What Films Have You Seen Recently?

[Invid Ninja]

Originally Posted by keirarts

Robocop remake.

I went because mark kermode said it was ok. Then i remembered he was the reason i sat through twilight. Im going to spend some time collecting my thoughts but typing this fresh out of the cinema, the words bland and sanitized spring to mind.

Bearing in mind the original Verhoeven Robocop has been one of my favourite films since I was 11 or 12 (I'm 21 now) and still remains I think one of the absolute best movies of the 1980's, this had me very, very worried. I was honestly pleasantly surprised by the remake though, it's a very solid modern take on Robocop clearly from a director that in spite of the 12/PG-13 rating cares about the original material enough to craft his own take on the story with a definable style as well as an interesting and differing outlook on the original film's themes, dynamics and plot. The cast and script for the most part I also found very good to boot. Minor flaws aside, It's a firm 7/10 film for me. As an aside, Kermode is the only mainstream film critic I actually like.

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by Invid Ninja

Bearing in mind the original Verhoeven Robocop has been one of my favourite films since I was 11 or 12 (I'm 21 now) and still remains I think one of the absolute best movies of the 1980's, this had me very, very worried. I was honestly pleasantly surprised by the remake though, it's a very solid modern take on Robocop clearly from a director that in spite of the 12/PG-13 rating cares about the original material enough to craft his own take on the story with a definable style as well as an interesting and differing outlook on the original film's themes, dynamics and plot. The cast and script for the most part I also found very good to boot. Minor flaws aside, It's a firm 7/10 film for me. As an aside, Kermode is the only mainstream film critic I actually like.

The original Robocop is a satire. Satire done well is supposed to be provocative, over the top and funny. The violence in the original was shocking, the humor clever and the points well made without ramming the subtext down the viewers throat. It was an intelligent piece of cinema that used pop sci-fi to make some very incisive statements on modern America.

The modern Robocop has none of this whatsoever. The 'satire' is so heavy handed it actually ceases to be decent satire. It's just tiresome and obvious. The violence is actually more appalling as it seems to treat the slaughter of human beings like some kind of call of duty videogame with the blood turned off just enough to get the kids involved. Gary oldman aside the acting is almost uniformly terrible and the script is just bland and predictable.

Ok perhaps not as bad as the diabolical Total recall remake but this isn't actually a good film. If the original robocop did not exist it would still be a poor film. I'd be sitting here typing that they had some nice ideas but deployed them terribly.

Oh and remember all the insiteful stuff about American industrial design that ran through the original? From the ED-209 to the 6000 sux, (an american tradition!) The point that half of what is designed is made to look cool but is impractical and lacks functionality. Remember the humor in the mediabreaks? (nuke em' ect.) All gone and without it all that remains is a hollow, soulless shell of a film.

We deserve better. Goddamitt we do!

[Invid Ninja]

We'll have to agree to disagree on it then; believe me as I've already said, the original has been one of my all time favourite films for a very long time and I found this remake enjoyable in it's own right. Call me uncultured and lenient but hell, I even found the Total Recall remake enjoyable as sci-fi action fluff.

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by Invid Ninja

We'll have to agree to disagree on it then; believe me as I've already said, the original has been one of my all time favourite films for a very long time and I found this remake enjoyable in it's own right. Call me uncultured and lenient but hell, I even found the Total Recall remake enjoyable as sci-fi action fluff.

But there was so much more they could have said with Robocop.

Just re-watched the original and it really re-inforced how much this remake drops the ball.

[sjconstable]

Originally Posted by Invid Ninja

Call me uncultured and lenient but hell, I even found the Total Recall remake enjoyable as sci-fi action fluff.

So did I, that's why I'm off to see RoboCop on Wednesday, I'm anticipating it being a 6/10.

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by gasteropod

So did I, that's why I'm off to see RoboCop on Wednesday, I'm anticipating it being a 6/10.

But the total recall remake was .......Boring!

Fluff I can handle, but that piece of crap made me fall asleep.

[Invid Ninja]

Don't get me wrong I'm not a total remake apologist, I thought the recent Carrie remake was godawful.

[sjconstable]

Originally Posted by keirarts

But the total recall remake was .......Boring!

Fluff I can handle, but that piece of crap made me fall asleep.

Sci-fi with cool production design tends to keep me interested to a certain extent, I liked the futuristic world that looked like Blade Runner, Colin Farrell had zero charisma in it but my attention was elsewhere, the hot women helped as well

[keirarts]

Originally Posted by Invid Ninja

Don't get me wrong I'm not a total remake apologist, I thought the recent Carrie remake was godawful.

I may be a little guilty of hyperbole. Just feel totally burned by kermode. Hes been back on form recently. Had almost forgiven him for reccomending twighlight.

[sjconstable]

Hellgate (1989) - 3/10

I just had to give this a watch after everyone's comments on here, and yeah it is crappy. However, parts made me laugh out loud, and it does have a pretty good atmosphere in the ghostly parts, but the third part of the film just seems to consist of people wandering around aimlessly and that's where I lost interest. I am slightly surprised that people on here hate it so much though considering the other films they like!