Last film you watched and your rating

When people say Alien3 "was a complete mess" - what do they mean exactly? It's not got any plotholes, it doesn't have nonsensical editing or story (it's actually a very simple story, much like Alien), all of the acting is earnest and believable, it's got Charles Dance in it! I know there was studio intervention and that never bodes well, but the film itself isn't this unwatchable mess that has drastic shifts in tone or vision like (for example) the Fantastic Four remake. It still works as a film.

I think people have an instant dislike because of how Newt and Hicks were treated, but that aspect really doesn't bother me at all. After the military-themed Aliens the series couldn't just repeat that, it had to go down a different route, and it certainly was different. Sure some of the special effects haven't aged that well, but you could level that at plenty of classic films, it doesn't detract from the overall product for me. Elliot Goldenthal's score is superb and adds to the gothic vibe of the film.

I dunno, maybe I'm defending it too much. I haven't watched it in a few years so will have to revisit it at some point soon. Maybe I'll watch the first 3 films on consecutive nights over a weekend when then wife and kids are tucked up in bed.

I’ve never gotten the mess statements either. The story is competent enough considering the mess it went through.

Alien and Aliens are, as has been said, totally different films. The first is one of the greatest suspense films ever; Aliens is a direct contrast, with action ramping up like a crescendo until Ripley finally confronts the queen.

I look at Alien 3 similarly to how I view The Godfather Part III. When compared to its predecessors it pales into comparison against two truly excellent films and because of that the level of criticism they receive is (unfairly IMO) excessive. As stand alone entries into their respective series they are absolutely fine.

Both are fantastic. Alien is the better film in my opinion, but Aliens is the one I am more likely to want to re-watch at any point in time.

I'd still recommend watching Alien first, because why wouldn't you?

Also just noticed that only Aliens made it into out Top 100 Eliminator thread. I'm glad we managed to squeeze White Chicks in instead of one of the most immaculately produced horror/suspense films of all time!

more heat than light wrote:I really like Alien 3 but it's definitely a bit of a mess and nowhere near as good as the other two. Resurrection is appalling as is Prometheus. Haven't seen the new one.

Fassbender is excellent in Covenant and it's worth seeing for his performance, but otherwise it has all the issues that plague the later Alien films, just to a lesser degree. I'd rather watch Covenant than Prometheus or Resurrection, but that's not saying too much.

Watched Mom and Dad earlier tonight.

It was alright, actually really fun in parts. Problem is it's going for the really silly over the top nonsense that the premise suggests, but it keeps pulling the punches with the horror. I get that the censors probably had an issue with the image of parents actually killing their kids, but it just robs the scenes of any impact. There's probably a much better Unrated cut out there somewhere where the camera doesn't cut away whenever things get juicy but the theatrical cut just feels a bit limp.

OrangeRKN wrote:Fassbender is excellent in Covenant and it's worth seeing for his performance

He's really good at the fingering.

Moggy wrote:

Squinty wrote:I thought 3 was shite. It was a complete mess.

3 is obviously nowhere near as good as the first two, but I think it’s harshly treated. It’s a decent movie, it just looks gooseberry fool compared to what came before it. The later films make 3 look like a masterpiece though.

I tried watching it the extended cut on Blu Ray last year and I couldn't stick it. I turned it off halfway through, and I went back to it a day after because I felt like I owed it to the film to finish it. It just didn't keep my attention.

Preezy mentioned the Hicks/Newt situation. That did really strawberry float me off. I had some issues with the tone of it, and the shift from Aliens (and Alien).

Maybe 'mess' was too strong a word. But it's not a movie I can appreciate, and I view it as the start of the decline. It's one of those films I just tend to not acknowledge.

Alien 3 is a good late night Film4 movie to have on in the semi-background

OrangeRKN wrote:

more heat than light wrote:I really like Alien 3 but it's definitely a bit of a mess and nowhere near as good as the other two. Resurrection is appalling as is Prometheus. Haven't seen the new one.

Fassbender is excellent in Covenant and it's worth seeing for his performance, but otherwise it has all the issues that plague the later Alien films, just to a lesser degree. I'd rather watch Covenant than Prometheus or Resurrection, but that's not saying too much.

I threw up reading this post.

Jenuall wrote:Both are fantastic. Alien is the better film in my opinion, but Aliens is the one I am more likely to want to re-watch at any point in time.

I'd still recommend watching Alien first, because why wouldn't you?

Also just noticed that only Aliens made it into out Top 100 Eliminator thread. I'm glad we managed to squeeze White Chicks in instead of one of the most immaculately produced horror/suspense films of all time!

Hadn’t noticed that. Just assumed the greatest sci fi horror film of all time would be on there. Hang your strawberry floating heads in shame that it isn’t.

Jesus - I hate you all right now!

Denster wrote:

Jenuall wrote:Both are fantastic. Alien is the better film in my opinion, but Aliens is the one I am more likely to want to re-watch at any point in time.

I'd still recommend watching Alien first, because why wouldn't you?

Also just noticed that only Aliens made it into out Top 100 Eliminator thread. I'm glad we managed to squeeze White Chicks in instead of one of the most immaculately produced horror/suspense films of all time!

Hadn’t noticed that. Just assumed the greatest sci fi horror film of all time would be on there. Hang your strawberry floating heads in shame that it isn’t.

Jesus - I hate you all right now!

This. I didn’t even see the nomination thread so I take no responsibility for that awful strawberry float up.

Also worth noting that someone thought White Chicks was a more appropriate movie to have on a top 100 list than The Good, The Bad and The Ugly or Godfather Part II.

Corazon de Leon wrote:

Denster wrote:

Jenuall wrote:Both are fantastic. Alien is the better film in my opinion, but Aliens is the one I am more likely to want to re-watch at any point in time.

I'd still recommend watching Alien first, because why wouldn't you?

Also just noticed that only Aliens made it into out Top 100 Eliminator thread. I'm glad we managed to squeeze White Chicks in instead of one of the most immaculately produced horror/suspense films of all time!

Hadn’t noticed that. Just assumed the greatest sci fi horror film of all time would be on there. Hang your strawberry floating heads in shame that it isn’t.

Jesus - I hate you all right now!

This. I didn’t even see the nomination thread so I take no responsibility for that awful strawberry float up.

Also worth noting that someone thought White Chicks was a more appropriate movie to have on a top 100 list than The Good, The Bad and The Ugly or Godfather Part II.

You two are as bad as people moaning about the government despite not voting. This is what happens when you ignore democracy! You two have made White Chicks a better film than Alien! Hang your heads in shame.

Corazon de Leon wrote:

Denster wrote:

Jenuall wrote:Both are fantastic. Alien is the better film in my opinion, but Aliens is the one I am more likely to want to re-watch at any point in time.

I'd still recommend watching Alien first, because why wouldn't you?

Also just noticed that only Aliens made it into out Top 100 Eliminator thread. I'm glad we managed to squeeze White Chicks in instead of one of the most immaculately produced horror/suspense films of all time!

Hadn’t noticed that. Just assumed the greatest sci fi horror film of all time would be on there. Hang your strawberry floating heads in shame that it isn’t.

Jesus - I hate you all right now!

This. I didn’t even see the nomination thread so I take no responsibility for that awful strawberry float up.

Also worth noting that someone thought White Chicks was a more appropriate movie to have on a top 100 list than The Good, The Bad and The Ugly or Godfather Part II.

You only have yourselves for blame for this, you should have nominated when you had the chance.

I’d like to point you both to the part of my post where I said I didn’t see the nomination thread. You can bet your sweet asses Alien would’ve been on there if I had.

Corazon de Leon wrote:I’d like to point you both to the part of my post where I said I didn’t see the nomination thread. You can bet your sweet asses Alien would’ve been on there if I had.

"oh I couldn't find the polling station and that's why we now live under the tyranny of Adolf Hitler's great grandson"

It's your fault Cora. All your fault.

Moggy wrote:

Corazon de Leon wrote:I’d like to point you both to the part of my post where I said I didn’t see the nomination thread. You can bet your sweet asses Alien would’ve been on there if I had.

"oh I couldn't find the polling station and that's why we now live under the tyranny of Adolf Hitler's great grandson"

It's your fault Cora. All your fault.

Sorry

Brexit all over again.

The voting thread did go by in quite the blur to be fair so it's understandable that people didn't get a chance to nominate someone of the classics (doesn't excuse some of the shite that made it in mind!)

It's like if the polling stations closed after the first 100 votes and told everyone else to strawberry float off and deal with the consequences!

BTW none of that is a slight on how this has been run, if anything this approach just makes it more entertaining!