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Post by bladerunner7 on Sept 11, 2016 19:25:49 GMT -5
Ok, here is THE THREAD for reviews, Starting on Sept 24 and going on from there.
My Rankings have changed over the years but #1 has always been #1, and 4 has always been #2, I would have to put 2 as my third choice despite the miscasting of Mike. I will be posting my rating on Oct 1 late pm or early am Oct 2.
Please rate the following after seeing Ravenger
1- Rate the movie overall on a scale of 1-10 on its own
2-Rate the movie in terms of the series 1-5
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Post by bladerunner7 on Sept 25, 2016 14:40:31 GMT -5
Go to Phantasmravenger Facebook page...Don and director hartman are taking questions...live
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Post by bladerunner7 on Sept 26, 2016 1:55:59 GMT -5
Early reviews in..harry knowles of anititcool.com called it a "blast" re his web page, also a bunch others up on site..looking like 4/5 stars at LEAST..will let you know this Sat for me at sold out la show..
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Post by krakenslayer on Sept 26, 2016 3:04:22 GMT -5
Early reviews in..harry knowles of anititcool.com called it a "blast" re his web page, also a bunch others up on site..looking like 4/5 stars at LEAST..will let you know this Sat for me at sold out la show.. Cool! Do you have a link for any of those? Google's not turning anything up for me.
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Post by bladerunner7 on Sept 26, 2016 9:13:06 GMT -5
It is on the Phantasmravenger Facebook page as well as twitter, harry comment you have to go to fantastic fest and click on his name, you will also see videos the cast AFTER the premiere on Facebook
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Post by pharrout on Sept 26, 2016 11:21:46 GMT -5
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Post by pharrout on Sept 26, 2016 17:52:04 GMT -5
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Post by bladerunner7 on Oct 2, 2016 12:13:39 GMT -5
Saw the La Premiere PHAN REMASTER/PHAN RAV
RANKING 4.5/5 movie wise
Series a strong #2
The best musical score and acting by far of all the cast members However, . I would rank Mikes single performance in Phan 1 the best of the series after seeing the west coast premiere last night.
I think Don was 100% right to turn over the director reins on this one, it feels different more amped up, with a small budget both did wonders.
The tall man was amazing.....both visually and emotionally. what a great performance, of course the narrative flow was confusing, that is WHAT MAKE PHANS BE ABLE TO SEE THE MOVIE OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AS, far a the "get your cake and eat it to "after ending"...that is where the movie goes down in my book for 5 to a 4.5...but what sensational final.....
this one, and four require special attention to detail, which means X viewings...no doubt
The wait was worth it, Reggie, will topped himself....everything, of course if they had 10 million the special effects would be better, but that would mean sell out to the studios..and we all know what happened in #2 to mike,which was a joke, Rocky by the way, still looks like she can kick ass
THE WAIT WAS WORTH IT.....THANK YOU DON AND COMPANY FOR THE GREATEST NIGHT EVER IN A MOVIE THEATER..MORE LATER
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Post by hellnback on Oct 4, 2016 9:35:48 GMT -5
I'm just going to give this the ranking of 1 out 5. Sorry but that's just how I feel after watching this movie. As to where it stands......dead last.
Maybe I'll change my mind in several years but after watching the previous Phantasm films over and over since I was a kid and feeling great after watching all those, this one left me feeling empty inside. In the end not worth the wait. I'll still buy the blu ray to put it with all the different Phantasm dvd's and blu ray I have but still this one left me feeling meh.
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Post by krakenslayer on Oct 4, 2016 17:18:09 GMT -5
Without giving spoilers, yeah, there are certainly a lot of problems with it. If I'm being savage... Ravager is a 5 out of 10. But it's a very unusual film, in that the strong moments are amazing and the weak moments are absolutely terrible, so think of that as a median score. The Bad- Hartman's flat, static shots and handheld action footage give it a pretty boring 90s soap opera look at times
- The effects range from okay to godawful (the CGI spheres are rubbish)
- The story beats are really quite repetitive. The interdimensional perspective-flip plot device is used far, far too much - it felt like every time I started really enjoying what was happening, BOOM! we're somewhere else. The rhythm and pace of it is too fast for my liking. At times, it feels like you're superficially skimming over the surface of the story without really delving into it
- Things start to get muddled towards the end, where they fail to actually show entire plot points - MAJOR plot points - and instead just explain them in dialogue, like they forgot to film that scene and are trying to make up for it
- Two of the trumpeted returning cast members turn up FAR too late, and are woefully underused, and the new main female character is mostly devoid of personality, a bit like the woman character in Phantasm OblIVion.
- The musical score is extremely heavy-handed and sledgehammery, like they're trying to make every single scene feel like some epic, emotional moment, and as a result it sort of burns you out and doesn't have the required impact when the real powerful, climactic scenes hit
But on the other hand, there is some really great stuff too... The Good- From the trailers, I was worried that older Angus was projecting too much of a "nice old man" vibe to be menacing. I needn't have worried. In his scenes (the few that there are), he is really creepy and unsettling
- Reggie plays multiple versions of himself across different timelines and he gives it all he's got. There's a lot of pathos and bathos and musings on life and death and old age, and he nails it all. He can still carry the action scenes too
- The whole principal cast (with the abovementioned exception) do an excellent job, and Hedge is a good addition to the ranks of Reggie's sidekicks
- The chemistry between Reggie, Mike and Jody: it's still there, and when the three reunite, it's a totally magical and satisfying moment
- There are sequences where the movie plays like a greatest hits of the series, reprising scenes and concepts from the previous films, and even stuff from deleted scenes and unproduced scripts, and it's very, very cool to see some of those ideas on the screen at long last
- There are some really sweet sphere kills
- The movie has a truly dreamlike vibe, the likes of which we've not seen since the first Phantasm
- There is shitloads of stuff in the movie that we are going to be discussing and debating the meaning of on this forum for years to come, and that's awesome
There is one other thing that I want to mention, but I feel like some people might consider it a SPOILER, albeit a MILD ONE. So here goes... Despite all the talk from Coscarelli and Hartman and the guys, I believe there is no way that this was ever intended to be the final instalment of anything. The movie wraps up like the end of a TV episode, a season finale at most. Yes, there is one way to read it that sort of gives closure to one of the characters, but then it moves right past that and continues on. I will say this, however: before seeing the movie, I really hoped it would be the last, and during the least impressive moments of Ravager itself, that feeling was even stronger. But then... right there at the end... where we left that suriving group of characters... now THAT is a f**k**g Phantasm sequel I'd like to see!!
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Post by pharrout on Oct 4, 2016 17:42:03 GMT -5
The Bad- Things start to get muddled towards the end, where they fail to actually show entire plot points - MAJOR plot points - and instead just explain them in dialogue, like they forgot to film that scene and are trying to make up for it
Do you think that maybe because they cut the film from 2 hours down to 87 minutes might explain the missing plot points? I haven't watched it yet, but am wondering... since they cut over 30 minutes from the film.
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Post by krakenslayer on Oct 4, 2016 17:54:26 GMT -5
The Bad- Things start to get muddled towards the end, where they fail to actually show entire plot points - MAJOR plot points - and instead just explain them in dialogue, like they forgot to film that scene and are trying to make up for it
Do you think that maybe because they cut the film from 2 hours down to 87 minutes might explain the missing plot points? I haven't watched it yet, but am wondering... since they cut over 30 minutes from the film. Yeah, I think that's probably the case. Perhaps the eventual and inevitable Director's Cut will take care of bad points #3 & #4, at which point the good would really start to outweigh the bad. I think it would improve things as long as the cut scenes actually add depth to the different timelines instead of just more back-and-forth between them, which feels excessive and reptitive as it stands.
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Post by vivalabeck on Oct 4, 2016 20:05:53 GMT -5
I've watched it twice to make sure of my opinion, but it didn't change much with a second viewing. It's about what I expected, which wasnt much to begin with. It feels unnecessary. There are moments that do work in parts, but not enough to add up to a satisfying whole. The scenes in the nursing home with Mike dealing with Reggie's dementia are well done. Jebediah's death bed scene is also quite touching. Chunk and Dawn/Jane are worthy sidekicks, but I would have much preferred more with Jody and especially Rocky. The return of the Lady in Lavender is probably the best scene, and the most like the previous films, but ends too quickly. Overall, however, the poor CGI, lighting and style of cinematography is very annoying. It's not the note I would prefer the series to end on.
Ranking 4/10 5/5
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2016 21:33:42 GMT -5
i'll say it again and again: i did not want a PHANTASM V.
haven't seen it yet. i'm not sure i want to, now, after reading this:
"From a production standpoint, Ravager feels instantly at odds with the series; its obvious digital shoot doesn’t mesh with the previous shot-on-film predecessors, including the lushly photographed Oblivion. None of the CGI, which is relied on far too often, looks convincing, and the sequences showing widespread hell-like destruction across entire cities look straight out of a video game. (By comparison, the original film’s technique of literally throwing silver sphere Christmas ornaments down a mausoleum hallway, or hanging them from fishing line, look a d**n sight better. It’s ironic that Coscarelli and J.J. Abrams embarked on a two-year journey to restore Phantasm and digitally erase all the “mistakes” and “tricks” with the special effects that bothered Coscarelli for years — including that fishing line — but apparently he’s totally fine with the effects in Ravager.)
The phan in you will want to ignore all this; the love you have for the series will want you to push it all aside and say, “they’re really going for it, aren’t they? Good for them!” But the phan in you also recognizes that, after eighteen years, you deserved better. You deserved something with a look beyond that of a Sci-Fi Channel original, or a production from The Asylum. You deserved Coscarelli being in the trenches with his audience and himself helming the last entry of the series he created, and for which he oversaw every entry. But really, what you deserved was Coscarelli deciding, “if we can’t do this right, we’re not going to do it at all.”"
-- CUTPRINTFILM
was gonna wait and get the blu-ray, but since it's obvious to me that i'm just not going to be able to accept this thing as part of the series, i may as well buy the stream, get it over with, and start working on forgetting it. (the film might surprise me. doubtful though.) thanks for the write-ups, folks.
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Post by DustinM on Oct 4, 2016 22:07:40 GMT -5
I was really surprised in how much I enjoyed Ravager as I went in braced for the worst. I agree that we'll be discussing this one for years to come.
HOWEVER, If you disliked or even hated the film, I understand completely and don't hold it against you. This story is really peripheral to the other four films and people weren't much expecting that. Combine that with a huge departure in aesthetics, effects and production value and you've got something that's going to divide phans.
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Post by KillerSphere on Oct 4, 2016 22:39:11 GMT -5
What in the heck did I just watch? What's the take away from this film? Is Phantasm Reggie's "phantasm" so to speak?
I am at loss for words. Who in the world is Daniel Schweiger? Someone that Don or David owed a favor to? I'm not going to lie, his scene was hard to watch.
Conversely, Reggie and Michael were really at the top of their game in this film. Why couldn't we just have a film with the two of them? We haven't had that since Phantasm II (and that was with Le Gros). Why in all the rest of the series do Reggie and Michael have to be separated? I don't get it. Their chemistry together is what made the films great.
I think this would have made a spectacular non-canon web series, but to call it the definitive ending to Phantasm is quite disheartening. I love this series dearly, but I cannot call Ravager a part of the series. To me, Phantasm ended with the masterpiece that is Oblivion.
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Post by bladerunner7 on Oct 4, 2016 22:58:38 GMT -5
I was angry when they inserted the final scene...after some credits rolled....but in the spirit of Phan "it never ends, a sign a of good movie is NOT KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT NEXT...this movie for me had it, not perfect but for the $$$$ a heck of an bang for the buck.
As far as the ending goes, well, the movie does take Phan to another level...lets give credit where credit is deserved, from the end of the world and on a large space rock.....to 100 tall men....just let it set in.....
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Post by xscrimshotx on Oct 5, 2016 3:41:57 GMT -5
I was really surprised in how much I enjoyed Ravager as I went in braced for the worst. I agree that we'll be discussing this one for years to come. HOWEVER, If you disliked or even hated the film, I understand completely and don't hold it against you. This story is really peripheral to the other four films and people weren't much expecting that. Combine that with a huge departure in aesthetics, effects and production value and you've got something that's going to divide phans. It exceeded my expectations and then some. One of my favorite things about this film is that the tall man had a LOT to say here and one of my favorite scenes is between him and Reggie in a white room. As much as I loved Oblivion, personally, I don't think I've seen the tall man this creepy since Phantasm II. I'll be buying both, the DVD and bluray and I'll be PROUD to have this in my library. :-) @spookyencounters: I couldn't resist the temptation to read a few reviews myself out of curiosity. Someone else's opinion on a film shouldn't dictate whether or not you watch a movie, man. It's pretty ironic...the negative reviews I've read about this thing did a hell of a job lowering my expectations and when I'd actually seen it for myself, they probably made me love it that much more, if possible. One thing I found hilarious is people complaining about the story being hard to follow because of the dimension-hopping and whatnot. Reggie would be in one place, and find himself in another. Hint: Mike explained a "diagnosis" to him in the park. This was a hell of a ride and I enjoyed EVERY second of it. This was a hell of an epic Phantasm film through and through.
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Post by aysem on Oct 5, 2016 3:59:02 GMT -5
I watched it yesterday with my girlfriend and she fell asleep, but she's not a Phan like me. So, that doesn't count.
HEAVY SPOILERS AHEAD!
To be honest, i'm quite disappointed and I wanted to love this film so much, but what we got after all these years is something made of good will to please the Fans, but not a good movie after all. There are a few scenes and ideas which are really cool, like the Dimension-Idea, the Scenes in the rest rome. Also the Beginning with Sphere-Car-chase was really cool, but the biggest Problem of all ist the lack of atmosphere. Phantasm IV was filmed with very little budget, but it felt epic in contrast to Ravager. Maybe because they shot it on real film and not on digital. What really bothered me, was that most of the Scences were shot at Day and not at Night, that could be so much better. I know there was no money after all, but there were chances to do it better or maybe right. A better director would have done better. For Example: There is this Scene in the house with Dawn and Reggie and in the background you can hear the soundtrack to make it a funny scene, which it would've been, when the director would have been able, to get these emotions into camera. The actors are all fine and there is no doubt, that they had been able to do this the right way. Since it was shot like it was shot, you have to place the funny soundtrack music to make it a funny scene - sorry, that's poor directing. You can't solve such problems in post-production.
Other Problems from my point ov view:
- The Tall Man talks way too much. He isn't much of a talking villian!!! There was no Point to "the offer, Reggie couldn't refuse" after all. Why would he do that?
- The Appeareance of Rocky in this movie was completely wasted. She got one Scene and i'm really sorry, but it was the most stupid scene in this movie. The little fellow just lost his hand (heavily burned!) and the only thing he wants to do, is to grab boobs with his good hand...WTF!!! Completely wasted and she's such a good character.
- The other minor characters like Chuck and Dawn are useless. There is no emotional bond at all, when Dawn get's finally killed. She's just another Girl, who get's killed. Chuck is no more than an a**h***(forgive me).
- The Trailers showed too much, espacially the best Scene of the Movie with the Lady in Lavender!
No Offense! I really love the other Films, but this one is the ugly child in the family and more or less unnecessary (except from the dimension-idea). Phantasm was perfect with the movies 1-4.
Still, i will watch it again, maybe it gets better.
(Sorry for my poor english)
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Post by bartholomew on Oct 5, 2016 7:16:06 GMT -5
Aysem - your English was fine and I agree on a few things.
***SPOILERS BELOW***
Yes, The Tall Man did talk way too much. I noticed that too. But I really enjoyed his character in the hospital as Jebediah then all of a sudden he looked really creepy when he made the Tall Man face and said "you're never safe". That was one of his greatest acting I've seen in a long time. Then the Lady in Lavender was sexy/creepy talking in his voice under the bed.
The trailers did show way too much. Could have more night scenes. The cuda scene was great but too much shooting was not necessary IMO. Looked cheesy with the bullets coming out of his gun when he was shooting the spheres.
The rap music at the end was so NOT Phantasm related at all.
But I did enjoy the film overall. It was a 4.5 for me. I expected it be different since Don didn't direct it but it wasn't bad.
I enjoyed seeing Reggie and Gigi's house they used in the film and felt bad the horse got a sphere in the head until Reggie said "Dude, bad news about your horse". Reggie had some great lines as well as Chunk. I also got a kick when Dawn said to Mike and Reggie "enough of the love fest" or something close to that.
When Reggie died, it was very sad and I think Mike and Jody's acting was heartfelt. I'm a guy and that brought a tear to my eye.
I think Angus looked very Tall and creepy in the white room. I wonder how many years apart since that scene and the hospital scene. Angus looked so much older in the hospital.
I'm definitely seeing this on big screen this Friday. I'm sure I'll enjoy it more.
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