Miscellaneous Movie Musings

[innerSpaceman]

Clone Wars was way better than most of the prequels (I and III ... i have a soft spot for II). And that makes me kinda want to see this one. But not in theaters.

[lashbear]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

This isn't technically a "movie" per se, but rather than start a separate thread for Netflix recommendations, wanted to just put a word in for a DVD series I loved and recommend:

The House of Elliott

Part period drama, part British soap opera, part textile pr0n. Really good chick show. It's about two formerly upper class sisters who fall on hard times when their dad dies, but they end up starting their own fashion house. Whole thing takes place in the early-1900's

If you like this, keep an eye out for the French & Saunders sendup of this series... it's a hoot !! (I think it was on the DVD "French & Saunders go to Hollywood") ... The original actresses appear in the spoof as well.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Tropic Thunder was as good a satire as I've seen in a good long while. Pretty stunning just how much mocking of the modern studio system was allowed. Downey Jr. rocked the house, but everyone - even those I don't like as much - succeeded in making me like them tonight. Even Tom Cruise, who is a pretty good sport for appearing in a movie starring/written/directed by someone who's overtly mocked him in sketch comedy and somewhat indirectly mocked him in this very movie.

Pineapple Express had pleasing character development and scene work. It didn't work as well as an action comedy as, say, Hot Fuzz (or Tropic Thunder, for that matter.) But I still enjoyed it - despite not being much of a toker myself.

[flippyshark]

Saw Tropic Thunder tonight also. That was just tons of fun! I went in knowing very little, so the element of surprise and discovery was strong for me.

As for Clone Wars, ever since I heard that

Spoiler:

Jabba's son is named Stinky

and

Spoiler:

Stinky has an effete, Truman Capote-ish uncle

, my inner bad movie fan has kind of wanted to see it, but I can definitely wait until it's free on TV. Also, I overheard a kid, about twelve, commenting on Clone Wars as he left the theater: "That sucked wad." He and his friends looked glum.

[flippyshark]

Originally Posted by LSPoorEeyorick

Pineapple Express had pleasing character development and scene work. It didn't work as well as an action comedy as, say, Hot Fuzz (or Tropic Thunder, for that matter.) But I still enjoyed it - despite not being much of a toker myself.

So, it's the action movie Cheech and Chong should have made? (I don't know much about it, other than having seen Seth Rogan on The Daily Show essentially saying that his advice to young viewers was to drop out of school, smoke a lot of grass and write a movie about it. Also, it's technically impossible to be less of a toker than me, but I've enjoyed a lot of stoner cinema, for whatever reason. I probably covet the contact cool.)

If it's anything like Hot Fuzz, I'll probably enjoy it, but it's already on my wait to rent it list.

[flippyshark]

oh, wait, I do have one nitpick about Tropic Thunder. If you go see it, first of all, don't feel the need to wait through the credits. There are no cookies at the end. (That's the only reason I hung around. It seemed like the kind of movie that might have a post-credits gag of some kind, but no.) Secondly, don't stay for the credits, because, it does one very annoying thing. It replays, over a backbeat, some of the memorable lines of dialogue from the movie you just saw. I think this is a mistake. It comes off as self-congratulatory, like the filmmakers are running up to you and saying, "Oh! Wait, remember that part where Jack Black said ****?" "Oh, remember a few minutes ago when Ben Stiller said****? Wasn't that fvckin hysterical?" It left a bad taste for a movie I really enjoyed. Please, filmmakers, let me digest the experience myself. Don't tell me which lines you thought were the funniest. Okay, end of fervent nitpick.

[mousepod]

We saw Tropic Thunder this weekend as well. Haven't laughed so hard or often in a movie theater in quite some time. As a send-up, it certainly brought to mind Hot Fuzz. For me, another level of appreciation came from what I consider to be the redemption of Stiller and Black for me. They're comic actors that I so want to be funny, yet tend to disappoint so often. ...and Tom Cruise kicks ass again.

[Tom]

Originally Posted by mousepod

Haven't laughed so hard or often in a movie theater in quite some time.

I second (or third? fourth?) this sentiment. I also thought that Jay Baruchel did a great job with the least showy role in the film. For me, the disappointment with Black was less with his performance than the fact that his character could have been dropped from the film with negligible impact on the plot. A rare misstep in an otherwise great script. I was also excited that for the first time, in my opinion, Ben Stiller as a director lived up to the promise of the Ben Stiller Show.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

I know! I have heard some of the lines (and that song remix) over and over QAing the site we did for the movie (which rocks, by the way) but it was one of the rare films I've worked on that I somehow didn't read the screenplay or have to listen to the dialogue breakout or read the coverage or see the movie before it came out - and I found myself completely stunned at how much I was laughing, and at just how far they were pushing the boundaries - humor on steroids. TOTALLY worth your $12 bucks.

[Alex]

I really enjoyed Tropic Thunder but I didn't really laugh out loud that much. I also thought Jack Black was given little to do and until the end wasn't funny at all.