What Emmanuelle Movie Did You Just Watch?

[Matt]

yep, again: the film blatantly violates reality. I won't deny that 1 and 3 streeeeeeeetch things a bit, but everything (apart from the masks) FEELS real and plausible. You don't get any GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE moments, whereas 2 is filled with them.

[Bobby Bear]

The thing with 2 is it would have been close to passable if it weren't Mission Impossible or Tom Cruise. But you don't "just Woo it" on an IMF film.

Please, tell me there was a Nike/John Woo mash-up sketch on an episode of Chappelle's Show.

"There's no bland plot or poor casting double-handed gunplay can't 'solve!'"

"Just Woo it!"

[V]

Remember when Anthony Hopkins asks Tom Cruise

'Can I get you an espresso? A cappuccino?'

I almost cried out loud "DID YOU NEED THE PAYCHECK THAT FUCKING BADLY?"

[Ben Thomas]

"Just Woo it" was actually Cruise's advice to Woo in his role as producer whenever he was having a hard time conceptualising a sequence. So Cruise is just as much to blame for that film as anyone else.

However, he made $25m up front as its star and as much as $50-75m as producer. So Cruise gets the last laugh. ALWAYS.

[Bobby Bear]

Remember when Anthony Hopkins asks Tom Cruise....

I don't even remember that. But there was probably a nice little holiday involved. Ergo, Hopkins.

[Bobby Bear]

"Just Woo it" was actually Cruise's advice to Woo in his role as producer whenever he was having a hard time conceptualising a sequence. So Cruise is just as much to blame for that film as anyone else.

However, he made $25m up front as its star and as much as $50-75m as producer. So Cruise gets the last laugh. ALWAYS.

Thanks for the info, man! I found that post more engaging than Mission: Impossible 2 itself.

[V]

Oof!

[Bobby Bear]

Oof!

I can just imagine Kent Brockman going "I'm gonna say 'ouch'... for John Woo!"

[Matt]

you know what else bothered me in MI:2? Cruise's hair. Come on. Impractical as hell AND there's no way that it would fit under any of those masks. An operative would never have long hair like that, and he certainly wouldn't whip it around sexily.

[V]

you know what else bothered me in MI:2? Cruise's hair. Come on. Impractical as hell AND there's no way that it would fit under any of those masks. An operative would never have long hair like that, and he certainly wouldn't whip it around sexily.

In slo-mo... lest we forget.

[Ben Thomas]

Another comment from the set of MI:2 involved what frame rate worked best for shooting Tom Cruise. Apparently Woo thinks he looks best at 200 FPS! That's close to time times slower than normal.

[Ben Thomas]

So MI3 is ok. The bridge sequence is brilliant and the teamwork stuff's good. Hoffman has some nice moments. But it really loses steam towards the end.

I just went to see Mike Leigh's latest, Another Year. So beautifully observed. Someone should just knight Jim Broadbent already, cos he's probably the best living British actor of his generation. You guys stateside might not get to see this film til next year, but if its playing at an arts cinema near you, definitely check it out. Its a film of small moments, but the final section (Winter - the film is broken up by season chapter marks) is incredibly, quietly moving.

Expect to see a lot of noms for this over the next few months, if not at the Oscars, certainly the BAFTAs. Especially for Lesley Manville, who has the "big" character of the film, even if she's not the centre.

[BillyG]

I love MI3. I can watch it anytime it is on.

Scott Pilgrim. Best BD out there, bar none. Still brilliant, but I can see where Rob is coming from with it sagging a bit. The Lucas Lee/Todd fights just aren't as snappy, maybe? Both once it gets past Todd it's kicking again. Thomas Jane and Clifton Collins - still great.

[Matt]

Tried watching 'Alien: Resurrection' last night for the first time in probably 7 years. It's even worse than I remember it, mainly because of the tone. An Alien movie should not be playful...it should not be full of 'funny' quips that don't advance character or story. 'Aliens' was funny because of the characters...the humor was incidental, never forced. A:R feels like it's populated with people from 'Jersey Shore', all trying to out cute each other. The Whedon approach to character and dialog is flat out WRONG.

This worked for 'Serenity', because THAT was the tone of the film. Sardonic, sarcastic, and irreverent.

[Timothy225]

But... but, it's got Michael Wincott!

Ah, the best sequel was Aliens, bar none, and I wish to hell we'd have gotten a revisit to the Colonial Marines, especially when they started making the Aliens vs. Predator flicks.