What Movie Did You Just Watch

[Foggle]

My favorite Universal monster movie is Bud Abbott & Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein.

That film is comedic perfection.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I don't like all of the time he uses it later on. There's nothing special to the audience about something you've already seen too much before. We already know that it gives off a hypnotic effect when he does it, and it makes sense for him to use it on Renfield, who he needs to bend to his will for plot based reasons. Later on it just feels like recycled footage, though....mostly because it is the same shot just used over again, so saying that it somehow looks better later on doesn't make sense since there's nothing different about it, literally.

[talonmalon333]

I'm not saying it's better later on. I just think it's better kept till once he's properly introduced in the castle, when he uses it on Renfield. Anytime after that whole scene though, I can certainly see where you're coming from.

[Avaitor]

But seriously, if you guys haven't seen Machete or Machete Kills yet, you have to fix that. Immediately.

[LumRanmaYasha]

Last saturday I saw Gravity. Visually, it was fantastic, but the story was a little contrived at parts, although it was genuinely intense and emotional as well. I'd say it deserves the 97% ratings it has on Rotten Tomatoes, overall.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Aside from The Host, Godzilla: Final Wars is another great blend of monster movie mayhem with some great campy-ass fun (that is obviously intentional in this case). It got plenty of laughs out of me, and the bad-ass moments felt legitimately bad-ass, despite  how over-the-top and cheesy they were (which was pretty much intentional, anyways).

Speaking of Godzilla, I'm really bummed that Netflix doesn't have the original film. I watched the edited American version when I was a little kid and barely remember it, but I really want to watch the classic itself in its original, unaltered form.

I'm also interested in seeing both Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters (which I heard was basically the "original" Final Wars type scenario) and Godzilla 1985 (which I heard was a great reboot that brought the series back to its darker roots).

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I just watched "Gojira" today. Aside from the obviously crude and dated special effects, as well as some cheesy overacting from some of the supporting cast, the film holds up quite well. I find Serizawa to be a particularly interesting character with the whole moral dilemma that he brings up in wanting to avoid the use of his Oxygen Destroyer. Really, that's this films major strength: Its about the characters and how they react to the horror unfolding before them. In this first film, at least, Godzilla is merely just a metphor to sum up the issues of nuclear warfare that were very relevant to Japan (and arguably the rest of the world) at the time.

Anyways, now to watch the bastardized (but still admittedly entertaining) American version of the film, which I pretty much consider to be a completely different movie for just how freaking different it feels.

Also, I watched the Japanese version on Hulu, whereas Netflix has King of the Monsters, so it figures that one source would have what the other one was missing, and vice versa.

[talonmalon333]

I just watched "Gojira" today. Aside from the obviously crude and dated special effects, as well as some cheesy overacting from some of the supporting cast, the film holds up quite well. I find Serizawa to be a particularly interesting character with the whole moral dilemma that he brings up in wanting to avoid the use of his Oxygen Destroyer. Really, that's this films major strength: Its about the characters and how they react to the horror unfolding before them. In this first film, at least, Godzilla is merely just a metphor to sum up the issues of nuclear warfare that were very relevant to Japan (and arguably the rest of the world) at the time.

I don't remember all of the special effects. But I do think Godzilla himself looks great still (not saying that's what you're referring to though, I don't know). I really like how the movie treats itself completely seriously and acts like it's a real disaster. I think that's one of the reasons I'm a bit resentful of watching many of the sequels. They present Godzilla as some type of hero who fights other bad monsters, and many of the movies seem to do so in a really cheesy manner. Course, I haven't seen any of these sequels. But from watching James Rolfe's Godzillathon, I do get a vibe from them that doesn't interest me as Godzilla films.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I don't remember all of the special effects. But I do think Godzilla himself looks great still (not saying that's what you're referring to though, I don't know). I really like how the movie treats itself completely seriously and acts like it's a real disaster. I think that's one of the reasons I'm a bit resentful of watching many of the sequels. They present Godzilla as some type of hero who fights other bad monsters, and many of the movies seem to do so in a really cheesy manner. Course, I haven't seen any of these sequels. But from watching James Rolfe's Godzillathon, I do get a vibe from them that doesn't interest me as Godzilla films.

The shots of his silhouette look great, and when you only seep parts of his body up close, the crude design of the costume actually helps make him look legitimately more intimidating. That said, whenever you see close-ups of his full body, or specifically his face, in the film, it just looks rather goofy. Thankfully that doesn't happen a lot, though, as I'm sure the producers and director were well aware that they really could only show limited amounts of the monster in order to keep it legitimately terrifying for audiences at the time, otherwise people would be able to scrutinize the costume if it was exposed too much in the film, and then they would be able to pick apart all of its problems.

As or the sequels, I've only ever seen a few of them, but most of them are intentionally campy, and were more marketed towards kids. I can't pretend like I'd enjoy most of those, but I did enjoy the last Godzilla film to be made, Final Wars, and I'd like to watch Destroy All Monsters someday, as I've heard that film is incredibly entertaining.

Also, have you seen Godzilla 1985, Talon? It's a reboot of the franchise which was meant to take the series back to its darker routes, even though its own sequels got campy again, and I've heard from some people that it's a pretty good entry in the franchise for those who preferred the style of the original film.

[talonmalon333]

The shots of his silhouette look great, and when you only seep parts of his body up close, the crude design of the costume actually helps make him look legitimately more intimidating. That said, whenever you see close-ups of his full body, or specifically his face, in the film, it just looks rather goofy. Thankfully that doesn't happen a lot, though, as I'm sure the producers and director were well aware that they really could only show limited amounts of the monster in order to keep it legitimately terrifying for audiences at the time, otherwise people would be able to scrutinize the costume if it was exposed too much in the film, and then they would be able to pick apart all of its problems.

It's been a while since I've seen it, so you're probably right about those certain shots. I hear the sequels didn't do as well a job of making him look fierce, though, and that he looks more cheap in them.

As or the sequels, I've only ever seen a few of them, but most of them are intentionally campy, and were more marketed towards kids. I can't pretend like I'd enjoy most of those, but I did enjoy the last Godzilla film to be made, Final Wars, and I'd like to watch Destroy All Monsters someday, as I've heard that film is incredibly entertaining.

Those are the movies where all of the monsters come together, right (for Destroy All Monsters' sake, all of the monsters as of that movie's release)? If so, then I do agree that they actually look very entertaining.

Also, have you seen Godzilla 1985, Talon? It's a reboot of the franchise which was meant to take the series back to its darker routes, even though its own sequels got campy again, and I've heard from some people that it's a pretty good entry in the franchise for those who preferred the style of the original film.

I haven't seen that one yet but I am interested in it. In my last post, I made a careful effort to say I'm resenting of seeing "many" of the sequels, rather than saying I want to avoid all of them. The 1985 movie is definitely not one of those sequels I'd avoid.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Well, the 1985 movie isn't a sequel to begin with, as far as I know. It's a complete series reboot.

And, yes, Destroy All Monsters is where all of the Toho giant monsters come together, and eventually end up kicking alien ass. If you stop to think about it, this movie is essentially The Avengers of giant monster movies, what with it taking different giant monsters who own had their own movie series' and having them all team up together in one feature-film. Hell, both movies even involve an alien attack of some sort!

[Spark Of Spirit]

They added Gone Baby Gone to Netflix here so I'm watching it again.

I still think it's phenomenal.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Eh, I saw the movie in theaters and was bored out of my mind. I never really got the appeal, but I'm in the minority on that, anyways.

As far as Ben Affleck directed movies go, I found The Town to be an improvement, and I thought that Argo was amazing, so I can acknowledge that the guy has talent as a director.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Finished it up and I still like it as much as the first time I've seen it. I still need to see 'The Town', but from this I'd have to say he's pretty underrated as a director.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Finished it up and I still like it as much as the first time I've seen it. I still need to see 'The Town', but from this I'd have to say he's pretty underrated as a director.

Underrated? All 3 of his films so far (unless he's directed more that I don't know about) have gotten positive reviews from critics, and Argo won Best Picture during this year's Academy Awards. I'd say he gets plenty of recognition, myself.