I saw Pacific Rim. I dunno about y’all but I thought it was “meh”. Saw it in 2d. Was the 3d version impressive?
The sound was so LOUD. Explosions and fights were deafening but dialogue was mumbled. I thought that this was just my theatre but the reviews I’ve read say that this was universal. My ears are still ringing. MICHAEL BAY EXPLOOOOOOSIONNNNNNS. Mr. Torgue would approve of this movie.
I had issues with the visuals. The picture had that “grain”, that “blur”, that “fog” that so many movies had and the camera was always moving and never steady, sometimes shaky, often making quick cuts. I guess the idea is that if the camera jumps around so that the fights can’t be 100% followed then it is somehow more exciting? I don’t get it. Just make the camera steady and move it gracefully and sparingly, like movies used to do.
Most importantly: there were few nerd homages. There was the “glados voice” in the “analog” Jager but there were no anime references and precious few obvious, blatant references to the classic monster movies. They didn’t even do “that thing” where characters compare their situation to similar movies, like Godzilla. Considering how the Jagers were piloted I expected a shoutout to G Gundam. The initial premise was really similar to Dai-Guard, the Jager had some bits that reminded me of Nadesico and Gravion, and there wasn’t even a real Eva reference.
The ending was like a less-dramatic version of Battlefield Earth’s, or a slightly more serious version of The Avengers’.
I went to see Pacific Rim with two of my sons. We went to a 3D showing in one of Regal’s “Enhanced Experience” theater bays.
I had none of the visual clarity problems you seem to have had with the 2D showing. Dialog sound was clear and clean, loud special effects but not overwhelming. I wonder if it was an artifact of the particular theater you were in.
A lack of Nods to Genre films doesn’t really detract as far as I’m concerned. I didn’t go in with any expectations, which is how I try to approach most action films like this.
In light of all the trauma that the lead characters had been thru I thought the ending was very realistic seeming. Those two are relieved to have survived more than anything else, romance would come much later if ever.
**The Driver **{1978}
**Vanishing Point **{1971}[/quote]
Vanishing Point might be the most overrated “driving movie” of all time. Considering the year, I guess LSD was still en vogue. That might explain the ridiculous “magic DJ”. Like the MASH movie (and other movies of the early 70s and before) it did have some now interesting takes on certain societal issues.
I just watched Waterworld on bluray. It was better than Gargantia…
[quote]I had none of the visual clarity problems you seem to have had with the 2D showing. Dialog sound was clear and clean, loud special effects but not overwhelming. I wonder if it was an artifact of the particular theater you were in.
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I thought so, but I went through some movie reviews and the “explosions and fights are deafening while other sounds are nigh whisper-quiet” issue was pointed out in many of them.
The visual issues I had were largely with Del Toro’s “let’s make the camera move hectically to make the action seem more hectic” school of cinematography. I like it when the camera is relatively stationary so I can see the action clearly, the way movies used to be. I do maintain that there was blurriness in the 2d version. I wonder what the resolution of the average digital projector used in theatres is…?
I’m not so “broken up” over the lack of romance (and IMO the sexually-charged stick-fighting scene had more than enough of that) as I am the characters being put into a situation where they would have to make The Ultimate Sacrifice in order to Save the Day and finding the most contrived way to get out of it, to save the day while sacrificing nothing.
Movies I saw today: Major League II (hilarious as most of the cast are now TV/movie stars) Garden of Words
American Dreamz
Bend It Like Beckham
Epic
The Gamers: Hands of Fate
Intolerable Cruelty
Jack and Jill
The Phantom of the Opera
The Rose
Ruthless People