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Lotna - Andrzej Wajda

Suspicion - Alfred Hitchcock

City on Fire - Ringo Lam

Road to Perdition - Sam Mendes

[others I don't remember]

Well I haven't seen 6 so I can't comment.

But it was like BTH said, 5 was a terrible adaptation AND a horrible movie. It wasn't true to the book at all.

:(

I was watching scenes of HP5 on one of the movie channels the other day. Even if I forget that I'm a fan of the novels, that movie makes me want to puke. Definitely one of my least favourite movies. I don't even believe that the sixth one could be worse, although there is more quality there to ruin.

I just began a re-read of the final three novels. I should disown the 5th and just act like the final two books make up the entire Harry Potter series.

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The last few books aren't that good, creatively anyway.

The first few are pretty good but starting with the 4th book, it becomes your standard good vs evil story. Any enjoyment a HP like myself gets out of them comes from a long-running emotional attachment to the characters. By the time the 7th book came out, I'd been involved with the HP universe for literally half my life.

If you start reading the 5th or 6th or whatever book as a stand-alone book without any prior knowledge of the universe, it's extremely average. And thats coming from someone whos favourite is the 5th.

And all 7 are still leagues ahead of the Twilight series. (had to throw that in there, stupid debates are popping up :P)

One thing I gotta give credit to the film franchise those is it's casting. It's a who's who of amazing British talent. Plus they've added Bill Nighy to the next two movies (he's playing Scrimgeour). They just need to add like, Liam Neeson and Kate Winslet and they've got everybody.

(I really wanted Keira Knightley to play Tonks even before I was done reading the 5th book :()

The 6th one I can being a good movie but a shitty adapation. So third parties (like these critics) will love it but HP fans who know everything about everything get pissed at the little things that get changed.

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I don't even read the books before OotP. There was no running plot prior to that book, each one was just a book about Harry's latest adventures.

There was no reason to be emotionally attached to the characters before that book. Even in the 5th one, Harry's a little bitch, Hermione and Ron are annoying, Umbridge deserves death, etc... and absolutely nothing happens plot-wise. The only necessary part of the whole book is the ending where we find out about the prophecy.

But - it sets up the final two books very well, and it develops the relationship within the trio, makes us emotionally invested in the right people (Lupin, Tonks, McGonagall, Sirius, Luna, Neville, ...) and does other stuff like that that make us ready for the real Harry Potter vs Lord Voldemort story.

The first three or four books are cheesy adventure stories for kids, but that older people could also enjoy. The final books are for an older audience, but that kids could also enjoy.

HP is and has always been a good and evil story. Same as LOTR, SW and countless other great stories. What prevents it from being standard/average is the fact that

1) We ARE totally invested in the characters and are totally knowledgeable about JKR's world.

2) There are plenty of loose ends that need to be resolved going into the last book. Loose ends that date back to things that happened in the opening pages of the series.

3) Snape!

4) JKR's sense of humour (beats every other fantasy writer I know of, except, perhaps, Martin)

5) JKR's story-telling abilities.

& so on...

Her writing also became significantly better with each book.

They are not masterpieces of literature, so they are average in the same way that "great" movies of today, like Slumdog Millionaire, are average if you're comparing them to past works that blow it, and movies miles better than it, out of the water. Still, they're solid books and contain far more depth than the first four (or even five, since the fifth one is a bit of a mess).

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I got a note on e-mail today saying that the movie I ordered the other day is due to be delivered most likely tomorrow. So this time tomorrow I may be watching The Rocket. :)

I'm excited. :) :hlogo:

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I got a note on e-mail today saying that the movie I ordered the other day is due to be delivered most likely tomorrow. So this time tomorrow I may be watching The Rocket. :)

I'm excited. :) :hlogo:

Decent movie, but has major gaps in the story. Oh, and zero focus on anyone else (to the point that you don't even hear Beliveau mentioned more then once.) and really never realize he has a little brother .....who was not too shabby himself ;)

Edited by Habitforming
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Bored people should watch the Jennifer's Body trailer (upcoming Megan Fox movie).

It's gonna suck and I'm gonna enjoy every second of it. Some guy asked her to make a sex tape with him at the panel for it at Comic-Con (or maybe it was for Jonah Hex, I'm not sure)

On the topic of trailers, Tron: Legacy just had one released at Comic-Con. Gonna be sweet.

Actually instead of just mentioning stuff, I'll be helpful

Jennifer's Body: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0dq3ToOBwM

Tron: Legacy:

And for the hell of it because it's the next movie I'm looking forward to: District 9: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjihaK7HfGs

By the way, The Hurt Locker is extremely good, don't know if anyone else has seen it (I think I recall Maca seeing it on facebook). Definitely recommend it.

Edited by jetsniper
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It's gonna suck and I'm gonna enjoy every second of it. Some guy asked her to make a sex tape with him at the panel for it at Comic-Con (or maybe it was for Jonah Hex, I'm not sure)

On the topic of trailers, Tron: Legacy just had one released at Comic-Con. Gonna be sweet.

Actually instead of just mentioning stuff, I'll be helpful

Jennifer's Body: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0dq3ToOBwM

Tron: Legacy:

And for the hell of it because it's the next movie I'm looking forward to: District 9: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjihaK7HfGs

By the way, The Hurt Locker is extremely good, don't know if anyone else has seen it (I think I recall Maca seeing it on facebook). Definitely recommend it.

A guy who works with me (and who's friend with Maca on Facebook...) recommended it as well. Looks like it is not bullshit.

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agreed, although that was about a different war.

Yeah, but I tend to group all the more modern films together. Jarhead, Black Hawk Down (which rocked my rocks), Three Kings (equally good movie).

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Yeah, but I tend to group all the more modern films together. Jarhead, Black Hawk Down (which rocked my rocks), Three Kings (equally good movie).

I loved Black Hawk Down back in the days. I'd have to see it again though. I remember seing a movie with Mel Gibson and some Napalm bombing in the same time period. Was violently disgusting.

Not a huge fan of war movies. How about you guys?

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Not a huge fan of war movies. How about you guys?

I don't love them, I don't hate them.

I definitely like movies like Apocalypse Now and Platoon better than Black Hawk Down or We Were Soldiers. I'm not an American so the patriotism is lost on me. Also I'm not a fan of war so trying to glorify war and soldiers doesn't appeal to me.

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I don't love them, I don't hate them.

I definitely like movies like Apocalypse Now and Platoon better than Black Hawk Down or We Were Soldiers. I'm not an American so the patriotism is lost on me. Also I'm not a fan of war so trying to glorify war and soldiers doesn't appeal to me.

same here, not american. Platoon was awesome, you're right. I think my recent favourite "war" movie was The winds that shake the Barleys (spell). I loved it a lot.

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I don't love them, I don't hate them.

I definitely like movies like Apocalypse Now and Platoon better than Black Hawk Down or We Were Soldiers. I'm not an American so the patriotism is lost on me. Also I'm not a fan of war so trying to glorify war and soldiers doesn't appeal to me.

We Were Soldiers just wasn't that good of a movie, which was very disappointing after the fantastic war movies Gibson was coming of off, Braveheart and The Patriot. As for Black Hawk Down, I just didn't get the hype. I found myself not caring about any of the characters, thus I didn't really care what was going on. As for glorifying war, I don't really think movies do that. What they can do is glorify the positives that come out of it, i.e. the end of Nazism. I have no problem glorifying soldiers, as the majority of them are people just like me and you who find themselves in incredibly difficult positions. This is especially true in movies about older wars, where many soldiers were not there by their own choice.

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I find Second World War movies to be the best, probably because the conflict was the last truly polarized war. There was no doubt that it was a life and death struggle of good versus evil, and for the freedom of the majority of humanity. This is different then let's say, Vietnam. While certainly a struggle against what WE saw as good and evil, there truly was no good and evil in this war. While ideologies were the cause for war in Europe much like they were in Vietnam, to say Communism was the evil would be taking a fairly Western approach.

This gives those World War Two movies a greater sense of urgency, of importance, at least in my opinion. To say Vietnam or Iraq is unimportant would be a very inappropriate statement, as they are very important. But the stakes are not nearly as high as they were several decades earlier.

On the topic of WW2 movies, there are two clear standouts in my opinion. The first is Saving Private Ryan. Yes, it is a cliche. But can anyone really argue this isn't one of (if not the) greatest war film of all times? The opening scences of them hitting Omaha are among the best in film history. The movie is deep, and you really grow attached to the characters.

My second choice would be Enemy at the Gates. Once again, you get to know the young Russian sniper from the Urals. You grow attached to him, and you really get a good insight of the struggles of Stalingrad and the impossible odds Soviet soliders faced.

Edited by TheBigRedC
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I don't love them, I don't hate them.

I definitely like movies like Apocalypse Now and Platoon better than Black Hawk Down or We Were Soldiers. I'm not an American so the patriotism is lost on me. Also I'm not a fan of war so trying to glorify war and soldiers doesn't appeal to me.

My thoughts exactly

On the topic of WW2 movies, there are two clear standouts in my opinion.

In terms of recent WWII movies, you might be right. But the 60s-70s have some WW2 movies that are really good as well. Things like The Longest Day, Tora! Tora! Tora!, A Bridge Too Far. My dad is a war buff, mainly WWI and II and those are some of his favorites.

The best war anything put together was on TV though. The Band of Brothers mini-series is extremely well done.

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In terms of recent WWII movies, you might be right. But the 60s-70s have some WW2 movies that are really good as well. Things like The Longest Day, Tora! Tora! Tora!, A Bridge Too Far. My dad is a war buff, mainly WWI and II and those are some of his favorites.

The best war anything put together was on TV though. The Band of Brothers mini-series is extremely well done.

And then if we go even further back, to the 50's and early 60's, there's fantastic movies like Bridge on the River Kwai, Stalag 17, and The Great Escape.

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Longest Day was early 60s.

I can't believe I forgot about The Great Escape, thats my dads favourite movie. Although it switches between Independence Day (and more recently Iron Man) but generally when you ask him, he'll say The Great Escape.

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My thoughts exactly

In terms of recent WWII movies, you might be right. But the 60s-70s have some WW2 movies that are really good as well. Things like The Longest Day, Tora! Tora! Tora!, A Bridge Too Far. My dad is a war buff, mainly WWI and II and those are some of his favorites.

The best war anything put together was on TV though. The Band of Brothers mini-series is extremely well done.

I didn't mention BoB simply because it was TV, but yes I own them, and yes, they are excellent.

I was talking more modern movies as well. I was always a big fan of Kelly's Heroes, if we're talking about older ones. A really entertaining film.

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Tron trailer looks cool. I'm waiting for someone to make an animated drama for adults.

War movies are one of the greatest genres ever. Pretty much every decade has churned out good war movies, dating back to The Birth of a Nation (okay, depends on your definition of war movie, I guess) like 100 years ago.

Awesome war, anti-war movies:

All Quiet on the Western Front

Apocalypse Now

Three Kings

Saving Private Ryan

Platoon

Full Metal Jacket

Black Hawk Down

The Battle of Algiers

Letters From Iwo Jima

Fires in the Plain

Ran

The Deer Hunter

The Dirty Dozen

a whole bunch of epics like Spartacus, Lord of the Rings and 300.

war setting movies:

Stalag 17

Bridge on the River Kwai

Dr. Strangelove

Paths of Glory

Schindler's List

Das Boot

Gallipoli

The Pianist

Lawrence of Arabia

Downfall

Gone With the Wind

The Best Years of Our Lives

Life Is Beautiful

Barry Lyndon

The Great Escape

(classics I haven't seen: Tora! Tora! Tora!, Cross of Iron, The Longest Day, The Band of Brothers mini-series)

Shittiest war movie has to be Passchendaele.

Edited by BTH
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Tron trailer looks cool. I'm waiting for someone to make an animated drama for adults.

Up kind of comes close

Shittiest war movie has to be Passchendaele.

Flyboys was a whole lot of ass too. Had to see that for my dads birthday, my sister and I couldn't stop mocking it for months afterward.

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I find Second World War movies to be the best, probably because the conflict was the last truly polarized war. There was no doubt that it was a life and death struggle of good versus evil, and for the freedom of the majority of humanity. This is different then let's say, Vietnam. While certainly a struggle against what WE saw as good and evil, there truly was no good and evil in this war. While ideologies were the cause for war in Europe much like they were in Vietnam, to say Communism was the evil would be taking a fairly Western approach.

This gives those World War Two movies a greater sense of urgency, of importance, at least in my opinion. To say Vietnam or Iraq is unimportant would be a very inappropriate statement, as they are very important. But the stakes are not nearly as high as they were several decades earlier.

On the topic of WW2 movies, there are two clear standouts in my opinion. The first is Saving Private Ryan. Yes, it is a cliche. But can anyone really argue this isn't one of (if not the) greatest war film of all times? The opening scences of them hitting Omaha are among the best in film history. The movie is deep, and you really grow attached to the characters.

My second choice would be Enemy at the Gates. Once again, you get to know the young Russian sniper from the Urals. You grow attached to him, and you really get a good insight of the struggles of Stalingrad and the impossible odds Soviet soliders faced.

What I think was good about Saving Private Ryan was that it really showed, in a very visual way that you couldn't escape, what kind of Hell war is (or must be, I wouldn't know since I've never been in one myself).

Very good point about WWII, I totally agree.

As a matter of fact, about a year ago I think, I recorded Letters from Iwo Jima and Flags of our fathers, but I still haven't watched them. However yesterday I finally burned them to DVD discs so I could clear up space on the harddrive of my DVR. From what I understand these movies are very hyped. What I hope to see when I finally watch them some day is a different viewpoint, a new take on WWII if you get what I mean. Which is something that makes Enemy at the gates interesting - here we have a bunch of Russians who are fighting the same enemies as the Allies did, i.e. the Nazis.

I also burned Das Boot for that same reason.

Don't get me wrong, America did us Europeans a heckuva favour in WWII and during the post-war year, no doubt about that, but... well I suppose many of us have a sort of love/hate relationship with the US.

I don't know if it qualifies as a war movie, but if you should happen to be interested in seeing a movie that offers a different point of view then I can heartily the Italian 1960's movie La battaglia di Algeri, which is a movie about a couple of the people in the resistence in Algeria during the French invasion.

I love The Great Escape and Bridge on the River Kwai.

Oh and Dr. Strangelove is just in a league of its own. :lol:

Edited by Doktor Kosmos
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