Posts by cosmicraven2

Michael Jackson62 said:Unfortunately, nothing happened because they didn't give him the green light to make it, and that's just how it goes...
but in a year, we'll see what happens and what kind of ending we get...
maybe an ending... probably not 😛

Your wish might actually come true—Nintendo and Microsoft are reportedly working on a CGI The Walking Dead film for next year. It sounds like it won't have anything to do with the previous Jurassic Park movie trilogy. We still don't know who will be directing or writing it, but there's a chance this could actually stay faithful to the games. Let's stay optimistic.

rapidorca6 said:Wait, how have you even seen it yet?? I've been dying to watch this!!!

There is a workprint version available online somewhere.☕

Michael Jackson62 said:Heh... so basically, "this movie is my favorite because they finally realized what a complete disaster they turned the franchise into, so they just leaned into the absurdity and went full parody." 😁

I understand. 🙂

You can't honestly argue that the first one wouldn't be the absolute best installment, especially when you factor in the sharper dialogue, the actual sense of humor, and the way it didn't take itself quite so seriously.
The first one and the setting alone—there was so much potential there. It really could have been developed into a genuinely high-quality film.
Unfortunately, it didn't pan out. Did they even give him the green light to actually build it? If not, then well, that's just how the cookie crumbles.
Anyway, we'll just have to wait a year and see how things actually play out and what kind of ending we're looking at.
Maybe it's the end... but probably not. 😛

I agree completely. The first one would have been the absolute best if they had just injected a bit more humor into it. It’s clear that Paul W. S. Anderson knows how to direct, but he simply doesn't have the knack for writing a coherent script. Even if Romero's script for Resident Evil wasn't exactly a masterpiece, it still held its own.I’m holding out hope that they actually bring Claire Redfield in for the fourth installment. Honestly, Ali Larter was incredibly good in Extinction, even if she didn't get much to work with in that small, thankless role.

Michael Jackson62 said:...

I didn't say that Extinction was a great movie. What I said was that, in my opinion, it’s the best installment of the trilogy. Here is my reasoning: when Anderson was writing the first film, he took the assignment far too seriously. Because of that, the end result sits in this awkward middle ground—it isn't quite ridiculous or bad enough to be considered "trash," yet it isn't actually good enough to be called a good film. Regardless, as the start of the series, it works well enough.

*Extinction* was a subpar film, feeling less like a cinematic adaptation and more like *Commando* dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century. Honestly, that wouldn't have been a dealbreaker if this were just a standard action series, but when you're watching a *Resident Evil* movie, you expect at least a shred of survival horror. Instead, Paul W. S. Anderson completely gutted that atmosphere by turning Alice (Milla Jovovich) into a generic superhero. Her confrontation with Nemesis was so desperate and poorly executed that it nearly derailed the entire production. Despite its glaring flaws, the movie remains strangely watchable for some bizarre reason.

And this will come later...
It honestly looks to me like the directors are just absolutely thrilled to have Milla on board. It feels like they specifically engineered the entire scripts for the second and third installments just to force her character into the spotlight.

It’s an undeniable fact: since Milla is essentially Paul W. S. Anderson's future wife, she’s obviously going to be the center of attention. That was a major sticking point for me too, particularly during the second installment. However, by the third film, Anderson finally introduced enough supporting characters to pull some of the spotlight away from Alice. If we do end up getting a fourth part—which seems inevitable—I would personally love to see the focus shift away from her. Word on the street is that this might actually happen; Ali Larter mentioned that the producers want to set the fourth and final film in Alaska, featuring her in the lead role without Milla.

Even Mila-Fantasy, which peaked during that third installment, reached a point where the directors clearly had no idea how to capitalize on her character's success. Instead of doing something meaningful, they just churned out a trillion sequels. Now, in the fourth one, they’re planning to have her lead an entire army of clones to smash through everything with an umbrella.

🤣 I don't see that happening. Honestly, Paul W. S. Anderson just doesn't have the creative vision or the massive budget required to pull off a project of that scale.

It’s been five years since the events of the film, yet everything looks even more devastated than it did following a nuclear catastrophe—which, frankly, would have at least provided some semblance of logic to the setting. Instead, the world looks like only about 300 grams of time has passed. It is just complete, utter nonsense. You have this intense fight sequence right at the beginning, but once that's over, the entire movie devolves into nothing but heavy-handed clichés. They lean into that tired trope where everyone is suddenly part of this perfectly wholesome, tight-knit group, and then you have the ridiculous plot point where a character gets bitten and decides to keep it a secret instead of just shooting themselves in the head right then and there to prevent an outbreak.

I didn't mind it one bit, mainly because I walked in with the impression that Paul W. S. Anderson was just making a massive joke out of this entire franchise. This time around, he clearly wasn't taking anything seriously. Watching the movie felt like playing a game of "spot the reference." One scene borrows from Evil Dead 2 with the zombies whistling, then you have Alice dressed like Clint Eastwood, followed by a shot straight out of Star Wars, and another nod to Day of the Dead. There wasn't a single truly original moment in the bunch, yet somehow, it felt more fun and playful than the first two installments. If they aren't going to make something that actually respects the spirit of Resident Evil 4, then fine—whatever. If it’s going to be a circus, let them throw a damn masquerade ball. 🙂

Lisa Flores32 said:I’m right there with you on King’s horror work being top-tier—his books are masterpieces, and honestly, even the adaptations usually hit the mark. I haven't sat down to watch 1408 yet, though it's definitely on my list, I just always feel a bit hesitant about movies that seem a little too brief for a full theatrical run!🤣 But since it’s essentially based on a short story, I suppose it makes sense. I am still trying to wrap my head around the actual differences between the American and European versions, though...
I remember watching the one where she manages to escape, but even then... it just didn't feel right.🙂

They aren't actually that different. The ending is just as bleak for the protagonist regardless of whether you’re watching the American version or the British one. Besides, everyone on this forum has actually seen the original version anyway, so...

Regarding *1408*, I honestly expected much more from it. It didn't just fail to scare me; there were several points where I actually found myself getting bored. While the premise is interesting and the film itself is decent enough, it is absolutely not a horror movie.

Michael Jackson62 said:😂 😂 😂 end? Did you even watch the movie? What do you mean "end"? Hahaha, Umbrella is just getting started with their takeover 🤣

And honestly, 😂 the rest of your post is such a joke I didn't even bother quoting it. 😂

I have to agree with him on one point: if this is considered the best part of the trilogy, it’s only because it actually attempts to focus on the plot and character development. It’s still pretty flimsy when you compare it to the films it’s clearly ripping off, but it represents a massive step up from the previous installment. That being said, it's still nowhere near the gold standard for video game adaptations (Silent Hill remains number one in my book).

Here are a few others that haven't been mentioned yet (Miike's Audition is definitely near the top when it comes to torture scenes):

The Last House on the Left - none of the girls are killed off right away. Instead, the group of killers spends a good 30 minutes of the film just playing with them.

Evil Dead - the torture is depicted via a snuff film delivered to a journalist. First, an unknown killer brutally stabs a woman in the stomach, slowly tearing through the skin, and then even more slowly drives a knife into her eye.

Lady Vengeance - even though the man in the chair arguably deserved what he eventually went through, it was still incredibly difficult to watch (even if not much is actually shown on screen).

Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance - the scene involving the horrific torture of a girl using electrodes attached to her ears left me feeling physically ill.

Saw III - there's a trap where a man is caught in a cross-shaped device that slowly rotates all his limbs. The "Unrated" version leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination.

Creep - in one scene, a girl is trapped on an operating table. Gollum's younger brother slowly pulls on some pus-filled gloves and picks up a saw, and then... god help us.

Wolf Creek - the "head on a stick" scene. Absolutely gruesome.

Abnormal Beauty - in a snuff film sent by mail to the protagonist, an unknown girl is tied to a chair. The killer slowly approaches with a metal rod. He strikes her in the face... and again... and again... and again... until her face is so covered in blood she's practically unrecognizable.

Alex Hall4 said:🙄 🙄

I told you all quite clearly that it was going into production.
Not exactly. American production.
nego i Japanese.

And who would have actually thought they’d go through with filming a sequel? Alex Hall4You were right about that.

It says here that Toby Wilkins is set to direct. Production is scheduled to kick off this coming January, with a release date slated for October 2008. 😲 😲

Well, I guess I have no choice now—I'll just have to sit through the American sequel too. 😬

It’s a misconception to think music is dying; if anything, it's more vibrant than ever, and I truly believe there is something out there for everyone. While it's undeniably true that the MP3 format took a bite out of CD sales, the rise of platforms like Facebook has actually leveled the playing field, giving independent artists a chance to reach listeners they otherwise would have never found.

Don't take everything you read on IMDb at face value. The site is largely user-maintained, which means people can add just about anything they want if nobody is watching. Take Resident Evil 3, for example; some troll spent months relentlessly adding Vanilla Ice and even a random ketchup bottle to the cast list before the moderators finally stepped in to clean up the mess. If we actually end up getting a third installment, God help us all.

I am eagerly anticipating both films, though I wouldn't go so far as to call Sarah Michelle Gellar a great actress; she’s merely solid. Much like Milla Jovovich, really. Both women clearly have more potential, but frankly, I have yet to see them actually deliver on that "more."

OT: In my opinion, The Grudge 3 won't even make it into production, especially considering how much the second installment flopped—both in terms of its actual quality and its box office performance here in the States.

Her acting can be a bit wooden—honestly, it usually is—but for The Grudge, she gets the job done. At the end of the day, Kayako and Toshio are the real stars of that movie anyway. In my opinion, her best performance was in Cruel Intentions, where she was actually quite good (though I suppose Buffy wasn't half bad either 😁).

The critics have already buried this movie. Apparently, it’s quite violent, and there are even rumors that Lindsay was drinking on set during production. I might give it a look once it hits theaters near me soon.

Donna Garcia11 said:Man, what an ending...😕 😕

That was just the American producers tinkering with the plot to set up a sequel. If you watch the original Japanese version, the ending is actually much more definitive.

If you’re planning on watching The Grudge, my advice is to stick to the Japanese originals. Just be careful about which specific version you pick up, because there are actually four distinct Japanese films to navigate through:

The Grudge 1 and 2 (originally produced for television)
The Grudge (the theatrical remakes of those first two films, which you can find at most local video rental spots)
The Grudge 2 — the sequel to the remake, which is easily the best entry in the series. It's a must-watch.

The most biting critique of "Pearl Harbor" can be found right in "Team America"—the entire song is a dedicated takedown of that film! 😁

Angela Scott43 said:I’ve got my hands on Letters from Iwo Jima, but the runtime is only about an hour and thirty-three minutes. Is it possible I’ve somehow ended up with a censored version or something similar?

It's likely just a bad copy that's missing about 40 minutes of footage.

You really shouldn't expect much from the Resident Evil movies. Honestly, the first two weren't even particularly good, though I have to admit I'm actually looking forward to seeing the third installment. An hour and a half of pure action, a plot that makes zero sense, and Scarlett Johansson mowing down zombies? That sounds like a great time at the cinema to me.

Last week, a workprint version of John Carpenter's Halloween leaked onto some torrent sites. It’s noticeably different from the theatrical cut currently playing in theaters—apparently, the cinema version is more violent and features a different ending altogether. I haven't had a chance to sit down with it yet, so we'll have to see if the changes actually hold up... 🙂

It was excellent—deliberate in its pacing, but the atmosphere was absolutely superb. While I found the ending a bit disorienting on my first pass, watching it a second time cleared up all my confusion. 🙂 If you haven't seen it yet, you really should watch Bittersweet Life by that same director.