[oqvist]

   
She was phenomenal in that...beyond phenomenal. It's been a good while since I saw that film, but a couple of the scenes toward the end still stay with me. Amazing cast, terrific acting. 

Was there anyone not phenomenal in it. I think I need to see it again.
 
Watched 21 jump street. More fun then I thought. Really stupid but clever stupid 7/10 lol

 

[tdockweiler]

The Unknown Known - 5/10
 
Hated the annoying style of this movie. Barely interesting enough to keep me watching to the end. Rented it for $4 and wish I skipped it.
I saw the director's other film "The Fog of War" and that was much better.

 

[Makiah S]

 
... this was pretty awesome! 

 

[Fearless1]

  The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) - 8
 
 
However, I'm left with  I found the whole movie very engrossing and entertaining; Wes is an expert of mood manipulation. I am very curious to see what he will do next. The Grand Budapest Hotel is Wes' sharpest mannerism. Highly recommended!

+1, I have loved Wes's style since Rushmore. This was a work of art. Masterfully shot and very entertaining.  

 

[Focker]

Saw that Harry Knowles considered this the best film he's seen in the last year, so wanted to give it a look. Not sure I feel quite as strongly as he does, but it's up there for sure. 
 
 
"Blue Ruin" - 8.8/10
 
 

 

[mfenske]

Watched "The LEGO Movie" last weekend. I LOVED it! In a lot of ways it reminded me a lot of "Shrek" in that while it's target is definitely for kids many of the jokes were made for older folks. I'd give the movie a solid 8/10. Great soundtrack, awesome cast, and the special effects were brilliant. I'd suggest this for anyone but especially if you have kids.

 

[metalsonata]

Snowpiercer (2013): 8/10
 
A blackly funny and slightly surreal sci-fi action blockbuster that's big on ideas but slim on keeping them cohesive. It occasionally strays into territory that it's too smart for (resulting in various plot-holes), but it also bravely strides into territory that will reduce most of the audience to squirming in discomfort. In its absurd tone, its love of well-timed gags, its cluttered production design, its over-the-top characters, and its bleak outlook it owes a great debt to Terry Gilliam--this and Brazil would make for an excellent double feature. I suspect that the average audience who goes to see this on the big-screen won't quite know what they're gotten themselves into--Snowpiercer bounces so wildly and expertly between comedy, tragedy, action, and sociopolitical commentary that it'll probably leave most of them breathless. One of the director's previous films was The Host--if you've seen that you sort of know what to expect from this.
 
I've given a lot of special-effects heavy action films 8/10s recently (the new Captain America, the new X-Men, Edge of Tomorrow)--and while I've given this one the same score, I think I'd recommend it above the others to certain people. Unfortunately it's been poorly treated by its distributor--but if it shows up in a theatre near you and it looks like it might be something you'd enjoy (check out the trailer), then make absolutely sure that you don't miss it.

 

[Focker]

I've really been looking forward to this film, and I have to say that it didn't disappoint. Siskel and Ebert were such a huge part of my life during my childhool. I still remember how I felt when the intro to their show would come on unexpectedly. I hung on every word they said and they were both integral in my love of movies from a very early age. Watching this film was very surreal. It was nostalgia mixed in with feelings like I'm getting to know someone that I've been watching for a long time, for the first time. I highly recommend this one. 
 
I'm going to forego my usual ratings system for this one, in honor of the man himself. 
 
"Life Itself" - Thumbs WAY up!  See you at the movies, Roger!
 

 

[metalsonata]

  I've really been looking forward to this film, and I have to say that it didn't disappoint. Siskel and Ebert were such a huge part of my life during my childhool. I still remember how I felt when the intro to their show would come on unexpectedly. I hung on every word they said and they were both integral in my love of movies from a very early age. Watching this film was very surreal. It was nostalgia mixed in with feelings like I'm getting to know someone that I've been watching for a long time, for the first time. I highly recommend this one. 
 
I'm going to forego my usual ratings system for this one, in honor of the man himself. 
 
"Life Itself" - Thumbs WAY up!  See you at the movies, Roger!
 

 
My local theatre isn't getting this until the 18th. I'm *really* looking forward to it.

 

[Focker]

   
My local theatre isn't getting this until the 18th. I'm *really* looking forward to it.

 
If it's of interest, you can also see it on Vudu and AppleTV (and probably other places). It's one of those titles they're releasing for rental same time it's in theaters. 
 
I've been thinking about it a lot since it ended. I love that they included a fair bit on Siskel. It really made the film seem more complete and whole. Just really well done...I'd be surprised if you didn't enjoy it. (Although it is hard to watch in some parts.)

 

[metalsonata]

   
If it's of interest, you can also see it on Vudu and AppleTV (and probably other places). It's one of those titles they're releasing for rental same time it's in theaters. 
 
I've been thinking about it a lot since it ended. I love that they included a fair bit on Siskel. It really made the film seem more complete and whole. Just really well done...I'd be surprised if you didn't enjoy it. (Although it is hard to watch in some parts.)

 
Haha, I think I might be the last person alive who doesn't use any renting or streaming services. If I miss something theatrically, I wait for it to come out on DVD then check it out from the public library. I'm ok with waiting, but thanks for the heads-up. ^^
 
Ernest & Celestine (2012): 9/10
 
A simple story, simply told. Old-fashioned and sweet, with lovely animation. It won't blow your mind or maybe even linger in it, but it doesn't need to. 
 
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977): 9/10
 
A classic blockbuster that's held up reasonably well. Re-watching it for the first time in years, here's what stood out the most to me:
 

1. If you grew up with this film as a kid, there's no way you can even attempt to approach this film objectively, but I'm trying!
2. The battle scenes go on for just a touch too long--excising five minutes from them in sum would make this film that much better.
3. The characters are simple, likable (even the whiny Luke), and magnetic--even when made to utter some truly cringe-worthy dialogue. But because we like the characters and what they represent so much, we don't cringe--we grin. 
4. The special effects have held up astoundingly well. On the whole I'd say it's aged just about as well as Kubrick's 2001--the difference being that Kubrick was gunning for realism, Lucas was not. (Though of course, it's worth pointing out that 2001 predates Star Wars by nearly a decade.)
5. The direction is startlingly good--what on earth happened to Lucas as a director between this and the new trilogy? There were a couple of shots here that I found to be genuinely breathtaking--a far cry from the clumsy sterility of the new trilogy. 
6. This must truly be the first 'modern' special effects driven blockbuster. In some ways, I suppose we have to thank it for all the garbage we put up with now, like the Transformers films and whatever Emmerich attaches his name to. What a lot of these films haven't yet learned from Star Wars is how to humanize their stories--how to make them warm and livable.
7. The set design is *to die for.* God, I would love to spend some time on the Millennium Falcon.
8. Equally to die for is the sound design. I'd somehow forgotten how each of the spacecraft had their own unique sound signatures--all lovely and loud. And of course, there's Vader's altered voice.
9. The editing seemed a bit wonky to me--like there were small chunks of story missing here and there. I did see the version retouched with additional special effects, but I doubt that had anything to do with it. Speaking of the added special effects and scene--they're totally unnecessary, but not awful.

 
Looking forward to re-watching the last two.

 

[mutabor]

  I've really been looking forward to this film, and I have to say that it didn't disappoint. Siskel and Ebert were such a huge part of my life during my childhool. I still remember how I felt when the intro to their show would come on unexpectedly. I hung on every word they said and they were both integral in my love of movies from a very early age. Watching this film was very surreal. It was nostalgia mixed in with feelings like I'm getting to know someone that I've been watching for a long time, for the first time. I highly recommend this one. 
 
I'm going to forego my usual ratings system for this one, in honor of the man himself. 
 
"Life Itself" - Thumbs WAY up!  See you at the movies, Roger!

 
The first time when I heard about Roger Ebert was last year when I read an article on the Verge that he died. Then I checked his site. I didn't find much interest in his reviews though his list of Great movies is a good reference. Sometimes I check Reviews section. I like it because of structure ( I can scroll down and see all recent movies) and there are attempts to cover international cinema ( Bollywood, SE Asia etc.) though as I understand they are only those films which get released in America ( a limited coverage).

 

[RUMAY408]

   
If it's of interest, you can also see it on Vudu and AppleTV (and probably other places). It's one of those titles they're releasing for rental same time it's in theaters. 
 
I've been thinking about it a lot since it ended. I love that they included a fair bit on Siskel. It really made the film seem more complete and whole. Just really well done...I'd be surprised if you didn't enjoy it. (Although it is hard to watch in some parts.)

Hands down my favorite critic, I have three of his original review books, the rare critic who loved movies that seemed to go over the head of the serious critics.
 
He was one of the few early critics who got "Jaws" and "Star Wars" 
 
I have seen nothing but positive reviews about this film, I will check it out.
 
On the other hand the reviews on the new Transformers movie are beyond bad, some of the worst I have ever seen, makes for comical reading on Rotten Tomatoes.

 

[Makiah S]

  Hands down my favorite critic, I have three of his original review books, the rare critic who loved movies that seemed to go over the head of the serious critics.
 
He was one of the few early critics who got "Jaws" and "Star Wars" 
 
I have seen nothing but positive reviews about this film, I will check it out.
 
On the other hand the reviews on the new Transformers movie are beyond bad, some of the worst I have ever seen, makes for comical reading on Rotten Tomatoes.

yea Transformers is horrendous

 

[RUMAY408]

  yea Transformers is horrendous

Michael Bay loves the long movie so 3 hours of what some critics claim is historically bad, well I think I'll stay away.