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FFA Movie Poll - 2007 Lists due 8/12 (1 Viewer)

#3  164pts

11 votes

a marketing ploy

Sadly after the success of such films as "Napolean Dynamite" and "little Miss Sunshine" the studios are attempting to market "Indie" as a brand. Those in Hollywood aren't stupid, they know that the less money they have to spend on a film in production the higher the profits if it pays off, however, what makes films great or charming that are small is that they aren't contrived to make 100 million dollars. The studios are attempting to bottle cuteness or preciousness, pass it off as original because a character drinks sunny d or chews orange tic tacs or watch out! has a hamburger phone! in order to fool the masses into believing that they are watching something fresh and original and those that disagree "just don't get it" or are "haters" however, the problem is not that people "don't get it", its that some people "do get it" and can see through this attempt at marketing a Twinkie like its moms homemade Apple pie. The entire film is so wrought with verbal prestidigitation that if anything resembling a true film were in there it was buried beneath cunning linguistic masturbation.

Juno is the first movie of this kind, that is being marketed prior to wide release as a cult film. Shouldn't it be around for a bit before it's deemed cult or at least get a wide release into theaters? This insidious marketing ploy is an evolution of commercial advertising which is beginning to penetrate all forms of art and media and as long as people keep spending money and falling for this drivel they will continue to churn out plastic pictures under the illusion of art.

This film wanted so badly to be something special yet the over written dialog and quirks stamped on the characters ruined what could have been a good story. Everyone tried too hard on this picture from the writer, director, to Fox Searchlight who has already stamped "One doodle that can't be undid" on t-shirts in an obvious and obnoxious attempt at creating dialog that will be echoed and reverberating in the high school halls of America like the latest Justin Timberlake album, who knows, maybe it will work, however I doubt something as saccharine as this will gain a cult audience but I was wrong with "Garden State" "Napolean Dynamite" "Little Miss Sunshine" to name a few, never underestimate the stupidity of the American public.

JUNO

 
#5  156pts

8 votes

Another french melodrama

Its incredible how persistent the French film industry is. Year after year, day after day, they never give up and unleash to the world their new crop of mediocre dramas that impress the pseudo intellectuals.

Here we have a typical melodrama that follows all the typical patterns of melodrama films. That's it. Period.

I have seem people say that this film is one of the best ever made. Please, try watching some serious stuff, like Apocalipse Now, 8 1/2, Spirited Away and 2001 (to restrict myself to obvious masterpieces) before making such ludicrous claims. If one does say that these films are boring or don't make sense, that's only because one failed to understand them. Period.

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY
This is shocking, in a very good way.

 
#2  222pts

12 votes

Most Over-Rated Movie of 2007

I was about to write my own review of Zodiac when I thought I'd check out the last few IMDb reviews. People seem to either love it or hate it. Judging by the near empty theater I saw it in yesterday I'd say the latter seems to be the dominant opinion. If you do want to see it on a big screen you better see it soon -- the movie isn't doing very well at the box office.

After reading a few of the past IMDb reviews which rated Zodiac a "10" I have to wonder, did I see the same movie? (Note: all the quotes are from a previous IMDb review):

"Masterpiece"? --- No way.

"Tense"? --- Nope.

"Mystery Suspense"? --- I wish.

"Mind-bendingly absorbing"? --- Try mind-bendingly dull.

"Creepily Disturbing"? --- Yes, because I was wasting 3 hours of my life on this.

"Riveting drama"? --- About as much as paint drying.

"So dense I had to watch it two times"? --- Try running full force into a brick wall, it'll at least be cheaper and take much less than 160 minutes.

"Top notch production values which obviously cost high sums of money" --- I bet the studio that made it wishes they could get their money back.

"Best movie of 2007" --- try most over-rated movie of 2007.

Okay, so we have a difference of opinion here. However, what I really dislike about some of these "10" rated reviews is the way they defend their positions with lines like "Zodiac is tragically under-appreciated as a commercial flop due to the majority of the audience's disdain out of a short-attention-span impatience, dissatisfaction and ignorance." First of all, I do not under-appreciate it as a commercial flop at all. On the contrary. I very much appreciate it as a commercial flop because this movie stunk and deserves to be a commercial flop but I don't think that's what the reviewer was really trying to say. What he was trying to say was that because I was exceedingly bored by the movie that I have a short attention span and that I am ignorant --- and that I shouldn't trust my own dissatisfaction.

I guess when you have such a superiority complex you have to explain away why this "dense" "masterpiece" is playing in a theater that's "nearly empty" save for (and I'm paraphrasing a previous review) a few senior citizens who you somehow were able to ascertain "liked the film." Maybe they were so happy about the experience because they only paid senior citizen bargain prices while you had to pay full freight.

Okay, so I've had my rant because I don't like being told that I'm ignorant just because I thought this movie was atrocious.

Why do I think it was atrocious?

Story: Convoluted. Emotionally uninvolving.

Editing: Terrible. The movie's an hour too long.

Acting: Wooden. Jake Gyllenhaal is particularly flat.

Cinematography: Strangely subdued with a few standout shots that are disconnected to the story. I'm not sure that the look was all that appropriate for the period. It probably would have looked better had it been shot on film rather than digitally.

Production Design: Excellent at recreating the period. But when that's all that's watchable about the movie, something is definitely going wrong.

Will this movie stand "the test of time" as "viewer appreciation grows" for the misunderstood "Zodiac" (as a previous reviewer has predicted). I think not. My prediction: the movie will not even be screening in theaters in a few weeks. Not soon enough if you ask me.

ZODIAC

 
#1 476 pts

16 votes

The ultimate level of entertainment. Flat out fun with no looking back. Perhaps the greatest summer blockbuster of all time.

That's a bold statement. The greatest summer blockbuster ever? No question. If you want to have fun at the movies, look no further. Transformers is a masterpiece in visual effects and its brilliant writing and direction. Michael Bay continues to show why he is one of the most bankable producers/directors in Hollywood with probably his best effort of his career. Transformers is one of my all time favorite movies, and the only movie that I would watch any day of the week. Whether it be the incredible action sequences, great jokes, the great and likable Shia LaBeouf, the gorgeous Megan Fox, the just flat out awesome Optimus Prime, or the downright evil Megatron, Transformers has something for every type of movie goer.

Long ago, the dueling Autobots and Decepticons fought over the power source known as the Allspark, or simply, the cube. Now that the cube has found its way to Earth, the battling alien races have brought their struggle to our planet, and it appears that young lovable loser Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) holds the key to Earth's safety or destruction.

First off, Transformers boasts what you could call spectacular special effects and action sequences. They are astonishingly real and well made. Nothing looks fake. The Transformers themselves are sometimes hard to distinguish because of the speed they are fighting at, but it's a non issue. I am ready to give Transformers the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. I've never been more stunned by visuals. Michael Bay really put a ton of effort into the film, and of course, his trademarks are present, such as the sun casting a bright light over the hero in the finale, but Bay has created a film that he can not only call his, but a film for everyone. This is why we go to the movies, to have experiences that leave us wowed, make us laugh, and stick with us for a long time. Michael Bay has guaranteed that this will happen.

The cast is great. They do what they need to and don't take anything away from the movie, sometimes adding more. Shia LaBeouf has really blossomed into a bankable leading man. It's so great to see him really succeed, and seeing how likable and great he is in this movie, I can see why. Megan Fox, aside from being drop dead gorgeous, has her own moments where she and LaBeouf really play off each other well. I liked Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson. Anthony Anderson was good, as was screen legend Jon Voight. I liked his character, who seemed really realistic. I didn't care for John Turturro, as he seemed really out of place, and he felt awkward in most scenes he was in. He tried to be funny in moments where it wasn't necessary.

Ah, now the voice actors. All are cast great, especially the leading Autobot Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) and the especially vile Megatron (Hugo Weaving). Cullen has been the voice of Prime for years, and I wouldn't have it any other way. He gives a warm and kind voice that also does a great job of enforcing his power as the leader. Weaving has one of the best voices in show business, with this and V for Vendetta being the best examples. It's amazing how a man who was so kind and likable in V could come back with a voice full of menace and cruelty and downright scare the audience. Though he's animated, Megatron is one of the top bad guys of the 2000's.

Transformers will never relent with the entertainment. It's got everything, including awkward teen romance parts, intense action, catchy dialog, a great soundtrack, and sometimes laugh out loud humor. I've never had this much fun at the movie theater and I really recommend that you catch it on DVD and watch it on the biggest TV with the best sound system you can. It's the best of the legendary 2007 summer. In a summer of sequels, the newbie, Transformers, stands clear above the rest. I love this movie and recommend it to everyone.

TRANSFORMERS

 
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Yeah, the actual top movie...

#1  360pts

16 votes

Friday the 13th Meet the Same Old Coens

I am not sure I have a spoiler in here or not because the movie is rotten (aka spoiled). With high expectations this time I was disappointed by these two brothers once again.

The plot is simple (Okay). A loser finds a killing field, a truckload of dope, and a lawyers case full of money. He leaves the scene only to return with water for one thirsty, dying Mexican. This part is fine and the stage is set for a good movie. He is found on the scene by the guys wanting the money but escapes. He leaves his pickup behind so he is easy to find.

He leaves town and gets his wife out of his quarters as well. A psychopathic, indestructible killer comes into the movie about now and has his first killing spree. From here on the movie is not real at all but some reasonable parts are thrown in and some of the acting is, in fact good by everyone but the maniac. By this time though I am thinking I am also a maniac for staying to see this film.

There is a continuing chase that is non-sensical except for the fact that the money has a transponder tucked inside to make it easy to track him and the cash. The real chances of this working as shown in the movie defy logic but this is a movie so I will calm down a bit.

What is nuts is the fact that just about anyone can find this guy and there are about 60 coincidences that make the whole thing ridiculous. Every step results in killing fiesta. In the end a few stars come into the movie - this is to give the Coen's film pseudo endorsements and sell the picture and it seems to have worked because the mindless have given it high ratings and even I went to see it.

In the end the blood keeps a coming and there is no justice or sense of style anywhere to be seen. This is sort of a "Friday the 13th" or "Halloween" for adults with 70 IQ's and below. The acting is okay but who with a brain could care when there is no reason for the film itself.

I guess that gives everyone my opinion. What junk. Speaking of "spoilers" this did the Coens in once and for all for me. Never again will they get a dime of my cash.

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

 
Good one on Transformers!  :lmao:

How the heck did that absurd Bourne Ultimatum make it that high? Is that also a joke?

 
We all know my reputation for American history,  politics, etc.... and that includes a reverence for democratic theory. 

Having said that I'm really getting to the point where some people shouldn't be allowed to have an opinion.

And I say that knowing my list was nothing close to the final one at all. Still, those reviews are a collective vomit of self induligent narcissism written by people who clearly have never enjoyed the touch of a loving partner, the taste of a good bourbon, or the sight of simple beauty in the world.

 
 It's not even as good as Barton Fink.
Writing about writer's block and hollering out "I'll show you a life of the mind" is no match for an examination of greed and evil in the world. Not to mention honor, fate, free will, and destiny. 

Because the latter is what NCFOM was about.  

 
Writing about writer's block and hollering out "I'll show you a life of the mind" is no match for an examination of greed and evil in the world. Not to mention honor, fate, free will, and destiny. 

Because the latter is what NCFOM was about.  
I know what NCFOM was about. I'm not sure you got what Barton Fink was about. 

 
What do you dislike about it?
I don't dislike it. I just don't think it says as much as it thinks it does. And I'm okay with ambiguity and "letting the audience decide" what a fikm means to them but No Country didn't go far enough in helping the viewer arrive anywhere.

 
I don't dislike it. I just don't think it says as much as it thinks it does. And I'm okay with ambiguity and "letting the audience decide" what a fikm means to them but No Country didn't go far enough in helping the viewer arrive anywhere.
What do you mean by this? I think the Tommy Lee Jones character does a great job helping the viewer arrive at the "destination". To me his journey and ultimate realization is the film's message.

 
What do you thunk is his ultimate realization? 
To me, I think throughout the movie he's convinced that society is deteriorating (no more "m'ams or thank yous") and that is ultimately what has lead to the violence and destruction that he is witnessing in his investigation and in society generally. 

At the end when talking about his dream and his recollections of past stories, I think he's come to the conclusion that there's always been greed, violence and evil in this world and there's nothing we can really do about it. At some point we just realize we're too old for this world and move on - and while we were there we really made no difference.

 
To me, I think throughout the movie he's convinced that society is deteriorating (no more "m'ams or thank yous") and that is ultimately what has lead to the violence and destruction that he is witnessing in his investigation and in society generally. 

At the end when talking about his dream and his recollections of past stories, I think he's come to the conclusion that there's always been greed, violence and evil in this world and there's nothing we can really do about it. At some point we just realize we're too old for this world and move on - and while we were there we really made no difference.
My friend, who is a political philosophy professor, called it Augustinian. He says Augustine came to this conclusion. That there's always been greed and evil in the world and we need to accept that and that only in death and God is there redemption. 

This is really a great take on the movie, Dr. Octopus.  

 
To me, I think throughout the movie he's convinced that society is deteriorating (no more "m'ams or thank yous") and that is ultimately what has lead to the violence and destruction that he is witnessing in his investigation and in society generally. 

At the end when talking about his dream and his recollections of past stories, I think he's come to the conclusion that there's always been greed, violence and evil in this world and there's nothing we can really do about it. At some point we just realize we're too old for this world and move on - and while we were there we really made no difference.
I was thinking more of the scene with Carla Jean and Anton where she refuses to "call it". And then Anton limping away at the finale. 

Anyway, I can see why people like it. I've watched it twice myself. But talking about it, at this point, isn't going to make ME like it more. 

 
I was thinking more of the scene with Carla Jean and Anton where she refuses to "call it". And then Anton limping away at the finale. 

Anyway, I can see why people like it. I've watched it twice myself. But talking about it, at this point, isn't going to make ME like it more. 
True. 

eta* apologies for the slight badgering

 
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I was thinking more of the scene with Carla Jean and Anton where she refuses to "call it". And then Anton limping away at the finale. 

Anyway, I can see why people like it. I've watched it twice myself. But talking about it, at this point, isn't going to make ME like it more. 
Well I pointed to the Tommy Lee Jones' character as the "story teller".

As far as that scene, @rockaction summed that up as exploring "honor, fate, free will, and destiny". Carla Jean refused to play a part in what she considered Anton's sick views on those themes. Anton considers himself as some one that upholds "honor and fate" - now whether his traits are honorable is a grey area. Obviously he takes it to the extreme.

If you're asking if he killed her or not - I think he did, but I don't think that really matters. That's up to the viewer to decide and not important to the film either way.

And with entertainment it's all subjective. If you do not like the movie, that's fine. You're not wrong and those that do like it are not right.

 
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Time for the rest of the point-getters:

40-49:

The Mist

Grindhouse

I am Legend

30-39:

Atonement

Knocked Up

La Vie En Rose

The Savages

Paranormal Activity

Michael Clayton

Dead Silence

20-29:

Persepolis

Walk Hard

Waitress

28 Weeks Later

Live Free Die Hard

The Simpsons Movie

Enchanted

Black Snake Moan

Halloween

The Kite Runner

10-19:

Blades of Glory

Grace Is Gone

1408

Joe Strummer:  The Future is Unwritten

Sunshine

Control

Rescue Dawn

Stardust

30 Days of Night

Trick 'R Treat

Death at a Funeral

Smokin' Aces

Elite Squad

Single Digits:

Encounters at the End of the World

Honeydripper

Disturbia

Bee Movie

Pirates of the Caribbean:  At World's End

Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project

The Kingdom

Reign Over Me

Jackass 2

Teeth

The Golden Compass

In the Valley of Elah

I'm Not There

Shooter

Lions for Lambs

Across the Universe

Transformers

National Treasure 2

2 Days in Paris

Eagle vs. Shark

Rush Hour 3

The Heartbreak Kid

Saw iV

Vacancy

 
My friend, who is a political philosophy professor, called it Augustinian. He says Augustine came to this conclusion. That there's always been greed and evil in the world and we need to accept that and that only in death and God is there redemption. 

This is really a great take on the movie, Dr. Octopus.  
I can totally see that.

For whatever reason the movie just didn't resonate with me.  Like I've said many times, I don't fault anyone for liking or loving it, but to me it is way overrated.  

 
Just because we accept evil in the world (of course there is) doesn't mean that good should shrug it's shoulders and say "It's too much for me."

 
Just because we accept evil in the world (of course there is) doesn't mean that good should shrug it's shoulders and say "It's too much for me."
He didn't though. He fought against it his whole life. He just realized that he was too old to keep going and that he really made no difference in the grand scheme of things - that evil was there before him and will be there after him.

He never said that no one should try and stop it.

 
He didn't though. He fought against it his whole life. He just realized that he was too old to keep going and that he really made no difference in the grand scheme of things - that evil was there before him and will be there after him.

He never said that no one should try and stop it.
Piggybacking on that, the penultimate scene with Carla Jean and Chigurh is a plea actually to do right, to do good. God gives us free will. "You don't have to do this...no, I ain't gonna call it...the coin don't have no say...it's just you." 

 
He didn't though. He fought against it his whole life. He just realized that he was too old to keep going and that he really made no difference in the grand scheme of things - that evil was there before him and will be there after him.

He never said that no one should try and stop it.
I'm just saying you're never too old. And he's wrong that he didn't make a difference - there's a lot to be said for keeping evil in check. Which is all civilization really does anyway. 

 
HM observations;

Saw IV got votes...

Grindhouse didn't crack 50 points...

Dead Silence outperformed 1408 and 28 Weeks Later (not to mention several quality non-horror films)...

Odd outcome

 
#19 66pts

7 votes

What an idiot!

This film is a 1...at best. I will never, not ever, get the time back that I wasted watching this dreadful film. I am completely perplexed as to how this movie scored an 8?! I can only assume that no one else saw the film that I saw. Coming from Sean Penn, I should have known it would be filled with left-wing, anti-government bulls#!t. To be frank, the film is nothing more than the ******* love-child of Dead Poets Society and Grizzly Adams...except suckier.

Christoper McCandless was not only a misguided, self-absorbed, self-indulgent youth, he IS the ultimate idiot. There isn't a single quality to admire about him, with the exception of his generous donation to charity. An action, I would suspect this misanthrope made with the sole purpose of pi$$ing his parents off. Simply put, this film is the "whoa as me" tale of a rich, spoiled, young man who was TOO determined to prove that the apple sometimes does fall far from the tree. He is completely undeserving of the accolades or screen time he managed to eek out of Hollywood.

His "quest" for the ultimate human experience cost him his life...and to gain what? I mean, seriously, what it the point of this movie?? It really only leaves questions, for which there are no answers. Most notably, how can anyone...especially someone as educated as he was...thrust himself into the Alaskan wilderness (one of the most remote places on the planet) without doing a little research?? Congratulations Emory, you taught the boy well!!

Seriously, all of you who gave this movie higher than a 3, would you really put yourself in the position that he put himself? Would you not have spent some time in Alaska, maybe worked a job to acclimate yourself to the land? Would you not have gotten a little advice, perhaps taken a guided tour and survival courses? Would you not have learned about weather patterns and considered that after crossing a river before the summer thaw meant that you wouldn't be able to cross it when the snow began to melt??

No, this yahoo simply asks someone to drive him to the end of the road and drop him off on a trail. Smart buddy! The countdown on your life just began. In truth, Chris McCandless committed suicide and Hollywood pathetically glorified it.

Yeah, yeah, I realize he had "books" to help him out. Yet, we find out in the end what good they did him. I guess Tolstoy doesn't offer much in the way of how to preserve a moose. Any rational person would have realized they were in trouble months before this guy. "Hmm...I keep taking notches up on my belt. I am eating every day...nothing but lean protein..but still, I am eating. Yet, I have managed to lose 60 pounds. Gosh, I wonder if something is wrong??"

The only redeeming quality of this film is that it does manage to remind us that Mother Nature will always be there to strike you down when you begin to get a little too righteous for her taste. Or, in this case, she will leave you to die, alone, in the shell of an old school bus, surrounded by the philosophical b.s. that put you there in the first place, wasted away in a pool of your own feces.

INTO THE WILD
I agree with some of this review. I really, really disliked this movie. I think I argued with @Aaron Rudnicki about it when it came out. I don't want to get into that again.

 

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