Movies - General Discussion

[FVD]

Folks, go see Act of Valor. What an amazing movie that was. I didn't think I could have any more respect for what our military personnel do, my respect has grown even greater.

[Tony G]

Yes it is, called Four Seasons. One of the other stories is The Body, which is what was made into the movie Stand By Me .

Actually I think it's Different Seasons. Apt Pupil was also made into a movie. That's the story of an honor student who winds up sniping a freeway full of people.

[FVD]

I stand corrected, it is Different Seasons. Been a long time since I read those. Amazing how 3 great movies can come out of one book.

[jaadam4]

I watched Paranormal Activity 3 this weekend.. what a waste of time. I like the second but this last one was just shit.

[jaadam4]

Also watched Water for Elephants and it was a good. I like movies that are set back in the depression times. I wasn't big on the cast but it was a nice story.

[jaadam4]

Folks, go see Act of Valor. What an amazing movie that was. I didn't think I could have any more respect for what our military personnel do, my respect has grown even greater.

Act of Valor looks really good. I can't wait to see it.

[Tony G]

Disney in $200m writedown for 'John Carter'



By Matthew Garrahan
updated 11:36 AM EDT, Tue March 20, 2012


Walt Disney will incur a $200m writedown on John Carter, the action film based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Walt Disney will incur a $200m writedown on action film John Carter
• Film about an American civil war hero who journeys to Mars
• The film has failed at the box office despite a $300m production budget

Los Angeles (Financial Times) -- Walt Disney will incur a $200m writedown on John Carter, the action film based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel which has failed at the box office despite a $300m production budget and an extensive global marketing campaign.
The film about an American civil war hero who journeys to Mars is shaping up to be one of Hollywood's costliest flops. It has generated $184m in global ticket sales but with about half its takings going to cinema chains, Disney has had to adjust its earnings guidance for the quarter to reflect the film's performance.
The company said its "current expectation" is that its movie studio division will incur an operating loss of between $80m and $120m for the quarter following the release of the movie.
The writedown deals a blow to Rich Ross, the chairman of Walt Disney Studios, who has been trying to improve returns at the division following a restructuring and a focus on films made under the Disney, Pixar and Marvel brands.
The studio has better prospects for the rest of the year, when it will release Brave, the latest film from Pixar, and The Avengers, a superhero movie featuring characters such as Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk. Disney said the two movies had "tremendous potential to drive value for the studio and the rest of the company".
However, the abject failure of John Carter is not likely to be forgotten in an industry where a single flop can wipe out a studio's annual profits. Hopes were initially high for John Carter: Its director, Andrew Stanton, had made the critically lauded and commercially successful Finding Nemo and Wall-E.
But the director openly admitted to struggling with the transition from animated film-making to live action directing. Meanwhile, Burroughs' source material, which inspired filmmakers such as James Cameron, has failed to energise young, male cinema goers, a crucial demographic for any big-budget action movie.
The film comes a year after another costly Disney flop -- Mars Needs Moms -- but although it is likely to provoke some soul-searching at the company, privately executives are standing behind Mr Stanton and saying the company will continue to take risks in the pursuit of creative success.
John Carter was "greenlit", or put into development, by the previous management regime at Disney's studio. Since the departure of Dick Cook, the former studio chairman, Disney has cut its marketing costs and reduced the headcount at its home entertainment division to reflect an industry-wide slump in DVD sales.
It is also producing fewer movies, concentrating instead on distributing titles produced by DreamWorks, the movie studio created by Steven Spielberg, Pixar and Marvel, the comic book publisher it acquired in 2009 for $4bn.

[*JD*]

I saw The Hunger Games yesterday. I have not read the books but I enjoyed it.

I did feel there were some elements left out. Stuff they talk about earlier, before the games have started, but then you really don't get to see those things played out.

[Deuce]

I watched Kalifornia today and I'll be damned if it wasn't a good movie. Brad Pitt is a great actor. He and Juliett Lewis played their parts really well.

Not Enough Nudity

Shawshank is an oldie but goody!

Not enough nudity.

Yes it is, called Four Seasons. One of the other stories is The Body, which is what was made into the movie Stand By Me .

On another note, I'm about to go see Act of Valor. Hope its good. It was either that or Project X.

Not enough nudity.

Folks, go see Act of Valor. What an amazing movie that was. I didn't think I could have any more respect for what our military personnel do, my respect has grown even greater.

Would have liked to seen more nudity.

Actually I think it's Different Seasons. Apt Pupil was also made into a movie. That's the story of an honor student who winds up sniping a freeway full of people.

Whatever it is called, it needed more T@A.

I watched Paranormal Activity 3 this weekend.. what a waste of time. I like the second but this last one was just shit.

More Ghost Titt-ays would have been nice.

Also watched Water for Elephants and it was a good. I like movies that are set back in the depression times. I wasn't big on the cast but it was a nice story.

Not enough nudity.

I saw The Hunger Games yesterday. I have not read the books but I enjoyed it.

I did feel there were some elements left out. Stuff they talk about earlier, before the games have started, but then you really don't get to see those things played out.

Boobs.

[jaadam4]

lol

[PackFanInChiTown]

Also watched Water for Elephants and it was a good. I like movies that are set back in the depression times. I wasn't big on the cast but it was a nice story.

Not a big Robert Patkinson (sp?) fan but can always watch Reese; it was a good movie.

[Passepartout]

Not a big Robert Patkinson (sp?) fan but can always watch Reese; it was a good movie.

Actually I prefer older men like Christoph Waltz! Who play's Reese's insane husband in the movie.

[WingsFan]

Watched Take Shelter over the weekend. Checked the Rotten Tomatoes website ahead of time...received 93 fresh tomatoes.

I will never trust the judgement of Rotten Tomatoes again. I love feeling increasingly depressed only to be skewered by an awful ending.

I joined Nexflix this month,Take Shelter will be here Monday...looked good, hope I like it better than you did, will post.

[WingsFan]

I have been catching up now on movies, really liked Take Shelter (good ending) though I can see its not for everyone. 'Drive' was unexpectedly great and 'The American' was good too, both to my surprise. The one movie I wanted to see the most - 'Young Adult' was really disappointing.

[jaadam4]

I watched The Vow this evening and thought it was pretty damn good. Nice cast and a decent story.