h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Shaolin Soccer, which people told me they preferred over Kung Fu Hustle.

I disagree Kung Fu Hustle was better.

and I was too tired to follow up with a review. ()

So here goes:

Really rather good, I had been told repeatedly before going by my brother that it was boring. I had wondered about that. In films, he and I don't often agree, and I can safely say it was not boring.

The first...erm...third of the movie (It is really quite long) is solely concerned with setting up the characters travelling to Skull Island. I especially liked the ship's captain but I didn't really get the sub-plot of the orphan child (Jamie "Billie Elliot" Bell.) Anyone care to explain that to me?

I thought some of the in-jokes were hilarious (the writer trapped in an animal cage spewing out pieces of script) "I'm a film producer - you can trust me." Not jaded at all are we?

I also liked that it put a lot of effort into building up the depression era; one where keeping morals is hard and making money even harder. I think what Jackson was trying to achieve with that whole episode before and on the boat is grounding the characters, giving them motivation, particularly for Denham (Jack Black) in setting him up to make the choices he does. "We'll complete ht picture for so-and-so. You can see on the looks of his remaining crew that they don't believe it either. Like a good tragedy, it is his ambition to succeed is what brings about destruction in the end. However, it's not a ruthless ambition the film suggests he is just striving to succeed at a time when most cannot.

So I didn't think the good (probably hour-long) build up was worthless, it does however slow the film down, so if you are expecting monkeys and Great Apes from the get go, it isn't going to happen. However, the film more than makes up for that omission by cramming into the remainder of the film every conceivable action sequence going. And there's a hell of a lot to choose from: man-eating slugs and HUGE centipedes are just the start. My favourite however by far, was the Tyrannosaurus-onna-swing. If you haven't seen it yet then I shan't spoil it. In particular, the one camera angle I adored; the crane-shot nostril-first down the muzzle of a T-rex, suffice to say just when you thought it was safe to fall of a cliff-face, Jackson even manages to out-Spielberg, Spielberg.

I confess I didn’t understand the in-movie-logic of sending Driscoll on alone to rescue Anne Darrow, given everything that had just happened to the crew, you think they'd have insisted on going together or not at all. I was very appreciative that the film didn't show us how they go Kong back to the mainland, just a cut to some unspecified time after the events on the island.

When Kong escapes, the cinema got quite a few chuckles from him discarding potential Anne Darrows 15 feet in the air. The ice-skating scene was fun, (I never knew ice was that strong) and then - the Empire State building. I liked the mirror of choosing that spot like his home on the cliff face on Skull Island, the highest point, where he can survey all, the metaphor of the concrete jungle of the city seemed at that point more real than at any other time.

I think it's probably done Pete Jackson a world of good to get this film out of his system - he's been wanting to remake it for years - I'm a fan and I look forward to seeing what he attempts next now he's completed his twin ambitions of making Lord of The Rings and King Kong, and this latest effort is really quite a good film, and definitely, definitely NOT boring (Sorry, Chris )

Actually I just wondered whether you liked it or not...

oh I see.

I saw Kong last weekend and was pleasantly surprised.

Sure it's far too long, especially the build up, but i thought the finale was worth the admission price alone. like the LOTR trilogy they weren't great works of art but just great cinema.

definitely didn't see the point of Jamie Bell's part though?

No, me neither.

One for the director's commentaries on the DVD with deleted scenes methinks.

annie...... pennies from heaven was a series... although i have a feeling it was then made into a film but not sure... i could be mixed up with the life and loves of a she devil...which was also an excellent series with julie t wallace, but america remade it with roseanne barr and crucified that worthy series...

i have a strong feeling they did the same to pennies....i'll look it up.
we rented a cheerful little film tonight...the heart is more deceitful etc starring and directed by asia argento....

bloody hell what a disturbing film....... it was hard work watching it... it was well made and acted, and showed how the system kept failing the little boy called jericho..... but not for the fainthearted as their is some disturbing abuse in it...

asia argento played the foul druggy tarty mom to perfection... looks like she might have looked to courtney love for inspiration in behaviour and looks....only other film i've seen her in was xXx with vin diesel.. she obviously has more talent than i realised..

Rented out Mimic 5, no, 6, no, 3, yes 3 (three). Why? Because although it involved some sort of alien life form evicerating everyone in pincer-reach it still kept the boundaries between good and evil at a recognizable level, unlike Wolf Creek and Devil's Rejects.

regarding pennies from heaven...just looked it up and damn it all it was made into a hollywood film with steve martin in the bob hoskins role....

written by dennis potter....first televised late 70's... then made into film and americanised...... i can't comment on the film version as i haven't seen it.. and i do like steve martin...but i don't think we brits liked it much...

anyone out there know anymore?

Watched "Polar Express" today.
I am not really an animation fan, but since it was a present, I did watch it, and quite enjoyed it too.
It isn't what I call total super realism animation like new Captain Scarlet TV animation series, it is a mixture of some super realism and conventional animation, with nice touches like hair moving in wind and good body movements.
It is a Christmas film about a train that goes to see Father Christmas and restores a little belief in him as it goes along.
I feel adults and kids will enjoy film, and indeed, I think it will join my Christmas favourites!

The point about Jamie Bell's character in the King Kong? That it is utterly pontless, just as changing Driscoll's character from Ship's Mate to Writer, thus lengthening the bum-numbing 'establishing' first third of the movie in order to give creedence to the huge assortment of extra characters Jackson felt it necessary to invent.

As for out Speilberging Speilberg, why would you want to do boring better than the boremeister himself? (And I say that liking a lot of Speilberg's stuff, just not his awful sfx-heavy 'family films'.)

Talking of Spielberg, saw the trailer for Munich the other day. Definitely one to look out for.

Watched Last Days on DVD yesterday. Not sure what to think of it really? Still making my mind up. A lot like Elephant with long tracking shots and very little dialogue, but don't think it worked as well in this film as it did in Elephant.

And went to see Jarhead on Friday night, which was fantastic. Another great performance from Jake Gyllenhaal. Jamie Foxx too. Visually stunning as well, the night scenes in the middle of the burning oil wells are incredible.

I saw Brokeback Mountain on Sunday (or 'that gay cowboy film' as the press call it).
Fantastic: great story, well acted and thouroughly watchable. The subject matter did make me feel uncomfortable at times, but that added to the film.
Both lead actors were good, though I didn't think that the makeup ageing of Jake G was as good as Heath L.
Regarding Jake G's films, I loved Donnie Darko; it was a real break from standard story lines. I would recommend that before you watch it for a second time, you go to the Donnie Darko website. As you unlock the different levels, you get some of the background to the time travel aspects that help to slot some of the storyline in to place.

Brokeback and Jarhead on both on my want to see list.

Watched Final Fantasy VII Advent Children last night, fan-flipping-tastic! Cracking story, sumptuous graphics, excellent fight scenes and some very nice touches (the use of the "you have just finished that battle" music that appeared in the game is used as mobile ringtone in one scene)

Some things we've watched recently;

Kill Bill 1 and 2, back to back. It's the first time I've watched them since they were at the cinema and they remain what they were then - appalingly violent, utterly immoral examples of just how exciting and frentic film making can be when handled with a dash of wit. Little short of masterpieces.

Shaolin Soccer. I enjoyed this hugely, but probably not as much as Kung Fu Hustle. I do think it needs to be pointed out that the 'English Language Version' is missing over twenty minutes ogf footage and I suspect that will damage the film a great deal. (which is why Stephen Chow demanded absolute control over Kung Fu Hustle.)

I don't think I bigged up The Cat Returns, a rather charming modern day fairy tale from the guys at Studio Ghibli. Whils not quite up to the standards of the great Miyazaki, it's a wonderful little film with a huge heart and a nice cameo from Tim Curry as the King Of Cats.

.

I've been wanting to see the Kill Bill films for *ages*, must pop down to (and join) my local video shop.

I should correct one thing I said about them. I said they were utterly immoral. They aren't, but they are utterly *amoral* which is a different thing altogether.

The cat returns is indeed an amazeing film!