John/anyone else who watched this movie: if you have the DVR space, I challenge you to watch The Asylum's "Battle Of Los Angeles" tonight on Syfy (9/8c).
"Young men: If you attend this crap with friends who admire it, tactfully inform them they are idiots. Young women: If your date likes this movie, tell him you've been thinking it over, and you think you should consider spending some time apart."
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Originally posted by CRZJohn/anyone else who watched this movie: if you have the DVR space, I challenge you to watch The Asylum's "Battle Of Los Angeles" tonight on Syfy (9/8c).
I tried. I got about fifteen minutes in and had to quit. The Sega Genesis-quality CGI didn't bother me nearly as much as the dialogue and "acting" - an alien invasion was taking place and the sergeant at the base was wasting valuable time bullying his pilots before take off. Yeah. No.
(edited by John Orquiola on 13.3.11 0851) @BackoftheHead
I had *ZERO* problem telling what was going on with the action. I just don't understand the complaints that many reviewers are giving about that. In fact, most of Eberts questions are so easily explainable, or directly stated in the movie, that I wonder if he was even awake for much of it...
I liked the movie. It wasn't a cinematic tour de force but it was better than ID4!
Originally posted by GreymarchI had *ZERO* problem telling what was going on with the action. I just don't understand the complaints that many reviewers are giving about that. In fact, most of Eberts questions are so easily explainable, or directly stated in the movie, that I wonder if he was even awake for much of it...
I liked the movie.
Yes. All alien life doesn't have to be bipedal and obvious. I'm of the mind that Ebert needs to retire and let someone else do his job because I feel that he is not in touch with todays movie going public. Sure his bad reviews are funny, but not every movie made is gonna be CITIZEN KANE or GONE WITH THE WIND. You are not gonna EVER get films like that again and that standard is what he is trying to compare movies with and it just ain't happening.
Eckhart WAS pretty good in this. Him as an action star was very out of character and it worked. Sure the rest of the cast was cookie cutter characters, but what do you expect? It's a fucking alien invasion flick. It's not Shakespeare.
Originally posted by GreymarchIt wasn't a cinematic tour de force but it was better than ID4!
Ok, now you're just going into crazy talk cause ID4 was WAY better. Acting wise anyway, but the effects here were pretty great.
And as for CRZ's Challenge... UNACCEPTED! I have learned my lesson and avoid all ASYLUM films now.
(edited by Cerebus on 14.3.11 0305) Forget it Josh... it's Cerebustown.
Originally posted by CerebusI'm of the mind that Ebert needs to retire and let someone else do his job because I feel that he is not in touch with todays movie going public. Sure his bad reviews are funny, but not every movie made is gonna be CITIZEN KANE or GONE WITH THE WIND. You are not gonna EVER get films like that again and that standard is what he is trying to compare movies with and it just ain't happening.
It's not Ebert's job to be in touch with the "movie going public", most of whom don't know shit from Shinola when it comes to film (especially compared to Ebert's 40+ year career as a movie critic). In fact, Ebert's job is to rate a film regardless of the taste of the "movie going public" based on his personal knowledge of the medium.
The movie had some big-time holes, and it was terribly, terribly, terribly cliched - Buttttt, I dug it. I wish it'd been the major-league alien invasion blockbuster (budget of $200M) that I've been waiting for my entire life, but I don't know I'd know that movie if I saw it anyway.
Favorite part had to be the initial view of the alien in the backyard pool scene.
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Originally posted by CerebusI'm of the mind that Ebert needs to retire and let someone else do his job because I feel that he is not in touch with todays movie going public. Sure his bad reviews are funny, but not every movie made is gonna be CITIZEN KANE or GONE WITH THE WIND. You are not gonna EVER get films like that again and that standard is what he is trying to compare movies with and it just ain't happening.
Have you seen Ebert's list of Great Movies? It's got Alien, E.T., Star Wars, and 2001: A Space Odyssey, along with such snobby unwatchable elitist fare as Jaws, Groundhog Day, Snow White & The Seven Dwarves, and Planes, Trains, & Automobiles.
Plus, I have to echo what Leroy said - Ebert's job is not to reflect popular opinion, it's to present his own.
Originally posted by CerebusSure the rest of the cast was cookie cutter characters, but what do you expect? It's a fucking alien invasion flick. It's not Shakespeare.
But an alien invasion movie doesn't automatically have to suck. Sci-fi and action and fantasy movies can be well-written and/or well-acted and/or well-directed. They can also be garbage.
Originally posted by CerebusI'm of the mind that Ebert needs to retire and let someone else do his job because I feel that he is not in touch with todays movie going public. Sure his bad reviews are funny, but not every movie made is gonna be CITIZEN KANE or GONE WITH THE WIND. You are not gonna EVER get films like that again and that standard is what he is trying to compare movies with and it just ain't happening.
Have you seen Ebert's list of Great Movies? It's got Alien, E.T., Star Wars, and 2001: A Space Odyssey, along with such snobby unwatchable elitist fare as Jaws, Groundhog Day, Snow White & The Seven Dwarves, and Planes, Trains, & Automobiles.
How dare you! Groundhog Day is one of my favorite movies of all time!
Originally posted by CerebusI'm of the mind that Ebert needs to retire and let someone else do his job because I feel that he is not in touch with todays movie going public. Sure his bad reviews are funny, but not every movie made is gonna be CITIZEN KANE or GONE WITH THE WIND. You are not gonna EVER get films like that again and that standard is what he is trying to compare movies with and it just ain't happening.
Have you seen Ebert's list of Great Movies? It's got Alien, E.T., Star Wars, and 2001: A Space Odyssey, along with such snobby unwatchable elitist fare as Jaws, Groundhog Day, Snow White & The Seven Dwarves, and Planes, Trains, & Automobiles.
How dare you! Groundhog Day is one of my favorite movies of all time!
Agreed. And you're hating on Snow White?! You didn't say that. Tell me you did not just say that.
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Originally posted by GRLThe movie had some big-time holes, and it was terribly, terribly, terribly cliched - Buttttt, I dug it. I wish it'd been the major-league alien invasion blockbuster (budget of $200M) that I've been waiting for my entire life, but I don't know I'd know that movie if I saw it anyway.
Favorite part had to be the initial view of the alien in the backyard pool scene.
The part I liked was that while every single character was a walking stereotype, they were all very low-key about it. It didn't become their whole character like it does in some movies. Everyone was able to suck it up and function, regardless of their foibles.
Originally posted by CRZJohn/anyone else who watched this movie: if you have the DVR space, I challenge you to watch The Asylum's "Battle Of Los Angeles" tonight on Syfy (9/8c).
I did watch the Syfy one! (I'm completely unaware of Asylum videos as a cultural entity.) I assumed it was the second part in a bad moviefication of some video game.
It was begging for Joel & Crow to pop up; however, it's more Elvira quality. So, what we need is a smart-ass, busty chick, in low-cut camo ninja-wear to host, & we gots us our own movie parody franchise!
Alright, maybe I need to clarify my thinking. What Ebert, Shalit, Maltin... what these guys do is see a movie and rate it compared to the classics and I feel that you just can not do that. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA is my all time favorite film. I think it's perfect. I can not go out and watch something that is made today and compare the two films.
You can't compare BATTLE: LOS ANGELES to a classic like WAR OF THE WORLDS or ALIEN, which I'm sure is what they do. Those were made in different eras by way better directors and writers and there isn't any real comparison between the films. I'm not saying B:LA was a great film and will ever be considered a classic; fuck no... but it was enjoyable and fun to watch.
Originally posted by CRZJohn/anyone else who watched this movie: if you have the DVR space, I challenge you to watch The Asylum's "Battle Of Los Angeles" tonight on Syfy (9/8c).
FUCKING SHIT! I skipped this, but I just read that Kel Mitchell from GOOD BURGER starred in it. God damnit, I gotta see this now.
(edited by Cerebus on 15.3.11 2005) Forget it Josh... it's Cerebustown.
Originally posted by CerebusAlright, maybe I need to clarify my thinking. What Ebert, Shalit, Maltin... what these guys do is see a movie and rate it compared to the classics and I feel that you just can not do that.
Shalit is worthless and I don't follow Maltin, but in no way does Ebert do this. He rates films compared to, y'know, how good/worthwhile he finds them. I've never seen him write anything like "BOURNE IDENTITY was good, but not as good as....THE GODFATHER!" There's a 3 1/2 star review of the SPACE JAM DVD sitting on his page right this second, for Christ's sake.
Originally posted by Amos CochranHe rates films compared to, y'know, how good/worthwhile he finds them.
One only need read Ebert's review of Road House (rogerebert.suntimes.com) (2 1/2 stars, btw) to see that he really does "get it".
"Road House" exists right on the edge between the "good-bad movie" and the merely bad. I hesitate to recommend it, because so much depends on the ironic vision of the viewer. This is not a good movie.
But viewed in the right frame of mind, it is not a boring one, either.
I was promised Adam West. WHERE WAS ADAM WEST?! They STILL haven't explained how Marlee Matlin could hear the MoviePhone! I don't CARE if that ruins the bit! ACKNOWLEDGE IT Were the animated links the first Family Guy in HD? I think they were.