afta6789
Joined Feb 2004
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Reviews3
afta6789's rating
I really enjoyed this movie but it could have been a lot better. I liked the emphasis on human emotions and storytelling over special effects. I liked Toby M. as Spider-Man too. It was so refreshing to see a decent, nice young man as a hero for a change. Enough with the cynical, vengeful killers that pass for "heroes" in movies these days.
What I didn't care for was the sometimes sloppy CGI that looked toooooo unrealistic. At times it felt like I was watching a very realistic cartoon instead of a live-action movie. Couldn't Raimi see that?
I also didn't like the way they handled the Green Goblin. I understand he had to act crazy and the costume was challenging, but frankly, as soon as he filled up the screen, it felt just like I was watching the Power Rangers, goofy fight scenes and all. Anytime Spider-Man and the Goblin started punching each other the movie just went straight to h*ll for me. Too goofy.
And the Goblin's lines were so stupid and poorly delivered. It's like there were two movies: the human, emotional story and the costumed action for kiddies.
But minus the goofy Power Ranger fight scenes/dialogues and occasional CGI lapses, it was a fun movie to watch.
What I didn't care for was the sometimes sloppy CGI that looked toooooo unrealistic. At times it felt like I was watching a very realistic cartoon instead of a live-action movie. Couldn't Raimi see that?
I also didn't like the way they handled the Green Goblin. I understand he had to act crazy and the costume was challenging, but frankly, as soon as he filled up the screen, it felt just like I was watching the Power Rangers, goofy fight scenes and all. Anytime Spider-Man and the Goblin started punching each other the movie just went straight to h*ll for me. Too goofy.
And the Goblin's lines were so stupid and poorly delivered. It's like there were two movies: the human, emotional story and the costumed action for kiddies.
But minus the goofy Power Ranger fight scenes/dialogues and occasional CGI lapses, it was a fun movie to watch.
I'm sure this movie is great for Marx Bros. fans, but apparently I am not one of them. This was my first full length Marx Bros. movie, and I found it to be irritating and unfunny. I love many of the movies of the 20's and early 30's, so it's not from a lack of sensitivity to the movies of that time. I also love Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Keaton, and other comedians of the silent and early-talkies era. However, something about the Marx Bros. (or at least Animal Crackers) just didn't click for me.
Groucho is downright irritating with his non-stop, insulting banter. Just irritating. Someone should have decked the guy. Is he trying to impress us with how many jabs he can fit into 10 seconds or trying to make us laugh? I can see how Alan Alda's Mash (which I also found irritating) was greatly indebted to Groucho.
Harpo had funny moments, usually when he acted calm. But I typically found him to be just plain weird and unsettling. Okay...he's running around chasing girls with a crazed look on his face while honking a horn...yeah. Gee, I guess you just had to be there. I kept thinking he needed to be locked up, especially after he started shooting at everyone for no apparent reason. The other two brothers weren't as annoying, thankfully.
I think that one big difference between Chaplin, Keaton, and Lloyd vs. the Marx Bros. is that the former are doing *situation comedy* with relatively normal people in strange situations, while the Marx Bros. feature relatively strange people in normal situations. And perhaps the strange behavior that people find funny is more era-dependent. I wonder if that's why Chaplin films have held up so much better over time for most people than say Jerry Lewis films. I don't know. Certainly Lewis and Marx Bros. films have their share of physical comedy, so that's not the difference.
Well at least I can conclude that the Marx Bros. aren't for everyone.
Groucho is downright irritating with his non-stop, insulting banter. Just irritating. Someone should have decked the guy. Is he trying to impress us with how many jabs he can fit into 10 seconds or trying to make us laugh? I can see how Alan Alda's Mash (which I also found irritating) was greatly indebted to Groucho.
Harpo had funny moments, usually when he acted calm. But I typically found him to be just plain weird and unsettling. Okay...he's running around chasing girls with a crazed look on his face while honking a horn...yeah. Gee, I guess you just had to be there. I kept thinking he needed to be locked up, especially after he started shooting at everyone for no apparent reason. The other two brothers weren't as annoying, thankfully.
I think that one big difference between Chaplin, Keaton, and Lloyd vs. the Marx Bros. is that the former are doing *situation comedy* with relatively normal people in strange situations, while the Marx Bros. feature relatively strange people in normal situations. And perhaps the strange behavior that people find funny is more era-dependent. I wonder if that's why Chaplin films have held up so much better over time for most people than say Jerry Lewis films. I don't know. Certainly Lewis and Marx Bros. films have their share of physical comedy, so that's not the difference.
Well at least I can conclude that the Marx Bros. aren't for everyone.
As wonderful as this film is, it is really a disservice to pronounce it one of the greatest movies ever made. Whether it is or not one of them (ultimately a matter of subjective taste), such a proclamation, especially on the front of the box, puts *way* too much pressure on such a subtle, quiet film. I saw this film with high expectations (because of all of the drooling by critics), and frankly that pretty much ruined the experience. It's just absurd to suggest (by inference) that the majority of other films pale by comparison to this one.
I think it is a fascinating and very interesting movie with some moderately touching scenes, but "may be the best film of all time"? That's not fair to such a quiet, unassuming, subtle film that requires sneaking up on you to have any impact. Honestly, if the director hadn't died young, had such a promising start, and been French, I doubt anyone would have made such a huge deal over the movie. Had Vigo lived another 20 years and made 10 more movies, they would likely have categorized this film as excellent juvenilia.
I think it is a fascinating and very interesting movie with some moderately touching scenes, but "may be the best film of all time"? That's not fair to such a quiet, unassuming, subtle film that requires sneaking up on you to have any impact. Honestly, if the director hadn't died young, had such a promising start, and been French, I doubt anyone would have made such a huge deal over the movie. Had Vigo lived another 20 years and made 10 more movies, they would likely have categorized this film as excellent juvenilia.