Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Jul 15, 2014 7:48:10 GMT -5
One such movie for me was The Impossible. Amazing acting, special effects, etc. Taken alone, I really thought it was a great movie. But it really annoyed me that the filmmakers a) almost completely ignored Thai families caught up in the tragedy, and b) couldn't be bothered to find Spanish actors to play a Spanish family.
I get that the film was focused on the plight and lucky survival of a single family, and Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor were awesome but still, changing a Spanish family to a white family and ignoring almost everyone outside that white family rubbed me the wrong way.
Any films you really enjoyed but which had bothersome or disturbing elements that dampened them for you?
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Opti
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Post by Opti on Jul 15, 2014 8:48:05 GMT -5
I'll have to think about this, but there's a movie that was acclaimed by American audiences that I was very disappointed in when I saw it, "Hidden Tiger, Crouching Dragon". IMO, it was so badly made I didn't even catch that the main theme of the movie was the changing and capricious role/acceptance of women in the martial arts. I never read a review that mentioned it either.
Instead much raving a about a movie that was considered average by Hong Kong audiences and I thought was quite subpar compared to other Chinese movies wire-work and story-line.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2014 9:02:11 GMT -5
There are movies very well done, that I don't want to see again. I'm thinking like Winter's Bone, Girl Interrupted... Stuff like that.
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midjd
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Post by midjd on Jul 15, 2014 9:21:44 GMT -5
I am generally unhappy with any film adaptations of books I enjoyed. Stephen King movies are particularly bad.
Four exceptions - The Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption, The Mist, Pet Sematary (although the actor who plays Louis Creed needs to stick to Lifetime movies).
There are a couple of actors/actresses whom I hate on a visceral level, so it's disappointing when they ruin what would be an otherwise good movie. Nic Cage and Tom Cruise are the two who come to mind.
Two exceptions - Tropic Thunder, Magnolia.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Jul 15, 2014 9:28:24 GMT -5
I have a love/hate relationship with the Harry Potter movies. I can't watch Prisoner of Azkaban or Order of the Phoenix because they stray so far away from the books. I remind myself they just share a title with the books and I need to take them as stand alone movies but I really had to grit my teeth when seeing them in theatres.
I also have a love/hate relationship with the Star Wars prequels. The more I watch them the more I realize there is zero chemistry between Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman. The whole thing is supposed to be a tragic love story and I just don't feel it. Scenes with them get irritating after awhile. The only time I really "believed" was when Anakin strangles Padme at the end of Episode III.
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Jul 15, 2014 9:29:36 GMT -5
What do you think is so different about those movies, Drama? Personally, I found both to be pretty damn faithful adaptations (particularly Azkaban).
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2014 9:31:30 GMT -5
I can't watch Order of the Pheonix because of the Educational Administration angle. Makes me want to punch someone.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Jul 15, 2014 9:34:37 GMT -5
Order of the Pheonix is hard for me because in the book a lot of it takes place in Harry's head. I didn't think it translated well onto screen, it fell flat for me.
Azkaban I felt left out too much of the backstory between James, Sirius, Lupus and Peter. I had to spend 20 minutes explaining to DH why Harry's patronus was a stag. I understand movies can't be 4 hours long (unless it's Lord of the Rings apparently) but I felt they could have done a better job with the details.
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on Jul 15, 2014 9:51:50 GMT -5
I also have a love/hate relationship with the Star Wars prequels. The more I watch them the more I realize there is zero chemistry between Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman. The whole thing is supposed to be a tragic love story and I just don't feel it. Scenes with them get irritating after awhile. The only time I really "believed" was when Anakin strangles Padme at the end of Episode III.
Good lord, you're just figuring that out? We were completely turned off by that supposed 'romance' between two wooden characters right in the movie theater back in 2002!
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on Jul 15, 2014 11:00:12 GMT -5
I hated No Country For Old Men. Every move this idiot made was dumb as dirt from the very beginning. It drove me bat shit crazy but I love the actor who played the bad guy. I can't think of his name.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2014 16:23:36 GMT -5
There are movies very well done, that I don't want to see again. I'm thinking like Winter's Bone, Girl Interrupted... Stuff like that. Yeah. Deliverance falls in that category for me.
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kittensaver
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Post by kittensaver on Jul 15, 2014 18:57:16 GMT -5
There are movies very well done, that I don't want to see again. I'm thinking like Winter's Bone, Girl Interrupted... Stuff like that. Yeah. Deliverance falls in that category for me.
For me, it was Children of Men. I only saw it because I like Julianne Moore.
There are many movies out there that are "good" movies/well done/well made but I don't enjoy them.
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shanendoah
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Post by shanendoah on Jul 15, 2014 19:25:40 GMT -5
I have seen Children of Men twice. I highly recommend it. Will I ever watch it again? Doubtful.
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ginpin
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Post by ginpin on Jul 15, 2014 20:56:14 GMT -5
I am generally unhappy with any film adaptations of books I enjoyed. Stephen King movies are particularly bad. Four exceptions - The Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption, The Mist, Pet Sematary (although the actor who plays Louis Creed needs to stick to Lifetime movies). There are a couple of actors/actresses whom I hate on a visceral level, so it's disappointing when they ruin what would be an otherwise good movie. Nic Cage and Tom Cruise are the two who come to mind. Two exceptions - Tropic Thunder, Magnolia. What about Tom Cruise in Rock of Ages? I thought he nailed it!
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Tiny
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Post by Tiny on Jul 15, 2014 21:36:59 GMT -5
::sigh:: after a lot of thought I'm going with Momma Mia! With Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan. I missed seeing it on the stage and knew the movie version would be, well, something not spectacular... I generally don't care for musicals but it was blantantly obvious that this was a fun, campy, toe tapping, sing along fun ride but I just kept thinking the parts were horribly cast. I still enjoyed the movie - but it filled me with regret for not having scene the original broadway production in a theater - I bet it was a ton of FUN!
I generally enjoy a good 'soul sucking' movie (or book, or opera) so while I enjoyed City of God (loved the camera action, the scene changes, the characters) it was a bit more soul sucking that I expected. Same goes for Requiem for a Dream. I didn't like that I enjoyed some of the places these movies took me.
I also enjoyed but disliked that I enjoyed Bergman's The Virgin Spring.
I'd whole heartedly would recommend the above 3 movies - they just aren't happy, nor do they deal with happy subjects.
I had to give up Soul Sucking movies/books/operas for quite awhile after seeing The Virgin Spring... too many unanswerable moral questions to think about...
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mcsangel2
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Post by mcsangel2 on Jul 16, 2014 19:53:28 GMT -5
I hated No Country For Old Men. Every move this idiot made was dumb as dirt from the very beginning. It drove me bat shit crazy but I love the actor who played the bad guy. I can't think of his name. Javier Bardem. He won an Oscar for it.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Jul 16, 2014 21:26:05 GMT -5
I am generally unhappy with any film adaptations of books I enjoyed. Stephen King movies are particularly bad. Four exceptions - The Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption, The Mist, Pet Sematary (although the actor who plays Louis Creed needs to stick to Lifetime movies).
There are a couple of actors/actresses whom I hate on a visceral level, so it's disappointing when they ruin what would be an otherwise good movie. Nic Cage and Tom Cruise are the two who come to mind. Two exceptions - Tropic Thunder, Magnolia. At first, I thought that said "four examples" and thought you were crazy! I'd add Misery to your list though, Cathy Bates was awesome. Eta: The Stand was great too. SK had some awful movies, but he hada lot of good ones too The movies I can think of would be movies that are hard to watch because they are true and show some hard-to-watch situations. Things like Schindler's List, Hanoi Hilton, some others I can't think of. I have, and will, watch many of them several times, but they give me that "why?!" feeling and a shudder.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Jul 16, 2014 21:34:27 GMT -5
Oh, The Hunger Games (first one, haven't watched the second) is another movie I liked, but hated. In the book, it was very obvious that she needed to put on a show, act like she was in love, and really believed he was acting as well. But you knew HE wasn't acting. So you felt bad for him, but you couldn't be mad at her for not knowing.
In the movie, they made it feel like she was leading him on and then crushed him at the end. I had to explain to a few coworkers what was really going on. The ending made a LOT more sense to them after that.
Just one case where I wish a movie was as clear as a book.
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Jul 17, 2014 12:40:26 GMT -5
See, I loved the Hunger Games movies- but I agree, I wouldn't have liked them as much if I hadn't read the books. So much of that story is what goes on in Katniss's head and I thought the moviemakers did a GREAT job portraying a lot of it through expression and nuance (and I was BEYOND grateful they didn't have her narrating... which might have made her feelings clearer but would have also killed it for me).
I can't wait for the next movie. I wish they weren't splitting it into two, but I can't wait to see it regardless.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Jul 17, 2014 13:57:05 GMT -5
We just watched Gravity the other night. I think seeing it on the big screen would have been awesome because of the visual effects but I felt like the plot didn't have enough to hold my attention on the small screen.
I have a love/hate relationship with Avatar too. It was spectacular on the big screen and well worth the money to see it in 3D. But the plot line drives me insane because I keep wanting to yell that the movie is Fern Gully only with blue aliens instead of fairies.
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happyhoix
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Post by happyhoix on Jul 17, 2014 14:21:01 GMT -5
I hated No Country For Old Men. Every move this idiot made was dumb as dirt from the very beginning. It drove me bat shit crazy but I love the actor who played the bad guy. I can't think of his name. LOVED this movie. I understood the Josh Brolin character. Not a bad person, but someone who happens upon cash lying around on the ground and takes it, thinking no one will know he did it. Unfortunately he wandered into the path of the Javier Bardem character (possibly the most frightening sociopath since Hannibal Lecter) and all the rest of his actions were caused by him attempting to get away. THe scene in the hallway of the old hotel with Bardem walking down the dark hallway towards Brolin's room - brilliant.
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happyhoix
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Post by happyhoix on Jul 17, 2014 14:27:39 GMT -5
I would have to say Cloud Atlas.
I loved the concept. I loved the film makers reusing the same actors in different roles, in stories that take place at different times in the past and future, to show the concept of how ideas change and continue through generations.
HOWEVER - some of the roles were distracting. Hugo Weaving as the scary female nurse at the nursing home - that was funny. But Hugo Weaving in heavy make up attempting to look and sound Asian? No. There was a very good Asian actress who did a wonderful job in the segment about a future Korean society, but wearing heavy make up, speaking in a heavy accent, trying to pass as the white daughter of a Victorian gentleman? No.
Sometimes the movie was brilliant, but then, when one of these strangely out of place actors popped up trying to appear to be a different sex and/or race than his own - jarring.
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on Jul 17, 2014 15:06:33 GMT -5
Oh, The Hunger Games (first one, haven't watched the second) is another movie I liked, but hated. In the book, it was very obvious that she needed to put on a show, act like she was in love, and really believed he was acting as well. But you knew HE wasn't acting. So you felt bad for him, but you couldn't be mad at her for not knowing. In the movie, they made it feel like she was leading him on and then crushed him at the end. I had to explain to a few coworkers what was really going on. The ending made a LOT more sense to them after that. Just one case where I wish a movie was as clear as a book. Hm. I hadn't read the book, and I thought that was perfectly clear.
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Jul 17, 2014 15:08:14 GMT -5
movie is Fern Gully only with blue aliens instead of fairies.
Fern Gully, Pocahontas, Dances with Wolves.... etc.
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on Jul 17, 2014 15:15:52 GMT -5
I hated No Country For Old Men. Every move this idiot made was dumb as dirt from the very beginning. It drove me bat shit crazy but I love the actor who played the bad guy. I can't think of his name. LOVED this movie. I understood the Josh Brolin character. Not a bad person, but someone who happens upon cash lying around on the ground and takes it, thinking no one will know he did it. Unfortunately he wandered into the path of the Javier Bardem character (possibly the most frightening sociopath since Hannibal Lecter) and all the rest of his actions were caused by him attempting to get away. THe scene in the hallway of the old hotel with Bardem walking down the dark hallway towards Brolin's room - brilliant. Yes, but even his actions of trying to get away were dumb as shit. Every single move he made, IMO, was just down right stupid. I mean, why did he go to some flea bag motel in the middle of west Texas anyway. My ass would have gone to NYC or some other big city with tons of people. I certainly wouldn't have stayed in west Texas. I just couldn't get past the stupidity and kept during the entire movie. A much better movie regarding "found money" (IMO) was The Perfect Plan with Billy Bob Thornton and Bill Paxton.
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on Jul 17, 2014 15:20:47 GMT -5
We just watched Gravity the other night. I think seeing it on the big screen would have been awesome because of the visual effects but I felt like the plot didn't have enough to hold my attention on the small screen. I have a love/hate relationship with Avatar too. It was spectacular on the big screen and well worth the money to see it in 3D. But the plot line drives me insane because I keep wanting to yell that the movie is Fern Gully only with blue aliens instead of fairies. I really wish I had seen this on the big screen. I watched it on DVD and really had a hard time getting into it.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Jul 17, 2014 15:22:17 GMT -5
I didn't like There Will be Blood. I understand it won Oscars but I was bored to tears watching that movie.
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Rocky Mtn Saver
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Post by Rocky Mtn Saver on Jul 17, 2014 15:22:23 GMT -5
We just watched Gravity the other night. I think seeing it on the big screen would have been awesome because of the visual effects but I felt like the plot didn't have enough to hold my attention on the small screen. I have a love/hate relationship with Avatar too. It was spectacular on the big screen and well worth the money to see it in 3D. But the plot line drives me insane because I keep wanting to yell that the movie is Fern Gully only with blue aliens instead of fairies. I really wish I had seen this on the big screen. I watched it on DVD and really had a hard time getting into it. It's the only movie that I felt the 3D was worth the extra money. I do enjoy watching it, so I can't put it on my love/hate list. But around my house, we do call it Dances with Aliens.
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movingforward
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Post by movingforward on Jul 17, 2014 15:23:36 GMT -5
I am generally unhappy with any film adaptations of books I enjoyed. Stephen King movies are particularly bad. Four exceptions - The Green Mile, Shawshank Redemption, The Mist, Pet Sematary (although the actor who plays Louis Creed needs to stick to Lifetime movies).
There are a couple of actors/actresses whom I hate on a visceral level, so it's disappointing when they ruin what would be an otherwise good movie. Nic Cage and Tom Cruise are the two who come to mind. Two exceptions - Tropic Thunder, Magnolia. At first, I thought that said "four examples" and thought you were crazy! I'd add Misery to your list though, Cathy Bates was awesome. Eta: The Stand was great too. SK had some awful movies, but he hada lot of good ones too The movies I can think of would be movies that are hard to watch because they are true and show some hard-to-watch situations. Things like Schindler's List, Hanoi Hilton, some others I can't think of. I have, and will, watch many of them several times, but they give me that "why?!" feeling and a shudder. Yes, would definitely add Misery to the list. I would also add Stand by Me (based on Stephen King's book The Body). I am not sure how many times I have watched Stand by Me. It is one of my all time favorite movies.
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Firebird
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Post by Firebird on Jul 17, 2014 15:25:05 GMT -5
I really wish I had seen this on the big screen. I watched it on DVD and really had a hard time getting into it.
I don't blame you. Minus the visual effects, it was boring as shit.
Denzel Washington has been doing good movies lately... I loved Flight and Unstoppable.
I also liked Nonstop even though the first half included a plot hole you could have driven a truck through and I spent the rest of the movie trying to figure it out.
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