Comments on: Watch the Watchmen http://1000monkeys.com/2009/03/watch-the-watchmen They'll Come Up With Something Eventually. Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:41:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Emily http://1000monkeys.com/2009/03/watch-the-watchmen#comment-20682 Emily Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:09:17 +0000 http://1000monkeys.com/?p=878#comment-20682 On the nose... with a hammer! On the nose… with a hammer!

]]> By: mike http://1000monkeys.com/2009/03/watch-the-watchmen#comment-20678 mike Thu, 19 Mar 2009 03:48:47 +0000 http://1000monkeys.com/?p=878#comment-20678 Something I should mention: In the time since posting this review, I've had occasion to see some interviews and <a href="http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/0fa2bdeb11/watchmen-tour-with-malin-ackerman#player" rel="nofollow">other "non-acting"</a> appearances of Malin Akerman, and it seems pretty clear that she naturally speaks with an American accent, so that would-be excuse for her odd delivery probably isn't valid. (Matthew Goode, on the other hand, is definitely entirely British.) Just thought I should set the record straight. Something I should mention: In the time since posting this review, I’ve had occasion to see some interviews and other “non-acting” appearances of Malin Akerman, and it seems pretty clear that she naturally speaks with an American accent, so that would-be excuse for her odd delivery probably isn’t valid. (Matthew Goode, on the other hand, is definitely entirely British.) Just thought I should set the record straight.

]]> By: mike http://1000monkeys.com/2009/03/watch-the-watchmen#comment-20677 mike Thu, 19 Mar 2009 03:42:01 +0000 http://1000monkeys.com/?p=878#comment-20677 I agree with you! I just thought that the hackneyed obviousness of it fit the tone of the film perfectly. I read a review elsewhere that referred to most of the music choices as <i>on the nose</i>—that seemed like a good way to describe it to me. I guess I just think that in a movie where you have characters saying things like, "We can <i>save</i> this world!" it's completely appropriate to occasionally elicit groans from your audience with your music selections as well. I agree with you! I just thought that the hackneyed obviousness of it fit the tone of the film perfectly. I read a review elsewhere that referred to most of the music choices as on the nose—that seemed like a good way to describe it to me. I guess I just think that in a movie where you have characters saying things like, “We can save this world!” it’s completely appropriate to occasionally elicit groans from your audience with your music selections as well.

]]> By: Emily http://1000monkeys.com/2009/03/watch-the-watchmen#comment-20676 Emily Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:31:41 +0000 http://1000monkeys.com/?p=878#comment-20676 TOTALLY disagree with you on use of the music. I could get behind the opening Dylan track, the Apocalypse now nod with Flight of the Valkyries, and even Hendrix's version of "All Along the Watchtower." (Oh, and I dug the use of Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" as elevator music, as that was clever and subtle. And the snippet of "99 Luftballons" also fit well, with the whole nuclear war thing.) But everything else? Totally obvious and hackneyed. It's like whoever did the music only listens to soundtracks to other films, and even then, barely does more than give them a passive ear. Oh, it's a funeral? We're sad? Let's play "Sounds of Silence." It's the 70s? Let's hammer that point home with "I'm Your Boogie Man." And I swear to god, I audibly groaned when they started playing Buckley's "Hallelujah" during the sex scene. Otherwise, I liked the flick. :) TOTALLY disagree with you on use of the music. I could get behind the opening Dylan track, the Apocalypse now nod with Flight of the Valkyries, and even Hendrix’s version of “All Along the Watchtower.” (Oh, and I dug the use of Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” as elevator music, as that was clever and subtle. And the snippet of “99 Luftballons” also fit well, with the whole nuclear war thing.) But everything else? Totally obvious and hackneyed. It’s like whoever did the music only listens to soundtracks to other films, and even then, barely does more than give them a passive ear. Oh, it’s a funeral? We’re sad? Let’s play “Sounds of Silence.” It’s the 70s? Let’s hammer that point home with “I’m Your Boogie Man.” And I swear to god, I audibly groaned when they started playing Buckley’s “Hallelujah” during the sex scene.

Otherwise, I liked the flick. :)

]]> By: mike http://1000monkeys.com/2009/03/watch-the-watchmen#comment-20673 mike Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:47:56 +0000 http://1000monkeys.com/?p=878#comment-20673 I'm actually intending to devote a whole post (some day) to an issue related to your last point, but in essence I think you have to look at the movie in a vacuum when judging it as a movie. While the relation to its source material is certainly strong, and there's a lot included for fans of the book to love or hate based on their own preconceptions, I feel that a truly objective opinion should largely ignore such aspects (something I have not, admittedly, been able to completely do myself). I do think that your approach is a good way to look at <i>any</i> movie, really: given what this movie was attempting to achieve, is it the best it could've been? (Or, as Ebert is fond of saying, "It's not about what the movie's about; it's about <i>how</i> it's about what it's about.") I’m actually intending to devote a whole post (some day) to an issue related to your last point, but in essence I think you have to look at the movie in a vacuum when judging it as a movie. While the relation to its source material is certainly strong, and there’s a lot included for fans of the book to love or hate based on their own preconceptions, I feel that a truly objective opinion should largely ignore such aspects (something I have not, admittedly, been able to completely do myself). I do think that your approach is a good way to look at any movie, really: given what this movie was attempting to achieve, is it the best it could’ve been? (Or, as Ebert is fond of saying, “It’s not about what the movie’s about; it’s about how it’s about what it’s about.”)

]]> By: Chas http://1000monkeys.com/2009/03/watch-the-watchmen#comment-20672 Chas Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:44:32 +0000 http://1000monkeys.com/?p=878#comment-20672 I have to agree that the 80s references were great. It was pretty amusing to hear Marc's son complaining about some of it -- he thought "99 Luftballoons" was horribly inappropriate for the movie, for instance, but later admitted he'd never actually listened to the lyrics. I didn't come away quite as positive as you, mostly because I don't think the movie quite holds up as a movie as you (irony....overwhelming!), but I certainly don't think it is bad. As I said in my review, it's probably the best adaptation of Watchmen we were going to get. I have to agree that the 80s references were great. It was pretty amusing to hear Marc’s son complaining about some of it — he thought “99 Luftballoons” was horribly inappropriate for the movie, for instance, but later admitted he’d never actually listened to the lyrics. I didn’t come away quite as positive as you, mostly because I don’t think the movie quite holds up as a movie as you (irony….overwhelming!), but I certainly don’t think it is bad. As I said in my review, it’s probably the best adaptation of Watchmen we were going to get.

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