posted on July 5, 2004 09:19:55 AM new
I thought about posting this under that other thread, but I'm here to talk movies, not politics.
I just got back from seeing Spider-Man 2, and I have to say, I'm a little non-impressed. From the reviews I have been reading, I was expecting the greatest movie of all time. I have one word for this one... "Meh!"
I wasn't blown away by the first one either. I loved the X-Men (especially #2) and liked the Hulk a lot, but the Spider-Man movies just haven't done much for me.
Anyone else had a disappointing movie experience BECAUSE of super-good reviews?
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We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing -- Anonymous
posted on July 5, 2004 09:46:03 AM new
I learned a long time ago to go to movies expecting just to enjoy myself for a couple hours. There are movies I have had high expectations of based on books that turned out to be disappointing - most recently Sum of All Fears (did they even read the book before writing the screenplay on that one?) and Bourne Identity - but I don't really pay that much attention to reviews.
PS - Yes - I probably will see Bourne Supremecy - I just now know where my epectation level should be.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on July 5, 2004 12:02:57 PM new
I usually take reviews with a grain of salt. I've liked movies that got lousy or lukewarm reviews and hated some that were touted as the best thing since sliced bread. So I don't base my movie-going on reviews.
But I have gone to film with high expectations, either because of the star, director or writer, and been hugely disappointed. One recent case-in-point: The Ladykillers with Tom Hanks. I love the original version, and I really like Tom Hanks as an actor, so I thought this would be a really enjoyable film.
WRONG!!!!!!!! Lousy performance by Hanks, the story had been ruined, and there was a lot of sophmoric humor in it that really destroyed the film. I think the only ones who enjoyed the film were 9-13 year-old boys who like bathroom humor a lot.
Fortunately, Hanks redeems himself in The Terminal.
I agree with you, however, about Spiderman 2. It was OK, but nothing to write home about.
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We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people. -- John F. Kennedy
posted on July 5, 2004 12:37:32 PM new
Ah Fenix, where to begin to rant about "The Sum of all Fears"?
There were just soooo many things wrong with that movie. How can they excpect to have this character go from one movie to the other with absolutely no continuity whatsoever? I can live with the different actors, I guess, but the way they mangle poor Jack's life just makes no sense.
Haven't they killed poor old Admiral (name forgotten) twice now? Once he was James Earl Jones, and the other time he was Morgan Freeman. But in the books it was the same character, wasn't it?
Not to mention the whole Arab Terrorists become Nazis thing. After all, aren't we all shaking in our boots worrying about Nazis making a comeback? Who actually worries about terrorists? You just gotta wonder what was going through their heads when they wrote that mess.
It's too bad that so much of Tom Clancy's work is getting out of date. I would look forward to a good set of remakes with consistant actors and stories in about 15 years. It'll probably never happen. Too much relies on the soviet Union, and I doubt they will have the movie staying power of the Nazis. They still make Nazis the bad guys in today's movies, but when was the last time you saw a new "evil commie" movie? Maybe it's a PC thing?
But back to the original question, I could tell from the previews and awful reviews that SUM would SUCK, so I can't say I was disappointed. I knew going in that it was bad.
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We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing -- Anonymous
posted on July 5, 2004 02:24:37 PM new
Replay - yeah - I have no idea who Freeman was supposed to be playing but if it was supposed to be JE s charachter, he was definately already dead. I thought they really blew it by moving the llocation to the Baltimore and perasonally involving the president in the attack. Most of the best scenes in the book where etween the president andd his "Good god someone please slap this b*tch" national security advisor. All of those scenes gone. I mean if Oval office love affair, muslim extremist groups, and Denver where all too damn controversial, why bother turning the book into a movie.
The scene at the end where he looks Afflek asks "How could you possibly have known?" makes me want to scream Because he's a spy you freaking idiot. every time I see it.
They could still do the recent books Debt of Honor, Executive Orders, etc. Bear and the Dragon with it's Chinese storyline is extremely viable but damn if I could buy into Afflek as President. They are definately going to have to bring back Ford to do that. Actually it would not be too hard considering that people tht have only seen the Clancy movies have no clue that Afflek was playing the charachter that Ford portrayed.... helll most don't realise that Ford is playing the same charachter Alec Baldwin played in Red October.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on July 5, 2004 03:04:03 PM new
Neroter: yeah, I couldn't believe it, either. Guess even Hanks can turn in a clunker once in a while
____________________
We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people. -- John F. Kennedy
posted on July 5, 2004 06:01:08 PM new
OK - I admit it - it has been years since I read it - what happened in the last ten pages - is that the Capital Building "Incident"? I was thinking that was in Executive Orders..... They have all blended in to one long story now.
Rainbow 6 could definately hit the big screens... But please recast Clark!! The Ding casting is great and ever since I saw the movie, I picture that actor when I read about Ding but Willam Defoe as Clark was a mile off miss!
Hey - maybe they'll enable the Ryan storyline continuation by sending everyone that was in the capital to the Olympics instead
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
[ edited by fenix03 on Jul 5, 2004 06:04 PM ]
posted on July 5, 2004 07:09:30 PM new
Yes, it was the one the Capitol Building meets up with some airplanes. It happened at the END of Debt of Honor. Jack takes over as president at the beginning of Executive Orders.
I haven't read Bear & Dragon or Rainbow Six. I did read that first book about the "origin" of Clark. I just kept picturing Willem DaFoe in that role and it really turned me off the character.
Executive Orders was the last one I read. I know about Bear & Dragon, I actually have it here on my shelf. Is there anything newer in that series I should look for?
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We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing -- Anonymous
posted on July 5, 2004 07:58:24 PM new
Bear and the Dragon is really interesting. It explores the Chinese political and financial scene and explores the possibility of them, in the wake of financial over extension combined with overpopulation and lack of long term energy resources, taking advantage of the weakened status of the former Soviet states to invade in hopes of extending their boundaries and seizing natural resources of what is believed by many to be oil resources larger than those in the middle east.
Rainbow six sees Clark and Ding in the formation of an anti terrorism international special forces unit. The culmination is an eco terrorist plot involving bio-terrorism involving the then upcoming Sydney Olympics. The end is a an ironic giggle and a half.
I know I read about another book in the Ryan series but I have not seen it.
(From the time I read the first Clark book I have always pictured him as a younger and less bulky Brian Dennehey - sp?)
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on July 5, 2004 09:33:06 PM new
He's got a John Carpenter movie in post production right now scheduled for a 05 release with Lawrence Fishburn, Ethan Hawke and Drea DeMateo and most recently in a Spiike Lee movie with straight to video plot if ever there was one.
I'm sure he is doing well on residuals. You can't flip thru the weekend TV schedule without finding one of his Jack Reed movies. You are right though, he has packed on some pounds in recent years but I love watchig him. I still have the images of him dressed up as a clown in the Gacy movie stuck in my head.
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If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on July 5, 2004 11:52:41 PM new
Yah bunni and you're right - nobody stays on top forever, either. (hubby was remarking about serena william's lost to the young girl)- but movies...the script, director and other play-off actors do have so much to do with it! I dont think I've ever fully watched through turner and hooch, but I am not a dog person (i know you are, though) so maybe that is why some of the appeal was lost on me.
We tried unsuccessfully to see Fahrenheit 11 this weekend. Of course we were running late and by the time we got to the theater the only thing now playing was white chicks. Its cute, but a teenage movie. A few laughs to be had. (Satire on the whole Paris Hilton phenomenon, I guess.) Hubby was mad we spent the money on it. lol. His taste is into the action/psycho thriller/who-done-it type movie. Though he likes jim Carrey movies. I prefer indies & alot of foreign films for their different outlook and flavor. - I never even saw star wars!
Dennehey's got that cult following type of charisma. He'll never be out of work, thats for sure! I also like John Cusack and who is the other cultish guy-malcom something? John Malcovich. I think one of the best movies I ever saw was "the grifters". I just loved Anjelica Huston in that movie!!
