Stratovarius Community

Equinox wrote:

Shurik wrote:I've seen Enemy At The Gates yesterday - that movie is wrong on so many levels and so insultingly dumb that I can safely say it's probably the worst war movie I've ever seen (I haven't seen Pearl Harbor yet, but I feel I'm not missing much) ... I mean, do those who made the movie really believe that the only reason Soviets won the war was the by sheer quantity and not quality? Do they really think that this crap about one old gun for 2-3 soldiers was still happening during the battle of Stalingrad? I can go on and on about what's wrong with this movie, but it will be long and probably very boring ...

I want you to go on.

By that time, there were no problems with moral in Soviet army, so all that nonsense about politruks shooting regular russian soldiers while they retreat and while germans are no more than few hundred meters away (or at least it looked that way) is just nonsense. There were orders like that but they were applied mostly to penal battalions and definitely were not carried during the attack itself.

Soldiers being sent to front like cattle, standing and with locked doors is also pretty far from reality too. The real conditions weren't of course first class (far from it), but the commanders were interested that the soldiers would arrive at least somewhat fit to the battle ...

The scene in the end, where Vasily's girlfriend tells the mother of the boy that he defected to the germans instead telling her that the boy died a heroic death while helping the known hero (this is what actual politruk would tell the mother) is very far from reality. Things like what the boy did (helping soviet hero and collecting information from germans) was considered very heroic and the boy's death by the hands of a nazi would have been made into one huge propaganda story and something to boost an already enormous hatred towards the germans. There were hundreds if not thousands such a stories during the war, most of them were turned into propaganda and were told even when I was at school in USSR (late 80's) ...

There were also the religious images in the place were the boy lived with his mother and Vasily's girlfriend. While the religion was never fully forgotten and abandoned during a soviet rule, I find it highly unlikely that something like that could happen during Stalin's rule and in the middle of the war. Being religious then was something people preferred to keep quiet about.

Mormegil wrote:

Carcass wrote:Full Metal Jacket is funny in a very cruel and ironic sense, but a comedy?

Not exactly comedy, but comedic. Besides, Gny.Sgt. Hartman is one of the funniest characters in movie-history.

@Mormegil: I think that it probably helped a great deal that R. Lee Ermey (who portrayed Sgt. Hartman) actually was a real DI (Drill Instructor) in the U.S. Marine Corps, and additionally was a combat veteran of the Vietnam War. I believe that it added some authenticity to the role. Director Stanley Kubrick actually allowed Ermey to sort of ad-lib his own dialogue.

@Shurik: There were numerous other inconsistencies in the "Enemy" film. One was the portrayal of Zaitsev as an illiterate, with the enlisted rank of private or corporal. Further checking reveals that Zaitsev was actually a junior officer, and that he was far from illiterate, as a graduate of an engineering school. Annaud's treatment of a subject as sensitive as WWII, particularly Stalingrad, and I can see how it must have been a major source of annoyance for many Russians.

And one does have to wonder just how the Soviet forces were able to destroy the German 6th army so decisively if there were not enough weapons to go around? The book "Enemy at the Gates" was completely different than the film, and imo, significantly more accurate and interesting. In some ways, it is probably better that some of the war crimes depicted in the book were not shown on film, since I don't think that the average moviegoer could handle it. The bulk of the author's work for the book was taken from interview of survivors of both sides of the battle.

@miditek, did you know that R. Lee Ermey is playing a helicopter pilot too in Apolcalypse now?

Carcass wrote:@miditek, did you know that R. Lee Ermey is playing a helicopter pilot too in Apolcalypse now?

Yep, he played a dual role in the film. He portrayed a helicopter pilot, and also was a technical consultant to Coppola.

@Shurik: There were numerous other inconsistencies in the "Enemy" film. One was the portrayal of Zaitsev as an illiterate, with the enlisted rank of private or corporal. Further checking reveals that Zaitsev was actually a junior officer, and that he was far from illiterate, as a graduate of an engineering school. Annaud's treatment of a subject as sensitive as WWII, particularly Stalingrad, and I can see how it must have been a major source of annoyance for many Russians.

That just shows that the creators of this movie didn't even made a basic research, just to get some of the stuff right ... The movie, despite being an entirely European production, looked like typical Hollywood stuff, with love stories stuck without a reason or a point and historical facts being ignored for no apparent reason. Too bad for Annaud, who was a director of such a great The Name Of The Rose ...

Soviet army veterans who fought at Stalingrad were so offended by this movie that they demanded a ban on it ...

Yesterday I watched "Thirteen Days". A brilliant movie and IMO the makers really stick to the historic details. This film has so much tension, though you know the end of the crisis. It's one of my very favourits.
And well.... It's not very hard to imagine what would have happened if a republican government was in the White House instead of the Kennedy administration. Thank God the right men were at the right place and the right time.

I just read on a website that there is going to be a remake of the Sci-Fi Classic, "The Day the Earth Stood Still". One of my fav movies!
Keanu Reeves is supposedly going to play the benevolent alien, Klaatu.
This should be very interesting&its set to be in theatres sometime in Summer 2008.
I wonder who is going to play Gort, the Robot? And, The Einsteinish physics professor played by Sam Jaffe who ecame Klaatu's allie?And, is there going to be a pretty widow for Klaatu to fall for? Sandra Bullock, that role is made for you!

@stratohawk, I have that movie! Man, that was a close one! I was just a baby then, so it was interesting to see all this historical stuff!

browneyedgirl wrote: @stratohawk, I have that movie! Man, that was a close one! I was just a baby then, so it was interesting to see all this historical stuff!

I bought it, too. Really, I think it's a very authentic movie. And you're so right... The earth really was on the edge of total devastation. I guess one can think about JFK what he/she wants, but in this situation he safed the world from catastrophy.

I bought 3 movies $1.00 each DVDs at a yard sale yesterday. They were all pretty good!
1. Children of Men with Clive Owen. A story set 20 years in the future about when society crumbles all over the world. Really dark, but pretty enlightening, too.
http://www.childrenofmen.net

2. Mysterious Island--a remake with Patrick Stewart as the enigmatic, mentally disturbed Captain Nemo. Pretty good special effects with the giant creatures. I'm a fan of Jules Verne so I enjoyed this one!

5. Wickerman, with Nicolas Cage. A remake of the original. Slow to get interesting, but by halfway through the movie started getting pretty good! Shows where religious fanaticism can lead. ANY religion!

Zodiac

A 3-hour movie based on a serial killer in California. True story.
I can be certain that I gained nothing from this...Well, maybe 30 minutes of sleep.
Not my cup of tea, but it seems to be a hit among the critics... I wonder what they see that I cannot.

miditek wrote:

Carcass wrote:@miditek, did you know that R. Lee Ermey is playing a helicopter pilot too in Apolcalypse now?

Yep, he played a dual role in the film. He portrayed a helicopter pilot, and also was a technical consultant to Coppola.

Damn, didn't know that!

But did you know that Harrison Ford's character is named G. Lucas as a homage to George Lucas?

Kolja.
I haven't seen it for a long time, they played it yesterday in the bus...on my not so short "trip" home
Although I don't think anybody here knows it...

black death wrote:Kolja.
I haven't seen it for a long time, they played it yesterday in the bus...on my not so short "trip" home
Although I don't think anybody here knows it...

I know it, it's a Czech film. There's a bearded guy on the cover. I've seen it many times in the library but I haven't borrowed it yet. Is it any good?

Just saw Raiders of the Lost Ark for the 25th time. Hilarious stuff. Can't wait to see the 4th Indiana Jones.

"I feel uncomfortable with this... Jewish ritual"

APOCALYPTO
Mel Gibsons movie about the last days of Mayan civilization before explorers from Europe came&decimated, plundered them.
This movie was much better than I thought it would be&the scenery is spectacular being shot in seveal Central American locations.
I recommend this movie highly as it will have you spellbound. However, INO, acording to historical accounts, the Mayans were on a slow course to doom/extinction even before White Man arrived due to drought, starvation&disease.
Mayans were an interesting civilization--very advanced for their time with knowledge of medicine, astronomy&science very intense and used in daily life. However, the Mayans were very brutal in their worship of the sun, demanded thousand of human sacrifices a year to the Gods they believe protected them&helped their crops to grow.
Also, many people believe Mayans predicted the dawning of a new age in 2012. I guess we will have to see.

The only thing about this great movie I did not like were the subtitles. The movie was done in native Mayan dialect for realism sake.
Also, most of the actors were Central American and Mexican actors, unknown. But 3 of the lead characters in the movie, Flint, Blunted&Jaguar Paw are Native American actors from USA. Terrific representations, they all did a good job!

Did any of you all see this movie? Well, whats your opinion?

Quite inaccurate, there was no plot and the ending was predictable...

Kudos on the whole setting and doing it in Nahuatl.

browneyedgirl wrote:APOCALYPTO
Mel Gibsons movie about the last days of Mayan civilization before explorers from Europe came&decimated, plundered them.
This movie was much better than I thought it would be&the scenery is spectacular being shot in seveal Central American locations.
I recommend this movie highly as it will have you spellbound. However, INO, acording to historical accounts, the Mayans were on a slow course to doom/extinction even before White Man arrived due to drought, starvation&disease.
Mayans were an interesting civilization--very advanced for their time with knowledge of medicine, astronomy&science very intense and used in daily life. However, the Mayans were very brutal in their worship of the sun, demanded thousand of human sacrifices a year to the Gods they believe protected them&helped their crops to grow.
Also, many people believe Mayans predicted the dawning of a new age in 2012. I guess we will have to see.

The only thing about this great movie I did not like were the subtitles. The movie was done in native Mayan dialect for realism sake.
Also, most of the actors were Central American and Mexican actors, unknown. But 3 of the lead characters in the movie, Flint, Blunted&Jaguar Paw are Native American actors from USA. Terrific representations, they all did a good job!

Did any of you all see this movie? Well, whats your opinion?

Well i'll just have to say that i liked this movie! Nicely done and good job from the actors as well!!

I have to second Stratoplayer. I think the Mayas had already abandoned all the temples and cities by the time Europeans got there and it was the Aztecs' Sun God who demanded human sacrifice.

But I liked to colours of the film, how the jungle contrasted with the temples.

Mel Gibson is a weirdo.

Carcass wrote:I have to second Stratoplayer. I think the Mayas had already abandoned all the temples and cities by the time Europeans got there and it was the Aztecs' Sun God who demanded human sacrifice.

Exactly, Mayans as a major civilization faded out (who knows how or why) at around the year 1300-1350 or so (my history is a bit fuzzy), but it was long before any European came here.

...

Carcass wrote:

black death wrote:Kolja.
I haven't seen it for a long time, they played it yesterday in the bus...on my not so short "trip" home
Although I don't think anybody here knows it...

I know it, it's a Czech film. There's a bearded guy on the cover. I've seen it many times in the library but I haven't borrowed it yet. Is it any good?

Yes, it's very good. I think it won an Oscar for not English speaking film.
The bearded guy whom you saw marry a Russian girl for money (he has huge debts)...many things will fuck up and then he has to take care of a small Russian boy (his step-child) while the child's mother is gone .
The story is not so important, it's much more appreciated because it shows what is it to live in a communistic state under Soviet occupation... Despite that, it's funny sometimes

Dragon Wars.

Worst movie of all times. Hands down. Don't go see it. Please.

Death Proof

I don't get all the fuss about this movie. There's almost no action, just dumb girls talking about stuff no one is interested in ... Total and complete boredom.

Sunshine

Now that is a really really great sci-fi movie!

Shurik wrote:Sunshine

Now that is a really really great sci-fi movie!

I agree, but I think it had a weakness: the 'burned' guy. There ain't that much explanation on how he survived, the scenes with 'im where blurry and kinda confusing. Besides that, I liked it a lot. Really different than all the others "we must risk our lives to save the planet" movies.

Tarantino sux in my opinion...

For me Apocalypto is a great movie, but there are some historical errors. But it is a great movie with very beautiful landscapes and very cruelty and fast action.

Last movie I have seen is The Bourne Supremacy. A good trilogy Bourne's one, but this last movie...I prefer the other ones.

RazielSR wrote:Tarantino sux in my opinion...

+1!

Lately I saw:

Wrong Turn 2 (very good)
Hostel II (mediocre)

WTF, Tarantino sucks? Have you people actually seen Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs? For me and many many others, he is one of the greatest directors working nowadays (in fact Total Film just ranked him the 12th greatest director of all time and I can't complain).
Death Proof indeed was boring at times, but I really enjoyed it anyway. Second part of Grindhouse, Planet Terror by Robert Rodriguez is way better and funnier.

Mormegil wrote:WTF, Tarantino sucks? Have you people actually seen Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs? For me and many many others, he is one of the greatest directors working nowadays (in fact Total Film just ranked him the 12th greatest director of all time and I can't complain).
Death Proof indeed was boring at times, but I really enjoyed it anyway. Second part of Grindhouse, Planet Terror by Robert Rodriguez is way better and funnier.

Hey Mormegil, he have some good movies but I don't like Taantino's style very much. But it's just my opinion. Maybe Tarantino sucks was a bad choice for me, but you can take my opinion as I don't like Tarantino.

But I don't have nothing against people like you that loves Tarantino movies

Apocalypto

Really good, fast-paced and beautifully done action movie.

Life Free Or Die Hard (mediocre)

Wrong Turn 1 (quite good)