Posts by rustyscout34

Here are my favorites from the decade:

American:
The Ring (2002)
The Mist (2007)
1408 (2007)
Identity (2003)
The Hills Have Eyes (2006)
May (2002)
Frailty (2001)
Session 9 (2001)
The Others (2001)
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Deadgirl (2008)
The Girl Next Door / The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2007)
The Girl Next Door / The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Drag Me to Hell / Zombieland (2009)
Drag Me to Hell / Zombieland (2009) (horror-comedy)
Trick 'r Treat (2008) (horror-comedy)

French:
Inside (2007)
Martyrs (2008)
Them (2006)
Frontière (2007)
High Tension (2003)
Calvaire (2004) (co-production - Benelux)

British:
The Descent (2005)
28 Days Later... (2002) (+ sequel 28 Weeks)
Dog Soldiers (2002)
Shaun of the Dead (2004) (horror-comedy)
Eden Lake (2008)
Triangle (2009)
Mum & Dad (2008)
The Children (2008)

Spanish:
REC (2007)
The Orphanage (2007)
The Devil's Backbone (2001)

Scandinavian:
The Hills Have Eyes / Let the Right One In (2008)
Fritt Vilt (2006)
Dead Snow (2009)
The Neighbors (2005)

New Zealander:
Black Sheep (2006) (horror-comedy, pretty good!)

Thai:
Shutter (2004)
See Prang (2008)

Korean:
Hongryeon (2003)
Bakjwi (2009)
Gwoemul (2006) (horror-comedy)
Geoul sokeuro (2003)

Japanese:
Battle Royale (2000)
Kairo (2001)
One Missed Call (2003)
Ju-on (2002)
Koroshiya 1 (2001)
Kansen (2004)
Rinne (2005)
Jisatsu sâkuru (2001)
Kimyô na sâkasu (2005)
Rampo jigoku (2005)

Miscellaneous:
Sam gang yi (2004) (Japan/HK/Korea)
Gin gwai (2002) (HK/Singapore)
Antichrist (2009) (Denmark/Germany/France/Italy/Poland)

(Maybe I missed some... 🤔)

a) It’s basically social and political satire wrapped up in this low-budget, sadistic exploitation horror vibe—kind of like torture porn 🙂
b) A Tannenbaum Route film directed by Mr. XXXXXX. 🤣 Jokes aside, I'm with Sudden AIDS on this one.
c) About this much... :_gestures wildly with hands and feet_:

Michelle Gonzalez said:It reminds me of how Romanians talk about their now globally renowned cinema, or how Mexicans have discussed theirs over the last five or six years (even people in Ottawa admit that American films from recent years are superior!?!?)... it is much the same with Russians, who completely ignore Zvyagintsev and his peers, or Canadians ignoring *Bela Tarr*, and so on. These are all symptoms of an inferiority complex; it is the mark of mediocre tastes that refuse to acknowledge anything less than Hollywood. If you ask a Russian for their best film, they will likely point to *night watch*; a Canadian might suggest that massive hit set in the underground (forgive me, I’ve forgotten the title); and a Brazilian once explained to me that the editing in *City of God* (think of those irritating Guy Ritchie-style fast cuts at the beginning) was designed specifically to feel "sophisticated" or "American"...

Friends, we finally possess a cinema that is normal and vital, populated by young auteurs who actually possess skill and talent... Now, Matanic is no miracle worker as a director, but the man produces high-quality films that wouldn't look out of place in any developed cinema in Europe, whether German, French, or otherwise... unfortunately, he isn't considered "exotic" enough because he tackles themes that interest US, and interest us NOW, which is precisely what matters little to international festivals (themes like LGBTQ+ issues or AIDS—cliché, perhaps, but these are the questions only now surfacing in our society)...
In that regard, Sviličić succeeds; to my mind, he might even be the best director of his generation (especially *forgive for kung Fu*).
"That Wonderful Night in Split" was a true breath of fresh air... and so on.

To be honest, Milic's film left me disappointed (*live and dead*); I realize the production was incredibly grueling and stretched over several years, but it feels as if two different films were stitched together. That segment from WWII—bravo to him. Had the entire film maintained that tone, with such a "fatalistic" atmosphere bordering on fantasy, it would have been a masterpiece! However, one must also credit him for elevating the technical craft somewhat (the camerawork, the tone, etc.)...

All in all, we haven't seen a situation this positive in at least thirty years...

"Mirta Learns Statistics" belongs to a different era; it is excellent, but I would rather set 1991 as our true starting point.
We should not forget "See You Later," the mid-length film by Ivan Salaj (and really, what is the point of the mid-length format? It is a ridiculous format that absolutely nobody can distribute anywhere!). To me, "See You Later" remains the finest film ever made about the war.
🙂

Kontroll? 🙂

stormystag43 said:The movie is brilliant, period. I guess you’re the only one who missed the irony in Behind Enemy Lines. It looks like that "film critic" title really stung your ego. Look, I’m not some self-proclaimed critic like you, and I don't ever want to be. Most people are out here saying they love the film, and honestly, that's enough for me. You’re still over here nitpicking every tiny detail. Maybe if you actually made a decent movie yourself soon, you could blow us all away. You know you can do it.🙂

I can smell one thing clearly from this post—and honestly, most of your others too. It’s an obvious, desperate message screaming from your gut: you just want to fight. I hate to break it to you, but I'm not interested. My role here doesn't involve playing along with these little virtual tantrums that seem so typical of some rebellious teenager going through puberty.

How does behavior actually change? I guess it’s a complicated question. Maybe it happens, maybe it doesn't. It's hard to say for sure.

One of those common stereotypes is that kids basically give you a heads-up right before puberty hits. I guess I’m just being difficult and rebellious. Maybe. Parental bashing. Look, sure, there are cases where kids go totally off the rails, but most aren't like that. I guess the whole point of being a teenager is just trying to find some independence. They need to pull away from their parents, especially the ones they were closest to. Usually, it just looks like they have different opinions or they don't want to be around you as much. As they mature, they start thinking more abstractly and rationally, and they begin to develop their own sense of morality. If you notice rebellion or resistance, maybe you should look in the mirror first. Are you being too harsh? Are you being too controlling? Are you actually listening to them? Do you even let them think differently than you do? Kids need to change their behavior sometimes; they’re just trying to stand on their own two feet. Maybe they can just desperately try to fit in and impress their peer group. Let them experiment with different looks and eventually realize they aren't like everyone else.

Look, I’m listening to you politely here. I'm even letting you have your own opinions and impressions about... The Chronos Crimes / Behind Enemy Lines You call them genius films, but clearly you’re struggling to wrap your head around my take. Whether it's pure ignorance, a lack of knowledge, or just plain laziness, you can't seem to find a single valid counterargument. Instead of actually engaging, you just mock my perspective by calling me some "self-proclaimed critic." Look, Mario, I don't have any delusions of grandeur here. I just want to exchange a few meaningful—hopefully well-reasoned—thoughts on these movies. For the sake of this thread and anyone else reading this who actually wants a decent discussion, please stop responding unless you actually have something constructive to add. The Chronos CrimesThanks. 👍

Edward Price6 said:Just watch Primer again and let me know.
if you think that one sucks too, then there's probably no point in talking because we're never going to see eye to eye.

look, we aren't here to agree on everything, we're here to talk, but you can't really have a discussion without any actual arguments... 😉

p.s.
"Just watch Primer again and let me know" isn't an argument that explains the plot holes in Primer...
"The movie is a masterpiece" isn't an argument either, just like saying "This is one of my top 5 movies!" 😉

stormystag43 said:Exactly. It’s a masterpiece.

What makes it a masterpiece, though? In what way? Are we talking "great action flick" like Behind Enemy Lines, or more along the lines of Citizen Kane? Come on, critic... 🤣

Ethan Howard45 said:yeah, some parts didn't make sense to me either..but who cares?

I care, hollowowl15 cares, everyone should care! 😍

What's great and refreshing is that the movie was made on a tiny budget,

and what exactly is great about that? just that it was cheap? with mediocre acting and a time machine that looks totally fake plus a golf cart that clearly doesn't belong there, and the whole thing is an embarrassment to the indie scene and...? 🤷

that the director (Christopher Nolan) is quite young and it's a little directorial tour-de-force

little tour-de-force 🙂

- he made a really good film out of nothing (2 locations, 2-3 actors), no CGI, no zombies, just imagination with a solid atmosphere rooted in an everyday setting, anywhere...👍

something out of nothing? no way, Joseph! 🙂

and that young actress is really sexy! 😉

👍

Arthur Garcia59 said:so we're making this its own separate thread now?

did you actually listen to the doctor? The Chronos Crimes (2007) 😍
(yeah, it would probably be better if someone just moved all these posts into a dedicated thread 🙂)

David Price5 said:Damn. My power went out at least 15 times today.

😍

I took a breather and went through all the threads myself. I couldn't find any of those questions you're obsessing over. Out of those 60 or so topics, there isn't a single one that matches what you're complaining about.

I didn't even say they were all over the message boards; I meant they're mostly buried in the comments. User ReviewsimaLook, I'm not the only one who noticed those flaws. A lot of other people have pointed them out too.

Hmm. So, should I just go ahead and post some positive reviews then? It feels like the stuff you’re complaining about isn't even present here. Except, I guess, in that last one.

How can you say they haven't? I mean, people have called out the characters' actions as being totally idiotic or just plain unrealistic more than a few times. I think I even... I guess I'll just leave it at that. Whatever was happening up there... honestly, what’s the point of all those glowing reviews if they don't actually answer any of the questions being asked? 🤷

*spoilers*
(
I guess you're overestimating that just a little bit. 😉

Not at all. 😉
___________________________
I just rewatched and listened to that scene again. The audio is quiet. I guess.

That scene is absolute garbage, honestly. And that car isn't nearly as quiet as you're making it out to be... 😉
________________________
Like I said, she was just trying to work up the nerve.

Are you kidding me right now? Please tell me you're joking. 😲
______________________________
One last question (and I know, probably shouldn't be veering off-topic here):
Has there seriously never been an action by Hector that struck you as totally idiotic? Like, completely devoid of any logic or common sense? 😕

That’s all I’ve got for now. I guess we just need everyone else to watch the movie too, so we can actually compare notes and maybe—if we're lucky—use a majority consensus to find the truth. 🤣)... 😉

David Price5 said:Right after the movie ended, I checked the IMDb boards to see what people thought. Someone had actually mapped out an event timeline. Most of the discussions were centered on physics, time travel mechanics, fate, and temporal loops. Nothing like what you’re bringing up. If one person finds something annoying while 99 others didn't even notice it, then I guess you're just nitpicking..

I've read the boards—where people mostly ask questions about how time travel works—but I've also read the comments, where they actually mention the stuff I'm talking about. I laid out clearly why I think the movie is stupid, and you're just hiding behind the "majority opinion" because you don't have a real argument... ☕
here's an example (and I bet you'll just call them haters, right? 😂):

(*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I love time travel flicks and like trying to solve the paradoxes, but this movie was ruined by how unbelievable the main guy's behavior was. Like, if you went back in time (which he seems fine with) and saw your younger self with your younger wife, wouldn't you lose it? To me, it would be way more unsettling if I DIDN'T see my past self with my wife. Overall, the protagonist—who seems pretty smart (despite some weird quirks... hint, hint)—just acts like an idiot, doing a bunch of senseless, violent, and counterproductive things. The end result is that we never get those "A-ha!" moments where everything clicks. Instead, we're just left wondering, "Why the hell did he do that? That makes zero sense unless he's just forcing himself to fit into the loop." Basically, most of the characters act like morons.
_____________________
Plus, there isn't much to like about Hector, who comes off as rude or just plain indifferent to everyone, including his wife. Sure, he's a voyeur, but what's the logic in stabbing someone with scissors? Or forcing a woman to undress? Or being dumb enough to climb into a tub of random liquid? It’s not like he’s fighting a superhero here—he’s just dealing with a double of himself. Why not just face yourself, try to talk it out, or fight if you have to? I’d trust my own gut, even against a clone of myself, before I'd trust some creepy stranger telling me to hide in a vat of mystery fluid.
______________________
The Chronos Crimes is basically just this, repeated. You watch the same stretch of time a few times, seeing it from different angles to figure out the causality. But it’s not as fun as it sounds. Beyond The pleasure of ' getting whats going on, there's not much else to it. The lead is unlikable, his moves aren't justified or believable, and the plot falls apart when you step back and look at it. That's what really pulled me out of it.
________________________
Yeah, I realize it's a movie and people don't act like this in real life. But with The Chronos Crimes, you actually need to care about the lead. He has to make his choices feel earned. For instance, about fifteen minutes in, the lead gets chased. He runs into this facility and meets a guy he doesn't know, who tries to help by shoving him into some device that the scientist claims is perfectly safe and helpful.
____________________
Hector, the lead, does so many things without any explanation that it just feels frustrating. Like another reviewer said, there are plenty of moments in this movie where you basically have to check your logic at the door before walking in. That reviewer thought the humor made those gaps okay, but I didn't really find anything funny about this one.
___________________________
And this guy who pretty much shares my take— click
)

*spoilers*
Hector 2 had zero reason to doubt that the dead woman wasn't his wife. Her red shirt, the short hair, plus he saw her car parked right in front of the house. Everything seemed totally normal.

Normal, sure, but highly unlikely... 🙂
___________________________
I put "maniac" in quotes for a reason, because Hector wasn't actually a maniac. He just wanted to get back to his regular life. Finding Hector 3 wasn't weird or impossible either. After all, Hector 2 dragged the woman miles away from the crash site.

It’s not impossible, but it's highly unlikely, man... 🙂
___________________________
Nothing weird there. Golf carts are quiet, if that's what you're getting at...

Quiet, maybe, but not silent. Rewind to the 1h10min mark and listen to how loud that engine is. (Here's a link)
Also, why the hell is there a golf cart out there anyway? 🤷
________________________
Well, she finally found the guts to do it at the end. She was just waiting for the right moment. And regarding the WOTW thing—remind me of that scene. Did Cruise pull a pin, or did he just pull the safety off a bomb? My issue with WOTW was that it was viruses, not blowing up walkers with grenades...

Yeah, at the end... she just had a much better chance to escape right before that happened... 🙂
I think he just pulled the pin, but it's been a long time... 🤷
_____________________
We're never going to know because it's a time loop involving three versions of the same guy. That's just how movies work. It's cinematic shorthand. Since it's physically and logically impossible, there's no point in trying to explain it. Just stop looking at the trees and look at the forest...

Physically and logically impossible—I'll sign off on that! 👍

David Price5 said:I have to admit, this feels more like nitpicking. All these little details have explanations in the movie. Some might be a stretch, but they're there, I guess.

On the contrary, my friend. On the contrary! Americans call this kind of nitpicking common sense. 🙂

*spoilers*
( both are brunettes—as if that's some huge coincidence,

not just a brunette, she was similar enough that after guy number two cuts her hair, she actually believes he's her husband! That last part at the house where guy number three cuts her hair and then she falls off the roof is (to put it mildly) unconvincing.

___________________________

She had no reason to run from Hector 3 (I mean, she didn't know they were the same person, and he was injured too; what are the odds you'd stumble right into two "maniacs"?), plus he had a head injury so his disorientation seems somewhat normal,

which is exactly my point! The odds are slim, yet she runs into two maniacs within an hour. The fact that she didn't realize they were the same person is just due to guy number two's head trauma—it's such a terrible plot device. I haven't seen one this bad since the days of Shazlaman!

_________________________

Hector 3 knew he’d stop right there, so he hit him on purpose hoping to disorient him,

but I'm thinking about that scene where the scientist and guy number two are staring into the distance while guy number three sneaks up behind them in a tiny golf cart. Here's the shot— click.

________________________

When someone is running from a masked maniac with scissors, they'll do anything, even things that seem stupid or rushed in the moment. Her behavior in the woods is pretty normal. We aren't all Jack Bauer, after all.

And we aren't all that kid who destroys the tripod mega-alien, so you shouldn't defend him just by using the "majority opinion" argument. That scene with the scissors and the undressing was so poorly executed I wouldn't even dwell on it. The reality is, she could have run away ten times while this guy was staring through binoculars with his back turned just five feet away...

___________________________

Horror thrillers still exist🙂. Given the plot and the concept, some level of suspension of disbelief is standard. You either accept the premise or you don't... deciding whether the ending is deterministic is just a matter of personal taste. If you want a happy ending, watch Back to the Future...

I agree it's normal, but the scale is the issue. That's why I can maybe pass on Trans-Siberian (maybe 2/3 of it), but an SF thriller like this? No fucking chance! The deterministic view is just another one of those awful plot devices (mostly there to satisfy people who don't want to deal with time travel theories or parallel universes, etc.), and it's not just about personal taste. Yeah, whatever, a happy ending...

Anyway, I have one more question:
Who was the very first Hector to climb into the time machine and how did he get there? You remember at the start of the movie, Hector is staring into the woods where the fatal events involving Hector are already happening. If we assume he was the first one in, how does that work? Who did he see in the woods? 🤣)?
)

The Chronos Crimes (2007) - without giving too much away, I'll just say it’s a pretty messy blend of sci-fi and thriller centered on time travel. The way time works in this movie is just one big, dumb loop that tries to be clever but ultimately always leads back to the exact same result (many-worlds interpretation? maybe.). Also, huge points against the script for some incredibly stupid coincidences (like how certain women look identical to the girl from the woods, or how after she escapes guy number two, she runs straight into guy number three instead of actually running away, or how guy number two happens to have his head wrapped perfectly so she doesn't run into the same guy when meeting guy number three) and specific scenes (when guy number three zooms past guy number two's car right behind him, or when guy number one—acting with zero brain cells—decides to climb into some airtight container filled with weird liquid or whatever that time machine is because a total stranger told him to, or how guy number two manages to force the girl from the woods to strip while threatening her with scissors and watching through binoculars from a distance—she could have easily just bolted). Honestly, I think this would have worked way better as a horror flick. Because of all those flaws (basically needing a massive suspension of disbelief) and that deterministic take on time, I can't give this anything decent. No passaran! 👎

that topic still exists - click

*spoilers*

Morgan Ortiz91 said:I went to see this movie without any prior info, other than a trailer I actually liked and the fact that Nick Hornby wrote the screenplay, which I figured would be a huge selling point. To be honest, I don't even know who directed it now, because after enduring two hours of pure torture, I didn't even care to find out.
Then I check Rotten Tomatoes and see a 94% rating?! Okay, look, I know you can't argue with taste—beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that—but personally, I thought the film was a bit of a disaster and nowhere near a masterpiece.
First off, the relationships between most of the characters felt incredibly cliché and superficial to me, and the plot felt about as deep as something out of Gloria:

*** SPOILER ALERT *****

It’s just girl meets boy, girl falls in love, girl finds out he's married (or some other tragic twist like a terminal illness, like _______). How does such a bright, intelligent girl end up hanging out with a bunch of crooks? And what exactly was the lesson Jennyna took away from her relationship with David—that even if he wasn't married, she'd have married him anyway and abandoned her studies? Also, why does Danny, who clearly has the same moral compass as David, suddenly start acting so high and mighty and cut ties with David just because he proposes to Jenny? His character feels so incredibly thin. What even drives him?
And the icing on the cake? David. Just awful. The actor in this role is just painfully slimy. First, they shower us with these half-romantic images that lack any hint of anything provocative or sexual... I mean, jeez, the girl is 16... I get the whole vibe of Lolita film, but most of this movie doesn't even lean into sexual undertones, so after a while, you stop expecting them... because you think it isn't that kind of movie... and then those two scenes in the hotel room, especially the one with the banana. WTF?! Then there's her last line, something along the lines of: the guy asked if I wanted to visit Paris with him, and I never told him I'd already seen Paris... Is Paris supposed to be a symbol for her virginity? Because if it isn't, and it's just meant to represent an exotic destination for a girl who hasn't seen much of the world, they could have picked somewhere even more exotic like India, instead of France, which is basically right next door. 😬
I just couldn't bring myself to get swept up in the "romance" of the film... if there even was any...

birds of a feather flock together, even if at first she didn't really know what they did for a living and you can't say she didn't have doubts once she found out... ☕

What lesson did Jennyna learn from her relationship with David—that even if he weren't married, she would've married him anyway and wouldn't have finished her studies?

The lesson (cliché): no pain, no gain, and no easy life... 🧐
(actually there is, but that's not how this movie works)

Why does Danny, who has the same morals as David, suddenly start acting all moralistic and end his friendship with David when he proposes to Jenny?

He doesn't have the same morals; Danny actually cares about Jenny... 🙂

His character is just totally shallowly written. What even motivates him?

Easy money and good times... 🙂

Is Paris a symbol for her virginity?

Paris is the city of love, art, and fashion... 🙂

I somehow couldn't get into the "romance" of the film... if there even is any...

I mean, come on, that banana scene is peak romance! 🙂

Feel Up My Ass (2006) (V)
Beaver Gets a Boner (1985)
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! (1978)
Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla (1952) 🤣
Don't Worry, We'll Think of a Title (1966)
Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman (2000) (V)
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938)

Mother Trucker: The Diana Kilmury Story (1996) (TV)

I actually dig the local title for this one:
Criminals on Vacation (In Bruges) 🤣

Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996)
Spaceballs (1987)
Braindead (1992)
I Spit on Your Grave (1978)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
21 Grams (2003)
White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (2007)
Miyazaki's Spirited Away (2001)
...

neonscout5 said:Now I’m gonna go full Jim Carrey in mask 1:1000000, yeah! maybe there's a shot.

didn't he say that in a stupid, stupider way? 🤔

anyway, interesting topic 🍿

We don't need some disaster flick; what we actually need is a miracle... 🙂