Kevin's Watch

I'd like to apologise for Australia. Had the United States released a movie called 'United States' it would be slammed for being too patriotic, instead Baz 'talentless hack' Lurhman releases this turgid piece of rubbish and it's seen as helping 'my nation's' tourism.

Please do not see it.

I was planning on giving this a miss but thanks for the warning!

Loremaster wrote:I'd like to apologise for Australia. Had the United States released a movie called 'United States' it would be slammed for being too patriotic, instead Baz 'talentless hack' Lurhman releases this turgid piece of rubbish and it's seen as helping 'my nation's' tourism.

Please do not see it.

Lore, I think you've missed your calling as an exceptionally snarky movie critic, bordering on curmudgeon.

"Baz 'talentless hack' Lurhman...."

Hey! I like Moulin Rouge.

But I can totally see your point. Thanks for the warning.

Lurhman was the one who perpetrated Moulin Rouge? Egad. Your warning is much appreciated, Lore!

I'm a fan of Baz, but I do recognize he excels at style and very little else. Simply Ballroom is still his best flick, but bits of Romeo + Juliet (the Post Haste van) and Moulin Rouge (the elephant medley and "Like A Virgin") just show bits of brilliance. No, I don't think he did Shakespeare well, and I thought the story of Moulin Rouge was pretty average, but I'll be seeing the flick. I'll go in expecting no more than eye candy, which from the previews look like maybe I shouldn't even expect that.

Other than the piss-poor acting of Leo DiCaprio, I thought Romeo + Juliet was fantastic.

No kidding, the previews promise one of the worst movies ever. I was going to fight tooth and nail if anyone tried to drag me to it.

Cail wrote:Other than the piss-poor acting of Leo DiCaprio, I thought Romeo + Juliet was fantastic.

I didn't think Leo was all that bad (although just about everyone else kicked his tweenie butt!) - but Romeo + Juliet was the beginning of Pliss-ette's Shakespeare education. BL gets one clunker for free just for that!

Cag wrote

I'm a fan of Baz, but I do recognize he excels at style and very little else. Simply Ballroom is still his best flick, but bits of Romeo + Juliet (the Post Haste van) and Moulin Rouge (the elephant medley and "Like A Virgin") just show bits of brilliance. No, I don't think he did Shakespeare well, and I thought the story of Moulin Rouge was pretty average, but I'll be seeing the flick. I'll go in expecting no more than eye candy, which from the previews look like maybe I shouldn't even expect that.

Yeah, the story in Moulin Rouge was nothing special, but style.... oh yeah, was there style. I thought the way that pop/rock songs were incorporated and reinterprated thoughout (yes, "Like a Virigin", but also "Show Must Go On" and the "Roxanne" tango) was fantastic. And you're right, the love-song medley on the elephant was one of the coolest things I've ever heard.

I saw Romeo + Juliet, but don't really remember it much, so it must not have left much an impression.

Mortice Root wrote:I saw Romeo + Juliet, but don't really remember it much, so it must not have left much an impression.

They died.

Thanks, Fist. Now I've been spoilered......

Mortice Root wrote:
Yeah, the story in Moulin Rouge was nothing special, but style.... oh yeah, was there style. I thought the way that pop/rock songs were incorporated and reinterprated thoughout (yes, "Like a Virigin", but also "Show Must Go On" and the "Roxanne" tango) was fantastic. And you're right, the love-song medley on the elephant was one of the coolest things I've ever heard.

I saw Romeo + Juliet, but don't really remember it much, so it must not have left much an impression.

Totally agree with "Show Must Go On" and "Roxanne." Especially "Roxanne." After watching this, I think I finally got how the tango was a sexy dance. But that scene was heartbreaking too.

Romeo + Juliet gave me respect for John Leguizamo. I'd only ever seen him on talk shows being interviewed, and found him a major irritant. But he just reeked cool as Tybalt. I've always hated Tybalt, and And Mercutio (played by the guy who played Michael in Lost) was great too. When I first saw Lost, he was one of the actors that kept me watching, as well as Sayid (because he was in the English Patient), but mainly Dominick ("Merry").

I still had a crush on Claire Danes when I saw this movie, and thought Leo was a great up and coming actor. This movie was what made me question Leo's acting ability, to which Titanic stomped out. Funny that both lead actors in this (Claire and Leo) succumbed to what I call the Winona Ryder Syndrome; great actors when they are young, but start to really suck and never return from it. S'a pity.

have to disagree with Lore on this one. Baz is a master of style and content. But far too often most only see style. This is the sort of critisism that hurt Ridley Scott, but Baz does it his way.

I will go see Australia and make up my own mind.

Loremaster wrote:Had the United States released a movie called 'United States' it would be slammed for being too patriotic.

Yeah? And if that happened, would you see it as a statement about the movie, or a statement about those who did the slamming? Either way, I plan to see Australia, if only to figure out who's prettier, Hugh Jackman, or Nicole Kidman.

dANdeLION wrote:

Loremaster wrote:Had the United States released a movie called 'United States' it would be slammed for being too patriotic.

Yeah? And if that happened, would you see it as a statement about the movie, or a statement about those who did the slamming?

Definitely a statement about the movie. A rather pretentious title, I think.

So, Lore: what did you think of the movie though (apart from the apologizing for the title)? Why didn't you like it?

Baz's next movie will be The Milky Way, a highly-stylized sing-a-long involving Dwarf Star B40619, whose lonely orbit around a supermassive black hole ends when he encounters the space station of Nicole Kidman. Be prepared for huge, panoramic shots of the stars and little else!

Lord Foul wrote:Baz's next movie will be The Milky Way, a highly-stylized sing-a-long involving Dwarf Star B40619, whose lonely orbit around a supermassive black hole ends when he encounters the space station of Nicole Kidman. Be prepared for huge, panoramic shots of the stars and little else!

Your Royal Foulness, you've just made my day.

Loremaster wrote:

dANdeLION wrote:

Loremaster wrote:Had the United States released a movie called 'United States' it would be slammed for being too patriotic.

Yeah? And if that happened, would you see it as a statement about the movie, or a statement about those who did the slamming?

Definitely a statement about the movie. A rather pretentious title, I think.

Oh. I didn't take it that way, if it makes you feel better about it. I just see it as a war epic, centered around Australia's part in the war, like Pearl Harbor centered around the events at Pearl Harbor. And for the record, I think Jackman's prettier, though Kidman's more my type. Of course, I may change my mind about all of that when I go and see it.....