Some movies are just better on DVD...

[Niloc]

I was going to post this to the months-old thread about Cloverfield but then... KA-BOOM!

Anyway, I'm way behind the curve but finally saw that last night. Enjoyed it a lot, due to what had been posted here and what I had heard from other people I fast forwarded through the first 18 minutes, right up to the first explosion. You could really just tell that the character motivation wasn't going to mean shit, so why bother with the filler?

Pretty much everything after that was golden, the guy holding the camera got a little annoying but it was minor. Really liked the parasites, particularly their first scene. I would have liked to have seen more of them, but I guess it would have been a bit farfetched to have them keep running into the things but avoid getting bitten, and then exploding in a bloody mess in short order.

Very fast paced, for the most part they cut out the bullshit you get in a lot of these movies (except for the previously mentioned opening 18 minutes). Glad I didn't see it in the theater though, while the booming surround sound would have been a plus the movie was well under 90 minutes w/o closing credits, and I think it was under an hour without the opening scene.


Also caught Revenge of the Sith on DVD recently. SO MUCH BETTER ON DVD. Just hit "skip forward" anytime both Anakin & Padme are on screen at the same time and it's better than Return of the Jedi.

[number six]

We got cloverfielded. Yeah, it's not a bad film. The first bit is entirely filler and your right - screw the backstory but I understand why it's there (padding baby!). At least it's not as bad as Pearl Harbor, the first entire half of that film is worthless. At least the 2nd disc of the DVD version conviently starts with the first bomb hitting so you can just start from there.

As for the "Better on DVD" phonomenon, I've seen this as well. In many cases I think watching a movie later on DVD removes all the expectations, hype and everything else that can just set a film up to fail. Take for example Robocop 2.. I remember being mighty dissapointed with it in the theater but on subsequent home viewings I've come to realize its actually pretty decent. No, it's not as good as the first film - but it's still very watchable. There are quite a few films like that, especially sequels. Hell, I watched Temple of Doom the other day and was suprised at how good it really is especially when you compare it against Crystal Skull.

Episode III i liked from the start, I think its the only prequel that is "As good as" some of the originals. On the flip side there are movies that get worse on DVD viewings like Episode II. Without the big screen, hype and all that watching it at home really brings out the fact that its mostly a CGI demo with some really corny attempts at character work. "Oh Annie you've grown!" blaaaarrrrrreeech.

[sly ry]

the guy holding the camera got a little annoying but it was minor.

That guy plays Marmaduke on Carpoolers.  My favorite character.

[number six]

I just thought about another movie that I ended up enjoying more on DVD - Brain Candy, the Kids in the Hall movie. In the theater I was really dissapointed, i guess it goes back to expectations. But watching it now on DVD I realize its pretty solid.. still not earth shattering or even up to some of their better TV episodes.. but it has some good moments.

[Niloc]

I agree on Brain Candy - got better on subsequent viewings. I think I was expecting more of a sketch movie, and it actually had a plot and storyline, as well as something to say. Left me kind of cold in the theater, now I really like it.

Also picked up the complete Kids in the Hall series over the course of the past few months - Half.com has had those really cheap, brand new too. There were even a few I had never seen before. "Mad with Power" is a classic sketch that should be included with in every corporate training video.

Same experience with the Fifth Element - in that case it was down to bad marketing, the trailers sold it as a serious sci-fi action movie. It's a freaking comedy. Watching it for the 2nd time (and a few times after that) I was able to appriciate it for what it is. That's probably one I'll get on Blu-Ray at some point.

[number six]

Same experience with the Fifth Element - in that case it was down to bad marketing, the trailers sold it as a serious sci-fi action movie. It's a freaking comedy. Watching it for the 2nd time (and a few times after that) I was able to appriciate it for what it is. That's probably one I'll get on Blu-Ray at some point.

I really liked the fifth element from the theater onwards. I think i had read more into what the premise was so I wasn't too surprised. Luc Besson was trying to make a 'Heavy Metal' type movie, but live action so you knew it was going to be anything but straight forward. But I think the bottom line is, in many cases the hollywood hype machine can setup movies for the wrong audience or make screwed up expectations. Apparently a bunch of GenY hot topic kids were pissed off when they found out that 'Sweeney Todd' was a musical since most of the marketing kinda kept that on the sidelines which is rediculous if you think about it. Or how about trailers with footage not in the film or otherwise sell a COMPLETELY different movie than what you get?

If I ever get rich and famous and make movies my dream is to always play on that. Make a romantic comedy or something, market the hell out of it as a romantic comedy.. maybe get drew barrymore or whatever romantic comedy starlett of the week in it as least for a cameo.. then BAM 15 minutes in the nukes start dropping and it turns into mad max. That would be awesome. (Make sure the trailers are all from those first 15 minutes though obviously). Tarantino somewhat pulled that off with 'From Dusk 'till Dawn' - I always get a kick out of showing it to people who don't realize that halfway through it goes from gangster to zombie/vampire film.