Buttered Popcorn: Buzzmans Movie Review Thread

[Buzzman]

Why cant I see them?

 

[Palooza]

Why cant I see them?

What's there to see?

 

[Buzzman]

Shouldn't I see the movie hes quoting or did Houston just figure out the movie by his description?

 

[Palooza]

Shouldn't I see the movie hes quoting or did Houston just figure out the movie by his description?

The man didn't quote shit. Houston used his thinking cap.

 

[A Tasty Burgerr]

I was looking at the main character and wondering where I’ve seen him before, but I never could put my tongue on it, and I was surprised to learn this was his debut.

wat

I agree with the review wholeheartedly, I just have never seen that phrase before.

 

[Palooza]

wat

I agree with the review wholeheartedly, I just have never seen that phrase before.

Yeah that's kinda gay. I think the phrase he was looking for was "couldn't quite put my finger on it." Tongue lol. AY YO PAUSE.

 

[Buzzman]

I actually meant to say tip of my tongue, but combined it with "could never put my finger on it instead."

 

[Buzzman]

The Lorax (2012)

A 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming creature who fights to protect his world.

The Lorax is a bit if a strange case for an animated film. It strikes a lot of the right notes with some really catchy songs, some cute, funny, and charming characters that would make it a really fun animation. On the other hand it seems to have a in your face metaphor to its audience of, “If you don’t save the environment, your doomed.” It couldn’t be more blatant about its subject matter, that you have a hard time enjoying a film that gets lost in its own message. It had a chance to be really good but comes up a bit flat for my tastes.

The story takes place during two very different times. One is in the past when life was alive, colorful, and full of opportunities, while the other is in the present where everything is manufactured and sold to the public at a hefty price tag. The story set in the present is your very standard romantic story between boy and girl. It’s very generic material that progresses to a standard animate conclusion. It’s the part of the film that is less daring and therefore less of a chance to catch your enjoyment. The flashback sequences that led to this gloomy future is much more interesting. When you first travel back Is where you meet those cute animated characters, learn all of these catchy songs, and are treated to a handful of laughs. The film is quite joyous to watch, but when it gets into the habit of telling you what’s wrong and right, it turns into a depressingly one sided statement that treehuggers would jizz over. It loses a lot of its appeal and is no longer fun to watch. It keeps this up for the rest of the film and combined with the boring story set in the present, it’s an overall disappointing film.

It’s a bit of a bummer because the animation is actually top notch. That doesn’t come as too big of a surprise because certain studios have mastered down that touch and its more rare to find a crappy animated film in theaters than a great one. The voice cast here is a bit of a hit or miss. Ed Helms and Danny Devito fit right into the personas of their characters and are accepted with ease, but some of the other talents such as Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, and Rob Riggle aren’t given anything to really do to make their characters feel anything but ordinary. Nothing is given to help root for or against them, which is surprising given that they are the leads in the film. It may not seem like a big deal, but a voice cast can actually hurt your film if you just throw anyone in there to do it. In this case, certain characters stand out.

This is one animated film you can forget about. It had a chance to be good but missed the ball trying to become something it was not. It’s one of the few times I’ve walked out and had a bad taste in my mouth with an animated film. Normally it’s because they don’t take many risks, but here is a shining example where risk didn’t work. Hopefully the next adaption of Dr. Suess winds up better than The Lorax. At this point his adaptions seem to do more bad than good.

Overall Score: 5/10

 

[Buzzman]

Titanic (1997)

A boy and a girl from differing social backgrounds meet during the ill-fated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic.

Titanic is a worldwide phenomenon that was loved by millions and with that success also acquired a trailer of displeasured followers who didn’t see it the same way as so many others. I happen to be one of the few that absolutely loves it despite some of its bigger flaws. It’s a film that despite its length, I seem to find time to watch on TV whenever it happens to pop on. I’d say unofficially, it may be in my top 5 most viewed movies, and with its 3D conversion released in theaters a few months ago, I was finally able to see it on the big screen for the first time and it was everything I wanted.

For those living under a rock, you all know the story by now, but James Cameron has a way in capturing your attention with the simplest of ideas. This was a movie about a boat that you already know is doomed to sink, and instead focuses on building the characters onboard, eventually getting you to care about them. Most of them will die, some won’t, but the “epic” as its called romance between its two leads is pretty damn good with only a few bits of baggage that comes with it. The doomed story of love comes with every bit of greed, lust, jealousy, and resentment and its conclusion ends the only way it can. It tore through the hearts of woman everywhere, while the guys just thought about that damn door, but ultimately has to get over that part. The first hour and a half builds up this relationship between them, while still managing to fit in supporting characters that ultimately leads to that jaw dropping last hour. Even today, that ship’s sinking holds up. The slow destruction of the ship and the fate it brings to all tis characters is great and is a major payoff for those that never were interested in the romance in the first place. It’s a stunning achievement that I think will always remain top notch.

Pre-badass Leonardo DeCaprio owes it all to this. This may have not been his brightest moment, but it was what gave it the opportunity to do whatever he wanted in Hollywood. I happened to enjoy the vulnerable, free spirited, lighter side of DiCaprio that I doubt he ever goes back too, but I’m not complaining. His work here with Winslet was great. Kate Winslet was loosened up more than usual and allowed herself to not only have fun, but show off her early talents at being a strong independent woman that earns her the praise she has today. The two worked so well together and took the film to another level. Some of the side characters like Billy Zane and Kathy Bates were laughably forgettable, but there were plenty of characters that transitioned into well-developed characters, whether they are brave or cowards, they had moments. It was a large supporting cast the helped build onto the leads helping make Titanic of my favorite movies to watch.

By now, this is a film you should have already come about at some point, and whether you like it as much as I do or not, you cannot deny the sheer production quality that is worth it alone. Enjoying the story is just more icing on the cake. It’s a rare case of enjoying too much about the film, but I will say there is a section right before the ship starts sinking that drags on for a good twenty five minutes. Apart from that stretch, I really like every bit of it.

Overall Score: 9/10

 

[Palooza]

Yeah, you're totally an o-mo.

 

[Maynard]

2. omo
someone that is gay
word to insult people
1) That man is an omo, i.e. he's gay.

 

[Houston]

I still don't understand how that movie made so much money.

 

[Buzzman]

I wonder how fucked James Cameron felt when it opened to only 18 million.

 

[Palooza]

I still don't understand how that movie made so much money.

Repeat viewings, a long theater run, teenyboppers, word of mouth, etc.

HOWEVA, I know what you mean - movie is trash.

 

[Buzzman]

The Amazing Spiderman (2012)

Peter Parker finds a clue that might help him understand why his parents disappeared when he was young. His path puts him on a collision course with Dr. Curt Connors, his father's former partner.

The Amazing Spiderman is the reboot that nobody thought they wanted but made them realize that they did. During the original three’s run, they were some of the first real fixes for a quality blockbuster superhero film. As time has passed and more and more quality ones have hit the market, you take a look back and realize just how awful they actually were. They were incredibly cheesy, terrible soundtracks, and a slew of horribly configured villains. To think they got to the point to where the Vulture was going to be front and center. Thank god they came to their senses and rebooted the franchise.

The story is one that will feel very familiar, what with having already seen the origin just 10 years ago, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a number of other good moments that more than make up for it. There are scenes between Gwen Stacey and Peter Parker that are better than anything we got from Mary Jane, and the moments with Spiderman fighting crime and receiving help from the people of New York City are handled with a lot more charm and care that gives you that giddy feeling inside. It’s these scenes that bring the heart and emotions this time. It doesn’t make as big a deal about Uncle Ben dying or Connors experimenting on himself as events because they don’t need to be seen again. They come and go quickly and allow themselves to get back to their story. They gladly spent a lot of time with Peter Parker and Spiderman, making this his story, rather than constantly going back and forth with the villain. He was mostly kept in the dark and allowed to see the movie through Spideys eyes. This works very well, and I love that he doesn’t keep everyone so in the dark about his identity. The game of when they will find out doesn’t get dragged on throughout the film, which is why the scenes between Stacey and Parker work so well. It only takes twenty minutes of them together to top anything we saw in the previous three films. In fact, it’s a game the film doesn’t want to play at all with anybody, and helped keep the film at a good steady pace.

The Lizard worked well as an enemy to Spiderman but as a character he didn’t. The battle scenes between them were fast, brutal, and fun to watch. The Lizard towers of Spiderman and seeing him beat the crap out of him was a great flip flop, and watching Parker have to calculate maneuvers to gain the upper hand made the battles between them easy on the eyes. They were smooth as fuck, even if they didn’t last as long as I hoped. When the Lizard was alone and given time to himself, he felt out of place, unmotivated, and bland. I didn’t feel his passion to be an equal, as much as I felt it was a forced plot necessity. He reminded me way too much of William Defoe as Norman Osborne for my liking. His finale with Spiderman didn’t work for Connors, but I like what it brought for Peter Parker and future installments.

The new suit was dope. The addition of webslingers was tiny, but felt so much more natural and seeing them in action was something I didn’t realize I’d enjoy so much. The city of New York felt like a tiny bubble, making the world seem a lot smaller than it should have been. A lot of the set pieces are reused, going to back from place to place, and it didn’t feel exactly right. It was one of only problems I had with the film. I can see that not being a problem for many, but it’s something I noticed.

Obviously, as you can tell, I thought Andrew Garfield was great as Spiderman. He had the charm and cockiness to play Spiderman, the look of an intellectual that outsmarts his foes, and the dramatic chops to make you root for him and Gwen Stacey. Emma Stone was a bit of surprise on where she brought the character. I like how she’s the one relationship and genuinely seems to love Peter more than he loves her. She isn’t the strong woman by any means, but I love that they just skipped over the damsel in distress that we’ve become accustomed too. I didn’t really like Rhys Ifans as Curt Connors, but that is due in large part because he seems just thrown into the film with very little development to become the anti-villain he was forced into becoming. Maybe it was so focused on those three characters or the others were already familiar, but very little supporting actors got anything real to do, but I have no rpblem with that, let the sequels work that out.

The Amazing Spiderman is the best Spiderman to date. It’s got a bit of everything to help make it a great movie experience for everyone, and feels a lot more up to date and current with the films of the past few years, and is a very solid addition to the superhero kick we are on. It’s crazy to think this will end up being the third best superhot film of the year, but almost any other year and it could have been number one. Hopefully it doesn’t get to lost in the shuffle because tis a really fun blockbuster shot in the form of an indie film. It doesn’t do everything right, but it manages to make you care about Spiderman again. I cannot wait for the sequel.

Overall Score: 8.5/10

 

[Buzzman]

Magic Mike (2012)

Set in the world of male strippers, Magic Mike is directed by Steven Soderbergh and stars Channing Tatum in a story inspired by his real life. The film follows Mike (Tatum) as he takes a young dancer called The Kid (Pettyfer) under his wing and schools him in the fine arts of partying, picking up women, and making easy money.

Magic Mike is getting a ton of buzz for all the wrong reasons. The media and interweb are calling it the woman film they’ve all been waiting for and consistently apologizing to all the men who ended up getting dragged to this on a date, but they couldn’t be any more wrong about it. Most of the material seems to come from a male’s point of view and brings with it a man’s kind of humor. It’s really raunchy dialogue combined with really good delivery makes for some really great entertainment. It also helps that the story fits all too perfectly into this films world.

The film kicks into gear just exactly what it’s trying to present itself as with a funny conversion between two strangers after a three-way. It makes you laugh and gets the wheels spinning. What comes next might surprise many, but actual character development between its two leads that winds up developing into a pretty strong bond that is key to its central plot. Its nothing Oscar worthy, but it’s a lot better than you’d expect from this kind of film. Once you are introduced into the world of male stripping, it essentially mixes in constant montages of the acts between takes of Magic Mike and The Kid trying to get by in life. The two have vastly different views on where they want to be and take them into two very different places. What’s pretty cool is to imagine what Magic Mike was like entering the business and whether or not he viewed it the same way as the Kid does now. The story is written in a bit of a generic way, but the way its executed makes it work; makes it fun to watch. It was one of the most enjoyable theater experiences this year and it’s over far sooner then you want it to be.

Channing Tatum easily turns in his best role to his career at this point. He adds a lot of energy into the role, is at the center of a lot of jokes, and shows a vulnerable side in the second half of the film when things begin to fall apart for him. His protégée, Adam, is a little less focused upon, but adds an intriguing and funny introduction that swindles into a depressing conclusion. He starts off strong, but the appeal slowly wears off. The owner of the strip joint, Dallas, is played great by Mathew McConaughey in a role that has been coming his entire career. It takes all the things wrong with his worst characters and makes fun of him while bringing in a ton of laughs. He really makes the movie as fun as it is, without him, the magic might have been lost. Cody Horn plays the love interest, and her lack of looks is a downer, but she plays a well grounded into reality character that eventually leads into some great chemistry with Tatum. What could have been cliché turns up more than alright. The supporting cast if strippers are manly there for show allowed to do very little except dance, but they didn’t need to do anything; it wound up just fine keeping them in the dark for the better part of the film.

If you turn down a chance to see Magic Mike because you think it’ll be some sausage fest, think again. The film has no male nudity outside of some bare-ass and is very energetic, with everyone bringing here A-game. It probably won’t even end up in my top ten movies at the end of the year, but it certainly will stay near the top in the fun department. Its definitely got to be one of the biggest surprises of the year. Who knew a male stripper movie starring Channing Tatum would wind up being so great?

Overall Score: 9/10

 

[Rivers17ncsu]

wow surprised by the Magic Mike review, most of the people I know that saw it (which were girls) said it was trash.

 

[Raidersabc123]

buzzman likes magic mike :yao:

 

[Buzzman]

wow surprised by the Magic Mike review, most of the people I know that saw it (which were girls) said it was trash.

That's because woman have terrible taste. They probably expect constant dick shots but when the film presented itself with an actual story, they got turned off. by it.

 

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Magic Mike (2012)

Is that Kevin Nash in the background?

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOOLOOLOLOLOLOL