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Post by Hey Man on Jan 5, 2015 21:56:23 GMT -5
Michael Mann is probably my favorite filmmaker - Heat is as good as The Godfather in terms of a modern day crime film as far as I am concerned.
Sure Scorcese and Tarantino have made brilliant crime films as well, but for me there is just something different about a Michael Mann film - from the amazing visuals and brilliant scenes to great casting and performances to Mann's love for research, authenticity and attention to detail in all aspects to the music he selects for the film.
Thief, Manhunter, Heat, The Insider, Collateral along with TV shows - Miami Vice and Crime Story are amazing.
Unfortunately for me, Mann dropped the ball with Miami Vice (the movie) and Public Enemies. I was very disappointed and I thought Mann lost his mojo.
So I really hope Blackhat is a return to form, especially considering that the subject matter is very timely considering Sony.
The trailer looks great and I hope the film delivers - I hope that I am not let down for a third time.
Blackhat opens January 16, which is usually the dumping ground for bad movies - but occasionally studios release surprisingly great movies during this time. Hopefully Blackhat is one of them.
Runtime: 2 hr. 13 min.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2015 22:53:43 GMT -5
This has great potential...looks really good. let's hope it truly is...
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Post by Hey Man on Jan 5, 2015 22:58:15 GMT -5
This has great potential...looks really good. let's hope it truly is... Are you a big fan of his other films? |
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Post by Justlee on Jan 5, 2015 22:59:52 GMT -5
I am a fan...this could be cool.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2015 10:43:12 GMT -5
This has great potential...looks really good. let's hope it truly is... Are you a big fan of his other films? Yes...pretty much your original post verbatim. Those last couple of movies really stunk...so hopefully he will bounce back here. |
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Post by Hey Man on Jan 20, 2015 20:35:14 GMT -5
Thank you Michael Mann for not letting me down.
Rotten Tomatoes is wrong - Blackhat is a solid film and the comment from Roger Ebert.com is appropriate:
There's going to be a wide gap between the people who really like Blackhat and the people who are wrong.
For those that know and love Michael Mann - you should totally dig Blackhat, especially if you were disappointed by Miami Vice and Public Enemies. While it's not a return to Heat quality, it would make a great double bill with Collateral.
I will say that I do understand why it is getting bad reviews and it's because in many ways, it's an art film mixed with an action movie, but of course it's marketed as this action thriller and so Joe Popcorn doesn't want to sit through a slow burn movie where Mann wants you to appreciate the visuals - and they are indeed gorgeous. Nobody shoots cityscapes or the night like Michael Mann. But it's also a lot of cool visuals of keyboards and computer code, which I thought was interesting, but the general public probably won't - they just want you to get to the next action scene.
Mann can make a phone call scene look interesting, so I don't mind if he lingers on a scene.
Nobody shoots gunfights like Michael Mann does either with his technical brilliance - they are loud and you can feel the shots in your chest. In this regard, it is a return to Heat. The bursts of violence are spectacular.
There are problems with the script - it could have gone through another pass to tighten it up a bit. The Blackhat/villian finally revealed at the end probably isn't the payoff that people are hoping for, so they could have changed that and there are a couple of other scenes that could use a reworking. But for me, I enjoyed it all the way through and was never bored. Again, it doesn't move as fast as people probably would like - but I am fine with Mann's format that he has used on all his films, where as some people think that there are scenes in his films that go on too long or that could have been cut.
I thought the cast was great and while Hemsworth may not look like a stereotypical hacker, he pulls it off. His character reminded me a bit of William Peterson in Manhunter.
So beyond some script issues, Blackhat is an explosion of sound, light, and fury. If you are not a Michael Mann fan, this movie won't change your mind. If you are a Michael Mann fan, you should be happy with Blackhat.
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Post by R&ROVER on Jan 20, 2015 20:37:35 GMT -5
Now I can finally ease my worried mind.
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Post by Hey Man on Jan 20, 2015 20:40:05 GMT -5
Now I can finally ease my worried mind. If you dig Mann, I would actually like to know what you think of Blackhat. I realize that you won't go to the theatre and see it, but it should probably come to DVD/On Demand pretty soon considering it's box office failure. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2015 20:46:13 GMT -5
Thank you Michael Mann for not letting me down. Rotten Tomatoes is wrong - Blackhat is a solid film and the comment from Roger Ebert.com is appropriate: There's going to be a wide gap between the people who really like Blackhat and the people who are wrong.For those that know and love Michael Mann - you should totally dig Blackhat, especially if you were disappointed by Miami Vice and Public Enemies. While it's not a return to Heat quality, it would make a great double bill with Collateral. I will say that I do understand why it is getting bad reviews and it's because in many ways, it's an art film mixed with an action movie, but of course it's marketed as this action thriller and so Joe Popcorn doesn't want to sit through a slow burn movie where Mann wants you to appreciate the visuals - and they are indeed gorgeous. Nobody shoots cityscapes or the night like Michael Mann. But it's also a lot of cool visuals of keyboards and computer code, which I thought was interesting, but the general public probably won't - they just want you to get to the next action scene. Mann can make a phone call scene look interesting, so I don't mind if he lingers on a scene. Nobody shoots gunfights like Michael Mann does either with his technical brilliance - they are loud and you can feel the shots in your chest. In this regard, it is a return to Heat. The bursts of violence are spectacular. There are problems with the script - it could have gone through another pass to tighten it up a bit. The Blackhat/villian finally revealed at the end probably isn't the payoff that people are hoping for, so they could have changed that and there are a couple of other scenes that could use a reworking. But for me, I enjoyed it all the way through and was never bored. Again, it doesn't move as fast as people probably would like - but I am fine with Mann's format that he has used on all his films, where as some people think that there are scenes in his films that go on too long or that could have been cut. I thought the cast was great and while Hemsworth may not look like a stereotypical hacker, he pulls it off. His character reminded me a bit of William Peterson in Manhunter. So beyond some script issues, Blackhat is an explosion of sound, light, and fury. If you are not a Michael Mann fan, this movie won't change your mind. If you are a Michael Mann fan, you should be happy with Blackhat. So you disagree with these reviews?
"Mann's idea of following data through computer systems leaves you thinking he's worn out his VHS tape of Tron."
"The movie feels very out of date as if (director Michael) Mann recently discovered the power and potential of computers." |
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Post by Tookie on Jan 20, 2015 21:00:43 GMT -5
I watched Thief for the first time last Fri on Netflix. Great movie with the exception that the era from 80-82 has to be one of the biggest downers to me when looking back. Nighthawks gave me the exact same vibe too when I watched it. Nothing at all with the films, and in fact adds a dark edge when watching them that actually gives them more feeling to me when thinking back to those years as a kid. Just something that makes those years seem so out of place as the 70s rolled over and the 80s hadnt found its own identity yet.
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Post by Hey Man on Jan 20, 2015 21:06:11 GMT -5
Yes I disagree - Mann spent two years prior to filming studying and working with computer experts, people that work with the NSA and hackers to make it as accurate as possible. I am sure those scenes in particular were there just for cool effect and may not work for everyone, but computer experts have said that the movie is absolutely authentic.
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Post by Hey Man on Jan 20, 2015 21:07:15 GMT -5
I watched Thief for the first time last Fri on Netflix. Great movie with the exception that the era from 80-82 has to be one of the biggest downers to me when looking back. Nighthawks gave me the exact same vibe too when I watched it. Nothing at all with the films, and in fact adds a dark edge when watching them that actually gives them more feeling to me when thinking back to those years as a kid. Just something that makes those years seem so out of place as the 70s rolled over and the 80s hadnt found its own identity yet. Thief is awesome - I am glad you dug it. |
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Post by Hey Man on Jan 20, 2015 21:13:11 GMT -5
Humn. HM's review actually touches on all the things I want from Mann so my interest went from 'meh' to 'yeah, alright.' I was always going to end up watching it when it became convenient and free, but now I'm actually interested in doing so.  You are a huge Mann fan - I think you should see it in the theatre if you can. I think you will appreciate what the theatrical experience will provide here with the visuals, etc. |
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Post by Hey Man on Jan 20, 2015 21:30:10 GMT -5
You are a huge Mann fan - I think you should see it in the theatre if you can. I think you will appreciate what the theatrical experience will provide here with the visuals, etc. I can never get to the theater to see anything. Still haven't seen The Hobbit yet (fuck off Dan!) Your wife doesn't like the sexiest man alive? |
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Post by Tookie on Jan 20, 2015 21:30:41 GMT -5
Thief is awesome - I am glad you dug it. Thief is just exactly perfect. Every frame, the soundtrack, James Caan. Genius. Can't believe the score was nominated for a fucking Razzie, stupid cunts. Cunts exactly. The soundtrack blew me away. I'm not huge movie guy, but it reminded me a lot of a precursor of what I remember from Scarface. The final track Confrontation impressed me enough to look it up. Very fucking cool and got me wondering what direction music might have went in that era had the 80s not gone in the direction it did. Of course, I was pretty drunk too by the end of the movie to have those thoughts, but Confrontation sounds great too sober... |
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Post by Tookie on Jan 20, 2015 21:35:28 GMT -5
I watched Thief for the first time last Fri on Netflix. Great movie with the exception that the era from 80-82 has to be one of the biggest downers to me when looking back. Nighthawks gave me the exact same vibe too when I watched it. Nothing at all with the films, and in fact adds a dark edge when watching them that actually gives them more feeling to me when thinking back to those years as a kid. Just something that makes those years seem so out of place as the 70s rolled over and the 80s hadnt found its own identity yet. Thief is awesome - I am glad you dug it. Yeah, it was great! When I saw Jim Belushi and Willie Nelson in the credits it gave me a boner too. Not that they are great actors, but I enjoy the shit out of what they done over the years. By the end of the movie I could have cared less who was in it though because it was a great investment of time watching it. Great film. |
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Post by Hey Man on Jan 20, 2015 21:47:27 GMT -5
Jim Belushi's first film I believe. ALL of Tangerine Dream's soundtracks are awesome. Jimmy Page's Death Wish II soundtrack was nominated for a Razzie the next year, cunts. Diamond Diary from Thief is probably my favorite TD track. |
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Post by Tookie on Jan 20, 2015 22:11:54 GMT -5
Jim Belushi's first film I believe. ALL of Tangerine Dream's soundtracks are awesome. Jimmy Page's Death Wish II soundtrack was nominated for a Razzie the next year, cunts. That was pretty fucking awesome too! I have to admit though that it gave me a nostalgic CHiP's vibe with the old pre Library Tower aerial shots of downtown LA which kind of added to my boner. |
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Post by Tookie on Jan 20, 2015 22:19:50 GMT -5
Jim Belushi's first film I believe. ALL of Tangerine Dream's soundtracks are awesome. Jimmy Page's Death Wish II soundtrack was nominated for a Razzie the next year, cunts. Diamond Diary from Thief is probably my favorite TD track. Beach Theme was the first track that really made me start paying attention to the songs (and was what reminded me of Scarface). I might have to watch it again and pay more attention to the earlier music played during its element. |
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Post by Cducharme on Jan 21, 2015 8:09:34 GMT -5
Fuck tangerine dream, shit "ambience" isn't music to me so much as shit to be ignored.
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Post by Cducharme on Jan 21, 2015 8:14:26 GMT -5
Haha just realized how pissy I sound. This is what happens when I get a day off and I'm not even allowed to get as much sleep as if I was working today
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