"The Host" with the Most?

Raffine · March 23, 2007, 11:28:45 AM

OK - I've been reading about this one for months. It's opening today at the local "Art" theater and a local "Art" weekly gave it a rave review. Showings are selling out like giant radioactive mutant hotcakes.
http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/Arts/Film/2007/03/22/Monster_Mash/index.shtml#

Anybody seen this yet? Is all the good press to be believed, or is this a stinker?

I'm sure I'll go see this anyway, I'm just curious to everyone's reactions.

The Belcourt is a great theater, by the way. They're just wrapping up their Janus film festival, and they are about the only theater in this part of the galaxy that plays the latest Werner Herzog and Guy Maddin flicks.

RCMerchant · March 23, 2007, 06:07:06 PM

A giant monster movie from Korea? I MUST SEE IT.

Raffine · March 23, 2007, 07:13:10 PM

Yep, it seems to be the critics' lil' darling. All the reviews I've seen have given it "FOUR STARS!" "A+!" , "

!" etc.

Despite this, it looks like it's a lot of fun.

Dennis · March 23, 2007, 08:49:08 PM

I've seen the trailers for this film and both of us (me and the wife) want to see it, it does look like a fun movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468492/

Shadow · March 23, 2007, 11:03:16 PM

Tonight was the night it was playing locally, but I was too sick to make it.

RCMerchant · March 24, 2007, 07:33:53 AM

Our omly theatre close buy is in Paww Paww,about 8 miles away,and,though back in the day it used to play lotsa movies I lenjoyed,they stick to more "family" oriented stuff now.Unless our van gets some work done,I may end up watching it on dvd or pay per view much later.
Which is too bad,because giant monster movies are best viewed on the big screen,and with a big audiance,(fer me,at least.)

Mr_Vindictive · March 24, 2007, 07:40:37 AM

I've been looking forward to The Host for what has seemed like forever. It's not playing any where even remotely close to me, so I'm currently trying to import a Korean DVD of it.

Can't wait to see it.

Jordan · March 24, 2007, 12:13:13 PM

The Host is as good as you're hearing, maybe even better. I got an import DVD of it months ago and I've watched the movie multiple times. I can't recommend it enough! Sadly it wasn't playing in theaters anywhere near here or I would've gladly went to see it four or five times in order to jack up its theatrical revenue in order to make people SEE that we need more foreign films in our theaters!!!!!

Mr_Vindictive · March 24, 2007, 12:18:48 PM

Quote from: Jordan on March 24, 2007, 12:13:13 PM
The Host is as good as you're hearing, maybe even better. I got an import DVD of it months ago and I've watched the movie multiple times. I can't recommend it enough! Sadly it wasn't playing in theaters anywhere near here or I would've gladly went to see it four or five times in order to jack up its theatrical revenue in order to make people SEE that we need more foreign films in our theaters!!!!!

Never fear Jordan, you will see The Host in theaters! It's been picked up for an American Remake! Yeah Hollywood!

*Please note the sarcasm.

Jordan · March 26, 2007, 01:30:07 AM

Sarcasm noted. I have known of this for some time and it brings great sorrow to my heart. May a giant amphibious beastie make a beeline for Hollywood and snack on the idiotic execs that are suffering from remake fever.

dean · March 26, 2007, 03:11:17 AM

Seeing it tonight. Hope its good!

Mr_Vindictive · March 26, 2007, 12:25:53 PM

I just finished watching it. I believe this is my favorite film of the year, so far.

I love the fact that the film doesn't care about hiding the monster. Within the first few minutes, the carnage is happening and the creature is clearly shown.

Another great thing about the film is that it's heartfelt. By the end of the film, my eyes were starting to tear up a bit. I don't want to give much information, for fear of ruining the film, but it actually is a tear jerker. Fantastic film, can't wait to watch it again.

dean · March 27, 2007, 04:38:02 AM

And I tell you, that whole 'mourning' scene, with the family writhing around on the ground near the first part of the movie is both heartfelt, and fun, despite the severity of the situation. I felt like a bastard for laughing, but boy did I enjoy it.

I quite liked it too, maybe not the best of the year, but certainly one of the best so far. You really do have to love the first 20 minutes of the movie.

Vague Spoilers:

On a side note, I was a bit annoyed at the whole Agent Yellow thing, what with no real big mutilations that I expected, but it didn't get in the way of enjoying an otherwise excellent monster film.

Mr_Vindictive · March 27, 2007, 10:14:11 AM

Big Spoiler!

My only problem with the film is the ending. I really wished the daughter had lived. I know that's the standard American ending, but it just made the events leading up to her death pointless. We go through the whole film with the family trying to save her, and it ends up being useless. I guess them saving the boy is a bit of a consolation, but we're not introduced to his character till half way through the film and I could have cared less if he died or not.

Oh well.

Still a great film.

dean · March 28, 2007, 03:02:06 AM

Quote from: Skaboi on March 27, 2007, 10:14:11 AM
Big Spoiler!

My only problem with the film is the ending. I really wished the daughter had lived. I know that's the standard American ending, but it just made the events leading up to her death pointless. We go through the whole film with the family trying to save her, and it ends up being useless. I guess them saving the boy is a bit of a consolation, but we're not introduced to his character till half way through the film and I could have cared less if he died or not.

Oh well.

Still a great film.

Yeah, Big Spoilers here too:

Yeah, I would have liked to see her live, but at the same time I'm glad they had the balls to kill off one of the more 'important' characters. It would have been far too easy to kill the brother or sister. I suppose it also didn't end up useless since the daughter being alive meant that she saved the little boy.

Though the end slightly bugged me anyways despite that, with people bleeding out of their ears, I figured everyone should have died from Agent Yellow...

Ah well, at least the American scientist was hilarious.