Film Fanatics - Chat Thread II

Well, a couple of criticisms I would make off the top of my head:

- I thought it felt really centre-less and thus a bit wobbly in terms of narrative. Bilbo wasn't really the star performer like he is in the book - which isn't bad in itself, but the film wasn't tight enough without a narrative anchor and at times seemed to come close to going off course completely.

- I think Jackson did intend to lose a small (ha ha) narrative centre, and wanted to make the story 'bigger' and more encompassing. Basically, I think he went too far and got a bit too ambitious. This was never going to be as big as Lord of the Rings because the scope isn't as large as that of Lord of the Rings.

- The dwarves were really underwritten cardboard characters for the most part, with either a generic comic-relief mode or a 'we miss our home' mode. That may be their main 'place' in the story, but it shouldn't be that obvious or limited in terms of acting. As a result, there was a general lack of human (you know what I mean ) dynamic between characters.

- And partly as a result (or perhaps a cause) of the above, much of the interactions between characters was really generic and formula-based. It wasn't particularly well-written. The Thorin-Bilbo relationship is the obvious one here, and there were also a number of other moments that played out like poorly executed sitcoms.

I'll hopefully be doing a proper review of it soon-ish.


Also, I did think it was fairly enjoyable - the above may sound a bit harsh because it's all selected criticisms.

Quite glad to say I haven't seen any of those films!

The two worst films that come to mind that I have seen this year are Dark Shadows and Ted.

Agree completely about Ted. I am a massive Family Guy fan, but Ted was such a disappointment. Embarrasingly un-funny.

I don't think I saw many real stinkers in 2012. It was a fantastically good year for films, I'd say

Ghost Rider 2 Never have I ever fallen asleep in a cinema

Ghost Rider 2 Never have I ever fallen asleep in a cinema

Well, at least you've donated to the charity of Nicholas Cage's tax fund!

umm... if you went to see that, I have no sympathy, my friend

Yeah, that actually gets the award for worst film I've seen since I came to the UK However, there are quite a few 'stinkers' this year. Chronicle with it's over the top crazy maniac character (apex predator? ), This Means War with it's ****ty story and acting (Top CIA agents, but such **** ups?), Haywire (typical plot, well done, she found the last guy who plotted against her at the end), Wrath of the Titans (cool action, but that's as far as it goes, preparing to plan war at the end because she sees perceus coming towards her?), American Reunion (same **** again and again, we see Stifler is still an immature ****, that's it?), Dark Shadows (the woman was really obsessing over the guy for 200 years? , The Dictator (I have no words for this, I think they just threw a bunch of jokes about Muslims, Jews, Arabs and Americans together and called it a film).


Okay I think I'll stop now Sad thing is, I actually pay to watch all of my movies in the cinema But Battlefield was definitely not the worst film I saw!

haywire was okay, no? i mean seriously, how many hollywood films have predictable outcomes? it wasn't amazing and i wouldn go to the cinema for it but definitely watchable...compare it to some of the other films you mentioned who i wouldn't even watch at all if i was bored.

Yeah, that actually gets the award for worst film I've seen since I came to the UK However, there are quite a few 'stinkers' this year. Chronicle with it's over the top crazy maniac character (apex predator? ), This Means War with it's ****ty story and acting (Top CIA agents, but such **** ups?), Haywire (typical plot, well done, she found the last guy who plotted against her at the end), Wrath of the Titans (cool action, but that's as far as it goes, preparing to plan war at the end because she sees perceus coming towards her?), American Reunion (same **** again and again, we see Stifler is still an immature ****, that's it?), Dark Shadows (the woman was really obsessing over the guy for 200 years? , The Dictator (I have no words for this, I think they just threw a bunch of jokes about Muslims, Jews, Arabs and Americans together and called it a film).


Okay I think I'll stop now Sad thing is, I actually pay to watch all of my movies in the cinema But Battlefield was definitely not the worst film I saw!

Fair enough I did consider leaving it out of my short list, but thought might as well Probably because the chick wasn't hot

Yeah, that actually gets the award for worst film I've seen since I came to the UK However, there are quite a few 'stinkers' this year. Chronicle with it's over the top crazy maniac character (apex predator? ), This Means War with it's ****ty story and acting (Top CIA agents, but such **** ups?), Haywire (typical plot, well done, she found the last guy who plotted against her at the end), Wrath of the Titans (cool action, but that's as far as it goes, preparing to plan war at the end because she sees perceus coming towards her?), American Reunion (same **** again and again, we see Stifler is still an immature ****, that's it?), Dark Shadows (the woman was really obsessing over the guy for 200 years? , The Dictator (I have no words for this, I think they just threw a bunch of jokes about Muslims, Jews, Arabs and Americans together and called it a film).


Okay I think I'll stop now Sad thing is, I actually pay to watch all of my movies in the cinema But Battlefield was definitely not the worst film I saw!

Well, you certainly do seem to have picked 'em, don't you!

But there have been some superb films this (ok, last) year. One of the best year's for movies that I can remember

Martha, Marcy May, Marlene
Holy Motors
The Dark Knight Rises
Berberian Sound Studio
Amour
Sightseers
Killing them softly
The Angel's Share
Polisse
Nostalgia for the light
Prometheus
Hunger Games
Skyfall
Once upon a time in Anatolia
We need to talk about Kevin
Rust and bone
Seeking a friend for the end of the world
Take this waltz
Savages
Killer Joe
Cosmopolis
Lawless
Anna Karenina
A Royal Affair
The Hunt
End of Watch
Looper
Frankenweenie
Argo

You, sir, have varied taste. You've included Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, which was probably my favourite film of the year, and then gone and also included Savages, which was possibly my least favourite!

Admittedly, Savages would only just qualify for my list. I hasten to add, it's not the list of my fave films of the year. More the list of the films I consider to be good/well made/of interest.

Certainly Once Upon a Time... was magnificent and way better than Savages

BTW I love your avatar. That is one of my top five films of all time...

Thanks! It really is something, 2001 is.

Assuredly. Did you ever see my earlier post about it..?

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1663944&page=210

(go down to post # 4186)

I fell asleep watching 2001. And when I tried watching it again the same thing happened. True story. This also occurred with Solaris (George Clooney one), sci-fi films like that are really not my thing. They bore me to death.

Edit: Just realised I gave it a 1 on IMDB as well, I REALLY must not have liked it

I did, actually! I remember gaping in awe!




Blade Runner?

I like Blade Runner.