General Movie Thread

[Sarah]

I never did like to carry a handbag.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

I saw Avatar and Sherlock Holmes in Indiana.  I went in thinking both were going to be dumb and fun, and I wasn't disappointed.  Avatar was in Imax 3-D, which is the only way I'd even consider seeing it.  And yes, it was clearly sentimental, new-agey, crypto-racist Hollywood liberal nonsense, but it was a pretty awesome example of it.

I don't like Guy Ritchie movies at all, and I think making Sherlock and Mr. Watson into steampunk ass-kickers is a totally moronic idea, but I enjoyed it a lot, probably because of the actors (though Emma's right, Rachel mcAdams was godawful).

[Martin]

Att. cinephiles: legendary critic Robin Wood passed away just before Christmas. Over the years he wrote a lot of essays and case studies for Film International (a film journal I'm one of the editors of). So I asked our former ed-in-chief Michael Tapper to write an obit, which he did. It's a great piece, and if you're so inclined, you can read it here: http://www.filmint.nu/?q=node/183

[crumbum]

I saw Avatar and Sherlock Holmes in Indiana.  I went in thinking both were going to be dumb and fun, and I wasn't disappointed.  Avatar was in Imax 3-D, which is the only way I'd even consider seeing it.  And yes, it was clearly sentimental, new-agey, crypto-racist Hollywood liberal nonsense, but it was a pretty awesome example of it.

I'm glad there are some intelligent people out there who feel this way... I was starting to think I was siding with the dummies by enjoying it so much. Because of all the Dances With Wolves crud, though, I don't think it's really a movie built to last. Ten years from now very few people will be going back to watch it again.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

I saw Avatar and Sherlock Holmes in Indiana.  I went in thinking both were going to be dumb and fun, and I wasn't disappointed.  Avatar was in Imax 3-D, which is the only way I'd even consider seeing it.  And yes, it was clearly sentimental, new-agey, crypto-racist Hollywood liberal nonsense, but it was a pretty awesome example of it.

I'm glad there are some intelligent people out there who feel this way... I was starting to think I was siding with the dummies by enjoying it so much. Because of all the Dances With Wolves crud, though, I don't think it's really a movie built to last. Ten years from now very few people will be going back to watch it again.

I think it could go either way -- it could have the nostalgia value of Star Wars for children of the 70s, or the mass appeal of Lord of the Rings, and that might help it get past its possible datedness.  Or maybe not, maybe we've hit a point where that kind of cultural impact is no longer possible.  Or, worst of all, we're giving posterity too much credit and that Dances With Wolves stuff won't even seem embarrassing.

And thanks for implying that I'm intelligent.  But yeah, my expectations were pretty low, and I had a blast.

[JustNicole]

Someone posted this on Facebook. It's about people who get depressed after Avatar is over because they wish Pandora is real.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/11/avatar.movie.blues/index.html

[todd]

I'm really late on both of these but want to say:

Zombieland was far better than I thought it would be. And the big cameo thing isn't just funny because of who the cameo is and how it's performed, the jokes themselves are written very well. Small touches like when they both run into the room, and Woody Harrelson is wearing the suit, and the other guy is holding a vacuum? God damn small stuff like that makes me laugh. Because it means he only has one suit, and Woody wanted to wear it! That's funny, right? Right? Who's with me? Do you guys even GET IT? Jesus.

The Hurt Locker was really good but I think the hype kinda deflated it for me. It was good - I can't say anything bad about it, but it didn't grip me the way people say it gripped them.

[cutout]

Tonight I was at a coffeeshop telling a friend how dopey I thought Avatar was. A hippie guy moved his chair down the bar just to interrupt and tell me how off-base I was. It reminded me so much of the Tom Waits argument on the Best Show where anyone who didn't like Waits just 'didn't get it'. This guys was upset because he thought I wasn't getting the powerful anti-war message. Ugh.

[SJK]

Just recently watched Avatar, Sherlock Holmes and In The Loop.

Avatar, the pretty pictures caught me...also had very low expectations which I think allowed me to enjoy it. I didn't find anything revelational in it to interrupt a private discussion about how bad the film is.

This guys was upset because he thought I wasn't getting the powerful anti-war message. Ugh.

That hippie guy needs a lesson in minding his own business.

Sherlock Holmes, again great looking pictures and a good bit of fun with RDJ, JL and even RM who I didn't think was that bad.

In The Loop, sweet merciful s**t!! that was funny. That film title had been on the back burner since I had seen it mentioned here in this very thread?! I'll check on that. Samir from Florida mentioned it I think.

Thanks to those who chimed in on Avatar, earlier in this thread. Always interesting to know what you people think.   

[JustNicole]

Tonight I was at a coffeeshop telling a friend how dopey I thought Avatar was. A hippie guy moved his chair down the bar just to interrupt and tell me how off-base I was. It reminded me so much of the Tom Waits argument on the Best Show where anyone who didn't like Waits just 'didn't get it'. This guys was upset because he thought I wasn't getting the powerful anti-war message. Ugh.

It's pretty funny to see how many people are reacting to this movie. I'm sure at one time in my life, it could have defined certain elements for me as far as how I felt about the world and religion, etc. I'm sure if I wasn't thinking for myself, I could have gotten swept up in the message. The people I saw it with really, really loved it. I felt bad telling them that I didn't like it too much but I did because I was actually disappointed. I guess I was expecting something like The Matrix, which I truly loved (the first one at least).  I think I would have liked Avatar more if someone had edited it better, but I don't remember the last time I've seen people so opinionated about a movie. I wonder if they feel how I felt after it took 4 years for Back to the Future II to come out...

[crumbum]

I don't remember the last time I've seen people so opinionated about a movie.

I think that would be last summer with The Dark Knight. I have had a couple similar experiences with near-strangers getting angry with me for not liking it (in one case a guy at a party who would just NOT LET THE SUBJECT DROP and started to seem a bit disturbed).

Doug Benson goes on a bit of a rant this week on Comedy and Everything Else regarding the backlash he caught for making a few harmless jokes about Avatar via Twitter.

[Pat K]

Someone posted this on Facebook. It's about people who get depressed after Avatar is over because they wish Pandora is real.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/11/avatar.movie.blues/index.html

Ha - what a bunch of pathetic nerds!

(...says a guy who gets depressed after the Best Show because he wishes Philly Boy Roy was real.)

[samir]

In The Loop, sweet merciful s**t!! that was funny. That film title had been on the back burner since I had seen it mentioned here in this very thread?! I'll check on that. Samir from Florida mentioned it I think.

You're welcome.

I caught an advance of The Lovely Bones the other day, and it was pretty bad. The pretty heaven stuff looked to me like an elaborate screensaver, and when Marky Mark was onscreen, all I could think of was him talking to animals.

[JonFromMaplewood]

Finally saw "District 9" last night.  Loved it.

I was not expecting that it would have so much of a "Robocop" feel.

[jbissell]

Saw Avatar in IMAX 3D last night, it was my third try since every other time was sold out.  The projector malfunctioned right at the start of the Alice in Wonderland trailer and I had a chance to leave but I decided to stick around and get watching the dumb movie out of the way.  It was pretty to look at but that story was so lazy it drove me nuts.  If it had been an hour shorter and mostly just action like the last 30 min. I probably would've liked it a lot more.  I got a free IMAX ticket out of it at least.

I SEE YOU.