want to make a trip out to a cabin in the woods?

[Darren Dirt]

I was kinda hoping Battleship would be a fun little ride of a popcorn things-go-boom movie, sadly it sounds like the ride never goes above 5km/h.



So maybe my post-winter big screen ticket expenditue is better justified on a scifi film described as "a movie where even when major plot twists are revealed -- as the trailers wantonly do -- there are so many others left, you have no reason to scream, 'Spoiler!'"


http://io9.com/5901458/why-cabin-in-the-woods-really-is-like-a-very-special-buffy-episode
http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-cabin-in-the-woods/critic-reviews

"an exercise in metafiction that, while providing grisly fun, never distances viewers. And it's entertaining, while asking the same question of viewers and characters alike: Why come to a place you knew all along was going to be so dark and dangerous?"

"a deliciously devious scare dance that keeps changing the steps until you lose your @%&# and fall helplessly into its demonic traps."


SOLD! Sounds like a big screen visit is due for this, imo. Maybe we can make it a gathering of friends? It's been forever!

[Melbosa]

I may be in for this, and I am seeing Battleship no matter what reviews said.

Reviews cratered John Carter and I thought it was one of the best Cowboy Scifi films I've seen.  Right up there with Serenity and a solid better than Cowboys vs Aliens... and I don't know if I have any other non-anime movies I can compare it to.

So yes I probably would like to join you but also my point is don't discredit a movie based on either how many people see it or what critics say about it.  If you want to see something, just see it and decide for yourself

[Darren Dirt]

Reviews cratered John Carter and I thought it was one of the best Cowboy Scifi films I've seen.  Right up there with Serenity and a solid better than Cowboys vs Aliens... and I don't know if I have any other non-anime movies I can compare it to.

my point is don't discredit a movie based on either how many people see it or what critics say about it.  If you want to see something, just see it and decide for yourself

I agree with you in theory, but in practice I look for a common response in a variety of voices (not just Movie Critics).

If they all sing a consistent song a la "nothing exciting or innovative, bad editing, bad acting" or similar I'll usually pass on seeing it on the Big Screen (really expensive nowadays!) but often I WILL take a chance if the trailer screams "we're doing something different" just because in a way I want to reward risk-taking film-makers, not those who are phoning it in and/or making a "product" just to bringin $$$ to the studio.

But I also judge a movie after viewing it based on what it was "trying to achieve", not comparing it to other movies out at the time, but more like what the film-makers seemed to be trying to make... So with movie critic reviews/soundbites I try to guess what they are saying about the film in that respect.

e.g. If an action or horror movie is clearly campy on purpose, not taking itself seriously, then I'm not gonna knock it for being "silly" or "unrealistic" (unlike certain reviewers with the last name of White ) but also if a drama presents itself as character-developing in the trailer, but after I watch it I realize I didn't give a crap about what happened to the protagonist or how a conflict was resolved, that a big Fail imo, even if there were lots of laughs along the way. I wish I could, but I just can't give every movie an open-minded no-prejudging "chance" (sorry Adam Sandler, Eddie Murphy, lately! Trailer makes it obvious you are Phoning It In = not worthy of my money, especially when I have seen what you and/or your writer/director are capable of!)


So yeah, my movie-going dollars have to be more strictly justified (having a family and related expenses does that to you) but it's not like I'm only looking for Oscar-calibre film "experiences" every time! As an example, recently I really enjoyed "Chronicle", although I didn't expect it to be large scale epic boomtastic action like something from Michael Bay or out of a Marvel comic source, I did expect some fun along with the characters and the conflict escalating in an interesting but realistic pace. While watching it, I didn't even know it was super low budget (for that kind of genre) because I found the story and the characters that engaging... But of course I know it's not gonna be in any non-technical categories come Academy Awards season.

Heck, speaking of Oscar, that is still one of my favorite comedies, Stallone's "Oscar", I thought it worked for what it was trying to be -- a silly/slapstick farce/comedyoferrors -- even though tons of critics and common folk said it was a bad movie (my guess is those same people expect a laugh track in something like Airplane so they know when they are supposed to chuckle ) So my point is ... I agree with you that critics can certainly be "wrong" (even the majority of them) but often there are warning signs about a movie that is clearly a Fail (and might not even be worth a 90 minute stream on an evening when you are bored)... the trick is finding a balance so you don't waste time, but you also don't miss out on pleasant surprises (disclosure: I quite enjoyed both of Richard Kelly's post-DonnieDarko films... while critics seemed to be mostly looking for "another" DD -- I just sat down and relaxed and immersed myself in whatever new universe that Mr. Kelly brought to the screen each time, and enjoyed the experience trying my best not to compare to anything outside of that particular film.)

[Mr. Analog]

I rather enjoyed John Carter as well.

I don't know if I can handle a horror flick in the theatre yet

[Melbosa]

Wow... DD you have way more insight into movie plots, settings, construction and design than I will ever have.  Guess I'm just one of those people that relies on instinct/gut feeling rather than fact or information when it comes to movies (for the most part).

Guess that maybe why I loved some of the worst rated movies of all time.

So now I ask... "What is it that you cannot face?"

[Mr. Analog]

Well I gotta say I'm getting bored with less than minimally sophisticated films lately, it doesn't even matter if the SFX are up to snuff or not, I'm just bored with the action movie cliche.

It's all a matter of taste of course, I mean last week Chinatown was finally re-released and when I went in to buy it the staff hadn't even put it on the shelf, they had six copies and they were on the floor of the stockroom. I felt a serious disturbance in the Force right there, this is what one of the films you need to see before you die is relegated to, sitting on the floor of a stockroom while the lastest Michael Bay crapfest pulls in more than a BILLION dollars^[?].

I'm not saying every film has to be Citizen Kane but I'm really not interested in braindead plots much any more.

The flip side to this of course is that I really love b-movies, they're a total guilty pleasure of mine though I'm not really sure what it is I like about them. I think it's the fact that often times the way a film was made says more about the times and the people who made it, then again sometimes they outright surprise me with hidden depth (like my review for Creation of the Humanoids 1962, which is a better film about the decline of mankind and the rise of the machine than The Matrix!)

Anyway, I'm rambling... I think the only action movie I'll fork out money for this year is Batman and that's primarily because of Catwoman haha

[Melbosa]

So I watched a IGN video and they interviewed the cowriter on the movie... sounds interesting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SLzZIzF6mI&list=UUdVrPfq-B9N5v01axUoDfLA&index=2&feature=plcp

Warning this has Kinect Star Wars footage as well.

[Darren Dirt]

Thursday?

[Mr. Analog]

Thursday?

Mine.....craft?

[Darren Dirt]

Thursday?

Mine.....craft?

screw u guyz... me and my brother are going Thursday, who's with us?

[Mr. Analog]

Minecraft, mine craft minecraftmine craft minecraft? Minecraft! HAHAHAHA

(you have to admit, it's better than Malkovich)

[Darren Dirt]

Well I'm gonna be going to the 7:30pm show Thursday @ http://edmontonmovies.tribute.ca/theatres/empire-city-centre-9-cinemas-edmonton/cityc/ Downtown, if any of you are able to pull yourself away from Notch's Time Prison and want to watch Whedon's ScifiHorrorPrison film with me and my brother, call/text my cell and me know and we'll meet up (I'll be downtown around 6:15 probably to hang out before the movie).

[Mr. Analog]

Verdict?

[Darren Dirt]

Life Happened.

But likely gonna go this week, Thursday. Anyone care to come with?

[Mr. Analog]

Life Happened.

But likely gonna go this week, Thursday. Anyone care to come with?

I'm a maybe, depends on how planning goes and how much life is left in me.

I could be up for some Joss Whedon goodness...