Movie Magic (and the ones you'd like to disappear...)

I can't believe we've lasted so long without this.

Is there any interest in having a running commentary on what's current in the cinema that people are watching - to offer recommendations or views or criticisms?

Last night I went to Sex and the City.I didn't get it. Maybe that says more about me than the film but I found it vacuous tat. And the clothes didn't even make it worthwhile. Let's just say I'm looking forward to seeing The Incredible Hulk.

They say it's a half-hour television show stretched out to 2 and a half hours - mother of jesus... is that true?

Two and a half hours is a long time - too long. Way too bloody long for all that navel (and other body parts) gazing.

What was the draw in it for people (women) anyway? When I was going to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull there were loads of lovely ladies tittering and running up the stairs very over-fashionably dressed for the flea-pit that is Ennis cinema. I found it disturbing. I thanked God for Tomboys.

Kate P wrote:

Two and a half hours is a long time - too long. Way too bloody long for all that navel (and other body parts) gazing.

I heard there is a lot of nakedness - nothing else. I guess the nakedness was a good idea if it was the most memorable thing in the film.

And that was all that could be said about Sex in the City.

I use this website to see cinema listings. Anyone got any other half daycent ones?

http://entertainment.ie/

There's also
www.empireonline.co.uk for reviews.

Gone Baby Gone, the directoral debut of Ben Affleck, is supposed to be fantastic. I'll try to get to see it this weekend/next week and have an opinion prepared for the delectation of the Machine National Commonwealth.

Thanks for that Ard-Taoiseach.. Are you going to see M Night Shymallaaman's new film?

The film 'Cloverfield' is also out on DVD for rent this weather which I recommend. You want spoilers?

Spoiler:

Was listening to David Norris talking about Joyce on the Mooney Show (only in Ireland category) and learned that James Joyce established Ireland's first cinema, called the Volta, in Dublin in 1909. He has seen one in Trieste with Nora and was impressed.

Is there some way we could commemorate that on the Machine Nation next year - 100th anniversary ?

We could all go to a cinema ! Anonymously

Auditor #9 wrote:

We could all go to a cinema ! Anonymously

We could block book the screen cinema in Town to watch something arty which was reviewed on the always erudite the View!

Kate P and Ibis are always quoting Joyce - they'll know what to do - providing it doesnt involve kidneys.

Any problems with the new Indiana Jones were made up for by his being thrown across America in a fridge after an atomic blast.

Indiana Jones was great - and not just for sentimental reasons (says she, giving away her age). It has all the hallmarks of great action-adventure for kids (of all ages); lethal animals, hostile nature, creatures with peculiar proclitivities, feats of mechanical genius by ancient South American tribes and plenty of bad guys.

On the down side, the skull was a bit weird and the love angle was more than a little dopey.

The fridge was part of a nuclear as well as a 'let's test the boundaries of just how far people are willing to suspend their disbelief' experiment.

I know a lot of viewers and reviewers were hoping for something new; I was just glad that the filmmakers stuck with what worked.

This week it's The Hulk for me - and maybe The Happening too.

Kate P wrote:

This week it's The Hulk for me - and maybe The Happening too.

No, don't go to either. I've heard nothing but bad news about both.

The reviews for The Happening are pretty awful - I do know that, but I'm interested in how the storyline will work and, to be frank, how it went about earning the awful reviews.

I'm committed to the Hulk though - and not without some enthusiasm (sad thing that I am). I'll probably see it tomorrow night and let you know the verdict then.

Kate P wrote:

The reviews for The Happening are pretty awful - I do know that, but I'm interested in how the storyline will work and, to be frank, how it went about earning the awful reviews.

I see, car crash cinema, is that it, Kate P?

Quote :

I'm committed to the Hulk though - and not without some enthusiasm (sad thing that I am). I'll probably see it tomorrow night and let you know the verdict then.

Thanks Kate, I'll see if I can get to Gone Baby Gone this week to hold forth on that.

Kate P wrote:

Indiana Jones was great - and not just for sentimental reasons (says she, giving away her age). It has all the hallmarks of great action-adventure for kids (of all ages); lethal animals, hostile nature, creatures with peculiar proclitivities, feats of mechanical genius by ancient South American tribes and plenty of bad guys.

On the down side, the skull was a bit weird and the love angle was more than a little dopey.

The fridge was part of a nuclear as well as a 'let's test the boundaries of just how far people are willing to suspend their disbelief' experiment.

I know a lot of viewers and reviewers were hoping for something new; I was just glad that the filmmakers stuck with what worked.

This week it's The Hulk for me - and maybe The Happening too.

Went to see it this afternoon with the Brother - yeah - it was goodish - Harrison Ford was excellent - better than ever - Cate Blanchett completely over the top and the atomic scene was literally mindblowing - Pity they stopped paying the writers 20 minutes from the end - Spielberg should leave this kind of thing to Peter Jackson from now on - hes the man!

Still - I could think of far worse things to while away a rainy afternoon.

Indy and the rising mushroom cloud - awesome !

I loved every minute of it almost, I even almost loved Karen Allen trying to be reminiscent of her original whiney self through a face full of botox. I thought the youngfella swinging through the trees was mighty. And the ants ...

It was a mixture of The Goonies, the X-Files, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Taken, among others. Great stuff entirely.

Especially the end

Auditor #9 wrote:

The Goonies

Now that is a film. I love The Goonies, a classic production by a classic director.

Auditor #9 wrote:

Indy and the rising mushroom cloud - awesome !

I loved every minute of it almost, I even almost loved Karen Allen trying to be reminiscent of her original whiney self through a face full of botox. I thought the youngfella swinging through the trees was mighty. And the ants ...

It was a mixture of The Goonies, the X-Files, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Taken, among others. Great stuff entirely.

Especially the end

That was the bit I hated. The last scene especially was ridiculous. The mushroom cloud and the fridge were easier to stomach. It was unnecessary and downright silly.

Down with mushy endings.

But I loved the ants - and the jeep-chase in the jungle.

But the Goonies is a great film.

Kate P wrote:

But the Goonies is a great film.

I have it on DVD. If there's a particularly wet Summer's day this year, I think I may re-watch it and report my remarks to the Machine National Commonwealth!

Indiana Jones was fun (though the storyline wasn't great) and stannis is right anything bad with it was made up by the nuclear fridge bit.

Ard-Taoiseach wrote:

Kate P wrote:

But the Goonies is a great film.

I have it on DVD. If there's a particularly wet Summer's day this year, I think I may re-watch it and report my remarks to the Machine National Commonwealth!

Consider this a gift, Audi and AT

The Incredible Hulk.

Me and the six year old nephew went to see it today.

Was it better than Indiana Jones? "It would be great if you could put the two together..."

It's one of those 'in-the-moment' movies that are enjoyable enough while you watch them, but disappointing in the postmortem. Admittedly the dialogue is two steps behind lame and Liv Tyler rarely moves beyong saying (breathily of course) 'Bruce' - which might be enough for some viewers, but the action scenes are good and Tim Roth makes a good bad guy. Final action scenes are great once you admit with a sigh (though not as breathily as La Tyler) that the CGI does actually leave the original powder painted Lou Ferrigno in the ha'penny place. There's no point in wishing it otherwise, really. And there's plenty of room for a sequel. Nice appearance at the end by Robert Downey Jr, aka Ironman which I'm sorry I didn't get to see. Three stars.