Kill Bill: Volume One

[Ernie]

1. What about the ending though!? I can't believe I'm the only one that's mentioned that so far! That was fucking AMAZING! I didn't expect that at all, not the least bit.

It's probably just because you didn't try to think about it. As soon as we saw she was pregnant during the wedding, someone beside me said to his friend : "I bet her child is alive". Hehe

Well, ok fine fine fine. I'm fucking stupid then.

Even though you saw it coming, you have to admit that he did it right. I mean, how he informed the audience of it. That's an easy thing to mess up I think. That could have been laughable. Like if he let Sophie answer him and then cut or if she looked into the camera or if he faded out instead of cut-to-black. You gotta at least respect the way it was done. It was easy for me to do since I didn't see it coming at all. I wasn't trying not to think about it either like you said, it just didn't occur to me. That long take of her mourning in the bed really eliminated any apprehension that I may have had.

[cine]

I didn't see it coming. I thought it was just another thing for her to seek her revenge with, and it was all laid it really nicely.. Uma's scene when she comes out of the coma is some of her best acting.. and it really added that much needed cliffhanger for the next volume.

[modage]

ebeaman, you dont like the matrix cause you have no interest in science fiction movies.  you already stated that on the top 10 sci-fi thread, so its completely understandable that you dont care for the matrix.  its just not your bag baby, its cool.

PROBABLY SPOILERS!!!
okay, some other things that were great about kill bill.  it seemed to be a full-on EXPERIENCE.  like, the soundmix when things were supposed to be shocking, were shocking as shit.  like punchdrunk love, where certain moments are purposely cranked in the soundmix.  the opening with uma lying on the ground getting shot i was like "oh....shit."

also, the violence while being over the top with blood-geysers, which was fantastic, was also more real at times than any other action movie.  it was a mixof uma being able to kick a lot of ass, but also getting the shit beat out of her.  seeing her struggle when shes fighting and not walking away from any of the fights unscathed.  shes getting her ass kicked too, and you feel her pain.  a welcome change from the invincible super-lead's of most action movies.  it was an interesting blend of the real and hyper-real/surreal.

i hardly noticed it the first time, but the second viewing i was like "uhh, you dont get to see bill through the whole movie, do you?" and was a little pissed off that they show him in the previews for this movie.  but, i think its a great device to make you wonder what he looks like.   reminded me of inspector gadget.  but, was so perfect.

i also loved the ending.  the twist was so perfect.  when the house of blue leaves title card came up i was *like "oh no oh no, its going to be over soon, and i dont WANT it to be over soon".  but by the time it was bill and sofie fatale in the hospital, i was like and they revealed the twist. i was like "this is too perfect".  only disappointment is having to wait four fucking months, harvey weinstein you cocksucker.  a month or two would have been so much better.

[Teen Wolf]

Wow, wow, wow!!!!!! I tried to see KB last night, but like a dumbass I show up at the theatre 30 minutes early and there was a line circling the block, but it worked out okay because I went this morning for the matinee.

I loved this movie. I was actually worried that I wouldn't like it, but I really, really did.

I'm gonna go see it again.

[Teen Wolf]

Oh, and I also liked the girl in the schoolgirl uniform.

[Banky]

I'd like to know why the fighting in the matrix was superior to this.  Please, elaborate.

To boil it down simply: I think the Wachowski's have a better handle on their shot selection and the staging/choreography.  The shots are carefully planned out, each part flows into the other, and you get a real sense of where the actors (or I guess, cg characters) are in the location.  I felt a little disoriented in the KB fights at times.  Sadly, I think the O-Ren/Bride duel was mis-shot in the finale (held too long on the wide shot before the um, 'end' of it) and I was left a little confused.  Aside from that, I think Wachowski's also have a great handle on the use of music during fights, and know how to heighten the moments.  The fights essentially are musical numbers and have the rythyms/pace of a song.  

I don't know if that makes any sense.  But there's my 2 cents.

yeah, i agree

im not saying i didnt like the movie i just think it wasnt gods gift to cinema.  I really, really liked the music though but i stand by the fact that it dragged.  Am i the only one who thought the black and white seqeunce was bullshit?

[1976]

The dynamics of a fight scene change drastically depending on the weapons involved, such as the use of swords in "Kill Bill." That being said, I really dont think you should compare the fight scenes in Kill Bill with those in "The Matrix."

[Ernie]

ebeaman, you dont like the matrix cause you have no interest in science fiction movies.  you already stated that on the top 10 sci-fi thread, so its completely understandable that you dont care for the matrix.  its just not your bag baby, its cool.

Right, cool. But just one thing, if I said that I had no interest in sci-fi, I take it back. I do have some interest in it. It's not my favorite genre but I definitely wouldn't love movies as much as I do today if it wasn't for the genre. It's an important genre. I respect and like it.

Glad you loved the ending too man. I felt like an idiot being the only one to mention it. Cause I mean, that's going to be one of the things that I remember in movies. That did something to me. His voice, her face, the music...PERFECTION...wow. It made me LOVE the split.

[pete]

back to that matrix vs. kill bill fight comment.  not for one second in the matrix did I believe that people were actually hitting each other.  Keanu's so weak and siff (and sloppy) that most of the exchanges he's had just looked like the longest secret handshake in the world.  in kill bill at least the characters didn't try to do all that fancy wushu longfist crap and just settled with choreography that resembled sonny chiba's.
the style and the choreography in both movies were totally different, but kill bill found one that's better suited for actors that don't know shit about martial arts and it was much better made--the intention and the strategy was much more clear. the music's better, the build up is better, and it's more convincing.
if you were to just single out the matrix's fight scenes they won't even be able to live up to most average fight scenes in actual martial arts movies (whether or not the movies were performed by actual martial artists--I mean chow yunfat's never done sword choreography until crouching tiger, he was older, more out of shape, and trained for far less time than the matrix gang, but his fight scenes were still much better.)  Kill Bill on the other hand, has fight scenes at least as good as the chopsocky movies that inspired it.  Play your own game keanu.

[brockly]

I truly was more entertained by the fight sequences in Kill Bill than in The Matrix.

that's good to hear. hope i feel the same way. matrix fight sequences sucked!!!

[brockly]

back to that matrix vs. kill bill fight comment.  not for one second in the matrix did I believe that people were actually hitting each other.  Keanu's so weak and siff (and sloppy) that most of the exchanges he's had just looked like the longest secret handshake in the world.  in kill bill at least the characters didn't try to do all that fancy wushu longfist crap and just settled with choreography that resembled sonny chiba's.
the style and the choreography in both movies were totally different, but kill bill found one that's better suited for actors that don't know shit about martial arts and it was much better made--the intention and the strategy was much more clear. the music's better, the build up is better, and it's more convincing.
if you were to just single out the matrix's fight scenes they won't even be able to live up to most average fight scenes in actual martial arts movies (whether or not the movies were performed by actual martial artists--I mean chow yunfat's never done sword choreography until crouching tiger, he was older, more out of shape, and trained for far less time than the matrix gang, but his fight scenes were still much better.)  Kill Bill on the other hand, has fight scenes at least as good as the chopsocky movies that inspired it.  Play your own game keanu.

good post.

[ono]

Spoilers possible.

Just got back from a Lost in Translation/Kill Bill double feature.  Pretty good day.  I was a bit disappointed with Kill Bill, but still, it was a great experience.

I was curious, though, what did The Bride pull from one of the 88s when the film turned to black and white.  I couldn't quite make it out. Were we to assume it was his heart?  Looked a little small, and looked maybe as if she took his eye out of his socket.  And, what scene was it, specifically, that was the one most have thought would've gotten the film an NC-17?

My thoughts are way too jumbled, much like the film itself, for me to provide any sort of coherent criticism or comments or whathaveya.  Good experience, but nowhere in the ballpark of his previous attempts.  Even still, it is one of the best half films of the year.  **** (9/10)

[modage]

I was curious, though, what did The Bride pull from one of the 88s when the film turned to black and white.  I couldn't quite make it out. Were we to assume it was his heart?  Looked a little small, and looked maybe as if she took his eye out of his socket.

yeah it was his eye.  check out this months Fangoria magazine for a more detailed picture of that.

[Thecowgoooesmooo]

back to that matrix vs. kill bill fight comment. not for one second in the matrix did I believe that people were actually hitting each other. Keanu's so weak and siff (and sloppy) that most of the exchanges he's had just looked like the longest secret handshake in the world. in kill bill at least the characters didn't try to do all that fancy wushu longfist crap and just settled with choreography that resembled sonny chiba's.

I totally agree on that, during the Matrix I was never involved in the theater, what I mean is, it didn't have one kernal of believeability... I caught my mind on several occasions drifting into thinking thoughts such as... "hey that looks cg..." "jesus christ this is getting repetitive..." "wow keanu sucks as an actor..."

Kill Bill was a different story, my mind was in constant movie wonderland as I watched it... I thought thoughts such as... "wow that came out of nowwhere!" "thats beautiful shit" "thisssss is toooo creative!!!!!" "come on, let the little kid go uma...."

Kill Bill was a real movie experience, with style and substance...
Matrix seemed more like overhyped, repetitive, flashy style.....


chris

[picolas]

not sure how to write a real review for it right now so i'll just do some point-forming

- the most violent, shocking thing i've ever seen. it absolutely shot me in the back of the head repeatedly, stopping only to throw my unrecognizably shattered mess of a skull off Mount Everest.
- his best in terms of time-fuckery.
- his worst in terms of dialogue.
- i fear becoming desensitized to this movie, because then nothing will shock me again.
- it left me with a kind of Punch-Drunk Love aftertaste, but it was more like the aftertaste was stabbing me.
- some of the acting was ridiculous
- perfect beginning and ending. so many amazing moments..
- the quality of inventiveness in the camera work is inspiring.
- i've got to see this again in theatres.