30 Days of Movies Meme - the Last Catchup!

[mitchy]

26. Is there a specific movie you really cannot stand to watch?

The Princess Bride generally sends me screaming, unless I have been fed vast amounts of booze and am therefore too drunk to run. And if anyone attempted to make me watch Branagh's Frankestein again, I suspect there would be violence :)

27. Is there a particular actor/actress you cannot stand to watch?

Adam Sandler, Will Farrell, Steve Carroll, somebody Green (so called comedian), Katherine Heigl (because I'll never forgive her for playing Izzie on Grey's Anatomy). I'm mildly surprised to note that these are folks who usually make comedies, which actually explains why I found it so difficult to think of a recent comedy movie I've watched. :P

28. Movie that surprised you by being better/worse than you expected?

Prince of Persia, with Jake Gyllenhaal. Games made into movies have a very poor history but this was a little gem. The effects were great, the casting was good, JG was excellent and overall, it was a very decent movie. I was happily impressed.

29. Favourite special effects scene? (CGI or traditional)

I'm with annuala on this one - I still get a huge kick out of watching Ray Harryhousen's stop motion animation. Is there anyone who doesn't adore the skeleton warriors from Jason and the Argonauts?

The wire work on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is still awesome to watch too. Knowing how painful wire work can be, you have to give credit to all the actors and stunt people who created the scenes and made them look effortless.

For CGI, I have three: the Balrog from Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, because it took my breath away when I saw it on the big screen and it's still one of my favourite bits in the trilogy. Just awesome design and realisation and extra kudos must be given to the sound effects guys, because they nailed it. (I can't remember now what the noise they used was - and I've watched the extras at least five times, so bad me, no biscuit.) The other CGI effect is from Fantastic Four - Rise of the Silver Surfer. Not the greatest movie ever, granted, although I loved it to bits but the CGI for the surfer was just outstanding and the bit where he blows through a building and it sorta ripples around him? Astounding effect, it just looked so convincing. The last effect is more of an entire scene - the opening of Swordfish where they blow up the bank? yes, The Matrix invented bullet time and the effects in that are amazing, but for me, this opening scene was just superb cinema and perfect use of the effect. Jaw dropping stuff.


30. Your choice of outstanding directors of your generation?

I gotta say Steven Spielberg, not because of the big, flashy scenes he does but because of the quiet character studies too. He really is a multi-talented guy and he gets movies from the point of view of the fans in the seats more than any other director out there. He also gets terrific performances out of his actors. Harrison Ford really (IMHO) isn't that great of an actor, but can YOU imagine anyone else as Indy? No, 'xactly. I haven't seen much of his recent work because the stories didn't appeal to me but he's still a guy whose name attached to a movie is at least going to make me pay attention.

Ridley Scott - seriously, do I even need to explain why? Simply one of the best action movie directors of the last 30 years, no question.

Christopher Nolan (whom I've liked since Memento) and David Fincher (Fight Club, Se7en) are two more who always produce movies of interest and in a number of different genres. Nolan is now on my "OMG must see!" list :)

I'll also say Tarantino. I don't think he's the best, I think he's suffered hugely from ridiculous amounts of overhype (really, was Resevoir Dogs that, but he's still a director who gets people talking about movies, even if it's to criticise rather than praise. Cinema needs its mavericks otherwise it'd get awfully dull. Also, Tarantino can write dialogue like nobody's business; in that regard, I think he's one of the best screenwriters out there, for sure.



And that's the meme! Wasn't really inspired with this one and I've got no-one to blame but myself because I invented it :P I've got a book meme stashed away (invented by someone else!) and I think I'll start that during September. But not right now :)