What was the last movie you've seen?

[dsheinem]

I liked Kingdom of Heaven, that'd be a good one for historical epic.

Yup, that's a good one (especially the Director's Cut). Braveheart is still better, I think.

[prfsnl_gmr]

I guess at the end of the day I'll take solace in the fact that your (and prfsnl_gmr's) opinion is in the minority amongst both popular and critical audiences, but I'd still really like to hear a lot more detailed explanation about why you think the film is lousy (and, additionally, what has happened since to reduce its standing further).

We may be in the minority, but we're certainly not alone...

http://www.hollywood.com/news/brief/243 ... car-winner

Personally, I though that the movie was well-shot and well-made. That said, I also thought that the film is overlong and overwrought; the dialogue was poor; the acting was mediocre (at best); the characters were two-dimensional; the forced humor was juvenile (again, at best); the romantic leads lacked anything resembling chemistry; and the romantic sub-plots were poorly developed. Moreover, the film trades excitement and suspense for simple gore.

Also...Ridley Scott's Gladiator - while by no means my favorite film - is, IMO, a vastly superior historical epic released shortly after Braveheart.

[Ack]

I guess at the end of the day I'll take solace in the fact that your (and prfsnl_gmr's) opinion is in the minority amongst both popular and critical audiences, but I'd still really like to hear a lot more detailed explanation about why you think the film is lousy (and, additionally, what has happened since to reduce its standing further).

We may be in the minority, but we're certainly not alone...

http://www.hollywood.com/news/brief/243 ... car-winner

Personally, I though that the movie was well-shot and well-made. That said, I also thought that the film is overlong and overwrought; the dialogue was poor; the acting was mediocre (at best); the characters were two-dimensional; the forced humor was juvenile (again, at best); the romantic leads lacked anything resembling chemistry; and the romantic sub-plots were poorly developed. Moreover, the film trades excitement and suspense for simple gore.

Also...Ridley Scott's Gladiator - while not my favorite film - is, IMO, a vastly superior historical epic released shortly after Braveheart.

Hmm...

Personally, I though that the movie was well-shot and well-made. That said, I also thought that the film is overlong and overwrought; the dialogue was poor; the acting was mediocre (at best); the characters were two-dimensional; the forced humor was juvenile (again, at best); the romantic leads lacked anything resembling chemistry; and the romantic sub-plots were poorly developed. Moreover, the film trades excitement and suspense for simple CG backgrounds.

<- is what I thought about Kingdom of Heaven.

[Luke]

You don't have to be high to like certain movies, just the right frame of mind.

And what frame of mind would I have to be in to enjoy GREEN LANTERN?

Speaking of Comic Book Movies, they are a lot like "Ancient War" Movies; most of them scrape the barrel. You get one BEN HUR or SPARTACUS for every hundreds of TROY/BRAVEHEART/300, etc.

[dsheinem]

I guess at the end of the day I'll take solace in the fact that your (and prfsnl_gmr's) opinion is in the minority amongst both popular and critical audiences, but I'd still really like to hear a lot more detailed explanation about why you think the film is lousy (and, additionally, what has happened since to reduce its standing further).

We may be in the minority, but we're certainly not alone...

http://www.hollywood.com/news/brief/243 ... car-winner

Personally, I though that the movie was well-shot and well-made. That said, I also thought that the film is overlong and overwrought; the dialogue was poor; the acting was mediocre (at best); the characters were two-dimensional; the forced humor was juvenile (again, at best); the romantic leads lacked anything resembling chemistry; and the romantic sub-plots were poorly developed. Moreover, the film trades excitement and suspense for simple gore.

Also...Ridley Scott's Gladiator - while by no means my favorite film - is, IMO, a vastly superior historical epic released shortly after Braveheart.

Everything you just said is true of Braveheart is what I find to be true of Gladiator. I also think that historical epics are generally "overlong and overwrought" as a matter of course, so I don't see that as a negative/fair critique.

In any case, I don't know if I agree with all your critiques about the film but at least now I know what they are. If anything, this discussion has made me want to rewatch the movie and try to see these problems (it has been a long time). Maybe older eyes and ears will reveal the shortcomings of the romance and the dialogue.

Did you watch it at release?

[prfsnl_gmr]

<- is what I thought about Kingdom of Heaven.

I haven't seen it...Braveheart and Gladiator turned me off historical epics...

(I really do need to see the director's cut of Terrence Malick's The New World at some point, however...)

In any case, I don't know if I agree with all your critiques about the film but at least now I know what they are. If anything, this discussion has made me want to rewatch the movie and try to see these problems (it has been a long time). Maybe older eyes and ears will reveal the shortcomings of the romance and the dialogue.

Did you watch it at release?

Thankfully, I have not seen it since the early 2000s. Members of my high school and college sports teams used to watch it repeatedly - along with Gladiator - and although I didn't like it that much the first time I saw it, the repeated, semi-forced viewings might have made its flaws more apparent to me. (This didn't happen with Gladiator, however...and the fight with the tigers is still f*cking awesome.)

[Stark]

You don't have to be high to like certain movies, just the right frame of mind.

And what frame of mind would I have to be in to enjoy GREEN LANTERN?

I haven't seen it to be able to comment on that, but obviously there are movies that you're just not gonna like no matter what. For example, I don't think you're too big a fan of Ryan Reynolds to begin with, so GREEN LANTERN isn't exactly starting off on the right foot with you.

[dsheinem]

<- is what I thought about Kingdom of Heaven.

I haven't seen it...Braveheart and Gladiator turned me off historical epics...

(I really do need to see the director's cut of Terrence Malick's The New World at some point, however...)

It's good, but not among his best in my view. Is the Director's cut notably different in some way? Not sure which version I own...

[Ack]

Thankfully, I have not seen it since the early 2000s. Members of my high school and college sports teams used to watch it repeatedly - along with Gladiator - and although I didn't like it that much the first time I saw it, the repeated, semi-forced viewings might have made its flaws more apparent to me. (This didn't happen with Gladiator, however...and the fight with the tigers is still f*cking awesome.)

We did this in high school with the film Major Payne. I used to be able to quote that movie verbatim.

[Luke]

We did this in high school with the film Major Payne. I used to be able to quote that movie verbatim.

For shame that you still can't. Want me to show you a little trick to remind you of quoting Major Payne?

You don't have to be high to like certain movies, just the right frame of mind.

And what frame of mind would I have to be in to enjoy GREEN LANTERN?

I haven't seen it to be able to comment on that, but obviously there are movies that you're just not gonna like no matter what. For example, I don't think you're too big a fan of Ryan Reynolds to begin with, so GREEN LANTERN isn't exactly starting off on the right foot with you.

Ryan Reynolds is usually perfect for the roles he plays. He's almost the embodiment of the cocksure good looking male American.

I can't love every movie. Usually I say exactly what I do or don't like about a movie but I'm too lazy to write a diatribe on BRAVEHEART.