[jacog]

Flushed Away (not bad) and Eragon (don't get me started) ... I saw the trailer for Rocky Balboa and I must say, that plastic surgery suits him not... looks like he's a reanimated corpse.

[Hammerite]

Deja Vu - better than i thought itd be

[jacog]

Ah yes, Deja Vu... saw that last weekend, and indeed I was expecting a lot less than I got.

[Lucien21]

Flags of our Fathers

For some reason the American critics are going mad over this movie.

A film about the myth of heroes and how they are used for another cause. In this case, a meaningless photo is heralded as a sign of hope by the American public and short of cash the treasury bring back the 3 "heroes" for a whistle stop tour of the US raising money for the war effort.

It jumped about all over the place making any sense of what was going on a hassle. Flasbacks to the battle of Iwo Jima, the tour of the US and various points in the lives of the 3 surviving member of the flag-raising group.

None of the characters were memorable enough to give a crap about.

Overall though I thought the film was pretty mediocre, too disjointed and if I never see another bloody beach storming scene in a WWII movie again i'll be very happy.

Dissapointed.

[Dasilva]

Night at the Museum

I went in expecting a crappy film and was pleasantly surprised to find out it was a good movie with some great laughs. Recommended for everyone who wants a light hearted laugh.

[Lucien21]

Perfume: Story of a Murderer

Eighteenth-century Paris. Unwanted child Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw) is born odourless but with a super-refined sense of smell. Later becoming apprentice to master perfumer Baldini (Dustin Hoffman), he develops an obsession with bottling female scent. Following his nose to perfume capital Grasse, he finds that the key to unlocking the secret lies with murder...

Based on a Best Selling Novel, which I havn't read so no idea how close the movie version is to the source material. How do you film a book about smell? They certainly gave it a good try.

Ben Whishaw is brilliant as the creepy serial killer Grenouille and Rachel Hurd-Wood is absolutely stunning as the object of his ultimate scent. Alan Rickman and Dustin Hoffman make cameo apperances to good effect.

John Hurt's narrative voice over is perfectly pitched and occassionally funny.

The movie is a feast on the eyes bringing 18th centuary France to life.

My only misgiving was the outragous ending, but it kinda worked for me. Weird and wonderful and utterly brilliant.

In the running for my film of the year.

[Once A Villain]

Originally Posted by Lucien21

Flags of our Fathers

For some reason the American critics are going mad over this movie.

Wrong movie. It's Letters From Iwo Jima the critics are "going mad" about. Heh.



That's the other part, the story from the Japanese side. Clint Eastwood directed both films, but Letters is the one the critics love, not Flags of Our Fathers. Flags has done ok with critics, about 74% positive, but Letters is at about 95% positive and is being called "Best Film of the Year" by MANY of them. Here's a trailer for Letters:

Letters From Iwo Jima trailer

[Lucien21]

That actually does look like a better movie. Not out over here until February.

FotF was still getting pretty glowing press that I saw. 74% is pretty high. It's not worth that IMO.

[Once A Villain]

Originally Posted by Lucien21

That actually does look like a better movie. Not out over here until February.

FotF was still getting pretty glowing press that I saw. 74% is pretty high. It's not worth that IMO.

Yeah I saw Flags as well. To me the only moving scene was the one where Ira Hayes talked about not being a hero. He was the only character I found at least somewhat intriguing, but not enough was done with him or any of the others.

I guess overall I thought Flags was maybe a little above average, but nothing really special.

[[toj.cc]Phantom]

Punisher: Extended Cut
A Night at the Museum
A History of Violence

[Crunchy in milk]

The Banquet (Ye Yan).

This is a visually stunning film. The costumes are amazing and the sets opulent. The wire work is nice, but the martial arts isn't the center point (I felt they over used it) its got to be the Empress (Ziyi Zhang). I was just blown away by her. Easily the best thing I've seen her in since Crouching (I've not seen Geisha yet but her role in Flying Daggers was terribly one sided compared to this). She conveys the conflicting emotions of a young and beautiful girl changed by the lifestyle into which she marries, is passed about within, and finally succumbs to (ambition) completely. I had to watch it a second time just for her closeups.

The film is a little awkwardly paced (edited) though and unless you dig on visual splendor it won't exite.

[MadTricks]

The Aristocrats (2005)
Just great, I laughed during most of this film. Best joke in world.
Gilbert Gottfried telling the Aristocrats joke
8/10


Mission: Impossible III (2006)
So today, yes, i watched it, 2hours. It wasn't boring and it was entertaining. Still, regular "action-movie", nothing else. Children will love it!
6/10

Drawn Together [TV-Series 2004-????]
Season 1
Best reality show -check
Best cartoon -check
Best humor -check
Best "wtf-jokes" -check
god, I love Drawn Together...
9.5/10

[Melanie68]

I finally saw Casino Royale and loved it!

The only plot line that bothered me was the love story between Bond and Vesper. A little too sudden and a bit unbelievable for me.

I can't wait for the next Bond movie with Daniel Craig.

[MadTricks]

Sigade revolutsioon (2004)
Wasn't hoping anything good, but turned out this way.
8/10

[Melanie68]

I made it sound like I don't like movies in Lucien's best of 2006 thread but I really do when I finally haul my carcass out to see them. I saw Casino Royale with my dad on Friday and I saw Blood Diamond with my Mom today (Saturday). Here's my rambling review of it ():

This movie is not for the faint of heart or stomach. It involves a diamond smuggler, Danny Archer (Leo DiCaprio), a fisherman, Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou*) and his family, and an American Reporter, Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) and of course diamonds. Set in Sierra Leone primarily (with a romp down to South Africa), it deals with not only the mining and trade of conflict diamonds but the bloody wars that take place between rebel groups and the government. This movie was incredibly violent but it wasn't violence just for the sake of it. It really brought home just how tragic living in certain places in Africa can be and it was very sad. I thought DiCaprio's performance was outstanding and Hounsou was absolutely remarkable as well. It was a visually stunning film and I loved the shots of Africa that showcased not only it's beauty but it's horror as well (the war, the refugee camps and the poverty). At times the film became a bit cliche and it took me out of it just for a moment but then it picked up again so it certainly didn't detract from the film for me. It took me a while to get into Jennifer Connelly's character. It seemed like she overacted it at first and then seemed to settle down.

Well worth a trip to the theater but be aware that it is a very violent movie if that sort of thing bothers you.

* Was he the guy in Lost or the guy who was in the slave ship movie - Amstad/Amistad (?)

[lumi]

Airplane! - one of the funniest of its kind.

[omloflump]

I would venture the funniest of its kind. The rest of them have significantly lower strike rates.

[Squinky]

I saw Blood Diamond last week, myself. Excellent movie. Leo kept changing his accent, though.

[jacog]

South African accents often go somewhat askew when acted by non Sarf Efferikans. From the trailer he didn't sound too bad though. I will go see it this weekend perhaps.

[Kolzig]

During the past weeks I saw Casino Royale in November and that was an awesome movie, a true comeback for James Bond.
Then little over a week ago I saw Happy Feet, which was also good. It was even funnier than I had thought.

Oh yeah and I finally saw Snakes on a Plane, it was just hilarious, Samuel L Jackson is the man who just simply does the job proudly and with Attitude.