AndyDursin wrote:I thoroughly enjoyed rewatching CLASH OF THE TITANS and NEVERENDING STORY this week on Blu-Ray. Plus the insanity of THE WRAITH (ooo, Sherilyn Fenn!) on DVD.

Reviews are up on the front page...

http://www.andyfilm.com/3-2-10.html

On the whole, Clash is an enjoyable film. The only thing that lets it down for me is some of the ropey effects. Almost as good as Golden Voyage of Sinbad.

John Johnson wrote:

AndyDursin wrote:I thoroughly enjoyed rewatching CLASH OF THE TITANS and NEVERENDING STORY this week on Blu-Ray. Plus the insanity of THE WRAITH (ooo, Sherilyn Fenn!) on DVD.

Reviews are up on the front page...

http://www.andyfilm.com/3-2-10.html

On the whole, Clash is an enjoyable film. The only thing that lets it down for me is some of the ropey effects. Almost as good as Golden Voyage of Sinbad.

I love the movie, I plead guilty. As I wrote in my review the disparity of shots has to do with the abundance of optical FX and processed shots, but as a downside to HD, you can see more of the shortcomings with all that clarity!

AndyDursin wrote:Don't forget Estella Warren, who looked really good in that movie. Her window of opportunity opened and closed pretty fast!

I honestly can't think of a single, solitary other movie I've seen her in.

Monterey Jack wrote:

AndyDursin wrote:Don't forget Estella Warren, who looked really good in that movie. Her window of opportunity opened and closed pretty fast!

I honestly can't think of a single, solitary other movie I've seen her in.

Wasn't she in DRIVEN? Then again unless you're a Stallone aficionado like me you've quickly forgotten that mediocre flick.

I'm too lazy to look it up, lol...

Monterey Jack wrote:Planet Of The Apes (2001): 6.5/10

Are me and Andy the only two people on Earth who'll admit to liking this movie? Yes,

Well, I'm certainly not going to make it three! The movie totally lacked the clever subtlety of the original in the jokes, and the self-conscious nods to the original were also forced. As for the plot and its dumb ending.....forget it.

Eric Paddon wrote:

Monterey Jack wrote:Planet Of The Apes (2001): 6.5/10

Are me and Andy the only two people on Earth who'll admit to liking this movie? Yes,

Well, I'm certainly not going to make it three! The movie totally lacked the clever subtlety of the original in the jokes, and the self-conscious nods to the original were also forced. As for the plot and its dumb ending.....forget it.

I loved the visuals in the movie, and I didn't think it was all that bad. I also thought Elfman's score was pretty good, but the ending was terrible. Overall I was entertained and enjoyed it....but the ending just didn't have the PUNCH it should have.

Our Man Flint (6.5 of 10)
-By far the best of the Bond *movie* spoofs (TV I think sent up Bond better with UNCLE etc.) in terms of presentation, but the film suffers I think from the lack of having a real strong master villain for Flint to go up against in the climax. Those scientists were rather pathetic that you just knew they'd be easy pushovers. And Gila Golan is seriously lacking in overall presence (can't believe she beat out Raquel for the part).

mkaroly wrote:

Eric Paddon wrote:

Monterey Jack wrote:Planet Of The Apes (2001): 6.5/10

Are me and Andy the only two people on Earth who'll admit to liking this movie? Yes,

Well, I'm certainly not going to make it three! The movie totally lacked the clever subtlety of the original in the jokes, and the self-conscious nods to the original were also forced. As for the plot and its dumb ending.....forget it.

I loved the visuals in the movie, and I didn't think it was all that bad. I also thought Elfman's score was pretty good, but the ending was terrible. Overall I was entertained and enjoyed it....but the ending just didn't have the PUNCH it should have.

I felt the ending was supposed to infer that the Tim Roth bad guy had gone and changed the past, hence the "present" that Wahlberg returns to has been completely altered. Something that a sequel naturally would've gone into...

Interesting that as many mixed reviews as the film received, it made a ton of dough domestic...nearly $400 million worldwide (in 2001 dollars). In fact I think it's one of the higher grossing "blockbuster" type movies of the last decade to not have a sequel.

The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) (5 of 10)
-I hadn't watched this in about ten or eleven years and looking at it with the more critical eye I've acquired in the years since I found it to be rather underwhelming and tedious. Dunaway looks great, the location shooting is great, and because I've been introduced to "Naked City" episodes in the years since I could for the first time appreciate Paul Burke's part on a new level. But McQueen is absolutely one-note in the role, the dialogue is mostly muddled, and my biggest complaint is the fact that the film sacrifices clear storytelling for a constant barrage of moments that is just Jewison beating the viewer over the head with the self-indulgent message, "Look at what a brilliant director I am!" all to reinforce one basic point while the overall momentum of the story just stays stagnant almost all the way from the time Dunaway and McQueen first meet up to the last five minutes.

AndyDursin wrote:

mkaroly wrote:

Eric Paddon wrote: Well, I'm certainly not going to make it three! The movie totally lacked the clever subtlety of the original in the jokes, and the self-conscious nods to the original were also forced. As for the plot and its dumb ending.....forget it.

I loved the visuals in the movie, and I didn't think it was all that bad. I also thought Elfman's score was pretty good, but the ending was terrible. Overall I was entertained and enjoyed it....but the ending just didn't have the PUNCH it should have.

I felt the ending was supposed to infer that the Tim Roth bad guy had gone and changed the past, hence the "present" that Wahlberg returns to has been completely altered. Something that a sequel naturally would've gone into...

Interesting that as many mixed reviews as the film received, it made a ton of dough domestic...nearly $400 million worldwide (in 2001 dollars). In fact I think it's one of the higher grossing "blockbuster" type movies of the last decade to not have a sequel.

I actually would have loved to see a sequel to the movie. I don't know what I thought the ending meant when I first saw the film (or when I got it on DVD)...your explanation sounds good to me!

Journey To The Center Of The Earth (9.5 of 10)
-Old-fashioned moviemaking entertainment at its best!

Big Fish (2003): 9/10

Burton's most atypical film. While the "fantasy" elements of the film are right up his alley, the "real world" segments are amongst the most "humanistic", emotionally charged filmmaking of his career (maybe the death of his father during the production of Apes inspired him to take on this project). And the cast is a dream.

Mmmmm, Alison Lohman...

Okay...I stand corrected. BIG FISH is my favorite Burton film, then ED WOOD, then SLEEPY HOLLOW.

I actually didn't care for BIG FISH myself. Burton trying to go "mainstream" -- the results just left me cold.

Actually one of my least favorite films of his

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory (2005): 8.5/10

Love those Elfman Oompa-Loompa songs.