History of Violence

[paul_pci]

Ok, you uhhh...win.

Hope the popcorn was good, at least. I'm a little miffed...the jerk at Blockbuster told me it was a great film, and those freakin' commercial's cite it as being on 150 top 10 lists. Should have dug deeper, that's 150 top 10 pieces of crap from 2006.

Exactly, that's what I don't get. My taste in movies isn't usually that far off, but I was thinking, you gotta be kidding me to put it on a top 100 list or what have you. I spent the rest of the night apologizing to my girlfriend for taking her to see it.

[Kam]

i guess i'm in the minority (and will check it out again to make sure i wasnt on something when i saw it) but i really enjoyed this movie. from the opening sequence at the motel with that long tracking shot outside of the rooms, it really drew me in. And (not being familiar with the graphic novel) i wasnt sure for a while if Tom was really Joey or not. Dont think i'd put it on my top ten of the year, but i did enjoy the movie.
will have to update and see it again... (might just have to give me a 'gimme' on this one and dont hold it against me! )

[Groundbeef]

The opeing shot was pretty cool. The reason I rented it was that Terry Grosse on "Fresh Air" on NPR interviewed the director. The shot was uncut in the opening sequence and if you notice, there was no music on the intro.

Kinda unique. After that, the wheels fell off the fun bus. It could have been over in 45 minutes if not for the rediculus "brothers revenge" bit. And what was up with William Hurt? He is such a good actor, but not as a gangster/mobster. With that goatee and the lousy lines? What a waste of talent.

Also, don't get me started on the son. Re-Watch and listen to the dialoge. If not for the cue cards they had off scene for him, I doubt he could have spoken them any stiffer.

There was nothing groundbreaking about the movie at all. Momento was much better, and for that matter 6th sense was much more captivating. The gore was something out of a Fangoria magazine, and didn't really fit into the movie very well. I have nothing against violence, and certainly enjoy a good shoot-em up movie. It was perhaps the amature application of the makeup and gore. It just didn't look like A-List material in the special effects dept.

Take another look, and report back.

[SlumpBuster]

i guess i'm in the minority (and will check it out again to make sure i wasnt on something when i saw it) but i really enjoyed this movie. from the opening sequence at the motel with that long tracking shot outside of the rooms, it really drew me in. And (not being familiar with the graphic novel) i wasnt sure for a while if Tom was really Joey or not. Dont think i'd put it on my top ten of the year, but i did enjoy the movie.
will have to update and see it again... (might just have to give me a 'gimme' on this one and dont hold it against me! )

Well, its a good minority to be in, because I'm in it too. I really enjoyed this movie. I too was excited to see it because of the Terry Gross interview on NPR. I really liked the way the violence was was handled. Anyone that has spent time in an emergency room or a courtroom quickly learns that violence is all too often one sided. i.e. the first one to strike is usually the "winner" of a fight. 90% of fist fights involve one punch and a broken nose or jaw. Hate to tell you, but most people can't be pounded on WWF or Fight Club style. One punch and down like a sack of doorknobs.

But, then again I really liked Doom as well, so it just goes to show: there's no accounting for taste.

Oh, and Roger Ebert gave it 3 1/2 stars.