Peter Jackson's King Kong

Post by **Meg** » December 13th, 2005, 7:53 am

Well...King Kong looks amazing, I'll say. BUT, CGI always fails to scare me, for some reason.

I caught myself staring at a poster with KK on it in a super market the other day...it was for some lottery thing. I felt like such a dork, I was like, "Look at his teeth! They look so real!"

Post by **Dacey** » December 13th, 2005, 8:36 am

Ha, ha, ha, I do the same thing.

"Kong's fur! I swear, you could TOUCH Kong's fur!"

Post by **Meg** » December 13th, 2005, 4:36 pm

I like his mouth for some reason.

Post by **isaac15** » December 13th, 2005, 6:59 pm

tack a look at these reviews.

4/5 "Spectacular, clumsy, hilarious, ludicrously self-indulgent, terrifying and far too long, Peter Jackson's remake of the 1933 classic is a monster in every sense." BBC Paul Arendt

A "Remakes simply don't get any more respectful -- or more inspired -- than this." Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold
"This gorilla of a film is blockbuster of the year." London Daily Mail Baz Bamigboye

3.5/4 "With a wizard at the helm, there are times when re-makes can be glorious things." ReelViews James Berardinelli
"Peter Jackson's King Kong is the most thrilling, soulful monster picture ever made. At last, it can be said without irony -- I laughed, I cried." New York Daily News Jami Bernard

3/4 "Too big for its own good, too pure of heart to diminish, brawling, magnificent, heroic and flawed: That's King Kong, and that's King Kong." Houston Chronicle Amy Biancolli

4/4 "Director Peter Jackson is the reigning king of the epic spectacular with his brand of Kong. This is what they try to say when you hear, "An experience awaits you at the movies," folks." Blunt Review Emily Blunt

5/5 "If it receives no other award, it virtually demands recognition for its screenplay--a spectacular that takes us to a very unexpected region of the heart." Cinema Signals Jules Brenner (FC)

3/5 "A sensational performance by Naomi Watts as the beauty who makes even a truly fierce beast beautiful just by loving him." Spirituality and Health Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

3/4 "You've seen it all before but most assuredly never like this." Boston Globe Ty Burr

2.5/4 "Peter Jackson's King Kong is all things cinema, in the hands of a clever but overindulged filmmaker." Groucho Reviews Peter Canavese

5/5 "sheer delight, the perfect synthesis of mainstream action flick and sobering philosophical musing on the nature of love in an imperfect world" Killer Movie Reviews Andrea Chase

4/4 "They don't really make movies like this anymore; I don't know if they ever did." Film Freak Central Walter Chaw

4/5 "A travelogue through popular movie genres, it passes from socially conscious drama to comedy, romance, horror, adventure, science-fiction fantasy and doomed love story, cleverly quoting the styles and tropes to which we've become accustomed along the way." Los Angeles Times Carina Chocano

A- "a marvelous entertainment, a great big thumping movie-movie that stands beside, all the while honoring, the greatness of the original. " Reeling Reviews Laura Clifford

A- "["King Kong"] could have been shorter, especially in the first third, but this is a minor nitpick of a film that is tremendously entertaining and wonderfully crafted." Reeling Reviews Robin Clifford

6.5/10 "Those who enjoy Jackson's previous films will probably forgive the movie's pacing and storytelling problems once the action kicks into high gear" ComingSoon.net Edward Douglas

3.5/4 "Spectacular in the way it gives us what we expect and then some, and manages to find sincerity within a premise that, in this day and age, comes preloaded with irony." Mark Reviews Movies Mark Dujsik

4/4 "This is one of the year's best films." Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
"However jawdropping the big effects (there's a dinosaur stampede and some giant white worms who suck men into their squishy maws), they're tenderly elbowed aside by scenes of tender intimacy." Slate David Edelstein

4/5 "The result is a three-hour epic on par with his Lord of the Rings trilogy both in scale and thematic relevance, securing Jackson's reputation as the next great event filmmaker and heir to Steven Spielberg." Boxoffice Magazine Annlee Ellingson

8.4/10 "Jackson again reminds us that he's a genius." CHUD Devin Faraci

4/5 "Smashing good fun." About.com Jurgen Fauth

3/4 "Editor Jamie Selkirk has been with Jackson since he was making 85 minute zombie movies and really should have stepped up, not that fans will complain about the excess." Zap2it.com Dan Fienberg

A- "One of the season's most enjoyable films - even if it's a wee bit overlong." EDGE Boston David Foucher

77/100 "The popcorn movie of the millennium, setting a new standard for special effects wizardry." Apollo Guide Jamie Gillies

10/10 "Scary and sensational - simply the most spectacular creature feature ever made!" Modamag.com Susan Granger

4.75/5 "There is still a heart buried under all the CGI but it's clogged with the cholesterol of movie padding." Hero Realm Stefan Halley

3.5/4 "Peter Jackson's new movie is the king of Kongs." St. Paul Pioneer Press Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
"This is spectacle filmmaking at its best, where a director is in tune with the story's underlying emotions and his own boyish love for adventure fantasy." Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt
"[I]f Jackson set out to make a film that would blow minds, child and adult alike...then he has succeeded enormously..." Flick Filosopher MaryAnn Johanson

B+ "Gives new meaning to the expression, 'Lemme go, ya big ape!'" Compuserve Harvey S. Karten

3/4 "While one cannot deny his giant-sized filmmaking gifts or his showmanship, nor can we ignore how thin the air of self-importance feels by the time every last digital effect has been pulled out of the magic bag." Detroit Free Press Terry Lawson

3.5/5 "Overlong and diffuse, Jackson's remake is a hybrid of horror, disaster, adventure, and romance genres, delivering proficiently the basic goods, while referencing such blockbusters as Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, and Titanic." EmanuelLevy.Com Emanuel Levy

A+ "Monstrous. Monumental. Magnificent. Use any term you want, there's no denying the power, genius and spectacle of King Kong, which is certainly the biggest movie of the year and possibly the biggest movie ever made." Detroit News Tom Long

B+ "A big, bold, gigantor of an action movie that's part head-knocking smackdown, part intimate beauty and the beast and thoroughly entertaining a lot of the time." Atlanta Journal-Constitution Bob Longino

4/4 "Most great movies are lucky to have a handful of moments to remember; King Kong has at least two dozen." New York Post Lou Lumenick

10/10 "there never again needs to be a retelling of the classic beauty and the beast tale as this masterpiece is destined to be one of the finest films of this generation." Gazette (MD) Jeffrey Lyles

3/4 "Jackson spoils us with riches in this film, with one impossible sequence after another; the result is overwhelming but pleasantly so." Seattle Times Moira MacDonald

5/5 "That Jackson’s King Kong upgrades the now hammy original with wit, heart and humour is a pleasant surprise. That it does so by reinventing the action blockbuster, in form and emotional impact, is nothing less than an act of cinematic alchemy." Times of London Kevin Maher

4/4 "The $200 million-plus spectacle is funny when it wants to be, exhilarating when it needs to be and a sentimental triumph at the end." New York Daily News Jack Mathews
"What's up on screen is rarely short of staggering." Variety Todd McCarthy

4/4 "Action movies often devalue acting, but Watts' performance turns King Kong from a monster movie to an epic tragedy." Salt Lake Tribune Sean Means

3/4 "[The film] offers the most thrilling movie moments of 2005 and crafts a lovely relationship between its beauty and beast. But ultimately, this Kong is just too much." Sacramento Bee Carla Meyer

A "This is Naomi Watts' and Kong's movie and together they create magic onscreen. " About.com Rebecca Murray

4/4 "Peter Jackson has run the original 1933 King Kong through his epic imaginarium and given us the year's most thrilling entertainment. Also its most heartbreaking love story." San Jose Mercury News Bruce Newman

3/4 "Jackson's competent remake is certainly worth a look, but it's ultimately a Kong too long and too much." Fantastica Daily Chuck O'Leary

3/5 "Worth seeing, especially on the big screen." IGN FilmForce Jeff Otto

3.5/4 "Jackson is filmmaker and entertainer enough to use all the technology at his disposal without losing sight of the sublimely improbable story of beast and beauty, and the exquisitely realized islands they call home." Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

3.5/4 "Jackson is a visionary filmmaker who is not only a technical wizard but also a master storyteller." USA Today Claudia Puig

2.5/4 "A lavish, high-octane epic. King Kong has a welcome heart to go along with its razzle-dazzle, but it is a heart that alternates between hot and cold." TheMovieBoy.com Dustin Putman

B+ "There's no denying the monumentality of Jackson's achievement, which intermittently lives up to Denham's showbiz credo: 'Magic for the price of a ticket.'" Christian Science Monitor Peter Rainer

3.5/4 "Grab yourself a couple of big tubs of popcorn and get ready to have one heck of a good time at the movies." Internet Reviews Steve Rhodes
"A bona fide work of genius." Daily Telegraph Tim Robey
"This is a great thrill ride with the occasionally beautiful moment, as when Kong and Ann admire a sunset. Pay no attention to the December 14th release date, I think this is really a classic summer movie." Ebert & Roeper Richard Roeper

7/10 "The one remake to rule them all!" Juicy Cerebellum Alex Sandell

3.5/4 "While Jackson's 'Kong' may not be a great film, it offers plenty of good fun, and few moviegoers will leave the theater griping that they didn't get their money's worth." Kalamazoo Gazette James Sanford

A "The movie seals Jackson's reputation: He's the most gifted big-picture artist working today, a master of epics from a human-eye view who excels at employing 21st-century technological wizardry to suit the needs of ageless, personal storytelling." Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

4.5/5 "Peter Jackson's remake is as much a tribute to the old, seat-of-the-pants spirit of early motion pictures as it is an exercise in technological bravura." New York Times A.O. Scott

A "Alongside the adrenalized rushes, Jackson and his colleagues locate the humor, affection and heartbreak in its big story." Now Playing Magazine Brent Simon

B+ ""King Kong" is a rare film that would be improved with a "director's cut" that excised rather than added." ColeSmithey.com Cole Smithey

4/4 "Peter Jackson is the savior of the modern blockbuster. He gets it." Zertinet Movies Steven Snyder

B "Often wondrous to behold and enormously exciting (and, amazingly, even occasionally moving), but also way too long and at times exhaustingly elaborate." One Guy's Opinion Frank Swietek
"Not that it matters what I say, but I do recommend seeing it. First two thirds are gold." LYTRules.com Luke Y. Thompson

4/4 "Here is the jaw-dropping, eye-popping, heart-stopping movie epic we've been waiting for all year." Rolling Stone Peter Travers

4.5/5 "Easily one of the year's most gut-wrenching tragedies, and it's a pretty good action-adventure movie too." CinemaBlend.com Joshua Tyler
"The impact of Peter Jackson's King Kong is as massive as the gigantic gorilla itself, a spectacle to marvel at, but most importantly, a story with which we can connect emotionally." Urban Cinefile Urban Cinefile Critics

4/5 "A hugely enjoyable, eye-popping movie that pushes all the right buttons." FilmFocus Joe Utichi

4/4 "Jackson hasn’t realized just his own dream but the collective dream of everyone who sees the movie screen as a window into the fantastic." Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL) Jeffrey Westhoff

4/4 "It cannot be oversold: Jackson is so far ahead of every director making these epic, effects-laden event movies that it's really not even fair." Los Angeles Daily News Glenn Whipp

"A colossal holiday treat that's technologically mind-blowing yet heartwarmingly endearing." ReelTalk Movie Reviews Frank Wilkins
"A huge extravaganza with a gently beating heart." Horror.com Staci Layne Wilson
"Click here to see review" Wolf Entertainment Guide William Wolf

A "King Kong rules, and the big ape's reign is almost problem-free." Dallas Morning News Philip Wuntch

Post by **ShyViolet** » December 13th, 2005, 9:12 pm

Roger Ebert gave it four stars!

I can't wait to see this one.

Post by **Meg** » December 14th, 2005, 2:59 pm

Time mag bashed it, but then again, their critics SUCK. He also gave Narina and The Incredibles a big thumbs-down...

Post by **Steve Carras** » December 14th, 2005, 11:50 pm

Now that's it out today (December 13) I went to it an ENJOYED it! (Notewothy how desp[ite the different release than LORD OF THE RINGS from the same director, Peter Jackson, whose last "LotR" flick took home some OScars INCLUDING..of course..2003 best picture..) that the same long and FORMAT type of credits were there!

Verylong but FAR better than expected..and very highly recommended.

Post by **Dacey** » December 15th, 2005, 12:32 pm

isaac15 wrote:tack a look at these reviews. [edited]

I'm not even going to START reading those.

But most of the reviews that I've read have been pretty good.

Post by **isaac15** » December 15th, 2005, 8:13 pm

i just watched king kong and i loved it. it is one of the best of 2005. great movie.

Post by **James** » December 15th, 2005, 8:20 pm

Not a great start: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/da ... wed&p=.htm

21st place for all time Wednesday openings - that even puts it behind the Pokemon movie which was in 600 less theatres!

Post by **isaac15** » December 15th, 2005, 8:29 pm

hello

it is not sunday yet. thats it when you look at the box office.

so for king kong as got 132 good reviews and only 23 bad.

kong rules

Post by **SingingDuckGirl** » December 15th, 2005, 9:38 pm

hello it is not sunday yet. thats it when you look at the box office.

duh issac...

21st place for all time Wednesday openings - that even puts it behind the Pokemon movie which was in 600 less theatres!

as for a wednesday opening, it's low for the wednesday that it came out on.
Issac, what will it take for you to understand that everyone's reasons for being completely irritated with you are valid? I usually just watch the boards but I have to say something sometime. You are so frikkin annoying that it makes me think that maybe you're just some 30-year old weirdo who goes onto message boards and purposely writes crap just to laugh at the people who flame you. If that's the case ::sigh:: you win. That's actually kind of funny. But really sad too.

Anyways I want to see kong...it may be a while before I can though

yay.

mods, if I was too harsh, I'll edit.

Edit!: to clarify, I don't think 30-year olds and older are losers! ...just the ones who would post like issac does are. I'm 18 but a few of my best friends are old enough to be my peers' parents. I like mature people, especially when being around so many crazy college kids all the time.

Post by **isaac15** » December 16th, 2005, 12:47 am

this theard is about king kong. not isaac15. duh. kong was really good. did you like it. i did not really get your reply. i hope it makes a lot of money. remember we are talking about king kong. ok. so what are your thoughts about the movie.

Post by **Ben** » December 16th, 2005, 11:04 am

Remember that Kong is more than two times the length of the Pokemon movie, which would also explain the lower numbers, as it can only be shown half as many times.

Come Monday, this'll be a big big hit.

Post by **James** » December 16th, 2005, 11:15 am

Ben wrote:Remember that Kong is more than two times the length of the Pokemon movie, which would also explain the lower numbers, as it can only be shown half as many times.

Come Monday, this'll be a big big hit.

Not saying it won't be (or will be!), but I still say it's not a good start. All three Lord of the Rings movies were that length and they are all in the top 10 Wednesday openings.