Beowulf

So anyone else see this yet? If so, did you see it on IMAX? Adn how was it, on the IMAX?

Unfortunately I couldn't get into the IMAX screening as it sold out for the day (should have expected that), so I was stuck seeing it on the regular screen. Heh and suprisingly the theatre was showing the movie on only one screen (two including IMAX), so the 7:30 show I went for was full up.

As for the movie itself, I thought it was pretty good. Heh, blood, guts, death, and hardcore nudity what more could I ask for? Plus the CG was top notch stuff, though for during my screening there was a wierd lag or framerate drop during the Beowulf vs Grendel fight.

Spoiler:

I was actually surprised at how violent it ended up being, and by how much nudity there was (haha, even Hopkins was in on it, toga toga). Heh the Beowulf vs Grendel fight was one well choreographed scene that demostrated both. And the fight against the dragon, awesome (kinda ironic that Beowulf ended cutting his our arm too), that was one scene I really wish I could have seen on the IMAX. Heh, everytime Winstone bellowed "I am Beowulf!" I kept thinking back to Gerard Butler (King Leonidas in 300) and his bellow of "This is Sparda!"

Mead, haha, that line was amusing as at first I thought he was saying meat. And well if you remember the lines, heh you see why me and pretty much the rest of audience was laughing.

Hahaha, and it was hilarious how Malkovich kept beating Cain.

Oh and the ending, wasn't too clear on what happend. So did Wiglaf end up making a pact with Grendel's mother as well? They seemed to kind of hint at it with the long stare.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I went to see it last night in "Digital 3D" and it was a blast. The 3D was very well done technically, and it wasn't gimmicky at all IMO. I even got to keep the 3D glasses, so hopefully when it comes out on DVD and whatever Hi-Def disc format they choose I can use the glasses to watch it in 3D again.

The action sequences reminded me of God of War (especially the fight with the sea monsters). The CG was excellent too, I've never seen it look so realistic.

I didn't notice any "lag" during that Grendel fight though, so it must have been your theater experiencing some technical issues. What exactly was it like? Could it have been slow motion?

Also: I laughed when they mentioned "the king's meat" as well.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

The more I think on it (not really warranted, but...) the more Beowulf shapes up to be the anti-300. The first half sets up the masculine fantasy, and the second tears it apart - Beowulf's proud phallic sword melts in a lady's hands, him eventually realizing the mortality of his age. One of the more stunning images in the film (no, not the bare, stiletto-feet Jolie) is Beowulf dangling by that pathetic arm of his in the film's climax. Damn if I have ever felt the same helplessness in any other movie revolving about castles and dragons.

The movie's tongue-in-cheek humor had the audience laughing uncomfortably; I might be one of the few who finds these laughs intended and purposely comedic. About the animation: I had a huge problem w/ the faces which were always frozen in botox and clunky movement of the limbs. This might be due to the fact that its trying hard to emulate reality and therefore makes it easier to spot flaws, because the mythical creatures look great (Crispin Glover's casting is genius).

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

It reminded me of God of War. With the graphics and mythical monsters and screaming and all.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Just got back from this one.

I was impressed by damn near all of it. There were lots of 300-esque epic quotes and more than enough action/slaying/hot ass chicks to pass as a great action movie. Also, tons of references to Norse Mythology, which I love.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Matt

I didn't notice any "lag" during that Grendel fight though, so it must have been your theater experiencing some technical issues. What exactly was it like? Could it have been slow motion?

Nah, it was clearly lag or framerate drop, heh, like something you'd see in PC gaming. But I'm pretty it was just technical issues for our screening.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I don't want to say either way, I mean, when I saw this movie I was piss drunk and with a bunch of friends who were also drunk and cheering. That made the whole experience pretty fun and amazing for me so I thought the movie was great just based on that.

One of the fews things I do remember is that the movie wasn't too close to the book at all. That disappointed me a lot.

Also, everytime there was any sort of reference to Norse mythology we'd all go into a mock headbang while mumbling the guitar lines to Amon Amarth's Pursuit of Vikings. So fun.

FELIPE NO

This was the biggest steaming pile of mediocre shit I've seen in a while. The CG at times was impressive, but then other times you wondered if they lost half of their animation staff. The story was horrible and the script was something a ninth-grader could have written.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Ayos

This was the biggest steaming pile of mediocre shit I've seen in a while. The CG at times was impressive, but then other times you wondered if they lost half of their animation staff. The story was horrible and the script was something a ninth-grader could have written.

Well, if you've read the original story, you know it's pretty straightforward. I thought this movie worked pretty well in reinterpreting it and seeing it not as a chest-beating, masturbatory story of Beowulf himself, but about the dangers of unchecked ambition and the capacity for men to be deceived. The thematic stuff was what I enjoyed more than anything.

Spoiler:

]I especially liked the whole "curse is passed down" aspect of it, and I thought it improved immeasurably on a pretty basic original formula.

That said, it's not my favorite film of the year or anything; I just thought it was cool as a companion piece to something that is considered classic literature.

Jam it back in, in the dark.