Unfortunately I cannot be absolutely objective about the two films you mentioned and for different reasons at that. Indy 4 even if it was a load of botches will suit me fine since I'd be blinded by the fact that Spielberg made it. But then I like Spielberg because he doesn't make movies that are loads of botches. Incredible Hulk is a comic that I never really picked interest in mainly because I like heroes that are sinewy and that have finesse and are cut to scale. Hulk ain't any of these, ok maybe he's sinewy, if you call veins that are bigger than pvc pipes sinewy. What I'm interested in is more about his personal struggles. I don't even feel right calling him a superhero. Plus I hate how there many versions to the Hulk's persona. Sometimes he's made out to be evil, sometimes not. Sometimes in between.
Now on to the film proper (as objectively as possible)

I've not seen indy 4 yet but have I read reviews? And seen them too. I'm sure it'll be ok but can never equal the former ones. It'll be just like Rocky Balboa to me. Ok but not as great as the former ones. The only part I'm skeptical about is Cate playing a russian bad guy. I've never thought that'll work. Cate's the text book woman on the good side. Can't imagine she'll do as a bad guy. Not that I doubt her credentials, l love her so. She and Liv Tyler. Funny Liv's in Incredible Hulk.

She's in Incredible Hulk which I've not seen either. But I like the fact that a doctor doesn't have to be buff before he can transform into the Hulk. Lou Ferrigno was already buff before turning which was bad form to me. Edward Norton is great for the part. After all Dr. Jekyll was a weakling but you don't want to owe Mr. Hyde money.

I'll see both movies before long.

Rashomon I've not seen but I've heard of. In fact I'm writing a book with something akin to the same sense of twisted vantage points. You know it's hard to get hold of stuff like that. You just watch what you can and free the rest. In Naija that is.

The Great Dictator was the most hilarious film I've seen in years. I like the chemistry between the two dictators and their kiddish (kiddish-yiddish? Get it? hitler's supposed to hate jews and he's behaving kiddish?) tendencies. Also the changes made to Romania and Bohemia I think. Plain funny.

Whew, this is work!

The Hulk has always represented what happens when power is not under control so I can get your being unable to identify a fixed persona. Various writers have put their own spin on him and most modern ones are less heroic and more "tragic reluctant villain like". He's very ambiguous in that vein but he is definitely a hero. If you read comics and recently followed the Planet Hulk/World War Hulk arc you'd probably appreciate him more.

I tend to avoid reading reviews because of spoilers and also because most reviewers don't 'get' what they're reviewing most of the time.

Cate was Cate but I don't think she struggled with the role, in fact since I saw 'I'm Not There' I believe she's the greatest female actor of this generation.

Rashomon is worth digging out from wherever you can find it, it's better seen/experienced than read about. You write/ that's cool and interesting too. Did you see Liv Tyler in 'One Night at McCool's'?

The Great Dictator just shows up how unimaginative and trite most 'socially-aware' and 'politically-charged' today's comedies and movies are. Chaplin is/was genius.

Cate who's arguably my favorite actress now too is really something. It just happens that I've never seen her take on laid back roles. She's always in films where she has to be veeeeeeeeery deep and noble. At least the ones I've seen her in so far. Okay the latest I've seen is Veronica Guerin where she's a reporter that gets too nosey I guess. She gets whacked like most nosey reporters. bla bla bla. It sha is a noble role nonetheless. I'll just wait till I see Indy 4. You know she's only 39 which seems to me like a very young age compared to the experience and wisdom her eyes (and indeed the rest of her) carry. True talent lies there.

Chaplin definitely WAS a genius. If he IS is very scary. Have you read Apocalyspe Watch, where Hitler's supposed to still be alive?

Was that the one where Matt Dillon was in? I can't tag the name of the film but the Rashomon link is not lost on me. Remember Matt in Wild Things? There's also a little mild Rashomonism going on there.

oh man, gotta run!

I guess she must fill her resume with serious/deep movies to keep the awards flowing sha. The Indy role is laid back enough though I still think she was having a blast in 'I'm Not There'.

I haven't read the book but I am very familiar with the concept of Hitler being not dead. Who wrote it?

Yep, Matt Dillon was in the movie so I'm sure it's the same one you're referring to. I do remember Wild Things, it was amusing in parts. You've seen Vantage Point right?

Cate is simply too much jare. There's hardly any competition for her and she's still got a long way to go yet. Maybe she'll beat Meryl Streep's and Katherine Hepburn's records as most nominated and most awarded respectively, I think.
I guess I'll have to hunt down 'I'm not there' now.

Apocalypse Watch was written by Robert Ludlum, RIP, who happens to be my favorite writer; of the 20th century at least.


Vantage point, I'm not sure if it holds any surprises for me anymore cuz of the legal and illegal trailers and especially the reviews I've read. Spoilers no doubt. Maybe they teach them Rashomonology at the Academy. I was only happy to see that dude from Lost in it. I thought he was too good for just television. Though I don't know of his repertoire.

iice speaks! wow it must be Friday 13th.

wow. .!!
did u write all that?

Talk about a comeback! iice, you sound like you've just been to heaven re-invigorated and you want us to 'feel' you. And, uh, did you write all that? You were going with such gusto and pace (plus you were sorta the only one available to yuorself) I'd say you really must have been to heaven. Okay o, I hope your break did you good.

How was Speed racer? I totally forgot about Racer X. It used to make it worth watching in my stupider (i.e. younger) days.

I'm looking forward to three of the films you mentioned; Clash of the titans, the Shyalaman thingie and War of gods. I'm also unsure about the 300 thing but since you said Miller is in on it I guess there's little to fear then. The guy hasn't put a foot wrong since. As for your roll call, present ma! I'd really like to know where everybody is too.

Oded Fehr came last? Oded is by far the more fitting of the two. In another life maybe Naveen but he's much too fat now. Plus he lacks Oded's charisma and poise and suave and everything. i don't really have much to say since I'm just breezing by.

Vote for Oded. I do hope it's not into production yet o. I can only see Donnie Darko when i look at Jake

iice, I seriously doubt if there are real iraqi actors who can do the film. We just have to settle for arab or indian

What gives, y'all?

Spikyn, somebody scared you away, I thought we had a thing going?

vesc, we do have a thing going; I've been catching up on some classics I hadn't seen yet. Cool Hand Luke, Dr Strangelove and a little bit of Patton, I still have others lined up sha.

Jake Gyllenhaal's a good actor and everything o, but I'm totally with you guys on him not being ideal, Somehow Oded is just too slinky/weasel-like for me but "Mohindar" of Heroes has too-wide features. Well I'm sure they could "Asianify" Jake some more. My main fear is if he can carry a movie. Orlando Bloom obviously couldn't but his Jarhead didn't do so good either.

I saw a review of TDK on IGN and it was equated to 'sliced bread' so I don't really fear for it. Wall-E looks like ensuring Pixar's 'perfect record' is still as perfect as Christopher Nolan's and TDK will also extend his streak.

iice, I saw Gotham Knight, didn't like the first episode <the art was too stylized for me> part but it only got better after that.

Well it'd be the first post-humous Oscar in a long time. at the end of the day sha this was the performance that 'killed' him so they'd really go for it though the hype is already frenzied.

@iice, The first episode was so out of it. the lips of all the characters were just off-putting and Batman ended up looking drab as well. Are you following the RIP Batman going on in the comics right now?

Jake's sister in TDK so I guess that's not too bad abi?

Just saw Hancock yesterday. Will Smith is now confirmed as the single most bankable star in the world. The movie was not all that but he delivered.

@iice, do you know some background on our Will? I mean as per his M.O. of picking movies/roles? One thing that struck me yesterday is he does the popular genre but he tries to put some twist on it. Like when sci-fi blockbusters were in, he did ID4 and two MIB's, romantic comedies? He gave us 'Hitch' when biopics were on, he did Pursuit of Happyness and now that it's superhero/comic books, here's Hancock.

Seen 4 reviews now for TDK and it's been all 5/5, two 100%s and one 4.5/5. I feel all warm inside,

Is it wrong that I voted for all the options? Well, except Tarantino, only if because his lack of originality bothers me.

Y'all definitely been busy!

Spikyn, Oded is little sneaky and weasel like? well I'd think the Prince of Persia to be a little cynical, you know, like Hellboy. And Mohindar is a little too much of a do-gooder and his accent is too british. Doesn't know how too accentuate Rs.

iice, into production? For real? Jake? Oh please! What was those peeps thinkin'? Damn! With Jake and all I just hope they plan to stick with the gaming prince we're all familiar with, though I can't see that happening. Or maybe Tobey's and Downing's successes made them think you can cast anybody as a super hero and get away with it but these folks had alter-egos. I'm not aware that the Prince is Ahmed Shariff in the day time, or is he? Even Bloom would have been far better.

Hancock was quite good and surprisingly there was not much of a hype about it previously. Will is turning everything he touches into gold and I gotta say he's been extremely lucky and extremely talented. Plus Hitch was one of the few romantic stuff I've gone for. Single most bankable star. Is that official or Spikyn was just opining? You can only argue fleetingly with that. All that's left for him is to win an Oscar. He just needs a role that's all Will Smith (and somewhat deep too, of course). I mean, if Jamie Fox could get one, he deserves it too, somewhere along the line.

Wall-E is set to contnue the traditon of Pixar's perfect 9.95, but I hope it doesn't give me flash backs to Robots.

Jake's sis is always innocently adorable. Last I heard of her was in the series 'How I met ur mother' or is that nor the same person we're talking about.

And lastly @bychance: U mean to tell me u're dissing Tarantino with the very same thing I like about him and with ur first post too. It's gonna be a long week!

Will is overrated

The Dark Knight sure seems to be something. Any idea why it took so long to show? Maybe that's why Hancock was released quickly, cuz of TDK stealin the show.

@ Karmamod, of course Will's over-rated. He's bankable. Bankable and over-rated are almost interchangeable. Next year it'll be another person turn to be the most bankable. In my books, Brad was last time.

Brad is actually a good actor though

Ive yet to say anything beyond "It was ok" to a will smith movie.

@KarmaMod & bychance, welcome.

You guys are right. I was talking about pure 'star power'. Name one Will Smith movie that didn't cross $100m. That's what I mean by 'bankable' as in literally. Which other actor has that track record?

KarmaMod, you don't like Will Smith, I get. Brad is a better actor than Will? Wouldn't argue with you but when you say "Ive yet to say anything beyond "It was ok" to a will smith movie.",  I don't know what to say to that. Will Smith the actor is much like Will Smith the rapper; he ain't the best but he does have a lot of 'more than ok' moments/times.

Maggie, 'adorable'? Ok, I will have get back to you on that,   


@bychance: define 'lack of originality', please.

Finally saw 'Caspian'. Good movie, lousy adaptation.

Spikyn, stand fast! My bad! I meant Alyson Hannigan not Maggie. I do not know what made me mistake one for the other. Maggie ain't adorable. She's been to many 'there's and done many 'that's. I take it you've read all C. S. Lewis' books, huh? I'd love to get my hands on them too. I also believe Brad has stretched his abilities way more than Will has but on the account of bakable--if you like the Mario Puzo description--Brad trails Will. Dudes like Tom Cruise and a better competition.

Brad is a better actor to me too, no doubt, but Will brings in the doe, which my friends is what this is all about.

So what's poppin fellas?