Total Recall by ecgordon

CINEMA

Total Recall

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POSTED BY: ECGORDON
UPDATED: Monday, September 10, 2012 22:01
SHORT URL: http://bit.ly/RKmJxz
VIEWED: 5763
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Saturday, August 11, 2012 2:22 PM

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

I'm not trying to imply that anyone else is or was thinking of seeing the remake, but I made that mistake.

Do. Not. Go.

http://templetongate.net/totalrecall.htm

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Saturday, August 18, 2012 5:28 AM

SHINYGOODGUY

That was my take on it as well. I was not interested, although some of the action sequences looked awesome. But I was somewhat disappointed when I went to see True Grit (with Jeff Bridges) by the Coen Brothers. Now I usually like their overall vision of the different movie genres (Miller's Crossing is one of my all-time favs).

But in this instant, the Duke's movie is much better - even though it was made way back in 1969. They did manage to add some interesting observations by the main character Mattie Ross, of Yell County. So here I am looking at the trailer for Total Recall and it didn't interest me. So thanks EC, you saved me a trip (and 12 bucks).

SGG

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Saturday, August 18, 2012 7:29 AM

HKCAVALIER

I liked it a good deal. I'm kinda having a summer of dissenting enthusiasm. Loved John Carter, Brave, The Dark Knight Rises, and now this. First of all, Colin Farrell is an actual actor, so that sets it a notch or ten above the one with Arnold right there. Some of the action sequences were, y'know, pretty epic. Kate Beckinsale has never looked this badass. She was awesome. And Jessica Biel even got to do some acting; they don't usually ask her to do that.

Something's happening with the critics, seems to me. Every now and then the critical concensus seems to get out of touch with what's good. The first time I noticed it was back in the 80's when they were scoffing at movies like Robocop and Die Hard as pure trash no one in their right mind would want to see. They've always seen way, way too many movies, y'know, in the last week alone and they can't just watch a film and judge it on it's own merrits and it's own intentions. And more and more these days, everything they see compares poorly with truly schlocky junk they think is godly just becaues they first saw it when they were 13. Critics now are obsessed with making comparisons, always these comparisons, but that's just so 90's, so Quentin Tarantino.

I'm not trying to get on your case EC (ETA: I'm sorry, I hadn't read your full review of the movie when I wrote this post; I really wasn't thinking of you when I did.) I don't judge individual people for not liking a movie. You have every right and every reason not to like any given movie that crosses your path. But looking at a trend in the kinds of reviews, particularly negative reviews I'm reading--and I read a lot of reviews, not just the few stray comments on this board--there definitely seems a difficulty with with a lot of 'em to just enjoy a movie these days.

'Sfunny. Maybe I'm like these critics in reverse. I've read way too many reviews to be able to read any one of them without making comparisons. lol

HKCavalier

Hey, hey, hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

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Saturday, August 18, 2012 8:11 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

I try my best to approach every film (or book or TV show) as something I will enjoy. After all, I'm spending time and money on it aren't I, so why shouldn't I expect to be entertained? I also have a wide range of taste when it comes to movies, no matter what some around here might think. Yes, I appreciate thoughtful films, but I also have a lot of favorites that are just pure fun. Total Recall 2012 was neither.

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Saturday, August 18, 2012 12:28 PM

JO753

rezident owtsidr

I agree with Hong Kong. Total Recall iz an excellent movie.

Professional critics just see to goram many moviez and are jaded to the whole experience. Most uv them are hacks anyway.

I disagree with you about Arnold, tho, HK. I think the oversized personality blindz people to hiz actual performance. I got the original Total Recall on BR on Tuezday and, except for the special effects technolojy disadvantaj, its every bit az good, including Arnoldz acting, az the new version.

----------------------------
DUZ XaT SEM RiT TQ YQ? - Jubal Early

http://www.nooalf.com

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Sunday, August 19, 2012 4:20 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Quote:
Originally posted by HKCavalier:
But looking at a trend in the kinds of reviews, particularly negative reviews I'm reading--and I read a lot of reviews, not just the few stray comments on this board--there definitely seems a difficulty with with a lot of 'em to just enjoy a movie these days.

Maybe your problem is you read too many reviews. Why should you care what others say about a film if you like it yourself? Screw critics. Hell, screw me. I don't care if anyone agrees with me or not. I'm just stating an opinion.

But if I'm not critical of things I find lacking, I'm just playing into the Hollywood game of "Let's throw hundreds of millions of dollars at this thing and they'll lap it up." Why shouldn't I compare one film to another, especially if it is a remake, a reboot, a sequel or a prequel? Seems we're getting too much of that these days, and the original stuff falls by the wayside without much recognition.

If we continue to say, "Okay, I just want to be entertained, I'm not going to be too picky" we will continue to get overblown action films that have no substance, more sequels and remakes and reboots, since Hollywood doesn't care to risk going outside their comfort zone of a (supposedly) built-in audience. It's the same reason TV is flooded with inane "reality" and competition shows. They're cheap to produce, and as long as people watch them we will get more of the same, while shows that interest me get canceled due to low ratings and high expense.

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Sunday, September 9, 2012 1:52 PM

SHINYGOODGUY

Critical thinking EC is what Hollywood despises in moviegoers. You are correct that people should be more discerning in their entertainment choices, perhaps then we would get more Firefly-like stories and less mindless drivel as some so-called reality program that doesn't entertain, educate or enlighten.

I'm of the mind that "if you don't like it, don't watch it." It follows that if few watch a movie it will not be repeated, at least not right away. There are few exceptions, mainly due to philosophical differences. Yes, I'm thinking of Serenity and Firefly. Both the TV show and movie were critical of government and corporate control, and more about the triumph of the little guy fighting against the stream and winning.......well, some of the time.

There are those that would oppose that.......cough, cough Murdock cough.

Although I respect greatly the brilliant critic Roger Ebert, especially when it was Siskel and Ebert At The Movies.
I found that, from time to time, they were dead wrong about a movie (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective). But more times than not they guided me to such fare as Going Places (1974), Get Out Your Handkerchiefs (1978) or Breaking The Waves (1996) just to name a few. In each instance I decided to take a chance and go see, and each I saw alone. I thoroughly enjoyed each experience, each in quite different ways.

But I agree with you for the most part. Go if you have a favorite actor, director or genre. You get from it what you get from it. Remakes are especially notorious for screwing the pooch, as they say, even in the hands of the best talent La La Land has to offer. Why do you think that our top directors today avoid remaking the classics like the plague. I give you the Coen Brothers. True Grit, in and of itself, not a bad movie. But for me, in comparison to the John Wayne version, it lacked something. Couldn't quite put my finger on it, but lacked it did. My guess was in the title character performance. Jeff Bridges is one of my favorite actors, but I like Wayne's performance better. Still though I liked the Coen's treatment and take on the overall pace of the story. It offered something original, a kind of revisionist tale. But I would only come to know that by going to the movies and seeing for myself.

Why? You might ask, because I like Coen Brothers movies and Jeff Bridges.

SGG

They don't call him Lucky Ned Pepper for nothing.

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Sunday, September 9, 2012 2:18 PM

SHINYGOODGUY

EC, it's that way with me for movies, books and TV shows. I watch/read whatever piques my interest or watch the odd TV show due to a recommendation. Sometimes I'm entertained (Sons of Anarchy) and sometimes not so much (Person of Interest).

For the most part, I follow my gut. Sci-fi, it goes almost without saying, is a given. Ever since I was a young lad (as my niece would joke, "you mean when dinosaurs were still around." "No", I tell her, "when the remote was your brother or sister"), I've loved sci-fi. My first loves were Flash Gordon, Commando Cody: Sky Marshall of the Universe, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Robinson Crusoe on Mars. Now that was sci-fi.

But not every movie is meant to be Lawrence of Arabia or Guys and Dolls. But, there are those that don't like either.
Philistines!..................lol

SGG

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Sunday, September 9, 2012 5:26 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Quote:
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
...I like Coen Brothers movies and Jeff Bridges.

Me too. And I disagree about True Grit. The Coen's film is better.

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Monday, September 10, 2012 10:01 PM

CATPIRATE

EC, I did not like it. Hollyweird has no imagination anymore. Total Recall relied to much on special effects. Which are supposed to enhanced a good story. The original is very 80s which is my generation. But the new one was just an action flick. No sexiness or humor like Arnies movies. Fighting from the begining to the end.

True Grit I liked both of them but John Wayne better.

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