Are we no longer mesmorized with wild special effects? Have young people been desensitized to the magical effects of the cinema as a result of computer animation? This weeks discussion is about special effects.
What movie is your favorite for the effects alone??
Looking foward to your thoughts!
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Comments: 65
By the way, I am partial to computer animation... my husband works for Blue Sky Studios which made the Ice Age movies, Robots and such! We love computer generated images in this house!!
The Star Wars movies were hugh when I was growing up.
Spiderman set box office records for money...I wonder how many tickets were actually sold. We wanted to go see the movie, but it was $9.50 adult and $7.50 children. Last summer the prices were $8.00 adult, $5.50 child. That is a big increase, if you ask me.
As far as computer animated movies are concerned. That is a different story. I am impressed by the realism, lighting, and detail found in these movies. In these cases, such as Veggie Tales, Ice Age, Bugs Life, etc., I am expecting the computer animation, and I'm impressed by the artistic quality.
Two movies that come to mind right that I enjoyed the effects and they really added to story in general are "What Dreams May Come", Robin Williams, 1998 and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Connery, 2003.
Sometimes the effects for me are detrimental to the movie. I can't think of a specific example right now, sorry.
I do like movies that don't use many special effects. The example I can think of offhand are the "Saw" movies. I know they are bloody and disturbed, but they film it all without a lot of special effects. My husband and I watched a short on how they did some of the scenes in Saw III. Wow. It wasn't high tech even, but they looked good in the movie (if you can stomach that sort of thing)
BUT I do enjoy the Harry Potter films and the Star Wars series. And, of course, ET.
I once had the privilege to be on a set while a scene in a movie was being filmed. The guy who invited me explained the effects being used, which by special effects of today would seem simplistic. But it was fascinating. this scene was being filmed in an old courthouse at night. The huge lights they used outside made it seem to be daylight. I was impressed with that.
It's almost not fair comparing them to current special effects, because the requirements were totally different.
I thought the Lemony Snicket one was cute too!
I would also like to mention a movie I recently watched, that used as little special effects as possible but is really made well. The Grudge, the director is not a fan of special effects, and he pulls off some very unbelievable scenes. Like when the girl is crawling down the stairs, it looks completely generated, but its not, the actor actually crawled down the stairs. There are many other examples as well. If you get the DVD there is a documentary about this.
Star Trek
Superman
to name a few.I What Dreams May Come have not seen does anyone have an extra copy they would want to giveaway.
I would have to say though the Matrix movies were pretty cool.
Other people have mentioned What Dreams May Come with Robbin Williams. I remember seeing the movie in theaters and the part that mesmorized(sp) me the most was when he was in the painting and the trees moved and it still looked like the painting and the all the faces in purgatory I think it was.
I really liked the special effects in many of the movies already mentioned.
Then there's Pan's Labyrinth.