What Emmanuelle Movie Did You Just Watch?

[Anderson]

Anchorman 2 got a great reaction from my crowd. However, everyone left the theater in a meh sense.

But, it was a 10:45 am show in a mall theater. So, there's that.

[BillyG]

I didn't even realize Anchorman 2 was out already.

[Matt]

Lower your expectations and, if you want to leave on a high note, get up and leave immediately after Ron has his 'big plot moment' at GNN and takes out his ear piece. It's crickets from that point on.

And NONE of the cameos drew any sort of reaction other than 'oh, he/she's in it too, huh?' What a waste of time.

[gravedigger]

I read what Matt is saying and can comprehend the words but I don't understand it. The first movie is so good! How can this one be bad? I'm going to be that fool keeping hope alive until I probably see it this week.

[FilmNerdJamie]

Not all popular movies need sequels. Anchorman is one of them.

[Captain Russ]

American Hustle was a slow-burn film. Solid performances by everyone, glorious soundtrack, and the sort of wardrobe that should remind us all that cocaine is a hell of a drug.

[Matt]

THE HOBBIT 2

Better than the first one. The pacing issues are solved and the action set pieces are all pretty solid. I wasn't very impressed with Smaug, though. I think he needed more rendering time, because he ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS looked like a special effect. I still enjoyed the third act where they battle him, but I never lost sight of the fact that I was watching swirling pixels. In short, Smaug hasn't got anything on Vermithrax Pejorative.

[Captain Russ]

I don't think I've ever cared less about a Pete Jackson movie than those things.

Nevermind. Meet the Feebles was an abomination. These just look silly.

[B_Metal]

My man Russ bringing the correct.

[Nathan]

Thirded

[Abraham Smashington]

Watched Scrooged with Lesley last night as she's never seen it.

Still one of the best Murray flicks as he's just having fun through out. Still love Carol Kane's abusive fairy and I would love to disappoint Karen Allen.

Lesley dug it and got misty eyed at the end. So now we have another flick to add to our Xmas movie watch list.

[Ben Thomas]

Watched that a couple of nights ago too. Still so great, Donner directed the shit outta that film.

[Nathan]

Watched that a couple of nights ago too. Still so great, Donner directed the shit outta that film.

Holy shit I forgot he directed that!

[IggytheBorg]

Mad Max

My first xmas present of the year - the trilogy on blu. Has to be said, the print looks fantastic, but I was put off by the American dub. Fortunately, the original Australian audio is available as an option - it just doesn't sound right having Jim Goose not be an Aussie.

This is still an amazing film. Before it goes all apocalyptic in The Road Warrior (which I shall also be watching tonight), you've got just a great action-revenge film with what seem to be Australian droogs as the biker baddies. There's so much Miller does so well that to claim that this changed action films may not be inaccurate. The relationship between Max and Jesse is played just right, even if it does become all too obvious that she's doomed. And yet, Miller manages to make the sequence where the gang stalk her, her dog and her child both brutal and restrained. Some of the auto action is insane - standout shots have to be the mini transit van that gets decimated and propelled off the road in the Nightrider sequence; the member of the gang that, after having been run off his bike by Max, then has his buddy's bike smash into the back of his helmet (surely a stuntman got a spinal for that shot); and the Toecutter's comeuppance, complete with the crazy bulging eyes closeup just before he hits.

I love the minor characters in this too. Jim Goose, Fifi the captain and his speech about making the people believe in heroes again, the stuttering car mechanic that builds the Pursuit Special, the old lady with the shotgun - Miller goes out of his way to populate every scene with something or someone weird or wonderful. And finally, he kills off the big bad before the end of the film. Johnnie the Boy is a minor character throughout, but I guess because he was involved with what happened to Goose, Max makes the extra effort to hunt him down and give him a deservedly horrible death after the rest of the gang and the Toecutter are gone.

Great film that holds up remarkably well, largely thanks to everything being done practically and in-camera. You just cannot top bodies being hurled through the air while vehicles turn to debris.

Now bring on part two and The Greatest Chase Sequence of All Time.

ALL of this. My favorite of the three by a long yard. But the highlighted portion may be in a tie w/ the truck chase in Raiders. Just sayin'.

[Matt]

AMERICAN HUSTLE

It's ok. As an actor's showcase, it really can't be beat...everyone is pretty great, but Amy Adams really delivers some incredible work. As a movie, it's really lacking in a spark to bring it to life. It's just kinda there, delivering exposition for 2 and a half hours. It's not particularly funny or engaging, so it relies on you being interested in the characters and what they're doing to keep you involved with the movie, and it really faltered for me in the second act.

The good news is that it ended quite strong, so it goes up a few points when the credits roll, but overall it's a big disappointment. You can totally wait for dvd/blu ray on this one.