2003 releases (ANY of them so far). Thoughts?

[JonathanLB]

I have seen just a few so far, including A Guy Thing, Darkness Falls, and tonight I'm sneak previewing How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days (does look to have potential, IMO, for a chick flick).

I've spent most of my days in 2003 seeing 2002 movies still coming out, though, hehe.

And, for the record, I am avoiding National Security and Kangaroo Jack. No thanks. Also, no offense to audiences, but people must have VERY, VERY poor taste in film to make Kangaroo Jack #1 over anything else. It was obvious from the trailers that A Guy Thing had a lot more potential, yet it did the worst of the three films opening last weekend. Gee, how encouraging, now the studio is going to think about making more movies like Kangaroo Jack.

Well anyway, A Guy Thing was good, IMO. A solid B (3 stars) from me, so I was pleased with it. Jason Lee is frickin' great, my good friend Ben and I are huge Jason Lee fans, and Julia Stiles... my god. I thought she was just barely above average looking before because I don't think I'd ever seen one of her films in full, and she is H-O-T in this movie. Wow. Like amazingly, incredibly good looking. I was wrong before. Either that or she's just getting better looking, hehe.

Anyhow, the film itself was really funny in parts. I cannot give it above 3 stars because it is very predictable, indeed fairly cliched in some parts, but the humor was fresh, I thought, and I was laughing pretty hard so I enjoyed the film anyway.

Darkness Falls was an unfortunate rehash of a better film, even though the creators didn't know it. "They" came out just a few months ago, or in December maybe it was, and I loved that film. Very scary, I thought, despite negative reviews, and Darkness Falls played on these same themes. I finished my review and will post it next Wednesday. Basically, though, 2 star horror film, the critics are mostly right (but perhaps a bit too harsh). It has a lot of cheap scares, which are effective, actually, but there's not much to it.

What I don't understand is how audiences jump at so many of these scenes. I want to talk to these people who jump in movie theaters and ask them what exactly is the reason for that? I mean, I consider myself a pretty uptight person a lot of the time, Type A personality, very focused and easily anxious and nervous, and I cannot do public speaking whatsoever. Yet when I watch these horror films, I never flinch. My heart rate literally remains the same, and I am entirely unaffected by what is on screen. I just don't understand how you can be sitting in a theater, watching a movie you KNOW is a horror film, and still jump. Hello people, aren't you expecting something to happen?! If so, why is it surprising enough to jump? I'm just wondering... I have never understood that.

One time a cat jumped on the hood of this car and everyone just totally goes ape s**t in my theater, "OH MY GOD" "AHH!" "haha, wow that was so scary!" and I'm just like, "...." wtf? It wasn't that surprising. I didn't "see it coming," but come on, it's a movie, I'm not jumping in a movie theater...

[ReaperFett]

I saw the Tuxedo today. Like most Jackie Chan films, it had its moments, but it isnt worth rewatching.

[sirdizzy]

hmm so far i have only see 2 movies that i would probably want to see again and they were confessions of a dangerous mind and chicago (i know its a 2002 release technically but i don't like the oscar bullshit where they limited release movies to get em oscars chicago is a 2003 release in my opinion hell i went to a sneak preview tonight and its not even coming to my town officially tell febuary 7th)

i did like a guy thing but i wouldn't pay full price to see it again (maybe a $1 theatre)


so far of the 7 movies i have seen (i saw the two towers on imax too but not counting it) this year only 2 of them were multiple veiwers

[sirdizzy]

oh and the reason people jumped on the cat part was they threw it into a spot where you didn't expect to jump

when you expect something to come its not as scary thats why horror movie soundtracks can ruin a movie

[JonathanLB]

But I am not expecting a lot of what happens in horror movies, yet I don't jump.

I just think that I'm a more laid back moviegoer, which I find extremely ironic because I'm not a laid back person. I'm a it-must-be-done-now, oh-my-god-there-is-too-much-to-do kind of person! :) In theaters, though, I know I'm watching a movie. Making me jump is impressive. Any film that does that should get an award, haha. I simply don't react that way to horror films...

Oh I saw Just Married this year, that was the official FIRST release of 2003 :) It was above average, but not overall good. It had its funny moments. It would have been less than 2.5 stars except for Ashton Kutcher, who is hilarious. I love that guy, hehe. Man he's funny. He saved the film.

I just saw How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days. My god that film is going to do incredibly well! It was sold out 1.5 hours early at my local theater, so I had to buy tickets (my family went) at a theater downtown, where we were 5 minutes late and sat in the very front row of a large auditorium that was, also, sold out.

I would not be surprised at a $20 to $25 million opening for that film if the early interest is any indication. Not to mention it really is a funny film. It's a well made chick flick. I cannot give it above 3 stars for reasons that I will mention in my full review, but I enjoyed it quite a bit and would still recommend it to anyone.

[sirdizzy]

i've seen just married, antowone fisher, a guy thing, national security, chicago, darkness falls, confessions of a dangerous mind and the two towers (imax) so far this year


i am not sure if i want to see how to lose a guy in 10 days looks totally chick flickish although that is a weak weekend with only shanghai nights looking good

[JonathanLB]

Yeah, it is a chick flick, but it's certainly a good one. It's darn funny a lot of the time. A bit too long, very predictable and cannot find a way to end without losing a lot of steam.

For instance, out of 100 points, the film had about an 88 an hour into the movie, but as it tried to end, it stumbled down to about an 84 to 85. It definitely lost some steam. Oh, and my 100 point scale is defined the same as it has been throughout time, not some stupid 50/100 = average. 88 is a B+ in school, a 3.5 star rating, 85 is B, a 3 star rating. Obviously anything short of 60 is an F rating. That's just the way it is, no matter how these idiots want to make their own scales online. I saw Mr. Show Biz do that. God, they gave every film like a 50 or a 60, it was so ridiculous. What a stupid scale.

Dizzy, you've seen a lot of films this year! That's rather amazing.

Your town must be really slow to get Chicago though, jesus. We got that film in late December playing at our art house theater and it has been playing everywhere now for some time. I mean everywhere as in all of our main theaters. It is definitely a 2002 film. Odd that you didn't get it earlier...

We're still awaiting The Quiet American, though. Grrr...

[sirdizzy]

i see that many movies every year i saw 84 different movies in the theatres last year

i always grade my movies reviews on a 5 star basis (i think it averages out better that way with a 3 star movie being you average C+ movie) and i never give a 5 star review tell the movie has been out at least a year i think a 5 star movie has to stand up to multiple viewings and ya can't tell that after seeing it only once

our town theatres are a monoply (our population is like 70,000 but they treat us like a town of 5,000) all the theatres out owned by one company i mean every single theatre in town (in fact the company is a shitty company based 300 miles away to begin with)

we just got a theatre with stadium seating a year and half ago and since its the only decent theatre in town (all the others are at least 20 years old and i think with the orginal seating) its always packed hell half past dead was a quarter full

the imax is an hour away and is in the national park (they use to just show those nature flicks tell like a year ago)


they have just barely started to come into modern times even doing the occasional sneak preview (i saw the hot chick and the rookie as sneak pics)


ya gotta take what ya can get (of roger eberts top 10 films for 2002 chicago is only the 2nd one to play in my town so far)

we only get the oscar nominated low key movies 2 weeks before the oscars (this is when i saw monster ball last year the week before the oscars)

[JonathanLB]

Wow, no offense intended at all, but I don't think I could tolerate that type of movie environment! Hehe.

Even Portland bothers me... the fact that we're not a top 20 city (but close) really means we get a lot of films a bit later than we should.

Even in this city of 1,000,000 people, though, or 1.5 million including all suburbs, we have one company that monopolizes our theaters -- Regal Entertainment. Only one theater of note is not a Regal Cinema and that is the Century 16 in South East Portland, where I would never venture for a film. I did see Rush Hour 2 there (Regal never carried it because of a dispute with New Line), but that's the only time I ever went there and I was not driving. I don't drive anywhere but Tigard, Evergreen, and Movies on TV Highway.

You are obviously a huge moviegoer, though, Dizzy! That is a lot of films. I'm a critic and still only saw about 2.5 times that much. This year, I do not intend to see more than 100 films from 2003. I just can't afford to see more than that many when I have so many classics to see.

It'll be about 400 classics to 100 new releases, which I feel is a great ratio...

[sirdizzy]

part of it is the city council is in this guys pocket

several years back (this is years before we got our one decent theatre) a big company from vegas wanted to put in a brand new state of the art theatre behind the mall the city council ran him around in comittees for over a year they finally got fed up and canned the project, 2 weeks later the local theatre owner had his papers done and was begining to start building

and he built the shittiest theatre known to man in my opinion for a theatre 5-6 years old the seats are worst then the 20 year old theatres and its so freaking tiny and i don't think i have ever been to a movie there they didn't screw up (hell they ran austin powers upside down for 15 minutes before they noticed) sometimes i weep at the sadness that we could have had a real movie theatre in town

i love going to the movies, i go to a movie on each of my days off and ussually see 2-3 movies a week


whenever i go see my sister in salt lake i always see a movie in a real theatre (it sounds like salt lake has better theatres then you guys they built this awesome new complex for the olympics i have seen 3 imax movies in there)

[Lion El' Jonson]

You want to see a nice theatre? Venture down to Hong Kong. They opened this brand new theatre in the middle of the city. Multiple IMAX screens, 20+ normal ones...they've got the works down there.

The other thing is, it's not really that crowded. A rarity for public establishments in Hong Kong...probably people are turned away by the 12$ ticket price...:lol

It's a nice place, but it ain't really worth a trip to Hong Kong...me, one the other hand...I just buy pirated DVDs...:p

[Dutchy]

I have only seen 18 movies of 2002 so far, let alone 2003. :(

[sirdizzy]

LOL it would be nice to go to hong kong as a tourist but i don't think i would do it to just go to a theatre

and i hate pirated dvds their inferior quality

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well January is tradionally a bad month for movies, which explains the junk like National Security, Kangroo Jack and Darkness Falls, Final Destination 2 is the final POC that comes out this month. The only decent film to come out this month is the Recruit staring Pacino and Colin Ferrel the previews does make it look pretty good and Pacino is a great actor. So it could be a great movie.

[sirdizzy]

i am really looking foward to the recruit

[JonathanLB]

Final Destination 2 might suck, but to be fair, the first film was FOUR stars easily. A great, innovative film -- one of modern cinema's greatest horror films. It's rare that you get a horror movie that good anymore, so I wouldn't knock the sequel until you've seen it.

I personally think the trailer for FD2 looks pretty... unoriginal and unnecessary. It might be a 2 star film, maybe 2.5, but it won't suck. I'd be very surprised if it was less than 2, but we'll see. I'd be very surprised if it was more than 3 either, though.

The Recruit could be "good," as in 3 star good, but I doubt much more.

January is traditionally a lousy month, but to be fair, other than Kangaroo Jack and National Security (neither of which I saw), nothing has been that terrible. Perhaps neither of those two were terrible either, but they sure looked it. I may eventually rent them on DVD and watch them while only half paying attention and talking on AIM, but otherwise I will never waste my time.

[ReaperFett]

I hope it's a bad month, as bad months make later films do better. Remember how the Sixth Sense kept going? I want that for Daredevil :D

[JonathanLB]

I guess so.

January is usually... blah. February sucks too, but hey, we got Daredevil...

[Jedi Master Carr]

I remember last Feburary Rollerball and Hart's War both did horrible, Colleratal Damage didn't do much better.

[ReaperFett]

Yeah, but thats one majorly slatd movie, one film I wouldnt say looked that great and a delayed film, none of which did well.

[Sejah Haversh]

You said Regal Cinemas never had Rush Hour 2? That's odd, because that's where I saw that movie. The Regal Cinemas "Cinema 17" in Auburn, WA. From a wheelchair, no less... And, there are good reasons I'm not spending money in a theatre this months.

The fact that I have no money is one of those reasons...

[JonathanLB]

Are you sure about that? No Regal Cinema had the film opening weekend, at least. It was a contract dispute over terms that you can look up on Variety, even. Regal Cinemas did not play that film opening weekend, but they may have gotten it later in some cities. Not here, though. It never came to Regal Cinemas here, so I had to see it at Century.

[CMJ]

Haven't seen anything released this year...and judging by previews I won't be for another few weeks. ;)

I still have good stuff from 2002 to catch up on...I don't need to see early dreck from '03.

[Ryla Relvinian]

Hey, Century 16 isn't thaaat bad! That's where I see most of my movies... I mean, the closest one to me is Clackamas Town Center and I am not going there again.

[JonathanLB]

I didn't say Century is bad. It's much better than the Regal cinemas, actually, and the candy selection is a lot better too :)

It is just FAR away from me and in a very low income, low class area of town. I don't go over there. It's like Aloha to me, I hate Aloha, it's full of stupid farmer hicks and total morons. I cannot stand to go through that area, but I have to sometimes to go to Movies on TV.

I like Evergreen because you actually get the higher income, nicer looking, normal people there, not a bunch of weird freaks like in Aloha, lol.

[Ryla Relvinian]

Well, where are you located at?

And besides, you don't go to a movie to see the people... you go for the movie. Unless it's a movie like Kangaroo Jack and the people are more interesting than the movie. :D

[Jedi Master Carr]

I think their was a contract dispute that kept it out of the opening weekend it was with all New Line films but they worked it out (that huge opening might have helped) and it was it a lot of Regal Cinemas in the following weeks.

[JonathanLB]

Probably so, but if our theaters don't get it opening weekend, they won't get it at all. They never picked up Rush Hour 2 here to my knowledge... Probably in other cities, though.

Nah I don't go to movies to see the people, which is exactly my point! I don't want obnoxious moviegoers in the same theater as me, distracting from my experience by acting like heathens in the theater :) lol.

A guy at Fox Tower on Saturday during Talk to Her made this HUGE, loud yawn at the start of the film just when the Sony Pictures logo came up, before it had even started. He was like, "AHHHH, OHHH, EHHHHH *YAWN*" What a MORON. It's like these people who think they have to SCREAM when they sneeze. I hate people like that. Their stupidity just scares me. Then twice in the film he let out giant burps, like so loud you could hear them over the dialogue. I wanted to grab my sawed-off shotgun and kick some retard @$$! lol, j/k

[sirdizzy]

i don't like parents who bring young children to movies when they can not control them or should not have brought them to a rated R movie


when i saw 8 mile i had someone sit by me with 3 uncontolable chidlren who made a ruckuss the entire movie


i couldn't beleive it, it was a rated R movie also when i saw we were soldiers there was a bunch of 7-8 year olds in the theatre