Comments | noelbear: Obligatory Watchmen Post

noelbear

Obligatory Watchmen Post

Mar 11, 2009 12:16

Just back from Sydney - where we had a truly amazing time - more on that later - got to see Watchmen while there (On March 5th - which was March 4th in SF - I know it's geeky - but I'm just saying). My thoughts are spolier free.

I'm not a big comic book reader - I've only read a few over the years and usually because they were critically acclaimed ( ( Read more... )

Comments 9

kingfuraday March 11 2009, 20:56:06 UTC

Obligatory great post, thank you Noel, comment...

Here's the offer on the table: Come to San Diego, stay with me, we watch Brazil (it would be my first time to see it all the way through), we have quality times.

noelbear March 11 2009, 21:27:33 UTC

I would love to, lets pick a weekend. I'll bring Brazil (That way I can make sure you see the right version - there are 3 different versions available, 1 is slightly inferior because it was sloppily cut for time and 1 (the original studio release) is a complete travesty -the studio added a 'happy' ending which is so incongruous with the rest of the film that you wonder if they had actually watched the film before changing the ending.

Maybe we can do Disney too.

deafguy March 11 2009, 20:56:59 UTC

I'm still struggling with Watchmen. I like it, and thought certain elements were perfect (i.e., the characters, the visuals, the way they streamlined the important elements of the plot, etc), but somehow, I feel like the whole was not greater than the sum of its parts.

I think my main issue was with the camera work. I wish it was more subtle and less brutal. I don't have an issue with the violence, but I thought the sex and some of the fight/pain scenes were awkwardly shot.

That said, I did LIKE it, and would probably watch it again.

noelbear March 11 2009, 21:33:49 UTC

can't disagree. the sex scenes were Showgirls bad

(The comment has been removed)

noelbear March 11 2009, 21:32:51 UTC

I definitely was thinking about that while watching it. I'm not sure it would have been better. While Terry is a visual god and certainly capable of telling a complex story (Brazil or 12 Monkeys for example), tightly crafted plots are not his strong suit. (think Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, or Baron Von Munchhausen) I fear he would have really struggled with the complexity of the story.

kingfuraday March 11 2009, 21:39:27 UTC

I agree, I think Watchmen might have gotten away from him. As much as Baron is an enjoyable film for me, it's too much and not in the awesome and memorable ways that Time Bandits was.

userid1999 March 11 2009, 23:59:43 UTC

I didn't have a chance to read the graphic novel before seeing the movie, so beyond what I read online about the movie I was a fairly blank slate. I saw it on Sunday night in a theater that wasn't empty but wasn't full either. I didn't see anyone walk out because they were disgusted with the movie. And I didn't think it felt like a movie that was nearly 3 hours long. I'm definitely still processing it all ( ... )

noelbear March 12 2009, 20:06:56 UTC

I totally agree - I had no reaction to the nudity at all except maybe a momentary - oh that's kinda brave - which was immediately replaced by other thoughts about the themes and meanings of movie. I had mostly forgotten about it entirely by the end of the film until I tapped into the blog-o-sphere to find it was all anyone wanted to talk about. Really I mean, it's a dick, big deal. What's there to say about it? There's so much about the movie that should provoke thoughtful conversation - but really 2 or 3 minor nudity shots really isn't among them.

metjohn March 12 2009, 19:27:14 UTC

Hope you liked all our 5.1 surround processing on the music. 3 pieces were done in my laundry room and 2 in Patrock's bedroom. He put up a reference to it on our blog at http://penteosurround.blogspot.com/

Take care Noel,