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Harry's DVD Picks & Peeks - 1st wk of May - Ben Button, Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Dog Soldiers, End Of The Line and more!

So is Criterion moving into more of a Blu-ray niche? by Toilet_Terror	May 7th, 2009 04:29:16 AM
Like during the Laserdisc days?
Fincher— by blakindigo	May 7th, 2009 04:30:43 AM
Showing y'all how it's done. Again.
First? by the zapper	May 7th, 2009 04:36:20 AM

Ah, anyway.......^_^ by the zapper	May 7th, 2009 04:37:50 AM
Sorry. It has been a very scary and frightening week
Still have my Criterion laserdisc by blakindigo	May 7th, 2009 04:45:12 AM
of Se7en. I can't seem to get a firm answer on the differences between the New Line Special Edition or the Criterion laserdisc. I'm really salivating over the Criterion "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." This sounds epic. Hey Harry, after watching the 4 part doc could you resist watching the entire movie again immediately afterwards?
I hate Region Codes! by rost	May 7th, 2009 05:08:17 AM
Especially Criterions!!!
Need THE GAME criterion by Six Demon Bag	May 7th, 2009 05:18:31 AM
hopefully its soon..harry any updates?
For the BUTTON haters by Six Demon Bag	May 7th, 2009 05:19:23 AM
i will pick you off one by one
Loved Mum & Dad by RedwingsHoolihan	May 7th, 2009 05:34:58 AM
Find it hard to believe Harry dismissed it like that.
RedwingsHoolihan by HEADGEEK	May 7th, 2009 05:37:24 AM
I kinda liked it, but MUM & DAD doesn't need to be oversold. It's a small little production that isn't always as sharp as it could be, but does have people that like it quite a bit, like you. Just didn't do it all the way for me.
Mum & Dad = So Derivative by zoothorn21	May 7th, 2009 06:22:14 AM
Very disappointing film that is far too in thrall to its influences - Texas Chainsaw Massacre in particular. Often just distasteful for the sake of it, and rarely tense or scary. A shame, because Perry Benson is a great actor (see This Is England or Somers Town) and good British horror is always worth looking out for. I'd give this a miss. As for Benjamin Button - phew. Can't believe how much Fincher missed the boat with that one. 2h 45m and nothing to say.
I still can't work up interest in Benny Buttons by Spandau Belly	May 7th, 2009 06:28:49 AM
Does that make me a bad person? I see the trailer and the list of people involved and on paper this feels like a movie I shouldn't be able to resist ....... yet I just don't care.
In that case, Spandau, the trailer works perfectly by Garbageman33	May 7th, 2009 06:36:41 AM
Even as you're watching it, you'll find yourself not caring.
Outland by antonphd	May 7th, 2009 06:38:43 AM
I couldn't sleep, so, I decided to see what there was to watch on the computer on Netflix. I finally watched Outland. I think it may be in my top 5 of all time. Loved it. Where are movies like this nowadays? I can't believe I never watched it before tonight. But I'm kinda glad too, cause there's nothing like the first time.
End Of The Line = Good by IAmMrMonkey!	May 7th, 2009 06:50:24 AM
Mum & Dad = Not so much
Speaking of British Horror, anyone seen the trailer for... by SoylentMean	May 7th, 2009 07:07:43 AM
the upcoming film called Doghouse? AICN really needs a link to that, because the trailer was hilarious as hell. I'm really hoping that film makes it to theaters, because I wants to see it.
Glad to see Dog Soldiers by Cyan09	May 7th, 2009 07:10:24 AM
on this list. I really love that movie, the werewolves are the best looking ones that I have ever seen. There was talk of a sequel for a while but I think they scrapped that idea, which is probably for the best. Anyway, glad to see that others enjoyed this movie as much as I did.
Of the actual nominees, Benjamin Button was Best Picture by SoylentMean	May 7th, 2009 07:14:51 AM
It's the only film out of the five that people are going to still be talking about in ten years. Slumdog was a bullshit, lets show awesomely PC Hollywood can be, win. The only thing that would have been worse would have been for Milk to win. Also, after finally seeing the Wrestler I'm convinced that Sean Penn is somehow related to the devil (or the devil has got Penn's back) because there is no way in hell that there was a better acting performance by an actor in 2008 than that given by Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler. It's just impossible. Rourke got the shaft just like Robert Duvall got the shaft for his awesome as hell role in The Apostle. The Academy Awards are about as fraudulent as the voting system where we pick our head puppet (president), the people involved just happen to dress better.
Doghouse looks good. Really interesting in that one. by HarryBlackPotter	May 7th, 2009 07:17:29 AM
Noel Clarke (Mickey from Doctor Who) and Eastend geezer Danny Dyer team up for some zombie-splatterage whilst on a piss-up. Hopefully this will be more Shaun of the Dead than Lesbian Vampire Killers.
DogHouse is in theatres - but UK only form June! by HarryBlackPotter	May 7th, 2009 07:19:02 AM
Depends on how it performs on how it gets distributed elsewhere. Fingers crossed as it looks great from the trailer.
Why do the Underworld films get slammed so much? by SoylentMean	May 7th, 2009 07:21:38 AM
They're fun popcorn flicks with some soap opera melodrama thrown in. They seem like distant cousins of some alternate universe Dark Shadows film trilogy. I can't wait to make my Underworld trilogy complete next Tuesday, especially since Rise of the Lycans is a prequel (which means you watch it first). I challenge anyone to come up with a movie that had more werewolves onscreen, ever. Because I want to watch that movie too. And Dog Soldiers is fuckin' awesome Harry, awesome! I thought you were well aware of film limitations due to budget and other variables. For what they had going in, Dog Soldiers is pretty much the Evil Dead of werewolf films. That's right, I just said that.
That's the other movie, Lesbian Vampire Killers... by SoylentMean	May 7th, 2009 07:24:04 AM
at first I thought it was a trailer for that movie (which I still want to see, just for the title alone) but then I watched the trailer for Doghouse all the way through. Then I watched it again. So June would be a good time to visit the UK, huh? I bet it's all touristy around then, but still, that movie almost looks worth a jaunt over the ol' pond.
Grease is one of the reasons I despise musicals by SoylentMean	May 7th, 2009 07:31:47 AM
Everybody is just so happy, it's like a live action Care Bear movie. I also despise Care Bears.
GREASE was pretty terrible. Especially... by Prof_Ender	May 7th, 2009 07:42:17 AM
...having an overall message being, "remember girls, if you want someone to like you, CHANGE YOUR PERSONALITY AND LOOKS COMPLETELY FOR HIM." Thanks.
Clearly you guys saw a different cut... by Shepard Wong	May 7th, 2009 07:46:37 AM
of End of the Line than I did. I saw it screened at the Philly film fest maybe 3 years ago. I won't say it's terrible but there were more than a few unintentionally funny moments in the film. What I remember the most was how good the ending scenes were and wondering why the rest of the film was nowhere near that same level.
SoylentMean UK is great to visit by HarryBlackPotter	May 7th, 2009 07:53:36 AM
Love my country, just hate the c*unts running it. Lesbian Vampires was dire, DogHouse should be up there with Dog Soliders and Shuan of the Dead. You should also check out Severance - another horror comedy with Danny Dyer.
Why no Chandni Chowk To China, Harry?? by lazygarfield	May 7th, 2009 07:53:46 AM
Wasn't that released this week too?
HBPotter, Severance was just ok in my book by SoylentMean	May 7th, 2009 07:58:57 AM
I liked it, I just remember wanting more from it. So the Lesbian Vampire Killers movie wasn't that good? That sucks. I still have to see it.
There's a movie coming next week called Plague Town by SoylentMean	May 7th, 2009 08:00:22 AM
that looks creepy as fuck. I read some stuff about it in Fango, and the images were messing with me. From a magazine for fuck's sake! That movie and Taken are the two I look forward to the most on 5/12/09.
Love Fincher. Hate that fucking movie. by Stuntcock Mike	May 7th, 2009 08:03:12 AM
Bring on Torso, David.
Uh...Prof_ender by buffywrestling	May 7th, 2009 08:09:43 AM
Wasn't Travolta trying to do the same thing during the entire movie? And he eventually letterd in track for her?
"No grain"...uh oh this is going to get ugly by Simpsonian	May 7th, 2009 08:15:54 AM
Prepare for the onslaught of grain vs no grain arguments...
I'm also looking forward to Plague Town by Shepard Wong	May 7th, 2009 08:24:50 AM
It was on my list to see and I missed it when it screened here. I didn't know it was getting released already. Nice heads up for next week.
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Gump by Speed Fricassee	May 7th, 2009 08:25:19 AM
God, that movie sucked. Big time.
Criterion Benjamin Button, really? by Coma Baby	May 7th, 2009 08:26:41 AM
Why waste their time with something like that? Guess it pays the bills. It's a mediocre film that's nice enough, with one great part - the short story in the middle with Tilda Swinton. The rest of it is just David Fincher in a Forest Gump mask stalking the audience with a sledgehammer. In any event, End of the Line looks really fun.
If you're interested in Gigantor... by ScottGreen	May 7th, 2009 08:32:35 AM
I've said it before, but it bears repeating. If you're interested in Gigantor, be sure to check out Yasuhiro Imagawa's 2004 Tetsujin 28 (the pre-localization name of Gigantor). It's a spirited retro series, but also a moving look at the post World War II transformations that the giant robot symbolizes. the 26 episodes are available for $30.00 http://tinyurl.com/crg9he Highly recommended
Also re: "greatest giant robot series ever" by ScottGreen	May 7th, 2009 08:35:37 AM
I'd call it one of the most important giant robot series ever. But before you call it the greatest, make sure you've seen Giant Robo (which is inspired by the complete body of Tetsujin 28 creator Mitsuteru Yokoyama's work), Gunbuster, New Getter Robo, Gurren Lagann and now you may have to add Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-Hen to the list
I liked Button in the theater, but... by TheLastCleric	May 7th, 2009 08:54:24 AM
I have no real desire to watch it again anytime soon. Contrast that to the fact that I could watch The Wrestler over and over and over again.
Direct To Criterion by Spandau Belly	May 7th, 2009 08:54:34 AM
I have to say I'm against movies going directly from the cinemas to Criterion Edition. Aren't they suppose to be preserving classics? Don't they claim to be some sort of stamp of timeless taste or at least cinematic importance? I think there should be a period of a couple years where they let a movie sink in and decide whether it's really a classic or just something that got a lot of buzz at the time. I mean, really....The Life Aquatic? Come on guys.
"I watched this 3 times in a row" by KillerTomato	May 7th, 2009 09:12:03 AM
So, let me see if I've got this right... You watched a movie you've seen before several times, on repeat, another three straight times, thereby killing off about 5.5 to 6 hours? Why? I understand that you're enthusiastic about your movies, Harry, but that's an idiotic fucking waste of time.
The Life Aquatic gave us the song Ping Island by SoylentMean	May 7th, 2009 09:13:07 AM
which makes it Criterion worthy immediately. Come on!
Pardon my tits by 96VT98	May 7th, 2009 09:29:12 AM
Season 2 of Dexter is a must buy on Blu-ray.
Just Another Love Story comes out this week too. by Bungion Boy	May 7th, 2009 09:38:55 AM
Surprised Harry left that off, it being a Fantastic Fest film and all. Great thriller. Kind of like WHile You Were Sleeping but really dark and messed up. Also, Wendy and Lucy this week. One of the absolute best films of last year.
The Life Aquatic? Yuck. by Stuntcock Mike	May 7th, 2009 09:45:23 AM
Kill me now.
Dexter! by kafka07	May 7th, 2009 09:47:54 AM
I love that show. Sometimes, going through life, I feel like Dexter feels. Just someone pretending to be human so he can disguise the darkness within. Oh and I still can't believe Mike Newell is in the Underworld movies. WEIRD.
Wes Anderson and Criterion by Spandau Belly	May 7th, 2009 10:23:11 AM
I think he was the first one go Direct to Criterion, I can't think of another filmmaker who got this treatment. And he's got a unique style, but I think Criterion should've just stopped after Rushmore and just said thanks but no thanks to releasing his other films. Life Aquatic is, at best, a deeply flawed movie. Criterion's resources are better used finding some dog food commercial Akira Kurosawa directed when was starting out and remasting that.
Button's on Criterion by seppukudkurosawa	May 7th, 2009 10:35:53 AM
for the same reason Armaggeddon's on Criterion- mutual promotion: Criterion gets to be exposed to an audience it otherwise wouldn't, and also gets some much-needed cash from the sales to fund its restoration of other more deserving titles, while Fincher and the studio behind it get to feel self-important because they got their movie released on such a prestigious brand (even though they bribed them to release it). Movie was fine; a bit flawed (what was that whole, "I don't want to have to raise both of you" thing about? Brad Pitt was in his mid-40s when Blanchett's character said that...meaning he would have been in his 20s at the same time as his daughter. Just some nonsensical dramatic writerly trick). It was too homogenised to really be worth rubbing noses with the rest of the titles on its label.
And Scott Green by seppukudkurosawa	May 7th, 2009 10:39:19 AM
No Neon Genesis Evangelion?! I can't think of any logical argument that puts Gigantor above that one...well, other than you personally liked it more! But that doesn't count because I can't argue with it!!!
We need Greydon Clark's Without Warning on DVD and BLU by Gorgomel	May 7th, 2009 10:50:59 AM

seppukudkurosawa by clever_screen_name	May 7th, 2009 10:56:56 AM
But is Eva a real giant robot series? I personally feel it's something else entirely, just disguised as giant robot for the first 16 or so episodes... just a thought
re:seppukudkurosawa by ScottGreen	May 7th, 2009 11:02:54 AM
I didn't want to get into the whole "are Evas robots?" conversation and I intentionally veered towards super robots.
Harry reminds me of John Travolta... by Bastard_In_A_Blanket	May 7th, 2009 11:10:22 AM
... sorry, that's fat not GREASE!! Couldn't resist it sorry, Harry.
all of you Button haters by Six Demon Bag	May 7th, 2009 11:13:55 AM
eat a dick
Life Aquatic is amazing by Tin Snoman	May 7th, 2009 11:19:40 AM
but it doesn't speak to everyone. And I'm no Anderson apologist; I thought Bottle Rocket and Tenenbaums were just okay and didn't care for Darjeeling much at all. But the Life Aquatic worked for me in a big way. I guess I'm some sort of retard.
Also, FUCK JOHN TRAVOLTA by Tin Snoman	May 7th, 2009 11:22:28 AM
YOU, SIR, ARE NO ROBERT SHAW
buffywrestling, he wasn't trying to change for her by Big Jim	May 7th, 2009 11:28:03 AM
His true self is most likely the boy she met during the Summer. He spent most of the time at school putting up a front for his friends and being a dick to her. Sure he lettered in track but as soon as she showed up in her leather outfit and teased hair that letterman sweater was off and in the dirt. She joined his world which allowed him to revert to his greaser persona. I guess you could say in the end neither was being true to themselves. They both went off, "happily ever after", living a lie as someone they are not.
Grease soundtrack remix SUCKS by DaveJ	May 7th, 2009 11:28:34 AM
Paramount is STILL using the terrible 1998 re-release remix, which has numerous changes and some glaring errors. People have been complaining about this for years, over the course of 2 DVD releases. Come on Paramount, how hard would it have been to add the original 1978 soundtrack to the blu-ray?? This would not have been an expensive thing. I love the movie, but I can't stand the remix, it ruins the film for me. Glad to hear they atleast got the picture quality right.
"...that's an idiotic fucking waste of time." by Big Jim	May 7th, 2009 11:29:38 AM
What else was he going to do? His internet was down.
I must love deeply flawed movies... by WhoDis	May 7th, 2009 11:29:43 AM
because THE LIFE AQUATIC hits me on so many levels I could watch it once a day. Great cast spearheaded by Bill Murray where Owen Wilson doesn't come off annoying in.....70's style oceanography (guess you had to be there).... the guy from DEVO doing the soundtrack almost completely on CASIO keyboard (as one poster said, the music for Ping Island is the greatest ever).... David Bowie music reinterpreted.... stop motion animation wildlife by Henry Selick....it's got this great Fellinisque feel to it as well. RUSHMORE I was bored with, I don't get the big deal, even Bill Murray wasn't worth watching it for.
Oh and I forgot... by WhoDis	May 7th, 2009 11:30:11 AM
William Dafoe with a mohawk. 'nuff said.
I enjoy Life Aquatic as well by Biffs_Pleasure_Paradise	May 7th, 2009 11:59:05 AM
But I don't think it deserves the Criterion treatment and neither does Benny Button.
Brad Pitt's BENJAMIN BUTTON performance. by LoneGun	May 7th, 2009 12:09:37 PM
I think what's amazing about the performance is that Pitt manages not to be outshone by all those dazzling effects used to alter his appearance. He really was the beating heart of this movie.
C_S_N and Scott by seppukudkurosawa	May 7th, 2009 12:15:51 PM
OK, I guess that WAS a logical argument. Personally, I still think it's a giant robot series the same way Let the Right One In is a vampire movie- it takes the "genre," turns it on its head and improves it in every way, but they're still giant robots. And to me The Life Aquatic is just like a hot cocoa on a cold night. Plus it helped sell bossanova/tropicalia to the West, so it's got that going for it.
You watched Grease 3 times in a row, Harry? by D.Vader	May 7th, 2009 12:16:17 PM
Good god, don't you have something else to do? I hope you just had it on in the background while you were doing real work or something... I mean, I'm a movie geek too, but I would never watch a movie 3 times in a row when I could be watching a NEW movie or something...
If you haven't seen "Giant Robo" by blakindigo	May 7th, 2009 12:25:04 PM
—Please, PLEASE avail yourself. Absolutely stunning. Filled with design marvels, great action and some pretty sick cliffhangers.
End of the Line would be better if... by Jarek	May 7th, 2009 12:51:28 PM
...any of the actors could act. It's a good idea, some good gore and some decent execution. But 95% of the performances are groan worthy.... so it falls flat.
But does the B-Ray Ferris Bueller... by bb6634	May 7th, 2009 12:53:25 PM
have the John Hughes commentary track - the only commentary he has ever done - that was subsequently removed from all other editions since he went Howard Hughes on us?
by porterdsgn	May 7th, 2009 01:13:10 PM

Criterion's Blu Rays are region locked. by brock landers baby	May 7th, 2009 01:14:03 PM
And that sucks.
Just watched Benjamin Button by Toilet_Terror	May 7th, 2009 01:14:06 PM
Mad title: The Craptacular Case of Benjamin Boring
Dexter's... by porterdsgn	May 7th, 2009 01:14:26 PM
...the best show on TV right now. It just gets better and better.
Criterion Sell Outs by Spandau Belly	May 7th, 2009 01:25:30 PM
I wouldn't put Wes Anderson's movies in the category of Criterion Sell Out movies like Armageddon and Chasing Amy because I don't think Anderson's movies are really that mainstream. I think they're cult comedy movies, but for most part just not ones I find all that good and once you've seen one, you know all Anderson's tricks. I get what you guys are saying about Criterion bringing in some extra cash through their more commercial fare but that Armageddon one was like $80.00. WTF? Are there many people out there willing to pay that? Or even better question: Even if the Criterion Edition of Armageddon were affordable, would anybody care? I get that there are people who want to own Armageddon on DVD, but even if the Crit Ed was only $3 more than the standard DVD would the fans of that movie shell out the extra couple bucks? There were a few others like this that are real headscratchers.
just release SAUL BASS' QUEST and PHASE IV on BLU by Gorgomel	May 7th, 2009 01:26:32 PM

Harry, Is It Just My Imagination? by Rebeck2	May 7th, 2009 01:39:45 PM
Or are these columns getting shorter and shorter and less and less eclectic? I'm not one of those assholes who comes on to YOUR site to criticize and call you names, but this has always been my favorite feature and it just seems like you're not digging as deep as before and discussing old, obscure, foreign, independent or overlooked films like you used to. I always relied on this column to alert me to all these weird and wonderful films I missed, give me some adventurous Netflix picks. I love GREASE and SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (a much better movie than it's even given credit for), but is that where this feature is headed, just to talking about the picture quality on Blu-ray editions of classic films?? Cuz that could be a column of its own, but that's not why I loved THIS column. C'mon, Harry - you're the god of movie geeks, give us some forgotten oldies and neglected recent films. Get the thrill back, buddy - turn us on to some good stuff. I mean, I think it's great that GREASE looks better than ever (I always thought the DVD picture sucked), but how about talking about SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION, a vastly underrated film with Paul Newman and Henry Fonda finally released on Region 2?? That's cool to me! Doesn't everyone here have an all region player? If they don't, they're bad movie geeks. How about reviewing some of the WB archives films just made available, like ONE ON ONE or THE MAN WHO LOVED CAT DANCING, the two I just bought? I understand that the DVD catalogue releases have shrunk, but I know you can find more treasure out there? Don't let Blu-Ray emphasis on "perfect" blind you to what made us movie geeks to begin with, the MOVIES, the CONTENT, that ineffable something that cannot be reduced to a bit rate. C'mon, Harry...your greatest asset is your passion and enthusiasm for all types of film, don't become a reviewer of technology. People with a fraction of your knowledge can do that. Anyway, I do still appreciate you writing this column, just my two cents and something to keep in mind.
Ben Button = overrated shit by lockesbrokenleg	May 7th, 2009 02:03:50 PM
Can we please stop overhyping that movie now? It sucked.
dont complain about how you are fuckin busy by supercowbell4therequestformoreco wbell	May 7th, 2009 02:49:51 PM
harry. watching grease 3 times in a row? thats a fucking insult to us people who work for a living.
Life Aquatic LOVE IT. Dexter seas. 3 TERRIBLE by future help	May 7th, 2009 03:11:34 PM
1 & 2 were good...
Criterion put out a BD for that POS BB???!! by FleshMachine	May 7th, 2009 04:05:00 PM
what a waste. hell forrest gump (BB part 1) was better. at least it was entertaining. Finchers 2nd worst (panic room)
Grease "last word on picture quality"??? BS! by FleshMachine	May 7th, 2009 04:06:40 PM
do you have any credibility at all harry? It's average. http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/ movies.php?id=3945&show=review
Criterion's Chasing Amy a sell out? by FleshMachine	May 7th, 2009 04:24:31 PM
hardly.
Benjamin Button bashers by blakindigo	May 7th, 2009 04:52:22 PM
Get an attention span you fistwank douches. Christ. Learn to walk before you run. Oh, don't worry, eventually you'll appreciate something like "L'avventura" after you emotionally invest and learn to focus on a movie without an obvious and rudimentary 3 act structure.
blakindigo... by Harold-Sherbort	May 7th, 2009 05:13:18 PM
Douche......
Criterion's "Armageddon" by Gap Toothed TV Boy	May 7th, 2009 05:28:13 PM

Criterion's "Armageddon" by Gap Toothed TV Boy	May 7th, 2009 05:29:06 PM
Contained one of the most amazing commentary tracks ever. The sheer pomposity and arrogance of Michael Bay must be heard to be believed.
Button does not exist in this dojo by Cobra--Kai	May 7th, 2009 05:31:10 PM
Soylentmean, Mickey Rourke got the shaft for THE WRESTLER. Sean Penn sucked the shaft for MILK. As for Benjamin Button.. why did he have to have such a wimpy name? It's like a committee said - we need a name 'like' Forrest Gump. Fuck, if i met some parents who said weve called our son Benjamin Button i'd probably beat the shit out of them, on behalf of their newborn child for all the shit that name'll cause him.
Criterion in no way "sold out"... by HarryWannaBe	May 7th, 2009 05:32:44 PM
Like it says on all of their releases, The Criterion Collection is "a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films". 'Benjamin Button' certainly falls under the category of "important contemporary film"...due to its scope, its technology and (I think) largely in part due to its director continually improving on his skills. All in all, 'Benjamin Button' is simply a fantastic film in just about every aspect. SoylentMean was correct about 'Button' being the real 'Best Picture' and how no one will really remember 'Slumdog' down the road. Back to Criterion and their selection of films, sure...there are some I don't get, and even as much as I enjoy it, 'Armageddon' is definitely one of them, hell...same goes for 'The Rock'...sure they're both "contemporary", but hardly "important".
by Cobra--Kai	May 7th, 2009 05:37:38 PM
BENJAMIN BUTTON is more important than THE ROCK? To you, maybe bro. However, i've caught THE ROCK prob 3 or 4 times now and enjoyed it each go. I can say with hand on heart that I will never watch BB 4 times. So, don't presume some pretentious sense of importance automatically trumps entertainment.
The Dark Knight had better characters and scope by lockesbrokenleg	May 7th, 2009 05:37:45 PM
Benjamin Button is just overrated
How did Fincher manage to make Blanchet a bore??? by Flip63Hole	May 7th, 2009 05:56:45 PM
An amazing feat, no doubt. Other than BB being a totally uncompelling FX demo, I hate films with a passive protagonist. BB was nobody. If he aged normally instead of backwards the film would have been no less interesting. And what was the stupid thing about the lightning-guy? I ended up skipping through the last hour. What I saw of it was as bad or worse than what I had already watched. Easily one of the worst films I've seen in a very long time.
How did Fincher manage to make Blanchet a bore??? by Flip63Hole	May 7th, 2009 05:58:22 PM
Amazing feat, indeed! Passive, uncompelling protagonist. BB was basically an FX demo. And a boring one at that... In
Doh (sorry bout the double post) internet probs... by Flip63Hole	May 7th, 2009 05:59:05 PM

Flip63Hole by Rebeck2	May 7th, 2009 06:06:38 PM
Uhm, the last hour is kind of important, dude. You're entitled to any opinion, but you have to watch the entire film to give an informed review. The movie worked very slowly on me, gathering momentum as it went - at first I wasn't really into it, but it built and built to what I thought was a very profound message about the fleeting nature of youth and of life itself and I found myself quite moved at the end. So, all the BB haters...sue me.
Fuck, I actually have to thank Harry for this one by studioki	May 7th, 2009 06:06:50 PM
I just checked out end of the line. After the first five minutes where I thought I had just wasted $4, the movie actually turned out to be pretty damn good.
I'd nominate "The Dark Knight" for Criterion by blakindigo	May 7th, 2009 06:06:53 PM
Maybe a petition? But, Nolan didn't do commentary for "Batman Begins" and the extra features aren't as extensive as Fincher's material. I don't hate "The Rock" (on the other hand "Armageddon" is just an offensive, stupid, brash mess, with great effects—it makes "Bad Boys 2" look like "Die Hard") but, I'll admit I was shocked when I saw the Criterion release. I'd have to disagree about Benjamin Button's “pretentious sense of importance…” that label is based on it's literary history and connection with F. Scott Fitzgerald. The film is fascinating, although not perfect.
Gap Toothed TV Boy by F69	May 7th, 2009 06:15:07 PM
I'm totally with you on that Armageddon commentary, Michael Bay truely is one arrogant fucker "Making a movie is like going to war!" It's pretty funny too, like how Affleck remembers asking Michael Bay why they can train drillers to be astronauts but they can't train astronauts to be drillers and he was basically told to just shut the fuck up.
Mecha Series by the zapper	May 7th, 2009 06:17:58 PM
Evangelion, Rahxephon, Argento Soma are all gold.
70 Inch Plasma screen? by klinteastwood	May 7th, 2009 06:39:30 PM
most of us i think, do not have tv's this size, good lord
End of the line? by OutlawsDelejos	May 7th, 2009 06:56:51 PM
It sounds like you recommend it but that poster art indicates the creatures look like shit. Is at least shot well like Dog Soldiers? Neil Marshall really knew how to make the most of his warewolves.
Own Armageddon ROCK and Button on criterion by Six Demon Bag	May 7th, 2009 07:09:35 PM
each are loved equally...Button a little more so.
Can someone tell me.... by EWS	May 7th, 2009 07:19:51 PM
How much this column takes to run?
OMG! You fucking cried during 'Grease' didn't you, Harry! by thebearovingian	May 7th, 2009 08:28:16 PM
Go ahead and deny it but we all know you're hiding something from us. C'mon man, you watched 'Grease' and you have NO disgusting sexual references at all? Nothing about Sandy's hymen? You didn't cream for Greased Lightning?
UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS (not a good one)??? by j2talk	May 7th, 2009 08:40:06 PM
are fucking kidding? it was a thoroughly enjoyable film....Course you did just call that blatant OSCAR grab Benjamin Button a "great film" so one has to wonder about your taste
CRITERION by frank cotton	May 7th, 2009 08:47:31 PM
can put out anything they like, if that helps enable them to continue doing packages like VIDEODROME, BRAZIL, NAKED LUNCH, etc. and BENJAMIN BUTTON is one of the stupidest names i've ever heard
OutlawsDelejos by Shepard Wong	May 7th, 2009 09:14:06 PM
The creatures are only in the film for about 30 secods. Having them on the cover actually ruins the ending of the film.
Nothing happened to that John Travolta. by CherryValance	May 7th, 2009 09:54:33 PM
It's the Pictures that got small.
Watching a movie three times in a row... by Nasty In The Pasty	May 7th, 2009 10:38:41 PM
There are movies I absolutely LOVE that that I wouldn't dream of watching multiple times in a row. You NEED to take a breather from a great movie and allow it to simmer for a while in your imagination before going back for seconds. Aside from listening to commentaries, I can't think of ANY movie I've ever watched twice in the same day, or even week. I think Coraline was the last movie I saw twice in a compacted time frame, and there were still two weeks between my two viewings of it (and the second time was mainly to soak in the 3D one last time before the film hits DVD). Honestly...Grease , three times in a row? Christ.
L'avventura is great. by Toilet_Terror	May 7th, 2009 11:34:22 PM
Button is dogshit. Don't waste your time defending it. At this point the only Fincher film I can stand is Zodiac, and even that stars the dullest young lead actor in Hollywood.
The name "Benjamin Button" by Anything But Tangerines	May 8th, 2009 12:05:11 AM
You honestly think they "decided" on it? More like they needed to use at least the character's same name from the short story OF THE SAME TITLE on which the movie was... "based"
harry cried during kingdom of the crystal shitfest by supercowbell4therequestformoreco wbell	May 8th, 2009 12:09:47 AM
and not from pain...what an ass
Black spandex Sandy is upsetting. by MenLeavingFactory1903	May 8th, 2009 12:13:08 AM
Make mine a ponytail-having, skirt-wearing, little apple dumpling.
Fincher's next film by Anything But Tangerines	May 8th, 2009 12:13:45 AM
will be based on Joe the Plumber, and here's the synopsis: Joseph Willingham Forthright Bernard III was born under unusual circumstances, his troubled life took him around the world and tempered his understanding of the meaning of life and the passage of time itself. At one point in the film, he talks to Obama.
The old Blanchett in Benjamin Button by MenLeavingFactory1903	May 8th, 2009 12:18:06 AM
Her voice was like someone pouring cottage cheese in my ear canals, "Mr. Kate he say..." Leave out all that hospital stuff. Leave out the New Orleans gimmick, keep it in Baltimore. Leave out Blanchett and the tepid romance - keep, I say, keep the hummingbird speech - that was one of the parts that was actually interesting.
GIGANTOR: THE COLLECTION, Vol. 1??? by Series7	May 8th, 2009 12:27:03 AM
Why the fuck did I bother buying this when is came out like 4-5 years ago? Because it seemed like something that wasn't going to get fucking multiple releases. What the fuck really? This is why I've stopped buying DVDs, because its just a never ending cycle of shit that I only watch once and then put use to my awesome dust collection. Also how does a show like Gigantor get TWO releases while shows like Inspector Gadget isn't fully released and you have to buy like 30 dvd sets to collect all of TMNT? I will however one day get around to buying this awesome cartoon show. http://tinyurl.com/psjx7h
MenLeavingFactory1903 by Series7	May 8th, 2009 12:52:48 AM
Yeah that old lady voice was fucking annoying. I kept turning on the sub titles. At the beginning I was like, god hopefully we don't see her for the rest of the film. And then she kept popping up.
Nasty In The Pasty by Series7	May 8th, 2009 01:01:25 AM
I think Harry said that he watched There Will Be Blood 5 times in a row when it came out on DVD. That is roughly 15 hours of the same thing...... I wish I had that much free time.
The Man Who Fell to Earth is dreadfully by Dingbatty	May 8th, 2009 02:27:14 AM
dull, but Bowie's hair in that is transcendent, so it deserves the Criterion treatment.
Why is Ben Button a great film... by VicenzoV	May 8th, 2009 03:12:51 AM
...again? Even Peter Jackson's cut of this film would have been shorter and smoother. The hospital scenes in this movie are among the most painful minutes I've spent in a cinema. It's like, David, what the fuck are you doing? Are you rippin' off Titanic for storytelling? At least the granny in that marathon didn't act like she was a total ravin' retard.
Grease AND Dexter by deanbarry	May 8th, 2009 04:03:43 AM
Now there's a great, if not contrast-a-riffic, night in.
and for some reason... by deanbarry	May 8th, 2009 04:06:58 AM
I subjected myself to halle berry's CATWOMAN yesterday. it was 6 bucks in the bargain bin at my local and a morbid curiousity in me wanted to see if it was as bad as i've heard/ good god. I'd have more fun sticking my balls in a blender. yikes. a triumph of awfulness and can't even describe, apart from the "blended testicle" analogy. off topic i know. but like a yucky pimple on your nose, you have to lance it and let out the pus to make it feel better.
The ending of End of the Line is a kick in the balls by DougMcKenzie	May 8th, 2009 09:47:59 AM
But the box art ruins the movie. those who have seen it know how it does.
Hey Harry, Thanks A Lot For Recommending 'In The Realm Of The Se by Stabby	May 8th, 2009 10:46:43 AM
last week! That film has ruined Japanese women for me for the rest of my life. Talk about films deserving a Criterion Edition!
Button was bullspit. by knowthyself	May 8th, 2009 12:13:27 PM
Three hours of pure bullspit.
Hospital scenes in button were PAINFUL by knowthyself	May 8th, 2009 12:15:06 PM
Why couldn't the story just be told through Buttons own eyes? Do we really need those long dragged out scenes in the hospital with bad old age makeup? Funny how she looked so bad and brad pitt looks so good in the old age makeup.
"Let's hear it for the toilet paper!" by haggardatbest	May 8th, 2009 01:10:11 PM
Always loved Grease, always will.
eh... i still think End of the Line is undone by acting.... by Jarek	May 8th, 2009 03:40:51 PM
And the ambiguous ending tramples over it's own established rules. The director even says in the commentary (sic) "I don't know what the ending is about." Some good moments, but overall vastly underwhelming.
"Even Peter Jackson's cut of this film would have been shorter" by white_vader	May 8th, 2009 04:45:16 PM
Ha ha, that's harsh man!
CRUSH THEM NOW, GIANT ROBO! by white_vader	May 8th, 2009 04:46:18 PM
Well, nobody had said it yet...
Dog soldiers by rocknroll_pirate	May 8th, 2009 05:17:15 PM
Is the shit!
um... by Lemure_v2	May 8th, 2009 06:29:12 PM
Can we stop going on about how good the picture is on blu-ray now? It's like saying you'll hurt yourself if you poke yourself in the eye. It's blu-ray. Blu-ray = great pic and sound. Now, how about reviewing some films.
is there ever gonna be a new Harry gif? by The Amazing G	May 8th, 2009 11:01:59 PM
we've had this black and white one for how many weeks now? (and to top it all off I have no idea what it's a reference to)
awesome imbed by fivezero	May 8th, 2009 11:15:16 PM
that ben button ted thing was badass. i had no idea they went through so many changes to get that to the screen. amazing.
The Amazing G by seppukudkurosawa	May 8th, 2009 11:24:24 PM
The Devil and Daniel Webster (search for "TDADW 1" on youtube to see a great lost gem).
Benjamin Button: The Most Overrated film of 2008' by BigTuna	May 8th, 2009 11:58:04 PM
Seriously, WTF do people see in it? It has the most dull, least compelling lead character in a film in a long time. And Roth Rip-offs his Forrest Gump script from 14 years earlier.
End of the Line horrible... by ribbitking	May 9th, 2009 01:26:40 AM
Am I the only person who respects real horror? this movie is hack
Yeah fivezero, but did you see Rick Baker/Kazu Tsuji's by white_vader	May 9th, 2009 03:32:55 AM
Superawesome silicon headsculpt/maquette? We all know Baker is a genius, and Tsuji's sculpting skill makes my head hurt. Does anyone know if this is included on the disc in HD?
Harry's gem of the week (hyperbole in lieu of good writing): by thegreatwhatzit	May 10th, 2009 04:15:53 PM
"Joan Plowright is fantastic in the film, but Josie Lawrence and Miranda Richardson are every bit as great." Pretty profound...

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Harry's DVD Picks & Peeks - 1st wk of May - Ben Button, Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Dog Soldiers, End Of The Line and more!

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