Well that's something we'll only be able to determine once the next Trek starts; if JJTrek becomes the definitive Trek that all future Treks build off of, then yes, I'll be just as pissed as you. Until then, it doesn't bother me.

Hitman-Struggling to understand his connection to a government cover-up, a hit man tries to protect himself from the agents on his trail and solve the reason why he was framed with a woman with ties to the affair. Far more enjoyable than it should've been considering the myriad twists and turns present that don't make any sense whatsoever because it focused on the action more often than not. This is blessed with several outstanding shootouts that are brilliantly choreographed and deliver nicely with an insane amount of flying bullets, destroyed sets and shot-up henchmen, and when it goes into hand-to-hand combat there's some fun to be had there as well as none of it is really all that accomplished and sticks more to a grounded form of fighting. Gets too cliche-happy at times but overall not so bad.

Man of Steel 8.5 out of 10.

I know this is getting a lot of mixed reactions, but I truly find this to be possibly one of the best, maybe the best Superman movie (I'm not claiming that because in it's own way, Superman: the Movie still is awesome). It had the guts to try new stuff, including the looks of Superman and the Kryptonians, it changed up relationships more, and if anything truly captured what Superman is.

Major Spoilers:



So yeah, I highly recommend this movie. I truly hope this is the jump charge DC needs because lets be honest, Batman has only been life support.

Yeah, it was awesome, Michael Shannon was great as Zod and Henry Cavill is the prettiest man in the universe and a much better Superman than Brandon Routh. The movie is long but it didn't feel like it and the opening sequence on Krypton was well done. It could be accused of a lack of depth but hey, when it's so visually intriguing, it's worth it and it's a superhero movie after all. I thought it was better than TDKR but I thought the last Batman was a disappointment after The Dark Knight. Bale and Cavill would had been a cool team and bit ironic that the two American heroes are played by British actors! We'll see what they'll do for The Justice League if it happens.

Go see it for the special effects alone!

I disagree with this article.


Also, Cavill should be the next Bond! He has the chest hair, the looks and the right nationality!

Just came back from seeing Man of Steel, and yeah, it was great. Cavill is a good fit for the character, and Shannon was awesome as Zod; militaristic, cold, and ruthless. I think they did a very decent job adapting the Superman mythos, and I was highly entertained (which is quite a bit coming from me, since I never cared much for the character). Also, I agree with Aurone:


All in all, a cool superhero flick, with good acting, terrific special effects, and nice character development.

I didn't care for it. For more detail, I'll let these guys explain:

http://thecinemasnob.com/2013/06/14/mid ... steel.aspx

"My opinion is so worthwhile that I'll let someone else explain it"

I got 3 animated Superman movies when I came back home, I watched Superman/Batman Apocalypse and I'm watching Superman Unbound. The first one is cool, it's a story with Supergirl and Darkseid and the 2nd one is with Brainiac. Unbound is pretty damn awesome and the animation style is beatiful. The voice acting is very good too (with Stana Katic and John Noble). I'll watch Justice League: The New Frontier soon as well.

I've seen that on the shelves at Walmart, and it does look interesting.

Man of Steel - 3.5/5

The first half of this...was pretty awful, all things considered; with short scenes rushed through at the speed of light that also somehow managed to feel incredibly sluggish and slow, and directing that consisted of shaking cameras like Snyder and his crew were having collective seizures and too many flashback sequences that choked up the flow. A lot of these scenes, the "origin story" style ones with Clark growing up, could have been good, if they were given more emotional weight and actually treated like they mattered, but they just come and go so fast that there's no time to get invested. It's no secret that Zack Snyder is terrible at making you connect to what's going on. I guess Christopher Nolan isn't that good at it either, because he's also a big part of this...but really, all sins are forgiven by the FUCKING AWESOME action scenes in the second half. Once they crank up the Avengers-style action scenes there is no going back, and the movie's flaws suddenly just don't matter as much, because it is very entertaining. Major pluses are that all the acting is damn good - Henry Cavill is awesome and Michael Shannon, while initially a bit hammy, becomes legitimately threatening and even kind of complex later on as Zod, who really does just think he's doing what's best for his people. Even though he's really a cold-blooded killing machine. That kind of character dimensions is always good to see. So yeah. The first hour or so is pretty bullshitty and doesn't really engage you, but the second half will own you.

Two major problems though:



P.S.

@Empyreal; I actually liked the intercalation between the flashbacks and the present. It didn't strike me as messy or anything, and I think it added a lot of necessary background to Clark as a character. Same goes for the beginning of the movie which, if indeed a bit messy, is forgiven from my point of view for fleshing out the story of Krypton as a society much more than any other movie and, from what I know, even the comics (in fact, that's one of the things I liked the most about the movie; that the destruction of Krypton wasn't just an excuse for Clark to end up here). Regarding your two other points:

I dunno about messy, but the flashbacks kept alternating with the movie's real timeline for like 45 minutes to an hour, to the point where I was wondering when the film would just get off its ass and actually do something.

And the destruction of Krypton was about the same as it always had been before, wasn't it? I'm no Superman expert but that part seemed mostly in line with the canon, from what I recall.

I liked that the movie did his backstory as flashbacks rather than doing just a straight chronological structure. I was never once bored or annoyed by them, Overall I absolutely enjoyed this movie. Great acting, amazing action scenes that rival The Avengers in terms of sheer enjoyment factor, and Amy Adams still looks 15 years younger than she really is.

@Emp; I'm not talking about the destruction of Krypton per se, but about how we were actually given quite a bit of information regarding Kryptonian society and history. The whole thing about bloodlines, terraforming, colonies, and such..... I think it was pretty interesting. Also, although it might be a minor point, props must go to whoever was in charge of artistic direction, because Krypton's neo-medieval look is fucking badass.

Anyone else realize that Christopher Meloni was playing almost exactly the same character that Michelle Rodriguez plays in Avatar only as a man? That kind of amused me.

I was actually very surprised of seeing Meloni there. I haven't seen him in anything since his days as Elliot Stabler in Law & Order: SVU.

The only other thing I know he's done since leaving SVU was he had a main role on True Blood for a season. I really like him, so I was happy that he had a fairly big part in the movie.

*I like Meloni, it was fun seeing him again. I also liked Henry as Superman, he did a good job. I'm not versed in the lore at all but the scenes on Krypton were pretty well-done, though I thought his scenes as a child were a missed opportunity....they should have had more heft to them.

*I was really, really fucking annoyed at Snyder's habit of starting out with a panoramic shot and then quickly panning in/zooming in. Ugh, he must have used it 20 times and it was distracting.

*The last epic battle with Zod and the epic battle with the World Engine should have been rolled into one somehow. The action really was overkill, numbing and unimpressive at that point. Also, nice job at copying the last ten minutes of The Matrix Revolutions, I really liked being reminded how much I dislike that trilogy.



*Cheers to whoever did the sound design for the World Engine. That warbling noise sounded like something straight from a Lustmord (link) album.

*the music in general was repetitive and also a bit numbing, though I did enjoy the quieter pseudo-ambient parts (particularly during the opening credits). The piano was annoying, just like it is in most movies and TV shows these days.

Just watched a decades-old sci-fi movie about a female alien (of course, she looks like a smoking hot woman - and spends much of her screen time naked) who escapes from some kind of facility intending to spread mayhem on Earth, while scientists and detective types try to hunt her down.

It wasn't called Species, though. It's actually 1985's Lifeforce, directed by the guy who made the first two Texas Chainsaw installments.

This is one of those movies I can't even call "good," but I'm still glad I watched it because it's so weird it's kind of charming. Yes, even having seen Species years ago, Lifeforce constantly had me scratching my head. Recommended to people in the mood for something unusual, and to people who think Game of Thrones is too restrained in its depiction of T&A.

Emoyreal pretty much summed up my thoughts on Man of Steel. Michael Shannon was fucking intense in it, and yeah his death scene was damn brutal. I thought the soundtrack was incredibly stock and bland though. And Kevin Costner's character was retarded.

Can we go back to talking about Lifeforce?

Space Vampires > Zach Snyder movies

I'm just back from watching Man of Steel and I have mixed feelings.

First, the movie is entertaining enough. I felt the action was packed wisely and it was done very, very well. I liked how Krypton was shown, liked Russell's character too as well as why and how they sent Super to Earth. Zod was the very best character of the movie, by a mile. Everything about him was done just like I like it.

Then, the flashbacks were a bit overused but I found them nice, especially the last one with Clark being a boy and the cape. Special effects and overall look was ace.

Now, Henry has the look for Superman but his acting was a bit lacking. The script of all Clark Kent scenes was also bland IMO. The way Lois knew about him and his powers... it was necessary?

Now, my major complaint about the movie:

I feel Superman was more than a lonely man superior to the rest. It was a lonely man who did his best to fit on a human world, where himself disguises as the best representation of humans from another perspective: Clark Kent. I think this movie at not making him to work on the Daily Planet as Superman lost that charm and social criticism as a weak and contrieved guy versus the almighty Man of Steel. Then again, as with Nolan movies, the superhero is well done but the human is left aside.

I would, but other than describing how perfect Space Girl's boobs were, I'm not really sure what else I can say. In truth, I don't even think I understood the movie's ending. Or what the point of the two male space vampires was. Or the rules regarding the aliens' ability to

Darn it, maybe I'll have to watch the movie a second time. Purely so I can gain a deeper appreciation of the plot, of course.

I'm hoping Lifeforce is better than the other movies that TCM guy did, i.e. TCM 2 and what not...

Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 was a masterpiece of comedy.

I'd rather watch any Zack Snyder movie over that nonsense.

It's been a long time since I've seen it, but I think Poltergeist was a really great film.

I saw Poltergeist for the first time a few years ago and just found it very boring. Its "scares" were cheesy as hell and honestly I don't remember anything good about it at all.

What he said ^

I guess you missed the ending? It's establishing the character very well just like Batman Begins did.

Nah, I saw it but that wasn't how the original story handled it.

First, Clark's dad dies in a very stupid way, only for keeping the secret of his powers, secret that was thrown in the towel with the first person he had near (Lois). I understand that we wanted to save her, but he could have saved HIS FUCKING DAD too! or he could have knocked her and leave her in the near camp for medical attention, I dunno. He just didn't give a flying shit about people knowing his powers, so he could have made his decision way earlier. So, the girl just met the guy and knew who he was. I liked that they tried to make Lois a but more useful but c'mon.

Again, making Clark to work on the Daily could have shown just what I appointed before: no one knew who he really was but he was undercover in the human society as the most wimpiest man ever, just like Superman saw humanity in general terms. I guess that's what will happen on the next one, but the mystery of his identity and Lois' interest in the man more than the superhero is totally gone by now.

If I had Moderator powers I'd split all this Tobe Hooper talk into its own thread.

I haven't seen that much of his work, but his most recent directorial effort I watched is 2004's Toolbox Murders, which I remember not liking.

I wouldn't call Chainsaw 2 any kind of masterpiece, but the existence of Sucker Punch prevents me from fully agreeing with this statement.



Finally, if anyone still cares about Lifeforce, as mentioned on its IMDB page there's a 101 minute version and a 116 minute version out there. I saw the longer one, because that's what my On Demand selection offered.

I first and last saw it in grade school, but I remember there being lots of memorable creepy builds and great images. I mean, this is just a great fucking scene and way better than anything ever made by Zack Snyder.

I do recall Tobe Hooper's Masters of Horror entries to be among the worst, though; I'm definitely no die hard fan. I just really, really like Lifeforce and really, really detest Snyder.

I would. The movie is just plain hilarious. So many classic characters and funny moments. Leatherface literally getting off with his chainsaw? Brilliant. And that Breakfast Club cover spoof. Gold.

The movie was well-shot, sure, but the story was just dull and it had that awful "family horror" quality to it that I despise. "The house was built on a burial ground" is the fucking laziest reason ever for a house being haunted, when the origin of the haunting is usually one of the most intriguing questions in a haunted house story. The Haunting came out almost 20 years earlier and, despite some heavy-handed narration and internal monologue, was a far better haunted house movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQxyaI74v7U

Oh, no argument there; The Haunting is leagues better than Poltergeist. Have you seen The House That Dripped Blood? Now there's an odd take on the "family horror"/haunted house genre. It's not an amazing film, but the cast certainly is.

Even Snyder at his worst is light years beyond TCM 2 and 4, although I don't remember if Hooper was involved much in 4. But those movies are cinematic cancer. I just found TCM 2 so annoying personally, just a god awful movie. The fourth one...haha, should go without explanation, I guess.

Poltergeist is okay. It's likable and kinda fun, though I wouldn't really call it amazing or anything. Both of the sequels got progressively lamer though...the third one is seriously just terrible.

I'll have to check out Lifeforce...I always have been kinda curious about it.

Not seen Legend of the Guardians, aye?

Heh heh...I remember seeing that movie's trailer and thinking they were out of ideas for animated movies.

Then they came out with that one about snails racing or something, and I realized I had been wrong the first time.

Midway through the film there was a four-minute montage sequence matched up to an Owl City song.

...I fucking wish I was kidding.

I cannot defend Texas Chainsaw 4 (a.k.a Next Generation, the one with Renée Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey) on any level. That showed up on demand several months ago, and I tried watching but couldn't even finish it. Then it went away for a while, and came back recently and I forced myself to watch until the end because Texas Chainsaw 3D made me realize "I think I've seen most of that franchise, might as well try to see 'em all."

The Texas Wet T-Shirt Conte ....... ahh, I mean The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2003 with Jessica Biel was also on so I watched that for the first time in years. A pretty loose remake: she didn't have a brother in a wheelchair, there was no attempt to recreate the 'dinner scene,' and the film began with picking up a hitchhiker but under totally different circumstances. Not gawd-awful like part 4, but not great either. The presence of R. Lee Ermey helped a little.

At this point the only one I haven't seen is Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3. But Netflix doesn't have that DVD for some reason and I'm not buying the thing unless I find it for one dollar or less.