Chris D Walker Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Did anyone watch this over the weekend? I saw it on Saturday and I thought it was a good movie. It does have cliches and cheese, but it's not over the top like a Roland Emmerich movie (take your pick). Critics appear to not like the style of cinematography which I thought worked really well in heightening its realism, despite there being an army of evil alien invaders. The camera for the most part stayed at ground level, in amongst the squad as if the cameraman were physically there in the story as a participant instead of taking the more usual God's eye approach. It appears the DP does enjoy his 100mm lens. One observation I made was that the framing was often very tight in its composition with high eyelines; it made me feel as if they had cropped to 2.40 when they originally had composed for a 1.85 frame. I also enjoy that it was shot on film (don't know the specs - 3-perf Super 35 on Fuji is my guess). So, what does everybody else think? Thanks to all who read and those who reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member John Sprung Posted March 14, 2011 Premium Member Share Posted March 14, 2011 I've only seen the ads, and was put off by the weak attempt to link it to the real WWII events of Feb 25, 1942. -- J.S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Holland Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I am so pleased i didnt have to pay to see this pile of junk . Aaron Eckhart must win best chin in a supporting role at next years awards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris D Walker Posted March 14, 2011 Author Share Posted March 14, 2011 (edited) Do you own any movies that you'd consider dumb? That kind of movie where you can just sit back and switch off from the world? Forget taste, substance and have some fun? You can't judge them with the same merits as something from the greats of film because they serve a different function. A film will move you, a movie will rock you. Battle: LA isn't a film, it's a movie. I can change from being in film mode to movie mode no problem. I watch the Friday the 13th movies knowing that they're bad. My sister watches Van Damme movies knowing he's going to do split kicks and whoop ass. There are limits, however; no-one in my family will watch a Steven Seagal movie. Before watching Battle: LA the last film I saw in the theaters was Black Swan, and I would class Black Swan as being down the middle between a movie and a film because I had a great time watching it. My best of last year is utter rubbish but I will watch it over and over again. I can imagine watching Battle: LA at home with some friends and a few drinks because its a lite bite, not a Derek Jarman film (I once had a physical reaction to a Derek Jarman film because I hated it so much). Edited March 14, 2011 by Chris D Walker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Adrian Sierkowski Posted March 14, 2011 Premium Member Share Posted March 14, 2011 I own Transformers...... I'm actually looking forward to Battle:La just because I know it's going to have some huge explosions and I won't have to think about anything just go with it. And, as mentioned, I think that's great, fine, and dandy. Jurassic Park is another movie which is like that. It's not much for writing or cinematography, plot, or logic (couldn't they just neuter the dinosaurs?) but man, is it a great show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member John Sprung Posted March 14, 2011 Premium Member Share Posted March 14, 2011 (couldn't they just neuter the dinosaurs?) Now *that* would be something to have on your resume..... ;-) -- J.S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KH Martin Posted March 17, 2011 Share Posted March 17, 2011 http://www.hdvideopro.com/display/features/aliens-invade-tinseltown.html I talked to the VFX super and DP on this film, this might be of interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markshaw Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 I actually rather enjoyed this film. Still have not seen Skyline so cannot make comparison. At least I cared for the characters. Will sound awesome on Blu-ray. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Arch Posted March 27, 2011 Share Posted March 27, 2011 (edited) One of the worst films ever made. I saw the trailer. I am beginning to think directors have to sleep with people to get the job. Edited March 27, 2011 by Joseph Arch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted March 27, 2011 Premium Member Share Posted March 27, 2011 That kind of movie where you can just sit back and switch off from the world? I know what you mean. I tend toward the opinion that things like The Fifth Element and Moulin Rouge and are great examples of this done well. It's fun, diversion, a couple of hours of entertainment. Anything that makes the visuals a big part of the value of the thing leans toward this, but it's all good anyway. Back here in the old world I've only seen the trailers for Battle, but it seems to be another one that was going for the "pure entertainment" approach, that were trying to just be fun, but ended up trapped by the assumption that this sort of thing done well is somehow undemanding. There's a difference between a piece of fun that's not wearing some political or moral point on its sleeve, and something that's just slack and obvious. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Bowerbank Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Haven't seen it, but have had a few discussions with people who have. I take it the film should have gone either way, super serious and well done or super campy and very enjoyable...I guess they tried to hit a middle ground and failed miserably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Arch Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 With flying colours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markshaw Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Different strokes I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Hulnick Posted April 8, 2011 Share Posted April 8, 2011 Having seen this movie, I'm glad that I have pretty eclectic tastes in movies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Appelt Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 (edited) Usually I chose a seat at the distance of the screen's width. Now I don't mind handheld shots and a bit of shaking, but when I watched BATTLE: LOS ANGELES on a 72 ft. screen, it became so unpleasant that I moved back to about 1,8x screen width. Even then, I found the cinematography disturbing. Too many TV-style closeups in the first ten minutes, you should have a reason if you treat the audience to Sergio-Leone-size portraits. I think I understand what the filmmakers intended, but for me it did not work. In my opinion, only Aaron Eckhart's fine performance held together this movie. Not that he or any other actor had much help from the script, even a popcorn movie should have some intelligent dialogue lines. I saw a 35mm print with decent sharpness in the few places where it was not destroyed intentionally. Certainly you can use techniques like that if the director knows how to do it, but use it constantly for almost two hours and it becomes a nuisance. Heavy shaking even in a simple office scene like Eckhart talking about his retirement is just bad filmmaking. Edited April 23, 2011 by Christian Appelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markshaw Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 A lot of people complained about the shaky handheld camera effects on the Bourne movies. I actually did not mind in the slightest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Hulnick Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Usually I chose a seat at the distance of the screen's width. Now I don't mind handheld shots and a bit of shaking, but when I watched BATTLE: LOS ANGELES on a 72 ft. screen, it became so unpleasant that I moved back to about 1,8x screen width. Even then, I found the cinematography disturbing. Too many TV-style closeups in the first ten minutes, you should have a reason if you treat the audience to Sergio-Leone-size portraits. I think I understand what the filmmakers intended, but for me it did not work. In my opinion, only Aaron Eckhart's fine performance held together this movie. Not that he or any other actor had much help from the script, even a popcorn movie should have some intelligent dialogue lines. I saw a 35mm print with decent sharpness in the few places where it was not destroyed intentionally. Certainly you can use techniques like that if the director knows how to do it, but use it constantly for almost two hours and it becomes a nuisance. Heavy shaking even in a simple office scene like Eckhart talking about his retirement is just bad filmmaking. That does appear to be the effect they wanted. That whole documentary feel. Putting you right in the thick of the action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markshaw Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 As I never saw Skyline I cannot make a direct comparison. I did feel this was a fairly good popcorn movie. I never went in there expecting SHAKESPEARE and so was not disappointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Hulnick Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Face it, it was poop but pretty entertaining poop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markshaw Posted May 29, 2011 Share Posted May 29, 2011 I was looking at various Blu-ray sites and it would seem that various countries renamed this movie, also Fast Five. They should not be allowed to do this. A movie title is part of the movie and the name should stay, wherever it is shown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Hulnick Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I actually prefer the title some others gave to Fast Five, The Fast And The Furious Five: Rio Heist sounds much better. Our title sounds much more like a fruit drink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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