What MOVIES or DVDs have you watched lately? (PART FOUR - 2011) (ongoing thread) Showing 601-650 of 1,136

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Earl, too bad that the movies were boring. I hope your next movie will be more interesting.

I'm on Disk 2 of "Edward the King" (King Edward VII, son of Queen Victoria). I'm catching up with the history of the British kings.
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Edw...

Edward VII was the grandfather of the Duke of Windsor who had abdicated in 1936. He had been King Edward VIII for a short time.

[Jackie]

I agree with your rating for The Eagle. It was over the top duty-country-honor propaganda. Besides being an utterly ridiculous storyline.

I don't think I'll bother with the second movie, it doesn't appeal to me.

I watched Source Code, an action thriller centered on a soldier who wakes up in the body of an unknown man and discovers he's part of a mission to find the bomber of a Chicago commuter train.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0945513/

From the commercials it seemed like he goes back in time for 8 minutes at a time, over and over but it's not that at all. The commercial was misleading and the movie turned out to be something better story-wise, but deeply disturbing to me when I found out what's really going on. Worth the watch if you can handle scifi tech in a story.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Jackie wrote: "... The commercial was misleading and the movie turned out to be something better story-wise ...."

Jackie, sometimes I wonder if the people who make the commercials have actually watched the movie.

[Jackie]

I don't know what they're thinking when making the commercials. Usually they give away all the best parts, so in a way this was better because I was surprised.

[Earl]

Netflixed Red Riding Hood
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Red...

I gave it 3 stars out of 5. Neat plot idea but underfunded I think. I had trouble differentiating between characters early on.

Netflixed The Company Men
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The...

A feel-good layoff and downsizing movie! I knew the rosy optimism was crap but it still lifted my spirits! So I gave it 4 stars out of 5.

[Earl]

Netflixed Last Train Home
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Las...

documentary about Chinese migrant workers going back to their farms from their city factory jobs once a year on the Chinese New Year holiday. "the largest human migration in the world". Something like O'Hare during a Christmas blizzard times a gazillion. And very much like the frustration nightmares I suffer nearly nightly. Depressing, but I gave it 3 stars.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Thanks for posting, Earl. When my swollen eyes get back to normal (after an allergic reaction), I'll be back to read about the movies you mentioned.

[Jackie]

I watched Trust with Clive Owen and Catherine Keener as parents of a 14 yr old girl who's been lured in by an online sexual predator. Utterly terrifying to me as a parent because I know this story is all too real. Excellent portrayals.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1529572/

[Jim]

I just watched "Battle Los Angeles". It was OK. Some parts were very well done, others not so great, & the last few minutes should be cut. It was just plain stupid. It's a shoot 'em up, SF military thing. Aliens invade LA & some Marines have a go with them.

[Jackie]

I didn't think Battle LA would be good, it appeared to be more action than scifi. I've overdid it with the action flicks and now I cannot sit through another one.

[Arnie]

Battle LA was lame---kinda film if shown on an airplane people would walk out.

[Jackie]

lol

[Jackie]

On Demand aired the new Jane Eyre before the DVD release date. If they continue with early viewings, I'll drop the video store altogether. And it was $1 less than Hollywood and I get the movie for 48 hours. Hollywood gives me 5 days, but I never needed it. And I don't have to worry about returning the movie either. I like this idea. My biggest problem is having to wait, which is why I won't get Netflix. I want it the day it comes out or within a few days. And On Demand going even earlier, that's a bonus.

Jane Eyre was good, not great. I never thought it was great story anyway. Rochester has a crazy wife he's chained to, she keeps trying to kill herself. Why does he keep stopping her? Let her do it. Problem solved.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1229822/

[Arnie]

I like your revised climax to Jane Eyre. LOL.

[Jackie]

I do that often. Of course, it makes a for a very short movie, lol

[Mary JL]

A friend of mine gifted me with Season One of Smallville. I have now finished 12 of the 21 episodes--I am on Disc4 of 6 now.

NOt a huge Superman fan, but acdtually it is well done. Yes very much aimed for the teen audeince--more romance and so on, but still --pretty enjoyable.

In this version (The Superman legend has been amend so many times!) Lex Luthor and Clark start out as friends. Michael Rosenbaum does a good job as Lex Luthor. I enjoy stories when there is background for characters and we see them change and know 'why'--to some extent at least--they act as they do. It is so much better storytelling thatn "Well, he's the bad guy. Why? Well, he just is".

I am unlikely to watch all ten seasons--so many movies , so little time--but if you get a chance to watch the pilot episode, it's worth watching.

[Jim]

I loved Superman comics as a kid & saw this today. Perfect.
http://www.gocomics.com/speedbump/201...

We never got into Smallville, but saw a couple of episodes & thought they were OK, nothing to go out of our way to watch, though. It probably would be best to see in order. We never saw the pilot, either.

[Jackie]

I wasn't a Superman fan either and didn't watch Smallville until last year when my nephew lent me his DVDs and I was able to catch the finale season on TV.
I really liked Smallville and most especially the relationship between Lex and Clark. Early on, I was sympathetic towards Lex. I think they did a fantastic job on Smallville despite being geared towards a teen audience. It evolves into adult relationships and darker themes as the kids get older.

[Mary JL]

Yes, Jackie. You mentioned Smallville on another thread and your remarks encouraged me to try it.

[Nina]

I think Superman was popular when it first was printed because there weren't any comics like it in the popular vein. And at that time it was mesmorizing to my young boys on TV.

[Mary JL]

Interestingly, certain characters seem to catch the puyblic fancy and are re-done for each new generation of readers and watchers.

Besides the several versions of Superman, Robin Hood has been done several times. And Sherlock Holmes, also, has been played by many different actors.

[Nina]

And haven't we had many versions through the years of King Arthur's Round table etc.?

[Arnie]

Yes we have Nina---i think among the best was "Excalibur" in the 1980's---I would show it to my classes when we read the tale.

[Mary JL]

I Liked the music in Camelot though Excalibur is closer to the written versions.

Both are great movies!

[Jackie]

Eric rented two movies today, Your Highness http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1240982/
and Sucker Punch http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0978764/
He watched Your Highness, which I thought would be like The Princess Bride but he tells it was more romance, less adventure and had crude humor and I know it'll just annoy me so I'm passing on that one.

But Sucker Punch was a big surprise!
I think Sucker Punch screwed up in their marketing. And the title is poorly chosen. I had no intention of seeing it as the commercials/previews didnt look like anything special.
I only watched it because a friend said I'd like it. And I did. A lot. It's so much better than I thought it would be. Part steampunk, part fantasy and 5 ass-kicking babes in short shorts, lol
Excellent use of CGI and music. It's definitely unique for an action movie. I like it enough that I might buy it.
I think it would have looked great on the big screen with all the CGI and now I'm sorry I missed it.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Arnie wrote: "I like your revised climax to Jane Eyre. LOL."

I think it was a good idea too, Jackie!

I'm glad to see that this thread has been active while I've been away from my computer. It's hard getting back after an absence, especially on Eddie's laptop which I'm not accustomed to.

Believe it or not, I'm still watching the Edward VII* series of DVD's from Netflix. Queen Victoria has finally died (in 1901, I think) and Edward has inherited the throne after waiting many years in the background. It reminds me of the current Prince Charles waiting in the background while his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, is still queen after so many years. I wonder if Charles will let his son, William, take the throne when Elizabeth dies. It would avoid the complications of Camilla possibly becoming Queen. She'd probably be known as something like a consort instead, like Prince Phillip is now. Just pondering.

* PS-Here are the links to "Edward the King", mentioned above:
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Edw...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072925/

[Earl]

Netflixed Trust
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Tru...

I gave it 4 stars out of 5, agreeing with most of the Netflix users.

XXXXXXXXXX SPOILER!!!! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
(view spoiler)[
If you're one of those folks who can't stand specifics of movies related before you see it, read no further.

I had been under the impression that the girl was kidnapped, this was not the case. She was expertly seduced via the internet into meeting the adult guy. You read about this all the time in the newspapers, but it's always about some desperate sad-sack showing up for a rendezvous with a minor and encountering the cop who trapped him. I always feel the guy should be prosecuted for stupidity more than anything else.

However, Trust portrays a 'serial seducer', too smart for the FBI to catch. Along the lines of Lex Luthor or The Joker I think. That part of the plot is just not believable. Also the teenager in the movie is smart, pretty, popular and not likely to fall for bs on the internet. That said, it's the first time I've ever seen this 'internet seducer' problem being talked about in a movie, and the novelty deserves 4 stars, if nothing else.

The dad, intelligent highly paid exec, seems to be astonished to find out that his 14 year old daughter is a sexual creature, and behaves like an idiot. Again, not too believable, but then I have no kids.
(hide spoiler)]

[Jackie]

As a parent, I find both the child and the father's portrayals more accurate than not.
Because someone is smart, pretty and popular they can't be lured in? It's about the emotional need she feels, not her looks or her smarts or even the fact that she knows better. She truly believed he loved her. The predator took his time in gaining her trust and knew exactly what to say to get her on the hook. I was upset that she fell for it, when she got in the car with him, I was utterly stunned, I know her parents must have taught her better than that. But when do kids listen to their parents? According to them, we know nothing.

The father, well, yeah, I can see a father being upset that his 14 yr old daugther is talking to this guy like she's a porn star. Parents don't like to think of their kids having sex and that's just the way it is. We know they do but we don't want to think about it, especially when they're only 14.

The predator isn't like the Joker, he's a smart and experienced pervert. It is possible to be a pedophile and have brains. And you don't need to be a mastermind evil genius to bounce your internet through proxy servers all over the world making it impossible to trace. He travels all over the country, the kids don't know where he's really from, how do you propose to catch him? If I knew of a way to catch these sickos I'd alert the FBI immediately.

I think Trust was a really important movie for it's content and about a subject rarely spoken of or seen on TV. Only on the news when it's too late.

[Nina]

JOy, do you plan on seeing, "Help?"

[Jackie]

I'm going next week with my friend Helena. It looks good.

I watched Green Lantern. It was awful. That's an hour and 47 minutes I'll never get back.

[Earl]

Jackie wrote: "Because someone is smart, pretty and popular they can't be lured in?

I equate 'smart, pretty and popular' with NOT being needy. But high school girls ARE a complete mystery to me.




And you don't need to be a mastermind evil genius to bounce your internet through proxy servers all over the world making it impossible to trace.
"

I'm kind of a computer guy and I don't know how to do this. And I'm not at all sure about the 'impossibility' of tracing thru this contrived system. Yes, they're are advertisements for this kind of service, but I wouldn't place much faith in them if I were betting my life on it. But then I'm not much of a gambler either.

[Jackie]

I consider myself average on the computer and I know how to do it, I have a list of proxy sites that change daily if I ever find the need to use them. It's not difficult at all. Maybe I'm better than I thought.
I'm not a gambler either. There's not much I'd stake my life against. It's a good thing I'm not a pedophile or a criminal.

[Earl]

Netflixed Inspector Bellamy
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Ins...

Roger Ebert gave this dog 4 stars out of 4
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/p...

I gave it 1 star out of 5.

[Jackie]

I went to see The Help. The commercial I saw for it made it seem like it would be funny. It had a few funny moments but mostly it was heartbreaking and sad.

[Nina]

I was disturbed by the casting; especially the former maid of the main character, the young woman writer. She looked over eighty and her daughter looked under twenty. The movie, "The Help," is what I am referring to.

[Mary JL]

Just finished disc six of "Smallville" season one. I was cheeerfully watching away when suddenly---"To Be Continued!"?!

Not realizing the series ended on a cliffhanger. Now I'll will have to get season 2--eventually---to see the ending.

[Jackie]

Most of the shows these days end on cliffhangers. And each Smallville season ends on one, it's how they keep us hooked til the next season.

So...what did you think of it so far?

[Mary JL]

Jackie: I was pleasantly surprised at "Smallville". A very good freind of mine--a Superman fan--refers to it as "Kent's Creek" (a take off on Dawsons Creek.

Yes, there is a lot more romance and so on that usual ina superhero show. However, the acting is superb. Michael Rosenbuam does a superb Lex Luthor. His preformance really makes one wonder--what could have happened if Lex had not had Lionel Luther for a father? He sturck me as the strongest performance. Kristen Kreuk as Lana Lang and Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan are in a dead heat tie for second place.

Sure, aiming for a younger audience is is not incredibly thought provoking--but I was not expect War and Peace. It's a TV show and a very good one so far. I can see why it last ten seasons.

Guess that shows you have to actually see it yourself; all the reviews can't tell you for sure if you will like something. I see Tomm Weilling as Clark improving toward the end.

Jackie: Who is your favorite in the series?

[Jackie]

Mary JL, Lex was my favorite, Rosenbaum is an excellent actor. It surprises me that he only voiced characters in the past and as far as I know, he hasn't done anything since Smallville. I like the unique take on Lex's character, he wasn't always a villian. I love the friendship between Lex and Clark and how things could have been different.
And of course, Clark.

I didn't like Chloe at first, with her unrequited crush on Clark, knowing full well his heart was with Lana. I liked Lana much better. But Chloe grew on me and I always enjoyed her Wall of Weird, lol

It entertained me and that's all I really want from a TV show and Smallville delivered. And it gets better as the story progresses.

I passed it by for almost the entire time it was on. My nephew knows what I like and he pushed his collection on me. He wouldn't have done that if it wasn't good. I completely misjudged this series on what I thought it would be. That'll teach me. lol

Tom Welling was a model when he landed the role of Clark, he had no acting experience. While filming, he also attended acting school and you can see how much he improved.
And seeing that gorgeous smile was never a hardship in any case, what a beautiful kid.

[Earl]

Netflixed The Lincoln Lawyer
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The...

I read the book a few years ago and liked it, but my memory had faded enough so that the plot of the movie was almost new to me (that probably pinpoints my age). I give it 4 and one half stars out of 5. Actually, Netflix only accepts whole stars, but I liked it better that 4 and less than 5, so there you are. I recently finished Connelly's The Fifth Witness, so Haller's (the lawyer) character was fresh in my mind.

[Jackie]

I thought Lincoln Lawyer was good, except that part where the lawyer makes an insanely intuitive leap (view spoiler)[as to his client's guilt (hide spoiler)] with no explanation or reasoning whatsoever. And since everything else stems from the intuitive leap, it gets 3 stars from me. Just one sentence demonstrating why or how he came to this most unlikely conclusion would have made this a top notch film and I would have been able to give the same rating as Earl.

[Earl]

Jackie wrote: "I thought Lincoln Lawyer was good, except that part where the lawyer makes an insanely intuitive leap as to his client's guilt with no explanation or reasoning whatsoever. "

!!!!!! SPOILER!!!!!!
(view spoiler)[Jackie, I've become accustomed to 'insane leaps' in my movies. I'm very deaf, depend on subtitles, and you have to be QUICK to keep up with the action that way sometimes. So I'm used to being unable to tell what the hell happened. The leap you mentioned is, I believe, the phone message Haller's investigator left him, something about 'tickets', before he was killed? Probably if you'd waited another couple of weeks before you posted I wouldn't even been able to remember that! (hide spoiler)]

[Jackie]

Earl, I've fixed the 'spoiler', I suggest you fix what you copied because now you've added to the big bad spoiler, lol

That is an awful way to have to watch movies, Earl.
It's not the action I had a problem with, it's the lack of logic I found problematic with this movie.
The tickets is after the leap. I've watched it over and over and even asked others who just watched it. (view spoiler)[ Lawyer remembers the old case with the Spanish guy, the details of this new case are similar. I would have thought my client was innocent if all this has happened before. So when Lawyer is at the prison, I don't know why he shows the old client a pic of new client. That's the leap I'm talking about. He assumes his client is guilty, based on what? It's only after old client says Yes, new client was there that night that Lawyer has his PI start digging into new client's whereabouts. One person said it's because new client lied to Lawyer, but clients lie all the time to their lawyers even though they don't have to. I'm not buying it. (hide spoiler)] I think it was poorly written and that's the only explanation I'm likely to get.

[Arnie]

Just got "The Conspirator" from Netflix.
Looking forward tom it, despite the luke warm reviews from critics---I'm something of a history buff and have read several books about the assassination and Booth.

The general consensus i believe from hidstorians is that Mary Surratt had to, at the very least, KNOWN what Booth and his confderates were up to.

[Arnie]

PS-- I believe that Lincoln , had he survived the shooting, would have given the conspirators clemency.

[Arnie]

Although I saw The Lincoln Lawyer a few weeks ago, and thinking it was just okay, I literally cannot remember a thing about the plot.

That always tells me something.

[Jackie]

Arnie, make sure you let me know how The Conspirator is, I really want to see it mainly because McAvoy is in it but if it's a good story, then that'll be a bonus.

[Joy H., Group Founder]

Nina wrote: "JOy, do you plan on seeing, "Help?""

Nina, I'll see it when Netflix has it available. I enjoyed the book very much.

I'm currently watching the following 1973 film via a Netflix DVD:
"The Strauss Family" (1973) 2 discs
"Discover the tempestuous history behind one of Europe's most talented musical families in this miniseries that traces the life, love and work of famed composer Johann Strauss Sr. and his son -- who eventually became even more renowned. The elder Strauss gained fame for popularizing the waltz, but a love scandal at the peak of his career turned his son, Johann Strauss Jr., into a bitter rival who eventually became known as the Waltz King."
FROM: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The...

[Earl]

Jackie wrote: "Earl, I've fixed the 'spoiler', I suggest you fix what you copied because now you've added to the big bad spoiler, lol

That is an awful way to have to watch movies, Earl.
It's not the action I ..."

Jackie, please, please email me what the 'leap' was. And what do you think I should do about MY spoiler? I did put a big warning at the top, isn't that good enough?
Arnie, we have different taste in movies. All I know is that the Lincoln Lawyer entertained me, that's how I award stars. I don't know how Ebert does it, but MOSTLY I agree with him. Once in a while I'm disappointed.

[Jackie]

Earl, to hide spoilers do this, but no spaces:
< spoiler > your spoiler would go here < / spoiler >
In message 643, click the view spoiler tag, or do you need more details?

I go by entertainment factor for the most part in rating books as well as movies, but if they insult my intelligence they lose a star or two, depending on how bad the insult was.