Mudcat
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 - the final installment of this excellent series. Very enjoyable and clever and satisyfin' finale. I would vote for it over all the Best Picture Oscar nominees from last year I have seen so far. 7.6 out of 10.
I have now seen the whole series, several of the episodes more than once. My series rating - 9 out of 10.
Excellent stories and creativity and effects and continuity (despite the different directors and the actors who aged so noticeably). Fantastic job. One of the best movie series of my lifetime.
I have now seen the whole series, several of the episodes more than once. My series rating - 9 out of 10.
Excellent stories and creativity and effects and continuity (despite the different directors and the actors who aged so noticeably). Fantastic job. One of the best movie series of my lifetime.
Mudcat
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: Here's a cutie!
Mudcat
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I found last night's episode of The Newsroom curious. For anyone that doesn't know, each episode is centered around some major news event (generally from around a year ago). Last night's was about the killing of Osama Bin Laden.
I guess what I found curious was the importance that was attached to it. As the night of the announcement was being recreated, people were tearing up over it and there was talk of always remembering where you were when you heard this news.
I found that news story to be . . . hmm, I don't want to say trivial exactly - I can see how it had a lot of symbolic value. But in terms of being an actual meaty news story?? I had no illusions about it meaning much of anything as far as the future of terrorism. I certainly did not consider it some kind of bookend to 9/11 with comparable impact.
Put it this way: for me it is a long, long way from the category of stuff where I will always remember what I was doing when I heard about it. But they were selling it pretty hard last night. Of course many people cheered when they heard the news. Again, not my reaction at the time, but certainly true to life.
I don't know if I am underestimating the impact that news story had for Americans.
I guess what I found curious was the importance that was attached to it. As the night of the announcement was being recreated, people were tearing up over it and there was talk of always remembering where you were when you heard this news.
I found that news story to be . . . hmm, I don't want to say trivial exactly - I can see how it had a lot of symbolic value. But in terms of being an actual meaty news story?? I had no illusions about it meaning much of anything as far as the future of terrorism. I certainly did not consider it some kind of bookend to 9/11 with comparable impact.
Put it this way: for me it is a long, long way from the category of stuff where I will always remember what I was doing when I heard about it. But they were selling it pretty hard last night. Of course many people cheered when they heard the news. Again, not my reaction at the time, but certainly true to life.
I don't know if I am underestimating the impact that news story had for Americans.
stevek173
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Me and Cami ended up catching that too Muddy. At some points I bought into it but like you I found it to be oversold. I mean I had friends who almost bit it that day and still I thought it went too far. Good show though, I've always loved that old guy from Law and Order.
Mudcat
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Moneyball (2011) - I saw this yesterday. For me there are two ways to evaluate it. One is its impact on me and how it fits in with my personal interests/tastes/fascinations. It gets very high marks in that regard. I love a story about not accepting the status quo and about continuous improvement. I frankly love the concept of shitting on tradition. I hate tradition. I like for things to be constantly examined and shaken up and not just accepted because that's the way we have done it for a long time. Moneyball gets very high marks from me for that.
The other way to evaluate it is just as a movie. Acting, writing, art direction - blah, blah, blah. In that sense I found it to be just pretty good. I didn't like Brad Pitt's acting. I did like Jonah Hill. The script was mostly solid. I thought the pacing was weird and the last half hour should have been melted down to 5 minutes.
Actually there is a 3rd way to look at it: as the last piece in my evaluation of the most recent Best Picture Oscar race. For the first 3/4ths, I would have said it should have won. Not that it was in any way amazing but it was better than a so-so field. It was making me recall the movie Quiz Show from awhile back. Comparably, that was another thoughtful, well put-together movie about a not particularly important historical event (which eventually lost to Forrest Gump which should have lost to Pulp Fiction). Moneyball had no competition like that - but even so, it lost me in the last half hour.
Rating - 7.1 out of 10.
No Best Picture. The Artist wins.
The other way to evaluate it is just as a movie. Acting, writing, art direction - blah, blah, blah. In that sense I found it to be just pretty good. I didn't like Brad Pitt's acting. I did like Jonah Hill. The script was mostly solid. I thought the pacing was weird and the last half hour should have been melted down to 5 minutes.
Actually there is a 3rd way to look at it: as the last piece in my evaluation of the most recent Best Picture Oscar race. For the first 3/4ths, I would have said it should have won. Not that it was in any way amazing but it was better than a so-so field. It was making me recall the movie Quiz Show from awhile back. Comparably, that was another thoughtful, well put-together movie about a not particularly important historical event (which eventually lost to Forrest Gump which should have lost to Pulp Fiction). Moneyball had no competition like that - but even so, it lost me in the last half hour.
Rating - 7.1 out of 10.
No Best Picture. The Artist wins.
Cougar Bait
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I liked Moneyball. I probably won't watch it again but it was a good movie.
As for your Newsroom episode, think about the context that the people who are writing that show want you to remember it. I was of course glad when I heard they got Bin Laden but honestly I was not personally effected by 9/11 other than many of the stories I heard. I don't doubt it was a big deal in New York, but as far as nationally I think it was less of a story than either the George Zimmerman or Batman killer stories of this year.
As for your Newsroom episode, think about the context that the people who are writing that show want you to remember it. I was of course glad when I heard they got Bin Laden but honestly I was not personally effected by 9/11 other than many of the stories I heard. I don't doubt it was a big deal in New York, but as far as nationally I think it was less of a story than either the George Zimmerman or Batman killer stories of this year.
Bread
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Bang Bang Club....OK enough I suppose. Does have the really hot Swedish actress from Childrens Hospital though. That chick is crazy ridiculous hot.
Oh, and that adorable little Ryan Phillippe.
Brokeback Mtn was kind of a snoozefest.
Speaking of Ryan Phillippe...rewatched his version of Crash. Seen it several times. Loses a bit of its lore for me with each viewing. I blame Muddy.
The Last Circus. Very strange and odd movie. Got my next tshirt idea from it though. I LOVE YOU, SAD CLOWN.
That is all.
Oh, and that adorable little Ryan Phillippe.
Brokeback Mtn was kind of a snoozefest.
Speaking of Ryan Phillippe...rewatched his version of Crash. Seen it several times. Loses a bit of its lore for me with each viewing. I blame Muddy.
The Last Circus. Very strange and odd movie. Got my next tshirt idea from it though. I LOVE YOU, SAD CLOWN.
That is all.
roguejuror
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my sunshine got new glasses
she pretty
she pretty
Mudcat
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A Dangerous Method (2011) - There is no way to start a review of this movie except to say that Keira Knightly is a horrible actress. She is distractingly bad. I have no idea how she has a career.
It is a matter of opinion I suppose. I know I am far from alone in this opinion - but I also know some people don't see it. I'm pretty sure she has at least 1 Oscar nomination. Certainly she keeps getting cast. I can't explain it.
I would say that she single-handedly ruined this movie - but it was not actually all that strong besides her. The story had potential; an examination of the infancy of psycho-analysis, and the relationship between Jung and Freud. There was some good stuff. The actors besides KK were good and I generally like director David Cronenberg, but he kept abandoning any interesting thoughtful philosophical explorations in favor of hammering away at the relationships involving the female lead which alternately made me shrug and wince.
Call it 4.8 out of 10.
It is a matter of opinion I suppose. I know I am far from alone in this opinion - but I also know some people don't see it. I'm pretty sure she has at least 1 Oscar nomination. Certainly she keeps getting cast. I can't explain it.
I would say that she single-handedly ruined this movie - but it was not actually all that strong besides her. The story had potential; an examination of the infancy of psycho-analysis, and the relationship between Jung and Freud. There was some good stuff. The actors besides KK were good and I generally like director David Cronenberg, but he kept abandoning any interesting thoughtful philosophical explorations in favor of hammering away at the relationships involving the female lead which alternately made me shrug and wince.
Call it 4.8 out of 10.