188 replies to this topic

[Robert B]

I saw Chronicle yesterday. I think it's one of those movies where if you go in half-expecting it to be crap (as initial audiences and critics did) then you were pleasantly surprised, but if you went in expecting it to be really good (like I did) then you were disappointed.

[Adam Balson]

I saw Chronicle yesterday. I think it's one of those movies where if you go in half-expecting it to be crap (as initial audiences and critics did) then you were pleasantly surprised, but if you went in expecting it to be really good (like I did) then you were disappointed.

Seriously? I'll try to keep an open mind about it then when I go in.

What films would you compare it to then? Might give me a better idea of what to expect from it.

[Robert B]

Seriously? I'll try to keep an open mind about it then when I go in.

What films would you compare it to then? Might give me a better idea of what to expect from it.

The plot is extremely similar to Carrie I thought. Abused, unpopular teen gets telekenetic powers, uses them to lash out at the cruel world.

Only it's done as sci-fi/superhero, not horror, and in the extremely tired Blair Witch/Cloverfield style.

Edited by Robert B, 07 February 2012 - 02:24 PM.

[Carlos Mancilla II]

The plot is extremely similar to Carrie I thought. Abused, unpopular teen gets telekenetic powers, uses them to lash out at the cruel world.

Only it's done as sci-fi/superhero, not horror, and in the extremely tired Blair Witch/Cloverfield style.

I enjoyed the fact that it was in a found footage type filming, I just wished it wasn't so overused in other movies.. The plot is a bit simple but I think it was a great debut film for both the director and screenwriter

[steveuk]

The plot is extremely similar to Carrie I thought. Abused, unpopular teen gets telekenetic powers, uses them to lash out at the cruel world.

Only it's done as sci-fi/superhero, not horror, and in the extremely tired Blair Witch/Cloverfield style.

Well that's the same basic premise as 'Carrie', not the plot, unless someone pours some pigs blood over the kid who turns bad?

"The worm turns" is a popular wish fulfillment story, I certainly get the impression that 'Chronicle' has a horror edge, from the trailers. Nice to know they were accurate for once!

As far as the "found footage" genre goes, well it's here to stay for a while at least. 'Blair Wiitch' wasn't the first of course, it was just the first mega-hit, but there have been enough successes after it to counter the many failures and we're going to get more films that use the technique.

I don't think it's burned out, I think it's gradually been going mainstream. Has there been a $100m budget found footage movie yet? It's only a matter of time.

[stephanie familiar]

the descendants. very mundane. felt like a waste of my time.

[Christian U]

As far as the "found footage" genre goes, well it's here to stay for a while at least. 'Blair Wiitch' wasn't the first of course, it was just the first mega-hit, but there have been enough successes after it to counter the many failures and we're going to get more films that use the technique.

What was the first one, anyway? Man Bites Dog is the earliest one I can think of right now, but that's probably my brain not working properly.


Ah. Wiki lists only three pre-Man-Bites-Dog, so my brain isn't that weak (though I am sure there are precurses before the ones listed in the wiki). Haven't seen any of them, though the first one, "Cannibal Holocaust" is of course a movie I always meant to see.

[Rory Abel]

What was the first one, anyway? Man Bites Dog is the earliest one I can think of right now, but that's probably my brain not working properly.


Ah. Wiki lists only three pre-Man-Bites-Dog, so my brain isn't that weak (though I am sure there are precurses before the ones listed in the wiki). Haven't seen any of them, though the first one, "Cannibal Holocaust" is of course a movie I always meant to see.

Damn, beat me to it. Yeah Cannibal Holocaust is always been listed as the first found footage film. It is not particularly good though.

Edited by Rory Abel, 07 February 2012 - 06:45 PM.

[steveuk]

The problem of genre definition is really that very few films fit into just one genre or sub-genre. There's a lot of ways to classify films.

So you can thrown in mockumentaries like 'A Hard Day's Night' and 'Spinal Tap', if you like, or not, but even if you don't they (and others) are influences on movies like 'Blair Witch', despite being very different in tone and content.

[Christian U]

Damn, beat me to it. Yeah Cannibal Holocaust is always been listed as the first found footage film. It is not particularly good though.

Yeah, I thought so. Still want to watch it...

Man Bites Dog is a really good (if somewhat sickening) movie, for the record.

[Russell H]

Yes, I'd cautiously recommend that one.

[Martin Smith]

I've seen three films today, that cover the gamut from crap to awesome.
Fright Night (the original) was really crap. Stupid plot, annoying characters and lots of weird bits that don't make sense.
Bad Teacher was ok. Fairly predictable but had some funny bits. Bit of a waste of Jason Segel's time and talent tho.
And on the absolutely fantastic end of the scale was The Artist, which I adored. Really glad I saw it in the cinema rather than waiting for the DVD.

[Mike]

A random urge sparked led to me me picking up cheap box sets of some of the TNG seasons (£4 each ... bargain!) ... just watched The Best of Both Worlds I and II and started on Family.

I'd forgotten how good TNG was at its best. And Picard's still my favourite.

[Nicholas Taggart]

Only a few subsequent tv events have hit me anything like the cliffhanger at the end of The Best of Both Worlds Part I. I couldn't believe a tv show would do that to me. How could they end a season like that? Pretty clear that a lot of the people running tv shows now were Next Generation fans.


I watched the episode The Drumhead a few days ago. Some good old Picard preaching.

[Steve Sensible]

Yeah, that was about the peak of TNG. After that it descended much more into space opera rather than science fiction. I think the next time they encounter the Borg, it turns out to be that one that's separated from his colony, and hey, it turns out he's not a bad guy after all!

(And yes, I fully expect to be corrected by some Trekkie now.)

[Mike]

My capsule summary of TNG's run:
Season 1 - Dodgy. Best avoided
Season 2 - Some good episodes. Rest fairly dodgy.
Seasons 3-6 - The Good Stuff
Season 7 - Handful of good episodes. Rest fairly dodgy.

[Nicholas Taggart]

For me what came after The Best of Both Worlds was better than what came before. I have some favourites from before but most came afterwards.

[Mike]

Yeah, I think those middle 4 seasons are all pretty good, though I think a lot of my favourite scenes - and my favourite TNG scene of all - are all from the third season.

[Nicholas Taggart]

Recently I read that Chain of Command, Part II was conceived as a way of saving money. Then it ended up being one of the best episodes. Funny how that happens. When Picard says "In spite of all you've done to me, I find you a pitiable man" it gives me chills every time. Even more than the four lights thing.

[Mike]

I managed to find cheap box sets of seasons 4, 5 and 7 this evening ... need to find 3 and 6 somewhere.

(My original DVD boxsets are lurking in my parents' garage somewhere in storage)