it's all just personal choice, based on your own personality and what better fits your lifestyle, and all that matters is that you remember that pets aren't a fashion accessory or a toy, and that you treat them well, and thus any affection you get from them will be earnt and genuine. Oh, and people who even joke about hurting or killing animals (any animals) are the scum of the fucking earth.
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I think more and more people are seeing upon second viewing that theres not a great deal there, it seems to come up a bit short. I felt like it was a psychological profile without the psychology.
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I've got 2 dogs and 2 cats...what does that make me? <P> Daybreakers?
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Please say I'm Daybreakers, because I fucking loved that movie. So I'm totally down for it.
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http://pitbullextreme.com/pit-bull-pictures/pit-bull-attacks-porcupine/
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And it is currently on Netflix Instant Watch. Check it out. And be aware, it is NOT a comedy at all! Patton Oswalt give and outstanding performance
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I just don't understand the love for this. I looked forward to this for months and when it was over I just thought "that's it"? Sam Rockwell was great and technically the movie was solid, but the execution was just, well dull. I love 2001, really like most of Sunshine and was just blown away by Ink, but I don't understand the overwhelming love for this...anyone?
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http://tinyurl.com/ah65
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I'm with you brother. I rented/watched Moon and The Hurt Locker on the same evening, expecting to be blown away. And afterward I thought, well, those were two well done films....not much more than that. Granted they were better and more ambitious than 98% of what Hollywood commly produces...
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I guarantee that most of you who try to define "cat people are this" or "dog people are that" with such conviction have NEVER owned both. Wonderful how you can sum up, in one sentence, what a cat or dog owner is. What insight you must have. My wife and I have 2 dogs and 3 cats, define us! Pretty please?!<P>
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I thought that Moon was pretty fantastic, myself. I found it intriguing, and even moving.
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That and NBT:Never Been Thawed. Those are movies pretty much about us. <P> Also if anyones every said that you are too obsessive over something, make them watch Big Fan.
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Surprise that in doing reserch for his role in Big Fan, Patton studied us.
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Mass hysteria!
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since hes a fat fuck and now (LOL) has diabetes which thankfully has shortened his pathetic life - his mexican looking fat load of a wife can drop dead too.
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who everyone laughs at - how does you wife like pushing your ugly ass around in a wheelchair? LOVE the neck beard dude - really handsome.
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Sure, your wife has shitty taste in men.<p>Douchebags like Harry need to be called out, as well as sanctimonious asshats like you.
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Your pathetic you fat fuck - love that your Mother "died in a fire" - its as much of a joke as your ugly fat ass.
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Jan. 22, 2010, 12:16 p.m. CST
Harry Knowles smells like piss and ass and at test screenings...
by thecomedian666
....he pisses in his seat since hes a cripple (owing to the fact that hes a fat lazy load of shit) - he smells so bad that people have to actually move away from him. Can you IMAGINE what being close to his body must be like? Keep smiling "Yoko" - keep smiling......
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the truth is that the only human stupid enough to actually fuck him is (maybe) his mexican wife "Yoko" - hence why he kept on harping the fact that he had a "girlfriend" before she married his ugly fat ass. pathetic
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Consider it bought!
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Have you seen it?
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And would watch it again only if I was listening to a Director's commentary, or some of the actors, something to give a greater context, to make it more interesting . . . as it is, if it's just the movie, why even bother?
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"Vengeance is... mine?" -MUSHROOM CLOUD-
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Even folks who have gotten it. That being said, I hope Harry smacks thecomedian666 down. Dude, you're a guest here. Have some f**kin manners.
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Harry? You said "gorilla suit guy" when referring to this film? How could you NOT know that that was none other than Rick Baker in that suit? That's right, mother-f*cking RICK BAKER. Dude.
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What a horrible human being.
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Here in my flat I´m living with two cat´s. I love both of them, and this fact alone makes me a gay pussy. A pussy who once did beat another guy so hard in his face that he lost two teeth. But still, whatever, I am a catloving pussy with no respect for Michael Bay and other people who want to insult me.
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A sheep is a man's substitute for pussy. Duh!
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You bet. Both parts. Great movie.
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go ahead and ban me you pathetic fat fuck - your such a sad sack of shit - I laugh at you
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Hahaha yeah dude, you are totally gay. Only queers fight any more, haven't you ever seen UFC?
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I haven´t seen it because I´m living in germany. Everyone in germany is gay. Even Roland Emmerich.
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You do it in one sitting?
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Yeah that's true. <P> http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/real-estate/roland-emmerichs-london-home-with-an-edgethe-new-york-times-8708-058924
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and grow a soul.
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What the fuck not on Netflix?
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Jan. 22, 2010, 12:52 p.m. CST
Harry Knowles has not been able to see his 3 inch dick
by thecomedian666
in years - his wedding pictures are so ridiculous they boggle the mind - anyone notice how he looks like the kid in "mask"?
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HAHAHAHHAHAHA ugly fat smelly piece of shit
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The Incredible Shrinking Woman (Amazon.com Exclusive) ~
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Interesting link. Roland Emmerich seems to love Princess Diana. This explains his weak spot for cheesy stuff in all of his movies.
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No, i saw the parts in different settings, as they were released for rental. Sadly, to my shame, i didn't get to see the movie in the theater. It must had looked glorious on the big screen.
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... who must thnk he's so clever and deep because he believes in enviromentalism. And then he makes his dumb stupid sanctimonous action movies. The fucker is deranged!
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And don't forget, this flick has one of the classic line deliveries of all time. Tony Curtis declares, "Yonda lies da castle of my fadda."
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After 10,000 BC, I'm not sure he thinks much at all.
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It´s true, Emmerich is deranged. But he´s still Stanley Kubrick in comparison to Michael Bay. Speaking of Kubrick: He was very fond of his cats, as was Ernest Hemingway. If Harry believes his thoughts about men who own cats are logical, then he says too, in other words: Kubrick and Hemingway were pussies. And this seems to prove: Harry is gay, too, in his own way of wishful thinking.
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I just caught it on Blu and the the scene where the guy goes off the reservation was some serious horse manure. Other than that a pretty good film.
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I LOVEd it. The ending was fucking PERFECT. And the guy who played the Eagles fan (blanking on the name) was so fucking awesome.
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I've liked this guy when I first saw him on Grounded For Life, then recently discovered his big streak of indie films...
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All people ever say is "that film sucked". Why did it suck? I have always found the film very clever. Very much an underappreciated film.
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Michael Rappaport!! AND DON'T YOU FUCKING FORGET IT! HE made Toledo, Ohio! <P> Also he made a really cool Indie Superhero movie last year called Special. Worth the ole looky loo.
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I didn't give a fuck whether they got blowed up or not. Some skilled directing of the tension but no connection with the characters. I care about the soldiers in Iraq but not the ones in this movie.
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Jan. 22, 2010, 2:43 p.m. CST
Obesity to the extent that it hampers movement = epic FAIL.
by juice willis
I realize it's off topic, but I just looked outside my office window and saw a morbidly obese woman in an electric wheelchair rolling by drinking a ridiculously huge Big Gulp. Sad, pathetic human.
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see: A Boy and his Dog! true story.
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Absurd dead cat jokes = hilarious and I have no idea why. For the record I like dogs and cats... though both are best when they're owned by someone other than me. They're cool but I have no time to take care of them, being the self involved asshole that I am :)
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Got a 3rd degree seperated shoulder, so I've been laid up watching movies. Here's my reviews: Star Trek - no desire to see it, made it that much better, a fun movie District 9 - raunchy, dirty little movie, but good, damned good movie. Moon - left me kinda cold, but after a few days realized, that I will glady take an intelligent (ethics & morals disguised by sci-fi) well made movie over TF2 crap anyday. 9 - a little too scary for today's kids?, still it was well made. The Hurt Locker - also left me kinda cold. It was tense throughout, still haven't made up my mind about it. Coming up: Blindness & Benjamin Butthole As far as Cat vs. Dogs, Siegfried & Roy had Lions & Tigers and they were still gay ;)
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You wouldn't like me when I'm angry. Seriously, lay off Harry, all you rude jerks who come on here for entertainment but take cheap shots at Head Geek. He's a very happy dude with a life most of us would love to lead and a wife too good for most of you. You can choose to do one of two things: Make the world a better place or make the world a worse place. Let's try, when possible, to take the high road even though it's a harder road to take. On the subject of pets, I had a wonderfully loving cat for 19 years and now own two loving but spoiled dogs. They're all great and they all adapt to those that care for them.
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I read ya.
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I thibnk that with 2012, emmerich mannaged to make an even dumber movie then a Michael bay movie. An achievement i thought was humanly impossible. My mind still boggles.
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My wife and I owned a cat for several years when our daughter was born. Within months the cat would spray in the babies room. Cat piss smell is almost impossible to get out.
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Transformers can't touch the greatness that is 2012. Bay wish's he was that good.
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...I think Harry was trying to approximate something Patton Oswalt would say. In which case, it's 100% accurate. And I don't care what sexual preference you are: getting a dildo forced in you is going to hurt.
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That's just freakin gross dude. Have you asked your dog if he likes getting banged by you? Fido got fingered?<p>I've had cats and dogs and never once considered them a replacement for actual real pussy. Seriously dude...what the fuck?
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Funny, loads of crazy action, and when your 12 (as i was when i first saw it) a real wish forefilment movie.
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Any word if the Wolfman Legacy edition will have any new material on the DVD other than cool box art?
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That's lame. One of my favorite parts of the previous sets was listening to the commentaries. Hope this doesn't mean season 13 on will be going the same route :(
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I saw "House on Sorority Row" at Dobie in Austin at Quentin Tarrentino's "butt-numb-athon", back in the day, and I think it was his film print of it too! And he was sitting right there watching em all with Mira Sorvino next to him for some of it. Kind makes up for how I don't fit into the AintItCool crowd despite knowing who Rick Baker was in 1976 when I was in 3rd grade. Also "Resurrection" is one of my ALL TIME secret favorite films, and a very, very seemingly feminine mystical film in a art from dominated by male perspectives (even form female directors) and stories.
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An o.k. movie. Decent performances. Overall a very average movie.
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that image is hillarious and pathetic all at the same time
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seriously this site sometimes is like an episode of the Twilight Zone
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Jan. 22, 2010, 6:27 p.m. CST
Yeah MOON had great effects. He was walking on the Moon
by Orionsangels
You can't really walking on the Moon. You have to hop around. You can see that in the Nasa Moon landing clips. The makers should have studied that. But no, it looks like every other sci-fi movie that shows the moon. You can just walk around. Science my ass! That ruined it for me. It took me right out of the movie. Before it came out, I thought, finally. A realistic movie about being on the Moon. Nope, same shit.
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But that doesn't mean I didn't like it. It's just not as great as I thought it was going to be. It does have great characters, but a small story. Somewhat lacking. I don't even think it deserves all the award nominations it's getting.
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... I actually thought I might actually die laughing there for a sec. "Sack of flat cats" = easily the funniest post I've read on AICN in the last 5 years.
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An old-school sci-fi drama with a heartbreaking, Oscar-worthy performance from Sam Rockwell and a killer soundtrack by Clint Mansell. "Halloween 2," on the other hand, would have been my least favorite film if "My Bloody Valentine 3D" hadn't given me a migraine. Of course now they're doing a 3D Halloween film without Zombie, which I'm sure will be great (watch out where you point that KNIFE! STAB! STAB!).
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... love dogs. And what's up with you judgemental teenagers slagging off on unfortunate/self destructive fat people? It only shows that you understand nothing and care even less. Are you really as rotten at being a human being as you sound? Jeeezus. You also shall grow old and die motherfuckers. And I hope the tweenie jagoffs around when you do get old, and wrinkled, and fat, and bald, show you as much compassion as you've shown in this TB.
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in my opinion the "universe" Zombie is creating isn't stale at all. It is completely unique. That is rare nowadays. The violence in his movies serve a purpose, it isn't "fun" violence, which is why these movies strike such a chord in people. Zombie is getting to operate in a really fascinating space within the system. What he is doing, works.
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my vote is for BOTH cats and dogs they are good companions for humans who like them. also Harry bless you for putting up with the trolls leaving the comments up is pretty ballsy and unnecessary keep up the good work
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I yield to what I assume is expertise on your part concerning military protocol. Can you please tell me the specific incidents that screamed "bullshit" to you?
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To know that most hetero guys have a horror of being screwed in the ass. It's a dominance thing. Most guys want to imagine themselves as Alphas. Few things more beta than getting raped, I'd figure. I like gay folks just fine, but getting cornholed forcibly is my idea of a seriously bad time.
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Hahahahaha you think Harry reads comments past the first five minutes of a thread being put up still. Thats cute.
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touche
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Jan. 23, 2010, 2:16 a.m. CST
re: LOST, flight 815 crash in REAL TIME, done in 24 style!
by BillboeFett
Damon Lindelof tweeted this from youtube, the editing is fucking brilliant: </BR> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =MKcKtjrL5bc </BR> or http://bit.ly/qlgxY
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =4XBtWYBPTns </BR> or http://bit.ly/m0wXT
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this is my 15 year in the Army and for most of my career I have been slightly angry/reality of movie yanked out form under me when watching movies of military content usually from some uniform screw up (not wearing proper rank, patches on wrong side) till I learned from some film production buddies the truth; they are not allowed to accurately depict a US military uniform, there must always a small error on it to differentiate from REAL military unless that person is a real soldier (has to do with regulations and the fact impersonating an active member of the military is illegal ect) but some movies hide the difference well, Hurt locker is an excellent example of this, Velcro name tapes switched to the left (not how it goes on people) no American flag subdued or otherwise on right shoulder, ect, but so small a difference that I tip my hat to them for at least sticking real close as they can to a proper uniform (hey its the little things) so fellow military men and women, give the film industry a little leeway since they are complying with Gov demands (so now you know why the Army chicks uniform was royally F'ed up from Aliens vs Predators Requiem )
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FINALLY available on digital home video (even if it is produced on demand by Amazon). Yes I just ordered at once and I clicked through AICN to Amazon and completed purchase. Crazy comedy/Sci-Fi flick with catchy product jingles that has a consumption/corporate scheming/ environmental message featuring a few suspenseful moments (the garbage disposal and lab sequences come to mind). For whatever reason, this movie has a kind of 1981-era melancholy time-capsule mood to it, despite an unusual pastel "misted lens" appearance. Some nifty special effects also. Kids and adults alike might sing along to "Little Bar of Soap", "Galaxy Glue", etc.
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Jesus, what a stupid movie.
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"The List of Adrian Messenger" directed by John Huston, starring Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Robert Mitchum, Burt Lancaster, and Frank Sinatra - all in disguise! Great score, too! Check it out!
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They're the guardians of the underworld. And 'substitute for pussy'? Something pretty horrific would happen to you if you stuck your dick in one.
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Cuz whenever a chick comes over, my cat hides under my bed, thus drawing chicks immediately to the bed. Eventually they give up trying to get the cat out from under the bed and settle for me.
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The lack of moon hopping took you out of one of the top 3 movies of the year? That's a new level of pretentiousness that I've yet to encounter until today. Especially considering that when he was on the surface (there is a clear shot in the 3rd act), Sam is most definitely hopping back to his rover. So overall, your post just fails on every level. Maybe you should watch it again, or go jerk off to 2001...
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Let me get this straight...a disgusting looking fat slob who runs a freaking fanboy website actually shakes his head at a man with a cat and calls it a "substitute for pussy?" That is freaking FUNNY stuff, a guy who obviously has had NO quality pussy in his entire life talking shit like that.
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Had to hit up the red box for a few of these, and caught a few more on NetFlix streaming. "The Hurt Locker" was an extremely taut, suspenseful action piece with great performances--especially from Renner, who I've liked since "Neo Ned." I don't quite think it is "The Platoon of the Iraqi war," like Cameron proclaimed, but its a damn good movie. I wouldn't be upset if it won Best Picture, although that would cement it being a down year for typical Oscar fare. "Moon" was quite enjoyable, although my experience may have suffered a tiny bit from the incongruous amounts of hype i'd heard heading into it. I still enjoyed it a lot as a kind of alternative take on the "2001" material. actually, my only regret is hearing that Duncan Jones plans to make this a trilogy: he showed such an impressive command from a directorial debut, and his background in FX really shined through, so I was eager to see him attack a NEW project. but I guess a sequel to "Moon" definitely isn't the worst thing that could happen. I caught "Big Fan" on Netflix streaming and was pretty impressed by Patton Oswalt, and enjoyed it aesthetically especially after reading Beaks's interview with Oswalt last year. definitely had that 70's-factory-worker type of vibe. it is hard for me to enjoy sports movie, because as much as I am a film nerd, my life has been dedicated to sports and especially football(i'm a sports writer by profession), so any time a film doesn't induce eye-rolling from me for the way it handles the sport, i'm happy. but I'm a die hard(and i mean DIE... HARD) philadelphia eagles fan, so I loathe the Giants with every single fucking fiber of my being. couldn't help but enjoy watching Patton get gang-beaten by an all-too-Plaxico-like archetype. wish they would've cast a native Philadelphian as "Philadelphia Phil" though... not too sure anyone buys Rappaport as being from south philly.
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Oh well...
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Not that i've ever made a dog wet but you know what i mean.
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Jan. 23, 2010, 10:19 p.m. CST
ATTN : HAARRY I got a MAD MAX scoop for ya
by BEYONDTHUNDERDOME2GIRLS1CUPBILLCOSBY
speaking of Hurt Locker, check out this pick of MEL GIBSON aka ORIGINAL MAD MAX passing the torch of the series and charactor to none other than Mad Max hopeful and star of Senior Trip ERERMY RENNER http://tinyurl.com/y9qba5w http://www.life.com/image/96031936
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what would we do without galaxy glue?
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...but some comments up top made me search Wikipedia's entry on Harry. <br><br> 'In 1994, Knowles fell while pushing a cart up a ramp at a convention, and was subsequently run over by the cart with its 1200 pound load of memorabilia.' <br><br> If true...Number one, I did not know this. Number two...Is this irony in its purest form or a brilliant metaphor?
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For whatever reason, I couldn't sleep. So, being the James Cameron fan I am, I started reading THE FUTURIST. Unfortunately, it didn't help me sleep, only churning my brain's cogwheels toward the future of cinema. <P>Based on what I've witnessed in AVATAR and DISTRICT 9, based on my understanding of how such effects are achieved,I am intoxicated with thoughts of where motion picture technology is taking us. <P>Imagine what may be possible by 2020. Is it so hard to imagine that...instead of seeing the blue people of Pandora, we may be witnessing screen legends being brought back to life? <P>What if AVATAR was a cowboy western...and the threat was from an advancing railroad? What if ALL the characters were cgi (computer generated imagery)...and the stars were Clint Eastwood and John Wayne, impersonated and computer realized? <P>I can easily imagine an OUTLAW JOSEY WALES referenced Clint Eastwood,...just as I can imagine John Wayne being inspired by AVATAR's Stephen Lang, via technology and talented impersonators. <P>In considering such a potential future, would it be so outlandish for Warner Bros. to offer Clint Eastwood an obscene amount of money for his likeness, to become as much a property as BATMAN??? Considering that the iconic Clint Eastwood is still alive and well, I find such an idea to be.....smart. (To own John Wayne's likeness would be another matter, entirely.) <P>And yes, a Clint Eastwood/John Wayne western is a movie I would pay to see.
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I think that sort of thing could work in films with a certain tone...in other words...a tone that isn't taken too seriously. But it would still be similar to watching a videogame, or an animated film, no matter how realistic, because once you start trying to replace iconic actors with impersonations...what you're left with is something inferior to the real thing. But it could work if you wanted to do like the ultimate Expendables type film with a young Arnie, Stallone, Clint, Bruce Lee, etc....all teamed up for an action film. But it would still be an over-the-top video game type animated film. <p> Or a film noir starring Marilyn Monroe and Bogart...but again, it would be like watching impersonators...I'd rather see new actors and new stories...but given how Hollywood recycles everything...I wouldn't be surprised if what you suggested became a reality.
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Jan. 24, 2010, 6:40 a.m. CST
What's funnier than nailing a cat to a fence??????
by NomoredirtyjokespleaseweareYanks
Ripping it off.
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Jan. 24, 2010, 6:41 a.m. CST
Whats funnier than a skinned cat in a sack of salt??????
by NomoredirtyjokespleaseweareYanks
Nuthin.
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I agree with you...in that the odds will overwhelmingly favor something short of reality. <P>However, when the technology is here, the possibility remains...and the results will largely rest on the shoulders of impersonators.
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.....your Expendables-like idea is interesting. Could you imagine Pixar making such a flick, interpreting such screen legends as a team? <P>Such an idea already has my money.
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Nobody else on the scene comes close.
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Even then, my cat would kick the shit out a dog. Angriest animal I've ever encountered. I'm the only person she tolerates, it's kinda funny.
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Patton Oswalt! McKellen! A movie called Goliath with a cat on it! This is going to be a good f'ing week!
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you don't really seem to get how this stuff really works. I know it's all very exciting, but your post seems like one of those people who actually think computers DO the work. They don't, people still do all the important stuff, and it's just a different kind of pencil. Sorry, maybe that's just the way I'm reading your comments? Sure CG and computers have opened things right up so that lazy screenwriters no longer have the crutch of "we can't do that"/can't realise ideas. But there is no magical dinosaur button like so many seem to think. Yes there are certain things that are more 'automatic' that computers/technology can do, like physics simulations and secondary motion, but the main stuff is done by people. Scientist type people who write the code to do the automatic/maths/science type stuff and give controls to the other guys. The actors who perform through the digital puppets, called animators. If things were done BY the computers then film credits for the effects studios wouldn't go on for ten minutes like they do. It's outrageous how even people who are interested think it's some arcane thing. Those hundreds of people toiling away on sometimes a single shot for months on end end up costing around the same as one top-tier actor so that's why the economics still work out. <p> The "bring back the old stars" is an old old idea, and I vaguely remember CG demos from the early eighties. They were laughable/disturbing of course (I think I have one on an animation festival Laserdisc somewhere), but even then the press was running brave new world stories about yes, Marylin and Bogart. Now the thing here is, while creating new worlds is something that was never achievable with anywhere near the complexity before, the thing of resurrecting actors is redundant and will never (note I said never) be as effective as having the two original actors there in the first place. First up, even if the digital sculptors, texture artists, riggers and so on make a completely convincing digital replica of the actor, it will be animated to a degree and therefore fail to have the spontaneity of the original performance. This is a problem inherent with both 2d and 3d animation. By the very process, 20 or 40 actors (the artists & animators) working together to all ape ONE actor's mannerisms and body language can never have the same consistency of one actor. Yes, there are a lot of tech-nerds in these jobs, and inevitably while they maybe great at the mechanical stuff, inevitably traditional artists and the director need to show these types how to get a PERFORMANCE. I worked on something where I was blinking in disbelief at how these people didn't even 'get' the basics of thinking about the IMPORTANT stuff like characterisation, how to get a performance and STORY. We won an oscar in the end but God almighty what an uphill struggle! <p> Even if you magically get rid of all animation and go for 'pure' motion capture you're still often faced with one actor impersonating the movement and another impersonating the voice. Have you ever seen anyone impersonate an actor so well you can't tell it's not the original? Well, now imagine it's two people with one driving the voice and the other driving the body performance. It starts to become a bit like the two guys in the horse costume. No matter how good they are, getting a REAL horse is more convincing. <p> Even if the SAME person does both as in stuff like Avatar but remembering we're talking about re-animating (ha!) dead actors, you still only get an impersonator in an incredible digital suit/face, and if that makeup IS actually perfect, the irony is you won't notice it - you'll just be concentrating on the performance. Which will be wanting as the cg-clothed actor (in the case of motion capture) must balance impersonating the original AND trying to give a NEW performance as the actor through THEIR character. Sorta like a bizarre film within a film. And if it's hard enough for an actor to create a convincing character in the first place, SQUARE that difficulty by playing a person within a person! Imagine someone playing Brad Pitt playing Benjamin Button (picked for obvious digital irony)! You'd go mad! <p> A lot of this stuff at the moment is just digital makeup. The new cg Marilyn may LOOK great, but the actors or impersonators creating nuMarilyn's stuff cannot match what the original might have done with a NEW story. Also, the Avatar/Western railroad thing doesn't work as an analogy. The Pochahontas thing is better. Anyway I agree with Wordage. It's just novelty. While it's fun to imagine, the reality would be inherently lame and the performances of these classic actors together couldn't HELP but be their worst as it's not even actually them! The "walks like a duck" thing does NOT hold true here! <p> And Zemeckis is already doing this sort of thing you're talking about, and it's just horrible. There's no "when the technology is there". There will never be a bunch of code that will have such great A.I. (because I think that is the sort of magical techy stuff you must be getting at with such a nebulous statement) that you'll prefer it to the original. <p> As for Cameron (don't get me wrong I'm a Cameron fan), I thought it was funny that he overcame a lot of the hand-tweaking done by animators to nail the mass of a character (you can't capture a super heavy or light movement through mocap - people weigh what they weigh, which is why so much work was done on Kong) by having the gravity lighter so that what would ordinarily be a 300 odd pound 9 foot tall creature come back to a regular human sort of weight and therefore less tweaking to the mocap! Very clever and a logical way to tie in to everything being bigger and more impressive. <p> But back to the point, it's bad enough we have endless remakes of films/stories, don't ask to remake the people too! <p> Ironically enough I'm just about to start work on a tv commercial that DOES incorporate huge stars of yesteryear incorporated with those of today. And I'm gonna have to use every trick in the book! At least we won't have to worry too much about performances in a 30 or 60 second spot...
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it will happen eventually
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A day will come when a person can put on a motion capture suit and be represented on screen as an entirely different person, via a computer generated body. <P>The likeness of it being someone famous, living or dead, is a legal matter. <P>The quality of an actor's performance is a matter of talent and training.
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...an impersonator will have to be great to pass for the original actor, even if he/she looks like him/her, even while considering voice and movement.
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Serious fucking film-geek heaven. Someone had to say it. Can't wait to see it on Blu - if it works here in the UK.
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And thankfully those girls' money is still much bigger than the TB nerds who would pay 10 times as much to see their favourite moments in time repeated ad infinitum (and then reserve the right to bitch about it)... stop pointing that "finger of doom" at me, Harrison!
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...or how about future STAR WARS with cast from the original trilogy? <P>Such events may not happen often (in the future), but it will happen to some degree, eventually. <P>Furthermore, if the elements came together rather quickly, we could be seeing Eastwood and Wayne within 5 years.
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JDaniel, this is becoming like the old Blu-ray argument we had. You sort of acknowledge, but then continue on like nothing was said. I guess it's your prerogative if you're into the idea though. All I can do is give you the million informed reasons why it would suck. You know that TVC I talked about? It DOES have Marilyn in it! <p> And besides, Lucas already used digital technology to fuck up Star Wars WITH the original cast! Talk about inviting future disaster! WHY?!
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Having read both sides of the spectrum on this flick, I was less than excited going in watching this. All I can say is that it was frigging awesome. Made my weekend and Rockwell deserves all the accolades he gets from this. Period.
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They're hit or miss, just like dogs. When you get a good one it's like finding a great friend. I grew up with dogs, hated cats. Now I have 4 cats, 2 dogs and the one cat I've had the longest is beyond any pet I've ever had. Any of you cat haters wanna come take a shot at her, good luck. She'll shred ya.
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The average male cat owner will get 8000% more pussy than Harry ever will.
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Thats all i hate asshole who hate cats - you would never get pussy if u didn't own this site looser
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Jan. 26, 2010, 2:22 p.m. CST
Like him or not, Patton Oswalt is fantastic in Big Fan.
by BanditDarville
I thought the movie was great, not perfect but a good piece of work. A couple of things in it are absolutely nailed in the realism department. Anyone who listens to sports talk radio regularly can think of an example of the fan that has no life and constantly calls the same show; having written out and rehearsed their material. Oh, and Quantrell Bishop might be one of the best character names EVER.
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Sigh.
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I don't even know what gor blimey means but it has to mean something. What the fuck Harry?
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I know I'm pretty late with this (thank f**k Harry hasn't put his ass in gear and given us a new column!!) but - having seem some of the comments on 'Moon' - I can't help pitching in. First, how the hell has Sam Rockwell not been nominated for any of the big 'best actor' prizes!?! He played two very different versions of the same character with only himself to interact with for other an hour and - other than when we were not supposed to see the difference - not once did it seem like he the same person. Jesus, I pretty much forgot it was a special effect when he was on screen with himself: great as it was, THAT never happened in Avatar!! Second, where're the production awards? Talkbackers on this site say that such and such a part of the movie was pretty ordinary or that they weren't blown away, but they seem to be forgetting that this film was being made for little more than the loose change that drops into the cracks in their couch! Whoever is dating Paris Hilton this week will struggle to make tomorrow night's porno on so little money, so where's the credit for what those guys pulled off? Yes, Avatar is a much more exhilerating and - if we're honest - entertaining film, but shit, it had $200,000,000+ thrown at it; it deserves to be! Moon made us sit up and take notice for next to nothing (unlike the Peter Jackson-backed District 9 - indie my ass!) and, while not an all-time classic, it's a great entry in a pretty poor year.
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My roomate has 2 cats...one just puked yesterday..the other started eating it. What were you saying about cats?<p> Most of them smell like spit from licking themselves all day.
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Would never happen. <p> Cat's win.
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...by the same token...no girl is gonna get the hots for Cat Man. Not gonna happen.
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Cor Blimey is an English slang phrase.<p> It derives from 'God blind me'.
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I couldn't agree more. He is playing a character here and it couldn't be further removed from his standup act or his own personality for that matter. Not watching this movie because you don't like Oswalt's standup routine would be like not watching a Tom Cruise movie because you didn't like his embarrassing appearance on Oprah.
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Nor Dogman.<p>Sorry Word, you fail.
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Just don't really do it God!
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this is what makes worthwhile.<p> why someone is discussing a john wayne/clint eastwood digital western about a "runaway" train is beyond me.
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Men are all dogs. Ask any woman.
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I did, they say pigs.<p>I'm sure an argument can be made for Twilighty wolfmen. But then I'm partial to milfy cougars.
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You know... a weekly column is usually written - I dunno - once a week maybe?...
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Um, that may say more about your weight...women generally say men are dogs. You're either lying if you say you haven't heard that, or you're a very portly fellow.
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Ah, repetition and personal attacks. Last refuge of a bankrupt mind.<p>Clearly a dog owner.
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So I'm guessing you're a chubster. I'm just being honest....you however seem to be taking this whole dog/cat thing very personally...I don't give a shit if a person likes dogs or cats...I like all animals...even cats. But don't like and act like you've never heard women say "men are dogs" to further some idiotic argument that cats are better than dogs, LOL. Jesus Fucking Christ, catlovers are crazy motherfuckers!!! <p> Also, I don't see a problem with women owning cats, or a guy who has a live-in girlfriend or wife...nothing wrong with that. But a single guy owning cats is veryyyyyy effeminate.
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Some of us come to the site to read your thoughts on DVD releases! Some of us even help support your movie habit buy buying the things from your links! Some of us have jobs that don't include writing about movies, and we would get fired if we just decided to not do our job any more. <br> <br> I'm sure you are a busy guy, but if you aren't going to do your column on a regular basis anymore, have someone else do it! <br> <br> For Pete's sake, your site is sinking, and you don't even seem to be around to watch it! Shouldn't you at least be playing with the band as it goes down if not captaining the ship in all of your redheaded glory?
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Project much? I must know more about the awesome power behind your devious reasoning skills!<p>Unless you're flirting, then sorry I'm taken big guy.
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But tell your boyfriend "Hello".
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You make baseless assumptions, and I'm supposed to defend against them?<p>You sir, are an enemy of dialog, and I pity your ignorance.
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Seemed very realistic to me. Harry's comments are baffling. Especially the part where he goes to find the kid's killers, gets dropped off at some random house, and has to run back to his base. It's not a very satisfying conclusion that story arc, and that's the way life works.
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The word is spelled "dialogue". I don't normally point out spelling errors, but when a person acts pretentious and attempts to claim a superior usage of the English language, I can't help but point out the irony. <p> Also, after making generalizations about dog lovers, you're really not someone to cast aspersions on others making "baseless assumptions". Keep these things in minds the next time your boyfriend is holding onto your love handles while riding your rump!
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Fine, I'll play.<p>I have been happily married for 5 years, my diabetes keeps me from being as fat as you claim, but I still wish I could be. I love cats and dogs, just not dog people. I have not called you a single name, and shall not sink to your level. Please choose another to hoist your homophobic fantasies upon.<p>Good day.
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Hey, sorry for the name calling. This whole dog vs. cats argument is ridiculous, so I just went with it...ridiculousness and all.
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http://video.yahoo.com/ network/100284668? v=6859557&l=3774740
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It is indeed silly, that's what made it fun.<p>BTW, I wholeheartedly agree with your thoughts JDS. Couldn't have said it better myself.
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Underrated.
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Eh, who can say?
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It hasn't been a month yet.
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They get more action when they smear their genitals in peanut butter and get the dog to lick it off.
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It's freaking February and you've only done two weeks of January DVD reviews. What the heck. I so look forward to this column every week and now it's like dead.
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* You don’t get to pick when you’re going to be professional, and when you’re going to be amateur. * When would you choose to be an amateur? Well, probably the moments in which you obviously suck, either because you don’t know what you’re doing, or you’re just not very good at it. Or at least in the moments when people are criticizing you. You’d say, “Hey, what do you expect? I’m only an amateur.” That sounds like Ain’t It Cool News. You’re using amateur status as an excuse. You’re basically saying, “Don’t judge me.” And here’s where this indirect proof falls apart: People will always judge you. You can’t control that. You can’t control what scale they’re going to judge you on, or which criteria are most important. The only thing you can control is your work. And that’s why your work, all of your work, has to be professional. http://johnaugust.com/archives/2006/professional-writing-and-the-rise-of-the-amateur
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I get what you're saying, but one place is enough.
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have you guys finally realized how much i despise all of you? i mean, why else would i post old shitty news with a million exclamation points and not do a DVD column on time. I mean this DVD column is really hard to do, takes posting pictures and writing words. Do you have any idea how much I make from the ad revenue on this site? A lot. So basically I can just say fuck you to all my faithful readers. keep eating my shit. thanks!
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I just posted that John August observation twice - in two different talkbacks - in hopes of spurring Harry into posting something regarding the lack of the DVD column. Honestly, that column is the only reason I come back to this site - all the news you can find elsewhere sooner and in greater detail. But the DVD reviews were a relatively nice guide to upcoming geek-friendly flicks, and formed a nice list of the most eye-catching releases - large and small. But I'll stop posting about it. It's like poking a dead dog with a stick. (It is a little weird that you call out a guy posting a legitimate observation twice - with all the dog and cat nonsense shooting back and forth - but whatever keeps that Talkback Police Badge of yours shiny.... more power to ya.)
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Douchebaggery.
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I have the feeling that is the case, but who knows? There's no attempt here to keep readers informed.
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Somebody at least should be updating your weekly picks so we could get a quasi decent idea of whats out there. It just doesn't seem very fair to your readers. At least let us know if its over and done with so we can move on to a site that will update a weekly column...on a weekly basis.
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that this column will ever be weekly again?
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Can anyone recommend other new release dvd/blu sites with similar sensibilities to AICN picks & peeks?
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Turns and walks back down the empty hall, footsteps echoing off the dusty tile...
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This is one that I have found to be pretty good: http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/reviews.html It does have more focus on the actual quality of the disc but it does give good reviews and has a nice rating system for audio/video/extras, etc..
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Where the the damn updates for dvd and blu ray relase?!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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