The Last Movie You Saw...

Finally got round to watching 'War of the Worlds' (the Speilberg version).

While I don't like film versions of books being mess about, and moved around, and generally mucked up, I can understand the need of Hollywood to change various thinks to aid in the translation. What I can't understand is why anyone would take one of the most breathtakingly elegant stories, and turn it into a giant pile of steaming... well, you know. I seem to remember hearing somewhere that there was a deliberate effort to make the central characters as normal as possible, which while fine on the storyboard, translates into a film in which the main characters (Tom Cruise's especially, and his kids to a certain degree) are unlikeable enough for you not to care at the beginning of the film, and actively supporting the Martians near the end (also, I don't think the M word is ever used, which seemed a bit odd...).

Its one of the few films I've ever seen that within about 20 minutes, I was seriously contemplating turning it off and doing something more interesting, like ironing. I can only assume the strange sweaking noise I heard all the way through was the sound of H. G. Wells spinning a a furious pace...
 
Namyeknom:
Its one of the few films I've ever seen that within about 20 minutes, I was seriously contemplating turning it off and doing something more interesting, like ironing.
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I'm guessing you never saw I, Robot.

I, Robot. Ugh. . . what a. . . UGH! :headbang:
 
Yeah but at least it was vaguely enjoyable - unlike WotW - and a better robot movie than Bicentennial Man and AI.

What I would love to see though, would be a full on adaptation of WotW, direct from the book - set in Victorian England.

Maybe as a BBC adaptation? (hey, The Tripods used to scare me as a kid...)
 
Thess:
I'm guessing you never saw  I, Robot.

I, Robot.  Ugh. . . what a. . . UGH!  :headbang:
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Ahh, yes, good point. I don't know why its all happening now though. I remember the days when Hollywood could take a sci-fi story, generally ignore the authors intended plot, and still emerge with a good film. These days they seem to get as far as stripping out all the plot elements, and then forget to put new ones back in.

Studio Exec - "Now then Mr Scriptwriter, I don't know if you noticed, but this film involveds 2 hours of people running around screaming, theres no plot to speak of..."
Scriptwriter - "Ahh, yes, but I've made up for that, but including an expolsion in every scene, and giant CGI robots from Venus in it."
Studio Exec - "Expolsions you say? And giant CGI robots?"
Scriptwriter - "Yes sir. From Venus sir."
Studio Exec - "Correct me if I'm wrong, and I admit I did give you free reign in the adaptation, but this story didn't contain and giant robots, CGI or otherwise, orginally did it? This screenplay is in fact..." looks at cover "...a Jane Austin book, is it not?"
Scriptwriter - "Ahh, yes sir, but I'm sure Miss Austin would of had giant CGI robots in it, if she'd given it more thought. In fact I'm sure theres a reference to Mr Darcy being from Mars at some point."
Studio Exec - "Tell me, did you actually read Pride and Predjudice before writing this?"
Scriptwriter - "No sir, but I felt it was important not to in order to faithfully translate, or re-imagine if you will, the book."
Studio Exec - "So, what your saying, is when given the task of adapting a book, you insure that you don't read it, and then come up with a script that, apart from the name on the cover, has nothing what so ever to do with the original work?"
Scriptwriter - "Well, I think the spirit remains the same, and would even say the inclusion of giant robots from Venus is an improvement on the original work."
Studio Exec - "Ahh, I see. Well, back to the plot, would you say these robots you mentioned make up for butchers job you did on the original plot? Do these robots have a plot?"
Scriptwriter - "Yes sir! Practically ooze plot sir!"
Studio Exec - "Ahh, good."

NS:
What I would love to see though, would be a full on adaptation of WotW, direct from the book - set in Victorian England.
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Oh yeah, that would be sweet. Although I think the BBC spent 5 years worth of their sci-fi budget on ressurecting Dr Who.
 
Namyeknom:
Although I think the BBC spent 5 years worth of their sci-fi budget on ressurecting Dr Who.
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Life gives you lemons, make lemonade. The BBC WotW can just swap out the Martians for Daleks.

And is it just me, or does Pride and Prejudice featuring giant killer robots sound F***ING AWESOME!!! :w00t: :w00t: :w00t:


I'm starting to get a sense for how some of these cinematic atrocities come to be. . . :duh:
 
last DVD I watched was the British The Office.

One of the best TV shows I have ever watched. One of the best anythings I have ever experienced.
 
You know, until that came out, my office was never like that - apart from Gareth (ask me later) - and then we moved departments, and all of a sudden it was.

Someone even bought that effin' policeman cookie jar

:headbang:

Have you seen the x-mas special?
 
The set came with the special. $54 for the set, and it was well worth it for the "Fu.ck right off, Finch!" at the end.

"Stop! Move away from the cookie jar!"

:lol:
 
I was going to watch the American one, because I'm a huge Steve Carrell fan, but I watched the Brit one first, and now I refuse, not because I think it won't be as good, but because I know there's no way it can be.

I'm also waiting on Extras to put out the second series.

Bit-o'-trivia: In the liner notes of one of their albums, The Darkness thank "Ricky Gervais, for being a prime mate." Good music, and good acting, friends, "respect given, and taken in, advice recieved, and given out, vis-a-vis management."
 
For anyone wanting a bit more Gervais magic, him and Stephen Merchant used to do a slot on xfm, a radio station in London. Well worth checking out their archived shows and having a listen.
 
Initial reports from the search zone are that there is nothing to be found, except little snippets about how he's apparently charging for it now...
 
Finding Neverland! Excellent film!!

As for AI, I would have loved to see what Kubrick would have done if he'd had time to finish it...
 
The last movie I saw was Jarhead. I liked it more than the critics, but I thought the whole "Bo-rah" scene was hyped up in the trailer, which made it kind of disappointing to finally see it in the movie.

But anyway, a good war film and not all bombs and blood.
 
Grenval:
The last movie I saw was Jarhead. I liked it more than the critics, but I thought the whole "Bo-rah" scene was hyped up in the trailer, which made it kind of disappointing to finally see it in the movie.

But anyway, a good war film and not all bombs and blood.
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I saw that movie too. My friends hated it because no one died. I thought it was more of a documentary than a film. I personally think that it wasn't too bad, but I wouldn't go out and buy it.

One of the last movies I've seen was Brothers Grimm. That one was pretty good.
 
Just got back to work after seeing V for Vendetta on my break. It was awesome. Moving, in a way I hadn't expected. Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman are amazing in it. I almost forgive her for her crappy acting in Star Wars, but that wasn't her fault, it was George's. Anyway, go see it. Seriously, it's the best movie I've seen in a long time. I'm going back tonight.
 
Yeah, Hugo Weaving was probably the second best thing in that.

The first? Oh, Stephen Fry of course. A national treasure.

Last movie I saw though was Inside Man - and it just blew me away. Absolutely amazing from start to finish, from the design and look of the film, to the sharp and funny script, to the acting - oh, you know you're in for a treat when Den-Zel get his shiznit on...

Yeah, go see.


oooh, btw 500th post!!!! w0000t yay me!
 
Finally plucked up enough courage to watch Land of the Dead.

I agree with DD (many posts ago). Nothing amazing. I'm sure there was quite an elegant idea to do with society in there originally, but it was handled so clumsily, that I found myself very quickly hoping for everyone to get eaten.
 
Saw Thank You for Smoking again. It wasn't as funny as I remember it. Kinda lame. Ice Age 2 had some good lines in it. I think it should just be about Sid. And the neurotic squirrel.

I had a date like that once.
 
Ditto on the Ice Age 2. (well apart from the date bit, mine are normally closer to enraged badgers...)

Not quite as good as the first, but pretty close. Exceeds it in the areas the first was good in, although the story feels a little clumsy (although I'm sure the average 10 year old isn't going to notice...).

*must stop analysing kids films*
 
IndieGirl:
Just got back to work after seeing V for Vendetta on my break. It was awesome. Moving, in a way I hadn't expected. Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman are amazing in it. I almost forgive her for her crappy acting in Star Wars, but that wasn't her fault, it was George's. Anyway, go see it. Seriously, it's the best movie I've seen in a long time. I'm going back tonight.
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Negitive Utopia is a good thing.

Plus the music themes Roxord.
 
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