November 15th, 2010
The Screen
Skyline
Listen to the show:
That's right, it's back! Taverncast The Screen returns with a look at the new movie Skyline.
Will an independently funded movie produced by a visual effects house be better than the usual studio-produced fare? Or is Skyline just another alien invasion movie regardless of who made it?
Bryce and Jennifer checked out the new movie, and will give you their take on this movie - is it worth your time?
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Comments
I'm glad its back but that film won't be released in Britain. I'll still listen though :D
I actually wrote a review of Skyline for my college's student paper. Overall I'd have to give it a 1.5 at most. The cast was just awful, which ruined the suspense. I either didn't care about whether a character died, or was crossing my fingers for them to die sooner so I didn't have to put up with them anymore. I also didn't like what happened *after* the big ship got nuked. It seemed so cliché.
Most of all, though, I thought the motivation for the aliens- SPOLIERS: they want to use our brains as psychic batteries? Sounds like something a junior high kid wrote. Plus the thing at the end where the main character is "Special" for no discernible reason... I'd expect that out of a $20 Xbox game or a comic book from the 90s, but not a modern film that takes itself as seriously as this one seems to. END SPOILERS.
The final line of my review was something like: "Skyline fails epically as a character drama, falls short as an action film, and the only thing scary about it is the realization that you're never getting your nine dollars back."
I either didn't care about whether a character died, or was crossing my fingers for them to die sooner so I didn't have to put up with them anymore.
Right there with you on that one. No investment in characters = no investment in story = no interest in movie. Special effects only go so far, and though they were solid, I didn't find them to be anything super special.
Yeah, from the sounds of it you guys liked it slightly more than I did. We agreed on the characters, which was my number one problem with the movie... but you guys didn't talk much about the premise, which was my other big problem. That didn't come off as totally ridiculous to you? A) What the aliens were harvesting, and B) The "he has an orange brain, so he's special," ridiculousness at the very end?
Hmm... it's sounding like one I can miss. I really hate it when they dump tons of $$ on a movie's FX, but then apparently get a drunk off the street to come up with important plot elements like why the aliens are invading. Like with a lot of zombie stuff, I think it's actually better if they don't try to explain why it happened...
Honestly - I was pretty bored at the mediocrity of the whole thing - I didn't have a lot of energy left to ponder the level of "bleh" relating to the premise. Could have just been the day I was having, but I kept wanting to fall asleep in the theater. Hoping it's a better movie this weekend.
So, what would you guys put down for a couple all-time favorite movies? I think I'd go with the first original Star Wars and Last of the Mohicans, among many others...
I feel like I have the most vanilla answers in the world, but I guess this is one area where I agree with society. Geek society, at least.
Original Trilogy- Empire in particular.
Lord of the Rings- Two Towers in particular.
The original Matrix.
Zach Snyder's Dawn of the Dead. Yep, I liked it more than the Romero version- that might be the one where I swim against the stream.
Avatar. Flawed movie? Yes. Still awesome? Hell yes.
And to round things out, I'll say Raiders of the Lost Ark and pretty much all of the Marvel movies made by Marvel studios- so Iron Man 1 and 2, the Edward Norton Hulk, etc.
I'm probably leaving out something I will hit myself for later, but as Bryce pointed out, you're not really into film if you can just spit out one favorite movie on command.
EDIT: Scott Pilgrim! Okay, I think I've covered most of my bases at this point.
I feel like I have the most vanilla answers in the world, but I guess this is one area where I agree with society. Geek society, at least.
Original Trilogy- Empire in particular.
Lord of the Rings- Two Towers in particular.
The original Matrix.
Zach Snyder's Dawn of the Dead. Yep, I liked it more than the Romero version- that might be the one where I swim against the stream.
Avatar. Flawed movie? Yes. Still awesome? Hell yes.
And to round things out, I'll say Raiders of the Lost Ark and pretty much all of the Marvel movies made by Marvel studios- so Iron Man 1 and 2, the Edward Norton Hulk, etc.
I'm probably leaving out something I will hit myself for later, but as Bryce pointed out, you're not really into film if you can just spit out one favorite movie on command.
EDIT: Scott Pilgrim! Okay, I think I've covered most of my bases at this point.
I think I'm with you on all those, with the exception of Avatar. Still feel like that was a very, very mediocre movie wrapped up in some nice effects. Similar to how Bryce felt about Skyline. In fact I suspect I'd like Skyline more, but not sure if I'll ever see it...
Avatar is definitely more stand-out as a visual experience than it is as a "film" in the traditional sense. The way it is meant to be enjoyed is in 3D on as big a screen as possible. If I had seen it for the first time on DVD, in 2D, on a regular-sized TV, I don't think I would have found it to be anything particularly special.
Some of my all time favorites.
Casablanca (House as bar owner)
Braveheart (tell me you think he's going to save her the beginning?)
Last of the Mohicans (Miami Vice moodiness with Muskets!)
Close Encounter of the Third Kind (the kidnapping sequence still creeps me out)
Blazing Saddles (crosses the line so many times you'd think the studio execs slept through it)
Sorry I have not replied to this! I am thrilled this is coming back, I love films, it's my chosen career, and to have my favorite podcasters have a section devoted to it is just fantastic! Good on ya TC, Ill be waiting with a big ol smile.
When Bryce referred to Avatar being a space Dances with Wolves I soiled my pants because south park did an episode call Dances with Smurfs and it ends up talking about Avatar
Was just watching Avatar again the other night, and there are some serious parallels. Not that I mind, really.
I'm glad its back but that film won't be released in Britain. I'll still listen though :D
Its out soon?!
I think I might have to go rent this movie tonight, I'm starting to get into computer effects a lot more and even if the story/actors aren't up to par, I think I'll enjoy the computer effects a good bit. There seems to be more and more disaster/alien movies coming out as we get closer to 2012. I believe there is another alien movie coming out with Harrison Ford in it but can't recal the name.
Also has anyone seen Battle of Los Angelas, do you think its theatre worthy to go see?