Dreamcatcher

[dh1989]

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Plot: This is the story of four young friends who perform a heroic act - and are changed forever by the uncanny powers they gain in return. Years later, on a hunting trip in the Maine woods, they are overtaken by a blizzard, a vicious storm in which something much more ominous moves. Challenged to stop an alien force, the friends must first prevent the slaughter of innocent civilians by a military vigilante, then overcome a threat to the bond between them. In the end, they confront an unparalleled horror, with the fate of the world in the balance.

Cast: Morgan Freeman ("The Shawshank Redemption"), Thomas Jane ("Magnolia"), Jason Lee ("Dogma"), Damian Lewis (TV's "Band Of Brothers"), Tom Sizemore ("Saving Private Ryan"), Timothy Olyphant ("Go"), and Donnie Wahlberg ("The Sixth Sense").

Directed By: Lawrence Kasdan ("Wyatt Earp").

The screenplay was written by William Goldman ("Misery") and Lawrence Kasdan ("Star Wars: Episode VI- Return of the Jedi"). This is an adaptation of a novel by famous horror and drama novelist Stephen King.

MPAA Rating: R for violence, gore, and language. (Just what a good sci-fi/horror needs, IMO!)

Running Time: 2 hours and 14 minutes.

Thoughts: I am very excited to see this film. The book is an all-out amazing horror/sci-fi story with incredibly original ideas and MANY exciting sequences. The cast is another turn-on. I believe it would be very hard to make a bad film with men like Jason Lee and Morgan Freeman. Kasdan is a very good director, who, with the right budget, makes involving films. I have very high expectations for this one, and I cannot wait to see it on 3/21/03. Please post all thoughts and reviews of "Dreamcatcher" in this thread.

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A Warner Brothers Release

For more information about this film, click here (http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?id=1808409321&d=hv&cf=info)!

[Gregorious8]

This is going to be one hell of a movie. Not only is the story cool, but the cast is amazing. I can't wait until opening night.

[dh1989]

Here is a positive review from AICN....

I had the pleasure of seeing Dreamcatcher last night. There is so much I want to say about this film, but practically anything I say would be a spoiler, and I don’t want to do that at all. The film is great, for me at least because I never read the book. If you have read the book, then the film will most likely not be as good since the surprises won’t be surprises. The trailer for Dreamcatcher is perfect because while watching it, you’re like “what the fuck?” and it really doesn’t make any sense. And the trailer looks kind of cheesy with that shot of that one guy (Damien Lewis, from Band of Brothers) where he is looking, and then suddenly turns and grins. Yeah, cheese. And then there is the whole hitchhiker thing, and maybe it is just me, but I didn’t have any idea what they were talking about. But those things make perfect sense in the film.

All I can say without spoiling anything is the film is about four guys who go camping, and mayhem ensues. That is all. Make sure that you don’t read any spoilers about the film before seeing it because that is the one thing that made it so great.

And in the film, there is one scene that is probably the most thrillingly scary scene in film. I am not sure where the line crosses from a thriller to a horror, but this probably a mix of the two.

I highly recommend seeing this film knowing nothing about it. The comedy is rather amusing while it’s there, the action and thrills are just great, and the acting is great for what it was.

Keep up the good work everyone,

Parlgamads.

[notchreturns]

Should, could, and just might be an awesome film. With actors like Freeman, Lee, Sizemore, and Olyphant and with a very capable direction like Kasdan, it should be a great ride. Can't wait...

[Mike]

I had heard great things about the trailer, but then I saw it before Darkness Falls and it really didn't look that impressive to me. The trailer made it look like a movie that wouldn't be very interesting until towards the end, just like most big hollywood sci-fi/horror flicks like this. However, the TV spots make it look pretty damn good. But I still have that fear that it might be boring and not get good until the last half an hour or so.

Last night my sister called me and said that her husband wanted to see it, and she thinks it looks scary but she thought it would be a fun movie for us and some other people to get together and check out. She thought it would be fun to go see a nice scary movie. But I told her I doubt it will be very scary and it probably won't get that interesting until towards the end. As far as I know though, her and her husband would still like to check it out.

The trailer wasn't that good, but the TV spots are pretty good, so I don't know how to feel about this one. I'll check it out for sure on video, but I'm not sure I'd want to see it in theaters. It's long, which is only one more sign that it might be boring for awhile. Plus, I don't feel like seeing another SIGNS.

I don't know, the poster is cool and the cinematography looks good, but I'm just not so sure this would be worth seeing in theaters. If I hadn't seen the trailer and I had just seen the TV spots, I'm sure I'd be more excited for this one. I do like the part with all of the animals though, that looks neat. I also like that one creepy part where the guy turns his head weird, because his body has been taken over or something.

I think I'll wait and see what the schmoes and critics say about this one first. If someone that didn't like SIGNS tells me this one was excellent, then I might go see it.

[Strider]

"Dreamcatcher" looks awesome! The story sounds cool, the movie looks creepy, and the ensemble cast is ace. And I'm looking forward to seeing the great Morgan Freeman, one of my favorite actors, play a villian! I'm definitely looking forward to checking this flick out.

BTW - Has anyone heard that the ANIMATRIX 9-minute short, "The Flight of Osiris" is going to be attached to this film?

Strider

[dh1989]

Mike, if this film even remotely follows the novel, it will be exciting and engaging all the way through. It is much different than "Signs" in many ways, but I believe the big difference comes in the amount of sci-fi "action" along with the creepiness, M. Night Shyamalan's film had mostly just the latter. I think you should consider checking it out at a matinee or something.

[blankpage]

Looks awsome! Freeman, Lee, and Sizemore. Should be one hell of a movie. Looks really good, IMO. I don't know the whole backround of the story. I never read the book. Is this supposed to be horror (like Signs or The Ring) or just creepy Sci-Fi? Either way, I will off to see this flick opening weekend.

[Tom Samborski]

I think it's a horror/sci-fi/thriller film. And I also can't wait to see this movie as well.

[PorcheRacer]

This movie looks fantastic! Stephen King's books are great, and the movies from his books I've seen have been good too. Dreamcatcher looks like a mixture of The Thing and Phantoms.

[Mike]

Originally posted by dh1989
Mike, if this film even remotely follows the novel, it will be exciting and engaging all the way through. It is much different than "Signs" in many ways, but I believe the big difference comes in the amount of sci-fi "action" along with the creepiness, M. Night Shyamalan's film had mostly just the latter. I think you should consider checking it out at a matinee or something.

I don't know, part of me is really interested in checking it out, but the other part of me is a little worried that I might be disappointed. The TV spots are really getting to me though and are getting me to crack a little, so I may just end up seeing it yet.

Well, when you see it DH, let me know if it's exciting throughout the whole movie, and not just during its final act. I may end up seeing it in theaters afterall. I'm really curious about this one, I just don't want to sit and be bored for a couple of hours. I will say this though, the cinematography looks really neat, and I kind of like the wintery, dream-like look it has going for it. If done right, it could be kind of hypnotic.

I was talking to a friend last night on the phone and he asked me if any good movies were supposed to be coming out anytime soon. I told him I didn't think anything special was coming up. I said Dreamcatcher opens next weekend, but that it looks like a movie that might be somewhat boring until the final act. He agreed with me. He asked me if I had ever seen "The Thing." I told him I hadn't, and he said that it looks sort of similar to that.

I'm split on this one, however, my interest in it is growing more and more each day. Although if it follows most "King" books and movies, it could have a stupid ending.

[gyro_44]

Cool cast... intriguing trailers that kinda remind me of "The Thing" (definitely a good thing)... and Lawrence Kasdan directing. I'll definitely be there opening weekend, unless the reviews are abysmal.

I love movies along this vein, so I hope this one is good.

[Horror whore]

I've been anticipating this movie for only about a week, but I'm really excited for it now! I originally saw the trailer in October when I saw the sneak preview of THE RING, and I thought it looked like crap. But just the other day when I was bored I found the book in a box in my closet! I had no clue I owned the book so I decided to start reading it. I haven't been able to put it down, it has a great book so far! I will definitley see the next weekend. Oh yeah, the movie better keep all the gore from the book!

[sharkstank]

i pretty much agree w/ everybody who's replied

[dh1989]

Originally posted by Horror whore
I've been anticipating this movie for only about a week, but I'm really excited for it now! I originally saw the trailer in October when I saw the sneak preview of THE RING, and I thought it looked like crap. But just the other day when I was bored I found the book in a box in my closet! I had no clue I owned the book so I decided to start reading it. I haven't been able to put it down, it has a great book so far! I will definitley see the next weekend. Oh yeah, the movie better keep all the gore from the book!

SPOILERS

HW, have you gotten to the part where one of the characters must hide in his own mind? I thought that was a very nifty idea, and I pray the filmmakers leave it in! Also, I think it'll be VERY gory because some early reviewers have devoted PARAGRAPHS to how gross some of the gore is. Sounds promising, to me. Who would've thought a film would ever have aliens ripping out of human's butts?! ;)

[dh1989]

Originally posted by Mike
Well, when you see it DH, let me know if it's exciting throughout the whole movie, and not just during its final act.

Will do! ;)

P.S. Mike, what King films do you think have stupid endings? I could think of two, "Thinner" and "IT", but both vary from the novels greatly. I believe the only excellent renditions of a King novel are Frank Darabont's "The Green Mile" and "The Shawshank Redemption", plus the superb "The Shining", with Jack Nicholson, directed by Kubrick. Oh and "Misery" and "Dolores Clayborn"!

[The Claw]

The movie looks like the thing, but it looks like a good movie still. Morgan Freeman is in it right? He's a damn good actor and Jason Lee is quite entertaining and he's in it. I think I'll keep it for a rental because I'm a cheap fucker.

[Mike]

Originally posted by dh1989
Will do! ;)

P.S. Mike, what King films do you think have stupid endings? I could think of two, "Thinner" and "IT", but both vary from the novels greatly. I believe the only excellent renditions of a King novel are Frank Darabont's "The Green Mile" and "The Shawshank Redemption", plus the superb "The Shining", with Jack Nicholson, directed by Kubrick. Oh and "Misery" and "Dolores Clayborn"!

Well, they aren't always "stupid" endings, but a lot of times they are "weird." I agree with the two you mentioned, but I'd also have to add Pet Sematary. While I didn't think the ending was exactly "stupid," it was still---hmm, I don't know what to call it exactly. Anyway, there's also Storm Of The Century. And I can't quite remember exactly how the ending to The Langoliers went, but I think I recall it being kind of "weird."

[Mike]

Originally posted by Horror whore
I've been anticipating this movie for only about a week, but I'm really excited for it now! I originally saw the trailer in October when I saw the sneak preview of THE RING, and I thought it looked like crap. But just the other day when I was bored I found the book in a box in my closet! I had no clue I owned the book so I decided to start reading it. I haven't been able to put it down, it has a great book so far! I will definitley see the next weekend. Oh yeah, the movie better keep all the gore from the book!

Well, that's certainly nice to hear. I'm glad you thought the trailer looked like crap too. But now you are actually enjoying the book, so maybe the movie will be better than the trailer suggests. So, do you think you will be done with the book before you go see the movie next weekend!? Also, is the book scary at all!?

Hmm, I might just end up seeing this one afterall. My interest in it is growing.

[Horror whore]

Originally posted by Mike
Well, that's certainly nice to hear. I'm glad you thought the trailer looked like crap too. But now you are actually enjoying the book, so maybe the movie will be better than the trailer suggests. So, do you think you will be done with the book before you go see the movie next weekend!? Also, is the book scary at all!?

Hmm, I might just end up seeing this one afterall. My interest in it is growing.

My plan is to finish it by next weekend, I have about 400 pages left (I haven't had much time to read lately). And I was creeped out from the book at certain parts, which I won't go into detail about due to spoilers. I usually never get scared by a book but this one actually creeped me out.

[Mike]

Originally posted by Horror whore
My plan is to finish it by next weekend, I have about 400 pages left (I haven't had much time to read lately). And I was creeped out from the book at certain parts, which I won't go into detail about due to spoilers. I usually never get scared by a book but this one actually creeped me out.


Wow, 400 pages left!? You have a lot of reading to do ;). Anyway, I'm glad the book is at least creepy, hopefully the movie is too.

[Horror whore]

Originally posted by Mike
Wow, 400 pages left!? You have a lot of reading to do ;). Anyway, I'm glad the book is at least creepy, hopefully the movie is too.

Yes, I do. But I'm reading the paperback and the pages have a pretty big font and don't take long to read at all.

[dh1989]

Eek! HW, don't read the spoilers I posted. I thought you had like one chapter left or so. Sorry if I ruined anything!

[dellamorte dellamore]

Originally posted by PorcheRacer
This movie looks fantastic! Stephen King's books are great, and the movies from his books I've seen have been good too. Dreamcatcher looks like a mixture of The Thing and Phantoms.

I totally agree , my sentiments exactly . I guess you can consider this a sequel to The Thing , at least in spirit . That's not something negative , but let's be honest here , this is definitely a hack job of the highest order , and only the people that haven't seen that John Carpenter classic will think this is some ground breaking , original creation .


I never liked S King's books , i think he hacks like mad ( Pet Cemetary was a rip off of the film Zeder : Voices Beyond , it even had the same ending , but Zeder preceded PC by at least 7 years ) , but every now and then he actually does write something somewhat fresh and original .


Dreamcatcher does looks like it will be a very entertaining film , and i'll definitely watch it in the cinema , i just won't get my hopes up for something new and original . I doubt there will be any surprises ( except for the obligatory twist ending to set up the sequel ) , it's going to be exactly what you think it will be , a straight foward , fantastical sci fi film with the usual Dreamworks sepia tone images filling every scene .

[The Delfonics]

Im REALLY looking forward to this movie. The commercials looked awesome and I cant wait to see it! It's weird going from The Hunted which left off in a setting with snow in the woods to another movie in the woods with snow :) Easy transition.

I also didnt know Jason Lee was in the film! Very nice

[Ed]

even though i couldn't know less about the plot of the movie, the tv spots for it are awesome the this movie intrigues me soo much, i'll be there opening day.

[dellamorte dellamore]

Forget about my rant , it does look good , and i'm also looking foward to it . Like is aid it's not the most original plot around , but i doubt it will matter , it looks excellent . I always get a kick out of films whose setting is in the snow covered woods .

[lotrfankepi]

Dreamcatcher is going to be a very good film. The story is amazing and Kasdan is a great director. I am seeing this one opening night. I already got my tickets!

[Mike]

Alright, it's official, I want to see this one. I just hope it's good. The "R" rating is promising and I just love the snow setting. But I swear, if I do see this one in theaters and it ends up being like SIGNS, I will never see another big budget alien invasion flick again ;). It should probably be better though since it's not by Shyamalan. His specialty seems to be making overrated and disappointing flicks. Anyway, that being said, I'm kind of thinking I might actually check this one out in theaters. What can I say, DH and Horror Whore got through to me and have made me a "believer" ;).

[Jon Lyrik]

Yeah. Sounds awesome.

[sleekproductions]

This film has a great cast, a great storyline, a great director, a great title, and it is based on a book by one of the best authors of modern times. This will most likely be the first truly "great" film of 2003, then again, it could go ahead and dissapoint us as well. Only time will tell, but you better bet that I will be there on opening night.




Peace

[dellamorte dellamore]

I'm not so sure about it being great , but i can see something excellent unfolding by what i've seen in the trailers . Mix one part NOTLD , 4 parts The Thing remake , 3 parts They came from within , 2 parts predator , 1 part Mallrats , and 2 parts Dog Soldiers , stir , let simmer , and voila , an entertaining little alien invasion flick , one with some action , not like Signs like someone already pointed out . Almost forgot about the " Twist " ending inserted for the purpose of marketing and to hopefully facilitate a sequel .

[BorderEevilIII]

A copy of John Carpenters "The Thing"? Well the trailer has me already spooked so Im ready to jump out of my seat. Will somebody hold my hand?:D

[Tuukka]

The trailer rocked and the cast and crew are very impressive. Unfortunately the buzz is pretty weak from the screenings so far. It has currently 0% at Rottentomatoes and many negative reviews at IMDB. My anticipation is dying quickly... But I still think it might deliver as simple, cheesy fun.

[dellamorte dellamore]

That's just about what i'm expecting , and that's all i'm asking for with this offering .

[The Delfonics]

Dammit Dog Snoop, even with all the warning u had I still caught a glimpse of it! There was need to even put that spoiler in there

[ilovemovies]

I still want to see it but this review doesn't exactly instill confidence.

Dreamcatcher (Lawrence Kasdan): 48
Beaver has a problem. Truth be told, Beaver has a passel of problems -- not least among them the fact that he is called Beaver -- but as a character in an adaptation of a Stephen King novel, he's got one problem in particular: There seems to be a...thing in the toilet of the cabin where he and three longtime buddies are staying during an annual hunting trip. What this thing may be, we do not yet know; the man who deposited it in the toilet (yes, in the gastrointestinal sense) is lying dead on the bathroom floor. Whatever it is, though, it's strong and feisty enough that only Beaver's full weight on the toilet lid prevents it from busting its way out. Trouble is, Beaver desperately needs an object located a few feet away, something juuuuust out of his reach -- unless he were to lift his haunches ever...so...slightly.

For what precious item, you may wonder, would Beaver be willing to risk life and limb? A handgun? A cell phone? A plunger? No. He's reaching for: a toothpick. And why, pray? Well, because he's anxious, and he always gnaws on toothpicks when he's anxious.

Generally speaking, there are two kinds of bad movies: forgettably bad (the vast majority) and memorably bad (a treasurable few). Dreamcatcher falls squarely into the latter category, and anybody tickled by the above description should consider ignoring the terrible reviews it's sure to receive -- including, to a certain extent, this one -- and getting in line. By any conventional aesthetic standard imaginable, the film is a complete disaster: derivative, incoherent, badly acted, atrociously written, frequently just plain stupid. At the same time, it features moments of such inspired lunacy that it qualifies as enjoyably awful, at least for viewers of a certain sensibility. I spent most of its running time with mouth happily agape, unable to believe that I was really watching (e.g.) Donnie Wahlberg as a mentally disabled man (also suffering from leukemia!) who faces down a malevolent alien with the stirring battle cry "Scooby-Dooby-Doo, we got some work to do now!" (And there's more, much more, but I wouldn't dream of spoiling the ludicrous surprise.)

You may have noticed that the ads for Dreamcatcher bill Morgan Freeman as its lead actor. Be advised (a) that Freeman doesn't even make his first appearance until almost an hour has elapsed, and (b) that this is the first Morgan Freeman role that could arguably have been played with equal authority and conviction by Grace Jones. It's that kind of movie. Don't say I didn't encourage you.

This review is from Mike D'Angelo who rates movies on a scale of 1 to 100.

[cky_landspeed]

The trailer is perfect.

And the cast is great (Hopefully Jason Lee can shake off Stealing Harvard and A Guy Thing with this, sure to be great, movie)

Almost every movie Tom Sizemore is in, is good, even if he's only in it a little (NBK, Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down)

Only 2 more days!

[Mike]

I'm a little disappointed that the reviews are really bad so far. It has 5 rotten and no fresh reviews at Rotten Tomatoes. But I'd still see it anyway, regardless of that. Signs got good reviews and sucked, so maybe this will get bad reviews and kick ass. Although some of the quotes do worry me a little.

Here's the quotes from Rotten Tomatoes so far:

"A screenplay so convoluted that only an average fifteen-year-old might understand what the heck is going on."
-- Harvey S. Karten, COMPUSERVE

"As stupid as stupid can be."
-- Walter Chaw, FILM FREAK CENTRAL

"This overlong and unwieldy grab-bag of vintage monster-movie elements starts intriguingly as a snowbound deep-woods chiller, but gradually dissolves into a mess of other-worldly invasion and military counter-offensive."
-- David Rooney, VARIETY

"...disjointed, silly, and sloppy."
-- Victoria Alexander, FILMSINREVIEW.COM

"Simply all over the place, at once a movie about a plague, an alien invasion, a perfect storm, a terrible worm, a body snatcher, a mad colonel and an idiot savant."
-- Kirk Honeycutt, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

[RogueSpear]

Originally posted by Mike
"This overlong and unwieldy grab-bag of vintage monster-movie elements starts intriguingly as a snowbound deep-woods chiller, but gradually dissolves into a mess of other-worldly invasion and military counter-offensive."
-- David Rooney, VARIETY


Hmmm...this quote states the exact reasons why I disliked the book. The book starts out great but loses itself around the midway mark and ending.

All that being said, I don't have high expectations for this one.

[C-Desecration-]

I hated the book (shit weasels? Is this a parody?), but I thought that, if done right, COULD make a good movie.
But, looks like they never strayed too far from the book.
Shame too, because the previews made me think that the movie could actually be good.
And another one bites the dust . . .

[dh1989]

Originally posted by Mike
"Simply all over the place, at once a movie about a plague, an alien invasion, a perfect storm, a terrible worm, a body snatcher, a mad colonel and an idiot savant."
-- Kirk Honeycutt, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

I hope Kirk Honeycutt never has to watch a flick like "Cookie's Fortune" or "13 Conversations About One Thing" since he can't deal with multiple characters or sub-plots.

:rolleyes:

Anywho, this flick comes out tommorow. I can't wait!

[dh1989]

HBO is currently airing a making-of documentary for "Dreamcatcher", which features interviews with the cast and crew, plus footage from the science fiction/horror film. I looked on TV Guide's official site, and here are upcoming showtimes for this special......


ALL SHOWTIMES ARE EASTERN TIME!

3/21 10:35 PM HBO

3/23 HBO 2 at 11:30 AM

3/27 10:35 PM HBO

Click here, type in "Dreamcatcher" in the search engine, and you'll find more showtimes! (http://www.tvguide.com/listings/search/SearchResults.asp?I=63891&Zip=)

[C-Desecration-]

dh1989, Dreamcatcher (the book and now the movie) wasn't at fault because it has many characters, or subplots (mind-reading, Duddits, aliens, friendship, etc.), it was because it (the book) just wasn't that good.

First off, the aliens: Aside from, in the book, the huge part dealing with Jonesy and his struggle with the ET (that was pretty damn clever), the shit-weasels were very generic. They feed in your stomach, then burst out of your ass? Like Alien with a case of gas and disgustingly amusing sound effects?! Yes!

The characters were fairly good, but as soon as the book kicked into gear (if you read the book dh1989, hopefully you'll catch this reference without any spoilers for others) when someone couldn't just sit on the damn toilet becase of a 'toothpick', everything was shot to hell. The characters seemed all the same personality, and King suddenly brought in a few military dudes who I didn't give a shit about.

And as for everything else?
Four friends did something amazing when they were young in...Derry. Kind of like...IT!!
Duddits, for me, was the only somewhat new and clever thing added to the book.
Variety sums up the book perfectly, yet it is a review for the movie:

"...grab-bag of vintage monster-movie elements starts intriguingly as a snowbound deep-woods chiller, but gradually dissolves into a mess of other-worldly invasion and military counter-offensive."
-- David Rooney, VARIETY

Here's more on the movie:
"...disjointed, silly, and sloppy."
-- Victoria Alexander, FILMSINREVIEW.COM
"As stupid as stupid can be."
-- Walter Chaw, FILM FREAK CENTRAL
"The film’s excellent start is wasted through its second half, leaving us with a half-baked movie that wastes its very considerable potential."
-- Brian Webster, APOLLO GUIDE

[RogueSpear]

Spoilers for the book Dreamcatcher...

Not that it's a big deal but I've thought about this ever since I saw Morgan Freeman was playing the character. In the book, wasn't Col. Kurtz highlite to read white? If I'm wrong please, someone correct me. It's been about a year since I read the book.

[dh1989]

I honestly don't remember whether the colonel was white or black, but I am leaning towards white. I don't really care either way. If the filmmakers believe Morgan Freeman was the best actor to play the part, I don't care about a small thing like race.

[RogueSpear]

Originally posted by dh1989
I honestly don't remember whether the colonel was white or black, but I am leaning towards white. I don't really care either way. If the filmmakers believe Morgan Freeman was the best actor to play the part, I don't care about a small thing like race.

Neither do I. That was not my point. I was just wondering if I missed something in the book.

[dh1989]

Here are two POSITIVE quotes from Rotten Tomatoes...

"It is a thriller, a horror movie and a comedy that will have you jumping high and laughing loud. But its convoluted, complicated and confusing story would be infinitely better with a full half hour and several characters chopped out of it."
-- Steve Rhodes, STEVE RHODES' INTERNET REVIEWS

"The picture, which can be stereotypical and incoherent, is saved by Kasdan's talent (and the good ensemble cast)."
-- Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

The average rating is 4.5/10.

Other recent horror/creepy films' rating are.....

"fear dot com" - 2.7/10

"The Ring" - 6.9/10

"Willard" - 6.2/10

"Signs" - 7.3/10

"The Others" - 7.5/10

"From Hell" - 6/10

"Wes Craven Presents: THEY" - 4.4/10

"Scream 3" - 6/10

"Jason X" - 3.4/10

I personally don't care what critics say. Sure I like a film I am looking forward to get glowing reviews, but if it does not, I don't care. I LOVE a lot of films critics HATED.

[blankpage]

I am planning to check it out on Saturday along with Willard. And possibly A View from the top. Hopefully it will be one of the better horror films to come out.

What are your predictions on the grade you will give it?

I am predicting a 7/10 or 8.

[C-Desecration-]

I'm not exactly sure what dh's little "numbers" mean, or where he got them (what the hell are they? Totals? Estimations? I'm actually curious), but I DO know that despite how much people shit on critics, most of them are dead on.
Here's an actual recap:
Good movies--horror;
The Ring: 177 fresh 43 rotten (fresh=good rotten=bad)
Signs:160 fresh 47 rotten
Donnie Darko:60 fresh 14 rotten (not a widespread release)
Session 9: 35 fresh 22 rotten
Nightmare on Elm Street: 8 fresh 1 rotten (an older movie reviewed not so much nowadays)
Terminator 2: 22 fresh 1 rotten (again, and older movie)
Willard: 60 fresh 39 rotten

Bad movies;
Fear dot com: 3 fresh, 71 rotten
Jason X:fresh 16, rotten 83


And now, Dreamcatcher:
2 fresh 18 rotten


Those were put together from reviews around the internet, so newspaper columns, and whatnot.
So as far as I'm concerned, critics aren't as "clueless" as everyone thinks.

[dh1989]

Originally posted by C-Desecration-
I'm not exactly sure what dh's little "numbers" mean, or where he got them (what the hell are they? Totals? Estimations? I'm actually curious)

What the hell are they?

1.) Click Here. (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/AgentCodyBanks-1121035/)

2.) Look for the term REVIEWS COUNTED near the top of that page.

3.) With your eyes look down a small bit and you'll see the words Average Rating.

That is what those "little numbers" are.

For more info, click here (http://www.rottentomatoes.com/pages/faq#avgrating).

[dh1989]

Originally posted by blankpage
What are your predictions on the grade you will give it?

9/10

[The Delfonics]

I am so dissapointed about all these bad reviews. Sadly they also say the same thing. I guess Ill put my Formula 51 theory into effect. Everyone hated it... I liked it :)

[dh1989]

Originally posted by C-Desecration-
And now, Dreamcatcher:
2 fresh 18 rotten

I am sure once more critics post reviews, the amount of positives will increase. One I know of for sure is JoBlo's positive "Dreamcather" review.

Also, IMDB has posted a SPOILER IMAGE of the alien, and if look over the man's shoulder, a look at the gore this film will have....

If you want to stay pure and be suprised by the alien's look, DON'T CLICK HERE! (http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0285531/DCD-171.jpg)

P.S. I know it does not show the face, but you get a good idea of the alien's body structure, and what ILM's digital skin will look like. I think it is freakishly realistic.

[Mike]

Even if DREAMCATCHER were to get all rotten reviews, I'd still see it either sometime in theaters or right away on video. Why!? Because it looks pretty good and regardless of what the critics say, I want to see it and decide for myself.

I'm just wondering if it's going to open quite as big this weekend as I originally predicted. With the war going on, a lot of people (especially adults) will be staying home and watching their TV sets. And with an "R" rating and violent content, this may not be the best time to release it. A lot of the adults that might have went to see it probably won't be going anywhere this weekend. I'm now not quite sure what it will open with. I'm thinking it could see 24.4 Million for the weekend, instead of the 29.5 Million I originally predicted.

[Fisting Ackbar]

Originally posted by RogueSpear
Not that it's a big deal but I've thought about this ever since I saw Morgan Freeman was playing the character. In the book, wasn't Col. Kurtz highlite to read white?

He was, but like already has been said, it doesn't matter.

Besides, Morgan Freeman's character in THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION was white in the book.

[darkface]

is it confirmed that the reloaded trailer will be attached?!!?!?

[DareDevil]

this should have been one of those u dont see the creture movies, this movie has some good things going for it but then becomes a retarded tremors spinoff and the climax is bad

4/10

may change just got home from a special showing

[C-Desecration-]

DH, I didn't see that . . . but those numbers are a little decieving--they are basically percentages. 7/10--means the movie had 70 percent of critics who thought it was great, as opposed to, say, joblo's type of ratings (where 7/10 is average)/

However, I wouldn't really call joblo's review positive.
I was hoping for s emi-intelligent horror thriller type flick with good characters. Instead, looks like we get a schlocky piece of shit with good potential, but not much else.
Too bad.
Of course, I haven't seen it, and am just basing my thoughts on those reviews given.

[dh1989]

I never really got the impression that this was going to be a "smart horror" film like say "The Sixth Sense". The book, in my opinion, is just an insane thrilling alien flick. One might say it is a horror version of "Independence Day". That is what I am expecting at least.

[Ren Hoek]

Originally posted by dh1989
One might say it is a horror version of "Independence Day". That is what I am expecting at least.
AAAAAAH, no, don't say that. Let's pray that it is not a horror version of Independence Day which would be absolutely terrible :eek: (yes, I HATE ID4)
However, even though the reviews look bad I'd still like to see that film and can't wait to read dh's and you other guys' reviews. I have to wait four more weeks... darn UK release dates :mad:

[C-Desecration-]

Anyways, I'm just biased because the book really, really let me down. I love stephen king (desperation and IT were awesome), but dreamcatcher was like a book written by someone who wondered how much cliche'd drivel they could plug into a genuinely good premise.
It will be interesting to see what everyone thinks of it--I'm waiting to see it until at least next weekend, so I can soak up everyone's feelings on it.

[HHH123007]

Just got back from it.....and the first thing I said was..."What the fuck did I just see?".

Take that comment however you want to, and be aware that I could have some SPOILERS in what I'm talking about....

----------------

It seemed like it was two very different movies joined at the hip....on one hand, you have a scary "ass-worm" movie, and on the other you have a "kill the aliens" Independence Day action flick...

I thought of it in a B-Movie way(horrible special effects), so I laughed a lot......even though I don't think I was supposed to look at it that way.

I felt sorry for Morgan Freeman, who had to mutter something to the tune of "What about the ones that explode out the rear door?":rolleyes:

Weird, weird, weird...

I'm gonna give it a 6/10, but be aware that I could've and would've gone a lot lower if I had taken it as a serious horror movie.

[Jim H]

Besides, Morgan Freeman's character in THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION was white in the book.

Yeah. They even left in the lines:

Andy: "Why do they call you Red?"
Red: "Maybe it's because I'm Irish"

Which was true in the book, heh. He was VERY Irish.

[BorderEevilIII]

Dreamcatcher had its moments here & there. It was Outbreak meets (sort of) John Carpenter's The Thing meets Stand By Me meets Independance Day.






SPOILERS!

- Morgan Freemman character is NOT so nice.....
-If they had all these powers, how come they could sense the things moving around or creeping in their vicinity? -The climactic ending left me VERY disapointed.

Dreamcatcher 5/10

[dh1989]

I can't believe it! I went to my theatre to see this film, and I noticed a sign posted on the box office. It said that the theatre did not recieve the print of "Dreamcatcher"! I was all excited too. What a let-down. The person in the box office told me that they expect to get it late tonight. I am definitely going to see it tommorow at a matinee. Man, I LOATHE my theatre! They had no trouble getting bloody "Boat Trip". :mad:

[C-Desecration-]

Hey DH, I'll eat my words--you were right.
Rotten tomatoes Dreamcatcher:
24 fresh 59 rotten
prior
2 fresh 18 rotten

But still, the increase in rotten was more than fresh.
of course, RE had the same prob. and I really dig that flick.
Still, I'm not too hot on the idea of seeing Dreamcatcher. Previews are amazing (could they actually improve on a bad book?) but the reviews and opinions of those who saw it today . . . blah . . .
Oh well--I hope they get Desperation right when it is made into a movie.

[BarryEgan]

I caught my local multiplexes first screening actual screening of Dreamcather this afternoon...12:30 to be exact...Does that make me a loser? Well anyway, up until today, I had really been looking forward to this latest adaptation of King's work. Now I am not a giant fan of King, nor am I of Lawrence Kasdan, the same goes with William Goldman...Those three things together, though, gave people more then enough reason to anticipate it.
But after reading and seeing the first trailers for Dreamcatcher, I was getting pretty jacked...Nothing could hold me back from seeing it. Even the vast amount of negative reviews it ended up getting. So I finally saw it, and here's what I think...(SPOILERS CAN BE FOUND IN THIS REVIEW)

The Good:

The set up of the film, the first 30 to 45 minutes of Dreamcatcher really were just what I was expecting. It gave us a good sense of who these characters were from Harry and Jonesey to Pete and Beaver. Kasdan did a great job just giving us, briefly, a sense of how these 4 guys have dealt with their various gifts, and was handled with great talent. Everything that took place in the cabin with the 4 guys ended up ringing the most true and to be honest held the best parts of the movie. The atmosphere and tone were almost perfect, just about exactly what I was expecting...unfortunately that changes later on.

Some of the supporting performances were pretty good here. I mean it's been a while since Jason Lee's given us something to be proud of, and he is definitely back on his A-Game here as Beaver. I'm going to have to watch his scenes at least once more to catch all his catchphrases. Timothy Olyphant as Pete turned in a role that was another one of comic relief and he had a few moments to shine as well. Against what most others have said, I really liked Morgan Freeman here in this role. It's been a while since we've seen Freeman try to stretch from anything other then the determined detective hot on a case or the soulfull father figure imparting wisdom. He had some scenes here that really made me smile.

The screenplay by William Goldman and Lawrence Kasdan definitley has a style to it, a voice all it's own...Just in some scenes it's better then others. Specifically the banter between the four friends in the cabin, and some of the preliminary scenes with Morgan Freeman's General

Anything featuring the shit-weasels...Just the creature design alone impressed me on those things

The fact that Kasdan and Goldman tried to make just a genuinely entertaining piece of cinema, that kept me engrossed for the full 2 hours. Sure there were some weaknesses (which I am about to get to) that really held me back from really loving this movie, but there were enough scenes, especially toward the beginning that made this thing worth seeing.

The Bad:

Right around the time that Jonesey (Damien Lewis) gets his body taken over by Mr. Grey, the movie takes a severely odd turn. Now I can see why it loses alot of viewers here, because this can be seen as a really awkward shift in tone. I mean the movie completely abandons some ofthe characters you are supposed to be attached to, leaves the claustrophobic and creepy atmosphere that it had been building, and starts becoming some sort of chase/military film. But I was able to pull through it without getting too distracted.

The screenplay by William Goldman and Lawrence Kasdan also has it's fair share of groan inducing scenes. Laughably bad even. I rarely find myself reacting negatively to dialogue in movies as so much to acutally shake my head...But all of the scenes featuring Dibbits and some of the "witty comments" by the guys were just...Lame.

The stuff with the kids. Now the thing here is that this really shouldn't have been that big of a problem. The scenes with the kids really aren't that intrusive...It's the sole fact that the kids in the scenes are probably some of the worst child actors in recent memory. I mean if you had a cast of kids who had the talent of the boys in Stand By Me, this wouldn't have proven to be a problem. But I mean you are almost jarred by how horrible and insanely cheesy these scenes are, thanks to the child actors...The worst offender being the child who plays Dibbits, which brings me to the single worst thing in the movie for me.

Dibbits...I'm sorry...But this was the thing that brought me close to completely hating this movie...But I had the willpower to just go with it and realize that this movie isn't some serious, mature science-fiction/horror film, and just a fun, interesting piece of entertainment. But man...every scene with Dibbits, in either child or adult form...Played as an adult by Donnie Wahlberg (Probably going to go down as his single most embarassing performance...Sure he's undistinguishable...Maybe he only would do the role if no one knew who he was). It was almost offensively bad...And then you think things couldn't get any more lame..

The ending...Let's just say that this is the most ridiculous part of the whole film. I soldiered through and got past many of the weak parts of the film to this point, but man...The ending is borderline retarded...And any normal person who had made it to the end of the film feeling like they liked it, this could very possibly destroy it.

But now with all those things I found really weak about it, I really did enjoy more then enough of the film...I mean there were enough scenes scattered throughout that made me really interested in what Kasdan was trying to do, and I did genuinely love the opening half hour or so. I'll probably end up picking this film up on DVD, and that will tell if it stands the test of time or not. But for right now I am going to going to have to say that while I found it really entertaining and worthwhile, it was also a disappointment on many fronts. So I would say chekc it out if you go in expecting something that's less then stellar and not a serious science-fiction/horror film.

BarryEgan Rating: 7/10

[idealdiscountdude]

Ideal's Thoughts on Dreamcatcher


I have never read the Stephen King novel, yet the trailers for the film were very appealing to me....it looked to be a good horror/action thriller. Boy was I wrong.


************SPOILERS****************************








What Worked:

The entire first 45 minutes or so up until Jonsey's "possession" was an intriguing, suspenseful, and very good first act of the film. It was exactly what I figured the film was going to be.

The cinematography, especially the long shots panning above the snow laden forest were excellent.

Jason Lee, Timothy Olyphant, and Damian Lewis did fine jobs with their respective roles. I was greatly disappointed that the two characters I like dthe most were killed off quick enough, in two very gruesome deaths.

The visual effects (save the final scene) were eye-catching and convincing.


What Did Not Work:

What the fuck were Morgan Freeman and Tom Sizemore even in the film for? Their characters brought NOTHING to the story, and they were both wasted in their thankless roles.

The entire military angle to the film went nowhere IMO and was tedious.

The 2nd and 3rd acts of the film were disappointing and really drawn out.

Duddits, oh Duddits! Donnie Whalberg and the guy who played him as a child gave two of the worst performances of mentally challenged people I have ever seen........

The zany and laughable ending.

With all of that however, the absolute WORST aspect of the film is the screenplay, which really betrays the audience. The red velvety stuff that covers everything is not explained. Why the aliens were there in the first place was not explained. The military aspect of the film was thinner than thin.

Dreamcatcher is a huge disappointment for me. With such great things going for it, it was sad to see what a burner the film actually was. If only it the final 2/3rds of the film could have lived up to the first 1/3 of the film. Oh well, another crappy film that had the potential to be great.

C-

[Horror whore]

I'll be seeing Dreamcatcher tomorrow, and to be honest, my expectations are quite low now. I haven't been able to finish the book, after the excellent first segment, it has really gotten dull. The entire military angle in the book is really boring (IMO) and makes me not want to read the book anymore. I know I won't finish the book. I'm not about to read Stephen King's "It".

[dh1989]

Originally posted by idealdiscountdude
Dibbits, oh Dibbits! Donnie Whalberg and the guy who played him as a child gave two of the worst performances of mentally challenged people I have ever seen........

I am starting to freak out. In the novel, the character's name is Duddits. The filmmakers didn't change his name did they?

[idealdiscountdude]

Originally posted by dh1989
I am starting to freak out. In the novel, the character's name is Duddits. The filmmakers didn't change his name did they?

No it is Duddits, dh! Sorry bout that....!

[Mike]

Originally posted by Horror whore
I'll be seeing Dreamcatcher tomorrow, and to be honest, my expectations are quite low now. I haven't been able to finish the book, after the excellent first segment, it has really gotten dull. The entire military angle in the book is really boring (IMO) and makes me not want to read the book anymore. I know I won't finish the book. I'm not about to read Stephen King's "It".

I was worried about the military angle being boring. That's why I thought from the beginning that it would be a movie that was kind of boring and didn't get good until towards the end. But maybe I was wrong, maybe it's good at first and then gets boring, and then maybe gets kind of good again just for the ending. To me, based on everyone's opinion so far, it sounds like it tries to be too many things at once, which kind of worries me. Who knows, I'll probably just end up seeing it on video because my first choice to see is definitely Willard. If I get around to it I might end up catching it in theaters, but it's not something I'm just dying to see.

[BarryEgan]

Hey Mike...Even with all the negative stuff you are seeing about Dreamcatcher right now...I've seen Willard myself...I didn't even bother posting a review because I had that much utter dislike for it. I am pretty sure that between seeing the two, you'll walk out of the theater at least a little more entertained if you see DC...Willard is my vote for worst movie of 2003 so far.

[notchreturns]

An uneven flick with it's share of great and dull moments. The cast is good, as is the direction from Kasdan, especially in the first half, the much more supirior side of the film. The story is a good one, if they would've sticked to one genre (i.e. horror or drama)

I'm actually a bit annoyed, for Dreamcatcher was about to become the first GREAT film of the year, but as soon as the "men-in-black" show up, and the well-developed friendship between the four leads is basically ditched, the audience is left with, what really is, another cliched, convoluted, been there-done that, action romp.

Don't get me wrong, 'twas an entertaining flick, but it could've been much better and memorable. The flashback scenes with the kids weren't needed, and could've easily been cut without hurting the narrative.

I'd still reccomend Dreamcatcher, it does have it's share of great moments (the bathroom scene... yikes...) and some nice performances and direction, but the story is a mess if I've ever seen one...

6/10

[TheMovieMinor]

This film was very very unexpected, very weird, and damn scary. I was curled up in my seat, my friend wouldnt stop moving around, because he was nervous through the whole thing. Very scary, some comedy to relax you.

Otherwise, Morgan Freeman had a much different role, but big mistake on putting him as main character. He was in there for 30 minutes. Tom Sizemore was in there more.
Cast List of what should have been:
Thomas Jane
Damian Lewis
Tom Sizemore
Morgan Freeman
Jason Lee
the other guy.

Otherwise it was one of the better films of this year. very original. Tom sizemore and Morgan Freeman's roles were great. Showing they had power in trying to stop all this. So their characters were important.

I give it 10/10.

four stars
two thumb up, way up!!

[dh1989]

Originally posted by idealdiscountdude
No it is Duddits, dh! Sorry bout that....!

Ok, thanks ideal! ;)

[The Delfonics]

Originally posted by TheMovieMinor
This film was very very unexpected, very weird, and damn scary. I was curled up in my seat, my friend wouldnt stop moving around, because he was nervous through the whole thing. Very scary, some comedy to relax you.

Otherwise, Morgan Freeman had a much different role, but big mistake on putting him as main character. He was in there for 30 minutes. Tom Sizemore was in there more.
Cast List of what should have been:
Thomas Jane
Damian Lewis
Tom Sizemore
Morgan Freeman
Jason Lee
the other guy.

Otherwise it was one of the better films of this year. very original. Tom sizemore and Morgan Freeman's roles were great. Showing they had power in trying to stop all this. So their characters were important.

I give it 10/10.

four stars
two thumb up, way up!!

You made me happy

[Mike]

Originally posted by BarryEgan
Hey Mike...Even with all the negative stuff you are seeing about Dreamcatcher right now...I've seen Willard myself...I didn't even bother posting a review because I had that much utter dislike for it. I am pretty sure that between seeing the two, you'll walk out of the theater at least a little more entertained if you see DC...Willard is my vote for worst movie of 2003 so far.

Sorry, but I still really want to see it. I think I'll really like it. I think I'll like WILLARD more than DREAMCATCHER.

[freakandgeek]

i really really liked this movie. it was wonderful. very exciting. i jumped a lot. creepy in fact. i am definately adding this to my dvd collection when it comes out!!

*MAJOR spoliers*
who knew that was donnie wahlberg? i sure didn't, until he said "we've got some work to do?"

i liked jonesie.....and i was soo shocked he got hit by the car. i am glad i didn't read the book for that one!

i was sad to see beaver go, but it was good....and who ever thought wanting a toothpick would be so dangerous???

i am glad jonesie didn't die!!

*end MAJOR spoilers*

i think all the actors in this movie are added to my favorites. i really liked thomas jane. he's sexy!

:cool:

the movie gets an A from me!

[dh1989]

http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0285531/FCDC-1.jpg

Lawrence Kasdan's "Dreamcatcher" is an excellent film. It is entertaining, scary, and action-packed. I was never bored in it. I do have some problems with it, yes, but I was very pleased overall.....

Morgan Freeman is great as Col. Curtis (or Kurtz, if you read the novel). He is entirely belivable as a mean and insane man, which is no easy task since for the last few years Freeman has portrayed mostly wise detectives.

Jason Lee is very charming in his smaller role. Lee is once again a fun actor to watch. Quite hilarious to say the least. I especially loved how he delivered all of his character's witty lines.

Damian Lewis is very well-rounded in this films. He really does get into the role, ALL of the roles.

Tom Sizemore is once again amazing. This guy is simply charming, and it is no different here. He is especially awesome when he wields his gun near the end.

Donnie Wahlberg is excellent as Duddits. I was very endeared to him. I also LOVED the kid who played Duddits as a child. God, I don't know if I have ever been so intriuged by, and cared so much for, a character.

All of the child actors feel natural and do there scenes well.

Kasdan's direction is amazing. He uses tons of style in this film. He juices the snowy setting for all of it's worth. He also uses cool angles and Star Wars-esque scene transitions. Very stylish.

The screenplay is a serious plus. The dialouge all feels natural for the respective characters, and the movie runs at a perfect pace. Never is it slow. It held my attention certainly.

The score was AMAZING. It was really creepy and quirky. A treat for the ears, especially those who appreciate music.

ILM's effects were awesome. Some of the best effects I've seen in a while. I was not really ready for such awesome digital beasts. Very slick, especially the "shit weasels". Also the "powers" of Olyphant's character was neat-o! ;)

Overall, I really dug this roller-coaster ride. I reccomend it to everyone who is looking to have a scary good time at the theatres.

6/10

[dh1989]

.,.,.!

[sharkstank]

Dreamcatcher 6/10 Excellent First Half,Bad Second Half
Boy was this movie all over the map!What started out as an excellent,creepy, and mysterious character driven tale degenerated into a balls to the wall action melee.The first half of the movie is excellent, establishing the main characters, setting the creepy tone,and setting us up for a great movie.All four main young actors(Thomas Jane,Jason Lee,Damien Lewis,Timoth Olyphant) are great here,deeply exploring each characters mind and powers.Their relationship with Duddits is also well explored.The cabin,the snow(great touch)and the characters actually being built up was really great as well.Once in the cabin,when the aliens are brought in,the movie ups the ante on the scare o meter and presumeably preps us for the friends fight for survival.But then it all goes up in smoke.The military quarantines the area,and the Blue Group will battle the aliens.The leader(Morgan Freeman)is nuts after battling aliens for 25 years and he is on his last day on the job.The man who will succeed him(Tom Sizemore)has a cooler head on his shoulders and is more reliable then Freeman.The effects are great,and I really loved the friendly banter btween the friends in the cabin.Then the film goes all Independence Day on us with helicopters shooting up a bunch of the aliens and their crashed ship.It tries to juggle too many stories here,some characters make the obvious mistakes before their demises,and it becomes non sensical.The flashbacks are alright,but didn't the guys all seem really nice and helpful throughout their lives?And why were they all so depressed?Why would Duddits,who is supposed to help us,be the way he is and have leukemia?I really could have done without the Blue Group's involvement,although Freeman was fun as the leader.The end is bad and the movie is extremely dissapointing.It is okay,but it could have been so much more.

[g05]

...i'm all about any movies that include little monsters that crawl out of the butt!

i was debating whether to see this movie on friday, but didn't. after reading more reviews on what this movie is actually about, i wish i went. i guess i'll have to wait til monday. seems like a lot of laughs.

[Slim]

Another movie based on a Stephen King bestseller, another terrible movie. With the exception of two films (The Shawshank Redemption, The Shining), Stephen King stories do not translate well onto the screen. Most of the time it's because parts the story are drastically changed or not given enough time to developed.

Dreamcatcher suffers from both of these problems. Quite good up to the part where Jonesy got hit and then it was all down the toilet from there. A confused mess and the final part of movie deviates a lot from the book. Development of the characters sucked ass.

4/10

[dh1989]

SPOILERS

The only change that made me mad was the loss of the diner scene near the end where Jonesy gains some control of his body and makes his body, possesed by the E.T., eat all the raw bacon to cause sickness. That scene ruled!

END OF SPOILERS

[Jim H]

Slim X - what about the Green Mile and Carrie?

[dh1989]

Originally posted by Jim H
Slim X - what about the Green Mile and Carrie?

And "Misery" and "Dolores Claiborne".

[ilovemovies]

My only real complaint about this movie concerns Morgan Freeman's character.


**************SPOILER ALERT*************************

I know this guy is suppose to be going crazy but why would he shoot at and kill Tom Sizemore at the end?


****************END OF SPOILER*********************


Other than that Dreamcatcher is a superbly crafted and exciting film with a great cast all of whom are excellent ( Thomas Jane, Damien Lewis and Tom Sizemore are especailly good) and wonderfully directed by Lawrence Kasdan. Awesome cinematography too!

[bob]

Is that the Arrow's review or are you just a copycat?:D

[Slim]

Originally posted by Jim H
Slim X - what about the Green Mile and Carrie?

Spacek is quite good as Carrie, but the rest of the film is rather dull. Distracting split-screen photography and lame music. All the other characters are terrible charicatures. The period in the shower scene is perhaps the only thing really memorable. IMO not a classic horror movie like most people tend to believe.

6/10 :(

The Green Mile - I completely forgot about this movie. This actually belongs in the limited crop of good Stephen King films. Three hours, but it was really necessary.

8/10 :)

[Slim]

Originally posted by dh1989
And "Misery" and "Dolores Claiborne".

Unfortunately, I have never seen these two movies. Which are probably the only Stephen King movies I haven't seen. I have heard positive things about them and Kathy Bates' performance.

[Jim H]

Salem's Lot is good in my book as well. Not great though.. 7/10.

[ANTBond007]

Did anyone else find Jonesy's conversations with Mr. Gray hilarious? I mean, Mr. Gray has this nice British accent, and he speaks all proper and kind-like. "It would be the polite thing to do!"

As for the film itself, I liked it, though with some reservations about the ending.

7/10

[HHH123007]

Originally posted by ANTBond007
Did anyone else find Jonesy's conversations with Mr. Gray hilarious?

Yes! I leaned over to my friend and said, "This reeks of LOTR...." :rolleyes:

[ANTBond007]

It would've been classic to have Mr. Gray let out, 'Must have the precious...'

[The Prowler]

Overall an enjoyable movie with a lot of inconsistancies. But I loved Timothy Olmphant and Jason Lee. The snowy setting throughout the movie was very well done. The movie did lose some steam once all the CGI came into play but I don't think there was much choice cause the book tended to end up that way anyways. I thought all the actors did a good job and the flashbacks were great making me reminisce of Stand by Me. I had a fun time at the movie theater and thats all I was asking for. I know a lot of people are turned off by the military involvement throughout the movie but I thought it was ok. Some parts were fun to watch and it reminded me of a summer blockbuster at times. Some things I was scratching my head over but I was never once bored.

Spoilers**


























I wish Jason Lee and Timothy Olymphant's characters were around for a lot longer. I thought there were the best thing about the movie.

8/10

[RogueSpear]

Dreamcatcher

**Some possible minor spoilers throughout**

One of the best and worst things about Dreamcatcher was the fact that it was a fairly faithbul adaptation of the Stephen King book by the same name. I say it's a good thing because I don't like when movies are drastically changed from the books they are based on. I say it's a bad thing because I had the same problems with the movie that I had with the book.

After reading the book last year I was extremely disappointed with it. The book started off great, had some very cool settings and genuinely likeable characters. However, about half way through the book took a turn and gradually worsened as it got towards the end. The movie is exactly the same way.

The movie starts out great. I liked that the characters were introduced in the exact same way as the book. The scenes up in the woods are filmed beautifully and provided a sense of isolation. The characters are all played pretty well. I would say that Thomas Jane did the best job as Henry. Timothy Olyphant was all right as Pete. I've never really liked Jason Lee, but he was ok as Beaver. Damien Lewis was the only person I didn't really care for. His Jonesy just seemed kind of off. I don't know.

One problem I had with the movie was that these are the only four characters given any sort of development. Morgan Freeman as Kurtz and Tom Sizemore as Owen are brought in and just go about doing what they're supposed to do because the script says so. Morgan Freeman was pretty much wasted. He seemed like he was just wanted to make some money. He didn't seem very interested and the character of Kurtz in the book was a much bigger asshole. Much bigger. I was disappointed that some of the interactions between Owen and Henry was left out. Their actions afterward were much more believable in the book. In the movie there was no real reason given for Owen doing what he does.

For people who haven't read the book some things could have been confusing. I had to explain the "memory warehouse" to my fiance. I think that could have been handled better. One of the more suspenseful scenes in the book, when Jonesy has to leave his memory warehouse to get the files on Duddits, wasn't the least bit suspenseful in the movie. I will say however, that the scene with Beaver in the bathroom was extremely suspenseful and probably my favorite scene of the movie.

Like I said the first half of the book was suspenseful and atmospheric but by the midway point the movie went in to many directions just like the book. There were some good things in the movie and it was a decent way to spend two hours but overall I was just as disappointed in the movie as I was in the book.

Final Score - 6/10

[Puck Bond]

Dreamcatcher looks like a very interesting and entertaining thriller that I have been looking forward to for a while. I love mysterys about aliens and so on so this should be right up my alley. Morgan Freeman is one of my favorite actors and Jason Lee rocks...throw in the fact that its based on a Stephen King book..i'm so there. I plan on seeing it tomorrow.

[blankpage]

Looks like some mixed reviews among the schmoes. I am finally off to see the flick tonight. Can't wait :D

[Droog989]

I saw this film nearly a week ago, opening night on Friday, and I still cannot for the life of me grade this film. If I had to, I'd give it a 5/10, but don't take that as a bad review, i'm not sure what it means myself. Never before have I been so indecisive about a film......
Jason Lee's character was a lot of fun in a very Kevin Smith kind of way, and Damien Lewis commanded this film in every sense of the word. Mr. Grey, well, to me, he is an absolutely fantastic film character and everything about him was enjoyable, every last single line he uttered. I enjoyed the creatures like the shit weasels, they were fun in a 'The Thing" kind of way, the setting was brilliant, as was cinematography, and contrary to what you've heard, the sub-plots do not really seem all that out of place to me.
But this film changes itself so often, i'm confused as to what the final result is. The end scene is terrible. Just beyond terrible and one of the worst things I've ever witnessed in my entire life, bar none. The other two characters in the film were so poorly done I cannot for the life of me even recall their names, let alone the actors. They did so much wrong, from needlessly over the top performances, to poor delivery of lines. The flashback sequences were handled well enough, but quite out of place for the rest of the film.
So, take that however you will, and see the film at your own discretion. Oh, and as a final note, never before have a witnessed such a fun moment with a man talking into a gun as though it were a phone. quite a blast :D

[ASSaSSiN]

How sad.

I was REALLY looking forward to this one as its my type of movie.
I love creepy mystery horror sci fi's.

Sadly is seems hollywood in unable to make anything of quality anymore.
Very rarely anyways.

This movie really has been getting shitty reviews.:(

[fark31281]

I give Dreamcatcher an 8/10...I was really looking forward to it and found myself entertained a little freaked out the whole time...

REASONS I LIKED IT:

1) Loved the book and was just curious about the translation the whole way through
2) Wasnt that mad about any changes
3) Liked the concept and messages...definately very original which is really refreshing these days
4) Jason Lee and Morgan Freeman rocked - loved seeing Lee in a different genre - all the characters were important and useful
5) Comedic moments eased some of the tension thank god...
6) OVERALL REALLY SCARY - I came for a horror movie and expected a scare and I got it...nuff said

[Raoul Duke]

The first half of Dreamcatcher was awesome, then it got way to many stories floating around, it couldn't handle it all. The childhood flashbacks were lame, as was the whole Duddits thing. And WTF was with the ending!? "I'M DUDDITS!"......:eek:

[The Delfonics]

I wanted to LOVE this movie so much! The comercials were awesome. They made the movie look like a great serious horror flick. However as I walked out of theater I was left with a bad taste. The movie became almost a joke. It wasnt serious at all really. Its not that confusing of a movie but the latter half drags and finishes with a very lame ending. Basically the movie turns into a CGI alien movie. This can not be seen on the commercials and I was so dissapointed by the turn the movie took. However I loved the setting, the music, the gore and Jason Lee. The mood was great. I WISH the story could have matched the potential. Well another mediocre King book to film. (6.5/10)

[Moviefreek]

After reading many horrible reviews and decent ok reviews I wasn't sure if i was going to like it. I wanted to see it at first with the trailers and all, It looked like a good film. I finally got to see it tonight and I'm glad I went to catch it. Personally, I followed the story very easily and understood what was going on the whole time. I do agree with the rest Jason Lee was funnier in this role than many other roles he has put out and also shows he can put on a serious act as well. The bathroom scene was hands down the top scene in the film. It had a very x-files fill to it and I loved it. I do also agree with the setting it was very nice and added to the fill of the film. I do think everyone should check this one out if you can handle a real thinker and a little suspinsion of belief.

8/10

[freakandgeek]

Originally posted by dh1989
SPOILERS

The only change that made me mad was the loss of the diner scene near the end where Jonesy gains some control of his body and makes his body, possesed by the E.T., eat all the raw bacon to cause sickness. That scene ruled!

END OF SPOILERS

yeah my mom (who read the book) told me about that scene, and it sounds like it would have been awesome. maybe when the dvd comes out, it'll be part of the deleted scenes....

[The Delfonics]

Did anyone also catch the Keifer Sutherland burn?

[darkface]

The movie was weird.... a little too wierd for my taste. There was nothing special about it, and i even laughed in some scenes (due to it being insainly odd or weird) Not much to really say about the film except don't see it IMO.

Although the Animatrix short kicked ass.


4/10

p.s.
The greatest part of the movie *spoiler somewhat* was when Dudits in the end was stabbed, laying on the ground. and he raised his arms and goes " I-i-i-i... DUDITS!" OMFG, i laughed so hard for so long.

[Jim H]

I thought it was pretty good. A few great moments actually. Mr. Gray was amusing. A few good concepts. Great special fx and a decent amount of gore. I was entertained through the whole movie, so I can say I wasn't disappointed. I was more disappointed in the animatrix short then Dreamcatcher actually.

Mostly well-paced, good performances by all. Seemed to have a *LOT* in common with It, actually.

I give it a 7/10. Almost an 8 though.

***MILD SPOILERS***


The toothpick scene gets my vote for quite possibly the dumbest move a character has made in a movie I have seen this year.

[dannywalker17]

DREAMCATCHER
Based on the novel by Stephen King
Screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan & William Goldman
Starring Thomas Jane, Damian Lewis, Morgan Freeman, Jason Lee, Timothy Olyphant, and Tom Sizemore.

Rating: 8/10

Well, all I have to say is boy was this a wierd movie! But I liked it. Dreamcatcher is definetely flawed, although not as much as some are saying. The way it switched back and forth between several different storylines didn't bother me until the end. The Morgan Freeman-Tom Sizemore subplot was the one I had a problem with. It was fine until it turned into ****spoilers**** this "I'm gonna get him cause he turned me over to my archrival". That part just seemed too random and outside of the story we were trying to focus on. ****end spoilers**** That whole subplot was definetely the weak point of the movie and should have been handled differently. But overall I did like the movie as I said. All the actors did well and they all seemed to play a good part in the movie. Tom Sizemore seemed kinda wasted, but all the other actors were very good. I liked seeing Freeman do something a little different for him and he did a good job. I liked Lewis, Lee, Olyphant, and Jane as the four long-time friends. They were believable and the moments with them were great. The funny moments and the more serious ones. Lee and Olyphant in particular provide some great humor. The twists and turns kept me on edge and the flashbacks to the 4 friends childhood were well done. I really liked the way Dreamcatcher just kept making me think "What in the world is going on. This is so bizarre." Kasdan does a good job creating the right atmosphere and making a film that really keeps you guessing. It's also got suspense and scares. If that's your kind of movie then you should definetely see Dreamcatcher, at least on video. It's a pretty good movie.

[Puck Bond]

Dreamcatcher is a freaky and wild sci-fi, horror film that can be simply explained as just plain weird. I really had no idea what I was going into when I saw this film. I have never read the book(of course a Stephen King novel), but the previews looked very interesting. An entertaining mystery, thriller about some kind of weird alien invasion that boasted a good cast with two of my favorite actors the always stellar and solid Morgan Freeman, and the young talented Jason Lee. The story is about 4 childhood friends who have a strange psychic connection and have been blessed by a mentally challenged boy nicknamed "Duddits". The four friends include Jason Lee as catch-phrase specialist Beaver, Damian Lewis as Jonesy, Thomas Jane as Dr. Henry Devlin and Timothy Olyphant as Pete. The four friends take time each year to spend a weekend or so in a back-woods cabin amidst the snow covered forests of Maine. A strange sort of skin infection is affecting the animal population and even people start to become infected. One of these guys is lost and tired in the woods and Beaver and Jonesy find him and take care of him, but little do they know what lurks within him. The bathroom scene where what we are dealing with is revealed in full force is absolutely horrific! It is a tense, disgusting and startling scene and it had me on the edge of my seat! We soon find out that the area has been quarantined by Colonel Abraham Curtis played by Morgan Freeman, who leads an elite team to deal with the problem of the growing alien invasion. He is also joined by Captain Owen Underhill played by Tom Sizemore. This film is certainly not for the faint of heart...with some really gory and horrific bloody scenes that could easily offend and disgust most people. The slimey, slithering, creatures are themselves revolting. This film is certainly not great or even that good and some will find it extremely stupid and gross. I did however enjoy certain aspects of the movie and one thing is that it certainly is not boring. The premise is somewhat interesting especially at the beginning, but it does deteriorate into a disgusting creature feature. The performances worth noting are Jason Lee as Beaver "Fuck me Freddy!" he is good and I also enjoyed Damian Lewis as Jonesy(who plays dual roles and his American accent is perfect for a Brit). I also like the idea of the huge memory wherehouse, which is shown to nice effect. You have to see it to know what I'm talking about. Overall, Dreamcatcher is an extremely weird film and easily off-putting to some. It has a nice weird and interesting premise but it could have been handled better. The cast is solid and the performances are decent. This certainly is not a film for everyone...and if you think you might like I say its worth giving a try, because I enjoyed it.

[Puck Bond]

A question for those who know...it might have been answered already so I apologized if I missed it.

What the hell did DDSS mean? Because I don't think there ever was an explanation.

[Moviefreek]

it was SSDD...and it stood for "Same Shit, Different Day"

[Puck Bond]

Originally posted by Moviefreek
it was SSDD...and it stood for "Same Shit, Different Day"

Ah that's it! Ok thanks man:)

[syxxpac]

Originally posted by ilovemovies

**************SPOILER ALERT*************************

I know this guy is suppose to be going crazy but why would he shoot at and kill Tom Sizemore at the end?


****************END OF SPOILER*********************


Simple: He crossed the "Curtis line"

:D

[syxxpac]

Originally posted by Horror whore
I'm not about to read Stephen King's "It".

You'll be missing out on one of the best books ever written...

[Dumb-Fokker-**]

They should have left the name Kurtz, instead of Curtis. Who gives a flying fuckarow if it is the same name as the fokker in Apoc? Not me.

[Jerk Shapiro]

Lawrence Kasdan's "Dreamcatcher" smokes cock.


5/10

[Moviefreek]

Originally posted by MOVIE-Maniac 8
Lawrence Kasdan's "Dreamcatcher" smokes cock.


5/10


Wow...and from that..I fully understand why.....:rolleyes:

[The Delfonics]

Originally posted by Dumb-Fokker-**
They should have left the name Kurtz, instead of Curtis. Who gives a flying fuckarow if it is the same name as the fokker in Apoc? Not me.

Also the same name in the book that Apoc was loosly based on - Heart of Darkness

[AppleHuntr]

DREAMCATCHER- 3/10

This film was AWFUL!!!!!! Fun-Awful in some parts, mind you, but lordy the film was terrible.

The beginning was interesting, not great like everyone is saying because I found much of the dialogue between the guys forced and irritating (i.e. fuck me, freddy! jesus christ bananas! SSDD), but it was watchable and Timothy Olyphant is a great actor. But then the lost hunter shows up and the film throws all credibility out the window with fart jokes and alien invasions. Were the aliens ever explained? Anything about them at all? The film continued to be somewhat entertaining, the flashbacks with Duddits were, call me insensitive if ya want, HILARIOUS!!!! "ooby ooby ooh, way ah oo" (thats scooby doo if ya didnt get it) and the horrible child actors, but the military shit bored me to tears. Mr. Gray was reasonably funny, as was the grown up Duddits, but the rest just plain sucked. I didnt care about what was happening! The film could be "so bad its good" for some, but jesus, it was bad. (it gets 3 because i was entertained by its badness).


"anyways, thats just my opinion and what do i know........"
-Storytelling

[sleekproductions]

Dreamcatcher was an extremely ambitious movie, that while it wasn't nearly as good as it should have been, it still provided some good entertainment, some interesting characters, and some disgusting scenarious. It had trouble deciding what it wanted to be, but through all of its plot changes and happenings, I still managed to walk out saying that I had a good time. The atmosphere, the score, and the overall build-up was all great. The first 45 minutes were truly scary, but it unfortunately went down hill from there. They decided to take the "action" route, which isn't always a bad thing, and while it works to some extent here, it would have been better had it remained an in-the-cabin thriller like the begining. I realize, however, that this is based on a book, so the source material is to blame. Other things to note are the special-effects, which work well in some places, and poorly in others. The "shit-weasels" looked pretty cool, but the end battle looked pretty damn terrible. Overall, I had a good time with this flick, wheter it be making fun of it, being scared, or just enjoying its stupid scenarios. Nothing groundbreaking here, but if you're willing to shut off your brain and have a good time... you just may. (It's to note that I am a BIG fan of sci-fi/horror films, so that may have helped in my enjoyment.)