TV/Movies Megathread

[Ideologue]

But isn't that how it was in the books too?

Maybe.  To what extent is a movie insulated from criticism simply because it recapitulates the failures of its source material?  I'd argue "none."

[The Brain]

What Sweetass and Ide said.

[Admiral Yi]

Yi was never mistaken for a man

That one line is killer.  The rest are lame.

[The Brain]

You may not like it Yi, but that's how Americans talk.

[Tonitrus]

But isn't that how it was in the books too?

Maybe.  To what extent is a movie insulated from criticism simply because it recapitulates the failures of its source material?  I'd argue "none."

Bah.  They're not that big a deal anyone...pretty much like a one-shot atom bomb.  Sure they beat the army at Pelennor...but the Allies were going to get their asses kicked at the Towers of the Teeth until Frodo dealt the death blow.

[celedhring]

Saw John Carter. Maybe it's because I wasn't expecting too much after the bad rap it got, but I didn't completely hate it. I loved the pulpish early century sci-fi setting, not something you see in movies too often. That said, the film was unnecessarily long and the plot was convoluted.

[Ideologue]

The film was necessarily long and the plot was elegant.

I really liked John Carter.

[CountDeMoney]

I liked James Earle Carter;  great beginning, defined acts, great supporting characters, good dialogue.  Shitty ending.

[Razgovory]

Saw John Carter. Maybe it's because I wasn't expecting too much after the bad rap it got, but I didn't completely hate it. I loved the pulpish early century sci-fi setting, not something you see in movies too often. That said, the film was unnecessarily long and the plot was convoluted.

The whole beginning was sorta pointless, why waste all this time with the cavalry?  That's like making a Superman film with the first 20 minutes showing Superman's dad fiddling with the rocket.

[The Brain]

Saw John Carter. Maybe it's because I wasn't expecting too much after the bad rap it got, but I didn't completely hate it. I loved the pulpish early century sci-fi setting, not something you see in movies too often. That said, the film was unnecessarily long and the plot was convoluted.

The whole beginning was sorta pointless, why waste all this time with the cavalry?  That's like making a Superman film with the first 20 minutes showing Superman's dad fiddling with the rocket.

[celedhring]

Saw John Carter. Maybe it's because I wasn't expecting too much after the bad rap it got, but I didn't completely hate it. I loved the pulpish early century sci-fi setting, not something you see in movies too often. That said, the film was unnecessarily long and the plot was convoluted.

The whole beginning was sorta pointless, why waste all this time with the cavalry?  That's like making a Superman film with the first 20 minutes showing Superman's dad fiddling with the rocket.

I see what you did there.

The cavalry part was supposed to showcase how he doesn't care for anybody anymore etc, etc... but it wasn't particularly poignant or effective on that regard. But you gotta have Kansas before going to Oz.

I loved how long and complicated the plot was, yet they still needed to have the evil guy go and explain all his villainous plan to Carter for no apparent reason.

[Eddie Teach]

So, Hannibal.
[spoiler]They killed off Dr. Chilton? That's not supposed to happen 'til Hannibal escapes from prison.[/spoiler]

[katmai]

So, Hannibal.
[spoiler]They killed off Dr. Chilton? That's not supposed to happen 'til Hannibal escapes from prison.[/spoiler]

No idea, stopped watching the show.

[Zoupa]

lol thanks for your input katmai.

[Ideologue]

Watched The Raid 2 today.  Full review is actually entirely finished except for pictures, but will be delayed until I can finish up the review of the first one and Dredd, which is the real sticking point because there are so many worthy elements worth discussing at too great a length, whereas The Raids, whether better or worse, are simpler.

In the meantime, I suggest you watch it, for it is really quite excellent, though my God do Gareth Evans the screenwriter and Gareth Evans the director and editor possess vastly differing levels of talent.  Yes, The Raid 2 features a fully-fledged story that is not predominately conveyed through action scenes and the quick, interstitial breathing spaces between action scenes; that story is startlingly boilerplate given how invested Evans was in making it (The Raid 2 is a modified version of Berandal, which is the movie he wanted to make instead of The Raid).

Adding insult to injury, if you were invested at all in the oddly much superior story of The Raid, the opening scene of The Raid 2 will piss you off and make you sad that they wasted all the possibilities the ending of The Raid opened up.

Nonetheless, the action is--well, obviously--it's superb.  It's not as great, but it's still pretty great.  And it beats the Goddamned pants off of Cap 2.

A