I couldn't come up with a better title. This is supposed to be the movies discussion thread.

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Ok didn't feel like double posting so...thoughts on Batman v Superman? I plan to watch it this weekend with my family but I've been reading a lot of negative comments. Opinions?

btw this is my favorite trailer ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

I don't have any depth perception in my eyes so no.

Also, fuck this movie and everything it represents.

Batman vs. Superman is the nihilistic teenager in all of us that despite trying to signal his own maturity instead falls back on the perennial arguments of his even younger days: "Who would win in a fight" -- while still barely mangaging to answer that question. Beyond that problem, what semblance of a movie existed in its original incarnation has been set aside in order to fit a lengthy infomercial for the fact that, no, really, DC has more than two characters in their comic series and won't you come back in a year to see them all?

I like watching movies in 3D in general, with the note that I tend to only enjoy 3D films that are either shot using specialized 3D cameras (as a number of IMAX documentaries have been, which I've seen and found pleasant and fun to watch in 3D) or were animated (especially by computer, where drawing 3D graphics in a 3D plane costs limited overhead and presents significant depth to a filmgoing audience). It's possible to have a compelling movie that has its 3D effects added in post (as I believe was the case for Mad Max: Fury Road. a technical and narrative marvel despite the fact that the Academy wouldn't dare consider the second part to be true)), but the cinematographer has be extremely careful about how scenes are shot. Foreground detail is going to attract the eye, but it's rarely what a shot of the film winds up focusing on, so you wind up with lots of prominent blurry details in films not designed around it.

I have no comments about Batman vs. Superman other than it's not likely I'll actually watch it.

I have seen 2 or 3 movies in 3D an my conclusion is that it's an interesting format to watch occasionally, but for me it doesn't add enough to be worth the extra effort of focusing in and out to try to catch things. The eyes aren't really designed to change the depth of perception without changing their actual focus point. So I'll normally choose a 2D version in preference.

Well, that's just me.

3D gives me a headache. Think it has something to do with my left eye not working very well

On BvS... I don't really like the concept of shared universes, and think DC is making a mistake by trying to build one. They're imposing significant limitations on themselves and all they really stand to gain is brand recognition

A shared universe is one of the most unique things comic books can have and if juggled well can be so much more amazing than only self-contained story, be it massive crossovers like JLA/Titans and the Technis Imperative, Infinite Crisis or the awesome single issue crossovers in James Robinsons amazing Starman run.

Batman vs. Superman is the nihilistic teenager

The director is an Ayn Rand fanboy (who plans to go on to direct The Fountainhead) so that's a pretty natural result.

I saw Star Trek II: The Wrath Of J.J. Abrams in 3D and it was pretty fun, although it was a "throw shit at the camera" movie rather than a "look at this impressive world you're immersed in" sort of film. It didn't really add much to the movie, but it did distract me from some of the worst bits of the plot until I had a chance to think about them outside the theatre. So mission accomplished, in that case.

As to muteKI's reference to Furiosa Road, to hell with the Academy anyway. If nothing else this is a film whose cinematography will be studied by film students for decades. So that's their immortality!

Hylarn posted:

On BvS... I don't really like the concept of shared universes, and think DC is making a mistake by trying to build one.

It worked out for Marvel though.

I hate 3D. It works for colorful animated movies or bright, big sceneries but for most normal movies it adds almost nothing. Especially since 3D glasses already are darkening screen, if action take place in darker area, you can barely see anything. Most of the time 3D is added only as gimmick, so I see no point paying more money for it.

last edited at Mar 26, 2016 9:03AM

Hylarn posted:

On BvS... I don't really like the concept of shared universes, and think DC is making a mistake by trying to build one.

It worked out for Marvel though.

It's also working fine for their television properties, which they seem to be much better at than movies. And of course their animated programs before that.

I don't plan to watch BvS, at least not paying to watch it.
But I did watch Zootopia and Deadpool, and both were worth the ticket, even in the 3D (and to make it more expensive, we bought them online so we could pick the best seats).
Zootopia was amazing, really funny, great animation... The mid point where the bunny goes full retard during the interview and that comes out really awkward, like... why the bunny has the be the idiot? you could've pick any other speak against the predators and the result would still be the same without the same old drama was the only bad point for me

Deadpool between very good, goood and yeah bad jokes too, it was very entertaining, I felt it short but I guess you can't ask for deep development or plot twist with this guy, only violence.

For me 3D wasn't like the usual thing that will get you tired after the first 5 tries, If I could, I would watch any action and animated movie in 3D, the only bad point are the semi blurred subtitles... Is not a problem for most of you but I still can't fully understand english when spoken

last edited at Mar 26, 2016 10:03AM

I've seen two documentaries and two feature films in 3D, and my overall impression is it's mostly fluff. Of the four, I only felt the 3D enhanced what I was feeling for one of the documentaries — it was about the oceans, and the amount of objects which were shot close to the camera helped you feel immersed amongst the wildlife.

What I noticed from the last film I saw (and this might be my overall problem with it) is I've a tendency to migrate to objects in the background or foreground, and the 3D effect magnifies the blurring effect from a single-focused camera, which ends up pulling me away from the experience.

I'd like to see this version tho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T802ywNiYA

3D gives me a headache. Think it has something to do with my left eye not working very well

On BvS... I don't really like the concept of shared universes, and think DC is making a mistake by trying to build one. They're imposing significant limitations on themselves and all they really stand to gain is brand recognition

Well, they already kind of in the same universe when you take DC as a whole and it's not new for those to meet or even fight. An actual cross-universe would be like captain america vs superman. ^^;

Jurassic Park in IMAX 3D was pretty epic, but normal 3D is usually distracting and underwhelming.

Zootopia was amazing, really funny, great animation... The mid point where the bunny goes full retard during the interview and that comes out really awkward, like... why the bunny has the be the idiot? you could've pick any other speak against the predators and the result would still be the same without the same old drama was the only bad point for me

After your comment, I found a trailer and then actually went out and watched Zootopia this afternoon. You're right, it was quite good and funny. As for the mid point, it's pretty obvious that the one who put the bunny into that interview with no instruction or direction at all was primarily at fault for that meltdown. And the still idealistic bunny could be counted on to be stupidly open with information that she didn't even know to be true. She knew it was problematic and was trying to figure out what to say. She was guilty of being unwilling to prevaricate, rather than being stupid. SPOILER WITHIN A SPOILER AHEAD! BE WARNED!

Now, think about who arranged that? Who was right there to stop to interview after the damage was done? Who had a lot to gain from a screwed up interview? Who was the final villain?? The bunny was set up!

When you think of it that way, the screenwriting makes sense. So my own opinion is that it was not awkward. Yes that scene was painful to watch, but it made perfect sense in context.

Nothing but my own opinion.

last edited at Mar 26, 2016 5:49PM

Yeah, but it could've been handled much better, like how during the first part she acts fully open to the idea of predators and ... ehmm, the little ones living together and even as a child she doesn't even holds a grudge against one who attacked her but during the interview (she was nervous and not prepared yeah) she talks like "Of course, is in their nature!" like she was almost inspired or forced. So I felt like Rick too, disappointed

Well that's really my personal opinion, because since I saw shrek 1, I really started to hate the part where after conflict, there's a long boring sad part (with sad music) that will be inevitably solved close to the end... In short, conflict is necessary but spare me the sadness.

But leaving that aside, the best part was at the very end with the racer... Omg I had a goooood laugh with that!

last edited at Mar 26, 2016 7:25PM

Yeah, but it could've been handled much better, like how during the first part she acts fully open to the idea of predators and ... ehmm, the little ones living together and even as a child she doesn't even holds a grudge against one who attacked her but during the interview (she was nervous and not prepared yeah) she talks like "Of course, is in their nature!" like she was almost inspired or forced. So I felt like Rick too, disappointed

I see what you mean. It seems like she got that idea from the doctor the mayor had hired to get to the root of things (who was stumped and simply throwing something random out there). But even so, it did seem like she let the idea take root too easily. And even if she took it as given, it becomes "One out of hundreds of thousands (or tens of millions, it's a big city) might suddenly go wild. I'd better keep my eye on every predator just in case." I'd have thought she was too smart for that.

But leaving that aside, the best part was at the very end with the racer... Omg I had a goooood laugh with that!

lol. I mean I literally laughed out loud on reading this comment. That was good.

last edited at Mar 26, 2016 9:22PM

I'm back. Watched it. Eh it wasn't that bad...but I don't think I can recommend it. I'm not going to spoil the movie cuz it's too early but things that bugged me: I really disliked that Luthor and Batman killed people? and there was just way too much thrown into the thing. I did like the "Batman fights random henchmen" because it felt kinda like the Arkham games(...?)

Beyond that problem, what semblance of a movie existed in its original incarnation has been set aside in order to fit a lengthy infomercial for the fact that, no, really, DC has more than two characters in their comic series and won't you come back in a year to see them all?

I agree.

Oh yeah I did ask about 3D right? lol. This is the 2nd movie I've watched in 3D since...idk the 90's maybe?
The 3D was pointless, we paid more and my eyes are tired GG. The other one was StarWars7 and that was...well better, I guess, thanks to the ships, blasters and the such. Conclusion: I prefer 2D.

Ok didn't feel like double posting so...thoughts on Batman v Superman? I plan to watch it this weekend with my family but I've been reading a lot of negative comments. Opinions?

Oh boy, prepare for a ton of words

Is an awesome, AWESOME movie.

My theater was packed (and when we were out people was getting ready to enter to the midnight showing that also was sold out), tons of families with kids around and well, everyone was simply having the time of their lives with the movie. For a movie everyone was claiming is too grim, gritty and joyless; the audience on my showing laughed quite a bit thanks to some well placed snide remarks (most notorious the exchange between Batman and Superman in the final battle) And yes, everyone lost their shit at the moment Wonder Woman showed up.

Purely anecdotical, but I went with all of my family that includes a hyperactive 10 years old niece and a seventy years old grandma and everyone was glued to their seats watching the movie. Hell, even my mom that barely reads comics loved the way the movie questioned Superman's role in the world.

Now on the actual movie

I honestly don't understand the complaints about the plot being hard to follow or falling short to explain the characters' motivations. Everything is laid out clearly by the dialogue and the acting. Why Lex did that massively contrived plan to manipulate Superman? Because he was essentially having a pissing contest with Superman to get him bend to his will. Why Bruce stopped fighting Clark? Because the realization of Clark being a guy that values his family as much as Bruce himself does, hit him like a wall of bricks. Why was WW around? She was after the intel Lex gathered on her and just happened to line up with Bruce's own investigation in the matter. I mean seriously, as long you put attention to the movie everything is very easy to understand.

The action is amazing, it truly is like a comic book come to life. Batman acts and fights like the Batman I've read on comics all of these years and is the best interpretation of the character so far. Ben Affleck hit a home run with his acting. The complaints about killing people are way, way overblown. He doesn't do anything that Keaton or Bale didn't did before. The guy is brutal as fuck but then again, it fits the tone of this universe where there are always consequences.

Just like Batman, this version of Superman is my favorite yet. Cavill sold me the character, his motivations, doubts and morality. He's flawed and that precisely why I loved, it left such impression on me that I actually teared up during his death. I'm not bothered at all by the fact they showed he's coming back, all the contrary, that little stinger is somewhat of a turning point for the DC Cinematic Universe where everything is brighter and more hopeful.

Wonder Woman was well, wonderful. Her sudden appearance during the fight against Doomsday was one of the best moments of the film and Snyder really drives home how powerful she is by being the only one who actually puts a fight against Doomsday.

Eisenberg's take on Lex was amazing as well. It reminded a lot of the way the character has been handled in the current comics. A guy really smart but with an ego to match that simply can't stand the idea of someone being better than him.

Doomsday has always been somewhat of a walking plot device and such, I enjoyed the way it was handled by Snyder, just an unstoppable machine of destruction. His appearance wasn't comic accurate but whatever, we were shown on screen the way he improved himself after every attack and that is more impressive to me.

In short, the movie was everything I expected and is definitely a movie I'll recommend to everyone willing to listen me.

last edited at Mar 27, 2016 2:41AM

Saw the movie. Gave it an Okay/10. Action was okay, looked nice I guess, some plot points were buttfuck retarded.

3D is shit. It fucks you up and it's never worth it. I saw a movie in 3D once and I was messed up for hours.

I like it when it was about moral question regarding massacre Superman did in previous movies, the fight is just okay I guess.

Finally got around to watching Deadpool. As awesome as I expected, I am really glad the movie was as good as it was. Also really glad how good it did on the money side, it was like, super unexpected to hear that it did better than Guardian, Batman v Superman and all the X-men movies. Source for that is the honest trailer which by the way everybody should totally watch cause it's one of Screen Junkies's best ones.

last edited at May 12, 2016 2:20AM

I like 3D, have no issues on watching it whenever avaiable, also because the difference in price around here is almost insignificant. With that being said, the 3D for Civil War blows

As for Batman v Superman, it really was one of the worst experiences i ever had in theaters, not only was the movie crap with the only redeeming scene being the one where Batman goes to save Superman's mom but also the AC was broken and the power went down (on the cinema alone) right before the fight was about to start, which took some good 5 minutes to run the movie again even though the power came back immediatly, and when it did start there was no sound, we essentially watched the entire fight without sound, fortunatelly they were kind enough to rewind to the beginning of the fight when the sound came back, but little did we know that we already watched the entire thing minus the conclusion, so disappointing
The only reason i don't regret watching it is because it's fun to make fun of it while talking about Civil War with friends

last edited at May 12, 2016 9:56AM

Apologies for reviving the dead, but things really aren't looking too good for DC
I wasn't particularly interested in this movie, but i wanted at least for the non-Zack Snyder movies to fare more positively than BvS did