Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

[crackers]

Okay, if you're one or more of the following, you need to see this movie:

1) A "gearhead"
2) A fan of 1930's-style pulp fiction
3) A fan of Republic serials
4) Like Max Fleisher's "Superman" cartoons
5) Thought Max Headroom's set dressings were cool
6) Like the thought of Angelina Jolie in jodhpurs and an eyepatch

Quickie summary, no plot:
Jude Law is absolutely dashing, funny, and a hunk (from the wife). He plays "Sky Captain," the leader of a "mercenary army" (as one radio announcer voice-over tells us) - and is really a do-gooder. Gwennyth Paltrow, looking absolutely stunning in 1940's drag, is "Polly," basically a Lois Lane-type with a previous history with the Captain. Their byplay ranges all over the place to him wanting to shoot her to some real sexual tension. Ms. Jolie is "Frankie Cook" (Franchesca, actually), the Commander of a top-secret British amphibious squadron. Frankie has some real cojones! And also has a previous history with the good Captain...

The visual effects (which is basically anything that's not an actor!) are simply ... whoa... The sepia-ish tone kind of bothered me a bit in the beginning, but the good pacing of the plot and action made me forget all about it.

It's an extremely pleasant romp and well worth full box-office price.

[mark]

I noticed the advance stuff for this a few months back...the local (L.A.) reviews have been kinda mixed ("great FX, so-so script", etc.) - but what do they know? It sounds really neat to an old, pulp-science-fiction fan like myself - especially the bit where they "reanimate" (?) Sir Lawrence Olivier.

Thanks, crackers - I may have to go take in a first-run movie for the first time since LOTR - The Return of the King.

[ewdi]

i think i'll watch it on tuesday since kind a packed tomorrow

[Skeptical]

i think i'll watch it on tuesday since kind a packed tomorrow
Can't wait to see this movie.

[crackers]

As one reviewer put it (paraphrased): "It's a pulp-magazine plot - what did you expect? War and Peace?"

Another one starts off with something like "You better hope you don't have computer problems on Friday - the geeks won't be there to fix it. They're at the movies..."

[sailor]

I saw the trailer on tv and it kinda reminds me of "Crimson Skies" PC game...
reviews aren't so good ....

[crackers]

Most of the reviewers don't get it - it's not a 21st-century movie, with deep meanings, tortuous character development, and cartloads of angst. It's just supposed to be fun...

[Scoob_E]

great point crackers, saw it this past weekend and it blew me away. Yeh, its not a leave you thinking about <insert deep topic here> sort of movie... but I think that is one of the best parts about it. I know that after a long day at work, the last thing I want to do is go and think. I want to sit down with a tub of popcorn, a bucket of soda, my fiance (not listed in order of importance) and just enjoy myself for an hour or two...

In short... go see it... its a great movie, the reviewers have there heads to far up their collective @$$es to relize that sometimes movies are just supposed to be fun.

just my .02
Scoob

[CrystalCowboy]

I saw it and enjoyed it. Sure there were plot holes, but I was entertained enough not to spend time looking for them. I especially enjoyed the last line.

IMNSHO the best movie so far this year is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
"technically, it is brain damage."

[crackers]

I especially enjoyed the last line.
Both the wife and I busted out laughing! It was the perfect "capper" ...

[CrystalCowboy]

I don't care how water-tight your airplane is, or whether your propulsion system works underwater; slamming into a body of water at ~ 500 knots is going to kill you.

[crackers]

slamming into a body of water at ~ 500 knots is going to kill you.
P40's couldn't do 500 knots, by the way. I think they topped around 300... :D

[CrystalCowboy]

P40's couldn't do 500 knots, by the way. I think they topped around 300... :D
In level flight, sure. Remember that they were plunging straight down. It also seems probable that his machine wasn't a stock P40, but was 'enhanced' by Dex.

Not that it matters, I'm pretty sure hitting a wall of water at 300 knots would be more than enough to make you dead. :eek:

[Ug]

By the time it is released in the UK, it'll be about to come out on DVD in the US. *sigh*

[crackers]

Not that it matters, I'm pretty sure hitting a wall of water at 300 knots would be more than enough to make you dead.
Well, yessssssssssssss.... However, if that's your only quibble, you missed about 15 more before we even got to that point. I, personally, was well into suspending disbelief... :D

And, Ug, my friend - don't fret. It's well worth it!

[CrystalCowboy]

That certainly wasn't my only quibble, but like I say, since I felt reasonably entertained I was able not to focus on the nitpicking during the show (like I usually do).

Another plot hole, for example, is the question of the vials. The all-important vials, for which the bad guys kidnap or kill several scientists, attack the good guys' base, hold a woman at knife point, etc. You'd think they held something really important to the plot. So what's in the vials? A scene in which that is explained is added, apparently as an afterthought, in a way which I would metaphorically describe as 'trickling down one's leg'.

BTW, I would place obvious violations of the laws of nature (as in my first quibble) and plot holes (such as my second quibble) in separate categories. The former are forgivable in a fantasy, the latter are not in any sort of movie. The aggregiousness of violations of laws of nature depends on how seriously the movie wishes to be taken. For some good examples and reviews, I direct you to the Insultingly stupid movie physics site (http://intuitor.com/moviephysics/)
.

[crackers]

Having grown up on the old "B" movies made in the 50's has probably inured me to the more egregious faux paus - I just usually sit back and enjoy the fun unless it's something so outstandingly ridiculous - like the asteroids in that Bruce Willis movie that I can't remember the name of. Spikes, for ghu's sake!