War of the Worlds/movie fx old and new etc.

http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/cool.gif WOW! If you want to see a good scifi movie and some wonderful fx go see this! Just got back from the theater and thought it worth every cent. Even knowing the story and being a fan of the original film which I have on dvd too, this remake stands on its own as a real nail biter. Story additions work well, acting is great (especially Dakota Fanning = very talented), 2 hours well spent, AWESOME, imo. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

It's on my list of movies to see (and own once on dvd)

Yes, I enjoyed it! It was a nice ride.

Fantastic visuals... The end was a bit "cheap/short" though... It was almost like you closed your eyes for a second - and "hey, what the heck, happened? It's over? We were having a great time here! More please!" http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif I'm sure the extra-extended - directors cut - version will be out in time for Christmas...

I was however sad to see Spielberg take the cheap way out with Cruise! A no-name actor would have been better. Cruise is like a well-glazed donut - sweet, cute and pretty. As with all donuts - they don't have any substance... You will get your 'fill' with donuts very quickly - and they will make you sick if you have to much of them. He was like a tourist trying to find a bathroom in a foreign city - he was desparate even when he didn't need to be...

There's almost a whole story missing - what the heck happened to "X" (don't want to ruin the movie) - he just went to watch the fireworks?

The little girl was good - and darn cute! Odd to see a 'little one' with so much "presence" on-screen.

Still worth to see it on the big screen though!

Risto,

Many of the reviews I've read are saying the same thing you mentioned above.

http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif I think a lot of people are tired of Cruise, but still the film was very watchable...a pleasant surprise for me anyway as the last fantasy or scifi film I really thought excellent was LOTR.

Yes "X's" whereabouts were mysterious...I thought he's "had it for sure." http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/eek.gif

The trailers of Peter Jackson's "King Kong" looked like it had potential, and the C.S. Lewis "Chronicals of Narnia" also might be interesting.

I’m sorry I can’t stay OT with regards to this forum, but I have to add my 2¢ to this WOTW thread; I have to agree with Roger Ebert’s review, for the most part. There’s something fundamentally wrong with the story as told on the big screen with ILM effects that I didn’t really mind in the book, the 1953 movie, or Orson Welles’ radio adaptation. Why are the Martians ruining Earth? Do they want invade/dominate it? If so, a well thought-out invasion wouldn’t leave their conquest in debris; ya don’t mess up the place you’re planning on inhabiting. Do they want to eat us, as suggested in various takes? Then why scoop up only a handful of us, and blast the rest of us out of our clothes?

And for a race that looks, technologically, much more advanced than humans, why settle on a tripod design for the machines? Try moving one leg of a tripod, and see what happens to the structure the legs are supporting!

Okay, the idea of a superior, extraterrestrial race conquering Earth is a fine premise; H.G. Welles book used the premise to scare the crap out of his readership at the time. But as a book, we were left to our own imaginations to weave the details into a plausible monstrosity. Same thing with Orson’s radio broadcast—my grandparents hid in the cellar! And the 1953 movie used state-of-the-art (for the time) techniques to scare us. And Spielberg’s revival is indeed scary, but Spielberg has always been known for his storytelling, and this movie proceeds to unravel before us, before a logical premise has been established in our minds. This leaves an awful lot of scenes of crowds running, Tom Cruise running...and special effects. I felt empty, scared, and largely cheated when I left the theater; it was $17 for the two of us plus the obligatory dinner afterwards, and commercials for Hyundai and Skittles really twirk me off before the movie.

I was consoled somewhat by the excellent cinematography and the CG. I was taken aback at the camera/CG work when we panned around the van as Tom shuttled the family to his ex’s house. Increasingly, camera zooms and stuff are computer-enhanced to do the impossible (The Matrix); Spielberg wields this tool to create a mood, and unfortunately music videos have glommed onto the technology to present eye candy. The destruction was all very photorealistic IMO, except for the keypin scene of the soldier poking at the dead alien’s hand—the lighting didn’t match between the hard-lit soldier and the flatly lit machine & alien. The folks getting blown out of their clothes was an innovative touch, the bridge collapsing was breath-taking, and the proximity of the actors to CG autos flipping and buildings collapsing added real tension to the moment. Spielberg never lets the effects tell the story; instead, he uses effects as an integrated part of a scene to draw us emotionally into it.

Em, trivial: did anyone notice that after the E-MP strike, and after the very first machine erupts from the ground and starts firing, a guy in the fleeing crowd is documenting it with his camcorder? If cars’ starters are toast, why not the camcorder’s circuitry?

Other Spielberg trademarks abound, so if you’re a Spielberg fan, you won’t be disappointed. The troubled teenager, the precocious 10 year old, the earthy set designs, subtle traces of humor and irony are all present and accounted for.

This is a movie movie; don’t wait for it to come out on DVD—the big screen is a must.

But better still, this Fourth of July, rent “Independence Day� if you haven’t already seen it. The premise is basically the same as WOTW, but it was more satisfying (for me) because the alien invasion had some roots and motivation, and I can see where Spielberg got his alien design from!

My wife wanted to see “Bewitched�, mostly because it’s “light�, and would prefer to put our money in Nicole Kiddman’s purse over her ex’s (I’m not a Tom Cruise fan; Scientology or not, he was plain rude to Brook Shields on TV).

Well, there’s always Batman and The Fantastic Four to peruse his summer...:

My Best,

Gare

http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/eek.gif "Bewitched!" http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/eek.gif http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
Yes, Cruise is over the top, (imo and I'm no fan of his) in many avenues...but "Bewitched?" http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif lol

Yes, "Independence Day" really has similarities, (the alien design was obviously studied by Spielberg) and it's another fun one, I've seen it.

There's always "things" the filmakers goof on, though...the cgfx are never perfect, I gave up on the idea of any of the scifi/fantasy flicks being "perfect" long ago...now I just enjoy the flick without getting too analytical, the popcorn, the evening out, and am relieved anytime when a film isn't just boring or too stupid these days. I enjoyed this one a lot, I figured they would have some troubles with the story as it was, and what I expected orginally was that the film would tank big time -- but I was wrong about that, and surprised that it turned out so well.

I may go see what they've done with Batman next... http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

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And for a race that looks, technologically, much more advanced than humans, why settle on a tripod design for the machines? Try moving one leg of a tripod, and see what happens to the structure the legs are supporting!

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Well, Yes! But don't you think aliens THAT advanced would have figured out better ways of moving THOSE tripods around?! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

But I think your review is pretty much spot on! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif John Clements thought that all reviewers agreed with ME in general - which is a bit frightening --- movie critics actually have a brain? http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/eek.gif http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

As for Tom "asexual" Cruise giving advice to women about post-partum depression... Why not wait until you turn in to a woman (and give birth) yourself before giving "professional" advice on the subject... All that BS coming from a "man" that bought his (perfectly white scientology-esqeue) kids from a "third-party" supplier... http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif

Having perfect teeth, and the money to spend on a failed sci-fi writers pay-as-you-go pseudo-psychology classes should not make you world's gift to woman - or man...

Only in America... Only in America... http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

The movie is still fun though! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

Raven--

I was very analytical about WotW, but only hours after I'd seen it; I was very caught up in the CG and getting scared while I watched it.

Risto: yep, and I don't understand why Travolta, another Scientologist with a brilliant career behind him http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif flounders in the box office while Cruise flourishes. Last thing I saw him in was Quentin Terrantino's "Pulp Fiction", and any decent actor could have played the sounding board for Sam Jackson's quips.

I just popped for After Effects last week, and for this app to be compared to Photoshop is yet another mystery to me. I think I know Photoshop, I use ULead VStudio with ease, I know how to work a timeline...but After Effects has me bamboozled.

So I bought a book.

OT,

Gare

I'm not a Cruise fan but this movie is on my list to see, because I am a big Spielberg fan.
Personally I don't care for Tom, He has some good movies, but in person he comes off as arrogant and rude.
Im, still waiting to see ,Star wars 3, Batman Begins and Cinderella Man.
I usually go to the movies with my friend and her 3 young girls so the last 3 movies I saw were, Madagascar, Herbie Fully lodaed, and yesterday we saw Rebound with Martin Lawrence.
I get to see all of the good Kid movies and Girly movies! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
I guess I will have to go see the other movies by myself.
I am waiting for the Fantastic 4 too because Iam a big comic book Fan. And Xmen 3 is coming soon too.
John Travolta? Barbarino? He doesn't even come close to Tom, I never liked him or his movies.

http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif Get a BIG bag of popcorn, Bruce, and have fun with WOTW! I'd even see it a second time! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

I rarely get to see "chick flicks"...the last one I saw was "White Chicks," and I about died laughing http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/eek.gif http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif (ok, so my taste in films really is questionable!) http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif ...the special fx, though, were more along the line of cosmetics, but just too hilarious...

Hey I saw white Chicks with the Girls too. That was a very funny movie. Lots of fun! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

A friend of mine saw War of the Worlds and told me to save my money. I will anyway. Cruise is rude and over the top with his biased opinion about whether someone needs meds to help control the chemical imbalances causing a mess of brain disorders. What an ass!! That puts me off from seeing a movie when I don't care for the actor! I also was told, while the special FX were really cool and it was non stop action throughout there was really very little story line. I said "Oh, sounds like Van Helsing" and she said "No, Van Helsing had a story line and a plot, somewhat" this movie was worth it to her but she wouldn't consider buying it when it hit the shelves!! She owns a copy of Van Helsing though!! As do I!! Two of the BEST CG werewolves I've ever seen. I love monster movies but this was THE one that had it all!! Edge of your seat, non stop action, gorgeous CG effects and Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale were really great to watch as well as the rest of the cast. The extras DVD was really fun too!

Bewitched got some pretty sad reviews but I would still see it!! Shirley MacLaine as Endora? Oh yea, I'm there!! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

All the best

http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif Hey Richard! I'm just always intrigued by what is being done in film fx and cg fx so I go check 'em out. When Van Helsing was first advertised I really wasn't enthused much by the trailers, then the reviews were mixed and a lot of people said it wasn't good...and I didn't go see it at the theater (but I wish now that I had!)...but I got a copy when it came out on dvd and found it really enjoyable, fun and the details of the sets and unique cgfx has made it become one of the flicks I come back to play again and again! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif Some may not like some things about it, some awkwardness here and there, but that doesn't ruin it for me. The cg fx are quite impressive. I really got a kick out of the friar's character too -- he had some of the funniest parts, imo.

I haven't seen the new Batman yet -- I'm interested though. I really loved the first Batman with Michael Keaton (part of that was an "atmosphere")...but then I'm a big time fan of Tim Burton's films (Sleepy Hollow and Big Fish and Nightmare Before Christmas being ones I especially just can't get enough of...I also seem to find I like a lot of the acting parts Johnny Depp does -- he takes chances and new directions others don't -- Edward Scissorhands being a standout and fav of mine too.

The special fx in films, whether cg or other type can be so magical, but nothing makes up for lack of a great story. The story comes first IMO. WOTW's story is so familiar to me, though, I found this new film kept to the ideas considering it was based on what came from a short story then a radio broadcast, and the story line is simply a martian invasion and earth's struggle with that, the panic, etc., the idea in the end that there's wisdom in nature and that saves us. Instead of embelishing the original story with lots of new material and new storyline, this movie just keeps more to the original story outline, so it's not a complicated one at all.

For "something else Mars" along a comedy line, try "Mars Attacks!" (Tim Burton too), people either hate it or love it. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif I'm one of those who loves a lot of the offbeat stuff and at times I find I'm in the mood for watching Mars Attacks! I also get a kick out of Buckaroo Banzai and Joe's Apartment (I can't get over how well those roaches act, sing and dance, great fx there, and they are smarter than all the humans too! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/eek.gif ) -- what can I say, I have strange tastes I guess! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

I don't think you have strange tastes at all Maya....We too very much enjoy the acting of J Depp, and the parts he chooses to take, which always seem to allow him to expand his abilities with each new role... a true artist that boy http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

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Shirley MacLaine as Endora? Oh yea, I'm there!!

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Oh Richard... I totaly agree http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif Well, thanks gidge -- I don't feel too awfully peculiar now. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

As for Shirley MacLaine -- she's done some fine roles...but one of my all time favorites of hers was her first role (if I'm not mistaken) in Hitchcock's film, "The Trouble With Harry." http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif
Yeah, it's an oldie, but it just sends me into fits of laughter with it's twists and satire...intermixed with my shocked total amazement by the stunning New England autumn landscapes -- delicious scenery! Wow! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

So these two guys meet in a bar, and one tells the other, "My wife is a real witch!"

Stop me if you've heard this one.

Maya-Shirley MacLaine=Sweet Charity, imo.

-g-

http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif Oh yeah, I know...but inspite of her connections, etc., I still liked her in "The Trouble With Harry." Okay, I am peculiar! hehe http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Maya, I'm with you regarding "The Trouble With Harry"! A very odd, charming movie, one of my favorite Hitchcock movies. Ah, those were the days -- when Real Movies were still made, not just Popcorn-selling vehicles.

http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif Yay!!! Hi Klaus http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif -- great to see you over here! Good to see another fan of this Hitchcock oldie too...I haven't run into many people who have seen it. It is charming, that's a good description, as well as full of quirky funny stuff. I just love it. I had to wait a long time to find a dvd of it...before that, I rarely got a chance to catch it on TV. It's such a favorite of mine. I love the scenery as well. I am a Hitchcock fan -- many of his films are interesting to me. "The Birds" of course, http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif and the way the fx were done then...but also because with that one in part I grew up in the SF area and those regions northward of it, so Bodega Bay is very familiar to me. I understand the atmosphere of that little place. I could go on and on. Another favorite of mine is North By Northwest -- there were some interesting fx used in it too for the time (and I'm a Cary Grant fan -- another old favorite of mine he was in is "Arsenic and Old Lace" http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif -- again charning, but a bit twisted and often very funny), and I just love the storylines.

I just scanned through this thread, and noticed a Few things...

LOTR, the movie sucked. Once you have read the book... they did not even stick to the plot. I didn't like it except for gollum. Only thing they got half right.

Bell, book and Candle with Jimi Stewart, now that was a good movie. Or Harvey... now that was another masterpiece.

Maya, Cary Grant is one of my three all-time favorite movie stars -- along with Jimmy Stewart and Katharine Hepburn. Put them all toghether with a dynamite script -- and you have "The Philiadelphia Story." Wow! Yup, "Arsenic & Old Lace" is charming, too. But I prefer "Rear Window" to "North By Northwest" -- maybe we should quarrel over those? :-)

For what it's worth: I am now working on moving from Scandinavia to New Hampshire -- yup, right in the heart of New England. I've rented a lovely house there from mid-October, in the Lakes District, near a town called Moultonborough, which is pretty much like the tiny town in "Trouble with Harry." See ya there?

http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif I LOVED Peter Jackson's LOTR. I like also to study the extras on the dvds about how WETA accomplished it's model building and fx....really cool dvd extras there. I first got into reading the LOTR books when I was in grade school -- I had a very cool 5th grade teacher who introduced the classs to Tolkien's world of Middle Earth starting with of course The Hobbit. He even had a huge b/w photo poster of Tolkien on the wall. Then in high school I did a large painting based on the character Aragorn/Strider, which included elements in the background of Mordor, "The Eye", some of the Nazgul on their black steeds and winged ones, etc.... The painting I sold long ago, the shock to my system came when Jackson's LOTR came out and the actor Viggo Mortgensen and the other elements I'd put into that painting, over 20 years before Jackson's film was made, was just like what I'd envisioned! I wished now I'd kept that painting!!!! I've read LOTR many times...and while some things were cut out and Jackson has done his own vision of it I really enjoyed it...it meshed well with mine anyway. The cgfx are, imo, usually great, and Gollum is one of the most realistic cg characters I've seen so far.

John, I am also a fan of "Bell, Book and Candle," and have a copy of it on dvd! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif I once had a black cat I named "Pyewacket", inspired by the film's cat.... http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif The combination of Novak and Stewart is really amusing, as well as the other actors/actresses. It has some very funny moments.


Yep, Klaus, http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif once again I'd have to agree about Grant, Hepburn and Stewart! I love Hepburn -- she has that sass and spirit that comes through. I wouldn't be able to argue with you about any of those, http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/cool.gif I love them all -- including Hitch's "Rear Window" with Grace Kelly and Jimmy Stewart! I also have a copy of it on dvd and it's a great favorite of mine too. There was some interesting info I ran across regarding some of the special fx in N By NW -- that unique Vandamm house on the piers which leans waaaay out over the rocks was actually achieved with great matte painting fx. An interesting book on movie matte painting I've got is entitled, "The Invisible Art, The Legends of Movie Matte Painting," by Mark Cotta Vaz and Craig Barron, it's available at Amazon....if anyone here is a bit interested in the matte painting aspect in the special fx of these films. I have a real interest in it myself.

Klaus, since you loved the scenery in "The Trouble With Harry," I bet you will find Autumn in New England very inspiring!!! I lived in NY a few years ago and those seasons there were so enjoyable... Autumn is my favorite time of year and when the leaves turn their beautiful golden colors and the air becomes crisp I feel reborn somehow. I loved to jump in the leaves, watch them swirl in the air, wear soft wooly sweaters, view the orange pumpkin patches and golden harvest colors everywhere against the deep blue sky. Listen to the geese and crows. Watch the squirrels busily stashing the acorns and winged maple seeds away for their winter snacks. Taste the maple syrup, cider, and warm cinnamon apple pies too -- mmmmm. Be sure and sample it and some of the maple candy... Curl up by the fireplace at night and dream --- thoughts of it all makes me want to paint! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif I will be envying your Autumn stay there. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif
Best wishes, Klaus, for a safe and successful move to New Hampshire! And if you ever get to Vermont you might investigate about Bernd Heinrich's raven studies...he's written several books on his studies in Maine and Vermont. His book "Ravens in Winter" is full of interesting info.

Hi Maya,

My son got me an autographed poster from Viggo Mortgensen right after the the ROTK walked away with lots of oscars. he was vacationing here in the hills, and my son got him to sign the poster. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

I haven't seen a movie yet capture what I see when I read the trilogy tho... Still practicing myself. One of these days I will get Smaug right... http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif Wow John! That would be sooooo cool to talk with someone like that who's actually been involved in the making of such a film! But not only that, apparently from some bits I've gleened, Viggo also paints and writes some poetry so I'm sure he'd have interesting things to tell about the filming from not only an actor's point of view. What a lucky meeting for your son and getting the poster signed too! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

I'm really interested in how Jackson will portray good ol' Smaug. Some other really well-conceived dragons, imo, were in the movie "Reign of Fire." I liked the designs of those a lot, and the fire-breathing fx were great too. I found a cg article quite a while back which talked a bit about the development of the Thompson dragons in it...their study of various other creatures like snakes and bats for inspiriation for the body/wing design. I love the cg fx of this film, the dragons look gritty and dangerous and real to me. Another take on dragons was the recent film "Dragon's World" narrated in a TV version by Patrick Stewart. I saw it on TV and just had to get a dvd copy too. There's extra material with the dvd explaining those artist's concepts and the biology they considered in the designing of their dragons, also interesting filming work for lighting and combining actual footage of various landscapes with the cg modeled dragons -- very well done, imo. If you haven't seen it yet grab a copy, I think you might find it interesting John. Some other nice dragon fx in an older film was in "Dragonslayer" I thought...that was a rather funny film too.

Let's keep our fingers crossed about Smaug's development. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Hi Maya--

"Dragonslayer" was done with miniatures, stop-motion animated like Willis O'Brian did in the original movie, which Ray Harryhausen, his apprentice, continued to do in such heart-stoppers http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gifas "Earth vs. The Flying Saucers".

But physical effects supervisor Phil Tippett at ILM added technology to stop-motion in Dragonslayer, calling it Go-Motion. He'd rig the tiny models' armatures to move ever-so-slightly while the camera lens was open, mostly eliminating the "chatter" of motion.

Pity Phil hadn't invented GoMotion in time for Star Wars 1 (4) and 2(5). The "Let the Wookie Win" chess game was pretty awful, and the Tauntauns moved marginally stiffer than Gumby!

My Best,

Gare

Great info, Gare -- no wonder the movement was much smoother in Dragonslayer...part of the animation evolution. I agree on the Star Wars chess game and especially those scenes with the Tauntauns which were so jerky in motion.

I liked Harryhausen's "Jason and the Argonauts" and "Clash of the Titans" even though those fx weren't so smooth and other things far less realistic. That stop motion work must have really been time consuming.

Thanks for the Go-Motion info! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif