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Author Topic: Cowboys & Aliens (2011) Sam Graham AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues. Posts: 1431 From: Waukee, IA Registered: Dec 2004 posted 08-08-2011 05:48 PM                        CINEMA: Regal Division Street 13, Portland, OR AUDITORIUM: 8 PRESENTATION: 35mm/Dolby Digital PRESENTATION PROBLEMS: Picture just a smidge out of focus, overhead can lights flickered off/dim individually, sort of creating a distant lightning effect (I think they have non-dimmable CFL's in them) RATING: Three stars (out of four) I still love the old Act III plexes. This is your classic "Stadium Riser" build, though Regal switched out the seats for their higher back ones in the stadium area (the sloped floor still has the Act III seats). THE PLOT: Them cows done got blowed up! Wackiness ensues. Harrison Ford made this movie for me. He was just awesome in this. The aliens came off as "B-movie guys in rubber suit" types, which frankly is how it should be. It exceeded my expectations.  |  IP: Logged Tom Petrov Five Guys Lover Posts: 1121 From: El Paso, TX Registered: Jan 2003 posted 08-08-2011 09:40 PM                    I saw this, I was really excited to see it. I couldn't wait to see but I had to wait till the second Friday. Let me start by saying that I am not a fan of Daniel Craig. I like Olivia Wilde and Harrsion Ford is ok. Let me just say, this movie proves all the more reason why I think Harrison Ford is no longer relevant. He wss the worst part. His time has past, its time to hang it up. Craig was good and turned me into a Daniel Craig fan. Olivia Wilde was awesome. The only redeming quality of this movie was that a whole bunch of people died.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 08-08-2011 11:56 PM                       I too was curious to see this as the trailer looked promising. Why couldn't Aliens visit New Mexico during frontier days? They came to Hobbs in 1947, right? The writing seemed like a third rate hack job comprised of several old stories barely sewn together. I thought Craig was very good with the script at hand. Also liked Olivia Wilde. At last a lead actress with normal looking breasts! The aliens were pathetic, kind of like they were on a very tight budget.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 08-09-2011 12:38 AM                     I can't believe I am going to say this, so just consider it a coincidence. I am not a fan of Daniel Craig. That being said, I got a huge kick out of DC's method of "kicking ass". Every time he would floor someone without barely moving and looking bored about it had me laughing out loud. I AM a big fan of Harrison Ford. He was very good, as always. (I always make it a point to check him out on Letterman anytime he has a movie coming out, as his deadpan real life personality really cracks me up even though it seems to go over many people's heads.) The trailers had me thinking this was going to be one heck of a stinker or a fun movie. Well it wasn't an extreme, but it definitely sided on the side of fun. If the aliens had not been so primitive in appearance, it would have been more convincing, but whatever. Good sound mix too! 3.5 out of 5 stars  |  IP: Logged Kurt Zupin Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 989 From: Maricopa, Arizona Registered: Oct 2004 posted 08-09-2011 09:57 AM                     I was looking forward to this I think more then anything else this summer. I was really let down, I agree with everyone that Daniel Craig was awesome as a bad ass. I've always been a fan of his, but he just played that western bad ass to a tee. Ford was great, not sure what your problem with him is Tom. This is probably the best he's been in a while. I have to disagree with everyone here though, Olivia Wilde was just about useless. She didn't look like she belonged in the movie at all. And I'm a fan of hers, I believe she is one of the most gorgeous women working right now. As a western I thought this was great, but like Brad said the aliens looked horrible. If you've ever played World of Warcraft of Fallout 3 there are creatures in those games that look just like the aliens. Really cheap design. 3/5  |  IP: Logged Tony Gallimore Expert Film Handler Posts: 108 From: Willis, Virginia, USA Registered: Jul 2009 posted 08-09-2011 08:33 PM                     I guess I made the mistake of thinking this might in some way resemble an Indiana Jones adventure... boy was I in for a surprise. But all in all it was a good surprise. Harrison Ford immediately struck me as being out of character, but when they were kicking alien butt, his character became more understandable. Brad's got it 100% right on the aliens, the goonies would have been as believable. Overall the story line came together in the end and made for a reasonably balanced experience, not what I expected, but still a lot of fun.  |  IP: Logged David E. Nedrow Master Film Handler Posts: 368 From: Columbus, OH, USA Registered: Oct 2008 posted 08-09-2011 10:06 PM                        I didn't really have any problems with the film. It is what it is. And my only problem with the alien design is the same problem I have with any alien design in which all of the aliens look pretty much the same... why can't the designers add just a touch of something to show rank or class differentiation's? OK, the don't wear clothes. But some tribal body paint would at least be something. The thing I REALLY liked about this film is that the credits are about 3 minutes. I'm exaggerating a bit, but not much. If I remember correctly, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS had credits that seemed as though they would never end.  |  IP: Logged Jonathan Goeldner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1360 From: Washington, District of Columbia Registered: Jun 2008 posted 08-11-2011 10:54 PM                     I should have realized that the DP (that shot 'Black Swan) shot this turkey - for a digital projection presentation of the film, the long distance shots looked really bad.  |  IP: Logged Mike Croaro Master Film Handler Posts: 394 From: Millbrae, CA Registered: Apr 2005 posted 08-15-2011 03:04 PM                     I walked out of this movie despite that fact that I was seening it the beautiful art deco Del Oro Theatre in Grass Valley, CA. It's the same old storyline we've all seen a 100 times or more. Want to watch a quality western? Pick out any TV western (Bonanza, Rawhide, The Virginian etc.) and watch an episode. Mike  |  IP: Logged Tom Petrov Five Guys Lover Posts: 1121 From: El Paso, TX Registered: Jan 2003 posted 08-17-2011 09:35 PM                    hate to be the one to say it At 81 million to date, Cowboys & Aliens was a mega-flop  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-19-2011 11:52 PM                        I don't think it's a "mega" flop, but it certainly didn't do what they hoped it would with the cast and filmmakers it has. I thought it was pretty good, but agree that the aliens were sort of cheesy looking. I liked Olivia Wilde, but she was an unmemorable character (well, except for the fun of looking at her). I thought Harrison Ford was great as always. Daniel Craig was good too but I kept wondering when his James Bondian accent would kick in. Spoiler Alert - Click to Toggle I liked that Olivia did NOT miraculously come back in the end. Most movies these days, there would have been some contrived dopey miraculous way that she survived and then she and Daniel could live happily ever after. So far this year, "Rango" is my favorite Western. 3 out of 5 stars on this one.  |  IP: Logged Melanie Loggins Expert Film Handler Posts: 154 From: Wayne, NE, USA Registered: Aug 2011 posted 08-28-2011 05:46 PM                        I'm with Tom here. Harrison Ford should have stopped acting when his face stopped moving. At least here his character is supposed to be a gruff, emotionless machine. I'm a huge Daniel Craig fan. He manages to make thinking on your feet look easy. (And sexy.) And Olivia Wilde (who will always be 13 to me) is certainly easy to look at, but had nothing to work with. Even her creepy eyes were added later. The movie is good fun, though! Like, what if Shane had been forced to battle aliens. It's not art, but it was very entertaining. I never once felt compelled to stop it or check my email or go restock something.  |  IP: Logged Tom Petrov Five Guys Lover Posts: 1121 From: El Paso, TX Registered: Jan 2003 posted 12-04-2011 10:13 PM                    This colossal flop comes out Tues. Anyone picking it up?  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 12-04-2011 11:24 PM                        I'm kind of curious why you would care.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-05-2011 02:52 PM                        He wants to be invited over for movie night.  |  IP: Logged

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