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I just saw the new movie The Gift at a sneak preview free screening. It was well acted and spooky and suspenseful and all, but boy did it suffer from Main Character Doing Stupid Dangerous Things syndrome. Over and over you're thinking "No, DON'T go there by yourself without at least telling someone where you're going!" I'd have expected a better developed script from Billy Bob Thornton.<P>Got to see the trailer for Enemy at the Gates on the big screen for the first time (by odd coincidence I just learned of this movie and saw the trailer on the net yesterday thanks to the movie page at <A HREF="http://ghostz.keenspace.com" TARGET=_blank>http://ghostz.keenspace.com</A> -- woohoo, Ghostz gets the scoop!). Looks like it could be pretty darn good. But then I enjoy historical and war films.<P><P>------------------
russ
<A HREF="http://www.kofightclub.com" TARGET=_blank>Ko Fight Club</A>
<A HREF="http://comicollage.keenspace.com" TARGET=_blank>Comicollage</A>

"Main Character Doing Stupid Dangerous Things syndrome" (heh). Is it worth paying the 9 or so clams in the theatre, or is it a second-run theatre/renter?<P>I had the pleasure of watching both Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Snatch this weekend. If you liked Lock Stock, Russ, you'll have a blast with this one.
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CP

Back home in "Tarana" prices aren't that steep, but here in Ottawa not only are the theatres far away, they're all mega-plexes that cost an arm and a leg. No, scratch that. If they were mega-plexes they'd have big screens instead of just lots of screens.<P>Hmm... maybe I'll wait a bit and see if it comes to the Mayfair (double-bill second run good movies for 6 bones = win).<P>I've heard good things all around about Chocolat. Mayhaps next week I'll check it out.
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CP

$9? Yeesh, and I thought ticket prices were getting bad here ($7 or $7.50).<P>Whether you pay full price or not depends on your annoyance level at suspense/thriller plots that have the character doing reckless stupidity. I do feel it was quite well acted and spooky, so if you dig pure suspense and don't mind annoying plot stupidity, it's worth it. Me, I'm glad I got to see a sneak preview. <IMG SRC="http://www.keenspace.com/forums/smile.gif"> I'd say see it at matinee price or discount theater.<P>(I won't say wait for video just 'cause I hate watching movies on small screen...)<P>I haven't yet seen Tiger/Dragon or Snatch, but I certainly plan to and expect I will enjoy them!<P>The best movie I've seen lately is Chocolat, a really delightful comedy/magic-realism/drama film, which I highly recommend unless you're allergic to magic realism foreignish films. It's got a terrific ensemble cast and manages to be funny, romantic, suspenseful, allegorical, etc. plus a worthy theme of tolerance and diversity that the Christian Right would do well to learn from. Uh, and it has chocolate if you're into that!
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russ
<A HREF="http://www.kofightclub.com" TARGET=_blank>Ko Fight Club</A>
<A HREF="http://comicollage.keenspace.com" TARGET=_blank>Comicollage</A>

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is really good. However, as someone who watches a lot of Hong Kong wushu movies (I call it "Wai Ar Kung Fu", since they're always flying around on wires), I have to say that some of the wirework is sub-par (especially in the bamboo forest scene--it's obvious in places that they aren't actually standing on bamboo). Most of the hand-to-hand stuff is very well choreographed though, and it's a very romantic story with some really good acting (Michelle Yeoh is especially magnificent).<P>The Metreon theater in San Francisco is showing CT,HD blown up on the IMAX screen (but with the same proportions as the regular Cinemascope presentation, meaning it's sort of letterboxed for IMAX). I desperately want to see it that way, but it's impossible to get tickets. My dad tried to get tickets to the 8pm show at 5, and they were already sold out.<P>------------------
"Truth hides on the other side of a two-way mirror
In countless documents sent straight to the shredder
That might finally give us the whole of the picture
But until the day we decide to dig a little deeper
We know that truth will hide
Under fallen rocks and stones
At the end of a disconnected phone
Down an unmarked street
And buried, deep beneath your feet."
- Asian Dub Foundation, "Truth Hides" from <I>Community Music</I>

I'm going to go see "Pi" and "Requiem For A Dream" this Monday. I know Russ has seen both already, but if you haven't, do yourself a favour and rent them sometime. "Pi" is just insanely great and I'm glad I'll finally be able to see it on the Big Screen. "Requiem" I've heard nothing but good about. Besides, it's not like Russ makes Bench strips about bad movies (cough*titus andronicus*cough) <IMG SRC="http://www.keenspace.com/forums/wink.gif">
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CP

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by gwalla:
<B>Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>Okay, the following is really peurile, but thought it was funny: My friends and I call this "Squatting Tiger hidden dildo."<P>This wasn't a g-rated forum, was it?<P><P>------------------
Scott Maddix
<A HREF="http://PDI.keenspace.com" TARGET=_blank>Psychic Dyslexia Institute:</A>
Where we all have <I>special</I> special powers

Well, that's certainly more entertaining than "that tiger/dragon movie, whatever it is" like some people call it. <IMG SRC="http://www.keenspace.com/forums/smile.gif"><P><P>------------------
russ
<A HREF="http://www.kofightclub.com" TARGET=_blank>Ko Fight Club</A>
<A HREF="http://comicollage.keenspace.com" TARGET=_blank>Comicollage</A>

Pi is the movie that just keeps on giving. Requiem is just plain messed up. But in a good way.

I'm in such a lazy non-moviegoing mood lately it's ridiculous. I still need to see Crouching Tiger, Brother Where Art Thou, Shadow of the Vampire, Castaway, ... It's nutty how I get into this mode of not seeing a movie for weeks.<P>------------------
russ
<A HREF="http://www.kofightclub.com" TARGET=_blank>Ko Fight Club</A>
<A HREF="http://comicollage.keenspace.com" TARGET=_blank>Comicollage</A>

Is Castaway actually a good movie? It looked too much like Tom Hanks being a smutchsy Tom Hanks kind of guy. Like "Philidelphia" without the humanity. Or something.<P><P>------------------
CP

No. It was just awful. There's about five worthwhile minutes of film because they pulled an "Inaminate Object" trump card.<P>------------------
Pick an N! card. Any N! card.<A HREF="http://nerdz.keenspace.com" TARGET=_blank> NERDZ</A>.

Screwball won't like it. He hates everything! <IMG SRC="http://www.keenspace.com/forums/smile.g ... aspberries to Mr. Antishakespeare! <P><P>------------------
russ
<A HREF="http://www.kofightclub.com" TARGET=_blank>Ko Fight Club</A>
<A HREF="http://comicollage.keenspace.com" TARGET=_blank>Comicollage</A>

I do hate most things, but... It was still an awful movie. <P>I hate awful movies!<P>People pick up on omni-dislike pretty quickly in this world.<P>------------------
Pick an N! card. Any N! card.<A HREF="http://nerdz.keenspace.com" TARGET=_blank> NERDZ</A>.