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randall 
"I like to watch."
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 Posted - 11/14/2013 : 00:46:42
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MUCH better than I'd expected. I'll admit that at $12 per [my local theater's before-noon special rate], paying $25 for this would have taxed the leisure limit of both me and my bride. But as a Netflix rental, with the bride happily ensconced in another room, I had a WONDERFUL TIME.
This is essentially THE BEST GODZILLAS EVER versus THE WORST TRANSFORMERS EVER. That means Guillermo del Toro's vivid imagination conjures up these beautifully grotesque huge critters, and all we have to fight them is two-person [why? Oh yeah, a plot point] "pilot" teams who have to mind-meld [why? Oh yeah, a p.p.] to operate these big-ass robots, sort of the evolutionary stream following Sigourney Weaver's "loader" in ALIENS.
It was easy to pass up in theaters. But as a park-your-brain-and-munch-your-popcorn thrill ride, I actually loved it. Just don't come in expecting anything profound, and be thankful some deep pockets gave del Toro the dough to make all this happen. It's better than the two TRANSFORMERS movies I've seen [if there are more than that, sorry, I gave up after #2]. It's rainy/snowy/underwater the whole time. The monsters are wonderful, the humans merely furniture, with the sole and single exception of Idris Elba, who actually rocks in this simplistic milieu [MOST of the time].
Rent it. Enjoy. Sue me. |
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benj clews 
"...."
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Posted - 11/14/2013 : 16:23:10
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This another one I just had to watch on the BIG screen, although I think Del Toro does such a great job at depicting the immense scale of these monsters and machines that it'd work almost as well on a decent TV at home. I especially loved the shot where we see an epic punch slamming one behemoth into a skyscraper, the aftermath continuing through the building, finally trickling down into a tiny tremor that gently knocks a Newton's cradle into life.
It's true it's essentially a B-movie dressed up in a 100 million dollar suit but it's such enjoyable, ridiculous carnage (not to mention Del Toro's trademark monsters like nothing you've seen before) I didn't much care about the one dimensional characters or plot holes.
If there were any justice in the world, there would be four of these bad boys and one Transformers movie. Alas, it's the other way around  |
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 11/15/2013 : 10:50:49
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| What I kept thinking of was the old Japanese tv series ULTRAMAN. And what's wrong with that? |
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 12/13/2013 : 20:27:37
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| A very sweet former colleague at HarperCollins sent me over a copy of del Toro's fascinating book of sketches, etc., CABINET OF CURIOSITIES. I can't recommend it too highly [if you can afford a copy]. It takes you inside the mind and onto the sketchpad of the guy who devises the best, most outr� movie monsters ever, in garish ToroColor. Imagine if HE had been working with Rob Bottin on THE THING! Each page is a wonderment, plus there are testimonials from people who have worked with him and other famous folk who are just fans. Splendid job by all concerned. |
Edited by - randall on 12/13/2013 20:44:04 |
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randall
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 01/12/2014 : 02:29:00
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| Del Toro's director commentary is beautiful. If you liked this movie, it'll make you like it even more. |
Edited by - randall on 01/12/2014 02:30:45 |
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benj clews
"...."
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Posted - 01/13/2014 : 11:58:48
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quote:
Originally posted by randall
A very sweet former colleague at HarperCollins sent me over a copy of del Toro's fascinating book of sketches, etc., CABINET OF CURIOSITIES. I can't recommend it too highly [if you can afford a copy]. It takes you inside the mind and onto the sketchpad of the guy who devises the best, most outr� movie monsters ever, in garish ToroColor.
I like to think I was in some way instrumental in this book coming into being (admittedly, it's a long shot) when I asked him at a Q&A several years back if he ever planned on displaying his sketches to the public. At the time he seemed to think there wasn't enough and what there was was already available on things like the Pan's Labyrinth extras.
I'm glad to see he finally came around to the idea- can't wait to check this book out! |
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Pacific Rim
