For those interested it's posted online at the SunTimes' website. He's not thrilled with the movie, but what's really interesting is a short discussion on how the film looks. Since it was shot digitally & then transferred to film, Ebert essentially says the overall picture quality lacks punch & suspects it will look much better for those who can see it projected digitally or see it on DVD.
Ebert's review of Attack of the Clones is up
- Status
1 - 20 of 86 Posts
Joined
·
6,225 Posts
So what's the story with the digital projectors? I was willing to take the train from Silicon Valley up to the AMC Van Ness in SF to see this movie in it's digital glory. However, on the Web they are not showing the usual icon for digital projection next to Episode II showtimes. I presume that means they are showing film. The AMC Van Ness has a large-venue DLP projector, and as far as I know is the only digital theater in the SF Bay Area.
Are the 19 digital theaters mentioned only those that have sprung for a new THX projector?
Gary
Are the 19 digital theaters mentioned only those that have sprung for a new THX projector?
Gary
Joined
·
25,024 Posts
After episode I, I fully expected this. Episode I was only effects as far as I was concerned (except for Jar-Jar) the characters were wooden and unmemorable. I had hoped for better. The problem is now we hear that it didn't even look all that great!
Art
Art
Joined
·
4,981 Posts
Ebert is hardly the most perceptive of reviewers. My opinion on one of his Maltin-like Movie guides was that he liked most every sorry American film that had come down the pike and that his dislikes were frequently the better films.
But the Time article on the film began with how Lucas was rather crushed when reporters pointed out how fans really didn't like The Phantom Menace. How could the man be unaware of this? They brought legal proceedings against the internet people who came up with the alternate cut of the film, for crying out loud.
I'll go see it on the first day, and maybe see it more than once, but I think somewhere Lucas has lost his way. But who knows. Maybe this one will really score.
But the Time article on the film began with how Lucas was rather crushed when reporters pointed out how fans really didn't like The Phantom Menace. How could the man be unaware of this? They brought legal proceedings against the internet people who came up with the alternate cut of the film, for crying out loud.
I'll go see it on the first day, and maybe see it more than once, but I think somewhere Lucas has lost his way. But who knows. Maybe this one will really score.
I just read Ebert's review. While I disagreed on some of his critics of other movies, his review of AOTC seems to me to be nailing the right "issues" ( or problems... ) that AOTC contains.
Lucas is NOT a great director ( even ESBack which is considered as the best of the serie , was not directed by him ). He's got some great ideas sometimes, has LOTS of skilled people working for him, is very smart for merchandising but easily overdoes himself, as proven by his relentless, continuous sick need to modify again and again his (rare) movies....
The trailers themselves show how TOO MUCH is his motto
and the lack of "realism" is starting to get problematic too ( visible realism of way too much CGIed scenes and "wooden" dialogues ).
I will see AOTC, will try to see it once on a 3DLP equipped projector (only one in Belgium ) but my hopes are starting to really get down.
Seems i will only like the pursuit and fight with Jango Fett
EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and A NEW HOPE rule !!! forever.
Lucas is NOT a great director ( even ESBack which is considered as the best of the serie , was not directed by him ). He's got some great ideas sometimes, has LOTS of skilled people working for him, is very smart for merchandising but easily overdoes himself, as proven by his relentless, continuous sick need to modify again and again his (rare) movies....
The trailers themselves show how TOO MUCH is his motto
and the lack of "realism" is starting to get problematic too ( visible realism of way too much CGIed scenes and "wooden" dialogues ).
I will see AOTC, will try to see it once on a 3DLP equipped projector (only one in Belgium
) but my hopes are starting to really get down.Seems i will only like the pursuit and fight with Jango Fett
EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and A NEW HOPE rule !!! forever.
From a post I made in the HDTV forum:
Flamesuit on:
"George Lucas is the most overrated filmmaker (re: director) in cinema history. Think about it: he has only directed two memorable films in 32 years: American Graffiti and SW:E4 (I don't think much of THX 1138--you can count it if you want). Can you say Howard the Duck? The best installment of SW was Empire Strikes Back, and it wasn't even directed by him. Yes, he oversees the films as a producer, but they have succeeded in spite of him, IMO, more because of peoples' fond memories of the original, which was successful more because it struck a nerve at the right time in the culture of the times, rather than being a great piece of film-making. His directing skills never impressed me at all. Plus the last 2 films have been nothing but a rehash of the same stuff, over and over again: Opening action sequence, high speed chase, light saber battle, cliffhanger, wrapped around dull exposition. I expect more of the same in SW:E2. Yawn."
Don't get me wrong, I really like SW & ESB. But he has been living off these 2 movies for 20+ years now....and IMHO, it's catching up with him. Audiences are more sophisticated now and are more demanding than ever for good old fashioned quality storytelling.
Flamesuit on:
"George Lucas is the most overrated filmmaker (re: director) in cinema history. Think about it: he has only directed two memorable films in 32 years: American Graffiti and SW:E4 (I don't think much of THX 1138--you can count it if you want). Can you say Howard the Duck? The best installment of SW was Empire Strikes Back, and it wasn't even directed by him. Yes, he oversees the films as a producer, but they have succeeded in spite of him, IMO, more because of peoples' fond memories of the original, which was successful more because it struck a nerve at the right time in the culture of the times, rather than being a great piece of film-making. His directing skills never impressed me at all. Plus the last 2 films have been nothing but a rehash of the same stuff, over and over again: Opening action sequence, high speed chase, light saber battle, cliffhanger, wrapped around dull exposition. I expect more of the same in SW:E2. Yawn."
Don't get me wrong, I really like SW & ESB. But he has been living off these 2 movies for 20+ years now....and IMHO, it's catching up with him. Audiences are more sophisticated now and are more demanding than ever for good old fashioned quality storytelling.
I give you the fact that Lucas is not a Speilberg by any means but everyone seems to forget that the entire Star Wars Universe comes from the mind of Lucas himself! There has never been or is currently anyone who single handedly "creates" a Sci-Fi film! Let's at least be honest enough to admit Lucas has an incredible imagination that has given us the whole Star Wars Universe (from those we all liked to the ones that some hated).
Joined
·
448 Posts
I say we should all boycott Clone Wars until Episodes IV, V and VI are released on DVD!!!
-Mike...
-Mike...
For those who care, I got this from HTF...so far the media score is outright positive. Over 80 positive, 14 negative, and 5 mixed.
Proof Positives:
1djw-films.8k.com
Ain't It Cool News (Harry and Moriarty)
Andrew A. Adams (liked through TFN)
The Arrow
BBC
BBCi
BoxOfficeMojo.com
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Canoe.com (Calgary Sun)
CBBC Newsround
ChicagoForce
Chicago Tribune
Chud.com
Cinescape
CNN
CountingDown.com (linked through Jersey Girl)
CrazyFanboy.com
The Daily Express (linked through JediNet)
The Daily Mail (linked through JediNet)
The Daily Telegraph (linked through JediNet)
Dave Poland (thehotbutton.com)
dftonbladet.se
DigitalBits
DVDFile
E!Online
efilmcritic.com
Empire
Epinions.com
FilmFour.com
Film.de
Films in Review
FilmJerk
FilmThreat
Hollywood Report Card (linked through TFN)
Home.Earthlink.net
Home Theater Forum
James King of Radio 1
JediNet.com
Joblo.com
Joel Siegal of Good Morning America
LDJW-films
London Evening Standard (linked through JediNet)
London's Metro (linked through JediNet)
Mirror.co.uk (there are two reviews there, one good and one bad)
Modamag.com
MovieJuice
Moviesgo.com (there are also two there, one good and one bad)
The Nando Times (linked through TFN)
New Zealand Herald (linked through JediNet)
nwlink.com
People
Reelinsider.com
Richard Roeper
Rolling Stone
SciFi.com
Scripps Howard News Service
Shadowsonthewall.co.uk
The Sun
Swedish Press (linked through TFN)
TheTrades.com
This is London (linked through JediNet)
Time
Teletext.co.uk
TheForce.net
Ugo.com
Variety
The Village Voice
WGN's Chicago Morning News
Zentertainment.com
Zreview.com
All of these reviews can be accessed through the Official SW discussion board on HTF or through the message board at TFN. There are many more reviews posted through those sources that I didn't list, but these are most of the positives so far.
I'd like to add that a favorite local critic Ray Pride who hated TPM "the movie is a piece of garbage" added a teaser for his review next week:
"Oft-thrilling, ****ing viceral piece of fun that even approaches lyrical abstraction at times. Jeez, George Lucas CAN still direct."
For me, I'll read a critic who reviews the actual film itself, and not let his personal opinion of the film maker influence his judgement of the film.
Proof Positives:
1djw-films.8k.com
Ain't It Cool News (Harry and Moriarty)
Andrew A. Adams (liked through TFN)
The Arrow
BBC
BBCi
BoxOfficeMojo.com
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Canoe.com (Calgary Sun)
CBBC Newsround
ChicagoForce
Chicago Tribune
Chud.com
Cinescape
CNN
CountingDown.com (linked through Jersey Girl)
CrazyFanboy.com
The Daily Express (linked through JediNet)
The Daily Mail (linked through JediNet)
The Daily Telegraph (linked through JediNet)
Dave Poland (thehotbutton.com)
dftonbladet.se
DigitalBits
DVDFile
E!Online
efilmcritic.com
Empire
Epinions.com
FilmFour.com
Film.de
Films in Review
FilmJerk
FilmThreat
Hollywood Report Card (linked through TFN)
Home.Earthlink.net
Home Theater Forum
James King of Radio 1
JediNet.com
Joblo.com
Joel Siegal of Good Morning America
LDJW-films
London Evening Standard (linked through JediNet)
London's Metro (linked through JediNet)
Mirror.co.uk (there are two reviews there, one good and one bad)
Modamag.com
MovieJuice
Moviesgo.com (there are also two there, one good and one bad)
The Nando Times (linked through TFN)
New Zealand Herald (linked through JediNet)
nwlink.com
People
Reelinsider.com
Richard Roeper
Rolling Stone
SciFi.com
Scripps Howard News Service
Shadowsonthewall.co.uk
The Sun
Swedish Press (linked through TFN)
TheTrades.com
This is London (linked through JediNet)
Time
Teletext.co.uk
TheForce.net
Ugo.com
Variety
The Village Voice
WGN's Chicago Morning News
Zentertainment.com
Zreview.com
All of these reviews can be accessed through the Official SW discussion board on HTF or through the message board at TFN. There are many more reviews posted through those sources that I didn't list, but these are most of the positives so far.
I'd like to add that a favorite local critic Ray Pride who hated TPM "the movie is a piece of garbage" added a teaser for his review next week:
"Oft-thrilling, ****ing viceral piece of fun that even approaches lyrical abstraction at times. Jeez, George Lucas CAN still direct."
For me, I'll read a critic who reviews the actual film itself, and not let his personal opinion of the film maker influence his judgement of the film.
Joined
·
2,311 Posts
Ebert has one main problem as a reviewer:
He has written a couple of movies (dreadful ones like "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" and a couple of Russ Meyer films). So he has this tendency to try to re-write the film in his review, rather than to review the film as written.
I don't care what Roger Ebert might have written - if he could write films, he'd be doing so instead of reviewing them.
My wife Vickie is generally of the opinion that if Ebert likes a film, she'll probably like it. But if Ebert dislikes a film, there's a strong probability that she'll like it.
Rottentomatoes.com is a great site that collects reviews and gives a percentage score.
He has written a couple of movies (dreadful ones like "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" and a couple of Russ Meyer films). So he has this tendency to try to re-write the film in his review, rather than to review the film as written.
I don't care what Roger Ebert might have written - if he could write films, he'd be doing so instead of reviewing them.
My wife Vickie is generally of the opinion that if Ebert likes a film, she'll probably like it. But if Ebert dislikes a film, there's a strong probability that she'll like it.
Rottentomatoes.com is a great site that collects reviews and gives a percentage score.
Although I usually tend to agree with Ebert's reviews, I really didn't care what he had to say about the story or pacing of the movie because I'll see it anyway. I just thought his comments about HOW it looked projected as film were very interesting. As more movies are shot digitally, it just makes me wonder how this will hamper the movie-going experience for me. I hate the crowds, I hate the talking, I hate people sitting in front of me and now if the quality of what's being projected is diminished what's left?
Joined
·
6,225 Posts
For what it's worth, I saw The Phantom Menace on film and there was nothing whatsoever to cause me to prefer the theatrical video to viewing the DVD on my own XGA-resolution LCD projector. I did grudgingly conclude that the audio was slightly better than my 5.1 system.
So my only interest in a theatrical viewing remains attending a digital theater if I can find such in the SF Bay area. However, I spent an hour on the Web yesterday without locating one. Does anyone have a comprehensive list of the THX Digital Theaters?
Gary
So my only interest in a theatrical viewing remains attending a digital theater if I can find such in the SF Bay area. However, I spent an hour on the Web yesterday without locating one. Does anyone have a comprehensive list of the THX Digital Theaters?
Gary
Joined
·
16,014 Posts
http://www.dlp.com/dlp/cinema/where.asp?rid=1
THIS IS THE LIST OF 3DLP EQUIPPED THEATERS IN THE US. as per TI
since the movie was shot in 1920x1080 or so , when transfered into film (35mm), probably there is some grain appearing during the process ( unavoidable ?) and this affects the resolution seen. I'm no expert. But those who have compared an digital link between a dvd player-HTPC and a digital projector via SDI-DVI have a pretty good idea of HOW MUCH BETTER the image looks as compared to RGB or YUV analog connections. here, it's as if the digital image on your dvd was transfered on a laserdisc in analog or so
With a panavision shot movie ( minimal grain, lots of resolution, say 4000x2500 or so, much better than super 35 but with some optical distorsion sometimes), the "source" resolution is so high there's still a ton of resolution when projected.
it's essential to see a digitally shot movie with a digital projector thus.
THIS IS THE LIST OF 3DLP EQUIPPED THEATERS IN THE US. as per TI
since the movie was shot in 1920x1080 or so , when transfered into film (35mm), probably there is some grain appearing during the process ( unavoidable ?) and this affects the resolution seen. I'm no expert. But those who have compared an digital link between a dvd player-HTPC and a digital projector via SDI-DVI have a pretty good idea of HOW MUCH BETTER the image looks as compared to RGB or YUV analog connections. here, it's as if the digital image on your dvd was transfered on a laserdisc in analog or so
With a panavision shot movie ( minimal grain, lots of resolution, say 4000x2500 or so, much better than super 35 but with some optical distorsion sometimes), the "source" resolution is so high there's still a ton of resolution when projected.
it's essential to see a digitally shot movie with a digital projector thus.
Joined
·
2,311 Posts
Cool! The Boeing Digital Cinema theaters have been added, bringing the total number of screens to 62. My beloved McClurg Court (the theater in downtown Chicago where Vickie and I always try to see first run films) is confirmed as having one. This is surprising, as we have been worried that the McClurg Court would be closing when the new AMC 20-plex opens across the street in September.
Joined
·
13,771 Posts
Ebert & Roeper was hysterical. They completely disagreed on the film and really got into it. Roeper basically thought Ebert's opinion of the visuals was a crock.
I'll judge for myself next Saturday at The Ziegfeld.
And I will always remember that Ebert gave MENACE 3 + 1/2 stars. What a loon.
I'll judge for myself next Saturday at The Ziegfeld.
And I will always remember that Ebert gave MENACE 3 + 1/2 stars. What a loon.
1 - 20 of 86 Posts
- Status
Join the discussion
