Obligatory Movie Thread(Kingdom of Heaven)

[ahoythematey]

Just saw Kingdom of Heaven.  I really liked it, particularly how a great deal of it plays out in a subdued tone.  Kind of reminded me of The Razor's Edge and a little of Seven Years in Tibet.

I'm sure a lot of people will hate it, and I don't give a shit.  It felt nice to see Jeremy Irons playing a non-shit role once again.

The attached trailer for Legend of Zorro was okay, although excessively cookie-cutter.  Hopefully the movie won't suck.

[Daydreamer]

Great cinematography as always (the moonlight scene with the Muslim army and the big daylight scene of the first Jerusalem army in particular).  Battle scenes still a wee bit jakey.  Pacing could have used some work though, but I'm told that is due to an hour of cut footage.  And despite a horrible track record (see Blade Runner) a recut version might be worth seeing.

I'd give it an 8/10
(compared to Gladiator's 8.5 and BR's 9.5 IMHO)

footnote: Orlando Bloom can act?!?!?

[Llava]

My brother liked it.  Personally, I'm really sick of the EPIC WAR MOVIE, but I might watch this one on DVD.

[ahoythematey]

It is fairly epic, but it's hard to really call it a war movie, or at least I thought so.

[Murgos]

And despite a horrible track record (see Blade Runner) a recut version might be worth seeing.

It's always nice when people let me know ahead of time to discount thier opinions.

[schild]

And despite a horrible track record (see Blade Runner) a recut version might be worth seeing.

It's always nice when people let me know ahead of time to discount thier opinions.

I think he was saying the recut Blade Runner was better than the original, hence a recut Kingdom of Heaven would be better than the original.

Or maybe he's frothing.

[MrHat]

I also rather liked it.  At least, liked it enough to not want my 17 bucks back.

My only issue is that everytime Orlando talks, I want to kill a smurf.

Some other actor, and the movie would've been 3x better.

There were also some un-neccessary scenes that left me saying why, but whatever.

I enjoyed it.  I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

[schild]

I, too, hate Orlando Bloom. For some reason up until like 2 weeks ago, I thought Heath Ledger was the lead. And now I wish he was. The theater I parttime at might be getting it soon. I'll see it then.

Next week we get the Interpreter. I'd rather pass a rosebush through my peehole. Fucking Sean Penn.

Edit: Apologies for saying Peehole. And before anyone asks - I've no clue why I hate Orlando Bloom, but his on screen presence makes me stabby. Other Actors that do this: Kiefer Sutherland (yes, even sometimes during 24), Katie Holmes, Tara Reid, ..Madonna, any singer turned actress, and any of the Baldwins (outside of GGGR).

[MrHat]

I, too, hate Orlando Bloom. For some reason up until like 2 weeks ago, I thought Heath Ledger was the lead. And now I wish he was. The theater I parttime at might be getting it soon. I'll see it then.

Next week we get the Interpreter. I'd rather pass a rosebush through my peehole. Fucking Sean Penn.

Ah, nice pick for the lead Schild.  Think he would've been better.  I wanted Clive, but I always do.

[schild]

Heath Ledger impressed the shit out of me in Knight's Tale and 10 Things I hate about you. The guy can go from deadpan to utter silliness in the blink of an eye. Not many people today can do that. Except Johnny Depp. Oh and Clive Owen. He can do anything.

[MrHat]

Heath Ledger impressed the shit out of me in Knight's Tale and 10 Things I hate about you. The guy can go from deadpan to utter silliness in the blink of an eye. Not many people today can do that. Except Johnny Depp. Oh and Clive Owen. He can do anything.

We should turn F13.net into a Clive Fan Club.

[schild]

OMG, you're right. That would be the best.

Wait...

No.

[Shockeye]

Heath Ledger impressed the shit out of me in Knight's Tale and 10 Things I hate about you. The guy can go from deadpan to utter silliness in the blink of an eye. Not many people today can do that. Except Johnny Depp. Oh and Clive Owen. He can do anything.

Only person I really liked in that movie was Paul Bettany as Chaucer.

[schild]

Well yes, he was the best actor in the movie. Just as he was better than Crowe in A Beautiful Mind. My point was that Heath was better than Orlando. Which you ignored. That makes me sad. Mostly because I'm tired but instead of sleeping I'm responding to this thread. Stupid Clive Owen. Stupid Stupid Stupid.

[Shockeye]

My point was that Heath was better than Orlando. Which you ignored. That makes me sad. Mostly because I'm tired but instead of sleeping I'm responding to this thread. Stupid Clive Owen. Stupid Stupid Stupid.

I dunno about that. "The Patriot" really hurts Heath's cause.

[MrHat]

Props for the Arabs actually being Arabs.

But a big thumbs down for making them talk english to each other (although they were all from different places so the arabic would have been very very wrong, hell the guy who played Saladin (Ghassan Massoud) was Iranian, which isn't even arab).

Edit: Oh shit, haha, I thought that one guy was Norton, but wasn't sure.  Awesome.

[schild]

I dunno about that. "The Patriot" really hurts Heath's cause.

No, it doesn't. Just like Patriot doesn't make me like Braveheart any less.

[ahoythematey]

I suppose I'm the only person here that doesn't hate Orlando or think he's a particularly bad actor.  Not saying he's a great actor, mind you.

[stray]

I don't particularly dislike him....But in a world where every other current British actor and actress seems to be able to pull off flawless American accents (and others as well), I kind of wonder why he's so one dimensional. That he can't do them makes me think that he can't do much else either.

Not that I think doing accents are hard or even essential to what acting is. Some of the greatest actors can't do them or don't bother with them. It's just that it's a tell tale sign for a young British actor particularly.

And even if he's just choosing to be the "British Guy", he still doesn't have any other angle to work with. He's really dull. Handsome maybe. But dull.

There are other actors who remain "British" all the time, of course, but they can also do something else besides that. At least Hugh Grant can be "funny". At least Terrence Stamp can be "cold". At least Sean Bean can be "menacing". At least Jeremy Irons can be "pompous". What exactly can Bloom do? He's just the token "British" guy, with nothing else.

If anything, all he can do is look "worried" (y'know, that look where his eyes widen and his eyebrows kind of sink?).

EDIT: Hmm....Just so you know: I haven't put as much thought into it as it would seem. I'm just....Bored.

[Pococurante]

EDIT: Hmm....Just so you know: I haven't put as much thought into it as it would seem. I'm just....Bored.

Ah... just Stray thoughts then neh?

[Ironwood]

Battle scenes still a wee bit jakey. 

Heh.  Define please.

[Daeven]

I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

It's a great fantasy epic involving real place names and quasi-historical figures. If you want real history then don't bother.

[HaemishM]

I dunno about that. "The Patriot" really hurts Heath's cause.

No, it doesn't. Just like Patriot doesn't make me like Braveheart any less.

Try watching "Teh Order." Yes, I like Heath Ledger, but fuck, that movie sucked it big time. And he couldn't help it.

I don't mind Bloom. He's not a great actor, but as long as he doesn't fuck it up, I'm ok with him. He just happens to be this decade's Leo.

[WayAbvPar]

He hasn't done a turd like Titanic yet. That set me up for a solid decade of Leo hate. If Bloom has done something that twatty, I haven't seen it yet.

[MrHat]

I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

It's a great fantasy epic involving real place names and quasi-historical figures. If you want real history then don't bother.

I'm sorry.  I was pretty sure that's what historical fiction was.

[WayAbvPar]

I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

It's a great fantasy epic involving real place names and quasi-historical figures. If you want real history then don't bother.

I'm sorry.  I was pretty sure that's what historical fiction was.

Hehe.

[stray]

Umm...Leo did Basketball Diaries, Gilbert Grape, and This Boy's Life. He stole the show from Johnny Depp of all people. Bloom didn't.

[schild]

Leo didn't steal any show from Johnny Depp. But he's certainly better than Bloom. Maybe, in a vacuum his performance in Titanic wasn't bad. But the movie that surrounded it and the script. Omfg, horrible.

[RhyssaFireheart]

At least Sean Bean can be "menacing".

He's free to menace me anytime he likes. 

No, I have nothing else to contribute to this thread.

Just saying is all.

[Strazos]

If this movie is anything like Troy, my Hate will be unfathomably great.

[Daydreamer]

Battle scenes still a wee bit jakey. 

Heh.  Define please.

Sorry, my own personal slang that means sort of a mixture of jerky and shakey.  A poorly filmed scene is shakey, but a good one can jerk the camera in tune to the action (most good anime does this because its easy to change the art to accomodate it, but its tough in live action).  Or you can cop out like Jackie Chan does and use long shots so everyone can see exactly who you are and what you are doing.  Kingdom of Heaven is jakey because its borderline - the costumes and choreography are good yet mostly realistic, and they try to pull of active camera work, but don't quite make it.

Or I could just be rationalizing my dislike of American rip-offs of Asian martial art flicks, so take that with a grain of salt.

[UD_Delt]

I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

It's a great fantasy epic involving real place names and quasi-historical figures. If you want real history then don't bother.

I'm sorry.  I was pretty sure that's what historical fiction was.

If this ruins the movie for anyone who still may need to see it then don't answer...

What group is the hero of the movie? Is it the Christians off slaughtering the muslims because muslims are evil? Or is it the Muslims who are fighting back against the Christians who are off on a land-grab. Or is the history of the crusades signifiicanlty altered to make it not seem like an embarrasing/evil time of the church.

It seems like it would be hard to make a movie about the crusades right now. I don't see that a lot of people would want to cheer for the muslims and the christians were not slaughtering them for any noble (movie-worthy) cause. Either way you do it would seem to either fuel anti-muslim or anti-christian sentiment.

[MrHat]

I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

It's a great fantasy epic involving real place names and quasi-historical figures. If you want real history then don't bother.

I'm sorry.  I was pretty sure that's what historical fiction was.

If this ruins the movie for anyone who still may need to see it then don't answer...

What group is the hero of the movie?

The villan is God.

[Pococurante]

What group is the hero of the movie? Is it the Christians off slaughtering the muslims because muslims are evil? Or is it the Muslims who are fighting back against the Christians who are off on a land-grab. Or is the history of the crusades signifiicanlty altered to make it not seem like an embarrasing/evil time of the church.

What often gets lost in the noise is that the worst losers were the non-Muslims already there.  And of that group they were mainly Christians - just the "wrong" kind.

[Strazos]

I've been told that in the Near East, people, to this day, still argue and feel resentment over the Crusades.