Posts by Susan Hernandez

So, is this actually more boring than Hansel & Gretel?

Watched this a few days ago... honestly, the movie was so mediocre I didn't even feel like writing about it. But fine. 😁 SPOILERS here we go..

PROS - pretty bloody scenes for an American mainstream flick (pretty sure I caught the R-rated version 🤷), like seven-year-old Hansel stabbing a witch with a knife, or a troll explicitly crushing the villain's head, etc. The humor is a plus too, though some parts made me roll my eyes—like how Hansel had to eat so much candy at the witch's house that he ended up with diabetes and has to deal with insulin shots as an adult. I think that's about all the positives. 😁

CONS - the movie is boring. The premise has potential, but the plot is just stereotypical and unconvincing. Witches stealing kids for ritual sacrifices? Really? The characters lack charisma; maybe if Gretel stood her ground more, it would help, but that's it. The relationships feel childish, especially Hansel’s affection for the good witch. And then there's Gretel's fanboy moment and her friendship with the troll Edward. Total snooze fest. The script is uninspired. Tommy Wirkol might be a horror fan, but being a fan doesn't make you a good director.

H&G: Witch Hunters pulled in about 200 million dollars, which means Wirkol will keep making movies in the US, at least until his first flop. Maybe he'll evolve..

gentlemarlin said:(I can't believe there isn't already a thread dedicated to this.)

Chinese historical epics and wuxia films are already legendary.
That said, I recently sat through two Chinese films with more "modern" themes, and they were actually pretty solid. So, I’m putting it out there—if anyone has recommendations for other high-quality Chinese films, please let me know.

The two I just mentioned are:

1. Cold War (2012)
An explosion goes off in public and a police van with its crew gets hijacked. That’s all I’m saying. Don't go straight to IMDb because those mindless reviewers love to drop spoilers everywhere. This movie is unpredictable (which is incredibly rare), intriguing, smart, and features great acting.

2. Thelma & Louise (2012).
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2370792/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
If anyone happens to know the melody playing at 00:35:27 (the kissing scene), hit me up. As for the movie itself... I don't even know how to describe it. It's pretty uneven; some parts feel like a typical American indie flick, while others are contemplative pieces meant for people who actually appreciate deep dialogue.

But that’s exactly why we have the "Asian film" thread. 😉 You might find some decent recommendations for other Chinese movies over there.

Take Critters 2, for instance. 😬

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVyfEgnA678

Iggy Pop is officially on the lineup for this year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.🙂

Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo 2009 and 2012, films RE: Afterlife and RE: Retribution

They moved the release to January (new premiere date is 01.25.) just so it doesn't get crushed by Jack the Giant Slayer and Oz the Great and Powerful in March.

rapidviper2 said:Lol, it’s not even a female vocal, let alone some indie folk vibe. The singer is just some kid—Emanuel Zekic or maybe Emilian, I can't remember—and the track is called Susan. Something like that. I'm on my phone right now, so I can't get to my computer to drop the link for you.

Thanks, that’s exactly 😬

Laura Booth69 said:Wasn't that One Piece puzzle? Their last song was LSD..

No. I'm not talking about a One Piece puzzle live set. That song played over the PA system about five minutes before Brk started, and it was way louder than anything else they played. It was basically just an intro for Brk.

Richard Barrett53 said:20:40 Brk

Does anyone know the artist or song played right before Brk? Female vocals, some kind of Canadian alternative sevdah style...

Just finished watching. Interesting subtext here. At first glance, Bekmambetov has put together a decent little patriotic flick, the kind you’d see being churned out during or right after World War II in America. Nowadays, since we lost any illusions about "freedom" and "democracy" a long time ago, a "Made in the USA" movie feels a bit intellectually stunted. Then again, that twist at the end where Sturges stabs him in the back /spoiler/ Obama obviously gives it a nice, ironic little "click," making everything fall into place.

Regardless, there's enough action to satisfy a more casual audience. Lincoln handles that axe pretty well, and the film is packed with pretty—though hardly original—slow-motion sequences, CGI effects that aren't half bad, and some perfectly decent villains. Maybe even too few of them. Perhaps that was intentional, since it would be all too easy to start rooting for the bad guys instead.

It’s nothing groundbreaking for American cinema, and a minor effort for Bekmambetov in terms of execution. Let's just hope this thing doesn't tank at the box office.

darkorca92 said:So, when is this thing actually dropping?

They're saying January 4th, 2013... hitting all the major theaters. 😁

cosmiclynx57 said:Auu, man, I am loving this! As soon as I saw the poster and realized we were talking about Hansel and Gretel, I knew this was going to be freaking awesome! 👍

This looks like a total winner, though I really just hope it doesn't turn out to be some absolute piece of shit and actually delivers as a solid, fun fairy tale movie.

Honestly, it’s gotten way too good.
I totally get where you're coming from, and honestly, I'm all for just taking a classic tale like this and putting it on screen exactly as it is—especially since today's tech makes it so much easier to pull off.
But hey, it is what it is, and I'm cool with it either way.

edit:

WOW! I just watched the trailer and it seriously blew me away—like, it knocked me ten feet back and landed me right on my ass! 🙏 This is gonna be epic; I am absolutely obsessed with this trailer.
The little house, the witch on a broomstick... wooohoo! Can't wait, man!

Immediately reminded me of this 😁

We're already neck-deep in Grimm exploitation😂 I bet Rose is next...

goldenhound32 said:@Benjamin Ruiz60/">@@Benjamin Ruiz60
Never heard of it.

Look 😉

Hope Michelangelo Antonioni forgives me for going off-topic here..

Looks like... Friedkin's The Exorcist, just with more CGI polish. Just another one from the Napster collection..

goldenhound32 said:Anyone else out there?

Doris Dörrie? 🙂

darkwalker33 said:I don't know, I kind of disagree, because if Burton is directing, it's probably gonna be some huge spectacle, maybe.

Burton is just the producer here..

Daniel Kelly57 said:Honestly, a total pleasant surprise. I fought it for a while, trying to convince myself not to watch, but I finally gave in—and thank God I did! The movie leans pretty hard into parody, so I spent most of the runtime laughing my head off. Visually, it’s stunning. The cast is super likable too. The lead actress is a dead ringer for Audrey Hepburn. My only gripe? Someone really should have given her a little trim on those eyelashes! Definitely recommend this for parents with energetic kids.
🙂

And her forearms need a wax, too.😂

Watched it today. Really solid film, mostly thanks to Tarsemov’s visuals and Eiko Ishiok's costume design. I actually liked Julia Roberts—don't think I've ever seen her play a villain before, but she nails it. Bitchy. 😍