Excess of Opinions

really not as “BIG” of a movie as i was expecting, not melodramatic or epic at all. there are maybe some pacing problems, but not so’s you’d notice much (and better than most Van Sant movies), and just getting to hang out with these people for a couple hours is such an experience that really, it’s better than it even needs to be.

Sean Penn’s performance is so good, i was seriously vaguely unimpressed for about 30 seconds after the credits rolled, until it dawned on me that Sean Penn is NOTHING LIKE THAT. he just does not seem like he’s acting at all; my suspension of disbelief was so great that i stopped registering that he was an actor (if that makes any sense).

plays like Zack Snyder only felt confident in his direction after he got halfway through – it’s a little uneven, especially through the first hour, but you know what else is uneven? the graphic novel.

i support pretty much all the story/detail changes made, and for all its initial awkwardness the movie really gathers steam by the midpoint and commits, turning out actually pretty awesome.

Rorshach and Nite Owl are virtuoso performances, startlingly identical to the source characters, visually and spiritually. Jackie Earle Haley, HOLY SHIT; that is a talented motherfucker.
(Malin Akerman: also spot on, although i never did like that character so i care less about her great acting.)
The Comedian isn’t as strongly acted as i’d have liked, and i feel Ozymandias was played in a way that might ruin an important plot suspense point that occurs late in the game.

TERRIBLE MUSIC! *PTOOIE*, they should be ashamed of their shitty music! i can’t decide if the awful music was artfully intentional, and therefore a tragic misstep, or just a mark of an incompetent music department. decent music would have brought this up at least half a star for me, if not more. it’s hard to describe how lame and jarring the music is – shitty, shitty, shitty.

really very cute. the supporting cast is a veritable who’s who of Hey, It’s That Guy! – Funny And/Or Jewish Edition. not exactly earth-shaking or the cutting edge of comedy, but adorable and funny.

at first i was not totally sold on Jason Segal being the irreverent cool one and Paul Rudd being the awkward odd one, but it keeps you on your toes. also? pretty sure not a stitch of acting here; i think those 2 actors are exactly like that in real life.

OMG, Jon Favreau, best douchebag portrayal EVER. EVER EVER!!!

cute, with some good jokes, but mostly sort of lame. i might have enjoyed it better with beer.

so like, not a feel-good romp, so much. compelling and awful.
the animation is unique and absorbing, with terrific music. the animation helps draw you in to something you might not otherwise want to watch with both eyes open – although they’re not above sucker-punching you by dropping the most horrifying visuals in your lap with newsreel footage at the last. very effective.
a beautiful and important movie that i will never see again.

SUPER CORNY. action is decent, but predictable. everyone looks like a million bucks, and most of the actors try their best with the extremely limited resources. especially Liev Schreiber, holy crap! he can deliver the cheesiest dialog in the universe and make it work. he should sell ShamWows.
Ryan Reynolds is really pretty good, too – who knew?!
also, re:Gambit: has NO ONE been to Louisiana?! isn’t Gambit supposed to be Creole? he sounds like he’s from Savannah, when he bothers with the accent at all. although, even that is far better than Anna Paquin’s CRIMINAL Cajun accent, *ptooie*

SO MUCH FUN!! HILARIOUSLY FUNNY! SHIT BLOWED UP REAL GOOD!
seriously, Chris Pine is so spot-on, it’s unbelievable. the whole cast is just perfect, and did i mention they blowed shit up real good?! generously peppered with references to old series, both comic and subtle.
not going to be nominated for an Oscar, sure, and there are some awkward moments, but who cares? this movie kicks ASS, and knows it.

only Ricky Gervais could make a brutally cheeky yet heart-warming movie about atheism! also has more cameos than a Muppet movie. if you don’t get the anti-religion messages (which range from hilariously obvious to fairly subtle and/or sincere), you may find the movie cute but silly and without much plot, which it sounds like most of the other reviews found it.

actually a bit restrained by Quentin Tarantino standards! mostly a vehicle for virtuoso performances by Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz (no one else is given much in the way of lines or really anything to DO). and when did Eli Roth get so HOT, holy crap?
cinematography is superb, really gorgeous. i couldn’t shake the feeling that this movie is crammed with visual references i wasn’t getting.

Abbie Cornish is AMAZING – i honestly only know her name from the tabloids, and was shocked at what a spectacular actor she is. she just IS her character, and can access such visibly real emotions that it literally took my breath away. Paul Schneider i recognize from Parks & Recreation, but he’s sharp and compelling here (with an adorable accent), while Ben Whishaw is suitably beautiful. young Thomas Sangster from Charlie & The Chocolate Factory is in almost every scene but gets only 3 lines!