MOVIES!!!

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Dark Bamf
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Post by Dark Bamf »

Hey, did anybody else notice in the new movie 'My Super EX-Girlfriend' that the lead character works for a company named 'Cockrum Design'? And wait'll you see the shark scene!

And re 'Superman Returns'--did anybody else feel let down by the ending? I wanted more of a big finish! I felt like they gave us three quarters of a movie. I expected more from Brian Singer.

:bamf
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Post by Angelique »

Haven't seen My Super Ex-Girlfriend yet, but I think this is one more reason to do so. I like silly little details like that.

As for Superman Returns, I would have liked to have seen more confrontation with Luthor, too. But it did make for a fun time out with the family, so no complaints there.
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Post by STEPHANEGARRELIE »

I'm ashamed to say that i didn't see Superman returns yet, but last week i bought the DVD of "The Master of Ballantrae" with Errol Flynn.
Even if William Keighley has not the talent of Michael Curtiz, he was a great director.
It was cool to re-see this movie. :sparrow

[Edited on 26/7/06 by STEPHANEGARRELIE]
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SamKarns
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Post by SamKarns »

The difference between Donner's film and Singer's is heart, and respecting the mythology.

What Donner did with Christopher Reeve was make him understand SUPERMAN WAS RAISED ON EARTH! He was willing to do the unthinkable going back in time to change what went wrong and deliver the perfect subtext to his natural father to go screw himself! EARTH is his home and his oath is to be a superhero for his earth brothers and sisters! Donner did a wonderful job with his great actors Gene Hackman and Marlon Brando to the fullest because they are unbelievable talents. Big flaw of Singer he doesn't use his talents to the fullest, Kevin Spacey was wasted in this film.

The actors in the film were poorly miscast Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane has lost her dash and pizzazz. Brandon Routh lacks charisma as Superman, and I suppose as Clark Kent, he isn't supposed to have any. It's strange how little dialogue the title character has in the movie. Clark Kent is monosyllabic, and Superman is microsyllabic. There are times when he looks more like an action figure; were effects used to make him seem built from synthetics? I remember the chemistry between Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder in the original "Superman" movie, and then observe how their counterparts are tongue-tied in this one. If they had a real romance, and they did, has it left them with nothing more than wistful looks and awkward small talk?

The Kryptonite/Fortress of Solitude was a major boo boo: it was established that Luthor's master plan was to create this super glacier and Superman couldn't do anything about it. There were moments when Superman was flying over the ocean where this Glacier is brewing and I thought he would just fall into the ocean. That didn't happen.

I thought Superman would fall on his face or injure his feet when landing on the K/FOS. Nothing. Kryptonite is deadly to Superman at a foot away from him. He knows this. We know this. Lex Luthor knows this. Yet he has been disabled by kryptonite in every one of the movies. Does he think Lex Luthor would pull another stunt without a supply on hand? Why doesn't he take the most elementary precautions? WEAR LEAD!

Kryptonite was spread all over this place and it appeared Superman was not even bothered except when we see Spacey's point of view of him sweating. Which comes to another flaw that Richard Lester did in Superman II, his vision was Superman is nothing without his powers. Superman gets into a fight with a goon in a diner, without his powers he becomes very stupid and takes his eyes away from his opponent and the goon sucker punches him and later Superman gets his ass kicked. A man raised on earth and fought a never ending battle for truth, justice, and the AMERICAN WAY?

Singer gladly return to this disrespect of superheroes and have Superman get his guts kicked in, including the flaws glaring at my face. As Superman is sliding across the new fortress' rocks or dark crystals the're chunks of Kryptonite all over the place. He should have been dead. Then later after Lois, Cyclops, and Jr. saved him after crashing into the water, he lifts the entire fortress into space with the flaws once again glaring in my face.

This is an example of Singer changing what was established and making it HIS OWN.
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Post by Angelique »

:LMAO I actually thought Cyclops was pretty good in that movie. And I must have admitted I was all, "Huh? Exactly how deadly is kryptonite to ole' Supes now? When's he going to start saying 'I'm not dead yet... I'm getting better...'"

Stephane, Master of Ballantrae isn't even Errol Flynn at his best, as his hard living had already extracted a heavy toll by the time that was made. My personal favorite from my Errol Flynn collection has to be the Sea Hawk.

But I just rented best foreign picture winner Tsotsi, and loved it, even when my husband said, "Wait a minute! Did I just hear them use English words?"
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STEPHANEGARRELIE
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Post by STEPHANEGARRELIE »

The Sea Haw is one of my favorites too. Michael Curtiz is an awesome director.
His work on the Sea Hawk, on Captain Blood and on the fight scenes of Robin Hood is wonderful.
But William Keighley is a very decent director: We owe him the most part of Robin Hood, The Prince and the Poor and the Master of Ballantrae amongst others.

I agree that the best at directing Errol Flynn was Michael Curtiz: He was the one who used the best Errol's energy. And the way he was filming sword fights was pure beauty. :engarde :sparrow

[Edited on 26/7/06 by STEPHANEGARRELIE]
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Post by The Atom »

I haven't seen "My Super EX-Girlfriend," so no comments about that. Neat to hear about the 'Cockrum Design' bit.

As for "Superman Returns," I was dissapointed in the whole movie, for many of the same reasons that Sam has pointed out. So many times during the movie I couldn't help thinking who is this idiot who claims to be Superman. When did Superman become so damn stupid, so irresponsible. If anything, the guy Lois hooks up with after Superman disappears is *much* more of a hero.

Dave, like you said, the movie just never developed the drama or tension that should have been there at the last half-hour of the movie. Where's the build up, the suspense. Okay, we all know Superman's going to win, but that's the challenge of this kind of movie.

Ah well, maybe next time.
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Post by SamKarns »

Another thing that bothered gravely in the film: Superman, after returning to earth(That's a laugh Superman abandoning earth?), takes a baseball and throws it at full velocity. The first thing that came out from my mouth was OMG he just killed somebody! This is terrible directing and not fully understanding the character.

I do understand where the scene comes from but to remind folks that kicking a ball made of pigskin and filled with air will caused little damage to an innocent bystander than a 500mph baseball.
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Post by kladyelf »

I saw Superman Returns, what i liked about it was that there was respect(?) for the previous two movies - using the intro from the first movie (the letters whooshing past), the theme music (as a teenager we did "Can you read my mind?" when part of the school choir), and Marlon as Jor El were nice touches, but the ending was both touching and a bit of a disappointment, i did expect something else, but i guess that its nice that Supes has a kid - but for someone who didn't see the second movie - exactly *when* did this happen?? i mean i don't think the producers back in the early eighties would've let clean-cut Supes have pre-marital nookie? Or am i mistaken?

That and i kept wanting to take Brandon's glasses off him and put them on James *twitch* and yell "You're CYCLOPS fer cryin in a bucket! you don't *get* trapped in a sinking ship's kitchen!!" :D

with other movies - PotC2 is finally showing where i am, and i have the flipping FLU!!! not fair!!!! :sick

[Edited on 28-7-2006 by kladyelf]

[Edited on 28-7-2006 by kladyelf]
meddle not in the affairs of ficcers for you are malleable and easily .... O_o *stares* ooh is that a cookie?

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Crazy.... but in the nicest possible way....

To Stupidityyyyy - and beyond!

*after reading the latest gory/depressing "mainstream" comic* ....*sigh* that's it, I'm packin' up and moving back to the Eighties...
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Post by Angelique »

Early '80's was back before people knew that anyone could get AIDS. There was all kinds of nookie going on. I guess the producers thought Supes shouldn't be any exception.
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Dark Bamf
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Post by Dark Bamf »

In defense of Superman and Lois' behavior toward each other, he's just returned to Earth afcter five years, hving left with not one word of explanation to Lois. Naturally, she's stand-offish. And she's in another relationship and has a kid--whose parentage isn't evident until late in the movie. He's stand-offish too. That's why the funky relationships.

But it still doesn't excuse the lacluster ending. I would've liked to see some suggestion of the former relationship between Supes and Lex as developed on 'Smallville'. And we should have had earthquakes and nuclear blasts and kryptonite bombs in a slambang finish between Supes & Luthor.

:bamf

[Edited on 29-7-2006 by Dark Bamf]
'I'm in love, I'm in love with Atilla the Hun--
Atilla the Hun, Atilla the Hun.
He may pillage your village and kill everyone
but I still love Atilla the Hun.'
--Atilla's Hunny
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Post by SamKarns »

There is a scene in the film after Superman officially returns. There is a maniac who is firing a heavy machine gun and Superman appears. Strange how Superman was a mega figure in Metropolis and the villains are clueless who Superman is.

Yes. The one who's faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! This is bad storytelling for a reinvention picture. Superman has done so much for Metropolis and the world? Shouldn't the villains be more aware of Superman's Return than civilians? It's they who should look up in the skies.

[Edited on 5/8/06 by SamKarns]
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Post by Crocodile Hunter »

Alkuperäinen postittaja SamKarns
Another thing that bothered gravely in the film: Superman, after returning to earth(That's a laugh Superman abandoning earth?), takes a baseball and throws it at full velocity. The first thing that came out from my mouth was OMG he just killed somebody! This is terrible directing and not fully understanding the character.
Did it ever occure to you that its meant to be entertainment.

I actually liked the movie, a lot more then the old ones. Partly because i am really not the fan of superman. But yes originally i saw the trailers and didnt want to see it. But i saw, and i liked it.
I didnt really give much thought to stuff in the movie.
"how was that airplane so heavy to lift, if he lifted an cryptonite island in the end?"
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Post by SamKarns »

You have to look at these superhero films as an adaptation similar to an autobiography. Let's say it was about you, but all of a sudden the filmmaker decided to make your history and actions completely different to your own. Masses of audiences are seeing you IN THE FILMMAKER'S MIND which is totally false. Would you still say it's meant for entertainment and no truth should be applied?
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Post by Crocodile Hunter »

Alkuperäinen postittaja SamKarns
You have to look at these superhero films as an adaptation similar to an autobiography. Let's say it was about you, but all of a sudden the filmmaker decided to make your history and actions completely different to your own. Masses of audiences are seeing you IN THE FILMMAKER'S MIND which is totally false. Would you still say it's meant for entertainment and no truth should be applied?
Oor, then you should see it as a movie made out of comic book.
Though my opinion is that you are just bashing the movie.
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Post by SamKarns »

I give up.
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