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2005 Film List - Page 3

post #61 of 289
3/30/05 at 1:28am
I can't think of any really violent scenes in Oldboy, I remember it as intense, but nothing like the violence "because violence is the coolest thing ever yo" Tarentino uses. Sure there's the corridor and penthouse fights, but the film didn't feel all that violent to me; really intense and impactful but not that violent. Oh wait, I'm thinking of violence as mainly actions perpetuated directly upon a person by outside means--such as fighting or beatings, not quite the more mental warfare (and its tangible results) the protagonist and antagonist wage in Oldboy. or maybe I'm just wierd.

What'd you think of 800 Bullets? I see it in your signature, and it never really had a decent release in the US.

Adam
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post #62 of 289
3/30/05 at 8:50am
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post #63 of 289
3/31/05 at 10:09am
Robots
6 of 10
While the CGI is nice enough and the characters and setting are interesting, fun designs, the film itself really lacks a spark. Sometimes it is funny, but not nearly often enough. The problem isn't that its formula, though it is. The problem seems to be in the editing, direction and writing, all of which kill most of the comedic timing.

The film COULD have lots of great gags, but too often they are stepped on or not set up right in the first place. Maybe they were on paper and the direction is bad. Maybe they got to "film" and then were edited bad.

All I could think of was "Spies Like Us", good talent, funny situations, but cut all wrong for the jokes.
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post #64 of 289
4/2/05 at 8:40am
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post #65 of 289
4/3/05 at 4:36pm
Finally got my list up and running. So much for my New Year's resolution of not procrastinating so much.
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post #66 of 289
4/4/05 at 10:54pm
Sin City
9.5 of 10
Comic book film noir (review in official review thread). One of the best films I'll see this year, and I might yet bump it to 10 and call it one of the best I've seen in years.
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post #67 of 289
4/9/05 at 11:43am
Finally got my 2005 list up and running this week. Assault on Precinct 13 (C+) is an update of a John Carpenter film which in turn was inspired by Howard Hawks' 'Rio Bravo'. I haven't seen Carpenter's film so I can't compare it to the 2005 film, but its a loud action packed affair (just about blew my ears out) that skimps on character development in favour of an already light storyline. Not nearly as fun as last year's Dawn of the Dead re-make (which finished in my 2004 Top Ten) but AoP13 has the guns, the body counts and the cheesy dialogue to keep action-junkies happy.

Also caught the much hyped about Korean film Oldboy. The general feeling on HTF is that this film rocks. I have to be the dissenting voice here and give it the thumbs down, despite wanting very much to like it. I'm still processing what I have just seen I have to say my feeling is pretty negative. The revenge film genre is given a fresh twist here, but the film teased me with moments of brilliance only to leave me with me rolling my eyes during the end credits. Wouldn't mind another viewing, though. Live squid, anyone? (C+)

Edit: (04-23-05) After a second viewing of Oldboy, I've bumped it up to a (B)
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post #68 of 289
4/10/05 at 9:49pm
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post #69 of 289
4/12/05 at 7:49am
Danny Boyle's Millions


At Bat: Sin City

~Edwin
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post #70 of 289
4/13/05 at 6:12am
Robert Rodriguez's Sin City


At Bat: The Upside Of Anger

~Edwin
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post #71 of 289
4/14/05 at 8:39am
My first two films of 2005 are

Sin City: I was really only impressed by Mickey Rourke in the Marv sequence. The other two are long on style but suffer from actors who can't sell Miller's hard boiled dialogue and have to simply act tough, in place of actually being tough. I kept thinking this movie would have been so much better 30 or 40 years ago with actors like Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Richard Widmark, etc. Rodriguez has lots of tricks in his bag when it comes to action sequences, but it is the personal confrontations that are at the heart of any noir story, and here, Rodriguez is much less successful when he has to slow down and simply film characters communicating with one another. B

Eros: B-, review in Indie/Foreign Thread.
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post #72 of 289
4/17/05 at 9:10pm
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post #73 of 289
4/23/05 at 7:14pm
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post #74 of 289
4/24/05 at 7:40pm
I have a question regarding eligble film release dates.
Oldboy and Kung Fu Hustle, neither was a 2005 production, but both received their US theatrical debuts in 2005, that would make them eligible for '05 lists, correct?

Thanks.
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post #75 of 289
4/25/05 at 6:15am
Yep, that's the most standard way of using the 200x lists. Some people like to go with global release date, some people will count festival screenings, but I think for the most part the most popular method is to go by major US release or Oscar qualifying release (NY/LA before end of year, ramped up to other cities in JAN).

I will be putting KFHustle on my 2K5 list after I see it.

Whichever method you choose its expected that you clarify that method with your list so others know where to find your opinion on films of a certain release date, or so they know why some films did or didn't make your end of year top films list.
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post #76 of 289
5/8/05 at 6:19pm
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post #77 of 289
5/13/05 at 5:44am
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
8 of 10

Some comments in the official discussion thread.
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post #78 of 289
5/19/05 at 10:09pm
Finally updated my list with the nine films I've seen since I last updated in february.

Adam
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post #79 of 289
5/23/05 at 12:29pm
Updated with

Palindromes - B
Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge Of The Sith - B+

I've been struggling with putting my thoughts together to write anything about either.

Planning on a double feature of Old Boy and Crash tonight.
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post #80 of 289
5/23/05 at 2:06pm
Sith
8.5 of 10
Like AOTC this might get downgraded on a 2nd viewing because while I found the story to be pretty solid and the overall effect to be strong, I did notice a couple of times that I was pretty annoyed as well (ugh, dialog).

At least it finally felt pretty close to a Star Wars film.


Downgraded Sin City from 9.5 to 9 also.
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post #81 of 289
5/23/05 at 2:21pm
George Lucas' Star wars Episode 3: Revenge Of The Sith -
Mike Bender's The Upside Of Anger -

These two films and their ratings speak for themselves.

~Edwin
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post #82 of 289
5/31/05 at 9:41am
Added Oldboy - B+, I'll put some comments in the indie thread if I get around to it, though I pretty much agree with the existing reviews there, ie. a mostly riveting film with a problematic ending that leaves something of a bad taste.

Madagascar is a typical PDI film. Loud and brash, hyper cut and obnoxious to try to hide the thinness of the story. The characters exist more as toned down versions of their voice actor's schtick than full-fledged filmic beings. And it tries to substitute pop culture references for good comedy writing. It's occassionally amusing and displays a bit of heart when it isn't trying to beat you into a stupor trying to be funny. A little better than the soulless profit-mongering machine that was Shrek 2. C+

My kids enjoyed it but weren't overly enthusiastic.
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post #83 of 289
6/4/05 at 3:16am
Madagascar
7.5 of 10
The weakness is mostly in the 4 main characters. They just aren't funny often enough and generally don't have a lot of chemistry. Much of their parts feel forced.

However the penguins, monkeys and lemurs are all good for some great laughs in the supporting parts (sans the "I Like to Move It" song) and that's enough to get your afternoon's worth of fun out of the film.

I just wish more of the main stuff had been done as well. It reminds me of Ice Age a bit in that same lack of energy and soul (again, other than John Legz. sloth and the squirrel).

Elektra
4 of 10
It's cool to see her in action and in many ways the film was a better action flick than Daredevil, but its just a semi-template story that brings it down and keeps it from really entertaining. The film just lacks any real "wow" moments to it. It wasn't bad in a "I hate this crap" way, more in a "ho hum" way.


I've now seen a whopping 8 2005 films so far. Great year.
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post #84 of 289
6/5/05 at 11:10am
Updated with Layer Cake
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post #85 of 289
6/9/05 at 5:07pm
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post #86 of 289
6/12/05 at 8:27am
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post #87 of 289
6/18/05 at 8:02pm
Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins

Also, updated for:

Paul Haggis' Crash 1/2
Madagascar

~Edwin
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post #88 of 289
6/28/05 at 11:02pm
A few festival flicks that recently got release dates:

Twist of Faith - 7/1
Pretty Persuasion - 8/12
Green Street Hooligans (formerly Hooligans) - 9/16
MirrorMask - 9/30
The Ordeal - 10/21
Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic - early November
The Matador - 11/18

...and keep an eye out for The Aristocrats on 7/29!
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post #89 of 289
6/29/05 at 9:34am
Definitely can't wait to see The Aristocrats. Also Ingmar Bergman's Saraband has finally been picked up after 3 years. Sony Pictures Classics is putting it out starting July 5th.

Added:
Cinderella Man - B+ (I don't think much of Howard as a director, but the film works because of the wonderful performances and the story being told)

Howl's Moving Castle - A- (While not up to the standards of his best work, it's easily the best "2005 release" I've seen so far)

Land of The Dead - B+ (I should put something in the thread, no where close to as good as the other 3 Dead films or the remake because the human characters come up short and surprisingly, so does Romero's direction, but certainly delivers in the zombie action and mayhem departments)

High Tension - C (Standard slasher with a few good moments, but marred by stupid "twist" and a low quality dub)
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post #90 of 289
6/29/05 at 8:37pm
Batman Begins
10 of 10
I loved it. My favorite of the year so far. Full review in the official review thread.

Assault on Precinct 13
4 of 10
There were some good performances and the makings of a good film, but unlike the original this film just goes too Hollywood despite reigning it in at times.

War of the Worlds
9 of 10
The first hour or so is so strong that it makes up for the more cliched final act. It went from being one of Spielbergs best ever to just a solid effort in a matter of about 25 minutes.
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