[X] My Assistant

[Zeron]

The Fountain

This movie was brilliant. I have to watch this again soon (probably tomorrow) because to be entirely honest I think I didn't pay enough attention, I was in too much pain when I watched it. Right now I can go as far as saying that the acting, visual effects, soundtrack and the story as a whole were beautiful. Aronofsky really pulled off another great and entertaining film that goes beyond the typical stuff I've watched recently.

Definitely a 9/10

[HenryHill]

Kill Bill Volume 1:

Ok. So I rewatched this film last night and I've got to say, I liked it a lot better than when I first saw it. The first time I saw it I was so young I think I tried to to take it seriously. Big mistake. This time I knew Tarantino's work, and knew that everything-- literally everything-- is tongue-in-cheek. I loved that style this time, and the humor didn't detract at all from how wicked every part of this movie really is.

From a badass backstory to a ridiculous but well-executed revenge plot, Uma Thurman's character (Beatrix Kiddo?) rocks so hard it makes me less chauvinistic to watch her. The fact that this chick is using a samurai sword to cut through thugs and take out her enemies makes the whole thing less believable, but WAY cooler. (The fact that they were Japanese people, who also had samurai swords, she kicked the shit out of makes it a bit more believable, I guess).

The awesome soundtrack and an animated segment that should seem out of place but doesn't make this film a bit more out-there than the second, and I think it's that reason that I love this one even more.

10/10

Kill Bill Volume 2:

Now. The second Kill Bill is totally necessary to complete the story, and has the same brilliant pacing and characters as the first. The only thing missing is the edge of Kiddo from the first one. Hmm, I shouldn't say missing. Perhaps, dulled. The edge from the first movie is dulled a bit by the less eccentric setting and less over-the-top battles. (The battles were STILL ridiculous, don't get me wrong). The backstory with Pei Mei is always very enjoyable, however, and I can equate that with the backstory of O-ren Ishii in awesomeness . . . well, maybe not. But almost.

There's a good emotional bit toward the end of this film that caught me off guard with how serious and well done it was. And for that, I give it a slight bump in enjoyability, as it gives the viewer a great ending to a movie that could have, very well, ended much worse. The strange connection the viewer feels with Kiddo took me by surprise-- a good surprise. Over all:

9/10, one point deducted because the first casts a shadow over it.

[Henrick]

I'm going to go and rent those soon, forgot how good they were.

[RomanViking]

^I love Tarantino films, especially Pulp Fiction. Going to see Kill Bill now that you've reminded me


The Invasion (2007)
Bottom line: A thoroughly intense thriller, basically a remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers

This film has some seriously unsettling scenes, and good philosophy.
For example; there's the part with the Russian gentleman giving his views on the nature of the human race, and Kidman's rebuttal.
I found Nicole Kidman's relationship with Daniel Craig's character completely believable, and also her relationship with her son nice.

Several "good" messages throughout, such as the mention of all the world's wars coming to an end merely days after "the invasion of the body snatchers" take over our bodies

Street scenes of Nicole having to pretend to be infected by showing no emotion, were especially well done.

The only part I felt was weak was the ending

scientists eradicate the alien virus with ease and life continues as normal

9/10

[Choked]

The invasion is a piece of crap. The pacing is all over the place and the acting is horrible. It's doesn't quite work without the communist undertones.

[ampburner]

The Fountain

This movie was brilliant. I have to watch this again soon (probably tomorrow) because to be entirely honest I think I didn't pay enough attention, I was in too much pain when I watched it. Right now I can go as far as saying that the acting, visual effects, soundtrack and the story as a whole were beautiful. Aronofsky really pulled off another great and entertaining film that goes beyond the typical stuff I've watched recently.

Definitely a 9/10

awesome. The Fountain is my favourite movie of all time.
http://ampburner.hitmanforum.com/?page_id=11

[Kent]

The Fountain

This movie was brilliant. I have to watch this again soon (probably tomorrow) because to be entirely honest I think I didn't pay enough attention, I was in too much pain when I watched it. Right now I can go as far as saying that the acting, visual effects, soundtrack and the story as a whole were beautiful. Aronofsky really pulled off another great and entertaining film that goes beyond the typical stuff I've watched recently.

Definitely a 9/10

awesome. The Fountain is my favourite movie of all time.
http://ampburner.hitmanforum.com/?page_id=11

Possibly mine too. I'm not sure though. It gets quite fuzzy up at the top.

Edit:

I just checked my Top 20 of All Time on flickchart.com and it seems to settle at position 17. But like I said, it's kind of fuzzy up there.

[ampburner]

yeah, I don't pretend to completely understand the finale. I used to have a bunch of theories on it, but nowadays just take it as a metaphore and enjoy the visuals and music.

[Surgical Scar]

I'll be posting a review of The Hurt Locker tomorrow. Just to let y'all know.

[Choked]

It was good, i liked it. One of the better, more plot driven character pieces of recent times.

EDIT: Haha, i just realized you won't reply as to not spoil the ending of your review tomorrow. Why don't you just post it today?

[Surgical Scar]

Because I don't get to see it 'til tomorrow, you spong.

[Choked]

ah.

[Zeron]

yeah, I don't pretend to completely understand the finale. I used to have a bunch of theories on it, but nowadays just take it as a metaphore and enjoy the visuals and music.

That's the main reason why I'll watch it again.

I think it just has to be the culmination of all three stories but I just can't wrap my head around what happens to the "present". Does he find the cure he was looking for? Does he go on and become what we see as the bald future self? Or is that the third and last part of the story, the one HE was also supposed to finish. I guess the fact that he guides the tree to the dying star means that he ultimately finished the novel under Izzy's idea of the Mayan concept of rebirth through death.

I guess I'll be more able to make my own interpretation once I watch it again.

[Fonzie]

Kill Bill Volume 2:

Now. The second Kill Bill is totally necessary to complete the story, and has the same brilliant pacing and characters as the first. The only thing missing is the edge of Kiddo from the first one. Hmm, I shouldn't say missing. Perhaps, dulled. The edge from the first movie is dulled a bit by the less eccentric setting and less over-the-top battles. (The battles were STILL ridiculous, don't get me wrong). The backstory with Pei Mei is always very enjoyable, however, and I can equate that with the backstory of O-ren Ishii in awesomeness . . . well, maybe not. But almost.

There's a good emotional bit toward the end of this film that caught me off guard with how serious and well done it was. And for that, I give it a slight bump in enjoyability, as it gives the viewer a great ending to a movie that could have, very well, ended much worse. The strange connection the viewer feels with Kiddo took me by surprise-- a good surprise. Over all:

9/10, one point deducted because the first casts a shadow over it.

I don't really like this sequel myself. The only parts which I truly loved were Pai Mei's storyline and the snake kill. For the rest, I felt that the magic of the first movie was simply lost. Oh, and how can you like the ending? I despised it so much; there I was, waiting for an epic fight scene as the Bride finally battles it out with Bill after swinging her bloodied sword through multiple bodies, and instead...I got that. The worst thing of all is that, just like you said, this sequel was completely necessary and needed to be done.

[Surgical Scar]

Scratch that hurt Locker review for now. I fucked that one right up.

[Choked]

All that Anticipation though. Never commit unless you can follow through with you promises. It'll leave lots of people disappointed. Most of all me.



</3

[ampburner]

I think it just has to be the culmination of all three stories but I just can't wrap my head around what happens to the "present". Does he find the cure he was looking for? Does he go on and become what we see as the bald future self? Or is that the third and last part of the story, the one HE was also supposed to finish. I guess the fact that he guides the tree to the dying star means that he ultimately finished the novel under Izzy's idea of the Mayan concept of rebirth through death.

The way I see it, there are two interpretations

'It's a book'

Past: Izzy's book (Fiction!)
Present: Present day life. Before Izzy dies she asks Tommy to finish the book, because she thinks the process of writing will help him find closure.
Future: Tommy's ending to Izzy's book (Fiction!). A bunch of stuff happens, but the details aren't really important to the story. the point is: It's part of the book.

Literal

Past
Queen Isabel sends Thomas on a mission to find the Fountain of youth / Tree of life.
He eventually finds it, and drinks the sap from the tree. a bunch of shit happens (during the finale of the film) which I don't pretend to understands. Anyone who can explain this to me, will receive eternal gratitude. Kent?



Present
Tommy tries to find a cure for Izzy's cancer.
He finds parts of the south american tree (tree of life from the 'past' section), and using it's stem cells, he makes a scientific breakthrough.

Izzy writes a book about the stuff described in the 'past' section. In the 'book' interpretation, this has significance. In this interpretation, it's just a nice coincidence. At best, it inspires Tommy to complete his research.

But he is too late as Izzy has already passed away.
At Izzy's funeral, Tommy swears that 'Death is a disease like any other, I will find a cure'.
He plants a tree over Izzy's grave.

He continues his research and eventually finds a way to live forever.
He believes that part of Izzy lives on in the tree that he planted on her grave and applies his research to keep the tree alive.

Future
Through some kind of future technology and/or meditation Tom creates a space vessel. His goal is to take the Izzy tree to the dying star she wrote about. He eventually reaches the star, just as it goes supernova - killing Tom but 'rebirthing' the lovers in the process.

[Zeron]

I really need to talk with you. ^_^

I don't understant what happens with the sap either. My theory is that if the sap in its natural form only creates plant life. When he drops it on the ground, plants grow. When he drinks it and "cures" the stab wound, more plants grow in there too. I guess maybe the sap creates plant life, while the bark can perpetuate life of any kind. Perhaps it all depends on which part of the tree you use.

This would be an awesome topic for discussion in the HMF Panel Show.

[Kent]

- It's dramatic irony. He looks for the tree of life because he believes it will generate life within him... and it does, just not in the way he expected it to (like in the many classic stories where someone gets what they want, but in a way that he/she didn't expect). His quest to physically live forever as a human is misguided, and he pays the price.
It also follows with the idea that everlasting life is only possible (or "right"?) through a cycle of death and rebirth where we live forever by allowing our physical bodies to die and go on into fueling other life and processes. In the end both future Hugh and past Hugh gets to "live forever" in the same sense, but because past Hugh had misunderstood the quest eternal life and what it's (or what it should be about) about it's punishment for him, while it's release/reward for future Hugh.

Eeer... something like that.

[Zeron]

Well that definitely makes more sense, I have no retort to that. You sir, are awesome.