2012 - Best Year in Movies?

[Hellgrinder]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlicWUDf5MM

[TheEconomist]

@Hawki: No. Just no.

@Gradius: YYEEEESSSSSSS!!

And what about Predator 2? Is it bad as well by virtue of not being like the original?

I liked Predators 2. Not nearly as good as the original, but it was still pretty good.

To keep my response to your argument short and simple, none of that gets your testosterone pumping. Therefore, it fails. Miserably. And, no, the characters were not interesting. If you're going to replace the greatness of Arnold, Apollo, and Jesse Ventura, then you going to need some fucking AWE-MAAAAZZEING characters. Predators characters are barely passable at a time when characters in actions films are shit.

[Hellgrinder]

Heads Up, Three Stooges Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4IoUo_ZJkY

[Hawki]

To keep my response to your argument short and simple, none of that gets your testosterone pumping. Therefore, it fails. Miserably. And, no, the characters were not interesting. If you're going to replace the greatness of Arnold, Apollo, and Jesse Ventura, then you going to need some fucking AWE-MAAAAZZEING characters. Predators characters are barely passable at a time when characters in actions films are shit.

So, by your own logic, Predator failed as well, by virtue of not getting my testosterone pumping either? Don't want to be snarky, but I think it's a poor measure of how good a film is, even an action one.

And to be frank, good actors does not necessary equal good characters, and vice versa. Taking Ventura as an example, I can't comment on him as an actor in the same way as Arnold or Apollo for instance, but Blain basically fell into the same realm of blandness as the other soldiers. He gets a memorable line ("ain't got time to bleed") but that doesn't equal a memorable character.

And just to reiterate, based on past comments, remember, I do agree that Predator is the superior film. I just feel that Predators is superior in some respects.

[TheEconomist]

Predator failed as well, by virtue of not getting my testosterone pumping either?

You are not a man. I pity you.

Of course, I should have known that was coming given the estrogen-esque critiquing of the film you've been doing. Explaining to you why Predator is greatness is like explaining to women why men argue about sports. You have to be a man to get it and you've been doing nothing but missing the point since the first post.

That's half-sarcasm, but still a true point. Let's agree to disagree.

Blain basically fell into the same realm of blandness as the other soldiers.

He exudes badassery, which was his purpose. Which was all of their purposes. Perfect example of the point just flying over your head.

[Hawki]

You are not a man. I pity you.

Of course, I should have known that was coming given the estrogen-esque critiquing of the film you've been doing. Explaining to you why Predator is greatness is like explaining to women why men argue about sports. You have to be a man to get it and you've been doing nothing but missing the point since the first post.

That's half-sarcasm, but still a true point. Let's agree to disagree.

Man or not, I can at least take part in a conversation that doesn't descend to petty insults.

And what are we even discussing/disagreeing about anyway? You don't have to explain "why Predator is greatness" because I agree that it's greatness. It's not greatness without flaws, but I think it's a good movie all the same. Better than Predators. And I don't think gender has anything to do with it, unless you're objecting to Predators having a strong female character as opposed to Predator having a female character that feels like baggage.

He exudes badassery, which was his purpose. Which was all of their purposes. Perfect example of the point just flying over your head.

Yes, they exude basassery. It works to the film's advantage, because it shows a psychological progression for the soldiers, going from trigger happy in the helicopter to rebel base sequence, where it all falls apart for them when confronted by a superior enemy. There's a point, and again, it does it well, especially with Dutch at the end, having to become more animal than man to defeat the yautja. Almost Lord of the Flies-esque

However, it is still possible to have badass characters that are badass, and still have character. Using Aliens as an example, the marines start off trigger happy, and lose their psychological edge in the terraformer when they first encounter the xenomorphs. However, the surviving marines (Hudson, Vasquez, Hicks and Gorman) are still individual characters with different personalities, and even before the fight, character was established (Apone stands as the best example). The characters of Predator, while strong as a group, aren't as strong as individuals bar Dutch and arguably Dillon.

Of course, this is all opinion. It seems redundant to discuss Predator at all, when I agree that it's a good movie, and better than Predators. Me considering the third installment decent seems to be the main point of contention here. And I do consider it decent, just not as good as the first (haven't seen the second, so can't comment).

[TheEconomist]

It works to the film's advantage, because it shows a psychological progression for the soldiers

Yes ... but no.

I can at least take part in a conversation that doesn't descend to petty insults.

I said it was half-sarcasm, therefore, not a real insult; more of a satire to demonstrate a point without lots of text.

It seems redundant to discuss Predator at all, when I agree that it's a good movie

Like I said, agree to disagree

[Quirel]

Y'know, I hate to be a Debbie Downer,

*Writes that one down*

but I've just thought of something-why is the Prometheus seemingly more advanced than the Nostromo despite the four decades that seperate the events,

My guess? It's because the Nostromo is just an ore hauler, while the Prometheus is a special-built research vessel. The difference would be similar to the difference between the food processing plant I worked in and the REC Silicon quality control labs next door.*

and why is LV-426 seemingly benign right now?

Applying the vast store of knowledge I have gleaned about extraterrestrial meteorology while scanning for minerals**, I would say that since LV-426 is not tidally locked to its star, the weather is allowed to vary a little bit.

Or maybe it could be some form of weather control? I mean, if there's a planet with windstorms raging all over it, except for one area out in the open that's as calm as the eye of the storm, that's going to draw people in.
Like the thermal beacon in AVP.***

Looking at the trailer, is there a point where it's possible to make a size comparison? It certainly appears in the trailer, but I didn't see a point where a mala'kak and human were in the same shot.

There's a picture floating around of a human standing next to the Jockey's seat, and the Space Jockey is definitely smaller.
That might have been a production photo, though, so camera tricks might make the thing larger.

Which, if its implantation occurs in the movie, would result in a pretty big xenomorph...

Why just one? There's room for more.

Not really a criticism of your opinion or the movie, just an observation. I will admit however, that I consider Alien vs. Predator to be decent, if uninspired. Haven't seen Requiem, though I did like Predators. Not as good as the original, but it was a good take overall, where we go from one singlely memorable character (Dutch) to less memorable, but more diverse characters.

Yeah, pretty much this.

To be honest, I enjoyed Predators more than the first movie, even if I did have some problems with it.

And at that point, I turned to Morgoth-my faith in the race of Men has been lost.

I told you about the guy in Hastings, right? Complaining about how Lord of the Rings was lauded as a masterpiece when it ripped off everything that came before it. And they had the gall to hire some hack writer to novelize them.

Decent may be the wrong word..."average" might cover it better. The characters are average-nothing special, but you actually care about some of them.

Characters are probably where AVP was weakest. I did an experiment, cut out the scenes where the archaeologist was dropping exposition or flirting with Lex. Better movie.

Sad to say, I thought that Grid had more personality than some of the secondary characters.

The plot is...average-it's an interesting twist, but the notion of extraterrestrials jump-starting human civilization has been done before, and it seems redundant for yautja to have to continuously lure humans to the Antarctic when there are surely better options avaliable to them.

Better and warmer. I like the way they started a hunt in "Predators" better. No worries about staying hidden from the population of Earth at large, no questions asked about unexplained nuclear explosions when the Hunt goes south.

Really, the only major gripe I have is with Lex at the end, whose mindset seems to be "I forgive you Mister Predator for being part of a hunting group that has left me as the only survivour. I'm fully willing to forget the deaths of my friends, team up with you, and have you burn a mark in my forehead. Oh, and I don't expect to be questioned by the authorities as to how I'm the only survivour of this expedition."

"And I also forgive you for that cruel prank you pulled on me with the dead xenomorph." *5*

And let's not even start on the ScarxLex fanfics...

As if the GridXLex fics weren't bad enough...

Does anyone else suspect that Grid hatched from that chick with the short, blond hair?

You are not a man. I pity you.

Of course, I should have known that was coming given the estrogen-esque critiquing of the film you've been doing. Explaining to you why Predator is greatness is like explaining to women why men argue about sports. You have to be a man to get it and you've been doing nothing but missing the point since the first post.

Hmm...
I get a feeling that, if I go back in your archived posts far enough, I'll find a post lamenting how manhood for the sake of manhood is declining in social acceptance. Or perhaps an argument that even if a CMC suit augments its wearer's strength, there must be a minimum threshold of strength to use it, which would be above what the average woman can handle.*6*

Or perhaps you never made either of those claims. Memory is a tricky bugger, heh?

-------------------------------------------------------------------

*Yeah, there was a silicon refinery right next to one of Washington State's largest food processing plants. Cheap hydroelectric power makes for strange bedfellows.

**I did two full playthroughs of ME2 before updating and getting that minigame patched.

***(****)OK, I can understand how the Predators lured victims to the temple in 2004, and they got lucky in 1904. What about 1804 and earlier? Did they just kidnap people? And even if Aztecs did use the base-ten number system (Which they didn't >.<) did they measure time in minutes?

****PS: Discworld rocks!

*5*Yeah, unless you've seen that deleted scene, that's not going to make a whole lot of sense. Still funny as Hell.

*6*Which would only be sadder if this was after the release of "I, Mengsk", and the argument was that Graham had got his facts wrong.

[Hawki]

*Writes that one down*

Feel free to, though I will admit that the phrase came from a YouTube video.

My guess? It's because the Nostromo is just an ore hauler, while the Prometheus is a special-built research vessel. The difference would be similar to the difference between the food processing plant I worked in and the REC Silicon quality control labs next door.*

True, but even disgarding the vessels themselves, the Prometheus crew seems to have access to better equipment such as stasis pods and environmental suits. There's indeed the question of funding, but if Weyland Industries could afford such high-tech equipment for an expedition based on scientific curiosity, one would assume they could do the same for a crew hauling millions worth in ore.

Applying the vast store of knowledge I have gleaned about extraterrestrial meteorology while scanning for minerals**, I would say that since LV-426 is not tidally locked to its star, the weather is allowed to vary a little bit.

Except Archeron is a moon, not a planet, so tidal locking seems moot.

Thing I do remember vaguely, and not sure if it's from the film or novelization, is that the Nostromo landed on a side of the planet opposite the sun. That could account for weather differences, and with little heat retention, that would allow for some crazy shifts in temperature.

Or maybe it could be some form of weather control? I mean, if there's a planet with windstorms raging all over it, except for one area out in the open that's as calm as the eye of the storm, that's going to draw people in.
Like the thermal beacon in AVP.***

Maybe...I can see it being possible. Not sure if it lures them in though, as judging from trailers, it's symbology on Earth that apparently points them to Zeta II Reticuli.

Why just one? There's room for more.

True, but I'd be content with one. It seems that some of the crew get implanted (from the trailer, "cut it out!" is screamed a few times), so one mala'kak-based xenomorph should suffice.

I told you about the guy in Hastings, right? Complaining about how Lord of the Rings was lauded as a masterpiece when it ripped off everything that came before it. And they had the gall to hire some hack writer to novelize them.

Sounds vaguely familiar, but I forget the exact details.

BTW, I've turned away from Morgoth. I've now gone straight to Illuvatar demanding an explanation why he left the race of Men with such a capacity for stupidity.

Better and warmer. I like the way they started a hunt in "Predators" better. No worries about staying hidden from the population of Earth at large, no questions asked about unexplained nuclear explosions when the Hunt goes south.

And allowing their weaponry to fall into 'ooman hands as well (assuming the nuclear reference is to Requiem, not including the mini-nuke in Predator.

Certainly wondered how that nuke would go down in the international community. The day when the meme "kill it with fire" was applied on the official level...

As if the GridXLex fics weren't bad enough...

Haven't seen them myself. And I consider myself lucky in that regard.

Does anyone else suspect that Grid hatched from that chick with the short, blond hair?

Hadn't given it much thought myself. She kind of just struck me as a vague, hardly adequate explanation as to why the team had firearms, and has some kind of throwback/throw-forward to Lambert.

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