300...Grindhouse
- Thread starter tyrant
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kingsfan916
Starter
YUp watched it on openin weekend it was tight
Eh, it was OK.
Saw it at the Imax, but was down in the bottom right corner - definitely not the place to be for this movie on a screen like that.
Large portions of the dialogue was pretty bad.
The Spartan Code is "Never Retreat, Never Surrender"? No, that is a takeoff on a poor Jean-Claude Van Damme movie.
For a movie based on an "historical" event, it sure added a lot of mythical (and some downright stupid) characters.
Definitely had some good points and I enjoyed it overall, but was not nearly all that and a bag of chips to me.
I was hoping for something a little closer to the likeness of Gladiator in realism, got more like Troy with a lot of CGI instead....
Saw it at the Imax, but was down in the bottom right corner - definitely not the place to be for this movie on a screen like that.
Large portions of the dialogue was pretty bad.
The Spartan Code is "Never Retreat, Never Surrender"? No, that is a takeoff on a poor Jean-Claude Van Damme movie.
For a movie based on an "historical" event, it sure added a lot of mythical (and some downright stupid) characters.
Definitely had some good points and I enjoyed it overall, but was not nearly all that and a bag of chips to me.
I was hoping for something a little closer to the likeness of Gladiator in realism, got more like Troy with a lot of CGI instead....
Rockmeister
All-Star
Please remember to try not to give out too much details with this movie, especially for those people that haven't seen it yet.
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kennadog
Dog On It!
Haven't seen it, but I have read Gates of Fire by Pressfield and loved it. I also want to read Bradford's version called Thermopylae: The Battle for the West. Its the most famous "last stand" in history.
It was actually more than just a moral victory. They gave precious time for Athens to prepare for an eventual major naval victory that sent Xerxes back to Persia, with most of the Persian navy destroyed at Salamis. A year later they drove the remaining Persians out for good.
Its just such a compelling story. Guess I need to see 300, even though their intent wasn't to create a strict historical movie.
It was actually more than just a moral victory. They gave precious time for Athens to prepare for an eventual major naval victory that sent Xerxes back to Persia, with most of the Persian navy destroyed at Salamis. A year later they drove the remaining Persians out for good.
Its just such a compelling story. Guess I need to see 300, even though their intent wasn't to create a strict historical movie.
PixelPusher
Starter
It's pretty slim on the history...the Athenians might as well not exist in this story. I have very mixed feelings about this movie; I loved the stylization, but I was disturbed by many of the sublte ideological and philosophical bents proposed.
GoGoGadget
All-Star
I enjoyed the movie for what it was, but it's far from perfect.
Acting and dialog are hilariously bad at times. There's a certain gung ho political undercurrent that, for obvious reasons I won't get too into it here, I didn't agree with and which could have annoyed me had I judged this bit of fluff as serious cinema.
But it's a good popcorn movie. Visually stunning and very accurately captured the feel of Frank Miller's graphic novel, though not quite as successfully as Sin City. Have actually gotten into several style vs. substance arguments about this one, and have come to the conclusion that it's one of those rare films that comes along where the style is its substance, and that's okay. Very few films can pull that off (Tarantino and Rodriguez are the current masters), but this one succeeded.
I expect my review of Grindhouse to be very similar in a few weeks.
Acting and dialog are hilariously bad at times. There's a certain gung ho political undercurrent that, for obvious reasons I won't get too into it here, I didn't agree with and which could have annoyed me had I judged this bit of fluff as serious cinema.
But it's a good popcorn movie. Visually stunning and very accurately captured the feel of Frank Miller's graphic novel, though not quite as successfully as Sin City. Have actually gotten into several style vs. substance arguments about this one, and have come to the conclusion that it's one of those rare films that comes along where the style is its substance, and that's okay. Very few films can pull that off (Tarantino and Rodriguez are the current masters), but this one succeeded.
I expect my review of Grindhouse to be very similar in a few weeks.
PixelPusher
Starter
Grindhouse looks like Tarrantino and Rodriguez asked themselves, "Do you think we can make the kind of movie we usually make, only this time distill it to the point were it has absolutely no subtext whatsoever?"
GoGoGadget
All-Star
Pretty much.
But, as a fan of the campy flicks they're honoring, I can't wait -- I am their target audience for this one.
PixelPusher
Starter
^I do appreciate the fact that Tarrantino likes to employ the "old pro's" in his movies (this time its Kurt Russell) and he usually gives them fresh, meaty material to work with. I loved Carradine's role in "Kill Bill"...then he had to go and make that cheesy YellowBook.com commercial....
GoGoGadget
All-Star
There's an enthusiasm behind Tarantino's (and Rodriguez's) films that really comes across when watching, I think. Geeky movie freak making his dream movie with his dream cast and loving every geeky minute of it. I appreciate that.
Kill Bill is (are?) easily one of my favorite films of the last five or so years, but is just plain silliness at it's core. Take the same script, same cast, same budget and slap on a different director and it wouldn't work. Can you imagine a Michael Bay Kill Bill? Ick! Anyone else would have taken it far too seriously and made it impossible to ignore the many, MANY holes in plot and dialog.
PixelPusher
Starter
LOL at whoever edited the title of this thread to include "Grindhouse".
GGG and I could probably fill up 10 pages of this thread with Tarrantino spew.
GGG and I could probably fill up 10 pages of this thread with Tarrantino spew.
bibbinator
Bench
Just got out from Grindhouse. Good times.
The reviews keep saying that one of the films is better than the other, but I liked them both.
A tip - don't go the bathroom right after Planet Terror. The fake previews that follow it are a high point. Wait until the beginning of Death Proof if you need to go. The first 10 minutes of it can be missed without losing too much.
The reviews keep saying that one of the films is better than the other, but I liked them both.
A tip - don't go the bathroom right after Planet Terror. The fake previews that follow it are a high point. Wait until the beginning of Death Proof if you need to go. The first 10 minutes of it can be missed without losing too much.
GoGoGadget
All-Star
Loved every gory, exploitative, over the top minute. All 192 of them.
Death Proof, the second half of the "double feature", drags in places. But the payoff is great once you get to it. Planet Terror is a near perfect parody of the cheesy horror flicks that inspired it.
I also thought all of the preview spoofs were great, but the one for Don't just killed me.
A quick note to the couple a few rows behind me who felt it would be appropriate to bring a 3-year-old to this movie... I'm not exactly the most maternal person in the world, but even I know that wasn't the smartest of choices.
Death Proof, the second half of the "double feature", drags in places. But the payoff is great once you get to it. Planet Terror is a near perfect parody of the cheesy horror flicks that inspired it.
I also thought all of the preview spoofs were great, but the one for Don't just killed me.
A quick note to the couple a few rows behind me who felt it would be appropriate to bring a 3-year-old to this movie... I'm not exactly the most maternal person in the world, but even I know that wasn't the smartest of choices.
bibbinator
Bench
Planet Terror was more fun, but Death Proof has stayed with me longer.
Thanksgiving and The Machette were my favorite previews, but they were all good.
Here is Thanksgiving: http://youtube.com/watch?v=nbSKnL4WFJM
It's a spoof, but it contains substantial gore, some nudity and might be disturbing to sensitive people, so you've been warned.
I think it's hilarious. Eli Roth came up with the idea to do a Thanksgiving themed slasher pic because all the other holidays had already been done, except for Rosh Hashonah.
"White meat, dark meat...all will be carved."
There was also a contest where people made their own fake previews. You can find them on youtube. The three winning previews will be included on the DVD. I'll bet that's going to be a good DVD.
Thanksgiving and The Machette were my favorite previews, but they were all good.
Here is Thanksgiving: http://youtube.com/watch?v=nbSKnL4WFJM
It's a spoof, but it contains substantial gore, some nudity and might be disturbing to sensitive people, so you've been warned.
I think it's hilarious. Eli Roth came up with the idea to do a Thanksgiving themed slasher pic because all the other holidays had already been done, except for Rosh Hashonah.
"White meat, dark meat...all will be carved."
There was also a contest where people made their own fake previews. You can find them on youtube. The three winning previews will be included on the DVD. I'll bet that's going to be a good DVD.
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