I don't recall seeing one positive review of The Da Vinci Code. Which is why I didn't insist on seeing it as soon as it got out either. People have been trashing the story left and right, but I have to say I love this movie. The story (for the purpose of a movie anyway) is 'good enough', but beyond that it's such a cool theme, cool effects, lots of French and Latin, not too many obvious revelations. And Sophie, elle est trés sympa ;)

I had this imagine in my head of what the movie would be, and it isn't that at all. I can't quite say what it is that draws me to it, but watching it I felt like I was in a very special atmosphere, thoroughly enjoying the events rather than wanting to pick them apart. What I also found satisfying in the plot was that there literally was noone trustworthy, which makes a lot of sense. The historical references were cool and well placed.

Not forgetting the one very important factor contributing to this wonderful experience - the score. I've already heard it forwards and backwards basically, but to hear it in the movie is greatly satisfying, especially in the culmination point where we are treated to Chevaliers de Sangreal, a masterpiece. :star:

I haven't been to that many plays and I could probably enumerate the really good plays I've seen on the fingers of one hand. Because even though the theatre is a big thing, a lot of the stuff being played there is very mediocre. But, there are good plays from time to time. The problem is that the form of putting them on is terribly outdated. I mean that whole thing where the actor talks to the audience and "noone can hear him"? Noone is buying that. The theatre doesn't have the possibilities that movies have.

Which is precisely why taking a good play and making a movie of it can really bring out the bright points of that play. Like in the case of Six degrees of separation. I can imagine what it looks like on stage, which is why I like the movie all the more. The strongest point is that the plot is very good. Without trying to give anything away, the plot is very unclear and unexpected. It doesn't make you guess what's coming, you don't feel compelled to. And there's no way to know either.

It is a bit of a cliché on rich people living hollow lives and having all kinds of petty problems, but it has enough depth to not make that aspect be anymore than a secondary concern. The story is what drives it forward, and it is complex enough to fill 2 hours without boring you at all. The characters are 'tasteful' - vivid enough to be palpable, but subtle enough to not make you get sick of them. (This is something I get in theatres a lot - characters that are so dominating that their depth is exhausted long before the play breaks 30 minutes, and if they are annoying too, well..)

Luc Besson strikes again. The guy has a passion for stunts and martial arts, but this movie from 2004 is far better than the Transporters and doesn't make the slightest effort to be funny or charming, in stark contrast to the Taxis. It is a far more focused effort - focused on long, intense action sequences that stir your imagination.

How often do you see a truly violent movie that ends in a morality tale saying that violence is not the solution to our problems? If you can stand to ignore your instincts for a tight plot, solid casting and a proper escalation of the story, there is a chance you may really enjoy Banlieue 13. The mass killing scenes do get tedious at times, but the movie features some ground breaking stunts, based on parkour, the discipline of running at and jumping over urban obstacles at a high pace. It is a sight to behold, especially considering that most of these scenes were made without any kind of technical aid. So much cooler than yet another car chase.

Then, of course, comes the added benefit of bragging rights for watching classy European cinema "a film, is what it is", rather than the same old Hollywood productions remade over and over. :D Until your friends see it and call your bluff, that is. ;)

Don't you just love it when a movie doesn't even give you the slightest hope that it's gonna be anything other than completely sucky? :D Honesty, I like that. This movie is everything but pretentious. The story is complete crap and for some reason they hired a total hillbilly to play the lead, without even bothering to draw up a plot for his life. If you liked the first two, you should know this one is by far the worst. If you liked Need for speed: Underground, you'll like the fact that they've brought even more stuff from the game into the movie - the race track with obstacles, car damage (driving is extremely reckless this time) and above all drifting.

What I would love to see is someone actually doing the drift out of the parking garage that we see in the movie. :cool:

That's right, I'm talking about The Postman. No, not Karl Malone, it's a Kevin Costner flick. There's a wealth of things to pick at, so let's get cracking. First of all, Kevkev is known to play these loner types who never say a word and this occasion is no exception. But rarely is the main character of any story, the hero of the story, as dim as he is this time. I mean usually, even if most of the supporting cast are just dumb people, at least the hero is smart and clever. Well Kevin can barely pass for that. So he stumbles across a mailvan and he turns up to this godforsaken town with mail as an excuse to be let inside and fed. And magically the people (like I said they're dumb in this movie) start believing the bs he tells them just to get by. There's one really eager guy with no purpose in life who would just love to be a mailman. He's sworn in and then it all goes from there.

Here's a thought, if all they have is raggeed clothing, barely edible food and basically 19th century life, how did they produce that sound clip played around the campfire? That's right, we see two accoustic guitars, but there's a nice bass sound as well, so where's the amplifier?

Anyway so this one chicks digs him right, and then she's carrying his child and they are chased by the forces of evil (that's not a metaphor, it's real) and they escape and camp out in this cabin in the woods. But he's shot so she takes care of him and now she's the heroine, fixes up the cabin, hunts down food to feed him and he's just on the couch with his feet up. Then she goes out in the snow (blister I should say) to check out the stream and suddenly she trips and the stream is taking her down and she screams and Kevie runs out to rescue her. Aha, you *can* walk you lazy mofo, but he did rescue her so it's a warm and touchy moment. *tear*

Even though the movie is almost 3 hours long, there is no proper introduction to the story. How the hell did we end up in this world? Off imdb we learn that war wiped out everything and it's 2013, futuristic apocalyptic scenario. So there is this army, but they're not fighting anyone, they're just terrorizing people in these little towns. Then they mention Europe, what about Europe? What about it, we never find out anything. Or even the rest of the country. Clearly, they didn't give this whole New World Order thing too much thought. It's kinda "Waterworld" on land.

But wait, there's more. After a bloodbath, Kevie gets a letter from the president he made up, President Sparky in Minneapolis. Yes, that's right, Sparky. The "letter" orders them to disband the fictional postal service they created.

Then studly plays the "that's my child" card with the chick to get her to go with him to "St. Rose", which may or may not be the name of a place in a Shakespeare story.

Aye aye, plot thickens, there's a postal service in California and they didn't start this one. And then out of nowhere they start recruiting and suddenly the post office has an army, imagine that. Here's the Civil War all over again. But no, the general has an ace up his sleeve, the deputy postman as prisoner. Aye, but the dimwit postman used to be in the general's army before he escaped and according to the rules of the army, he can challenge the leader in a pissing contest. Finally everyone who had told him "you're smarter than you look" is validated, he was just playing dumb. Cue in some greco-roman wrestling starring the two valiant opponents and eventually the postman wipes the floor with the copy machine salesman (what a great moment for postmen everywhere, when's the last time the mailman won at anything?). Then he announces there's no more war, peace from now on. Yay, let's kickstart this pathetic civilization shall we.

Last scene. It's suddenly 30 years into the future and his daughter is delivering a speech about her heroic dad to a very small group of people (considering he saved the world and all that) in a little bay that looks surprisingly much like 2001, with houses and yachts in place.

But wait, what about Europe? Oh the hell with it.