the MOVIE Review thread

[ryoder 1,590]

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I liked it too... I was actually expecting it to be more graphic. I was surprised that he got his arm caught in the first 15 min.

Wait, he gets his arm caught?! How about a SPOILER ALERT?!

Pretty good movie;
I had to give the filmmakers a hand.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[MikeJD 0]

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I liked it too... I was actually expecting it to be more graphic. I was surprised that he got his arm caught in the first 15 min.

Wait, he gets his arm caught?! How about a SPOILER ALERT?!

Pretty good movie;
I had to give the filmmakers a hand.

I'd give my right arm to be able to make a movie like that.

[quade 4]

Thor

Spoilers may follow. You have been warned.

Well, actually, they’re only spoilers if you’re not up on Norse mythology. In writing about Thor, what can legitimately be called a spoiler in something based on characters that are over a thousand years old? Except it’s not the Thor of the Viking Age, but rather the Thor of Marvel comics, which is Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby’s interpretation of that in a modern age.

Not that Stan Lee and company ever wandered very far away from the ancient mythology, but exactly how does one reconcile an ancient god of thunder with modern science? Brilliantly. Not that it was ever part of the ancient mythology, but when you look at it in the following context it all comes together.

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” -- Arthur C. Clarke, "Profiles of The Future", 1961 (aka Clarke's third law)

So, Thor, the god, is less of a god and more of a timeless alien that comes from a civilization so technically advanced, we would regard some of their science as magic.

With no disrespect to Stan Lee and company, that came off pretty hokey in the comic books. However, in this film, it’s simply brilliant and breathtaking. Little things like the way Thor and company get from world to world, the Bifrost, which since ancient times all the way to the Marvel comics has been depicted as a rainbow bridge, now becomes a an amazing worm hole generator that was simply misunderstood by the ancient Vikings. Truly brilliant.

The other truly brilliant thing about this film is with all the mythology and all the whiz-bang effects, ultimately it’s not about a superhero; it’s about a son becoming worthy of being a leader and king in his father’s eyes. Brilliant and inspired.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Produced by Kevin Feige

Screenplay by
Ashley Edward Miller
Zack Stentz
Don Payne

Story by
J. Michael Straczynski
Mark Protosevich

Regarding the story’s structure, it’s also a bit brilliant in that it reverses a couple of classic elements of Joseph Campbell’s “A Hero’s Journey.” In particular using what we would consider a typical small town as the second act “underworld” the hero travels.

I could have lived without the prologue/flash forward, but I absolutely understand the necessity of getting Natalie Portman on screen as quickly as possible. No star as big as she is wants to wait 30 minutes to see her face on screen and neither does the audience.

Chris Hemsworth is everything Thor needs to be; good looking and cocky as hell to begin with and believable when he’s finally earned his place.

Anthony Hopkins is great as Odin, Thor’s father.

I recommend the film.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Shotgun 1]

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Anyone has the inside scoop on Black Swan?

I watched that recently. Didn't really like it. I guess I was expecting it to be scary and/or suspenseful or something, but mostly I was just bored with it. I liked some of the dance scenes though.

[1969912 0]

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Thor

Spoilers may follow. You have been warned.

Well, actually, they’re only spoilers if you’re not up on Norse mythology. In writing about Thor, what can legitimately be called a spoiler in something based on characters that are over a thousand years old? Except it’s not the Thor of the Viking Age, but rather the Thor of Marvel comics, which is Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby’s interpretation of that in a modern age.

Not that Stan Lee and company ever wandered very far away from the ancient mythology, but exactly how does one reconcile an ancient god of thunder with modern science? Brilliantly. Not that it was ever part of the ancient mythology, but when you look at it in the following context it all comes together.

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” -- Arthur C. Clarke, "Profiles of The Future", 1961 (aka Clarke's third law)

So, Thor, the god, is less of a god and more of a timeless alien that comes from a civilization so technically advanced, we would regard some of their science as magic.

With no disrespect to Stan Lee and company, that came off pretty hokey in the comic books. However, in this film, it’s simply brilliant and breathtaking. Little things like the way Thor and company get from world to world, the Bifrost, which since ancient times all the way to the Marvel comics has been depicted as a rainbow bridge, now becomes a an amazing worm hole generator that was simply misunderstood by the ancient Vikings. Truly brilliant.

The other truly brilliant thing about this film is with all the mythology and all the whiz-bang effects, ultimately it’s not about a superhero; it’s about a son becoming worthy of being a leader and king in his father’s eyes. Brilliant and inspired.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Produced by Kevin Feige

Screenplay by
Ashley Edward Miller
Zack Stentz
Don Payne

Story by
J. Michael Straczynski
Mark Protosevich

Regarding the story’s structure, it’s also a bit brilliant in that it reverses a couple of classic elements of Joseph Campbell’s “A Hero’s Journey.” In particular using what we would consider a typical small town as the second act “underworld” the hero travels.

I could have lived without the prologue/flash forward, but I absolutely understand the necessity of getting Natalie Portman on screen as quickly as possible. No star as big as she is wants to wait 30 minutes to see her face on screen and neither does the audience.

Chris Hemsworth is everything Thor needs to be; good looking and cocky as hell to begin with and believable when he’s finally earned his place.

Anthony Hopkins is great as Odin, Thor’s father.

I recommend the film.

What? No report on the racial distribution of the audience?

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[quade 4]

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What? No report on the racial distribution of the audience?

There are only a few cases where that is germane.

I assume you're making light of my previous comments about Atlas Shrugged. Yes, it was absolutely relevant in that case since the film was targeted to a very specific demographic. BTW, how's THAT film doing?

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[1969912 0]

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What? No report on the racial distribution of the audience?

There are only a few cases where that is germane.

I assume you're making light of my previous comments about Atlas Shrugged. Yes, it was absolutely relevant in that case since the film was targeted to a very specific demographic. BTW, how's THAT film doing?

Don't quit your day job

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[quade 4]

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What? No report on the racial distribution of the audience?

There are only a few cases where that is germane.
I assume you're making light of my previous comments about Atlas Shrugged. Yes, it was absolutely relevant in that case since the film was targeted to a very specific demographic. BTW, how's THAT film doing?

Don't quit your day job

Not really sure where you're coming from.

I accurately predicted its quality and box office performance based on the the project's history and also accurately predicted its sequel potential.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver