Rate The Last Movie You Watched

[Fidatelo]

Saw Avatar in 3D last night. 7.5/10.

This was my first 3D experience and it was kind of cool, although I think directors need to study this film well and learn some do's and don'ts. There were many cases where the 3D actually detracted from the experience and kind of pulled me out of the film, so to speak. Now, there were also a tonne of places where it was totally awesome, don't get me wrong, but it's not 100% goodness.

[ISiddiqui]

Sherlock Holmes - 9/10: Exceedingly good movie, though more of a summer blockbuster type. Lots of action, but with some great buildup and demonstration of Holmes' analytical mind. There was concern that it wasn't like the books, but I think those people will be pleased with how the Adler story turned out (Holmes avoided any romantic overtures). The story was quite good as well and a great set up for future sequels. Downey Jr was great as Holmes and Law brilliant as Watson. There was also some very good humor in the interplay between the two principal characters.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Sherlock Holmes - 9/10: Exceedingly good movie, though more of a summer blockbuster type. Lots of action, but with some great buildup and demonstration of Holmes' analytical mind. There was concern that it wasn't like the books, but I think those people will be pleased with how the Adler story turned out (Holmes avoided any romantic overtures). The story was quite good as well and a great set up for future sequels. Downey Jr was great as Holmes and Law brilliant as Watson. There was also some very good humor in the interplay between the two principal characters.

I enjoyed it, although I think I will need to see it again to catch up with some of the quick dialogue, especially between Holmes and Watson.

It's funny, though, while I would describe the movie as a whole as nothing much more than a functionally well done blockbuster actioneer, I find myself drifting back to the scene a lot, thinking back on the movie. The 1880s London the set and costume designers built up felt very real and well done. I found it to be fascinating (although again, it's in perspective; while watching the movie, although I certainly noticed the well-designed sets/feel, I didn't think much on it more than anything else until well after the end of the movie).

[RainMaker]

Mongol (8 out of 10) - For a somewhat low budget epic, this really was well done. The story of Genghis Khan in his early life. Not really historically accurate and plays on some of the myths surrounding his life, but still really good. This is apparently going to be a trilogy with the next movie coming out next year. Looking forward to it as this hit the mark. The only negative I have is that it did tend to drag a bit from time to time and they probably could have cut a scene or two.

[terpkristin]

Avatar 6/10

I didn't care for it. The scenery is the only reason it got 6. The story has been told before, and been told much better. I didn't find that I cared at all about any of the characters. I thought the "acting" was flat. Really, I was bored during the movie. This seems like a good time to also mention that I can't stand Star Wars, so my movie preferences are not in line with what most people like (apparently). A solid "meh" from me.

/tk

[rowech]

Christmas Edition

A Christmas Story (10/10) -- It's quirky and I think it's definitely more of a 25-40 male movie but it still gets me every time the dad starts talking about what's in the corner there. I still think the kid did a fantastic job of acting throughout this movie and shines in many scenes.

It's a Wonderful Life (10/10) -- Classic. I can't help but wonder everytime they are singing at the end if they were thinking they had just made the all-time holiday classic movie.

Elf (8/10) -- Not at the level of the others but still very funny at times. Is it wrong that I think this is Will Ferrel's only good movie? (other than his cameo in Wedding Crashers)

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (9/10) -- In a way, watching this so much has made it lose a notch for me. Still funny and still laugh at several places but people are constantly quoting it while it's being watched. So much to the point that it's bordering annoying.

Scrooge (10/10) -- Probably my favorite Christmas movie. It's a little known version from 1970 starting Albert Finney and Sir Alec Guiness. It to me is the most realistic portrayal of England at the time and Finney's performance is nothing short of brilliant. Be warned it is a musical but all the songs except one are great.

[rowech]

Extract (5/10) -- Some chuckles here and there. Mila Kunis and all of her hotness. Just not much of a movie here though. I just don't think as much was pulled out of the cast as there should have been. Just fell flat for me.

[Groundhog]

The Orphanage - 8/10 - Mental Note: Do not watch these kind of movies home alone at 2am. Very creepy and, best of all, after seeming pretty straightforward and predictable for most of the middle-section of the movie, it has a pretty "neat" ending.

Inglourious Basterds - 8/10 - Out of all the Tarantino movies I've seen, this is probably the only one where I went into it expecting not to think much of it for some reason. Instead, I loved it. Some great Tarantino dialogue, but I found myself forgetting it was a Tarantino movie at times due to the setting, and then the music would kick in... His stamp is all over it, despite being a very unusual movie for him.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by rowech

Extract (5/10) -- Some chuckles here and there. Mila Kunis and all of her hotness. Just not much of a movie here though. I just don't think as much was pulled out of the cast as there should have been. Just fell flat for me.

Totaly agree . Given the cast and the fact it was mike judge I expected alot more.

[Dodgerchick]

Saw Memento, gotta watch it again though to understand it. Great concept but a little confusing for me.

Avatar - 6.5/10

Although I really enjoyed the interconnectedness of nature, land and people the movie portrayed, it was exactly what I thought it was - an awesome visual effects movie with little story.

[Dodgerchick]

District B13 - 8.5/10

Action packed from the moment the movie starts until it ends. Story about a vigilante and a cop joining forces to retrieve a bomb ready to detonate on one of the city's most dangerous ghetto. Great action scenes.

Half Light - 5.5/10

Demi Moore plays a successful novelist whose son dies and she goes to a cottage to try and write a novel but some weird stuff starts happening around her.

I admit I was a little scared during some scenes but thought the movie was predictable.

[sabotai]

(500) Days Of Summer - 9/10

It's not often that I will watch a movie more than once when I rent it. I watched it twice and have it on as background noise as I write this. Can't add much more than what others have said. The best movie of 2009 that I have seen so far (not that I have seen all that many yet).

[ISiddiqui]

Up in the Air - 8/10: A very good film about the importance of other people. Clooney does a wonderful job, as always, with the lead character who feels totally content living a transient lifestyle, always on the road, until he realizes there is more to life than that. The movie is very serious at times (Clooney does play a guy who goes around the country firing people), but can be extremely hilarious. And the acting is just top notch.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Up in the Air - 8/10: A very good film about the importance of other people. Clooney does a wonderful job, as always, with the lead character who feels totally content living a transient lifestyle, always on the road, until he realizes there is more to life than that. The movie is very serious at times (Clooney does play a guy who goes around the country firing people), but can be extremely hilarious. And the acting is just top notch.

It was great and horrific at the same time.

I won't say how I came out feeling.

6/10

[rowech]

Originally Posted by sabotai

(500) Days Of Summer - 9/10

It's not often that I will watch a movie more than once when I rent it. I watched it twice and have it on as background noise as I write this. Can't add much more than what others have said. The best movie of 2009 that I have seen so far (not that I have seen all that many yet).

I'm not sure if I'd go that far but I watched this and rather enjoyed it. Somewhat quirky I thought but the actor/actress had chemistry which is super important in a movie like this. They played off of each other very well.

[Dodgerchick]

Spirit of the Marathon - 8/10

Documentary about 6 people and their journey to run the Chicago Marathon. I really enjoyed it and actually teared up when I saw the outcome of their hard work.

Postal - 2/10

I don't even know what it was about. Uwe Boll directed and produced it... enough said.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist - 7.5/10

After the horror that was Postal it was nice to rinse my brain with this sweet romantic comedy.

[Groundhog]

Red Beard - 10/10
This was maybe the 4th time I've seen this movie, and it's now became maybe a top 2 or 3 movie for me. Very long, as is usual with Kurosawa movies, but, as is also usual for Kurosawa movies, the time is spent very wisely, creating a bunch of characters that you actually care about. Very touching story.

Avatar - 9.5/10
Well, what can I say. Absolutely loved it. I just wish they weren't making all those sequels, as I can't see how they'd be anything other than a dissapointment, ala the Matrix.

[Sublime 2]

Inglorious Basterds - 8/10

I was pleasantly surprised. For whatever reason I wasn't expecting too much, but it was very entertaining. I had to pause the movie a couple of times to explain parts to the gf, but other than that, it was great. Pitt rocked as usual, and Tarantino was himself.

[DataKing]

Watchmen (7 / 10): I'm a comic book and movie fan, but never read the original series, so I went into this without much in the way of expectations. Overall I felt it was entertaining, but not anything to really write home about. It had some elements that you aren't used to seeing in typical comic-book fare (The Comedian, for example), and I thought Dr. Manhattan's detachment was pretty well done, but it still felt like it could have been so much more.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (9 / 10): Overall a really well done movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The different period-piece elements were good and the supporting case did an excellent job, but Pitt really carried the show here. I especially liked the way that you could see Benjamin's mind grow older even as his body progressed in the other direction.

Gran Torino (7.5 / 10): Pretty well done piece in my eyes, but not the end-all-be-all that some people made it out to be. I felt like Eastwood's direction actually surpassed his acting this time around, as Walt came across as downright comic in his racism and bigotry at times, which I'm not sure was what was intended.

[Doug5984]

Public Enemies - 7/10, Meh it was good solid movie- if the girlfriend or someone wanted to watch it, i'd watch it again, but not a great movie... just good. Some of the things just seemed forced, didn't quite flow great at times.

[Alan T]

Uprising - 8/10

I have no idea how it ended up on my netflix list, I added it probably 8 months ago and just now got to it. When I received it in the mail, I figured it would just be another generic movie illustrating World War II and the persecution of the Jewish. As far as that category of movie goes, I haven't really found many movies that were necessarily entertaining. Most are down right depressing and often poorly acted. (Obviously I'm not looking for a song and dance routine depicting the holocaust camps, but I'd like for the movie to hold my attention such as say Schindler's List does which I feel is an excellent movie).

Anyways, with my reservations intact before watching this movie, I only half paid attention to the first 10 minutes of the movie. As the movie continued though, I got more and more sucked in. This was actually a made for tv movie about 9 years ago evidently even though I had never heard of it before. In it are quite a few recognizable actors, many of which I felt performed far better than many other movies I had seen them in prior.

The movie is long at about 3 hours, but by the time I was 30 minutes into it, I couldn't turn away and was wanting to watch the next part. I truly enjoyed it and will likely watch it again.

[KWhit]

Up In the Air - 9/10

Great movie. So well written and acted. It's a very subtle, smart drama/comedy that doesn't go where you expect it to.

And Clooney was incredible.

[Kodos]

Agreed. Up In The Air was a very good movie. And my wife and I didn't see the curveball coming. Great date movie.

[Ironhead]

District 9 - ?/10

Just finished watching this movie. It definitely had some interesting things going on and I appreciate some of what it had to say.

That being said I wasn't mentally prepared for what the movie was really about. It was tough to watch. As I get older I find it harder and harder to sit through that kind of violence.

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by KWhit

Up In the Air - 9/10

Great movie. So well written and acted. It's a very subtle, smart drama/comedy that doesn't go where you expect it to.

And Clooney was incredible.

I really want to see this.

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Agreed. Up In The Air was a very good movie. And my wife and I didn't see the curveball coming. Great date movie.

Wow. It's amazing to see how differently people see things.

I think that this was the antithesis of a date movie.

Clooney was great as usual, but it just didn't deliver for me. Rental movie? Definitely. Full priced movie experience? Hell Fucking No.

[ISiddiqui]

I think it can work as a date movie. The underlying message is that no one can really live in isolation and that we need other people regardless of how happy we think we are being alone.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

Wow. It's amazing to see how differently people see things.

I think that this was the antithesis of a date movie.

Clooney was great as usual, but it just didn't deliver for me. Rental movie? Definitely. Full priced movie experience? Hell Fucking No.

Let's just face it. We don't agree on entertainment very often.

[NewIdentity]

District 9 - 6/10

The more I think about this movie the lower the rating goes.

Like the ending....If nothing was broke than what the hell? (-1)

The science in this movie if terrible. They never try to explain why the main character is changing.(-1)

I find it impossible to believe that after 20 years there were no Aliens who were serving mankind. As guards, or in the military? You would think that with these awesome weapons the local government would have created a special division in the military for them.(-1)

The last one is probably my U.S. bias shining through. Here in the U.S. as long as you have something we want, wealth, power, knowledge, we will gladly accept you into our society with open arms. So, I am guessing that most of these Aliens would have been granted U.S. Citizenship after serving 4 to 8 years in the U.S. military.

[KWhit]

Paranormal Activity - 9/10

I really loved this. It was the movie that Blair Witch should have been. The low-budget quality combined with some interesting "effects" made for a very convincing movie experience. I thought it was one of the scariest movies I've seen because it was so realistic.

Note, I saw the Bluray and vastly prefer the alternate ending on the disc. Holy cow, that ending will stick with me for a while.

[Calis]

I got a chance to see Up in the Air also, and I loved it. I actually think the woman who played Clooney's love interest was the show stealer. She did a fantastic job and really portrayed a female-Clooney. He was solid also, just the perfect sort of role for him. I'd say it is a solid 8.5 in my ratings. My wife and I saw it as a date night movie, and both had a great time. I don't know if it'd qualify as a good date movie earlier in a relationship though, it isn't the normal fluffy movie you'd associate with that.

Rented 500 Days of Summer also over the weekend. I didn't hate it, but I definitely had a lot more issues with it than most people here apparently. I'd rate it in the 6.5 range or so roughly.

[RainMaker]

District 9 (5 out of 10) - Just didn't connect with me really. I thought the story was flat and didn't give enough background on the aliens. Even for an "alien" movie, it was too unrealistic with the science and what he was able to accomplish with a couple alien guns.

[DeToxRox]

Youth in Revolt (8/10) - If you like Michael Cera, you'll like this movie a lot. I like Cera so I liked it a lot. It's very dry, almost like a Wes Anderson movie, but it's funny and fairly absurd.

[ntndeacon]

Trader Horn(1931) (5/10) One of my New Year's resolutions is to see at least two movies nominated for Best Picture each month. This was the first on the list. Nominated in the 4th year of the Oscars, it is a story of how an African trader and his apprentice /protege and the daughter of a missionary woman captured in deepest darkest Africa escape to civilization. I know this is before nature documentaries, but it seems like a African Travelouge a little too much. The story is ok. But that is all I can say about it.

[RainMaker]

Big Fan (4 out of 10) - Had some modest expectations for this coming in. Seemed like an interesting idea with a unique cast. The story though came across real bland. Patton Oswald plays a diehard fan who gets beaten up by his favorite player. Lot of slow scenes and ultimately, the story didn't go anywhere for me. I kept waiting for the final scenes to give some big perspective on the film and "fandom" but it never did. Just seemed like a real odd way to finish the film. Just following the life of a really pathetic guy who only cares about the New York Giants.

I had originally not found the guy in the story believable, but the UT/Kiffin saga sort of changed my mind tonight. There are fans as pathetic as that guy it appears.

I'd add that Patton Oswald was really good in the role. Never seen that side of him but he really makes the guy seem pathetic, sympathetic, and also someone you just hate at times. He was subtle enough to be realistic. Thought the other characters were horrible and cliched. The ambulance chaser lawyer brother, his trophy wife, the black partying football player.

[DataKing]

Push (5 / 10): Mildly-entertaining, check-your-brain-at-the-door entertainment, but that's about all. A few spots of witty banter from Dakota Fanning, but nowhere near enough special effects goodness to make this truly worthwhile, and plot holes you could drive a boat through. Don't go out of your way for this one.

Defiance (8 / 10): This one was quite good, and is based off of a true story that I had not heard before. Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber were both excellent, and despite both starting the story as rather cold, detached individuals, one gets a very good sense for how the events that unfold change their characters.

[rowech]

Moon (8/10) -- Will move way too slow for many people but it's a good movie that presents some interesting questions for scientific purposes. Won't be for everyone but it's a good scifi movie.

[Pyser]

coraline - 6/10

in the end the last act felt rushed, and way too easy. very, very dark, almost puts burton to shame. cant imagine kids watching some of this. but for as dark as it was, just didnt grab me the whole time.

[Schmidty]

Avatar - 9/10

It was great fun. I didn't think that the story was as bad as everyone is saying. The only thing that annoyed me was how cheesy the army guy was.

We saw it in 3D, and although it gave me a migraine, it was totally worth it. Spectacular.

[Dodgerchick]

The Book of Eli - 8/10

Denzel kicking ass, what more can you ask for? My only problem with the movie was...

Spoiler

in a post apocalyptic world, where is the actress that follows Denzel around get makeup from? People are wearing raggedy clothes, have stained teeth and look horrible, but the actress manages to somehow stay clean, wear make-up and have good clothes.

But even with this, I thought it was great.

[cubboyroy1826]

Book of Eli 8.5/10

I really liked the movie and agree with Dodgerchick that there were a couple of huh moments. Very good fight scenes solid story and overall i thought very entertaining. Have done a lot of pencil and paper role playing i this was a post apocalyptic role playing game brought to life.

[Chief Rum]

It was an interesting movie. I foresaw/thought about one primary aspect of how it would end, but I'll admit I didn't guess the major twist (although to be fair, I am not sure if the moviemakers weren't aiming to intentionally deceive so that it wouldn't be guessed).

DC, I hear ya on that, but that's not the sorta thing that really stands out to me. Of course, I'm a guy, so it wouldn't anyway. Still, I don't know that seems kinda picky to me.

[Dodgerchick]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

It was an interesting movie. I saw thought about one primary aspect of how it would end, but I'll admit I didn't guess the major twist (although to be fair, I am not sure if the moviemakers weren't aiming to intentionally deceive so that it wouldn't be guessed).

DC, I hear ya on that, but that's not the sorta thing that really stands out to me. Of course, I'm a guy, so it wouldn't anyway. Still, I don't know that seems kinda picky to me.

It's picky, I know! Some movies get a pass but if they're really trying to be realistic, they have to go all the way. BUT, if the story is good, then I'm be ok with it. The Book of Eli was a really good movie so, meh, it gets a pass. Lord of the Rings - one of my all-time favorite movies had so many things wrong with it (Frodo has the ring with the chain one scene, and missing the next. Frodo's fingernails are bitten and nasty in one scene, but nicely manicured in another...). But even though, I'm willing to see past that because there are so many other things that make it a fantastic movie.

For me, it's all in the details. But I tend to be a perfectionist so take it for what it's worth

[KWhit]

The Book of Eli - 9/10

I really enjoyed this. The scenery and performances were excellent, and I'm a sucker for anything post-apocalyptic.

[KWhit]

The Lovely Bones - 2/10

Good lord, this was horrible. Just bad bad bad. Skip this one. So many moments that don't make sense. And the tone was all over the map.

[thesloppy]

Legion - 3/10

GOTTdamn, what a horrible movie. Take the first and the last 3 minutes of Terminator, and then fill in the middle with crappy rehashes of scenes from your pick of any recent zombie flicks.

For anybody who has also had the misfortune of seeing this fine film:

Spoiler

• So, that baby was in a massive car wreck, wasn't secured in any way, and came out just fine?
  
• When the protagonists were leaving the diner, while the 'angels' kind of hovered in awe, what in THEE fuck was up with the lady, with the bag on her head, who was lazily flailing a shotgun against the cop cruiser?
  
• Sure the old lady was a crazy demon, but that doesn't explain why they cooked and served her a raw piece of meat, covered in flies. No wonder she got so angry.
  
• After they shot the old lady, the daughter was looking up at blood dripping ominously and forebodingly from behind the ceiling tiles...but it was never mentioned again.
  
• How come when the angels took away the rich, outsider father, the angel doing the taking looked like his daughter, and said something about "see what you made me do, mother"....but clearly it wasn't the daughter, and was never mentioned or referenced again.
  
• Before the slaughter, the electricity in the diner turns off. They then proceed to slaughter a few hundred angels, determine that the plague is on, and the rest of the world has gone to shit, as the surrounding landscape piles with bodies and exploded auto carcasses....but when the electricity flickers on for a few seconds, Dennis Quaid's grumpy, diner-owner character asks "Are we back in business?". Oh yeah dude, better restock the fucking napkins.
  
• Despite PLENTY of screen time devoted to convoluted monologues, and ham-handed expositional dialogue, they did a really shitty job of explaining the central premise, and specifically the child's purpose, in even any kind of broad generic sense. Yet they also introduced extra, even more convoluted, concepts like 'prophets' and mystic tattooed baby-rearing instructions in the final act, and didn't bother to explain any of that shit either.
  
• The whole concept of an angel gunfight is retarded. How come their wings are bulletproof, but the rest of them isn't? Seems like a pretty crappy design choice, God, considering you're unlimited resources. Maybe if you hadn't wasted so much time and effort designing those fancy maces....
  
• What was up with the angels' collars? That seemed significant. Or not, I guess.
  
• So Michael was killed by Gabriel, for disobeying God's orders to kill the child, but he was resurrected by God for giving him what he needed rather than what he wanted, and then resurrected Michael was sent to kill Gabriel, because he was still following God's old orders? Again, pretty inefficient system you've got going there, God. Get some cell phones, or something.
  
• Jeep is a horrible name.
  
• Don't you love it when people turn on a supposedly completely dead radio/TV in the movies and immediately tune in right at the beginning of a single, minute-long broadcast, and then turn it off. Geeze, good thing you didn't try that 10 minutes sooner or later.
  
• Angels LUV cranking up the hardcore music.

[DataKing]

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (7 / 10): Like a lot of kids, I went through a comic book phase growing up, and when I was collecting, Wolverine was my favorite character (Spidey and Batman were runners-up). So yes, I know they took Logan's back-story and really hashed it up to make this movie, but I still enjoyed it. Some good fight/action sequences to be found here, and I rather liked the opening montage as well.

Terminator: Salvation (6.5 / 10): I was actually a little let down by this, but I think my expectations were too high in the first place. While I thought the movie did some things to advance the overall storyline, I was expecting more John Connor than what you actually get in the movie. My only other knock on it was that I didn't get a sense of scope/scale that I did from the futuristic battle scenes in the earlier movies. There were a couple of LOL moments though, especially the use of "You Could Be Mine" by GNR.

Up (8 / 10): I really found this to be quite touching, especially the early sequence where we see Carl and Ellie's life together...very well done. The usual quality I've come to expect from Pixar to be found here. Not as much grownup-oriented humor to be found here as in earlier Pixar flicks, but it didn't feel like much was really necessary.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by KWhit

The Lovely Bones - 2/10

Good lord, this was horrible. Just bad bad bad. Skip this one. So many moments that don't make sense. And the tone was all over the map.

did you read the book?

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by DataKing

Up (8 / 10): I really found this to be quite touching, especially the early sequence where we see Carl and Ellie's life together...very well done.

Oh hell yes. I wasn't prepared for that. Great intro, great movie.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Oh hell yes. I wasn't prepared for that. Great intro, great movie.

That was quite powerful. I was ready for it, because I had talked to someone had mentioned that particular sequence to me. Being "prepared for that" doesn't really help. In fact, in a way it made it worse, because the room started to get a bit dusty the moment it dawned on me that it was "that scene".