WATCHMEN Movie Discussion (SPOILERS allowed)!

[Scar]

And that wouldn't surprise me in the least. Me? I'll be in jeans, shirt, hoodie and jacket. All decked out in normal clothes. Now if only I could find a smiley button I'd be fine.

Same here. That was my plan. Just dress normally, but an homage in a smiley button, Was banking on IJ... I'm wonder what happened to him...

Nope. They cannot sell the smiley face, because its copyrighted by Smiley World.

That's a bummer, man. Huge bummer.

I checked Hot Topic a few months ago, came here and IJ told me the unfortunate copyright news. We're all going to end up getting our buttons somewhere at some point, just not officially licensed ones.

I actually find the MSNBC review interesting. It saws the exact opposite of what I've read in other reviews concerning audience reaction, with nonfamiliar movie goers having a blasé response, and fans uproarious with furor. It's nice to see a review that, while negative, has a completely different take on the same material.

It's similar to the graphic novel itself in that sense; everyone seems to take something different from it in some way or another, inevitably reading their own beliefs into the story and filling in any gaps with their own ethics and prejudices, though unfettered by imagination. I like the reviews, whether negative or positive; I look forward to measuring my own reaction against them and seeing where I agree or disagree. That said, BRING ON TOMORROW NIGHT!

 

[barbelith]

FYI...Roger Ebert gave Watchmen four stars (his highest rating)

I know many consider him a washed up hack, but I'm always interested to hear what he has to say. There's no denying that he's the best know and most well respected film critic out there.

Good old Ebert. I don't think he's washed up at all. I actually consider him our savviest film critic, and one of the few who actually understands both cinema and pop culture and how they intersect.

Mind you, he also gave four stars to The Phantom Menace.

 

[Bannister]

Good old Ebert. I don't think he's washed up at all. I actually consider him our savviest film critic, and one of the few who actually understands both cinema and pop culture and how they intersect.

Mind you, he also gave four stars to The Phantom Menace.

Wrong. He gave it three and a half.https://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19990517/REVIEWS/905170301/1023 Despite the link, I actually did remember that. Just had to do some fact checking.

 

[Scar]

Good old Ebert. I don't think he's washed up at all. I actually consider him our savviest film critic, and one of the few who actually understands both cinema and pop culture and how they intersect.

Mind you, he also gave four stars to The Phantom Menace.

Believe it or not, we agree!

Really I do find Ebert the most judiciously insightful of critics today; I don't always agree with his like or dislike of movies, but his appraisal of the films themselves isn't something I can recall refuting in recent memory. Can't wait to read his review now.

 

[barbelith]

Wrong. He gave it three and a half.

Yes indeed! I'm intrigued by this notion that Watchmen is an entire half star better than The Jar Jar Binks Experience.

 

[Bannister]

Yes indeed! I'm intrigued by this notion that Watchmen is an entire half star better than The Jar Jar Binks Experience.

 

[barbelith]

Believe it or not, we agree!

I bet we agree more than we don't.

Really I do find Ebert the most judiciously insightful of critics today; I don't always agree with his like or dislike of movies, but his appraisal of the films themselves isn't something I can recall refuting in recent memory.

Absolutely. He's a very intelligent guy and he knows cinema backwards and forwards. I find that when we disagree, I still understand and appreciate why he holds his view. He's also one of the few critics who understands entertainment and judging films on their own terms.

 

[Dr.Mirakle32]

Home Alone with Rorshach was my favorite.

I watched the Prison Break scene from the movie via BD-Live on the Blu-ray, and I was left wondering why Rorschach was in prison in his costume...

He steals it back from Malcolm Long in the evidence room.

 

[Bannister]

I bet we agree more than we don't.



Absolutely. He's a very intelligent guy and he knows cinema backwards and forwards. I find that when we disagree, I still understand and appreciate why he holds his view. He's also one of the few critics who understands entertainment and judging films on their own terms.

Which is why he gave Speed 2 3 stars. I love Ebert. The local paper used to print his Great Movies articles every other week but I don't think they do that anymore. I need to pick up his book of them.

 

[Scar]

I find that when we disagree, I still understand and appreciate why he holds his view. He's also one of the few critics who understands entertainment and judging films on their own terms.

Same here. I found Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor to be something I wouldn't line my walkway with, but he liked it. I couldn't argue with his assertion that the movie was "just plain dumb fun". That's exactly what it was, but while it was his reason for liking it, I had the opposite reaction. I'm really looking forward to reading what he has to say about this.

 

[agonistes86]

Well, I just got back from the movies (it opens on thursday here in Germany, and I went to the premiere today), and I have to say, I loved it!
I'm just going to throw some random thoughts out there, as I haven't really thought of a good conclusion :

There was nothing that bothered me in relation to the comic (I first read it about a month ago), and I think Snyder really translated it well to the screen.
It never got boring and no scene got too long or tiresome (don't really know how to word this).
It actually was a bit more gory than the comic IIRC.
At first I thought the ending was a bit weird blaming Manhattan and all (I had read about it, but nothing in detail), but it was handled well IMO and the meaning and conflict of the ending was kept true to the comic.
Rorschach was badass (I went with 5 other buddies who have not read the comic, and most agreed that Rorschach was the best character).
Malin Akerman is hot (the role in Heartbreak Kid did not do her justice).
From what my pals told me: Nite Owl was very uninteresting, mainly because his history was the least explained. Other than his first conversation with Mason, we didn't get to know anything about why he became a vigilante. I really liked him in the movie though.

A question, out of curiosity: When Silk Spectre II and Nite Owl II have dinner for the first time, the song '99 Luftballons' (99 red ballons) by Nena is played. Is this the same in the US version, or is the english version played (or something completely different)?

Overall I really really liked it, and there was nothing I thought was missing, and nothing that really bothered me. I rarely see a movie several times in the cinema (I think the SW prequel movies and TDK were the only ones I went to several times), but this is one I'd happily go see again.

 

[tomandshell]

He steals it back from Malcolm Long in the evidence room.

Thanks!!!!

I enjoyed Ebert's review, the one I was most looking forward to reading.

The film is rich enough to be seen more than once. I plan to see it again, this time on IMAX, and will have more to say about it. I’m not sure I understood all the nuances and implications, but I am sure I had a powerful experience. It’s not as entertaining as “The Dark Knight,” but like the “Matrix” films, LOTR and “The Dark Knight,” it’s going to inspire fevered analysis. I don’t want to see it twice for that reason, however, but mostly just to have the experience again.

 

[CelticPredator]

My dad suprised me with a midnight ticket! Woo!

 

[MooMooEgg]

It seems like, based on his review, Ebert didn't read the comics, which means he's basically judging the film on it's own merits. Seems like most of the other reviews out there are mainly focusing on whether it lives up to the source material.

And I hate it when the argument, "the book was better than the movie" springs up.

 

[CelticPredator]

Its probably the truth with this one.

 

[tomandshell]

Got a babysitter and a pair of IMAX tickets for Friday!

 

[LOTRFan]

I am more encouraged by Ebert's review than anything I have read so far; I have my tickets for Friday.

 

[Scar]

Ebert's review is sterling. It truly is, and for a man who professes little familiarity with the source material, he has an acute analytical grasp of the story. Being that I haven't yet seen the movie, and that he shares so much of my analysis of the story itself, I can only assume that the graphic novel is translated well to film. I'm left extremely optimistic. One more night.

 

[BadMoon]

I just have one question and this may be a total newb question but I don't care. What makes Rorschach's mask change?

 

[Entropy]

I just have one question and this may be a total newb question but I don't care. What makes Rorschach's mask change?

The smart ass answer is CGI.

It's ink sandwiched between 2 pieces of material. He found a dress made out of the stuff and cut and sewed it into a mask. I assume it moves as he changes his expression beneath the mask.