This movie is actually a remake of the 1955 classic (IMDb). I caught the original at a local Cinema—personally, I found it much more moving than this little attempt by Brother Coen, even if the grandmother in this version isn't half bad at holding down the fort.
I went to see this absolute disaster of a movie just because a friend talked me into it. Honestly, it was the worst waste of $8.25 in my entire life. I still haven't let her live it down.
Since we're talking trailers and teasers, I actually wanted to recommend this site -> www.trailerzone.net
The site itself is foreign, but since all the movie titles are in English, finding what you're looking for is a breeze. Most importantly—you can actually download the trailers and teasers from there, not just stream them.
Amy Gomez36 said:In your opinion, what actually makes a trailer good?
Do you view them as pieces of art or just commercial promos? (Even though they're really both—but how much "art" can there truly be when the goal is to sell something?) Which side matters more?
😍
For me, the bottom line is simple: it has to grab my attention and leave me thinking—"Okay, I NEED to see this movie."
I watched the second part too—it’s a complete departure from Vol. 1.
There aren't many massive brawl scenes—actually, none at all—and instead, there's a much heavier emphasis on character development, which is honestly phenomenal. I don't want to drop any spoilers, but I have to say, QT showed just how much atmosphere you can build using nothing but sound design.
There are a few scenes that are just too good; you find out Mallik's real name, how Ell driver lost her eye, and a few other little details. The dialogue is sharper, though he experiments much less with the visuals (there are no cartoons here).
My big gripe, though, is the ending—every Tarantino movie usually has a brilliant finale, but here it felt rushed, clumsy, and cheap. It was totally disappointing. That's exactly why I prefer the first part; it's almost as if he didn't know how to wrap things up, so he just cut it short without trying to get too philosophical.
The movie is worth seeing, especially for those who complained that the first one had way too much violence, blood, and guts.
Ever since I saw that trailer where you can't even see oars on the galleys—yeah, right, historical accuracy!—I've been pretty skeptical about Troy. Looking at the cast, it feels like the producers just played it safe, and honestly, the special effects don't look anything to write home about.
I'll probably go see it, especially now that my colleague silentpilot6 gave it such a glowing review, but I’m not setting my expectations too high. As a future historian, the inaccuracies just jump out at me—it's hard to actually get lost in the story or focus on Helen and the other ladies when everything feels so off.
I am genuinely curious, though—since they're starting from the beginning of the Trojan War, did they actually show Iphigenia's sacrifice? You know, the one that had to happen just to get the entire fleet moving in the first place.
Williams is already trash—if they weren't constantly at each other's throats, maybe they'd actually get somewhere. Remember when Montoya *coincidentally* couldn't pit for tires? That's why he didn't keep chasing. It would be fun to see them actually fight for position, since there's officially no "number one" driver status over at Williams.
little wonder said:I agree—the independent cinemas are the absolute best. I’ve been to the A1 gallery, Broadway, and even Cinestar, but they just don't compare to these older spots; between the crowds and a million other things, it's just different. There's always this cozy, local vibe at the indie theaters. I used to love going to Central Park, and this past Saturday I was at Europa, which—alongside Chicago—is my favorite cinema in CHI... 👍 when it comes to those indie houses.
I have to agree—there was such a sense of intimacy in those smaller indie halls. I remember once at Uranium, I actually got a hand-written ticket—there were only five of us in the theater, and the old guy tearing the tickets told us exactly where to sit because he knew it would be warmer there (and honestly, the room was freezing). Sadly, all those charming little theaters have been sold off 👎.
Reading all these complaints about the nonsense happening at Cinestar makes me think they're going to lose a massive chunk of their audience; so many people seem genuinely fed up with the various ways they mess things up. So far, 🙏majlikojikucaudrvo: I haven't had any bad experiences, and I really hope it stays that way.
Random side note: my absolute favorite spot is the hall at the local film archive. Every single seat has the names of movie stars and directors etched into it, yet the average turnout for regular screenings is maybe eight people. You basically check beforehand to see if there are even five people showing up, otherwise, the film won't even run. The theater is located in the open university, and the tickets are torn by a janitor in a blue booth who seems to be the caretaker for the whole place too. The seats are incredibly uncomfortable—they dig into you after ten minutes—and if you shift even slightly, the squeaking echoes through the entire room. They only have one projector, so the movies require a mandatory intermission just to change the reel... It's my favorite cinema, and watching a film there is an indescribable joy.
I didn't find anything particularly fantastic about it—nothing really worth noting—and honestly, I couldn't wrap my head around why the audience around me was giggling at every other scene.
It’s the exact same story over here; I went in with way too many expectations and ended up disappointed. I truly don't get why those women near me found it hilarious when the guy answers his phone in Japanese 😕—it felt like they were all just laughing along so they wouldn't look like they missed the joke.
I'm just so disappointed. I really wish I could be as enthusiastic about the movie as everyone else seems to be, but... yeah, I'm just not.
The movie is alright, but honestly, it’s nothing special if you ask me. Personally, the most haunting scene isn't even the ending—it's when his mother "activates" him and he asks, "What were those words for mammy?" It’s such a shame we didn't get to see what this film might have become if Kubrick had been involved in the project until the very end.
Hmm, I definitely didn't just vote for Broadway out of pure sentimentality in that poll. I really tried to be objective here—if I'd had some terrible experiences at AMC, I would've mentioned them—but since I haven't (I've only been there maybe three or four times since they opened), I just wrote down my actual impressions. Tell me, though—what is it about AMC that you don't like? (Assuming you even have an issue with it.)
It’s been three months since AMC opened its doors—enough time for the dust to settle, for the competition to react (or fail to), and for the big question to surface: which of these major theater chains actually reigns supreme?
I intentionally left out the smaller indie spots (like KFC, a local forum, or a film archive) because I really want to hear your take on the heavyweight players here in Chicago.
If you feel like it, feel free to break down your choice by category—which is exactly how I’m going to tackle this, plus I'll throw in one extra category of my own:
the theaters: The old-school movie theaters are completely outclassed here. Between their reliance on tiny suburban locations and outdated facilities, they just can't compete. In Chicago, the seating layouts are so poorly designed that, frankly, you're lucky if you aren't stuck staring at the screen from the very front row of the balcony. The Mall of America has a decent auditorium (the second largest in the US) that feels very similar to Broadway in terms of layout. AMC and Broadway have the edge here thanks to better overall upkeep. My vote for this category goes to AMC—mostly because of the legroom, the foolproof seat numbering, and the fact that they clearly considered accessibility for shorter people and those with disabilities. Broadway has slightly better headrests, but that isn't enough to win me over.
the lineup AMC is a step ahead of the pack here. Despite the usual tug-of-war between theaters and distributors, they've managed to curate a massive selection that hits all the right notes, and movies tend to stay on their schedule for quite a while. The local theaters and Broadway mostly stick to the blockbusters and rarely venture into "indie" or niche films. As for the Mall of America, with only a handful of titles that don't rotate very often, they can't really hold their own in this department.
the staff My vote goes to AMC for basic human decency. At both Broadway and the local theaters, I've far too often encountered employees having a bad day and being downright rude. So far, I haven't had that experience at AMC.
the website AMC launched a site that allowed for online ticket reservations, which was a total game-changer in the US. The Mall of America had some sort of mobile reservation gimmick, but I've never used it, so I can't really judge. Broadway responded with a redesigned site featuring a better booking interface and more detailed info about their films. The local theater sites are pretty sparse; beyond basic showtimes, there's almost zero information. The Mall of America actually has the best site—you can find deep dives on upcoming films, great links, and one really helpful trick: a preview of the monthly schedule based on opening dates. Most other places just slap a "COMING SOON" tag on things and leave you hanging 👍 for that.
snacks and drinks Whether we like it or not, concessions have become a huge part of the cinema experience. AMC has introduced so many new options—sweet popcorn, nachos, ice cream, coffee... Broadway has kept up with most of the menu, while everyone else is still stuck in the past with just popcorn and candy bars. When it comes to anything other than Coke or Pepsi, only the Mall of America and AMC offer beer or other drinks at the counter. AMC wins this round, though I have to admit that snacks at any of these places are still way too expensive.
That’s all for now; I might add more later. Now, it's your turn.
storytelj said:The theater at Notre Dame and the one on Ibler is actually the same company—it’s such a headache dealing with AMC Theatres when their movie lineup is identical to everyone else's, even though an AMC Theatres location can rotate up to 15 different titles in a single day..
Actually, that's incorrect; they *used* to be the same company, but back then Broadway sold off the auditorium to a new owner who runs things now. Since they're basically the second-largest cinema chain in America (not sure if any of the AMC Theatres locations are larger), they could really step up their marketing game—and maybe fire that colorblind designer responsible for that tacky, kitschy logo.
Still, they do have one of the best cinema websites in the US, plus they offer online ticket booking just like AMC Theatres...
Word is out that they're planning to film the hobbit movie once Jackson wraps up his King Kong remake. And honestly—even if they do get the hobbit project moving—true Tolkien fans will still be hungry for another masterpiece: Middle-earth. Personally? I highly doubt anyone will ever actually step up to take on the job of filming that one.