tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post2494012375200428030..comments2024-03-28T16:52:10.619-04:00Comments on Radiator Heaven: Cowboys & AliensJ.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11823190634186509982noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-60831248732842075182011-08-19T10:10:42.740-04:002011-08-19T10:10:42.740-04:00Will:
That's an interesting idea! I could see...Will:<br /><br />That's an interesting idea! I could see that. It give his character's relationship with Ford's even more tension and conflict. Nice.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-74590475052705695382011-08-18T16:39:19.600-04:002011-08-18T16:39:19.600-04:00Hey JD,
Do you think it would have been cooler if...Hey JD,<br /><br />Do you think it would have been cooler if Daniel Craig couldn't talk at all? I'm not criticizing his performance but the literal silent type seemed like the way to go here. Thoughts?Willhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07072610919547161461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-65562705824931374372011-08-10T11:48:24.428-04:002011-08-10T11:48:24.428-04:00The Film Connoisseur:
I think you'll dig it. ...The Film Connoisseur:<br /><br />I think you'll dig it. The film has a lot going for it to be sure and I enjoyed myself.<br /><br /><br />The Sci-Fi Fanatic:<br /><br />I understand your reluctance to engage with this film. The trailers were what enticed me to see it. Plus, the chance to see Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford mixing it up. That didn't hurt.<br /><br />I certainly didn't feel that the film was just going through the paces. There is some real skill and craft on display, here. Harrison Ford is also excellent. He really stepped it up in a way that pleasantly surprised me.<br /><br />Perhaps you'll give it a shot when it comes out on home video.<br /><br /><br />Hokahey:<br /><br />Yeah, I really loved the western iconography and how Favreau then integrated the science fiction-y bits. It was fascinating to watch the two genres smash up against each other.<br /><br /><br />Dan O.:<br /><br />I don't know how much tinkering went on behind the scenes but it felt like a coherent film and not one written by a committee of screenwriters like a lot of big budget Hollywood movies (i.e. TRANSFORMERS).<br /><br /><br />Fritz "Doc" Freakenstein:<br /><br />Wow, thanks for these great comments! If it seems like I'm waffling a bit at the end of my review it's because I went into the film really wanting to enjoy it in a big way and while I did enjoy myself, I wasn't wowed by the film. Just a personal thing. It was good but not great. I dunno, maybe I need to watch it again. There are many things I thought were excellent, chief among them Ford and the rock solid supporting cast. I understand the whole amnesia thing with Longergan but above and beyond that, Craig's performance was lacking a little bit. A minor quibble.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08164105442273577128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-41648035217645872902011-08-09T21:44:21.662-04:002011-08-09T21:44:21.662-04:00I agree with your review of Cowboys & Aliens, ...I agree with your review of Cowboys & Aliens, J.D.! Favreau has indeed recreated the western iconography to perfection and that made the contrast between the humans and the aliens all the more stunning. At the end of your review, you still seem to downplay your enthusiasm by calling the entertaining and that that is enough. Yes, the film’s action elements are indeed entertaining, but it is the human drama that brings the film up a notch above just entertaining.<br /><br />I too felt that Harrison Ford “brought his A-game” in his portrayal of Colonel Woodrow Dolarhyde. What could have just been a flat bad guy with some issues, Ford turned into a complicated character that helped demonstrate a full range of emotional reactions to the nearly incomprehensible reality of alien beings on Earth. I think you are a little harsh on Daniel Craig’s turn as Jake Lonergan. Jake spends the vast majority of the film, not knowing his own identity or past; particularly the reason for the alien weapon cuffed to his wrist. I though Craig played it well, exhibiting just the right level of indignation, resignation and finally retaliation. Like you, I also enjoyed the solid supporting cast and wished that some of them could have gotten a little more screen time.<br /><br />For anyone who hasn’t yet seen the film and thinks that Cowboys & Aliens will be a clichéd pastiche of other western and sf films should see it before passing judgment on it - that includes you, Sci-Fi Fanatic. Anyone interested, can read my review of the film here: http://guardiansofthegenre.blogspot.com/2011/08/cowboys-aliens-2011-satisfying-western.html. In it I give a little background of the comic series it was based on and why I think it’s more than just an entertaining film, but a real drama as well.Fritz "Doc" Freakensteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13209589620766485745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-63237763799323763342011-08-07T02:35:10.751-04:002011-08-07T02:35:10.751-04:00Feels like a flick that was poked, tweaked, reform...Feels like a flick that was poked, tweaked, reformatted and re-edited at least a dozen times. Although i did actually have a bit of a good time here withe the cast and crew involved. Good Review!Dan O.http://www.dtmmr.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-34149495570050651542011-08-06T22:31:46.262-04:002011-08-06T22:31:46.262-04:00J.D. - Glad you enjoyed this film. I had fun with ...J.D. - Glad you enjoyed this film. I had fun with it, and I think the Western side of its split personality is very well done with some excellent atmosphere and good old Western characters and action.Richard Bellamyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12397053921647421425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-8712914961711994172011-08-05T08:01:50.744-04:002011-08-05T08:01:50.744-04:00Your last sentence also could have ended with the ...Your last sentence also could have ended with the words <br /><br />"... and sometimes it's not."<br /><br />I don't know my friend.<br /><br />The film didn't have the affect on me that it had on so many. I like both actors, but the idea of them standing around looking cool wasn't going to do it.<br /><br />Something about the film, and I know I shouldn't comment having not seen it, looks sterile and fairly routine. <br /><br />Even the plot sounds cliched. Something like this I prefer to see integrated in a more complex fashion like Firefly. And that may not be fair as this is meant to be entertainment.<br /><br />But, as you put it, simply contrasting motifs doesn't appeal to me. I feel like Favreau does entertainment well, but there's rarely sophistication to any of it. I did love ELF though.<br /><br />Obviously a nice cast and some nice effects, but even the one note characters you allude to will surely disappoint me.<br /><br />Daniel Craig is good, but a little overrated for me as well.<br /><br />It definitely looks far from a classic and passable as entertainment at best. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so down on it, but I definitely had higher expectations and the trailers have disappointed from the get go. Look, it’s Cowboys & Aliens, not high art, and I’m not suggesting it should be, but it just looks fairly paint by numbers.<br /><br />But honestly I'm glad you enjoyed it J.D.SFFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04256589316922398158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407391624985829089.post-24850102634573154322011-08-04T21:07:58.523-04:002011-08-04T21:07:58.523-04:00Cool, seeing it this weekend, hope it rocks the ho...Cool, seeing it this weekend, hope it rocks the house! Favreau can be great when he wants to...and it looks like this is one of the ones where he wanted to do something special, as opposed to Iron Man 2, which felt so rushed. Looking forward to it!Franco Macabrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10994905312221715861noreply@blogger.com