Is Romance of the Three Kingdoms based on real historic events?What was the last movie you've seen?
Re: What was the last movie you've seen?
Red Cliff II. It's like the perfect Dynasty Warriors film! Is Romance of the Three Kingdoms based on real historic events?
Is Romance of the Three Kingdoms based on real historic events?Thy ban hammer shalt strike 
Re: What was the last movie you've seen?
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty - Danny Kaye at his best, and on youtube...
Re: What was the last movie you've seen?
Pulsar_t wrote:Is Romance of the Three Kingdoms based on real historic events?
Yes, sort of. I'm sure someone well-versed in Chinese history can go into detail.
The last movie I saw was "The Rocker." I thought it didn't start out that great, but it gradually built steam and got funnier as it went along. I'm pretty easy to please, but I enjoyed it.
Systems: TI-99/4a, Commodore Vic-20, Atari 2600, NES, SMS, GB, Neo Geo MVS (Big Red 4-slot), Genesis, SNES, 3DO, PS1, N64, DC, PS2, GBA, GCN, NDSi, Wii
Re: What was the last movie you've seen?
The movie watching has really slowed down with the beginning of the semester – plus I have been playing more games, watching football, etc. However, my DVR is damn near full and I need to start plowing through some relatively soon. Here’s all I’ve seen in the past month since my last review:
The Dead Pool (1988) - The last of the Drity Harry movies and unarguably the worst. Everything is on autopilot here and the plot seems like something created for another film that got transformed into a Dirty Harry film. Eastwood is uninterested and uninteresting, the directing is uninspired, and the only interesting scene (in a prison) revolves around a superfluous subplot. It is a novelty to see Jim Carrey and Liam Neeson in these supporting roles before they got big, but just like the last scene in the film this movie puts a harpoon through the gut of the franchise.
Grade: 1.5/5
Step Brothers (2008) – This movie had its funny points, but isn’t as inspired as the earlier Ferrell/Reilly collaboration Talladega Nights. The man-child bit gets old after a while, and Richard Jenkins’ talents are wasted here. That said, the film gets bumped up one whole half star for the absolutely brilliant bit about the Billy Joel cover band (fronted by Horatio Sanz) only covers 80s era Billy Joel. For whatever reason, I couldn’t stop laughing at this scene.
Grade: 2.5/5
Sunshine (2007) – After hearing some recent raves about this “hidden gem” from 2007 I finally decided to watch this recent Boyle flick. This film cements my view that Danny Boyle is an overrated director. Yes, it is a decent film (as was Slumdog), and yes, Trainspotting and 28 Days Later are two of the best British films of the late 1990s/early 2000s. But this kind of psychological horror/sci-fi film has been done many times and more creatively. It isn’t bad, per se, but there’s nothing especially groundbreaking or interesting – it is not a very memorable film outside of the premise (a trip to blow up the sun) and some elements of the cinematography. The first 2/3 is more captivating than the last 1/3 (which devolves into prototypical slasher fare), but in almost every scene I felt that I was going through a checklist of superior, earlier films (2001, Alien, Solaris, even Event Horizon). Perhaps it isn’t fair that I went into the film post- hype, and maybe Boyle was trying to cite these references, but to me a good sci-fi/horror director brings something fresh to their films (as he Boyle once did with zombies in 2002…). It seems to me that Boyle’s talent has decreased while his accolades have increased…
Grade: 3/5
Hellboy 2 (2008) – In full disclosure, I was almost entirely unfamiliar with Hellboy before seeing the first film when it was released in 2004. I thoroughly enjoyed that film, though, and afterwards spent the next few years reading every Hellboy comic I could, buying the animated spin offs on DVD, etc. So, I went into my initial viewing of this film in the theater last summer fresh off a full reading of the Hellboy canon and immersion in Mignola’s work. When I left the theater, I was thoroughly disappointed and would have probably given the film a 2/5 at best. However, I recently watched the film again at home and, to my surprise, found that it was a stronger film the second time around. Perhaps this was due to some distance between the second viewing and Hellboy immersion. In any case, though it is still not as good as Del Toro’s first installment in the franchise, it is a solid comic book film that does most things – the action, the introduction of new characters, the effects – exactly right. And while the plot itself is considerably less interesting than most of what is in the comics (although there is some basis for several elements in the source material), it actually does stand alone as a fairly good interpretation of the Hellboy universe. I don’t know, though, I will probably continue to go back and forth on this film. For now-
Grade: 3.5/5
Next Up: Whatever I can get through on my DVR!
The Dead Pool (1988) - The last of the Drity Harry movies and unarguably the worst. Everything is on autopilot here and the plot seems like something created for another film that got transformed into a Dirty Harry film. Eastwood is uninterested and uninteresting, the directing is uninspired, and the only interesting scene (in a prison) revolves around a superfluous subplot. It is a novelty to see Jim Carrey and Liam Neeson in these supporting roles before they got big, but just like the last scene in the film this movie puts a harpoon through the gut of the franchise.
Grade: 1.5/5
Step Brothers (2008) – This movie had its funny points, but isn’t as inspired as the earlier Ferrell/Reilly collaboration Talladega Nights. The man-child bit gets old after a while, and Richard Jenkins’ talents are wasted here. That said, the film gets bumped up one whole half star for the absolutely brilliant bit about the Billy Joel cover band (fronted by Horatio Sanz) only covers 80s era Billy Joel. For whatever reason, I couldn’t stop laughing at this scene.
Grade: 2.5/5
Sunshine (2007) – After hearing some recent raves about this “hidden gem” from 2007 I finally decided to watch this recent Boyle flick. This film cements my view that Danny Boyle is an overrated director. Yes, it is a decent film (as was Slumdog), and yes, Trainspotting and 28 Days Later are two of the best British films of the late 1990s/early 2000s. But this kind of psychological horror/sci-fi film has been done many times and more creatively. It isn’t bad, per se, but there’s nothing especially groundbreaking or interesting – it is not a very memorable film outside of the premise (a trip to blow up the sun) and some elements of the cinematography. The first 2/3 is more captivating than the last 1/3 (which devolves into prototypical slasher fare), but in almost every scene I felt that I was going through a checklist of superior, earlier films (2001, Alien, Solaris, even Event Horizon). Perhaps it isn’t fair that I went into the film post- hype, and maybe Boyle was trying to cite these references, but to me a good sci-fi/horror director brings something fresh to their films (as he Boyle once did with zombies in 2002…). It seems to me that Boyle’s talent has decreased while his accolades have increased…
Grade: 3/5
Hellboy 2 (2008) – In full disclosure, I was almost entirely unfamiliar with Hellboy before seeing the first film when it was released in 2004. I thoroughly enjoyed that film, though, and afterwards spent the next few years reading every Hellboy comic I could, buying the animated spin offs on DVD, etc. So, I went into my initial viewing of this film in the theater last summer fresh off a full reading of the Hellboy canon and immersion in Mignola’s work. When I left the theater, I was thoroughly disappointed and would have probably given the film a 2/5 at best. However, I recently watched the film again at home and, to my surprise, found that it was a stronger film the second time around. Perhaps this was due to some distance between the second viewing and Hellboy immersion. In any case, though it is still not as good as Del Toro’s first installment in the franchise, it is a solid comic book film that does most things – the action, the introduction of new characters, the effects – exactly right. And while the plot itself is considerably less interesting than most of what is in the comics (although there is some basis for several elements in the source material), it actually does stand alone as a fairly good interpretation of the Hellboy universe. I don’t know, though, I will probably continue to go back and forth on this film. For now-
Grade: 3.5/5
Next Up: Whatever I can get through on my DVR!
Re: What was the last movie you've seen?
Limewater I think I'll have to read some wiki reading to find out 
And yes I thought Sunshine wasn't that inspired either.
And yes I thought Sunshine wasn't that inspired either.
Thy ban hammer shalt strike
Re: What was the last movie you've seen?
Ok, so I recently watched Fortress, starring Christopher Lambert.
Here's my review:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...
...what the hell was that?
Here's my review:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...
...what the hell was that?
Re: What was the last movie you've seen?
Ack wrote:Ok, so I recently watched Fortress, starring Christopher Lambert.
Here's my review:
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...
...what the hell was that?
aww Ack, Fortress is one of my favorite crappy sci-fi movies. That is a true genre, at least for me, and also includes Fortress 2... it takes place in SPACE!
Re: What was the last movie you've seen?
Ok, ok, truthfully, as far as bad scifi goes, it was pretty good. But I did find myself shaking my head repeatedly, saying "What the hell." It's the kind of film I would watch with a bunch of friends and get a good laugh at.
I'll have to check out Fortress 2 though. That just sounds...epic.
I'll have to check out Fortress 2 though. That just sounds...epic.
Re: What was the last movie you've seen?
Ack wrote:Ok, ok, truthfully, as far as bad scifi goes, it was pretty good. But I did find myself shaking my head repeatedly, saying "What the hell." It's the kind of film I would watch with a bunch of friends and get a good laugh at.
I'll have to check out Fortress 2 though. That just sounds...epic.
You won't be disappointed... well as long as you keep what you said above in mind, you won't.
