It's Back: Exceelent Movies I've Seen Lately

[bryanbutler]

agree with johnny on Hobbit 2. i'm a huge tolkein fan, and liked the LOTR movies (well, the extended versions), but the two hobbit movies have been pretty bad. the actual book is so short they could have probably fit most of it into a single movie - certainly an extended version. instead they've added a bunch of crap and stretched it out so much that it feels like "butter scraped over too much bread." sigh.

[Fresno Bob]

Seems like there's a lot of possibly good movies out right now, we'll probably only get to see 1 of them, so any feedback would be appreciated. I had Hobbit 2 on this list but I thought the first one was awful and it sounds like the 2nd one is just as bad.

Anchorman 2 - preview clips have been mixed
American Hustle - great cast but sounds like the script is too sterile
Nebraska - Alexander Payne hasn't penned a bad movie yet, and he went to my high school
Her - Spike Jonze wrote & directed, and I think Joaquin Phoenix is extremely underrated
Wolf of Wall St - Scorcese and DiCaprio and the sociopathy of Wall St, could be great or awful
Inside Llewyn Davis - Coen Brothers are usually excellent and this one is getting great reviews

I'll see all of these except Anchorman 2, but I'll wait to see them at home

[johnnya24]

agree with johnny on Hobbit 2. i'm a huge tolkein fan, and liked the LOTR movies (well, the extended versions), but the two hobbit movies have been pretty bad. the actual book is so short they could have probably fit most of it into a single movie - certainly an extended version. instead they've added a bunch of crap and stretched it out so much that it feels like "butter scraped over too much bread." sigh.

Even the basics like the SFX are horrible and fake looking. Temple Run has a better plot line and better special effects.

[johnnya24]

The Place Beyond The Pines - I'm not sure if it's a good movie, a great movie, or a good movie that could have been a great movie. For a start it's too long (2 1/2 hours). Maybe it wasn't so much the length that was the problem, as the structure. I didn't realize it was that long, and as I felt the movie was coming to a climax, it started up again ... which was a little frustrating. In fact there were still 2 parts to come. I probably need to watch it again sometime to really gauge it. The acting and direction are great, and the pace isn't slow ... but there is just too much movie IMO (or they needed to structure it better). It's the kind of exposition that would be better off in mini/cable-series format (but how to you get an A-list cast like this for one those?). To say anything specific about the movie gives it away, so judge for yourself. It worth watching for sure.

[johnnya24]

Seems like there's a lot of possibly good movies out right now, we'll probably only get to see 1 of them, so any feedback would be appreciated. I had Hobbit 2 on this list but I thought the first one was awful and it sounds like the 2nd one is just as bad.

Anchorman 2 - preview clips have been mixed
American Hustle - great cast but sounds like the script is too sterile
Nebraska - Alexander Payne hasn't penned a bad movie yet, and he went to my high school
Her - Spike Jonze wrote & directed, and I think Joaquin Phoenix is extremely underrated
Wolf of Wall St - Scorcese and DiCaprio and the sociopathy of Wall St, could be great or awful
Inside Llewyn Davis - Coen Brothers are usually excellent and this one is getting great reviews

Looking forward to all of those. The original Anchorman actually isn't as good as people tend to remember, but the characters and certain sketches are great.

I might have missed my chance to see Nebraska in the cinema. With that in mind, Inside Llewyn Davis is out now, so I better see it this week.

Is Joaquin Phoenix underrated? He has been getting rave reviews for years now. 4 or 5 Oscar nominations, and surely another this year (if Her reviews are to be believed). His performance in The Master should have won him an Oscar. That was spellbinding. Unfortunately Daniel Day Lewis decided to do his thing in a very oscary role (Lincoln).

[DMT]

Is Joaquin Phoenix underrated? He has been getting rave reviews for years now. 4 or 5 Oscar nominations, and surely another this year (if Her reviews are to be believed). His performance in The Master should have won him an Oscar. That was spellbinding. Unfortunately Daniel Day Lewis decided to do his thing in a very oscary role (Lincoln).

Apparently not. I didn't realize he'd been nominated 4x and I was quite certain (and wrong) that he hadn't been nominated for Walk the Line, because I recall thinking how ridiculous it was that Reese Witherspoon was getting more accolades when he was just as good, if not better.

[johnnya24]

Apparently not. I didn't realize he'd been nominated 4x and I was quite certain (and wrong) that he hadn't been nominated for Walk the Line, because I recall thinking how ridiculous it was that Reese Witherspoon was getting more accolades when he was just as good, if not better.

Unheralded might be a better description rather than underrated? Did you see The Master? 2 1/2 hours, but I was totally engrossed the whole time, and glad I saw it on the big screen. The last "long" movie I can say the same thing about was was There Will Be Blood.

[johnnya24]

A movie I saw recently that was elevated because of another masterful actor:

Don Jon - good movie, and made a little better because of a brilliant cameo from Julianne Moore. She is amazing.

[Fresno Bob]

Evangeline Lilly is one smoking hot elf

[DMT]

Unheralded might be a better description rather than underrated? Did you see The Master? 2 1/2 hours, but I was totally engrossed the whole time, and glad I saw it on the big screen. The last "long" movie I can say the same thing about was was There Will Be Blood.

Yea, probably a better descriptor, and I also saw it in the theater and agree, didn't seem nearly that long.

[revo]

The Place Beyond The Pines - I'm not sure if it's a good movie, a great movie, or a good movie that could have been a great movie. For a start it's too long (2 1/2 hours). Maybe it wasn't so much the length that was the problem, as the structure. I didn't realize it was that long, and as I felt the movie was coming to a climax, it started up again ... which was a little frustrating. In fact there were still 2 parts to come. I probably need to watch it again sometime to really gauge it. The acting and direction are great, and the pace isn't slow ... but there is just too much movie IMO (or they needed to structure it better). It's the kind of exposition that would be better off in mini/cable-series format (but how to you get an A-list cast like this for one those?). To say anything specific about the movie gives it away, so judge for yourself. It worth watching for sure.

Totally agree. You think the movie's over and it's literally just starting again.


I saw Man of Steel last night, and thoroughly enjoyed it until the last two scenes. In one, Superman and Zod are having an epic bout that takes them all over Metropolis as well as outer space, and somehow -- somehow- Lois Lane manages to see the climax to it by finding and somehow getting to the right building. In a city devastated by these attackers. Within a few minutes. And then she seemingly doesn't recognize him one he puts his glasses on -- a trick that may have been fine for 1950s audiences, but is laughable today.

[johnnya24]

Totally agree. You think the movie's over and it's literally just starting again.

I was thinking about it after I posted that ... it would have made a great trilogy of movies, and for not much extra in production costs.

Spoiler!

I get the impression they extended the Ryan Gosling part, because it's Ryan Gosling ... and that left so much unanswered stuff in the second part, and then not much time for the 3rd act. The Bradley Cooper section had so much exposition missing: his relationship with the police department after he turned them in; his relationship with the DA he basically blackmailed him (and the DA knew his story was bogus); his character ... blackmailing the DA after his attempt to use his fame to get a Lieutenant position failed; his "murder / unlawful killing" of the suspect; his weird relationship with his father.

Then the last part was just rushed, and those two young guys can seriously act.

Would have been an excellent trilogy. I'd have paid to see all 3 acts.

[heyelander]

hated place beyond the pines... hated everyone of the characters. Maybe if it had been three parts and they developed them all better, maybe it's a better movie, but the way it was, hated it.

[johnnya24]

hated place beyond the pines... hated everyone of the characters. Maybe if it had been three parts and they developed them all better, maybe it's a better movie, but the way it was, hated it.

So are you saying you didn't like the movie? It's not 100% clear.

[heyelander]

So are you saying you didn't like the movie? It's not 100% clear.

eh... not so much.