DerekShooster Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Pitch Perfect 3:50PM Monday, October 1st Regal Fenway 13 & RPX Theater Capacity: 500+ (1.2% full, i.e. just 6 of us in the theater) Ticket Price: $9.00 Concessions: small popcorn, $0.00 (courtesy of Regal reward) TRAILERS: Les Miserables (extended look) - still cool, no reaction Identity Thief - this looks hilarious and awesome! Got some talking from the (weak) audience Les Miserables (teaser) - no reaction (kind of overkill) Here Comes the Boom - one girl laughed, but no reaction otherwise Beautiful Creatures - no reaction Fun Size - this looks funny, good reaction Twilight's Breaking Dawn: Part 2 - make it end already; no reaction THE FILM: First things first: yes, I have watched Glee and was (keyword *was*) a fan of it; and no, I hadn't made up my mind about the movie before walking in to see it. I think the trailers for Pitch Perfect were hilarious and effective at making this look more like a comedy and less like a musical. The movie I saw was the same as the one Universal was marketing, so for that I was happy. And the movie itself is on the right track virtually the whole way... but when it ends, I sat in my seat through the credits asking myself, "Seriously?!" Everybody knows Anna Kendrick (Becca) oozes with talent, so I won't gush over how great she was. Rebel Wilson (Fat Amy), however, was freaking hilarious and needs more work ASAP! To me the real surprise was the character Jesse played by Skylar Astin. Jesse is a character that I watched and felt like I was watching myself in a movie--not with all the singing, obviously, but just his personality (i.e. has amazing taste for movie scores and secretly wishes he produces one someday, watches movies from his dorm room with a bowl of popcorn, is kind of a dork and doesn't care, has a crush on Anna Kendrick). Even the mashup performances were great. A music-driven plot should feature great music and Pitch Perfect succeeds at this. (***This paragraph may contain light spoilers***) The negatives boiled down to two things: Anna Camp and the end of the movie. Anna Camp's character is a b*tch the whole movie, and just when you think it'll be explained why it never really is. She's kind of a stereotypical b*tchy character, except she's on the team you want to succeed... not the enemy's team. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. As for the end of the movie? I felt really let down. Becca and Jesse talk a little in the movie about how movie endings are generally predictable and all the same. What they've done screenplay-wise is created an opportunity for themselves to have Pitch Perfect end in an unpredictable, big way. But what happens? JUST WHAT YOU EXPECT! Nothing bold, risky, or really climactic happens. It's like the end just kind of happens and then the credits begin to play. I was so shocked (in a bad way) that I stuck around through the credits to see if anything else happens and something does: a single outtake of a ginger joke. That's it. WTF?! (***End spoilers***) If you like music, comedy, and attractive young people, Pitch Perfect will ultimately make you feel good. I'm just a little bitter because the movie sets itself up for an Easy A-type payoff and instead ends up with Fired Up-type mediocrity. Both are good, funny movies that I enjoy watching again and again, but only the former really hits it out of the park in a big way. Please watch the movie and tell me if you see what I mean. Experience - 15/30 Story/Writing - 7/20 Acting - 13/15 Tech Specs (Cinematography, Editing, Effects) - 8/15 Direction - 6/10 Music - 10/10 BONUS - Music-driven plot, +5 THE VERDICT: 64/100, C 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forg Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Taken 2 8 PM (advanced screening) Glorietta, Makati City, Philippines 100% full (~400 seats) Trailers: Man of Steel - some chatter Epic - laughs on the last part Great Gatsby - no reaction Trouble with a Curve - no reaction Life of Pi - some chatter (this is my first time to see the trailer in the big screen and it was lovely!) Argo - no reactions The Three Stooges - lots of laughs The Hobbit - some chatter The movie: Crowd loves Liam Neeson. During his first few scenes people were already responding well with some of his lines and how overprotective he is with his daughter and there's one setpiece involving shoelaces, a map and a grenade the brought the house down. The beginning was actually quite promising but it became a generic action flick with generic chases and action fights which is really disappointing. The final showdowns with the villains were underwhelming. Overall, it's pretty enjoyable but it's just not as fun as the first one. C+ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekShooster Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 10 Years 4:30PM Thursday, October 4th AMC Boston Common 19 & Lie-MAX Theater Capacity: <180 (6%, about 10 of us and all in our 20's by the look of it) Ticket Price: $9.00 Concessions: small Hi-C and medium popcorn, $10.75 TRAILERS: (I walked in late, missed some) Silver Linings Playbook - good trailer, good reaction This is 40 - great trailer, no reaction except to the starfish joke at the end THE FILM: Are you sitting down and asking yourself, "What is this movie?" If you're nodding your head right now, you're not alone. 10 Years is only playing in 63 movie theaters around the country right now and hasn't even made more than $200,000 at the box office after three weeks. There wasn't a lot of marketing and it doesn't look like it's going to get a major expansion. After watching the movie, I find myself asking, "Why?" 10 Years has all the goods that audiences look for and is a really fun movie. The movie has a smorgasbord of stars like Channing Tatum, Rosario Dawson, Chris Pratt, Anthony Mackie, Justin Long, and Aubrey Plaza playing characters at their ten-year high school reunion. The film is neither art house nor big budget, and the plot fits comfortably in the mold of dramedy. Probably the most interesting quality about the movie is how relatable it feels, even if formulaic. Where other films in this genre turned to flashbacks (i.e. Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion) or depended on previous installments (i.e. American Reunion) to develop their characters, 10 Years explains things along the way well enough that you feel like you knew these people from way back when you went to high school together. Maybe I'm just nostalgic for the high school years... Who am I kidding? Everyone from my senior class SGA has already tasked me with planning our ten-year reunion down the road! I live for reunions and good memories! ;-) But seriously, the movie's fun and I'm sure it'll be a hit when it's available to rent/on TV. While it's kind of a stretch to make this comparison, 10 Years reminded me a lot of one of my favorite party movie, Can't Hardly Wait. If you liked that movie, you'll enjoy 10 Years. Experience - 20/30 Story/Writing - 16/20 Acting - 10/15 Tech Specs (Cinematography, Editing, Effects) - 9/15 Direction - 7/10 Music - 9/10 (* there's a scene where one character sings to someone else that's so poignant, I felt like I was watching Once or the end of Wedding Singer) THE VERDICT: 71/100, B 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impact Posted October 5, 2012 Author Share Posted October 5, 2012 Seeing Taken 2 tomorrow! After that I might see Frankenweenie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekShooster Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Arbitrage 9:40PM Thursday, October 4th Coolidge Corner Theatre Theater Capacity: ~180 (5% full, about 8 or 9 people mostly older) Ticket Price: $7.00 Concessions: n/a TRAILERS: Argo - great trailer, no reaction (I was the only one in the theater at this point) Girl Model - French film about models, but I wasn't reading the subtitles so no clue what it's really about. No reaction. THE FILM: Recently I moved to a new neighborhood and now bicycle past "The Coolidge" movie theater practically everyday on my way to work. And every time this past month while riding by the theater, I would see the title Arbitrage on the marquis and wonder to myself, "What does that mean and what the heck is that movie about?" So I decided to mosey over to the theater (first time inside, really cool place) and see this "thriller". Never watched a trailer, never read a description, and didn't even read too much into the movie poster. Now I'm looking at the poster after having seen the film and think it's a contender for best poster art of 2012. And the movie: excellent. Richard Gere dishes out a great performance as Robert Miller, a powerful investor type who must project an image of success at all costs... literally. I was concerned early that Miller was a cinema version of Mad Men's Don Draper and that the film would turn into a contemporary version of a Mad Men episode, but sure enough the incident happens that affects the whole plot. Arbitrage sticks to the traditional three-act structure closely, yet presents it in such a way that it neither feels tired nor disposable. The high-stakes drama definitely warrants your attention from start to finish and plays out in a semi-disturbing way, depending of course on your feelings about money and power. After the movie ended, I still didn't know what the word "arbitrage" meant as it wasn't used in the film. It's not like in Inception where they use the word a lot and explain it for you to understand. So when I got home and looked up arbitrage online, the title made perfect sense to me (it's a complex finance term). One of the major themes of the film directly relates to the act of arbitrage, though in another way I think the title Arbitrage is also a metaphor for the personal, non-economic events transpiring in the film. It's a pretty clever movie and one I'm happy to recommend to others. I'm now officially looking forward to awards season, too, as I have high hopes for Richard Gere. Experience - 25/30 Story/Writing - 18/20 Acting - 15/15 Tech Specs (Cinematography, Editing, Effects) - 12/15 Direction - 8/10 Music - 7/10 Bonus - Awards Caliber, +1 (Richard Gere for Best Actor) THE VERDICT: 86/100, A 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissykins Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 SinisterUk, Scotland500 seaterSold out. 20.40 showing.Trailers:Paranormal Activity 4Silent Hill Revelation 3DAlex CrossFilm:Creepy, jumpy, frightening. Audience loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blankments Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 (edited) Looper October 5, 4:15 PM, 30% full Portage 16 IMAX, Portage, IN Trailers - No responses at all Seven Psychopaths Chasing Mavericks Cloud Atlas Zero Dark Thirty Dull crowd. You could feel the tenseness of the movie though, and the few jokes got laughs. One person clapped at the end, and there was positive murmuring by most other people. Edited October 6, 2012 by Blankments Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impact Posted October 6, 2012 Author Share Posted October 6, 2012 Taken 21:55PMAbout 40% full on the biggest screen there.Trailers:Argo (I'm kind of tired of this trailer, yeah it looks good but really its been the same trailer for months now!)Skyfall (new trailer-looks fantastic)Parker (Hey he has hair!)Broken City (Wait this is a January film? Looks pretty good, cast is great)Identity Thef (Some laughs, does not look like it is coming out in the Spring as it seemed complete)Die Hard 5 (People really loved this one)Movie: I thought this was pretty good, action scenes were good and I loved the car chase scene! My only complaint was Maggie Grace-terrible actress. But I couldn't blame them for casting her as she was in the first.I give this a solid B.Crowd seem to enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedarpoint1111 Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 Taken 2 AMC Forum 30 Friday, October 5, 10:10 PM 400 seats, 95% Full $10.00 Trailers: [*]Cloud Atlas - Lots of chatter, I don't think many people understood what it was about [*]Skyfall - Lots of excited chatter [*]Chasing Mavericks - Some chatter, looks stupid as hell [*]Red Dawn - Random chatter [*]The Guilt Trip - Some laughs, good buzz afterwards [*]Broken City - Excited chatter, looks pretty good [*]Parker - Some talk [*]A Good Day to Die Hard - Lots of people were surprised, I don't think many people knew he was making another one. Movie: On the way out, a lot of people were saying the first one was better and that this one was alright. I kind of agree with them. This movie is good but it is very predictable. With that said, did anyone really think it would be any different from the first? Solid thriller that had some funny parts and some good action parts. The only thing I didn't like at all was the shaky camera whenever Neeson started fighting. I mean we get it, he has a stunt double, but is that the only way to make it believable? 7/10 Also, don't let that 9% rating on RT make you change your mind about seeing this movie. If you liked the first Taken, then you will at least enjoy this one. It isn't that bad... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJohn Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 Just came back from Premium Rush. Another movie that flopped WW and it shouldn't. The movie is bloody awesome! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedarpoint1111 Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 (edited) Looper AMC Forum 30 Tuesday, October 9th, 5:25 PM 15/200 seats $5.00 Missed the trailers... Movie: I didn't like the movie. It was just really stupid for no reason. The world they created is so interesting and yet they focus on the stupidest parts of it. I mean people can do tele kinesis and that's not the focus of the movie?!? The whole point of the movie was for younger guy (JGL) to try and live longer then older guy (BW). He supposedly doesn't give a rat's ass about anybody (he gives away his friend in order to keep half his money) but oh put a little kid in danger and all of a sudden he's willing to kill himself? Why not just kill the kid since you know he will eventually kill you? Very stupid story 2/10 Edited October 10, 2012 by CEDAR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MovieGuyKyle17 Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 (edited) Looper AMC Forum 30 Tuesday, October 9th, 5:25 PM 15/200 seats $5.00 Missed the trailers... Movie: I didn't like the movie. It was just really stupid for no reason. The world they created is so interesting and yet they focus on the stupidest parts of it. I mean people can do tele kinesis and that's not the focus of the movie?!? The whole point of the movie was for younger guy (JGL) to try and live longer then older guy (BW). He supposedly doesn't give a rat's ass about anybody (he gives away his friend in order to keep half his money) but oh ................................................................................................................................................................................. 2/10 SPOILER DUDE!!!! and its not a stupid story I really liked it Edited October 10, 2012 by MGK17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedarpoint1111 Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 SPOILER DUDE!!!! and its not a stupid story I really liked itIt's a crowd report, since when are spoilers not allowed here? And yes it is a stupid story. Please tell me how it's not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJohn Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 It's a crowd report, since when are spoilers not allowed here? And yes it is a stupid story. Please tell me how it's not.Since always. The only place where spoilers are allowed is in the Reviews Forum. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedarpoint1111 Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Alright I fixed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forg Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 (edited) Argo 8 PM (advanced screening) Glorietta, Makati City, Philippines 98% full (~400 seats) Trailers: Epic - laughs on the last part Man of Steel - chatter Great Gatsby - no reaction Trouble with a Curve - laughs with the Dr. Phil Joke Life of Pi - mostly no reaction except for one lady loudly exclaiming LIFE OF PI! The Croods - some chatter The Three Stooges - HUGE laughs The Hobbit - some chatter Gangster Squad - some chatter, this trailer still had the shooting in the theater scene but it was shortened. The movie WOW! A great mix of drama, light humor and suspense! Arkin is a scene stealer, the crowd loved him! he delivers "Argo Fuck Yourself" perfectly The last act of the film is so suspenseful! You could feel the tense atmosphere and the crowd was very responsive as well. Loud cheering and clapping when the plane took off The end credits where they showed the pictures of the real survivors got a good response because 3 of them are splitting images of their real-life counterpart. Lots of great exit chatter One of the best film I've seen this year. I hope it will do well in the box office A Edited October 11, 2012 by forg 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekShooster Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Argo 10:10PM Friday, October 12th Regal Fenway 13 & RPX Theater Capacity: 500+ (65% full; only the front third of theater was empty) Ticket Price: $9.00 Concessions: n/a TRAILERS: Les Miserables (extended look) - I really like this; it got an excellent crowd reaction. My friends next to me (who had never seen this) both said, "Wow!" at Anne Hathaway near the end. Cloud Atlas - F*ck The Hobbit! I'm more pumped for Cloud Atlas than any film this year... it looks amazing! Got a great crowd reaction too, lots of talking. Gangster Squad - this was the first post Aurora-shooting trailer I've seen for Gangster Squad, and a major kudos is in order for Warner Bros. who delivered a new trailer for this film with some new footage and still maintained the high quality content we had seen in the previous trailer. Very stylish, great cast, and some talking from audience. Zero Dark Thirty - I hated the teaser for this but now that we have a real trailer I'm actually looking forward to seeing this. I had no idea Jessica Chastain would be in this--it's certainly timely and got some talking in the room. Flight - once again, the trailer is great and holds your attention until that final shot of the airplane flying upside down... then everybody just giggles. I'm curious to see how this performs at the box office. Les Miserables (teaser) - great teaser, little talking (Les Mis fatigue). Lincoln - lots of talking and great reaction Anna Karenina - still looks 'meh', but I'll admit the trailer is growing on me. No reaction from crowd. THE FILM: Up in Boston, the folks seem to hold Ben Affleck to high esteem. I think if you say "Boston" and "movie" to most people today, they'll probably conjure up the name Ben Affleck (and Matt Damon... and now Ted, but that's off topic). After directing two excellent films in his home town, I think a lot of us in the theater were curious to see what he'd make next after abandoning The Walking City. And the curiosity paid off as Affleck demonstrates the world is his oyster and he is worth being taken very seriously as a filmmaker. The story is really miraculous, even if only for the fact that it all actually happened. While I'm sure a little fluff and entertainment value was added to make the screenplay more interesting, I'm mostly impressed that after searching it after seeing the movie that the "Canadian Caper" rescue operation really happened thirty years ago. A lot can (and will) be said about how great the acting was, how well the location shoots turned out, and how surprisingly funny the movie turns out to be (Alan Arkin definitely stands out); but the real value of Argo is its service as a history lesson dressed in a highly entertaining medium. Once the credits began to roll, the opinion was pretty unanimous that Argo was a great film. Many of us started clapping and a lot of people stuck around through the credits, smiling at the screen or commenting to each other how much they enjoyed it. Without question Argo reminds me more of Catch Me If You Can than any other film I've seen. Between the government involvement making up a large chunk of the story juxtaposed with the ridiculous-but-necessary antics taking place in the rest of the story, the two films make great companions for each other. And although Argo to me feels dissimilar to Gone Baby Gone or The Town, I think it spotlights the bright future audiences can look forward to as Affleck becomes comfortable shooting different types of projects behind the camera... even if they're fake. ;-) Experience - 28/30 Story/Writing - 19/20 Acting - 15/15 Tech Specs (Cinematography, Editing, Effects) - 13/15 Direction - 10/10 Music - 8/10 Bonus - Awards Caliber, +4 (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Ensemble) THE VERDICT: 97/100, A 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekShooster Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Seven Psychopaths 1:50PM Saturday, October 13th AMC Boston Common 19 & Lie-MAX Theater Capacity: 214 (70% full, mainly older than 25 in the audience) Ticket Price: $10.00 Concessions: N/A TRAILERS: (*There was a blurb before the trailers began where AMC alerted audiences to identify their nearest exits in an emergency and to report suspicious activity, clearly a reaction to the Aurora shooting. Not sure if any other theater chains are doing this, and I'm wondering if it's a little overkill to remind audiences about that). Promised Land - nice solid trailer, got some talking from the audience. Alex Cross - looks very action-packed, also had some talking and an okay reaction. I'm seeing this on Tuesday. Flight - lots of talking, and not a single giggle at the upside down airplane this time... interesting. Lincoln - good trailer, good reaction Identity Thief - looks very funny but got no reaction Hitchcock (!!!) - excellent trailer and definitely looks more fun than I expected it to. Got no reaction from the audience, though. Parker - Jason Statham doing a Jason Statham movie, shot in my hometown (Boca Raton)! I'll definitely be seeing it, it got some talking. THE FILM: Seven Psychopaths is one of the funniest movies I've seen in theaters this year. Granted it helps to have a very, VERY dark sense of humor to truly appreciate this movie, the film really satisfies on all levels in such shameless, unexpected goretopia you'll be hard-pressed not to immediately compare this to a Tarantino film. The whole plot plays out in so many fantastic ways and almost feels like little vignettes that connect the story together. I felt like there's a little A Serious Man influence in the way stories are told throughout... the biggest strength for Seven Psychopaths is that it is almost entirely told like small stories. You won't even be sure in some parts if the movie is being self-aware or just intensely wry. Colin Farrell plays his character with the same gusto and tenacity as his previous work with Director Martin McDonagh in In Bruges. And Sam Rockwell completely owns the screen and wins over the audience, fueling the fire of the stories in enough ways as if to satiate the masses. Christopher Walken is back in full form, even while lackadaisically moping through the third act in the funniest ways possible. The movie definitely has heart, the end result is infectiously entertaining, and the unconventional aura surrounding Seven Psychopaths definitely make it stand out among similar genre pics. I blame distributor CBS Films for marketing this so poorly to the public because this film should become a massive hit--the kind of movie you can't wait to talk about with friends at how awesome so many of the scenes are. Honestly, if you enjoy films like In Bruges, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, A Serious Man, or Machete, you should go to the theater right now and watch this. There's no excuse--Seven Psychopaths is amazing. Experience - 29/30 (*only one point off here because there was some douche in the audience that had the most obnoxious laugh) Story/Writing - 20/20 Acting - 15/15 Tech Specs (Cinematography, Editing, Effects) - 14/15 Direction - 10/10 Music - 8/10 Bonus- Awards Caliber, +3 (Acting Ensemble, Original Screenplay, Make-Up/Effects... whichever one gets credit for gore); Originality, +4 THE VERDICT: 103/100, A+ 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerekShooster Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 Alex Cross 7:00PM Tuesday, October 16th (Press Screening) Regal Fenway 13 & RPX Theater Capacity: 250 (100% full, some press but mostly regular folks who found pre-screening tickets online... and to my surprise the audience was almost a perfect split between black people and Asian people (?). Definitely a weird audience. This was the first time I've seen so many people bring their own food into the theater--I'm talking bowls of soup from Panera, homemade nachos, and even a Boston Market rotisserie chicken!) Ticket Price: $0, free... I know a guy. Concessions: n/a TRAILERS: N/A THE FILM: What a piece of garbage this movie was! Without even checking the rating of other critics, I am confident this is a rotten tomato. (UPDATE: just checked RT, only 3 reviews up and all rotten... no surprise there). I saw a promising trailer for this a few weeks ago and was initially impressed with Matthew Fox's physical transformation into a ripped badass. Yet aside from a disturbing debut early in the film where the film highlights Fox's character and his physical prowess, the rest of his performance is so bland and unimpressive. And don't even get me started with Tyler Perry. I will never, ever understand the appeal of Tyler Perry. Maybe it's because I'm white, I dunno... I don't want to dwell on racial issues. But if Alex Cross proved anything to me, it's that South Park hit the nail on the head with their "Funnybot" episode last year. Much of the audience ate his character up, especially in the overly melodramatic family scenes or when he was getting physical with Fox's character. The movie editing was awful; the screenplay was weak; the characters were thin; and the effects were shoddily put together. I will give the film some credit for casting Cicely Tyson. Her role is small, much as it was in The Help, but she is such a joy to watch on the big screen. I don't think any actress packs a wallop the way she does. Maybe it won't surprise you that Alex Cross is such a piece of garbage. After all, the film not only takes place in Detroit but also shamelessly points out what a hopeless sh*thole Detroit has become. Seriously, I'm sorry for anyone from Detroit. The truth is a film taking place in your town should paint a hopeful, prospective vision for the city and its potential--get people excited about your town. Instead, you're stuck with movies like 8 Mile, Private Parts, and now Alex Cross that highlight what a miserable city Detroit must be. Everybody, do yourselves a favor--DO NOT SEE THIS MOVIE! Experience - 13/30 Story/Writing - 0/20 Acting - 1/15 (*for Cicely Tyson) Tech Specs (Cinematography, Editing, Effects) - 0/15 Direction - 1/10 Music - 0/10 THE VERDICT: 15/100, F- 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragon Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 You Leave 8 miles out of this,son I Bring my own food to the movie theater. Not shame. other than that im not surprise it sucked. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
